Many

“At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:1-3, NRSV)

If you are righteous and your name is written in the book you will be delivered.

And then the word that struck me in this reading…

Many…

Many of those sleeping shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Really many? Not all?

So who is left behind in the dust of the earth? And in the Hebrew the word is there. I admit I am not a Hebrew scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but it looks like a good translation to me. But that leaves the question of who is left in the dust. Because some rise to everlasting life and some rise to everlasting contempt.

It is a question we are left with to ponder, yet we can know from this passage if we strive to do what God has called us to do and follow Him, we will shine like the stars forever and ever.