“Go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days” (Daniel 12:13).
The final chapters of the book of Daniel contain visions about the future. God showed Daniel what was to happen to his people in the last days, how violent kings and empires would come and go, how rulers would rebel against God and would destroy many people… When Daniel saw all this, he was appalled and overcome.
But God did not leave Daniel alone in his bewilderment. In the last vision that is written down for us, He tells Daniel: “You shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” Humanity will go through a lot of conflict and turmoil, but the final outcome is secure: God will awake his children to everlasting life, and make them “shine like the brightness of the sky above … like the stars forever and ever.”
Daniel’s life as God’s servant in a hostile world has been turbulent. He has experienced people’s hatred and jealousy, but also God’s saving power. The Lord has given him special insight into the future. But at the end of his life, Daniel can die in peace, and trust that God will make everything good.
Can you die in peace as well?