Daniel 12 1-13
The Time of the End
Israel delivered
No doubt when the revelation contained in Dan. 12:1-13 was given Daniel, he was concerned about his people’s destiny. Now at the conclusion of this vision, the angel consoled Daniel by revealing two facts Dan. 12:1-3. First, the people of Israel your people; cf. Dan. 9:24; 10:14 will be delivered by the intervention of Michael the angelic prince cf. Dan. 10:13, 10:21, who is Israel’s defender. In the Great Tribulation Satan will attempt to exterminate every descendant of Abraham see Rev. 12:15. This will be a time of great unprecedented distress for Israel cf. Mat. 24:21. Satan’s attack against the people of the kingdom will be part of his effort to prevent the return and reign of Christ.
The deliverance of Israel, Daniel’s people, refers not to individual salvation, though a remnant will be saved, but rather to national deliverance from subjugation to the Gentiles cf. all Israel will be saved in Rom. 11:26.
The second fact that consoled Daniel is the promise that those who sleep will be resurrected. Many Jews will lose their lives at the hands of Gentiles in the events revealed in Dan. 11:1-45 cf. Rev. 20:4. To sleep in the dust of the earth cf. Psm. 7:5 does not mean unconscious existence in death. It simply means that a dead person appears to be asleep. The body is asleep, not the soul cf. 1Thes. 4:13. Unbelieving Jews will be resurrected to shame and everlasting contempt and will not partake in the covenanted blessings. Jews, however, who believe the Messiah will be resurrected bodily to everlasting life and to positions of honor in Christ’s millennial kingdom. Being glorified in the kingdom, they will shine like the brightness of the heavens. cf. Mat. 13:43, Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. They will be wise, for they will trust in the Messiah even though it will result in their suffering.
This message that God will remember His covenant and will fulfill all He promised to Israel in spite of her sufferings at the hands of the Gentiles will be a consolation that will in turn cause them to lead others to righteousness cf. the wise in Dan. 12:10. No righteousness of God’s people ever goes unrewarded so those who are faithful under persecution will shine like the stars forever and ever.
The resurrection of believers martyred in the Tribulation will occur at the second coming of Christ cf. Rev. 20:4, they came to life and reigned with Christ 1,000 years. The unbelieving dead, however, will be resurrected to everlasting contempt and torment at the end of the 1,000-year reign of Christ cf. Rev. 20:5; John 5:28-29).
Conclusion
Sealing of the book
Understandably Daniel and his immediate readers could not have comprehended all the details of the prophecies given in this book cf. Dan. 12:8. Not until history continued to unfold would many be able to understand these prophetic revelations. But God indicated that an increased understanding of what Daniel had written would come. People today, looking back over history, can see the significance of much of what Daniel predicted. And in the time of the end cf. Dan. 12:9 and note the end and the end of the days in Dan. 12:13 the words of this book that have been sealed kept intact will be understood by many who will seek to gain knowledge from it. This will be in the Tribulation cf. Dan. 11:40, the time of the end. Even though Daniel’s people may not have fully understood this book’s prophecies, the predictions did comfort them. They were assured that God will ultimately deliver Israel from the Gentiles and bring her into His covenanted promises.
Questions concerning the Great Tribulation
This section Dan. 12:5-13 includes two requests one by an angel and one by Daniel and two angelic replies. The first request is in Dan. 12:5-6, and the first answer is in Dan. 12:7. The second question is in Dan. 12:8, and the second reply is in Dan. 12:9-13. Evidently two angels had attended the angelic messenger, who was probably Gabriel cf. Dan. 10:5. One of the angels across the river the Tigris; cf. Dan. 10:4 called to an angel standing by Gabriel the one clothed in linen; cf. Dan. 10:5 and asked, how long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled? These astonishing things probably refer to the events recorded in Dan. 11:36-45, which pertain to Israel’s final occupation by the coming Gentile ruler.
Gabriel answered the inquiring angel that those events will be fulfilled in a time, times, and half a time, that is, in three and one-half years cf. Dan. 7:25. Though this final ruler will reign for seven years, the first half will be a time of comparative peace for Israel. They will be enjoying the benefits of the covenant this king will make with them Dan. 9:27. Israel will be a land of unwalled villages, a land in which the people will be without walls and without gates and bars Eze. 38:11. But the Antichrist will break that covenant Dan. 9:27 near the middle of the 70th seven of years. Then the king of the South and the king of the North will invade Israel Dan. 11:40. After destroying these two armies, this Gentile king the Antichrist will move into Israel, occupy the land, and set up his political and religious headquarters in Jerusalem Dan. 11:41, 11:45. He will reign in Jerusalem as king and god and will become the greatest persecutor Israel has ever known Rev. 13:5-7. Israel’s power will be broken by his ruthless power, and then at the end of the Tribulation all these things the events in Dan. 11:40-45 will be completed.
Then Daniel addressed a question to Gabriel, whom he called My lord a term of respect like Sir; cf. Dan. 10:16-17, 10:19. Daniel asked, What will the outcome of all this be? He wanted to know God’s program for Israel beyond the Tribulation period. Little information about Israel’s blessings in the millennial reign following the Second Advent of Christ had been given to Daniel, though he did know that God’s eternal kingdom will be established Dan. 2:44; 7:14, 7:22, 7:27) and the saints will possess rule in that kingdom. Many such prophecies had been given through the prophets and more would be given through prophets who were yet to come Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
As the angel already stated Dan. 12:4, the words are to be closed up and sealed kept intact and thus made available until the time of the end the second half of the 70th seven of years; cf. Dan. 12:7; also note end in Dan. 12:4, 12:13. In that period of time many Jews will turn to the Savior cf. Dan. 12:3, and as a result will be spiritually purified… spotless and refined. But the wicked will continue in their ways, following and worshiping the Antichrist, the world ruler. What God revealed to Daniel will continue to be obscure to them cf. 1Cor. 2:14, but the wise i.e., the righteous; cf. wise and righteousness in Dan. 12:3 will understand.
The angel said that 1,290 days will be measured off from the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished cf. Dan. 9:27, he will put an end to sacrifice and the abomination that causes desolation is set up cf. Dan. 9:27, one who causes desolation will place abominations on a wing of the temple. The last half of the 70th seven of years is a time, times, and half a time Dan. 7:25; Rev. 12:14, which is three and one-half years. It is also designated as 42 months Rev. 11:2 or 1,260 days Rev. 11:3. How then can the variance of 30 days 1,290 compared with 1,260 be explained? Some suggest that the 30 days will extend beyond the end of the Tribulation, allowing for the judgment of Israel and the judgment of the nations. Another possibility is that the 1,290 days will begin 30 days before the middle of the 70th seven of years when the world ruler will set up the abomination that causes desolation Mat. 24:15. The 1,290 days could begin with an announcement about the abomination made 30 days before the abomination is introduced. This abomination, as stated earlier, will be an image of himself Rev. 13:14-15 and will be the symbol of this religious system.
Blessing is pronounced on one who waits for and lives to see the end of the 1,335 days. This is an additional 45 days beyond the 1,290 days Dan. 12:11. Forty-five days after the end of the Tribulation Israel’s long-awaited blessings will be realized. This may mark the blessing of the Millennium; or it may be when Christ, who will have appeared in the heavens Mat. 24:30 45 days earlier, will actually descend to the earth, His feet touching down on the Mount of Olives cf. Acts 1:11. For believers Christ’s coming is a blessing and a glorious hope.
Daniel did not live to see many of his prophecies fulfilled. He, the angel said, would rest, that is, in death cf. Dan. 12:2. But he will be resurrected you will rise at the end of the days, and he will receive his allotted inheritance in the Millennium. Because of Daniel’s faith in God, he led a life of faithful service for Him, and for that faith and that obedience he will receive a glorious reward. All who like Daniel trust the Lord will share in the blessings of His millennial kingdom.
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