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Description
This chapter describes the end and duration of the Great Tribulation, when the Antichrist's power will end, and the dead will be raised to be judged and rewarded.
Commentary
This chapter continues to describe the great war that was introduced in chapter 10, and described in verses 40 to 45 of chapter 11.
Verse 1 says that at that time (of the great war), Michael (the archangel) will arise to watch over the people of Israel. There will be a time of distress unlike any other from the nation's beginning up to that time. This is the Great Tribulation, as described in Matthew 24:21, which will affect all nations, and not just Israel. The NET Bible notes offer 'from the beginning of a nation' as an alternative translation to 'from the nation's beginning', suggesting it might not be specifically Israel-focussed. The verse continues to say that Daniel's own people (the Jews), all whose names are found written in the book, will escape (or be delivered), which is consistent with Michael arising to watch over them. In my commentary on Jeremiah 30:7, I consider whether the Great Tribulation is the same as 'the time of Jacob's trouble', out of which Jeremiah promised that Israel would be saved. Could it be that the time of Jacob's trouble was fulfilled in the Holocaust, out of which Israel was restored as a nation? If so, is the Great Tribulation a time of further discipline for Israel to bring them to repentance (Jeremiah 30:11 and Zechariah 12:10), but otherwise a time of their deliverance? Many passages, especially in Isaiah, indicate that Jesus will deliver Israel during the Great Tribulation (search tags: Jesus delivers Israel).
Verse 2 is the Old Testament's clearest verse promising a bodily resurrection of the dead and judgment. The dead are described as those who sleep in the dusty ground. Jesus spoke of death as sleep in Matthew 9:24 and John 11:11. Some of the dead will awake to everlasting life, and others to everlasting abhorrence, according to whether their names are found in the book that is mentioned in verse 1. Revelation 20:12 describes this book as the book of life. Revelation 20 describes two resurrections and judgments. The first resurrection (Revelation 20:6) is that which precedes the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16), and is limited. Paul says, "…and the dead in Christ will rise first". He makes no mention of Old Testament believers. The second resurrection occurs at the end of the Millennium and includes the rest of humanity. However, here in Daniel it appears that Old Testament believers, or at least some of them, are included in the first resurrection.
The wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens (v3). Wisdom, according to the bible, begins with the fear of the Lord and obeying his commandments (Proverbs 9:10 & Psalm 111:10). Those who bring many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. This is the time when godliness will be rewarded.
In verse 4, Daniel is told to close and seal the book until the time of the end, the book being the dependable book described in 10:21, which contains the revelation of chapters 11 to 12. Perhaps his earlier visions are sealed too. Sealing the book until the time of the end implies that its full meaning will be hidden until then, but presumably there will come a time when the seal will be broken. It is possible this relates with Jesus opening seven seals in Revelation 6 to 8. The statement "many will dash about and knowledge will increase" could be an allusion to Amos 8:12, which prophesies a time when there would be a famine of God's revelation, and people would travel about in vain looking for revelation. Alternatively, the statement could be interpreted as two end-time signs. An increase in travel, and an increase in knowledge, both of which have occurred dramatically in the last century, could be taken as signs that we are now in the time of the end.
In verses 5 to 7, as Daniel watches, the man in linen (Jesus - see my comments on chapter 10) is above the river Tigris (see 10:4) and two others are there on each side of the river. These two are likely angels, just as when God visited Abraham in Genesis 18 and was accompanied by two angels. Daniel wants to know when these events will occur. He is told it will be for time, times and half a time (three and a half years). "When the power of the one who shatters the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished". This is the Antichrist who shatters and conquers God's people for three and a half years (Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 13:6-8). After that, his power will come to an end. Various scriptures prophesy the persecution and martyrdom of true believers during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 2:10, 7:9-17, 12:11, 20:4-6).
Daniel heard but did not understand (v8). This is comforting for us if we are confused by these visions. But actually, we have a huge advantage over Daniel. We have the benefit of so much more revelation than Daniel had, and we can also look at how world events are being aligned to fulfil end-time prophecies. We live in the time of the end, when the seals are about to be broken and end-time prophecies make more and more sense, the closer we get to the end. Daniel also wanted to know what will happen after these things. He was not given any more information, but we have the benefit of the last chapters of Revelation, describing the Millennium, and the eternal age of the new heaven and the new earth. He is told that the wicked will not understand and will carry on being wicked, but the wise will understand. This is an encouragement for us to seek God, for he wants us to be wise and to understand.
Verses 11 to 12 tell us that 'from the time the daily sacrifice is stopped and the abomination set up, there will be 1,290 days', and 'blessed is the one who waits for and attains to 1,335 days'. This seems to imply that the abomination will remain in place for 1,290 days, after which there will be 45 more days before the end of the age and start of the Millennium. As such these verses are key to understanding a timeline of end-time events. Presumably the abomination of desolation will be removed from the temple as soon as Jerusalem is liberated and Antichrist defeated at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:11-21). So that places the battle of Armageddon (or its conclusion) at approximately day 1,290 after the abomination is set up. The historical fulfilment of the abomination of desolation, as prophesied in Daniel 11:31, was fulfilled in two stages. First Antiochus Epiphanies committed a massacre of about 20,000 Jews in Jerusalem. Then about two years later, in 166 BC, he set up a statue of Zeus in the temple and commanded the priests to sacrifice pigs to it. In its end-time fulfilment, it is possible that the massacre committed by Hamas on October 7 is the first stage and that we should expect the second stage, the setting up of a statue on the temple mount, after Jerusalem falls to the Antichrist (Matthew 24:15, Luke 21:20). The fall of Jerusalem is the trigger for the first stage of Christ's return, when he divides the Mount of Olives, creating an escape route for Jerusalem's refugees (Zechariah 14:4-5, Revelation 12:6). In Revelation 12 his return to the Mount of Olives is portrayed metaphorically as a kind of rebirth. Israel then flees into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God where she will be taken care of for 1,260 days. Meanwhile Jesus is caught up to God's throne, from which he is presumably visible to all on earth as implied by the description of the second coming in Revelation 6:12-17. Presumably the 1,290 days of Daniel 12:11 and the 1,260 days of Revelation 12:6 have the same starting point. Israel's place of safety in the desert (Revelation 12:6) is the Bozrah sheepfold described in Micah 2:12, and presumably it is at the end of the 1,260 days that Jesus breaks them out and advances ahead of them as their king (Micah 2:13). That leaves 30 days for their exodus across the desert with Jesus leading them like an end-time Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18). During this time, Jesus will battle his way through Edom, treading the winepress of God's wrath against his enemies (Isaiah 63:1-6), such that when he arrives at Armageddon his robes are splattered with the blood of those whom he has already slaughtered (Isaiah 63:2-3, Revelation 19:13). His Edom campaign also completes his judgment of Mystery Babylon, the Great Prostitute who has corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality (Revelation 19:2-3). This metaphorically describes Arabia as the source of the great false religion of Islam. At the battle of Armageddon, having already judged the source of Islam, Jesus must judge the Muslim armies gathered against Israel from all over the world. Presumably the 1,290 days of Daniel 12:11 marks the end of Armageddon, leaving 45 days until the end of the age and beginning of the Millennium after 1,335 days. This 45 day period presumably includes the Wedding Feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-10), the judgment of Antichrist (Daniel 7:26), the judgement in which Jesus separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), and the conferring of the kingdom upon God's people (Daniel 7:27).
In verse 13, Daniel is told he will rest (die) and at the end of days he will arise to receive his allotted inheritance. Together with verse 2, this is another important Old Testament affirmation of the resurrection of the dead. Again, it seems that Daniel will be included in the first resurrection, and not have to wait for the second one.
Verse 1 says that at that time (of the great war), Michael (the archangel) will arise to watch over the people of Israel. There will be a time of distress unlike any other from the nation's beginning up to that time. This is the Great Tribulation, as described in Matthew 24:21, which will affect all nations, and not just Israel. The NET Bible notes offer 'from the beginning of a nation' as an alternative translation to 'from the nation's beginning', suggesting it might not be specifically Israel-focussed. The verse continues to say that Daniel's own people (the Jews), all whose names are found written in the book, will escape (or be delivered), which is consistent with Michael arising to watch over them. In my commentary on Jeremiah 30:7, I consider whether the Great Tribulation is the same as 'the time of Jacob's trouble', out of which Jeremiah promised that Israel would be saved. Could it be that the time of Jacob's trouble was fulfilled in the Holocaust, out of which Israel was restored as a nation? If so, is the Great Tribulation a time of further discipline for Israel to bring them to repentance (Jeremiah 30:11 and Zechariah 12:10), but otherwise a time of their deliverance? Many passages, especially in Isaiah, indicate that Jesus will deliver Israel during the Great Tribulation (search tags: Jesus delivers Israel).
Verse 2 is the Old Testament's clearest verse promising a bodily resurrection of the dead and judgment. The dead are described as those who sleep in the dusty ground. Jesus spoke of death as sleep in Matthew 9:24 and John 11:11. Some of the dead will awake to everlasting life, and others to everlasting abhorrence, according to whether their names are found in the book that is mentioned in verse 1. Revelation 20:12 describes this book as the book of life. Revelation 20 describes two resurrections and judgments. The first resurrection (Revelation 20:6) is that which precedes the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16), and is limited. Paul says, "…and the dead in Christ will rise first". He makes no mention of Old Testament believers. The second resurrection occurs at the end of the Millennium and includes the rest of humanity. However, here in Daniel it appears that Old Testament believers, or at least some of them, are included in the first resurrection.
The wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens (v3). Wisdom, according to the bible, begins with the fear of the Lord and obeying his commandments (Proverbs 9:10 & Psalm 111:10). Those who bring many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. This is the time when godliness will be rewarded.
In verse 4, Daniel is told to close and seal the book until the time of the end, the book being the dependable book described in 10:21, which contains the revelation of chapters 11 to 12. Perhaps his earlier visions are sealed too. Sealing the book until the time of the end implies that its full meaning will be hidden until then, but presumably there will come a time when the seal will be broken. It is possible this relates with Jesus opening seven seals in Revelation 6 to 8. The statement "many will dash about and knowledge will increase" could be an allusion to Amos 8:12, which prophesies a time when there would be a famine of God's revelation, and people would travel about in vain looking for revelation. Alternatively, the statement could be interpreted as two end-time signs. An increase in travel, and an increase in knowledge, both of which have occurred dramatically in the last century, could be taken as signs that we are now in the time of the end.
In verses 5 to 7, as Daniel watches, the man in linen (Jesus - see my comments on chapter 10) is above the river Tigris (see 10:4) and two others are there on each side of the river. These two are likely angels, just as when God visited Abraham in Genesis 18 and was accompanied by two angels. Daniel wants to know when these events will occur. He is told it will be for time, times and half a time (three and a half years). "When the power of the one who shatters the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished". This is the Antichrist who shatters and conquers God's people for three and a half years (Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 13:6-8). After that, his power will come to an end. Various scriptures prophesy the persecution and martyrdom of true believers during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 2:10, 7:9-17, 12:11, 20:4-6).
Daniel heard but did not understand (v8). This is comforting for us if we are confused by these visions. But actually, we have a huge advantage over Daniel. We have the benefit of so much more revelation than Daniel had, and we can also look at how world events are being aligned to fulfil end-time prophecies. We live in the time of the end, when the seals are about to be broken and end-time prophecies make more and more sense, the closer we get to the end. Daniel also wanted to know what will happen after these things. He was not given any more information, but we have the benefit of the last chapters of Revelation, describing the Millennium, and the eternal age of the new heaven and the new earth. He is told that the wicked will not understand and will carry on being wicked, but the wise will understand. This is an encouragement for us to seek God, for he wants us to be wise and to understand.
Verses 11 to 12 tell us that 'from the time the daily sacrifice is stopped and the abomination set up, there will be 1,290 days', and 'blessed is the one who waits for and attains to 1,335 days'. This seems to imply that the abomination will remain in place for 1,290 days, after which there will be 45 more days before the end of the age and start of the Millennium. As such these verses are key to understanding a timeline of end-time events. Presumably the abomination of desolation will be removed from the temple as soon as Jerusalem is liberated and Antichrist defeated at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:11-21). So that places the battle of Armageddon (or its conclusion) at approximately day 1,290 after the abomination is set up. The historical fulfilment of the abomination of desolation, as prophesied in Daniel 11:31, was fulfilled in two stages. First Antiochus Epiphanies committed a massacre of about 20,000 Jews in Jerusalem. Then about two years later, in 166 BC, he set up a statue of Zeus in the temple and commanded the priests to sacrifice pigs to it. In its end-time fulfilment, it is possible that the massacre committed by Hamas on October 7 is the first stage and that we should expect the second stage, the setting up of a statue on the temple mount, after Jerusalem falls to the Antichrist (Matthew 24:15, Luke 21:20). The fall of Jerusalem is the trigger for the first stage of Christ's return, when he divides the Mount of Olives, creating an escape route for Jerusalem's refugees (Zechariah 14:4-5, Revelation 12:6). In Revelation 12 his return to the Mount of Olives is portrayed metaphorically as a kind of rebirth. Israel then flees into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God where she will be taken care of for 1,260 days. Meanwhile Jesus is caught up to God's throne, from which he is presumably visible to all on earth as implied by the description of the second coming in Revelation 6:12-17. Presumably the 1,290 days of Daniel 12:11 and the 1,260 days of Revelation 12:6 have the same starting point. Israel's place of safety in the desert (Revelation 12:6) is the Bozrah sheepfold described in Micah 2:12, and presumably it is at the end of the 1,260 days that Jesus breaks them out and advances ahead of them as their king (Micah 2:13). That leaves 30 days for their exodus across the desert with Jesus leading them like an end-time Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18). During this time, Jesus will battle his way through Edom, treading the winepress of God's wrath against his enemies (Isaiah 63:1-6), such that when he arrives at Armageddon his robes are splattered with the blood of those whom he has already slaughtered (Isaiah 63:2-3, Revelation 19:13). His Edom campaign also completes his judgment of Mystery Babylon, the Great Prostitute who has corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality (Revelation 19:2-3). This metaphorically describes Arabia as the source of the great false religion of Islam. At the battle of Armageddon, having already judged the source of Islam, Jesus must judge the Muslim armies gathered against Israel from all over the world. Presumably the 1,290 days of Daniel 12:11 marks the end of Armageddon, leaving 45 days until the end of the age and beginning of the Millennium after 1,335 days. This 45 day period presumably includes the Wedding Feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-10), the judgment of Antichrist (Daniel 7:26), the judgement in which Jesus separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), and the conferring of the kingdom upon God's people (Daniel 7:27).
In verse 13, Daniel is told he will rest (die) and at the end of days he will arise to receive his allotted inheritance. Together with verse 2, this is another important Old Testament affirmation of the resurrection of the dead. Again, it seems that Daniel will be included in the first resurrection, and not have to wait for the second one.
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Tags: Great Tribulation, Israel saved through the Great Tribulation, Persecution of Christians, Martyrdom, Duration of the Great Tribulation, Book of life, Jesus as the man in linen, Resurrection of the dead, Judgments and rewards, Life after death, End-time signs
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Tags: Great Tribulation, Israel saved through the Great Tribulation, Persecution of Christians, Martyrdom, Duration of the Great Tribulation, Book of life, Jesus as the man in linen, Resurrection of the dead, Judgments and rewards, Life after death, End-time signs
12 “At that time Michael, the great prince who watches over your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress unlike any other from the nation’s beginning up to that time. But at that time your own people, all those whose names are found written in the book, will escape.
2 Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake – some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.
3 But the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavenly expanse. And those bringing many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever.
4 “But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about, and knowledge will increase.”
5 I, Daniel, watched as two others stood there, one on each side of the river.
6 One said to the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the river, “When will the end of these wondrous events occur?”
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen who was over the waters of the river as he raised both his right and left hands to the sky and made an oath by the one who lives forever: “It is for a time, times, and half a time. Then, when the power of the one who shatters the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished.”
8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, “Sir, what will happen after these things?”
9 He said, “Go, Daniel. For these matters are closed and sealed until the time of the end.
10 Many will be purified, made clean, and refined, but the wicked will go on being wicked. None of the wicked will understand, though the wise will understand.
11 From the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in place, there are 1,290 days.
12 Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days.
13 But you should go your way until the end. You will rest and then at the end of the days you will arise to receive what you have been allotted.”
2 Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake – some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.
3 But the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavenly expanse. And those bringing many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever.
4 “But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about, and knowledge will increase.”
5 I, Daniel, watched as two others stood there, one on each side of the river.
6 One said to the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the river, “When will the end of these wondrous events occur?”
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen who was over the waters of the river as he raised both his right and left hands to the sky and made an oath by the one who lives forever: “It is for a time, times, and half a time. Then, when the power of the one who shatters the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished.”
8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, “Sir, what will happen after these things?”
9 He said, “Go, Daniel. For these matters are closed and sealed until the time of the end.
10 Many will be purified, made clean, and refined, but the wicked will go on being wicked. None of the wicked will understand, though the wise will understand.
11 From the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in place, there are 1,290 days.
12 Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days.
13 But you should go your way until the end. You will rest and then at the end of the days you will arise to receive what you have been allotted.”
(NET)
