Daniel Chapter 12

I. Daniel Chapter 12 – The Time Of The End.

II. Study Text.

A. Outline.

12:1. The troubles and deliverances of the people of God. 12:5. The duration of these wonders.

B. Details.

12:1. “at that time.” The time of the events of 11:36-45, The Great Tribulation. “Michael.” See 10:3 comment.  Michael was a good angel. “such as never occurred.” Cf. The words of Christ in Mt 24:21.

12:2. In this verse we see the prediction of the resurrection of the righteous dead of OT times, as well as the righteous martyrs of the Tribulation at the second coming of Christ (Rev 20:4-6). Believers of the church age will already have been changed and raised at the Rapture. (The  resurrection of the wicked does not occur at the same time, but after the Millennium; Rev 20:5). 20:3. “Those “who have insight” will see through antichrist’s deception. They will also lead others to the truth during the tribulation period.

12:4. “seal up the book.” Not that its meaning was to be left unexplained, but that the book was to be kept intact so as to help those living in the future Tribulation. “many will go back and forth.” As the end approaches, people will travel about seeking to discover what the future holds.

12:5. Likely two angels. 12:7. The events of the Tribulation will be consummated when the “time, times, and half a time” (the last 3 1/2 years of that seven year period) come to a close. These last 3 1/2 years constitute the Great Tribulation (cf. Mt 24:21).

12:8. Even Daniel did not understand all of these prophecies. 12:11. “the abomination of desolations.” At the midpoint of the Tribulation” antichrist will abolish the Jewish sacrifices (9:27; Mt 24:15; 2 Thes 2:4). From that time to the end will be 1290 days. Normally 3 1/2 years of (360 days per year) would include only 1260 days. The extra 30 days mentioned here allow for the judgments that will  take place after the second coming of Christ (Ezek 20:33-44; Joel 3:2-3, Mt 25:32).

12:12. Because the one who lives 75 days after the second event (1315 days from the midpoint of the Tribulation) is called blessed, this must mark the beginning of the actual functioning of Christ’s millennial kingdom.

12:13. “you will enter into rest.” I.e., Daniel would die, but is promised that he will rise [be resurrected and receive his inheritance (portion)] in Christ’s millennial kingdom.

C. Detailed Review.

12:1. 1. At the time of the end (Dan 11:40), Michael, the angel responsible to protect Israel (cf. Dan 13, 20), will arise in defense of this nation. This revelation focuses the reader’s attention again on the invisible and supernatural dimension to the events that will take place. “Now at that time” introduces additional information about this end time; it does not introduce a chronologically subsequent event.

12:1.2. This period generally will be a time of extreme distress for the Jews, worse than any other time in their national history (cf. Jer 30:7; Mt 24:21; Rev 6-19). Showers argued that the Day of the Lord, the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, and the Great Tribulation, are all terms that Scripture uses to describe a three and one-half year period of intense trouble yet future, namely, the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week. The term ,”the Day of the Lord” refers to other times as well (i.e., the seven-year Tribulation, the Millennium, both periods together, and other times at which God breaks into history dramatically). The repetition of “your people” in this verse clearly identifies the Jews, not all believers. They will be the focus of intense persecution, though many non-Jews will also suffer, and Israel’s land will become an international battlefield (cf. Mt 24:22).

12:1.3. Nevertheless, all those Jews whose names are in “the book” will experience rescue (cf. Dan 7:18, 27). This is not a promise of spiritual regeneration; that comes only by faith in Jesus Christ for Jews living then. Rather, it is a promise of national deliverance from human enemies (cf. Zech 12:10; 13:18-9; Rom 11:26); the context is that of spiritual deliverance from the second death. “The book” probably contains the names of all the Jews living in that region then who will experience physical deliverance (cf. Rev 12:13-17). The figure of a book connotes a divine record, written beforehand, that is the basis for this rescue. There are several books that God keeps (Rev 20:12; cf. Ex 32:33; Rev 20:15. et al.).

12:2.1. Why did the angel say “many” will awake and not “all?” Apparently he did so to stress the fact that those Jews who die because of Antichrist’s persecutions will experience resurrection at the end of this period (i.e., the Tribulation; cf. Rev 20:4-6). He referred to the hope of those Jews in particular. Furthermore, this wording clarifies that not all will arise then. Some will experience resurrection at other times (e.g., 1 Thes 4:13-18; Rev 20:4-6).

12:2.2. The angel meant a physical resurrection, rather than just a renewal of the soul (cf. Isa 26:19; Hos 13:14). This seems clear since he specified that they will arise from “the dust of the ground, ” which is figurative for the grave.

12:2.3. Some of these Jews will enter into everlasting life, namely, those of them that will be believers. Others will experience disgrace and everlasting contempt, because they do not believe on Christ (cf. Mt 25:46; Jn 5:28-29). Evidently, those martyred during the Tribulation and resurrected at this time, will reign with Christ during His millenial kingdom, which will begin with His return to earth at the end of the Tribulation (Rev 20:4).

12:2.4. While this verse teaches that there will be a resurrection of the wicked, it does not say that this will occur at the end of the Tribulation. It only says that others will awake to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Rev 20:12-14 makes clear that the resurrection of the wicked will occur at the end of the Millennium, not at the end of the Tribulation. In the context of Dan 12:2, the emphasis is on the hope of the Jews who will die in the Tribulation. The destiny of the wicked is brought in simply to clarify that they too will be raised, not to specify when.

12:2.5. This is the first mention in the Old Testament of a twofold resurrection. For this reason, and because this verse identifies the time of the physical resurrection of saved Jews (who lived outside the church age, cf. 1 Thes 4:13-16), this is an extremely important verse. This, also, is the first occurrence of the expression “eternal life” in the Old Testament.

12:3. The emphasis on hope for the Jews living during this time continues in this verse. Rewards will follow resurrection. Those Jews who have insight into the importance of remaining faithful to God, and who do so, will receive glory (cf. Dan 11:33-35). Those who lead others to do right will too. Their glory will be similar to the glory of the sky above, and to the stars (cf. Mt 13:43). The angel expressed this blessing in a beautiful parallelism. Their glory will involve the privilege of reigning with Jesus Christ during His millennial kingdom, and from then on, forever (cf. Mt 25:14-30; Rev 20:4).

12:4.In conclusion, the angel instructed Daniel to close the record of this revelation. In the ancient Near East, people wrote official documents and then, after making a copy for reference, deposited the original in a safe place. The phrase “conceal these words” does not mean that Daniel should keep them to himself, but that he should preserve this revelation because it was important (cf. Dan 8:26). Also, it was customary for the scribe who recorded important documents, such as contractual promises, to run his cylinder-seal across the bottom to guarantee authenticity. That is what the angel instructed Daniel to do with this contractual promise. By sealing it, Daniel would certify that what stood written was exactly what God had revealed to him and had promised would happen (cf. Rev 22:18-19). Even though Daniel and his people did not understand this book’s prophecies as well as we do, simply because we have seen many of them fulfilled, these predictions did comfort them. They reassured them that Yahweh would ultimately deliver Israel from the hostile Gentiles, and thus fulfill His covenant promises.

12:5-6. Daniel now saw two other individuals, undoubtedly angels, besides the one who had been addressing him since Dan 10:11, standing on either side of the Tigris River (cf. Dan 10:4). One of these angels asked a question of the man (Son of Man) dressed in linen (cf. Dan 10:5-6) who was above the river. He wanted to know how long it would be until the end of the events just related (cf. 1 Pet 1:10-12), namely, the things having to do with Israel’s final persecution and deliverance (Dan 11:36-12:3).

12:7.1. The “man” above the river swore by the eternal God that what he was about to say was true. Normally people who swore by God lifted one hand to heaven (cf. Deu 32:40). This Person lifted both hands, thus stressing the truthfulness of what He was about to reveal. “There must be a reason for the choice of the word translated stream. As already indicated, it is the common designation for the Nile river. Possibly, it is deliberately employed here to remind Daniel that just as the Lord had once stood over Egypt, the world- nation, which was hostile to God’s people, so now does He stand over the world- kingdom, represented symbolically by the Nile stream, actually the Tigris, ready again to deliver His people.”

12:7.2. The meaning of “time, times, and half a time” is quite clearly three and one-half years (cf. Dan 7:25). “The word for ‘times’ may originally have been intended as a dual (mo’adayim, ’two years’).”Shattering” the power of the holy people” refers to the terrible persecution of the Jews in the end times, previously revealed (Dan 11:36-45). This was good news for Daniel and his people. Even though the future enemy of the Jews would be in control for one week (seven years, Dan 9:27), intense persecution would only be the Jews’ lot for the last half of that period (cf. Zech 14:23).

12:8-9. Daniel continued having trouble comprehending this revelation, so he respectfully asked the messenger how everything would end. He may have been particularly interested in receiving more information about the resurrection and rewards that had been mentioned briefly before (Dan 12:1-3). The Lord reminded Daniel that much of what he had received would remain obscure until the end time (cf. Dan 12:4). Then people will be able to look back, marvel at the total fulfillment of prophecy, and glorify the sovereign Most High God.

12:10. The troubles coming on the earth, and especially on the Jews, will cause many to turn to the Lord and experience spiritual purification through faith. The “wicked,” however, will continue to “act wickedly,” and will not understand what is happening (cf. 1 Cor 2:14; Rev 13:10). The wise, “who have insight” because they pay attention to divine revelation, will understand what is happening. In the Old Testament, and in Scripture generally, a wise person is one who lives in the light of divine revelation, and a fool is one who ignores it. This verse provides motivation to pay attention to what God has revealed and to study it carefully. It should also help us to avoid thinking, naïvely, that the passing of time and the fulfillment of prophecy will cause bad people to change their ways. Humankind will not get better and better (2 Tim 3:13).

12:11.1. Now the divine messenger conceded to Daniel’s request and provided a little more information. However, as these things were unclear to Daniel. 

12:11.2 The Lord measured the time between the end, presumably the end of the Tribulation, and the time that the Antichrist will terminate Jewish sacrifices and desecrate the temple (cf. Mt 24:15). It will be 1,290 days. This is 30 days longer than the three and one-half years previously mentioned (Dan 12:7; cf. Dan 7:25; Rev 11:2; 12:6, 14; 13:5). Consequently, the extra month must involve time before the three and one-half years, after it, or both.

12:11.3. Perhaps Antichrist will terminate the sacrifices and desecrate the temple 30 days before the middle of the seventieth “week.” This interpretation, which I prefer, views the explanation in this verse as more specific and the one in Dan 9:27 as a general description. A similar view is that the Antichrist may announce the termination of sacrifices and the setting up of the abomination 30 days before he carries out those acts. Another option is that there will be a 30-day period between the time when Antichrist abolishes the regular sacrifice and the time when he sets up the abomination of desolation. A fourth possibility is that the 30 days will extend beyond the last three and one-half years. It will include the cleansing of the temple and possibly the judgments of Israel and the nations that Christ will execute when He returns (Ezek 20:34-38; Mt 25:31-46).

12:12.1. The Lord said that those people will be blessed who keep waiting, presumably for God to rescue them (Dan 12:1), and attain to the 1,335 days. Why did he mention this particular number of days, and when will this period end?

12:12.2. The 1,335-day period is 45 days (one and a half months) longer than the 1,290-day period just mentioned (Dan 12:11). Evidently this period will end after the Tribulation has ended, namely, after the millennial reign of Christ has begun or at least after He has returned to earth. We can only speculate about what these 45 days following the Tribulation will hold for people living on the earth then. One view is that Jesus Christ will appear in the clouds at the end of the Tribulation (Mt 24:30), and 45 days later He will descend to the earth. A better option, I think, is that it may take 45 days for Jesus Christ to accomplish the necessary judgments and set up His kingdom after returning to the earth. Some interpreters favor the view that these 30 and 45-day periods reflect the use of different calendars from the one that earlier prescribed the length of the three and one-half years as a period of 1,260 days.

12:13.1. The Lord then dismissed the aged prophet. He was to go his way to the end. The Lord may have had the end of Daniel’s life in mind, or He may have meant that he should continue with his affairs, including dying, until the end of the age would come. The first option seems preferable since the Lord appears to have been viewing Daniel’s life in sequence. First he would rest, in death, then he would rise again (cf. Dan 12:2), and then he would receive his reward from God (cf. Dan 12:3). His resurrection and recognition would occur at the end of the age, namely, at the end of the times of the Gentiles.

12:13.2. Thus this great book closes with a reminder that the present age of Gentile domination is not all that God has in store for humankind. There is another age coming, beyond the present one, in which Jesus Christ will reign in righteousness and holiness on the earth (cf. Isa 11:9; Zech 9:10).

12:13.3. Whereas this book would have encouraged the Jews of Daniel’s day, it has become increasingly encouraging to God’s people as history has unfolded. Today we can see, as never before, how God has fulfilled His predictions exactly in the past. This gives us great confidence as we anticipate His faithfulness to those promises that still remain unfulfilled.