Daniel Chapter Twelve
Daniel 12:1-4
CHAPTER TWELVE
VI. EPILOGUE—Dan 12:1-13
a. TRIBULATION
TEXT: Dan 12:1-4
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
QUERIES
a. What is “that time” when Michael shall stand up?
b. What is the “time of trouble, such as never was . . .?”
c. Why order Daniel to “seal the book?”
PARAPHRASE (Daniel 12:1-4)
But take courage for during those troublous times of which I have just spoken, Michael, the prince guarding over God’s people shall interpose on their behalf. Now when the troubles of the faithful shall have reached unprecedented intensity, then shall be the time for God’s great deliverance to appear for all who are, in God’s book, truly of Israel. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise and believe God in these matters and who turn many of their brethren to righteous living will glorify God and shine like the stars forever and ever. As for you, Daniel, your job is about finished, so complete your prophetic writing and see that its authority concerning the things of the end of the troublous times is corroborated, for many shall search it through, and the understanding shall become great.
COMMENT
Dan 12:1 AND AT THAT TIME SHALL MICHAEL STAND UP . . . Once again it is apparent to the careful exegete that this is contextually connected to the whole vision which was begun in chapter 10! If the reader would disregard, momentarily, the imposed chapter and verse divisions, and read chapters 10 through 12 as one unit, he would readily observe the continuity of purpose. It is also apparent from the phrase, “the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people,” that the same subject, namely, God’s providential protection of His people in a time of exceeding affliction by heavenly warriors, is still under consideration from chapter 10.
The holocaust of human suffering under Antiochus IV and its termination is still the primary revelation being made to Daniel, for in the termination of this convulsion shall be the sign that the age of the Messiah or the eternal kingdom of God (ch. 2, etc.) is beginning to rise on the horizon.
That “there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was . . .” is no exaggeration! The troubles that came upon the Hebrew people under the persecutions of Antiochus IV probably surpassed any that the Hebrew nation, or any other nation for that matter, had ever experienced. The Lord Jesus spoke of the Roman tribulation of 70 A.D. in the same terms, and that later prophecy was no exaggeration, either!
Further, at this time of the end of their tribulations which shall signal the time for establishing the predicted eternal kingdom of God (ch. 2, etc.), all those who were true Israelites, enrolled in God’s “book” would be delivered. In other words, the predicted “deliverance” of Dan 9:24-27 would be accomplished. It does not mean, necessarily, that certain pious Jews in the days of Antiochus IV would be saved from death by the Maccabean heroes. There were many faithful written in “the book” long before Antiochus’s time (cf. Moses, Exo 32:32; Heb 11:4-40), who were delivered by that which was accomplished in fulfillment of Dan 9:24-27;! as well as all the millions of Christians since the substitutionary death of Christ who have been delivered by it. The death of Christ was efficacious for all men of God who, by their faith, either looked forward to God’s undeserved grace or look backward toward it (cf. Rom 3:21-26; Heb 9:15). Even Abraham saw the Messiah’s day, by faith, and rejoiced (cf. Joh 8:56)!
Dan 12:2 . . . AND MANY OF THEM THAT SLEEP IN THE DUST OF THE EARTH SHALL AWAKE . . . There are two interpretations of this passage, both of which would be acceptable in our opinion. (a) It was primarily to refer to events that would occur in the time of Antiochus—to the arousing of many to defend their country, as if called from the dust of the earth, or to their being summoned by Judas Maccabeus from caves and fastnesses, and to the honor to which many of them might be raised, and the shame and contempt which would await others. This primary, figurative meaning, at the same time, was intended, typically and prophetically, to teach the literal and final resurrection from the dead. Perhaps it was the angels intention to bring this final resurrection into view, even though secondarily, in order to focus the thoughts of the pious onward, far beyond the troubles and the triumphs in the days of the Maccabees, to the time when the dead should arise, and when the retributions of eternity should occur. There are a few places in the O.T. prophets where a “resurrection” is spoken of in figurative terms with a possible double reference (Isa 25:6-12; Isa 66:18-24; Hos 6:2, etc.) (b) Or, what seems more likely to us, the angel, passing in rapid succession from the “time of trouble” in the days of Antiochus (Dan 12:1), to the end of that time and “deliverance” as predicted of the Messiah in Dan 9:24-27 (Dan 12:1), to the final resurrection of the dead (Dan 12:2), has done what we call “shortened perspective” (see our comments in Minor Prophets, College Press, pg. 32). Widely separated events (often times separated by many centuries) are spoken of in unseparated succession in the text. Two successive verses in the same chapter may be divided by 700 unspoken centuries (such as between Joe 2:27-28)! It is evident that the O.T. clearly teaches a doctrine of the resurrection of the just and the unjust, literally and bodily! Granted it is veiled and sparse—life and immortality was not brought to light until the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, The reason for unspoken centuries between the days of the prophets and the final consummation is spiritual immaturity. And this is no surprise for the apostles found spiritual immaturity a hindrance to apprehension of the profound things of God even in N.T. times!
We believe, therefore, the angel is referring directly and literally to the final resurrection of the just and the unjust at the consummation of all things—that the angel “skipped over” untold centuries of time between the Messiah’s accomplishment of deliverance (Dan 9:24-27) and His Second Advent. The aim of the angelic revelation is the birth of hope in the hearts of the people of God when they should be undergoing the persecution predicted. There was no need to explain in detail all of history that should transpire between the Christ and the consummation (any more than there is a need for such detail today).
Dan 12:3 AND THEY THAT ARE WISE . . . This reminds one of the closing verses of Hosea (Hos 14:4-9, esp. Hos 14:9). The wise, those who fear the Lord (Psa 111:10), will understand what the angel has revealed to Daniel—that those who remain faithful unto death in the midst of persecution for the sake of God’s glory will be “delivered” at the final judgment. They will “shine” with the glory of God which they have inherited. They will be precious jewels in the treasury of God! Their wisdom will also include an urgency in turning others to righteousness in those troubleous times as well as turning many succeeding generations of believers to righteousness by their example.
Dan 12:4 . . . SHUT UP THE WORDS, AND SEAL THE BOOK . . . As is evident from our paraphrase of this verse, we believe it does not command Daniel to “hide” the prophecy. The angel has disclosed all that God wishes to be revealed. Daniel is commanded to discontinue writing and to insure that what has been thus far revealed is confirmed or authenticated as a revelation from God. In spite of the fact that nothing more is to be revealed, those of future generations, when these prophecies are being fulfilled or after their fulfillment, much more (knowledge shall be increased) will be understood about their place and their message as it relates to the entire scheme of God’s redemptive work on the earth. Lange comments, “many shall search it through, and the understanding shall become great.” Barnes comments, “by diffusing information, and by careful inquiry, those of coming ages would obtain much clearer views on these points; or, in other words, that time, and the intercourse of individuals and nations, would clear up the obscurities of prophecy.” It may mean that in future times when the apostles and all Christians ever after “run to and fro” as missionaries in all the earth preaching the gospel of Christ, the fulfillment of these predictions of Daniel would be understood; or as the prophecies of Daniel were used to confirm the truth of the gospel, more power would be given its proclamation and “knowledge” of the Father and His Son would be increased. One is reminded of the “magi from the East” who came to worship the king of the Jews!
The “time of the end” has been thoroughly discussed in this section. It is the same time “of the end” referred to throughout Daniel 9 through 12—the end of the troublous times and the nearing end of the O.T. dispensation and the nearing establishment of the eternal kingdom of God. It is not the end of all time—the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. Daniel did not mean that the prophecies of his book were to be “hidden” all through the Christian dispensation and reserved for fulfillment and understanding in some far distant future millennium (see Rom 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10; 1 Corinthians 6; Luk 24:26-27; Luk 24:24-44, etc.).
QUIZ
1. Who is Michael and where is he mentioned otherwise in Daniel’s book?
2. When shall the people of Daniel “be delivered?” (Dan 12:1)
3. What is the meaning of the prediction about the resurrection in Dan 12:2 and how does it relate to circumstances in the time of Antiochus IV?
4. Who are the “wise?”
5. How is Daniel to “shut” the book and “seal” it?
6. How is “knowledge to increase” in relation to Daniel’s prophecies?
Daniel 12:5-7
b. TERMINATION
TEXT: Dan 12:5-7
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on the brink of the river on this side, and the other on the brink of the river on that side.
6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
QUERIES
a. Why the other two angelic beings?
b. Why did one hold up both hands to heaven and swear?
c. What are the “time, times and a half?”
PARAPHRASE (Daniel 12:5-7)
Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two other angels, besides the one in linen, one on each bank of the Tigris River. And one of them asked the one who was clothed in linen and now hovered above the waters of the river, How long will it be until all these extraordinary terrors end? This great angel then lifted both his hands toward heaven, swearing by Him who lives forever and ever, and declared that they would end in three and one-half years; in other words, when the scattering of a part of the holy people shall have ceased, then all these extraordinary terrors will have come to their end.
COMMENT
Dan 12:5 . . . THERE STOOD TWO . . . Why the appearance of two other angels? Most likely as witnesses of the oath to be taken by the angel dressed in linen and to confirm the very significant announcement about the end of the troublous times this angel was to make. The river is the Tigris.
Dan 12:6 . . . HOW LONG SHALL IT BE TO THE END OF THESE WONDERS? Lange says the angel “hovering” above the river “serves to designate the mighty and swiftly flowing stream of the Tigris . . . as a symbol of the surging world of nations over which the good spirit of the world-power exercises sway as a beneficent and guiding principle of order.” The “wonders” are the extraordinary sufferings which Antiochus IV was to bring upon the holy people.
Dan 12:7 . . . IT SHALL BE FOR A TIME, TIMES, AND A HALF . . . That the angel swears by the name of the Almighty God is indication of the solemn significance of the announcement about to come.
What must necessarily guide us in the determination of the 3½ times is the question, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” We believe this question, in the present context, can only have reference to the extraordinary terrors of the reign of Antiochus IV—not to some New Testament “Antichrist” removed by at least some 2000 years from those O.T. saints for whom Daniel’s revelation was given. We have discussed earlier (Dan_7:23-25) the meaning of “time, times and half a time.” It symbolizes a definite period of time in “round numbers” which God knows exactly but man does not need to know. Further, 3½ being half of 7 (the perfect number), symbolizes a time that shall not be complete or last forever. Now it happens that from the time that Antiochus IV first removed the daily sacrifice from the Temple until Judas Maccabeus purified the Temple it was a little over 3½ years. So the angel dressed in linen has answered the angel who asked that the time of extraordinary terror for the holy people will be, in round Numbers , 3½ years.
The angel adds a qualifying, clarifying remark. When the dispersing of the power of the Hebrew people comes to an end—when their being scattered ceases—this will signal the end of the extraordinary terrors of the Contemptible One. It is interesting to observe that when the scattered Jews were finally rallied under the Maccabees (1 Maccabees 8), the purifying of the Temple takes place and the subsequent death of Antiochus IV is announced (1 Maccabees 9, 10). A more exact time to denote the beginning and ending of this extraordinary trouble is declared in the next section.
QUIZ
1. What does the word “wonders” mean in Dan 12:6?
2. How long is “time, times and a half?”
3. Why is it improper to apply these 3½ times to a N.T. “Antichrist?”
4. How does 3½ years coincide with the most terrible times of Antiochus IV?
5. How does the phrase, “. . . an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people” clarify the 3½ years?
Daniel 12:8-13
c. TRIUMPH
TEXT: Dan 12:8-13
8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the issue of these things?
9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but they that are wise shall understand.
11 And from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
13 But go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and shalt stand in thy lot, at the end of the days.
QUERIES
a. What did Daniel “not understand?”
b. When was the “continual burnt-offering” taken away?
c. How would Daniel “stand in his lot?”
PARAPHRASE (Daniel 12:8-13)
I heard what he said but I did not understand when and what it all meant. So I said, Sir, please explain to me in more detail exactly when and how all these things shall finally issue forth! But the angel replies, Daniel, it is now time for you to return to your earthly labors, so go in peace and trust in your God. I have revealed all that God wills shall be revealed and what I have told you will surely come to pass and when they do the words will have the seal of God stamped upon them and be better understood. Those who are wise by faith in God will understand when these predictions begin to come to pass. They will know that God is about to send The Redeemer, The anointed One, and they will prepare for Him by purifying and sanctifying themselves. But none of the impenitent apostates shall understand. They will continue on in the paganism they have adopted from the Contemptible One. But know this Daniel, these terrible times will be coming to an end 1290 days after the desecration of the Temple by the Contemptible One—1290 days after he stops the holy people from offering the continual burnt-offering and sets up in their Temple the pagan altar. The man who, during this era, endures it through faith in God will receive further blessed assurance after 1335 days, or after 45 days additional to the 1290, that the terrible times of the Contemptible One are ended. As for you, Daniel, you have a job to do so be at it diligently and do not let what has been revealed to you cause you to lose faith. Be faithful in your appointed labor for the Lord until the end of your life and you shall find the eternal rest and receive your portion of the inheritance which is what will be accomplished for you by the Anointed One at the end of these terrible days predicted.
COMMENT
Dan 12:8 . . . I UNDERSTOOD NOT . . . Daniel stood almost 400 years removed from the events being predicted to him. The temple had not even yet been rebuilt—the Jews were still in Persian captivity—how difficult it would be for him to contemplate the things he heard from these angels! How extremely anxious he would be to know every detail of time and manner about the things revealed to him! A vast amount of symbolism and facts had already taxed his powers of comprehension—his head must have been swimming with facts and dazed with the struggle to understand.
History Is God’s Word in the Hand of Time
Dan 12:9 . . . GO THY WAY . . . THE WORDS ARE . . . SEALED TILL THE TIME OF THE END . . . Perhaps Daniel even entertained some fears that he might have to very soon experience the terrible times just predicted to him by the angel. This verse and Dan 12:13 seems to indicate this. But the answer to Daniel’s perplexity is, Go on in the job you now have to do in Persia—these terrible times are reserved or sealed for the future at the end of the time of preparation for the eternal kingdom of God. It should not be strange to a believing, discerning Jew that the Mosaic administration of the covenant would come to an end—the O.T. itself predicted its own fulfillment (cf. Jer 31:31 ff, etc.).
Dan 12:10 MANY SHALL PURIFY THEMSELVES . . . THEY THAT ARE WISE SHALL UNDERSTAND . . . This is similar to Dan 12:3. The god-fearing Jews will, by faith, wisely endure and profit spiritually by the terrible experiences to come upon them during the days of the Contemptible one. They will, because they believe that Daniel’s record of this angelic revelation is the will and word of God, understand that God’s redemption in the Anointed One is drawing nigh. They will therefore sanctify and purify themselves and teach others to do so. They will pass it on to their children and their grandchildren (two generations removed from the Maccabeans would make one an adult at the birth of Jesus) their grandchildren would be anticipating eagerly some stupendous Messianic era to commence (cf. Simeon, righteous and devout, looking for the “consolation of Israel” in Luk 2:25-35; Anna, of great age, who gave thanks for the baby Jesus and spoke of him to all who were looking for the “redemption” of Jerusalem; and other such references). Now the wicked, apostate Jews who eagerly adopted the life of the pagan Hellenists, both in the Maccabean era and that of Jesus (the Herods, etc.), would not understand that the terrible times of Antiochus IV were preparatory to ushering in the Messianic age, They would go on in their wickedness hoping for a carnal Messiah who would nationalize and free them from foreign control in order to indulge them in paganism. Or perhaps they would not even want or look for a Messiah, content with the pagan sensuality they had learned from Antiochus.
Dan 12:11 . . . FROM THE TIME . . . SHALL BE A THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY DAYS . . . How is it possible for the “continual burnt-offering” to be taken away in the Christian dispensation? The only possibility that this prediction is future to the time of Antiochus IV is that it refers to some “millenial” age when a Jewish system of sacrifices has been reinstituted. In our opinion, such an assumption violates the plain teaching of the N.T. Book of Hebrews. Therefore, we must suppose that the terminus a quo, “from the time that continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,” is the time in (end of May or beginning of June) 168 B.C. when Antiochus IV forced the cessation of Temple services and commanded Appolonius to erect an altar to Jupiter in the Temple. From this time until Judas Maccabeus removed this abomination and purified the temple, December 25th, 165 B.C., the time is 1290 days. We quote Stuart here: “The 1290 days are more specific than the phrase ‘time, times and a half,’ in Dan 12:7, and also in Dan 7:25. ‘The latter (‘time,’ etc.) is, as it were, a round number, three and a half first equaling the one half of the sacred number seven, and the fractional part equaling the half of one year. In such a case minute exactness of course is not to be expected. But the thirty additional days here (over 1260 days = forty-two months = three and a half years) are doubtless designed as an exact account of time during which the detestable (desolating) abomination continued in the temple. The terminus a quo is the time when Antiochus first removed the daily sacrifice, which probably was near the end of May or at the beginning of June in B.C. 168. Judas Maccabeus removed this . . . and purified the temple, Dec. 25th of B.C. 165, making the time in question, i.e., three and a half years, as nearly as history will enable us to compute it. There can hardly be room for doubt that the statement in our text is minutely correct. The work of Judas here is the terminus ad quern of the period in question.” In other words, the abomination of desolation is to last, first, in round numbers “time, times and a half,” or 3½ years (equal to 1260 days or 42 months). Add to this 30 more days, in order to be more exact, and you have 1290 days, the exact time between the time when Antiochus IV desecrated the Temple and Judas Maccabeus purified it.
Dan 12:12 . . . COMETH TO THE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND FIVE AND THIRTY DAYS . . . Now, add to the 1290 days 45 more days, and one has 1335 days, the time from the abomination that maketh desolate until the time of Antiochus’ death! Lange writes, “. . . the meaning (of this verse) . . . can only be as follows: ‘After 1290 days have expired, the tribulation shall end; it shall not be completely ended, however, until forty-five additional days . . . have elapsed, hence, until a total of 1335 days has been reached.”
In 1Ma_2:26-37 we have an account of the situation of Antiochus while in the glorious land. His treasury was empty. He had already robbed the Temple of everything valuable in it so he was forced to look to some other source for booty. He left half of his army with Lysias, one of his favorite officers, and marched over the Euphrates in order to plunder the countries of the East. First he subdued Armenia, and then turned off to rob the temple at Elymais, where he met with disgrace, and eventually death.
Not long after the departure of Antiochus, Lysias began the contest in Palestine in serious earnest; but Judas Maccabeus came off victorious in every encounter and so decisive was one such victory, Judas proceeded to purify the Temple and restore its worship. This took place December 25th, 165 B.C. as already noted. The Feast of Dedication of the Jews commemorates this. This would have occupied some months. Of course Antiochus had had sufficient time for his conquest in Armenia and his advance to Elymais before the winter had far advanced. It was in early spring that he undertook the robbery of the temple in Elymais. After disgrace here and during his retreat from Elymais, news came to him of total defeat in Palestine. This contributed emotionally and physically to the sickness already decimating him. In 1Ma_6:1 ff we have an account of the close of the life of Antiochus and of his disgrace at Elymais. If we now count onward, from the consecration of the Temple by Judas to the time when Antiochus died, we shall see at once that the period of 1335 days is in all probability the period of Antiochus’ death. From the time that the daily burnt-offering was removed by Apollonius, at the command of Antiochus, to the time of the reconsecration, is 1290 days. From the same terminus a quo to the death of Antiochus is 1335 days, i.e., 45 days more than is included in the 1290 days of Dan 12:11. History has not anywhere recorded the precise day of Antiochus’ death, so we cannot compare the passage before us with that. But we are certain as to the order of events, and as to the season of the year, as well as the year itself, in which the death of Antiochus took place. Of the general accuracy there can be no doubt.
Abomination of desolation set up First of June, 168 B.C.
Purification of Temple by Judas December 25th, 165 B.C.
Time expired: Three and one-half years plus one month, or, 1260 days plus 30 = 1290 days
Death of Antiochus IV Early spring, 164 B.C. 1335 days after abomination of desolation set up,
or 45 days after the 1290 days
We believe this interpretation of the meaning of the time periods in this section is historically and contextually sound, In our opinion it does not present the serious hermeneutical and practical irregularities that other interpretations involve. It seems very clear to us that Daniel’s primary mission in recording this angelic revelation was to comfort and strengthen those people of God contemporary with Daniel enduring the captivity and those Jews of succeeding generations as they endured such terrible times as to make it appear the covenant people were about to be exterminated. It might appear to those of Antiochus’ day that God’s purpose to bring redemption and the fulfillment of the covenant made with Abraham would fail. They would need to know that the terrible days would end and to know very nearly when they would end! Now what consolation would it be to those enduring the terrors of Antiochus to have a prediction of the eventual overthrow of some unknown “Antichrist” in some unknown age many centuries future to them? This, then, is why Daniel is told that those Jews who wait with endurance and faith will be “blessed”—because they will see definite proof that Divine providence is fulfilling its promises to bring an end to the great persecutions.
Dan 12:13 BUT GO THOU THY WAY TILL THE END BE . . . The idea is that Daniel should not let all these awesome predictions paralyze him with fear and anxiety. He is to go on in his labors for the Lord until his labors shall end. Even he shall some day realize the fulfillment of what he has predicted and has heard here from the angel. He will receive the redemption accomplished by the Anointed One (Dan 9:24-27) which will be accomplished after the “end” of the terrible things the angel predicted (Dan 10:1 to Dan 12:12). Daniel will be raised from the dust of the earth with all the other children of God to receive their inheritance.
QUIZ
1. What did the angel mean when he commanded Daniel, “Go thy way?”
2. How were the words “shut up and sealed until the time of the end?”
3. How does the predicted purification of many relate to the “time of the end?”
4. What are the 1290 days—when do they begin and when do they end?
5. What are the 1335 days—when begin and when end?
6. Why are they blessed who wait for the 1335 days?
7. What practical value does all this have for Daniel’s future?
CHAPTER TWELVE
VI. EPILOGUE—Dan 12:1-13
a. TRIBULATION
TEXT: Dan 12:1-4
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
QUERIES
a. What is “that time” when Michael shall stand up?
b. What is the “time of trouble, such as never was . . .?”
c. Why order Daniel to “seal the book?”
PARAPHRASE (Daniel 12:1-4)
But take courage for during those troublous times of which I have just spoken, Michael, the prince guarding over God’s people shall interpose on their behalf. Now when the troubles of the faithful shall have reached unprecedented intensity, then shall be the time for God’s great deliverance to appear for all who are, in God’s book, truly of Israel. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise and believe God in these matters and who turn many of their brethren to righteous living will glorify God and shine like the stars forever and ever. As for you, Daniel, your job is about finished, so complete your prophetic writing and see that its authority concerning the things of the end of the troublous times is corroborated, for many shall search it through, and the understanding shall become great.
COMMENT
Dan 12:1 AND AT THAT TIME SHALL MICHAEL STAND UP . . . Once again it is apparent to the careful exegete that this is contextually connected to the whole vision which was begun in chapter 10! If the reader would disregard, momentarily, the imposed chapter and verse divisions, and read chapters 10 through 12 as one unit, he would readily observe the continuity of purpose. It is also apparent from the phrase, “the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people,” that the same subject, namely, God’s providential protection of His people in a time of exceeding affliction by heavenly warriors, is still under consideration from chapter 10.
The holocaust of human suffering under Antiochus IV and its termination is still the primary revelation being made to Daniel, for in the termination of this convulsion shall be the sign that the age of the Messiah or the eternal kingdom of God (ch. 2, etc.) is beginning to rise on the horizon.
That “there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was . . .” is no exaggeration! The troubles that came upon the Hebrew people under the persecutions of Antiochus IV probably surpassed any that the Hebrew nation, or any other nation for that matter, had ever experienced. The Lord Jesus spoke of the Roman tribulation of 70 A.D. in the same terms, and that later prophecy was no exaggeration, either!
Further, at this time of the end of their tribulations which shall signal the time for establishing the predicted eternal kingdom of God (ch. 2, etc.), all those who were true Israelites, enrolled in God’s “book” would be delivered. In other words, the predicted “deliverance” of Dan 9:24-27 would be accomplished. It does not mean, necessarily, that certain pious Jews in the days of Antiochus IV would be saved from death by the Maccabean heroes. There were many faithful written in “the book” long before Antiochus’s time (cf. Moses, Exo 32:32; Heb 11:4-40), who were delivered by that which was accomplished in fulfillment of Dan 9:24-27;! as well as all the millions of Christians since the substitutionary death of Christ who have been delivered by it. The death of Christ was efficacious for all men of God who, by their faith, either looked forward to God’s undeserved grace or look backward toward it (cf. Rom 3:21-26; Heb 9:15). Even Abraham saw the Messiah’s day, by faith, and rejoiced (cf. Joh 8:56)!
Dan 12:2 . . . AND MANY OF THEM THAT SLEEP IN THE DUST OF THE EARTH SHALL AWAKE . . . There are two interpretations of this passage, both of which would be acceptable in our opinion. (a) It was primarily to refer to events that would occur in the time of Antiochus—to the arousing of many to defend their country, as if called from the dust of the earth, or to their being summoned by Judas Maccabeus from caves and fastnesses, and to the honor to which many of them might be raised, and the shame and contempt which would await others. This primary, figurative meaning, at the same time, was intended, typically and prophetically, to teach the literal and final resurrection from the dead. Perhaps it was the angels intention to bring this final resurrection into view, even though secondarily, in order to focus the thoughts of the pious onward, far beyond the troubles and the triumphs in the days of the Maccabees, to the time when the dead should arise, and when the retributions of eternity should occur. There are a few places in the O.T. prophets where a “resurrection” is spoken of in figurative terms with a possible double reference (Isa 25:6-12; Isa 66:18-24; Hos 6:2, etc.) (b) Or, what seems more likely to us, the angel, passing in rapid succession from the “time of trouble” in the days of Antiochus (Dan 12:1), to the end of that time and “deliverance” as predicted of the Messiah in Dan 9:24-27 (Dan 12:1), to the final resurrection of the dead (Dan 12:2), has done what we call “shortened perspective” (see our comments in Minor Prophets, College Press, pg. 32). Widely separated events (often times separated by many centuries) are spoken of in unseparated succession in the text. Two successive verses in the same chapter may be divided by 700 unspoken centuries (such as between Joe 2:27-28)! It is evident that the O.T. clearly teaches a doctrine of the resurrection of the just and the unjust, literally and bodily! Granted it is veiled and sparse—life and immortality was not brought to light until the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, The reason for unspoken centuries between the days of the prophets and the final consummation is spiritual immaturity. And this is no surprise for the apostles found spiritual immaturity a hindrance to apprehension of the profound things of God even in N.T. times!
We believe, therefore, the angel is referring directly and literally to the final resurrection of the just and the unjust at the consummation of all things—that the angel “skipped over” untold centuries of time between the Messiah’s accomplishment of deliverance (Dan 9:24-27) and His Second Advent. The aim of the angelic revelation is the birth of hope in the hearts of the people of God when they should be undergoing the persecution predicted. There was no need to explain in detail all of history that should transpire between the Christ and the consummation (any more than there is a need for such detail today).
Dan 12:3 AND THEY THAT ARE WISE . . . This reminds one of the closing verses of Hosea (Hos 14:4-9, esp. Hos 14:9). The wise, those who fear the Lord (Psa 111:10), will understand what the angel has revealed to Daniel—that those who remain faithful unto death in the midst of persecution for the sake of God’s glory will be “delivered” at the final judgment. They will “shine” with the glory of God which they have inherited. They will be precious jewels in the treasury of God! Their wisdom will also include an urgency in turning others to righteousness in those troubleous times as well as turning many succeeding generations of believers to righteousness by their example.
Dan 12:4 . . . SHUT UP THE WORDS, AND SEAL THE BOOK . . . As is evident from our paraphrase of this verse, we believe it does not command Daniel to “hide” the prophecy. The angel has disclosed all that God wishes to be revealed. Daniel is commanded to discontinue writing and to insure that what has been thus far revealed is confirmed or authenticated as a revelation from God. In spite of the fact that nothing more is to be revealed, those of future generations, when these prophecies are being fulfilled or after their fulfillment, much more (knowledge shall be increased) will be understood about their place and their message as it relates to the entire scheme of God’s redemptive work on the earth. Lange comments, “many shall search it through, and the understanding shall become great.” Barnes comments, “by diffusing information, and by careful inquiry, those of coming ages would obtain much clearer views on these points; or, in other words, that time, and the intercourse of individuals and nations, would clear up the obscurities of prophecy.” It may mean that in future times when the apostles and all Christians ever after “run to and fro” as missionaries in all the earth preaching the gospel of Christ, the fulfillment of these predictions of Daniel would be understood; or as the prophecies of Daniel were used to confirm the truth of the gospel, more power would be given its proclamation and “knowledge” of the Father and His Son would be increased. One is reminded of the “magi from the East” who came to worship the king of the Jews!
The “time of the end” has been thoroughly discussed in this section. It is the same time “of the end” referred to throughout Daniel 9 through 12—the end of the troublous times and the nearing end of the O.T. dispensation and the nearing establishment of the eternal kingdom of God. It is not the end of all time—the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. Daniel did not mean that the prophecies of his book were to be “hidden” all through the Christian dispensation and reserved for fulfillment and understanding in some far distant future millennium (see Rom 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10; 1 Corinthians 6; Luk 24:26-27; Luk 24:24-44, etc.).
QUIZ
1. Who is Michael and where is he mentioned otherwise in Daniel’s book?
2. When shall the people of Daniel “be delivered?” (Dan 12:1)
3. What is the meaning of the prediction about the resurrection in Dan 12:2 and how does it relate to circumstances in the time of Antiochus IV?
4. Who are the “wise?”
5. How is Daniel to “shut” the book and “seal” it?
6. How is “knowledge to increase” in relation to Daniel’s prophecies?
Daniel 12:5-7
b. TERMINATION
TEXT: Dan 12:5-7
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on the brink of the river on this side, and the other on the brink of the river on that side.
6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
QUERIES
a. Why the other two angelic beings?
b. Why did one hold up both hands to heaven and swear?
c. What are the “time, times and a half?”
PARAPHRASE (Daniel 12:5-7)
Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two other angels, besides the one in linen, one on each bank of the Tigris River. And one of them asked the one who was clothed in linen and now hovered above the waters of the river, How long will it be until all these extraordinary terrors end? This great angel then lifted both his hands toward heaven, swearing by Him who lives forever and ever, and declared that they would end in three and one-half years; in other words, when the scattering of a part of the holy people shall have ceased, then all these extraordinary terrors will have come to their end.
COMMENT
Dan 12:5 . . . THERE STOOD TWO . . . Why the appearance of two other angels? Most likely as witnesses of the oath to be taken by the angel dressed in linen and to confirm the very significant announcement about the end of the troublous times this angel was to make. The river is the Tigris.
Dan 12:6 . . . HOW LONG SHALL IT BE TO THE END OF THESE WONDERS? Lange says the angel “hovering” above the river “serves to designate the mighty and swiftly flowing stream of the Tigris . . . as a symbol of the surging world of nations over which the good spirit of the world-power exercises sway as a beneficent and guiding principle of order.” The “wonders” are the extraordinary sufferings which Antiochus IV was to bring upon the holy people.
Dan 12:7 . . . IT SHALL BE FOR A TIME, TIMES, AND A HALF . . . That the angel swears by the name of the Almighty God is indication of the solemn significance of the announcement about to come.
What must necessarily guide us in the determination of the 3½ times is the question, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” We believe this question, in the present context, can only have reference to the extraordinary terrors of the reign of Antiochus IV—not to some New Testament “Antichrist” removed by at least some 2000 years from those O.T. saints for whom Daniel’s revelation was given. We have discussed earlier (Dan_7:23-25) the meaning of “time, times and half a time.” It symbolizes a definite period of time in “round numbers” which God knows exactly but man does not need to know. Further, 3½ being half of 7 (the perfect number), symbolizes a time that shall not be complete or last forever. Now it happens that from the time that Antiochus IV first removed the daily sacrifice from the Temple until Judas Maccabeus purified the Temple it was a little over 3½ years. So the angel dressed in linen has answered the angel who asked that the time of extraordinary terror for the holy people will be, in round Numbers , 3½ years.
The angel adds a qualifying, clarifying remark. When the dispersing of the power of the Hebrew people comes to an end—when their being scattered ceases—this will signal the end of the extraordinary terrors of the Contemptible One. It is interesting to observe that when the scattered Jews were finally rallied under the Maccabees (1 Maccabees 8), the purifying of the Temple takes place and the subsequent death of Antiochus IV is announced (1 Maccabees 9, 10). A more exact time to denote the beginning and ending of this extraordinary trouble is declared in the next section.
QUIZ
1. What does the word “wonders” mean in Dan 12:6?
2. How long is “time, times and a half?”
3. Why is it improper to apply these 3½ times to a N.T. “Antichrist?”
4. How does 3½ years coincide with the most terrible times of Antiochus IV?
5. How does the phrase, “. . . an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people” clarify the 3½ years?
Daniel 12:8-13
c. TRIUMPH
TEXT: Dan 12:8-13
8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the issue of these things?
9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but they that are wise shall understand.
11 And from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
13 But go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and shalt stand in thy lot, at the end of the days.
QUERIES
a. What did Daniel “not understand?”
b. When was the “continual burnt-offering” taken away?
c. How would Daniel “stand in his lot?”
PARAPHRASE (Daniel 12:8-13)
I heard what he said but I did not understand when and what it all meant. So I said, Sir, please explain to me in more detail exactly when and how all these things shall finally issue forth! But the angel replies, Daniel, it is now time for you to return to your earthly labors, so go in peace and trust in your God. I have revealed all that God wills shall be revealed and what I have told you will surely come to pass and when they do the words will have the seal of God stamped upon them and be better understood. Those who are wise by faith in God will understand when these predictions begin to come to pass. They will know that God is about to send The Redeemer, The anointed One, and they will prepare for Him by purifying and sanctifying themselves. But none of the impenitent apostates shall understand. They will continue on in the paganism they have adopted from the Contemptible One. But know this Daniel, these terrible times will be coming to an end 1290 days after the desecration of the Temple by the Contemptible One—1290 days after he stops the holy people from offering the continual burnt-offering and sets up in their Temple the pagan altar. The man who, during this era, endures it through faith in God will receive further blessed assurance after 1335 days, or after 45 days additional to the 1290, that the terrible times of the Contemptible One are ended. As for you, Daniel, you have a job to do so be at it diligently and do not let what has been revealed to you cause you to lose faith. Be faithful in your appointed labor for the Lord until the end of your life and you shall find the eternal rest and receive your portion of the inheritance which is what will be accomplished for you by the Anointed One at the end of these terrible days predicted.
COMMENT
Dan 12:8 . . . I UNDERSTOOD NOT . . . Daniel stood almost 400 years removed from the events being predicted to him. The temple had not even yet been rebuilt—the Jews were still in Persian captivity—how difficult it would be for him to contemplate the things he heard from these angels! How extremely anxious he would be to know every detail of time and manner about the things revealed to him! A vast amount of symbolism and facts had already taxed his powers of comprehension—his head must have been swimming with facts and dazed with the struggle to understand.
History Is God’s Word in the Hand of Time
Dan 12:9 . . . GO THY WAY . . . THE WORDS ARE . . . SEALED TILL THE TIME OF THE END . . . Perhaps Daniel even entertained some fears that he might have to very soon experience the terrible times just predicted to him by the angel. This verse and Dan 12:13 seems to indicate this. But the answer to Daniel’s perplexity is, Go on in the job you now have to do in Persia—these terrible times are reserved or sealed for the future at the end of the time of preparation for the eternal kingdom of God. It should not be strange to a believing, discerning Jew that the Mosaic administration of the covenant would come to an end—the O.T. itself predicted its own fulfillment (cf. Jer 31:31 ff, etc.).
Dan 12:10 MANY SHALL PURIFY THEMSELVES . . . THEY THAT ARE WISE SHALL UNDERSTAND . . . This is similar to Dan 12:3. The god-fearing Jews will, by faith, wisely endure and profit spiritually by the terrible experiences to come upon them during the days of the Contemptible one. They will, because they believe that Daniel’s record of this angelic revelation is the will and word of God, understand that God’s redemption in the Anointed One is drawing nigh. They will therefore sanctify and purify themselves and teach others to do so. They will pass it on to their children and their grandchildren (two generations removed from the Maccabeans would make one an adult at the birth of Jesus) their grandchildren would be anticipating eagerly some stupendous Messianic era to commence (cf. Simeon, righteous and devout, looking for the “consolation of Israel” in Luk 2:25-35; Anna, of great age, who gave thanks for the baby Jesus and spoke of him to all who were looking for the “redemption” of Jerusalem; and other such references). Now the wicked, apostate Jews who eagerly adopted the life of the pagan Hellenists, both in the Maccabean era and that of Jesus (the Herods, etc.), would not understand that the terrible times of Antiochus IV were preparatory to ushering in the Messianic age, They would go on in their wickedness hoping for a carnal Messiah who would nationalize and free them from foreign control in order to indulge them in paganism. Or perhaps they would not even want or look for a Messiah, content with the pagan sensuality they had learned from Antiochus.
Dan 12:11 . . . FROM THE TIME . . . SHALL BE A THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY DAYS . . . How is it possible for the “continual burnt-offering” to be taken away in the Christian dispensation? The only possibility that this prediction is future to the time of Antiochus IV is that it refers to some “millenial” age when a Jewish system of sacrifices has been reinstituted. In our opinion, such an assumption violates the plain teaching of the N.T. Book of Hebrews. Therefore, we must suppose that the terminus a quo, “from the time that continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,” is the time in (end of May or beginning of June) 168 B.C. when Antiochus IV forced the cessation of Temple services and commanded Appolonius to erect an altar to Jupiter in the Temple. From this time until Judas Maccabeus removed this abomination and purified the temple, December 25th, 165 B.C., the time is 1290 days. We quote Stuart here: “The 1290 days are more specific than the phrase ‘time, times and a half,’ in Dan 12:7, and also in Dan 7:25. ‘The latter (‘time,’ etc.) is, as it were, a round number, three and a half first equaling the one half of the sacred number seven, and the fractional part equaling the half of one year. In such a case minute exactness of course is not to be expected. But the thirty additional days here (over 1260 days = forty-two months = three and a half years) are doubtless designed as an exact account of time during which the detestable (desolating) abomination continued in the temple. The terminus a quo is the time when Antiochus first removed the daily sacrifice, which probably was near the end of May or at the beginning of June in B.C. 168. Judas Maccabeus removed this . . . and purified the temple, Dec. 25th of B.C. 165, making the time in question, i.e., three and a half years, as nearly as history will enable us to compute it. There can hardly be room for doubt that the statement in our text is minutely correct. The work of Judas here is the terminus ad quern of the period in question.” In other words, the abomination of desolation is to last, first, in round numbers “time, times and a half,” or 3½ years (equal to 1260 days or 42 months). Add to this 30 more days, in order to be more exact, and you have 1290 days, the exact time between the time when Antiochus IV desecrated the Temple and Judas Maccabeus purified it.
Dan 12:12 . . . COMETH TO THE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND FIVE AND THIRTY DAYS . . . Now, add to the 1290 days 45 more days, and one has 1335 days, the time from the abomination that maketh desolate until the time of Antiochus’ death! Lange writes, “. . . the meaning (of this verse) . . . can only be as follows: ‘After 1290 days have expired, the tribulation shall end; it shall not be completely ended, however, until forty-five additional days . . . have elapsed, hence, until a total of 1335 days has been reached.”
In 1Ma_2:26-37 we have an account of the situation of Antiochus while in the glorious land. His treasury was empty. He had already robbed the Temple of everything valuable in it so he was forced to look to some other source for booty. He left half of his army with Lysias, one of his favorite officers, and marched over the Euphrates in order to plunder the countries of the East. First he subdued Armenia, and then turned off to rob the temple at Elymais, where he met with disgrace, and eventually death.
Not long after the departure of Antiochus, Lysias began the contest in Palestine in serious earnest; but Judas Maccabeus came off victorious in every encounter and so decisive was one such victory, Judas proceeded to purify the Temple and restore its worship. This took place December 25th, 165 B.C. as already noted. The Feast of Dedication of the Jews commemorates this. This would have occupied some months. Of course Antiochus had had sufficient time for his conquest in Armenia and his advance to Elymais before the winter had far advanced. It was in early spring that he undertook the robbery of the temple in Elymais. After disgrace here and during his retreat from Elymais, news came to him of total defeat in Palestine. This contributed emotionally and physically to the sickness already decimating him. In 1Ma_6:1 ff we have an account of the close of the life of Antiochus and of his disgrace at Elymais. If we now count onward, from the consecration of the Temple by Judas to the time when Antiochus died, we shall see at once that the period of 1335 days is in all probability the period of Antiochus’ death. From the time that the daily burnt-offering was removed by Apollonius, at the command of Antiochus, to the time of the reconsecration, is 1290 days. From the same terminus a quo to the death of Antiochus is 1335 days, i.e., 45 days more than is included in the 1290 days of Dan 12:11. History has not anywhere recorded the precise day of Antiochus’ death, so we cannot compare the passage before us with that. But we are certain as to the order of events, and as to the season of the year, as well as the year itself, in which the death of Antiochus took place. Of the general accuracy there can be no doubt.
Abomination of desolation set up First of June, 168 B.C.
Purification of Temple by Judas December 25th, 165 B.C.
Time expired: Three and one-half years plus one month, or, 1260 days plus 30 = 1290 days
Death of Antiochus IV Early spring, 164 B.C. 1335 days after abomination of desolation set up,
or 45 days after the 1290 days
We believe this interpretation of the meaning of the time periods in this section is historically and contextually sound, In our opinion it does not present the serious hermeneutical and practical irregularities that other interpretations involve. It seems very clear to us that Daniel’s primary mission in recording this angelic revelation was to comfort and strengthen those people of God contemporary with Daniel enduring the captivity and those Jews of succeeding generations as they endured such terrible times as to make it appear the covenant people were about to be exterminated. It might appear to those of Antiochus’ day that God’s purpose to bring redemption and the fulfillment of the covenant made with Abraham would fail. They would need to know that the terrible days would end and to know very nearly when they would end! Now what consolation would it be to those enduring the terrors of Antiochus to have a prediction of the eventual overthrow of some unknown “Antichrist” in some unknown age many centuries future to them? This, then, is why Daniel is told that those Jews who wait with endurance and faith will be “blessed”—because they will see definite proof that Divine providence is fulfilling its promises to bring an end to the great persecutions.
Dan 12:13 BUT GO THOU THY WAY TILL THE END BE . . . The idea is that Daniel should not let all these awesome predictions paralyze him with fear and anxiety. He is to go on in his labors for the Lord until his labors shall end. Even he shall some day realize the fulfillment of what he has predicted and has heard here from the angel. He will receive the redemption accomplished by the Anointed One (Dan 9:24-27) which will be accomplished after the “end” of the terrible things the angel predicted (Dan 10:1 to Dan 12:12). Daniel will be raised from the dust of the earth with all the other children of God to receive their inheritance.
QUIZ
1. What did the angel mean when he commanded Daniel, “Go thy way?”
2. How were the words “shut up and sealed until the time of the end?”
3. How does the predicted purification of many relate to the “time of the end?”
4. What are the 1290 days—when do they begin and when do they end?
5. What are the 1335 days—when begin and when end?
6. Why are they blessed who wait for the 1335 days?
7. What practical value does all this have for Daniel’s future?
