Daniel 12

This month we have been looking at The Book of Daniel verse-by-verse. This week we have been covering the last installment of Daniel's continual vision. In these previous posts we have seen the angel gave Daniel a more detailed description of the events from Daniel's time that were yet to come for God's people and God's city.

Today, we will conclude this series by looking at the last chapter of The Book of Daniel. The angel was still speaking...


DANIEL 12
"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."

The angel stated that Michael will stand up and bring The Tribulation to an end. The dispensation of the Law will be brought to an end with "many of them that" were dead being judged.

Notice, the angel Michael was mentioned in Revelation 12:

"7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels;
8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.
10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death."

What I'm about to state is opinion and I'm willing to consider I am wrong AND want to hear other explanations that are supported with scripture: I believe the angel in Revelation 20 was Michael. Here was the passage from Revelation 20:

"1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,
3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection." (Revelation 20:1-5)

Here is more opinion:
"I believe the Millennium takes place AFTER Daniel 12:3 because God is ONLY focused on His people and His city when He spoke with Daniel AND the angel told Daniel that "many of them that" were dead get judged...NOT "all of them that"...just like in Revelation 20:1-5 which takes place after The Tribulation and before the Millennium."

By the way, the angel Michael was also mentioned in Jude:

"9 But Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."

Moses led God's people to the land God wanted them to have. It looked as if Michael truly is the prince of God's people.

Back to Daniel 12...

"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."

Since Daniel 12:3 was the end of the dispensation of the Law, there was nothing more for the angel to tell Daniel. This ended the angel's presentation to Daniel.

The time of the end was distinguished by:
-many running to and fro
-knowledge being increased

I have always heard others explain the meaning of this verse as "the time of the end will have many people able to travel at great speeds and there will be an explosion of knowledge".

If we imagine ourselves living at Daniel's time, what would our current time look like relative to these two measures?

Could Daniel have imagined the mobility and speed at which MANY are able to travel today?

Could Daniel have imagined the increase in knowledge that we are experiencing today?

If we aren't at the time of the end, how much more do people have to go to and fro AND knowledge to be increased before we are at the time of the end?

"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 right 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."

Now the angels were talking to each other...this was a HUGE point. By the way...

A time was one year.
A times was two years.

So a time, times, and a half equaled 3 1/2 years...or half The Tribulation. The Anti-Christ has 3 1/2 years from the time he attempts to set himself up as God until he is defeated.

"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."

Notice, Daniel didn't understand what the angels said TO EACH OTHER...this conversation was NOT meant for Daniel. That was WHY when Daniel asked for understanding, he didn't get an explanation.

If the angel had told Daniel the WHAT and not given Daniel a WHY or HOW, we would have known the angel was NOT from God. (We are going to be covering this subtle tool beginning on Monday...)

Technically, the angel still gave Daniel a WHY: the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end. This message was meant for the people who live at the time of the end AND are wise!

So, UNDERSTANDING of "God's sealed up information" is available in our time to the wise. Said another way, people who say we can't UNDERSTAND God's "mysteries" are really stating they are NOT wise.

"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 and two hundred and ninety days.
12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days."

I believe this was stating that there are 1,290 days from the time the burnt offering ceases until the end of the dispensation...when the list from the GREATEST PROPHECY recorded in the Bible is accomplished.

Then, 45 days later those who continue are blessed! I have a lot of opinions about THAT, but they have to wait for our study on the Millennium. For now, I will say that these prophecies were meant for people who live at a time when the Holy Spirit is not inside people, so God's direction has to be objective...down to specific numbers of days. Remember, the nations are judged and God has to set up the dispensation of the Millennium, so this may take 45 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."

Daniel's ministry was done.


SUMMARY
This is my favorite book of the Bible because it had EVERYTHING in it: history, miracles, Doctrine, great stories, supernatural interactions (saving angels, dreams, revelatory angels, fighting angels), prophecy...it was a New Testament book that was placed squarely in the Old Testament. In fact, The Book of Daniel makes some people so uncomfortable, they argue The Book of Daniel wasn't factual.

The Book of Daniel consisted of twelve chapters.

The first six chapters documented the events of the FIRST THREE HEATHEN kings put over God's people. During this time, Daniel was able to get COMPLETE SPIRITUAL protection in a heathen nation. Daniel did this by purposing in his heart NOT to be defiled. Daniel had a process and didn't act in his own strength...he ALWAYS waited on God...and God worked on the Leaders.

The second half of The Book of Daniel turned from history to prophecy because Daniel FIRST focused on helping others, then pointing them to God.

During the last six chapters, Daniel received more detailed explanation of his continual vision concerning the events that will occur throughout the dispensation of the Law to God's people and God's city.

In fact, during this time, Daniel received the GREATEST PROPHECY recorded in the Bible. To that end, understanding The Book of Daniel is critical to people who want to bring about God's Will on earth as it is in heaven...

Ultimately, EVERYTHING in The Book of Daniel followed the model: Understanding foundational Doctrine was the CAUSE, and miracles and revelation through spiritual manifestations were the EFFECTS.

The people who focus on the "signs and wonders" in The Book of Daniel are ONLY seeing half the benefit...and it was ONLY the effects. If a person TRULY wanted to have the "signs and wonders" today that occurred in Daniel's time, they would first focus on understanding foundational Doctrine.

Notice, the entire book was written according to this model: six chapters of understanding foundational Doctrine and six chapters of miracles and revelation through spiritual manifestations.

However, the first six chapters were written the SAME way WITHIN each chapter: The majority of verses dealt with understanding foundational Doctrine and the minority of verses dealt with miracles and revelation through spiritual manifestations.

FURTHERMORE, the last six chapters were written the SAME way WITHIN each chapter. However, this time it was: The minority of verses dealt with understanding foundational Doctrine and the majority of verses dealt with miracles and revelation through spiritual manifestations.

Notice, this would also mean that BEFORE we see "signs and wonders" in the church today, we will FIRST need to see the church understand foundational Doctrine...which means being able to explain the WHY and HOW behind foundational Doctrine, not just the WHAT.

Daniel was able to do this because he was a scientist: He focused on the HOW and WHY instead of the WHAT...

Next month we will look at the difference between the WHAT, the HOW, and the WHY.

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