Words Closed and Sealed

Introduction

Daniel as been given visions of the future of his people. Events that will transpire long after his death. In chapter 11 we have seen the fall of the Persian empire (the empire that was in power at the time of Daniel’s visions), Alexander the Great would rise and fall, and the divisions from his kingdom would battle for power before the rise of the Roman Empire. All these events would set the stage for the moment the eternal God would come to this earth in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ. In the last two weeks we saw the rise of a man by the name of Antiochus IV who would desecrate the temple in Jerusalem by putting a statue of Zeus and sacrificing a pig on the altar. This man is an archetype of a future world leader to come, the Anti-Christ. Now, the end of the signs and visions are coming to a close.

Daniel 11:40–45 NKJV

“At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.

The Time of the End

Daniel 12:1–3 NKJV

“At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.

At the time of the end (back to verse 40) when these battles take place. At that time Michael shall stand up. Michael the Archangel.

Daniel 10:13 “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.”

If you remember from chapter 10, Daniel was praying and fasting when an angel came to give Daniel insight (what we just read in chapter 11 and now chapter 12). So what we have just been reading is the visions that God to Daniel in chapter 10. Now it was time to conclude the prophecy and vision.

The nation of Israel will not stand alone in the time of trouble. Some believe this is the time of Antiochus IV and the time of trouble that we just studied last week, others the end of days yet to come. Or it might be both (short term fulfillment and long term fulfillment).

Revelation 12:1–14 NKJV

Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.

Another example of the coming Messiah that Isaiah told of. The Suffering Servant. Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Isaiah 52:13–53:12 NKJV

Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Daniel 12:2 “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Isaiah 26:19 “Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.”

John 5:27–29 “and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

Daniel 12:3 “Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.”

Philippians 2:12–18 NKJV

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

Daniel 12:4 ““But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.””

Shut up the prophecy. End of the prophecy.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 12

The scroll (or book) here refers to the book of Daniel—not the book mentioned in Dan 12:1. As is typical of apocalyptic literature, the book containing the vision is sealed until its contents become pertinent to the time at hand.

Shut up the Words and Seal the Book

Daniel 12:4–13 (NKJV)

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?” Then 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 to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.

Revelation 11:1–14 NKJV

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

The ESV Study Bible (Chapter 12)

12:10 Those who are wise will be able to determine specifically when the three and a half years of the tribulation start (they shall understand), namely, “from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away” (cf. 9:27).

12:11 The specification of 1,290 days emphasizes the precision with which the period is measured, predetermined by God to the very day (just over three and a half years, however this time is understood). In this time many will “purify themselves” and “be refined” (v. 10), and the Jewish nation will be shattered by their enemies, but then God will step in to vindicate them.

12:12–13 The additional figure of 1,335 days, 45 days longer than the 1,290-day period, heightens the sense of mystery that surrounds the Lord’s timing and emphasizes the need for the saints to persevere faithfully, even when to human wisdom God’s arrival seems overdue. The response to the “outcome of these things” is the assurance of continuing persecution to purify and refine the wise (v. 10; cf. 11:33–35) and of continuing wickedness on the part of the wicked. This matches God’s consistent pattern of working in this world, moving through suffering to glory, and refining his people through trials and persecution, even to the point of martyrdom. In the meantime, God’s people are to go on living faithfully in this corrupt world, confident of the inheritance that is stored up for them at the end of the days.

Lessons from Daniel

I am wrapping up my series on the book of Daniel tomorrow at Victory Bible Church. When I began the series back at the beginning of 2022 I had no idea the impact this book would have on me. I entitled the series "Remaining Holy in a Hostile World" due to the choices that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah would have to make in the midst of Babylon. They had already chose to follow God long before they were kidnapped from Jerusalem and Judah and taken into Babylon, even though they were only teenagers at the time.

They had lived at a time where King Josiah by the Word of the LORD had brought a brief revival to the land, but for many it was only momentary. The world that they lived in before the captivity had false prophets saying that everything was going to get better, but Jeremiah by the Word of the LORD saying just the opposite. "The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ And those who handle the law did not know Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me; The prophets prophesied by Baal, And walked after things that do not profit" (Jeremiah 2:8). In fact, it got so bad that God told Jeremiah, "Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you" (Jeremiah 7:15).

Daniel, his three friends, and hundreds if not thousands more were taken to Babylon while thousands more were raped and killed. The temple was plundered and burned to the ground. It would have been so easy for Daniel to be bitter. It would have been so easy for Daniel to be just go with the flow and the status quo. It would have been so easy for Daniel to compromise on his faith, but he remained holy in the hostile world he was living in. He learned the new language, the new culture and literature. Yet, he did not compromise his faith. He read the Word of God that had been brought to Babylon (Daniel 9:2) and he prayed. He would "in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was HIS CUSTOM SINCE EARLY DAYS" (Daniel 6:10b).

His life and the life of his three friends would be a testimony to those in Babylon and the leadership of Babylon. His life for around 75 years would impact countless lives and many kings, including the king that had kidnapped him, King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar's life (and I believe his eternal life) was changed, because of the testimony of Daniel and the hand of the LORD (Daniel 4:28-37).

Yet, the passage in Daniel that stands out to me and that impacted me the most during my time of study is Daniel 9:1-19. Daniel would have most likely been in his 80s at this point, maybe late 70s. He was reading Jeremiah (most likely the letter Jeremiah sent to the exiles: Jeremiah 29:3-15). He recognizes that it has been 70 years or close to 70 years since the exile began and soon it would be time for the Jews to return to Jerusalem. Yet, he also realized that they as a people had not asked for repentance of the sins that had caused them to be exiled in the first place. That is what Daniel does in verses 4-19. I would encourage you to read the whole prayer as it is quite powerful!

He begins by bringing adoration to the name of the LORD! "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments" (Daniel 9:4). Then he moves into the confession.

"We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You" (Daniel 9:5-7). Daniel puts himself with his people! WE HAVE SINNED AND COMMITTED INIQUITY. WE HAVE DONE WICKEDLY AND REBELLED.

While Daniel is specifically praying for his people, the Jews, and for the return to Jerusalem and Judah we as Christians can learn much from this prayer. We often pray for revival and healing of the land. We like to quote 2 Chronicles 7:14, "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Yet, how often do we turn from our wicked ways and repent? Daniel even with his life of remaining holy in his hostile world repents of his sins and the sins of the past generations.

When we pray. When I pray. Do I ask for forgiveness for the sins of other Christians? For the sins of my nation in which I live in? Daniel did.

He would close out his prayer by praying, "O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name" (Daniel 9:19).

When I look at the world around me does it move me to pray like Daniel? Do I take upon myself the calling to intercede for my people despite their sins? Do I plead with God that they are forgiven that they come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? That they would have true forgiveness of sins that was paid for on the cross by Him? O LORD, HEAR! O LORD, FORGIVE! O LORD, LISTEN AND ACT! DO NOT DELAY

Conclusion