Daniel 12
Notes
Transcript
The Last Chapter...
The Last Chapter...
My friends, here we are, the last chapter of the book of Daniel.
We have been here for the last few months, and today we bring the conclusion of what Daniel knew and saw as he served the Lord his God.
Daniel was taken captive very early in life, perhaps 11 or 12 years old and trained in the way of the Chaldeans. But Daniel, even in a foreign land, far away from Jerusalem. Refused to defile himself and break the law of God.
I think this is one of the largest themes of the book, Daniel sought to live for the Lord regardless of everything else. God was first in His life.
My friends, there is a principle there that God honored! When He is first, God is honored and He blesses and takes care of his people.
Now I say that because of this, God still honors those who live for him, his faithful to him today. It is generally up to us, will we intentionally put God first in all our days.
The choice is ours, but God honors those who live for him.
Now, lets open the text and see what the Lord says to Daniel.
Verse 1 Dan 12:1
1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.
The phrase “At this time” suggests the time we have been examining in the previous chapter, so at this time, the time of the end.
God’s powerful angel, Michael , who is referred to as the Great Prince, he defends and takes are of Israel. But it may also mean that he is the greatest of the Arch angels God has referred to as the defender of Israel.
So Michael and a host of heaven has been fighting Satan who is the dragon and his forces.
The warfare of Michael and Satan take place during the last three years of the Tribulation period that we have been speaking about on Sundays in our Revelation study.
So Gabriel the angel tells Daniel that this special aid from Michael is necessary as they ( Israel ) will experience a time of trouble or distress. This time of distress, will be unlike anything that Israel has experienced in history.
But remember, God says his people, and all those whose name is written in the book shall be delivered.
Verse 2 Dan 12:2
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
After this time of distress, many who rest in the earth will rise. Those who sleep in the earth are those who will be resurrected, they are the Lord’s people whether Jew of Gentile.
Now remember, the soul of a person does not sleep, to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord. But the body will rest in the grave until the Lord raises it and then we will forever be with the Lord.
But sadly, there are those who are not the Lord’s, they have rejected God and his Son, they will be raised to contempt, to judgment, Why?
Their name was not written down in the book, they had rejected God. Hell awaits the guilty.
Hell will be a sad place, a terrible thing because hell was not meant for man, but for Satan. Yet in man’s sin and refusal to receive Christ the Lord, they stand judged
Verse 3 Dan 12:3
3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
In the messianic age believers are seen as those who are spiritually wise, they are those who will lead many to righteousness. These will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and like the stars that have shined for ever and ever.
The saints are described as shinning like the heavens, the stars...
The final instructions for Daniel, verses 4-13
Verse 4 Daniel 12:4
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.”
But Daniel is called to close up, seal the words of the scroll. In the near east, a seal placed on documents, it identified the sender and that has been sent has been kept safe and reserved to the one whom the letter
So here Gabriel is calling for Daniel to close up and keep the documents safe until the appointed time.
As the time of fulfillment draws nearer, the ‘wise” shall seek knowledge, they will seek to comprehend the prophecies more precisely and God will grant them understanding at that time.
Verse 5 Dan 12:5
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream.
The prophecy finds Daniel in a vision and suddenly he sees two other, Gabriel has been speaking with him but two other angels stand with them as witness, one on each side of the river.
Why two? I think it is the law requirement for the testimony of 2 or more people for something to be taken as true and fact.
Verse 6 Dan 12:6
6 And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?”
Now there is another, a person clothed in linen (Christ) is brought to the scene. Now understand the scene, Gabriel who is explaining everything, Gabriel is before him.
Then a angel on each side of the river, and the Lord Jesus above them, exalted above them all
To be above the waters and the other angels can only point to a supernatural experience, clothed in white linen, holy and pure. This one, Jesus has all power and authority to be before and above them and the waters.
How long shall it be till the end of these wonders? The angel asked this, not Daniel and so they or the one is addressing Christ.
Now verse 7 Dan 12:7
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.
The Lord, Christ begins to speak, Daniel hears him. The Lord lifts both hands in the air and says these wonders would be for a time, times and half a time, which like we learned about earlier, it is the last 3.5 years of the tribulation, 42 months, 1260 days.
He attests this not only on his authority, but the Father who is in heaven.
During these 3.5 years, the power of the holy people will be broken shattered and the nation of Israel will fall, they will be attacked and defeated by their enemies.
The resistance to Jesus will take place and the Jews, some of them will look to Jesus for his help, they will receive him as savor and Messiah at the time when he returned to establish His rule upon the earth for 1000.
Verse 8 Dan 12:8
8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?”
There was so much here, Daniel did not understand, he speaks to Gabriel asking for more help in understanding what is being said to him.
What will be the outcome of all thse things that have been revealed.
What will happen at the end of these things.. Daniel has been allowed to see a lot but, the beast, the antichrist, and much more. he desires a better understanding, just like we would want.
Verse9 Dan 12:9
9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
Gabriel or The Lord tells Daniel to go on his way, these things were sealed up until the end. This isn’t harsh, the meaning is you should go on about your life Daniel, and not be concerned about your life, these prophesies have been closed up and sealed for the end of days.
Closer to the end, this knowledge about the saints and God’s work will be revealed and in those days the meaning would become clear
Verse 10 Dan 12:10
10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.
Verse 10 we are reminded that in those days, the people of God will be pure, the wicked will continue to sin till they can no more.
Hope belongs to all who know Jesus, yet not for the lost.
All the redeemed will rejoice and gloryify God in these days while the Lost will now
Verse 11 Dan 12:11
11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.
Daniel had already revealed that the great tribulation will last for three and one-half years (approximately 1,260 days in round numbers, figuring thirty days per month). Here the figure 1,290 days is introduced.
What then is the purpose of the extra thirty days? The text simply states that 1,290 days will transpire from the time the Antichrist begins his persecution until some unspecified event thirty days after the tribulation ends.
Some think this means that the saints will persevere till the end, it is really a symbolic thought.
Verse 12 Dan 12:12
12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days.
Another puzzling number is introduced in v. 12. “Blessed or “very happy”; cf. Ps 1:1] is the one who waits for [or “longs for”] and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.”
Now an additional forty-five days has been appended to the 1,290 days, and those who endure to this time will experience great joy (“blessed”).
Again the question is, What will happen at the end of this 1,335-day period?
The tribulation is over; as a matter of fact, 1,335 days would be seventy-five days after the tribulation ends.
Why this time? it has been thought that this date is the official inauguration of the thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth.
And some wonder if these extra forty-five days are needed to set up the millennial government.
We can say that these saints are called “blessed” because “they are about to become citizens of the most wonderful society governed by the most wonderful ruler in all human history—the millennial kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ!”
Now the last verse, verse 13 Dan 12:13
13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
What a closing, encouraging word my friends. God has revealed many wonderful things to Daniel over the years, but now it has come to a close… two thoughts here, 1, Daniel’s days might be getting ready to close, or it might be that it is just closing of the vision ...
But he is told to go and at a sense be a peace, the end of his days would come to him but he was not to be anxious about these matter, but be satisfied with what he has heard ..
He could go forward and he could rest from his labors
BUT, But at the end of days, he would stand at his appointed place..
He would stand with the Father at the end of days, he has lived faithfully and fully for God.
What a sweet promise for us there my friends...
