The End

Introduction and Context

This morning we arrive at the end of our study through Daniel.

In the first six chapters, we saw Daniel and his friends “holding the line.”

They refused to give in to the pressures to conform to Babylon as God’s people were in Exile.

In chapter 7-12, we have been “seeing the pictures,” right alongside Daniel.

God has been revealing prophecy to and through Daniel, regarding what was to come in the years following Daniel’s life, in the lead-up to the arrival of the Messiah.

Over the last month, we have been focused on chapters 10-12, which is one unified vision.

A heavenly Messenger, whom we have identified as the pre-incarnate Christ, comes to Daniel and delivers a final message about the future.

In Daniel 10, we saw that evil forces tried to hinder the Messenger and the message, but could not.

In Daniel 11, we saw the history of the Ancient Near East from around 486 BC to 164 BC.

This included everything from all the history between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic Empire, to the awful persecution of the Jewish people by Antiochus Epiphanes IV.

This morning, we see the Messenger’s final words to Daniel.

We read Daniel’s final recorded words in his book of prophecy.

We reach the end of Daniel and we will do it by not only looking at the past, but looking to the future.

Text—these are the very words of God

Daniel 12:4–13 ESV

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 behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 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?” 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. I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 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. 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. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

Outline

1. God’s people will be troubled in tribulation (v. 4-12).

2. God’s people will rest and rise (v. 13).

3. God’s people must hold fast and hold out (v. 13).

The first point will take up most of our time this morning, but we will follow it up with the two brief points:

One is an encouragement

The final one will be an exhortation.

Troubled in Tribulation

We begin with our first point:

1. God’s people will be troubled in tribulation (v. 4-12).

Tribulation is Upon the Church

Before we even get into the text, when it comes to this first teaching point today, we know this.

We know this because we have seen it.

We have seen it in church history, in all the stories of the heroic martyrs who gave their lives for the witness of the Gospel.

We see it in the present day.

We can look to a place like Manipur, India where in the last couple of years, over 60,000 of our brothers and sisters have been chased from their homes by anti-Christian violence.

From October 2023 to October 2024, the ministry “Open Doors” says that there were, on average, 12 Christians martyred per day around the world.

In our own country, persecution is becoming more physically threatening.

In May of this year, Christians who were gathered for prayer and worship in a park in Seattle were assaulted by protestors.

They had objects thrown at them, including water balloons filled with urine.

They had knives pulled on them.

They were verbally reviled.

And there were some who were beaten.

23 persecutors were arrested.

Back at the end of July, one of the churches who were a part of the worship service at the park in Seattle was having a Young Adult BBQ in their parking lot.

At the beginning of the gathering, a car pulled up and men in ski masks opened fire into the crowd of young people.

30 rounds of ammunition were unloaded into the crowd.

One of our brothers, named Lebron, was shot and killed.

He had gotten married two days before.

You probably heard little on the news about that, and yet that was in our nation.

Many of you have been living faithfully for Christ have experienced it as well.

Maybe not physical...but you have tasted what it is like to be reviled for your witness of Christ’s name and Kingdom.

So yes, God’s people are troubled in tribulation.

This has been the case throughout the age of the church.

This will be the case until the Day the Lord returns.

And this is the subject matter of most of the final verses of Daniel’s prophecy.

Verse 4

We begin by looking at v. 4, where the Heavenly Messenger tells Daniel to “shut up the words and seal the book...”

This is not just referring to the vision of chapters 10-12, but the whole book of Daniel.

Daniel’s writing has come to a close.

It began with Daniel the teenager and now the 86 year old man has reached the end of his prophetic work.

But of course, as we have seen, Daniel’s prophecy contains truths about things that will happen long after he has died.

So in light of this, he is to shut up the words and seal the book, “until the time of the end.”

“The time of the end,” refers to the time in which all of the foretold events have been fulfilled.

God’s people will be running “to and fro,” during the times of persecution that Daniel prophesied about.

The “to and fro” are a reference to Amos 8:12

Amos 8:12 ESV

They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.

Amos is describing the actions of people who are suffering and need a word from God.

They run to and fro, hoping to find it.

The Jews who would suffer under Antiochus, would need Daniel’s words.

They will run to and fro looking for a word from God as they suffer.

It would be crucial for them to “increase” in “knowledge,” that they may be able to endure.

Daniel is to shut up the words and seal the book for the future suffering generations of God’s church.

Even today, we sit here in the Babylon that is this world, feeling the pressures to conform.

The church is still faced with threats and the antichrist spirit in the world.

Like God’s people in the 2nd century BC, we are in need of the truth of the book of Daniel.

Verses 5-6

Moving on to verses 5-6, this is where we see the final portion of Daniel’s final vision really unfold.

“The man clothed in linen” (v. 6) is the Heavenly Messenger.

This is the same way he was described in Daniel 10:5.

But He is now accompanied by two other figures, who are most likely angels, on each bank of the stream.

The stream here is the mighty Tigris, which was established as the setting for the vision in chapter 10.

Now why is the great Tigris River, which is almost 1200 miles long, called a stream?

The answer is found by playing a game of comparison.

Look again at the Heavenly Messenger in v. 6.

He is “above the waters of the stream.”

He is above the angels.

He is above creation.

And even something as great and mighty as the Tigris River, is nothing more than a stream when compared to Him.

This is yet another reason for us to believe that the “man clothed in linen,” is the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ.

Who else is exalted like this?

Who else would be above the waters of the stream, the way the Spirit of God hovers over the face of the waters in Genesis 1.

At the end of verse 6, someone—presumably one of the angels—asks the Messenger a question:

“How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?”

This is likely a question that Daniel himself would have wanted to ask.

And it is likely a question focused on all of the events described in chapter 11 and the very beginning of chapter 12.

Verse 7

The response is given by the Messenger is v. 7.

And he answers in a very unique way.

First of all, He answers by swearing an oath by God—the One who lives forever.

Maybe this isn’t too odd.

We often answer questions with promises, right?

“Mom, when is dinner?”

“I promise it will be in 30 minutes, now would you please focus on finishing your homework.”

But this is heavier than that. It is an oath made by the name of God.

Secondly, it is unique because He swears with two hands—right and left.

Imagine seeing a President being sworn into office and he holds up both hands, instead of one.

That would make you stop and do a double take.

But again—the two hands adds weight to it the oath, just as swearing by God’s name did.

So what is his oath?

It is that the tribulation that the Messenger has described will last for time, times and half a time.

In the genre of Jewish Apocalyptic writing, the word “time” was often a way to describe a year.

With in mind, the Messenger is saying the tribulation, in which the power of God’s holy people is shattered, would come to its end in a matter of 3 and 1/2 years.

A time = one year

Times = two years

half a time = half a year

This period of time does not really line up perfectly with the timeline of the tribulation under Antiochus.

It began with him desolating the altar of the temple with pagan sacrifices in December 167 BC and it ends with the success of the Jewish revolt in December 164 BC.

We are missing half a year.

In light of that, I believe this 3 and 1/2 years is meant to be taken symbolically.

Seven is God’s complete number.

3 and 1/2 is half of that.

This is the Messenger’s way of saying to Daniel that the time of suffering will be cut short by God’s mercy.

Verses 8-9

Now for Daniel’s part, as he is listening to this amazing exchange between the angels and the Messenger, he is struggling to wrap his mind around it in v. 8.

He may understand the length of time, but he wants to know what the purpose of it is.

O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?”

The Messenger provides two answers.

On one hand, he reminds Daniel that this is not for his generation.

This is about the future and the prophet will be gone from earth by then.

The time of revelation was coming to a close for Daniel and he didn’t need to be concerned about the purpose.

And yet, mercifully, The Messenger does pull back the curtain for Daniel a bit.

Verse 10

The purpose of the tribulation that will last for a time, times and half a time, really comes down to two words:

Purification and Separation.

In terms of purification, the Messenger says that “Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined...”

These are the “wise” who “shall understand.”

The suffering will be like a refiner’s fire that purifies them in faith and holiness.

Isaiah 48:10 ESV

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

Throughout the Bible, we see God using the furnace of affliction to refine His people.

It is no different with the events in Daniel’s prophecy.

In terms of separation, The Messenger says that “the wicked shall act wickedly” and that “none of the wicked shall understand.”

In chapter 11, we saw that there were “flattering Jews,” who would join themselves to the Jewish revolt for the wrong reasons.

They were seeking some gain for themselves, but their hearts were not turned to the Lord.

The suffering that came to the faithful Jewish rebels would separate the wise from the wicked.

In this way, the trials under Antiochus were like the threshing floor of the farmer, where the wheat is separated from the chaff that blows away with the wind.

As much as the trial purified the saints and proved them to be the true people of God, it separated the wicked out and showed that though they had Hebrew blood in their veins, they were not truly Jewish at heart.

Ultimately, the words of v. 10 are confirming what we saw in Daniel 11:33-35

Daniel 11:33–35 ESV

And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.

The wise shall suffer and even die, that God’s people may understand, be refined, purified pand made white.

Those who attempted to join themselves to the Jewish revolt against Antiochus for false reasons would be found out.

They would not endure the suffering like the wise and faithful remnant of true believers.

Verses 11-12

In verses 11 and 12, we get two numbers thrown at us. They remind us of the “time, times and half a time” in v. 7.

The first 1290 days.

The Messenger says that this is how long the time would be from Antiochus ending sacrifices and his abomination in the temple to the end of that period of tribulation.

And then there is a beatitude pronounced upon the one who endures and “waits and arrives at 1,335 days.”

What is exactly is happening with these numbers?

Some scholars take the numbers literally and try to make all sorts of calculations to line the time periods up with historical events.

Others say, “We don’t know.”

In truth, these numbers are some of the biggest mysteries in Daniel, but ultimately I agree with commentator Ian Duguid.

He says that while the time, times and half a time show that the time of tribulation will be mercifully shortened by God from what it could be, the 1290 and 1335 serve different purposes:

Meanwhile, 1290 days focuses on the precision with which the period is measured. It is not just a vague period of judgment but one that is predetermined by God down to the very day when it will end...the additional figure of 1335 days in Daniel 12:12...adds 45 days to the 1290 day period and tells us that the saints will need to persevere all the way to the end of this longer period.

Ian Duguid

In other words, the 1290 day number is symbolic of how exact the time of tribulation would be.

The 1335 day number is symbolic of how the people of God must persevere through tribulation and indeed—all the way to the end of their days—if they are to prove themselves to truly be faithful.

Their endurance doesn’t earn redemption for them. It proves they are redeemed.

Blessed is the one who perseveres through God’s exact time of troubled tribulation.

The Revelation Connection

This idea of persevering through a limited, but exact time of tribulation is abundantly relevant to our lives this morning.

In fact, if we turn to the book of Revelation, we will find that the Bible draws a straight line from Daniel to the age that we live in.

In Revelation 12, we get this beautiful picture of Christ’s victory for His church, as well as this menacing image of Satan, the Serpent—the Dragon, seeking to hunt and devour God’s people.

Revelation 12 begins with a woman giving birth to a male child who will rule the nations with a rod of iron.

The woman represents the true Israel—God’s people.

The male child represents Christ—the Messiah.

Satan is waiting to devour the child, but fails to do it and the child ascends to heaven, just as Jesus did after his Cross and Resurrection.

Then, if you keep reading, we see another picture of Christ’s work on the Cross and how it results in spiritual victory for Christ over Satan.

Revelation 12:9–10 ESV

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

But Satan’s defeat at the hands of Christ only enrages him more, and so he hunts the woman who gave birth to the child—he hunts the people of God.

Revelation 12:13 ESV

And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.

Just as the Jews of the 2nd century suffered being hunted and harassed by a blasphemous enemy who sought to destroy them, so are we.

We are hunted by the one who was behind Antiochus all along.

We are hunted by the one who is more powerful and cunning than Antiochus.

We are hunted by the Dragon.

In the wilderness—in Babylon—we are attacked by the Serpent who failed to devour our King, so he turns his rage on the king’s subjects.

During this age of tribulation, in which the church is being sanctified and purified, Satan is the dog tearing at the chain, seeking to wear our and rip apart the saints of the Lord.

But if you keep reading in Revelation, listen to these encouraging words:

Revelation 12:14 ESV

But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.

And there we see the connection with Daniel.

Revelation 12:13-14 are describing the church age.

It is describing the time in between the first and second coming of Christ.

On one hand, it is a time of tribulation where we are hunted by the enemy.

But on the other hand, it is time in which we are nourished and even soar like eagles as we endure.

So As a brother dies in Seattle for being a part of the church...

As Christians are chased from their homes and threatened with harm to their bodies...

As you are reviled in family relationships and workplaces and social settings for your faith...

As the enemy hunts you and seeks to devour you and cause you to make a shipwreck of your witness and your life...

Know that this time is limited.

It is for a time, times and half a time.

There is more we could say about the important of this number and eschatology and how it relates to other numbers in Revelation...

But for today—in our relation to the book of Daniel—just understand that the tribulation will not go on forever.

And even as the Lord tarries, His nourishment does not.

His Word, His Spirit, His church, His prayer-receiving throne—it is all there for you brothers and sisters, that you may not wither under the heat of the Accuser’s breath.

God’s people will be troubled in tribulation—but they are not alone.

Christ the Victor is with them.

Rest and Rise

Now let’s move to our final two points.

The first is an encouragement to Daniel regarding the future, that will also be an encouragement to you.

2. God’s people will rest and rise (v. 13).

In verse 13, Daniel is told to “go your way till the end.”

This is the Messenger’s way of telling Daniel that he is to be faithful unto death.

He is to be faithful until faith becomes sight.

And regarding the future and what will come after his life, Daniel is given a very similar promise as the one given to the faithful Jews in 12:2.

Daniel 12:2 ESV

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.

Daniel will awake as well.

You see this at the beginning of the final verse in the book:

“And you shall rest and shall stand...”

In other words—you shall rest and then you shall rise.

I want to encourage you that this is the Gospel promise for all of God’s people, secured by the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In fact, the Lord’s resurrection is described as a firstfruits of the harvest of resurrection that will come after Him and in His likeness.

1 Corinthians 15:20–21 ESV

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

Just as Adam brought death to all he represented when he fell, Christ will bring resurrection to all whom He represented when He arose.

This includes Daniel, who looks forward in faith, trusting in the Messiah to come.

On the Final Day, the trumpet will sound and the Lord will descend.

The dead in Christ will arise and the perishable will be raised imperishable.

1 Corinthians 15:52 ESV

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Daniel—like every believer who has turned from sin and trusted in God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ, will awake to everlasting life.

Daniel—like every one of you who calls Christ Lord—will shine like the brightness of the sky above.

Daniel—like all worshippers of the one true God—will join in with the voice of the great multitude and praise the One who is above the waters:

Revelation 19:6–8 ESV

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

You may feel that you are weary and wasting away with each passing moment of trouble and tribulation.

But this will not last forever.

Go your way.

Be faithful until faith becomes sight.

But take courage because it is really not much longer now.

The marriage supper of the Lamb, filled with the resurrected saints of heaven, is right around the corner.

Let your heart be anchored to these truths as your soul is agitated by the tribulation of the age.

We will rest and we will rise.

Hold Fast and Hold Out

But that is not all.

We will not just have life, but we will have reward.

3. God’s people must hold fast and hold out (v. 13).

The people of God are holding out for a great reward and the very end of Daniel gives us a preview.

When Daniel arises and stands, notice where he will stand...

...in your allotted place at the end of the days.

Unlike Zerubbabel and Ezra, Daniel didn’t go back to Jerusalem.

All the evidence we have shows that the old prophet died in Persia—the land of Babylon.

The cynic may say, “Well—after all that perseverance and all that prayer and all that protest, what happened to the prophet? He got buried in the pagan land.”

But that is a very earthly and worldly outlook on Daniel’s life and it ignores what the Messenger says.

Despite the fact that Daniel will die in Babylon, at the end of the days—all the days—Daniel will stand in the place allotted to him by God.

He may not see Jerusalem again, but he will have something even better.

His feet will be planted in the New Jerusalem forever.

Heaven and all its reward is on the way for Daniel.

This is what God’s faithful people are holding out for.

It is not for earthly fame and treasure.

It is not for riches and wealth.

It is not for pleasing man and pleasure.

Instead, they look beyond this world, above the sun, and long for the world to come.

Listen to John’s words in Revelation 21:10:

Revelation 21:10 ESV

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,

THIS is what we are holding out for church.

The holy city coming down out of heaven from God.

The place where the thirsty will drink from the spring of the water of life without payment.

The place where the one who conquers will have his heritage.

The place where God will be our God and we will be His sons of inheritance.

The place where the dwelling place of man is with God.

The place where there are no more tears, no more death, no more mourning, no more crying, no more pain.

The place where the former things have passed away and all things have been made new.

This is the glorious reward that is in view brother.

This is the spread of splendor awaiting you sister.

So understanding what we are holding out for, let us close Daniel with this exhortation...

...Hold Fast.

Hold fast like teenage Daniel, refusing to eat from the king’s idolatrous table in Daniel 1.

Hold fast like Daniel, praying to God for help when his life is threatened in Daniel 2.

Hold fast like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who would not bow down when the music played in Daniel 3.

Hold fast like Daniel, who would not stop praying to God, even if it costs him his life in Daniel 6.

Hold fast because the great reward we are holding out for is coming.

We will see our King face to face.

We will eat from his table.

We will bow before his throne.

We will serve Him forever.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”

Amen.

Come Lord Jesus!

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with us all.