Daniel 12.7b-The Prophetic Events of the Last Three and a Half Years of the Seventieth Week Will Be Completed When Antichrist Defeats Israel
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday September 10, 2014
Daniel: Daniel 12:7b-The Prophetic Events of the Last Three and a Half Years of the Seventieth Week Will Be Completed When Antichrist Defeats Israel
Lesson # 380
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 12:6.
Daniel 12:6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” 7 I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.” (NASB95)
“And as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed” advances upon and intensifies the previous prophetic statement that the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 will last for three and a half years.
Therefore, the advancement and the intensification is that Daniel is told how long it will take to fulfill the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 but then specifically when these events will have been fulfilled.
“As soon as they finish shattering” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and,” which is followed by the preposition k (ךְּ־) (kee), “as soon as” and its object is the verb kā·lā(h) (כָּלָה) (kaw-law´), “they finish” which is followed by the verb nā·p̄ǎṣ (נָפַץ) (naw-fats´), “shattering.”
The verb kā·lā(h) refers to the act of completing or bringing to completion the shattering of the power of the holy people which will take place during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week.
It speaks of the defeat of the holy people’s military power being accomplished.
The preposition k is prefixed to the infinitive construct form of this verb and governs it and is functioning as a marker of a point of time which is simultaneous to or overlapping another point of time.
Therefore, this indicates that “when” or “as soon as” the shattering of the power of holy people has been accomplished then the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 will be fulfilled.
The verb nā·p̄ǎṣ is in the piel stem and means “to shatter, to defeat” and it is used in relation to the power of the holy people and speaks of being defeated in war.
Therefore, it refers to shattering of the power of the holy people by the wicked king described in Daniel 11:36-39 in the sense that they will have been defeated by this king.
“The power of the holy people” is composed of the noun yāḏ (יָד) (yawd), “the power of” which is modifying the noun ʿǎm (עַם) (am), “the people,” which is modified by the adjective qā·ḏôš (קָדוֹשׁ) (kaw-doshe´), “holy.”
The noun yāḏ literally means “hand” but is used in a figurative sense meaning “power” since it refers to the military power of the holy people.
The noun ʿǎm means “people” and speaks of a national entity which is composed of faithful believers living in Israel during the time of the persecution conducted by the Antichrist during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week.
The adjective qā·ḏôš means “holy” and is describing those Jews who will be believers in Jesus Christ, the God of Israel during the time of the Antichrist’s persecution of the Jews during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week.
The word describes these regenerate Jews as being set apart for the Lord exclusively to serve Him.
“All these events will be completed” is composed of the verb kā·lā(h) (כָּלָה) (kaw-law´), “will be completed” which is followed by the noun kōl (כֹּל) (kole), “all” which is modifying the demonstrative pronoun ʾēl∙lě(h) (אֵלֶּה) (ale-leh), “these.”
The demonstrative pronoun ʾēl∙lě(h) means “these” and is anaphoric meaning it is pointing back to a phrase in Daniel 12:6.
Namely it is pointing back to the noun qēṣ (קֵץ) (kates), which is modifying the articular feminine plural form of the noun pě·lě(ʾ) (פֶּלֶא) (peh´-leh), which together mean “extraordinary events.”
This expression in Daniel 12:6 refers to the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3.
Therefore, the demonstrative pronoun ʾēl∙lě(h) refers to these prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3.
The demonstrative pronoun ʾēl∙lě(h) is modified by the collective singular construct form of the noun kōl which functions as an adjective because Hebrew nouns in construct relationship to one another, function the same as the English adjective “all” or “each and every.”
This word kōl is used in a distributive attributive sense and means “each and every” expressing the concept of totality.
Therefore, Daniel is being told that “each and every one” of these prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 will be accomplished or fulfilled when the defeat of the military power of the holy people has been accomplished.
Daniel 12:7 Then, I heard the man dressed in linen who was apart from, above with respect to the river’s waters as he lifted up his right hand as well as his left hand toward the heavens in order to swear by the immanent eternal one that “it would be for a period of an appointed time, appointed times and half an appointed time. In fact, when the defeat of the holy people’s military power has been accomplished, each and every one of these extraordinary events will be fulfilled.” (My translation)
This prophetic statement in Daniel 12:7 that Israel’s military power will be defeated coincides with the prophetic statements in Daniel 7:21 and 7:25 which say the same thing.
Daniel 7:15 “As for me, Daniel, my soul was distressed in the midst of my body. Specifically, the visions in my mind caused me to be terrified. 16 I went up to one from those standing nearby in order to request from him the truth regarding all this. Consequently, he spoke to me in order to make known to me the interpretation of these events. 17 ‘These great beasts, which are four in number are four kings, who will arise from the earth’s inhabitants. 18 However, the saints belonging to the Most High will receive the kingdom. Indeed, they will possess the kingdom throughout eternity, yes throughout eternity, the ages.’ 19 Then, I desired to know the meaning concerning the fourth beast which was different from all the others, extraordinarily intimidating, its two rows of teeth composed of iron as well as its claws composed of bronze. It devoured as well as crushed. Specifically, it violently crushed the rest with its feet. 20 Also, I desired to know the meaning concerning the ten horns which were on its head as well as the one which emerged and in addition three fell by being in the presence of it. Specifically, that horn possessing eyes as well as a mouth making it a habit of speaking boastfully. Indeed, its appearance was more distinguished than its contemporaries. 21 I was continuing to stare in a trance like state as that horn was continually waging war against the saints so as to overpower them 22 until the One Ancient in Days intervened. Specifically, He rendered judgment in favor of the Most High’s saints. Then, the moment arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. 23 Thus, he said, ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all these kingdoms in the sense that it will devour the entire earth. Specifically, it will trample it down so that it crushes it. 24 Also, the ten horns are ten kings who will arise from this kingdom. Then, another will arise after them. However, he will be different in comparison to the previous ones. Specifically, he will conquer three kings. 25 Furthermore, he will issue statements against the Most High. Also, he will make it his habit of persecuting the Most High’s saints as well as attempting to change the times, yes even the Law. Indeed, they will be given into his power for a period of a time, times and a half a time. 26 However, the court will be convened with the result that they will take away his governmental dominion by destroying, yes, by killing him at the end.” (Author’s translation)
In Revelation 13:7, the Antichrist, who is depicted by the first beast in Revelation 13, is described in this verse as waging war against the saints and defeating them.
Revelation 13:7, “It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.” (NASB95)
The angelic interpreter’s last statement in Daniel 7:25 is emphatic informing Daniel that the saints of the Most High will be given into the power of this king represented by the little horn, who we know as the Antichrist.
This interprets the statement in Daniel 7:21 that the little horn will overpower the saints.
This refers to God’s people being killed by the Antichrist.
Then, Daniel is told that this will take place for three and a half years which is a reference to the last three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, which constitutes the tribulation portion of this seven year period.
So Daniel 7:21, 25, 12:7 and Revelation 13:5-7 reveal that the Antichrist will defeat Israel by overpowering her militarily.
However, Zechariah 12 and 14 as well as Revelation 19:11-20:3 reveal that Jesus Christ will intervene at this point when Israel has been defeated militarily and destroy Antichrist and his armies.
Therefore, when they are without strength and in a hopeless and helpless situation, the Lord Jesus Christ will come to planet earth and rescue her from Satan and the Antichrist and the tribulation armies.
This brings out a spiritual principle which Paul taught in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, namely that divine power is manifested in human impotence.