An Outline Study of the Book Of Daniel

Daniel Notes - Chapter 12

I. Verse 1-3 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which 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 be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

1. Vs. 1: It is important to remember that this is a continuation of the vision in the previous chapter. We are still in the context of a discussion about Antiochus Epiphanes. This fact is critical to properly understanding what is said here.

2. Vs. 1-2: This is Michael the archangel fighting on behalf of Israel. He will help them in a time of great distress and persecution. This refers to the revolt of the Maccabees against the oppressive powers of Antiochus Epiphanes. This fight for freedom was aided by God through the work of Michael. On angelic activity in such matters, compare with Dan. 10:4-21.

3. Vs. 2-3: The language of this context sounds so much to us like the end of time that we are tempted to apply it to that event. But we must be true to the context and remember it is talking about something that would happen "at that time", at the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. It is not unusual to use the language of resurrection to describe a national revival or the resurrection of a cause. Compare with Ezek. 37:1-14 and the valley of dry bones. God uses the idea of a resurrection here to show Ezekiel that Israel would rise again as a nation and be reestablished in their own land. The same kind of language that then pointed to Israel’s resurrection from Babylonian tyranny now speaks of the Maccabean rise from Syrian oppression. The ones who did evil would suffer judgment under a godly regime. Those who had been faithful to God in times of trouble would be vindicated. See Josephus Antiquities 12:7, 1-7.

II. Verse 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."

1. Vs. 4: Daniel is told to seal up the books. The inference is that many events will happen and much time will pass until this vision would be completed. With the vision being given in about 533 BC and its culmination around 70 AD, the entire prophecy looked six centuries into the future.

2. Vs. 4: Note how this time element contrasts with that which is assigned to Revelation. There John is told not to seal the book because the time was at hand. This seems to suggest the scope of Revelation deals primarily with events significantly less than six centuries to its future. See Rev. 1:1 and Rev. 22:6, 10.

III. Verse 5-10 "Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon 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, which was upon 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 an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand."

1. Vs. 5-7: One of the characters asks how long it would be until the end of these things. The messenger replies it would be for a time, times and a half, or three and a half years. This may be a symbolic time period indicating the vision would involve a time of God’s people suffering awful persecution. This same time period is used elsewhere in prophecy in this symbolic way. Compare notes on Dan. 7:25.

2. Vs. 5-7: It may, however, point to the time during which the temple would suffer defilement at the hands of Antiochus Epiphanes. The exact time under consideration is difficult to know since there were many major events that marked the beginning of this defilement and the end. Josephus does in one place say the temple was desecrated for three and a half years. This approach seems reasonable since it is consistent with other time elements in this prophecy being treated as a literal span of time.

IV. Verse 11-13 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."

1. Vs. 11: The messenger goes on to assign another time frame to these events. Starting from the time the sacrifice was stopped and the temple was defiled, would be a span of 1290 days. There is no specific event assigned to the end of this period, so ascertaining its exact assignment in history is extremely difficult. Given the starting point, it obviously has some connection to Dan. 8:13-14 and Dan. 8:26. See notes on those passages.

2. Vs. 12: The 1335 days is equally enigmatic. It presumably starts at the same time as the 1290 days, but is assigned no specific event at its termination. In both cases we must start at the beginning of the vision and count forward, looking for some significant event at which to terminate each time span.

3. Vs. 11-12: One notable view holds the counting starts at the same time as the afore mentioned 2300 evenings and mornings, or 1150 days. It holds that at the end of 1150 days the temple was purged. The 1290 days points 140 days later when Antiochus Epiphanes died. Then 45 days later a host was released (Dan. 8:13), concluding the 1335 day period. This view has tenable features in that it is consistent with the context in both chapters. However, while it is close to the historical counting, it is not without difficulty in this regard. Furthermore, it demands an awkward understanding of the "evenings and mornings" as being half days to arrive at the 1150 day figure. Note these objections in the comments on Dan. 8:26. See chart on Daniel 12 #1. Also see Gospel Meditations by Van Bonneau, p. 119.

4. Vs. 11-12: The preferred view also connects with Dan. 8:13-14. See notes on that passage. The counting of the 2300 days begins when Antiochus Epiphanes initially robbed the temple and concludes with his death. This works out to be just over six years, or to 2300 days. The counting of the 1290 days and the 1335 begins in 167 BC with the defilement of the temple when the daily sacrifice was abolished and the pagan idol erected. The 1290 days terminates when the idol was removed. The 1335 days concludes when the daily sacrifice was reinstated. See I Maccabees 1:29-60 for the beginning events and I Maccabees 4:36-59 for the end. This view is consistent with the context and enjoys less difficulty with the historical reckoning than the previously noted interpretation. See chart on Daniel 12 #2.

5. Vs. 13: Finally, the messenger reassures Daniel he will find peace and rest. He instructs Daniel to go about his business and let the vision take its course.