Daniel 12 Final Words God's Sovereignty Gives Stability in Terrible Times

Daniel 12   God's Sovereignty gives stability  in terrible times.

1"At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."

5Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?"

7The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed."

8I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"

9He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. 10Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

11"From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.

13"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."

 

OUTLINE

Because God is Sovereign we can have security in the greatest trouble (1–4)

ISRAEL WILL BE RAVAGED, RESCUED, RESURRECTED and REJOICING

They will shine and sing and stand. They are symbolic and sincere.

Because God is Sovereign we can have certainty in the hardest misery (5–7)

Because God is Sovereign we can have tenacity in the darkest days (8–12)

PROTECT THE PROPHECY  seal..

PROCEED WITH LIFE

PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE 

They are rejoicing

They are resting

They are rewarded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Friday this week the Federal government announced that  Chinese spy ship had been hovering off the NSW coast for the last two months. They also announced that AFP police and Australian Army troops were being transferred to Honiara in the Solomon Islands where rioters protesting had torn down nearly every building in their capital city.  And then yesterday Saturday lunch time came the announcement of Covid Omicron and the closure of borders again worldwide. The anxiety is ramping up. Urgency bring us all the more stress.  When Anxiety grows, and things get urgent it is hard to concentrate.

When a hurricane is blowing in you don't pull out a Monopoly game or begin preparing a gourmet meal. It's all about survival, and survival calls for simplicity, urgency and focus. If you're driving to church and you see an accident happen and you are the only one there to assist, you don't worry about being late or about getting your Sunday clothes dirty or bloody. The situation is urgent. The mission is simple.

As we come to the end of our series in Daniel, some truths about the end times will be disturbing. As the Lord Jesus said:  Luke 21: 26 men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

There will be a time of Tribulation, a Great Tribulation. There will be an Antichrist. There will be Apostasy. There will be a Judgment.

The entire section from Daniel 11:36 to 12:3 constitutes a revelation of the major factors of the time of the end which may be summarized as follows: (1) a world ruler, (2) a world religion, (3) a world war, (4) a time of great tribulation for Israel, (5) deliverance for the people of God at the end of the tribulation, (6) resurrection and judgment, and (7) reward of the righteous. All of these factors are introduced in this section. Added elsewhere in the Scriptures are the additional facts that this time of the end begins with the breaking of the covenant by 'the prince that shall come' (Dan 9:26-27); that the 'time of the end' will last for three and one-half years (Dan 7:25; 12:7; Rev 13:5); that the time of the end is the same as the time of Jacob's trouble and the great tribulation (Jer 30:7; Mt 24:21).

And yet the overall theme of the book of Daniel is about the Sovereignty of God and the Responsibility of Men.  Let me plunge you into some deep doctrine for a minute. It is necessary for us to have stability in terrible times.

Every passage that we have studied has contributed to the overarching theme of the book: In spite of present circumstances, God is in control and will win the day.

Perhaps in no chapter is God's control displayed in such detail as in chapter 11. History's only point then becomes simply to demonstrate that God's eternal decree is certain to come to pass."

Judgment is certain for the wicked; reward is certain for the righteous. How can Daniel say that judgment and reward are certain for the wicked and the righteous? Because God is sovereign; he is in control. This is why the issue of divine sovereignty over history was not a problem for Daniel or his readers. He was not approaching it as a philosophical problem, but rather proclaiming good news to a captive people.  For Daniel's audience, God's control of history was positive because it meant things would turn out right in the end. This knowledge led to joy in the present.

However, we cannot avoid the philosophical questions in this way completely. Does divine sovereignty eradicate human responsibility? Does God's control mean that human beings have none? Are we simply acting out a script already written? Certainly that is what Daniel 11 appears to be—a script for the history of the ancient Near East in the centuries between the beginning of Persian rule and down to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. Divine sovereignty and human responsibility—this is an old, old debate among theologians. And, I would be quick to add, its endurance as a point of contention warns us that the ultimate answer may be beyond our grasp.  What does Daniel and the Bible teach us? It shows us that God is in control. But it also informs us that human beings make decisions for which they are responsible.  How? We cannot tell. This perspective will leave some dissatisfied. God does not ask for comprehension, but rather for humility before the mystery—the amazing mystery that God can take even sinful human actions and work things out for good.

The rewards and punishments for faithfulness and rebellion go beyond death itself: "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever" (12:2–3). The wicked will certainly be eternally shamed; "for the wicked to die the same death as the righteous is not enough."

God does expect us to work for righteousness' sake. What I object to is the shrill note, the panicky mood, the sense of loss of control. God is in control. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Rom. 8:28–30) Think of the death of Jesus Christ in the light of Peter's sermon recorded in Acts 2:22–24: Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

God was in control even as the soldiers were nailing his hands and feet to the cross. The soldiers were nonetheless responsible—they were "wicked"—even though their actions fit into the overarching plan of God.

Because God is Sovereign we can have security in the greatest trouble (1–4)

At that time (1a) most directly links up with 11:40, ʻAt the time of the end'. The reference is to the tenure of the ʻking' with the self-deification itch (11:36–39) with his passion and programme of conquest (11:40–45), the one I have called the 'final scourge' of history.  Now, however, we hear of his 'internal policy' (Archer) toward the people of God. And it is not good:

And there shall be a time of distress; nothing like it has happened from the time a nation came into being up to that time; but at that time your people will be rescued (lb).

The language of the text is not mere hyperbole – it is the language of extremity and uniqueness. Whether the nation refers to Israel or to the rise of any nation, the point is that never in history has there been a time of suffering so severe and intense (cf. Mark 13:19).

The first three verses of Daniel 12 review and affirm some major prophecies concerning the future of Israel.

ISRAEL WILL BE RAVAGED  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. DANIEL 12:1

"at that time" ties chapter 12 to the last verses of chapter 11 —the period of time marked by the Antichrist's reign of terror and known as the Great Tribulation. The last verses of Daniel 11 lead up to this summary statement about the Great Tribulation in Daniel 12:1. Jeremiah refers to this period as "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7).

Verse 1 connects the Great Tribulation with the standing up of Michael, the archangel of God. To understand what this means, we must turn from Daniel 12 to Revelation 12: "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" (verses 7-9).

When Satan is cast down to the earth, the Great Tribulation will be initiated against Israel. Again the book of Revelation explains: "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" (Revelation 12:12).

There are many passages that describe what will happen during this time of tribulation for Israel:

From the prophet Zechariah: "I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity" (Zechariah 14:2).

From the prophet Jeremiah: "We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:5-7).

From the Lord Jesus Christ: "Then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened" (Matthew 24:21-22).

ISRAEL WILL BE RESCUED At that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. DANIEL 12:1

Revelation 14:2-4 says: I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of cascading waters and like the rumbling of loud thunder. The sound I heard was also like harpists playing on their harps. They sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are the ones not defiled with women, for they have kept their virginity. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were redeemed from the human race as the firstfruits for God and the Lamb. Revelation 7:3 calls the 144,000 tribulation saints the "servants of our God" (KJV). I want you to see their character, because in many ways they represent those of us today who believe in the Lamb of God.

You may say, "It would be wonderful if I were sealed that way." Guess what? You are! Ephesians 1:13 says, "In Him [Jesus] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation—in Him when you believed—were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit." Whether you are a saint in the Great Tribulation or a saint in this present age, you are sealed!

ISRAEL WILL BE RESURRECTED Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. DANIEL 12:2

ISRAEL WILL BE REJOICING 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. DANIEL 12:3

They will shine

They Will Sing

Revelation 14:2-3 says, "And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth" (KJV).

 

The four beasts represent the attributes of God; the elders represent the saved of all the ages. The 144,000 are the saved Jews who will fill heaven with their song as they rejoice before the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Bible says it is a new song. There are two Greek words translated "new." One has to do with time; the other has to do with character. The word new in Revelation 14:3 means new in character. Because of their own special experience, the saved Jews have a song that nobody else can sing.

 

How does this apply to us? I have a song that you can't sing, and you have a song that I can't sing. Jesus is unique to every person. I cannot put into words what Jesus means to me. "For who among men knows the concerns of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the concerns of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11).

They Will Stand   Revelation 14:4 says, "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes." They are marked by their loyalty to the Lamb. They have no rival, no refusal, and no restraint. Do you have that kind of loyalty to the Lamb? Are you steadfast in your purpose? These people are.

 

They Will Be Symbolic Revelation 14:4 says, "They were redeemed from the human race as the firstfruits for God and the Lamb." In Israel there was a feast during harvest time called the Feast of Firstfruits (see Exodus 23:14-19). God instructed His people to harvest the first ripened grain and take it to the temple for a ceremony, because the firstfruits signify the harvest that is to come.

They Will Be Sincere  Revelation 14:5 says, "No lie [hypocrisy] was found in their mouths; they are blameless" (explanatory note added by the author). These people will know the truth, believe the truth, tell the truth, speak the truth, and live the truth. They will not be hypocrites who speak the slogans of the beast during the Great Tribulation. If you faced the Lord today, would your words condemn you or justify you?

 

Because God is Sovereign we can have certainty in the hardest misery (5–7)

"How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?" (Daniel 12:6). In other words, "How long will the Antichrist be allowed to oppress the people of God during the Tribulation period?"

Then came the answer: "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" (Daniel 12:7).

Before Gabriel answered the question, he raised both hands to heaven and swore "by Him who lives forever." In ancient times, raising one hand in an oath was a way of showing the seriousness and importance of a promise (Genesis 14:22; Deuteronomy 32:40). Raising both hands conveyed even greater significance. And since God was the One by whom the oath was verified, there could be no greater solemnity attributed to what the angel was about to communicate.

Gabriel answered that the time of the Antichrist's reign would be for "a time, times, and half a time." "A time" equals one unit, "times" equals two units, and "one-half time" equals one-half a unit. The time of the Antichrist's atrocities against the Jews would be one plus two plus one-half, or three and a half years, which equals the last half of the seven years of tribulation for the Jews.

Joseph Seiss removes any doubt as to the length of time Gabriel is indicating: In not less than six different places, and in almost as many different ways, is this declared in the prophecies, including both Testaments. It is for "a time and times and the dividing of time" (Dan. vii. 25) —"It shall be for a time, times, and a half" (xii. 7) —"the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months" (Rev. xi. 2) —"the woman fled into the wilderness, a thousand two hundred and three-score days" —for "a time, and times, and half a time" (xii. 6, 14) —"and power was given him to continue forty and two months" (xiii. 5). All these passages refer to one and the same period of oppression and trouble under the Antichrist, and in each instance the measure is three and a half years. . . . Our Lord ministered on earth three and a half years, and the Antichrist shall enact his Satanic ministry for the same length of time."

In the Great Tribulation, you will either be led by the Lamb or bossed by the beast. Revelation 14:6-7 says, "Then I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. He spoke with a loud voice: 'Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.'"

 Stuart Olyott has set forth a stark summary of the scenario: "We will come to the point in history where it appears that darkness has really won the day. It will seem as if the Antichrist is going to continue for ever. It will seem as if the church has been entirely obliterated, for there will no longer be any sign of it."

Can you think of anything so bleak? This is the hardest misery. This is, eventually, the future of the church. And it's not what we prefer to hear.  2Thessalonians 2 speaks of a great apostasy. NASB 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ESV and NIV calls it a rebellion. NKJV falling away.  Apo from  Stacy standing away.

 

Because God is Sovereign we can have tenacity in the darkest days (8–12)

An attentive reader probably finds Daniel's confession in verse 8a somewhat comforting: I heard, but I did not understand. Even Daniel was perplexed, probably about the cryptic declaration in verse 7b. So he presses on for more light and asks, What will be the outcome [or: ʻfall-out'] of these things? (8b). These things most likely refers to the statements in verse 7. ʻHis particular concern was doubtless directed toward the ultimate fortunes of the covenant people of God, especially in view of the intimidating language of v. 7. Would they survive after their power was "broken," or would they go under as a nation in their futile struggle for truth?'

The FINAL DIRECTIONS TO DANIEL

This section of Daniel 12 devotes three verses to the final instructions the angel gave to Daniel.

He Is Instructed to Protect the Prophecy

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. DANIEL 12:4

Jesus said that in the time of Tribulation, people will be reading the book of Daniel, and he urges them to take what they read very seriously:

"When you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be." MATTHEW 24:15-21

Daniel was instructed to make sure the book would be available to those who would need it later, in the Tribulation period.

He Is Instructed to Proceed with His Life

God never loses sight of his servants: But you. . . Here the heavenly instructor leaves a word for Daniel himself. He underscores two matters for Daniel. He tells him first, Your duty is clear: But you, go on to the end (13a); and second, your future is settled: and you will rest and you will stand in your allotted place at the end of the days. Interestingly, this command and assurance uses the word ʻend' in two distinct ways; the first occurrence seems to refer to the end of Daniel's life, the second to the post-resurrection era.

Daniel was up in years – he was not going to see the little horn of chapter 8 nor the little horn of chapter 7. He was simply to go his way until the end. In other words, ʻGet back to your desk and filing cabinet, Daniel, and finish your day's work; plod along in living quietly and working with your own hands and being faithful to King Cyrus, your Persian employer.' But, of course, there is more, as if to say: ʻYou'll die here – no, you will rest, and then, at the right time, you will be raised and stand in your allotted place.' Allotted place translates the word gôrāl, which is used over twenty-five times in Joshua 14 – 21; it refers both to the lot that is cast and to the allotment that the lot determines, so that it frequently designates the turf or the towns assigned to a tribe or group. Hence the Lord's assurance to Daniel is: You have an allotted place, an assigned space, designated for you in the resurrection age at the end of the days (cf. John 6:39). Dale

He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." DANIEL 12:9

He Is Instructed to Prepare for the Future

Go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days. DANIEL 12:13

For the third time in just thirteen verses, the angel spoke personally to Daniel and instructed him to go about his duties and responsibilities. He was told to protect the prophecy and proceed with his life, and now he was being told to prepare for the future.

Daniel sees the climactic event of the vision:

Behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven!

He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.

Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away,

And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. DANIEL 7:13-14

 

It is decision that determines destiny. Think of those who have been branded by the beast. Revelation 14:9-12 says:

 

And a third angel followed them and spoke with a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink the wine of God's wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name. Here is the endurance of the saints, who keep the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus." 

Revelation 14:13 says, "Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' 'Yes,' says the Spirit, 'let them rest from their labors, for their works follow them.'" What a great verse!

"Yet we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). The minute a child of God dies, he goes immediately into the presence of the Lord.

Stephen was stoned, "but Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God's glory, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God'" (Acts 7:55-56). I know Jesus is normally seated in heaven, but He stood up for Stephen, didn't He? And He lovingly said, "Welcome home, my son!"

Do you have a mother or father, brother or sister, perhaps a child in heaven? Here are three things from Revelation 14:13 that can give you comfort:

1. They are rejoicing ("Blessed are the dead"). In the Greek, the word blessed is makarios, which means "rejoicing." Saints who have died are now leaping, dancing, and praising God. Heaven is all that the loving heart of God can desire, the omniscient mind of God can conceive, and the omnipotent hand of God can perform. That is what heaven is. Consider the artistry that God has put into heaven. The God who sculpted the wings of the butterfly, blended the hues of the rainbow, and painted the meadows with daffodils is the same One who made heaven. Blessed are the dead in Christ, for they are rejoicing.

2. They are resting ("Let them rest from their labors"). This type of resting does not mean that the saints are sitting around on a fluffy cloud wearing a robe and halo and plucking a harp. It also does not mean that they are passively listening to music for all eternity. Revelation 22:3 says, "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him" (KJV). In heaven, the saints will rule kingdoms and universes in service to God.

3. They are rewarded ("For their works follow them"). If you are trying to work your way to heaven, you will never be able to do it. It would be like running up the "down" escalator. You will not get there by your works, but your works will follow you to heaven. Jesus said, "Whoever gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple—I assure you: He will never lose his reward" (Matthew 10:42).

 

 

It is not death to die, To leave this weary road,
And 'midst the brotherhood on high To be at home with God.

2 It is not death to close The eye long dimmed by tears,
And wake in glorious repose To spend eternal years.

3 It is not death to bear The wrench that sets us free
From dungeon chain, to breathe the air Of boundless liberty.

4 It is not death to fling Aside this sinful dust,
And rise, on strong, exulting wing, To live among the just.

5 Jesus, Thou Prince of life! Thy chosen cannot die:
Like Thee, they conquer in the strife, To reign with Thee on high.

 

There is a God to serve. There is a hell to shun. There is heaven to gain. There is an eternity to live. There are the decisions of the living and the destiny of the dead, whether you are in this age or the age to come.

 

In time of trouble, say, First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest. Next, He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child. Then say, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he means to bestow. And last, say, In his good time he can bring me out again. How and when, he knows. Therefore, say, I am here (1) by God's appointment, (2) in His keeping, (3) under His training, (4) for His time. -Andrew Murray