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Daniel 12:1–13 (God’s people delivered)

INTRODUCTION: Today is the last message in our series on the book of Daniel. For the past eighteen weeks we have studied this book together. We covered the stories in the first half and then the visions in the second. We’ve walked with Daniel and his friends through their exile to Babylon, the fiery furnace, and the lions’ den. We have seen visions of beasts and horns and thrones and nations at war. And now, as we come to the end of Daniel, we also come to the end of time itself. This final chapter tells us about the end times and prepares us for all that is yet to come. (Read Daniel 12:1–3 and pray.)

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Have you ever been told that you couldn’t be given certain information because it was on a need-to-know basis? It reminds me of the junior staffer who asked a general for a top-secret file. The general replied, “Son, you’re on a need-to-know basis, and the only thing you need to know right now is that you don’t need to know.”

Well, what you need to know and what Daniel needed to know is that we are on a need-to-know basis when it comes to the specific details of the end times. And we need to know there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s okay not to know everything.

Just because God does not give us full details does not mean he tells us nothing. Here in Daniel 12 we are given a broad outline of what will happen in the end times. God may not tell us everything we want to know, but he has told us what we need to know about the future.

Our passage today answers three questions most people have about the end times: What will happen? How long will it take? How will it all end? (outline in worship guide)

I. What will happen? (1–4)

Verses 1–4 deal with the first question, “What will happen?” These verses are a continuation of the angel’s words from chapter 11. Quick review — back in chapter 10 Daniel was standing on the bank of the Tigris River when he looked up and saw a vision of a man dressed in linen. Then in chapter 11 this angelic being told Daniel what would happen in the coming years with the kingdoms of Persia and Greece and also about Antiochus IV, who would attack Israel and desecrate the temple. All of that was future for Daniel, but we now know from history it was fulfilled to the letter.

Then toward the end of chapter 11 the angel switches gears and begins to speak about a different king who will attack God’s people. This king no longer matches the historical details we know about Antiochus IV, and it becomes clear that we are now talking about the Antichrist, who was first introduced in Daniel 7. This makes sense, as Antiochus serves as a foreshadowing or type of the Antichrist who is to come.

That brings us to chapter 12, where the angel now moves from the details about the Antichrist to a more general overview of the end times. So, what will happen in the end times?

   A. A great persecution (1)
      – Matthew 24:21

First, there will be a time of great persecution. Look at verse 1 with me now:

“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.” (Dan. 12:1)

This chapter begins with the words “at that time.” At what time? Daniel 11:40 already told us this was the time of the end. So, at the time of the end Michael, the great prince, will arise. Michael is one of two great archangels identified in Scripture by name. The other is Gabriel. We’ve already seen that Gabriel is a messenger to God’s people. Now we learn that Michael is the protector of God’s people.

The angel tells Daniel this will be a time of distress like no other. This agrees with what Jesus tells us in the New Testament: “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now — and never to be equaled again” (Matt. 24:21). The fact that Michael is involved shows that this will be a time of great spiritual conflict as well as physical distress.

The angel tells Daniel, “Your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered.” This is the book of life, which contains the names of all who will enter God’s kingdom. They will not necessarily be spared from suffering or death, but they will be delivered from the enemy as they enter God’s presence.

   B. Resurrection and final judgment (2)
      – John 5:28–29

So first, there will be a great persecution. Then will come the resurrection and final judgment. Look at verse 2 with me next:

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Dan. 12:2)

Some people say there are no clear references to the resurrection from the dead in the Old Testament. Well, this one seems pretty clear to me. It is true that we get more details about the resurrection in the New Testament, but there are certainly places in the Old Testament where the resurrection is presented as well (Ps. 16:9–11, 49:15, 73:23–24; Job 19:25–27; Isa. 25:7–8, 26:19).

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake.” This refers to all who have died. The dust reminds us of the punishment of death given by God to Adam in the garden — “for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Gen. 3:19). The word “sleep” tells us that the physical death of the body is only temporary until the resurrection.

And so, Daniel 12 teaches the resurrection of all who have died. This will be a time of judgment. Some will rise to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting contempt. This also agrees with what Jesus says in the New Testament: “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out — those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28–29).

   C. The glorification of believers (3–4)
      – Prov. 11:30; Matt. 13:43; 2 Tim. 3:15; Rev 22:10

Finally, we come to the glorification of believers. Look at verse 3 with me next:

“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.” (Dan. 12:3)

The phrase “those who are wise” refers to believers. The New Testament equivalent is those who have been made “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). The phrase “those who lead many to righteousness” is parallel to those who are wise. Proverbs 11:30 says, “He who is wise wins souls.” Believers are not only made wise for salvation themselves, but they lead others to righteousness as well.

The angel tells Daniel they will “shine like the brightness of the heavens.” This is parallel to the concluding phrase “like the stars for ever and ever.” Once again, Jesus says something similar in the New Testament: “The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt. 13:43). Notice this final transformation is for all of eternity. The angel says we will shine like the stars for ever and ever.

The angel then concludes his words to Daniel in verse 4:

“But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” (Dan. 12:4)

With these words the official prophecy is completed. The seal preserves and authenticates the words the angel has spoken. It’s interesting, Daniel is told to seal up the words of the prophecy “until the time of the end,” whereas when the apostle John completed the book of Revelation, he was told to keep the book unsealed because “the time was now at hand” (Rev. 22:10).

The angel ends with the enigmatic phrase, “Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” This seems to speak of increased human movement and knowledge but with very little wisdom and understanding (see Amos 8:11–12).

What will happen in the end times? There will be a great persecution, followed by the resurrection of the dead and the final judgment, followed by the glorification of believers. That is the general outline, and it matches exactly everything we learn in the New Testament about the end times. Isn’t it amazing how in God’s word one part confirms the other; the Bible builds upon the earlier writings and adds other details, but it is all one tapestry woven together. This now concludes the words of the angel that began back in chapter 11.

II. How long will it take? (5–7)

So that’s the answer to the first question: “What will happen?” Now we move to the next question: “How long will it take?”

   A. “How long?” asks the angel (5–6)
      – 1 Peter 1:12

This question does not come from Daniel but from one of two angels who are standing on opposite banks of the river where Daniel is standing. Look at verses 5–6 next:

Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. One 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?” (Dan. 12:5–6)

This is an amazing scene. Daniel stands by the river. Two other beings, most likely angels, stand on opposite sides of the river. The man clothed in linen, who has been speaking to Daniel throughout this vision, is positioned above the waters of the river.

One of the angels asks the man in linen, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?” This shows us that even the angels don’t know all the details of God’s plan, which is why the book of 1 Peter tells us that “even angels long to look into these things” (1 Pet. 1:12). When it comes to the end times, even the angels are on a need-to-know basis.

   B. A solemn oath (7a)
      – Isaiah 62:8

The man in linen then lifts both hands toward heaven and makes a solemn oath in the name of the Lord. Look at verse 7 next:

The 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.” (Dan. 12:7)

Only one hand was required for an oath (see Isa. 62:8), so the fact that this being lifts both hands shows that this is a very solemn oath. Notice he swears “by him who lives forever.” This is the most solemn object of an oath, as he swears by God himself.

   C. “A time, times and half a time” (7b)
      – Daniel 7:25

And then he gives the answer. It is not the answer we might want, but it is certainly the answer God chose to give us: “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.”

Why isn’t this the answer we wanted? First, because it is still vague and cryptic. We have encountered this phrase “time, times and half a time” before (Dan. 7:25) and seen that it most likely refers to a limited period of time that God will cut short. That is good news, but we would still prefer more specifics.

The other reason we don’t like this answer is because it reaffirms this period of persecution for God’s people. How long until these things are completed? Not until the power of the holy people has finally been broken. That doesn’t sound very promising.

But this is the future for God’s people. The persecution will be intense, and it will look as though God’s people have failed. Once again, it’s probably not the answer we want to hear, but it is the answer God knows we need to hear, and the man in linen hovering above the waters seals it with a solemn oath in the name of God who lives forever.

III. How will it all end? (8–13)

So, we have looked at the first two questions: “What will happen?” and “How long will it take?” Now we come to the third and final question: “How will it all end?” This is really the most important question of all. We can make it through almost anything so long as we know everything will turn out well in the end.

   A. Sealed until the time of the end (8–10)
      – Deut. 29:29; 2 Tim. 3:1,13; Rev. 22:11

Daniel is the one who asks this third and final question. Look at verses 8–10 with me now:

I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many 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.” (Dan. 12:8–10)

Daniel heard, but he still didn’t understand. So if you don’t understand all that is going to happen in the end times, you’re in good company. We don’t understand all these things either, and we have even more information than Daniel did.

Once again, what we want to know and what God chooses to tell us are two different things. Sometimes we have to live with unanswered questions. We read in Deuteronomy 29:29: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” God gives us sufficient but not complete revelation. He tells us everything we need to know that we may follow the words of his law.

And that is what the angel ends up telling Daniel. He tells him what he needs to know. There are basically two categories of people — the wise and the wicked, the saved and the unsaved. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined. God will use this time of persecution as a time of testing. The persecution will reveal whose faith is truly genuine. It will reveal who are the wise and who are the wicked.

This is very important. The time for you to decide whether you will follow Jesus is not when the time of persecution comes. If you’re not following Jesus now in a time of freedom with very little persecution, don’t be under any illusion that when the time of persecution comes, you will suddenly start following Christ. This is the time to make things right with God. This is the time to put your faith in Christ. This is the time to get serious about your relationship with the Lord.

The angel tells Daniel, “Many will be purified … but the wicked will continue to be wicked.” Once again, the Bible is one book. Paul in the New Testament says the same thing: “There will be terrible times in the last days” and “evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse” (2 Tim. 3:1,13).

Revelation 22:11 says something similar: “Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.” Those who have not put their faith in Christ will be confirmed in their wickedness, while those who do believe in Christ will be confirmed in holiness and glorified forever.

None of the wicked will understand; otherwise they would turn to Christ and be saved. But the wise will understand. They will act on what God has told them. The angel tells Daniel the prophecy is sealed until the time of the end. We don’t know all the details, but we can understand what God wants us to know.

   B. Patience and perseverance (11–12)
      – Revelation 20:3

So, what is it God wants us to know? The angel reaffirms for the third time that this time of persecution is coming, and he counsels patience and perseverance. Look at verses 11–12:

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

We have seen how the abomination that causes desolation was initially fulfilled by Antiochus IV in 167 B.C., which foreshadowed the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, which in turn foreshadowed the end times when the Antichrist will abolish all public worship of God.

The 1,290 days here are parallel to the “time, times and half a time.” This tells us that the time of persecution is carefully measured by God, it is relatively brief, and it is precisely limited. God will cut it short for the sake of the elect, and it will not go a day extra.

We also get a new number here — the 1,335 days. Why the extra 45 days? If you can persevere for 1,335 days, that means you will definitely make it through the first 1,290. It’s like running through the tape at the end of a race. You don’t slow down as you reach the finish line. You run through the tape and keep going for a short time after. (These extra 45 days could also possibly relate to the “short time” we read about in Revelation 20:3.)

   C. Final victory (13)
      – Matthew 5:10

And then the angel closes with a final word of assurance:

“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.” (Dan. 12:13)

This is the angel’s final benediction or blessing upon Daniel. Daniel has been a faithful servant all his life. He will soon die and be buried. But first God gives him this personal word of assurance of his own resurrection to glory.

This is the good word God knows we need to hear. It is really the message we have been learning from Daniel ever since chapter 1. Yes, there will be difficult times ahead, but we can rest secure knowing that God has the final victory. The kings and kingdoms of this earth will all pass away, but God’s kingdom lasts forever, and as God’s people we will share in that kingdom with him.

So the final word is victory. As Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10). God will be victorious, and we will share in his victory.

CONCLUSION: Let me share with you three brief applications as we close out this passage.

1) Be prepared — persecution is coming. In speaking of the end times, Jesus said, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matt. 24:12a). This is a strong warning to be prepared — to keep your heart strong in the Lord, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, and not allow anything to dampen your love and zeal for Christ.

2) Be encouraged — God will cut those days short. Jesus also told us, “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened” (Matt. 24:22). It’s limited. It’s a time, times, times and half a time. It’s 1,290 days and then you keep on running through the tape. Yes, there will be terrible times in the last days, but that time is limited by God’s sovereignty and design. So be encouraged. God will cut those days short for the sake of his people.

3) Be faithful — God will reward those who persevere to the end. Jesus said, “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matt. 24:12b). Once again, this period of persecution will be a time of testing. The wise will be purified, while the wicked will continue to be wicked. It is not your persevering that saves you. Rather, your perseverance reveals that you are truly saved. So be faithful. God will reward those who persevere to the end.

God doesn’t tell you everything you want to know about the end times, but he tells you what you need to know. God gave Daniel plenty of details and a strong overview of what would happen in the end times, but Daniel still had questions. He still did not understand everything God told him.

We don’t understand everything about the end times either, and that’s okay. God has told us what we need to know so that we can be prepared for what’s ahead, we can trust that God will bring us through it, and we can look forward to final victory.

That’s really the message of the whole book of Daniel. Be prepared, be encouraged, and be faithful. Trust God with the future and do not give in to fear. This world and its kingdoms are passing away, but God’s kingdom lasts forever. How will it all end? God wins, and we share in his victory. Praise the Lord!

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Benediction at end of service: “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.” (Dan. 12:13)
 

© Ray Fowler

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