"THE BOOK OF DANIEL" Introduction To Daniel INTRODUCTION 1.

One of the more fascinating books of the Bible is the book of Daniel... a. The first six chapters contain accounts of faith that inspire both young and old b. The last six chapters are filled with apocalyptic visions that challenge even the most advanced Bible students and scholars 2. It is a book that has often been attacked and abused... a. Attacked by liberals who deny its inspiration b. Abused by many who have taken its visions out of context to support all kinds of wild theories concerning the second coming of Christ 3. But when properly read and understood, the book of Daniel can... a. Inspire us to greater faithfulness in our service to God b. Strengthen our faith in the inspiration of the Bible [In this lesson, we shall introduce the book and look at it as whole, beginning with what we know of ...] I. DANIEL AND HIS TIMES A. THE MAN... 1. The name "Daniel" means "God is my judge" 2. He was a person of deep and abiding faith a. As a youth, he purposed not to defile himself - Dan 1:8 b. When old, he persisted in serving God despite threats against his life - Dan 6:10 3. God blessed Daniel because of his faith a. He rose to great heights in the kingdoms of Babylon and Persia - Dan 2:48; 6:1-3 b. He served as a statesman, a counselor to kings, and a prophet of God 4. Daniel was contemporary with Jeremiah and Ezekiel a. Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem before and during the Babylonian exile (626-528 B.C.) b. Ezekiel prophesied in Babylon among the exiles (592-570 B.C.) c. Daniel prophesied in the capital of Babylon (605-586 B.C.) 5. Nothing is known of his personal life outside of the book a. He descended from one of Judah's prominent families, if not from royal blood - Dan 1:3 b. At an early age (12-18) he was taken from his family to be trained in the courts of Babylon - Dan 1:3-4 c. Whether he ever married is uncertain B. THE TIME IN WHICH HE LIVED... 1. Some key dates to remember a. 612 B.C. - Fall of Nineveh, capital of Assyria 1) Assyria had ruled the world since the days of TiglathPileser (845 B.C.) 2) Nabopolassar came to the throne in Babylon and rebelled against the Assyrians in 625 B.C. 3) Nebuchadnezzar, son of Nabopolassar, was the general who

led the Babylonian army against Nineveh, defeating it in 612 B.C. b. 605 B.C. - Battle of Carchemish, establishing Babylonian domination 1) Pharaoh-Necho of Egypt came to fight the Babylonians at Carchemish 2) Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians, chasing them south through Judah 3) At Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar heard of his father's death; he returned to assume the throne in Babylon 4) The first group of Jewish captives were taken, along with Daniel and his friends - Dan 1:1-4 c. 597 B.C. - A second remnant taken to Babylon 1) Jehoiachin (Jeconiah, Coniah) followed the reign of his father, Jehoiakim 2) He lasted just three months, when Nebuchadnezzar took him and 10,000 Jews to Babylon - 2Ki 24:8-16 3) This second group of captives included Ezekiel - Eze 1:1-3 d. 586 B.C. - Fall of Jerusalem and the temple destroyed 1) Zedekiah was installed as king in Jerusalem, but was weak and vacillating 2) Eleven years later, Jerusalem was totally devastated by Babylonian forces - 2Ki 25:1-10 3) A third group was taken into Babylonian captivity, but Jeremiah was among those who stayed behind - 2Ki 25: 11-12,22; Jer 39:11-14; 40:1-6 e. 536 B.C. - The first remnant returns to Jerusalem 1) Babylon falls in 539 B.C. 2) Cyrus, king of Persia, sends the first remnant back under the leadership of Zerubbabel - Ezra 1:1-5; 2:1-2 3) The foundation of the temple was soon started, but the temple was not completed until 516 B.C. - Ezra 3:8-13; 6:14-16 f. 457 B.C. - A second remnant returns to Jerusalem 1) Ezra the priest returns with this group - Ezra 7:1-8:36 2) He leads a much-needed revival - Ezra 9:1-10:44 g. 444 B.C. - A third remnant returns to Jerusalem 1) This group is led by Nehemiah - Neh 1:1-2:20 2) Under his leadership, the walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt - Neh 3:1-7:73 3) Together with Ezra, they restore much of the religion - Neh 8:1-13:31 2. Daniel lived through much of these times (605-534 B.C.) a. He was among the first group of captives taken to Babylon - Dan 1:1-4 b. He continued there over the entire 70 years of captivity - Dan 1:21; 10:1; cf. Dan 9:1-2; Jer 25:11; 29:10 [Daniel was certainly a remarkable man. His greatness was recognized by his contemporary, Ezekiel (Ezek 14:14,20; 28:3). Now let's take a brief look at...] II. THE BOOK OF DANIEL A. THE THEME... 1. "God Rules In The Kingdoms Of Men" - cf. Dan 2:21; 4:17,25,32, 34-35; 5:21 2. In this book, we see the rule of God is... a. Manifested in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar,

Darius, and Cyrus, kings of the Babylonians, Medes, and Persians b. Foretold to occur in the days of the Persians, Greeks, and Romans 3. In this book, we learn the rule of God would be especially manifested... a. With the establishment of God's kingdom - Dan 2:44 b. With the vindication of the cause of His saints - Dan 7:27 B. A BRIEF OUTLINE... 1. God's Providence In History - 1:1-6:28 a. Daniel and his determination to be pure - 1:1-21 b. Nebuchadnezzar's dream and Daniel's promotion - 2:1-49 c. Faith in the face of fire by Daniel's friends - 3:1-30 d. Nebuchadnezzar's second dream and temporary insanity - 4: 1-37 e. The writing on the wall and fall of Belshazzar - 5:1-31 f. Darius and his den of lions - 6:1-28 2. God's Purpose In History - 7:1-12:13 a. Daniel's dream of the four beasts - 7:1-28 b. Daniel's dream of the ram and the goat - 8:1-27 c. Daniel's prayer, and the vision of the seventy weeks - 9: 1-27 d. Daniel's vision of the time of the end - 10:1-12:13 CONCLUSION 1. As with all of Scripture, the book of Daniel is profitable for our study - 2Ti 3:16-17 a. From Daniel and his three friends, we will learn the power of faith and commitment b. By studying this book, we can better understand our Lord's references to it - cf. Mk 1:14-15; Mt 24:15-16 2. Despite some of its more difficult and challenging passages, we can benefit from them as well, as long as we interpret them... a. In the context of the book itself b. Consistent with all else the Bible may say on the subject c. With the humility and openness that is incumbent upon all who would study and teach God' word - cf. 2Ti 2:24-25 In our next study, then, we will begin by taking a look at "The Faith Of A Fifteen-Year-Old"... "THE BOOK OF DANIEL" The Faith Of A Fifteen Year Old (1:1-21) INTRODUCTION 1. The Old Testament is filled with examples worthy of our study and emulation... a. Such as Joseph, with his stand for God in the house of Potiphar b. Such as Joshua, a great man of faith and conviction in his service to God 2. Another example that ought to inspire us all is that of Daniel... a. As a young man, his faith gave him the courage to remain true to his convictions b. As an old man, his faith sustained him the threat of persecution

[We first read of Daniel and his great faith, in the first chapter of the book of Daniel...] I. DANIEL'S FAITH AS A "FIFTEEN YEAR OLD" A. IT WAS A BLEAK DAY IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL... 1. The beginning of Babylonian domination - Dan 1:1-2 a. In the third year of Jehoiakim (ca. 605 B.C.) b. Jerusalem besieged by Nebuchadnezzar c. Jehoiakim taken into captivity, and precious items taken from the temple 2. This was the first of three times that Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem (605, 597, 586 B.C.) B. DANIEL AND OTHERS SELECTED FOR SPECIAL TRAINING... 1. Young men taken to serve Nebuchadnezzar - Dan 1:3-7 a. They were truly the "cream of the crop" among the captives 1) Good looking with no blemish 2) Gifted with wisdom, knowledge, and the ability to learn quickly b. To serve in the king's palace, and be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) 1) Given special provisions of the king's food and drink 2) With three years of special training c. Among those selected, four are named, and apparently renamed to honor Babylonian gods 1) Daniel (God is my judge) - Belteshazzar (a servant of Bel) 2) Hananiah (the Lord is gracious) - Shadrach (inspired by the sun god) 3) Mishael (who is what God is?) - Meshach (who is what the moon god is?) 4) Azariah (the Lord helps) - Abed-Nego (servant of Nebo) 2. How would these young men respond? a. Would they submit to the temptations placed before them? b. Would they give in, excusing themselves due to youth and inexperience? -- How would you have reacted if you were in their place? C. DANIEL MAKES A DECISION... 1. He "purposed in his heart" - Dan 1:8 a. I.e., he made a commitment b. Something too rarely heard of today, in both young and old 2. His commitment was to "not defile himself" with the king's food a. Possibly unclean food according to Levitical restrictions b. Or food used in idol worship which would cause one to be a participant with such worship - cf. 1Co 10:20-22 D. HOW DANIEL REMAINED TRUE TO HIS COMMITMENT... 1. He did it with politeness - Dan 1:8b a. Note that "he requested" b. He did not "demand", but respected the authority of those over him 2. He did it with God's help - Dan 1:9 a. God gave him favor in the eyes of the chief of eunuchs b. Similar to how Joseph found favor in prison - cf. Gen 39:21 3. He did it through persistence - Dan 1:10-11 a. He did not give up after the refusal by the chief of the eunuchs

b. He tried something else, going to the steward directly over them 4. He did it through willingness to test his faith - Dan 1:12-15 a. He was confident that God's way was the right way b. He was willing to demonstrate the superiority of God's way c. So he asked the steward to give him and his three friends just water and vegetables for ten days E. THE VALUE OF SUCH FAITH SEEN IN ITS RESULTS... 1. It affected the lives of others! - Dan 1:15-16 a. It had blessed the countenance of Daniel and his friends b. It then blessed the rest of the young men under the care of the steward 2. God blessed Daniel and his three friends even more! - Dan 1: 17-20 a. God gave them knowledge, skill, and wisdom, and to Daniel He gave understanding in visions and dreams b. They became the best of the young men who had been trained, and served in the presence of Nebuchadnezzar c. The king found them better than all his magicians and astrologers 3. Daniel continued in the court of Babylon nearly seventy years! - Dan 1:21 a. Even to the first year of Cyrus of Persia (539 B.C.) b. Eventually becoming provincial ruler and chief administrator over all others - Dan 2:48 [What a wonderful example of faith and commitment, and of God's providence to care for His people! Now let's consider some...] II. LESSONS AND APPLICATIONS FROM DANIEL'S FAITH A. HOW TO SUCCEED IN KEEPING OUR COMMITMENT TO THE LORD... 1. Be polite a. There is never any reason to be rude or arrogant b. Impoliteness just aggravates a situation rather than helps it - cf. Pr 15:1 2. Seek God's help a. Without God, any effort is more likely to fall - cf. Psa 127:1-2 b. God seeks to help those who are loyal to Him - cf. 2 Chr 16:9 3. Be persistent a. Don't give up trying after meeting the first obstacle b. Remember what Jesus taught about persistence: 1) Those who keep on "asking, seeking, knocking" will receive, find, have doors opened to them - Mt 7:7-11 2) The parable of the persistent widow - Lk 18:1-8 4. Be willing to test your faith a. If not willing, how committed are you to trusting God? b. Yet God often invited people to test His promises - cf. Mal 3:10 c. And so does Jesus - cf. Jn 7:16-17; Mt 6:31-34 B. SOME APPLICATIONS... 1. School-age children a. Out from underneath their mother's apron for the first time b. They will be faced with making decisions -- Will they have the faith of Daniel? 2. College-bound students

a. Moving away from home for the first time b. Leaving a spiritual environment at home, for one that is likely very worldly -- Will they live and act with the same sort of commitment found in Daniel? 3. Adults in the workplace a. Tempted to accept jobs which may require one to compromise convictions b. Called upon to lie for the boss, show loyalty to the company though illegal or unethical -- Will they have "the faith of a fifteen year old"? 4. Those with unbelieving spouses a. Having to serve God and raise their children in the ways of the Lord on their own b. With little or no moral and religious support from their life mate -- Will they have the "purpose of heart" that Daniel had? CONCLUSION 1. Many other applications could be made, but what have we learned from "The Faith Of A Fifteen Year Old" like Daniel? a. Even those who are young need to make a personal commitment to serve the Lord b. One can be steadfast in their purpose to serve the Lord without arrogance c. We should look to the Lord for help, and be willing to trust in His providence d. God will bless and provide for those who put their trust in Him and His will 2. Daniel is not the only person to demonstrate such faith in his youth... a. We made mention of Joseph earlier b. We have other examples in the O.T., such as David and Josiah c. And of course, let's not forget the example of Mary (the mother of Jesus), and that of Timothy May the example of their dedication to the service of the Lord inspire us all to "purpose in our heart" not to defile ourselves by the things of the world! -----------------------------------------Daniel 4:28-32 28. All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 28. Hoc totum impletum fuit, vel, incidit, super Nebuchadnezer regem 29. At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylo n. 29. In fine mensiron duodeeim, 1 in palatio regni, quod est in Babylone, deambul abat. 30. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for t he house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majes ty?

30. Loquutus est rex et dixit, An non haec est Babylon magna, quam ego aedificav i in domum regni, 2 in robore fortitudinis meae, et in pretium, vel, excellentia m, decoris mei? 31. While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, sayi ng, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from th ee: 31. Adhuc sermo erat in ore regis, 3 vox e coelis cecidit, Tibi dicunt, rex Nebu chadnezer, regnum tuum migravit, vel, discessit, abs to. 32. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beast s of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men , and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 32. Et ex hominibus to ejicient, et cum bestia agri habitatio tua: herbam sicuti bores gustare to facient: 4 aet septem tempora transibunt super to, donec cogno scas quod dominator sit excelsus in regno hominum, et cui voluerit det illud.

After Nebuchadnezzar has related Daniel to be a herald of God's approaching judg ment, he now shews how God executed the judgment which the Prophet had announced . But he speaks in the third person, according to what we know to be a common pr actice with both the Hebrews and Chaldees. Thus Daniel does not relate the exact words of the king, but only their substance. Hence he first introduces the king as the speaker, and then he speaks himself in his own person. There is no reaso n why this variety should occasion us any trouble, since it does not obscure the sense. In the first, verse, Nebuchadnezzar shews the dream which Daniel had exp lained not to have been in vain. Thus the miracle shews itself to be from heaven , by its effects; because dreams vanish away, as we know well enough. But since God fulfilled, at his own time, what he had shewn to the king of Babylon by his dream, it is clear there was nothing alarming in the dream, but a sure revelatio n of the future punishment which fell upon the king. Its moderation is also expr essed. Daniel says, when a year had passed away, and the king was walking in his own palace, and boasting in his greatness, at that moment a voice came down fro m heaven, and repeated what he had already heard in the dream. He afterwards rel ates how he had been expelled from human society, and dwelt for a long time amon g the brutes, so as to differ from them in nothing. As to the use of words, sinc e Klhm, mehelek, occurs here, some think that he walked upon the roof of his pal ace, whence he could behold all parts of the city. The inhabitants of the east a re well known to use the roofs of their houses in this way; but I do not interpr et the phrase with such subtlety, since the Prophet seems to wish nothing else t han to shew how the king enjoyed his own ease, luxury, and magnificence. There i s nothing obscure in the rest of the language. I now approach the matter before us. Some think Nebuchadnezzar to have been touc hed with penitence when instructed by God's anger, and thus the time of his puni shment was put off. This does not seem to me probable, and I rather incline to a different opinion, as God withdrew his hand till the end of the year, and thus the king's pride was the less excusable. The Prophet's voice ought to have frigh tened him, just as if God had thundered and lightened from heaven. He now appear s to have been always like himself. I indeed do not deny that he might be fright ened by the first message, but I leave it doubtful. Whichever way it is, I do no t think God spared him for a time, because he gave some signs of repentance. I c onfess he sometimes indulges the reprobate, if he sees them humbled. An example

of this, sufficiently remarkable, is displayed in King Ahab. (1 Kings 21:29.) He did not cordially repent, but God wished to shew how much he was pleased with h is penitence, by pardoning a king impious and obstinate in his wickedness. The s ame might be said of Nebuchadnezzar, if Scripture had said so; but as far as we can gather from these words of the Prophet, Nebuchadnezzar became prouder and pr ouder, until his sloth arrived at its height. The king continued to grow proud a fter God had threatened him so, and this was quite intolerable. Hence his remark able stupidity, since he would have been equally careless had he lived an hundre d years after he heard that threat! Finally, I think although Nebuchadnezzar per ceived some dreadful and horrible punishment to be at hand, yet, while frightene d for the time, he did not lay aside his pride and haughtiness of mind. Meanwhil e, he might think this prediction to be in vain; and what he had heard probably escaped from his mind for a long time, because he thought he had escaped; just a s the impious usually abuse God's forbearance, and thus heap up for themselves a treasure of severer vengeance, as Paul says. (Romans 2:5.) Hence he derided thi s prophecy, and hardened himself more and more. Whatever sense we attach to it, nothing else eau be collected from the Prophet's context, than the neglect of th e Prophet's warning, and the oracle rendered nugatory by which Nebuchadnezzar ha d been called to repentance. If he had possessed the smallest particle of soundn ess of mind, he ought to flee to the pity of God, and to consider the ways in wh ich he had provoked his anger, and also to devote himself entirely to the duties of charity. As he had exercised a severe tyranny towards all men, so he ought t o study benevolence; yet when the Prophet exhorted him, he did not act thus, but uttered vain boastings, which shew his mind to have been swollen with pride and contempt for God. As to the space of time here denoted, it shews how God suspen ded his judgments, if perchance those who are utterly deplorable should be recla imed; but the reprobate abuse God's humanity and indulgence, as they make this a n occasion of hardening their minds, while they suppose God to cease from his of fice of judge, through his putting it off for a time. At the end, then, of twelv e months, the king was walking in his palace; he spoke, and said. This doubling of the phrase shews us how the king uttered the feelings of premeditated pride. The Prophet might have said more simply, The king says, -- but he says, he spoke , and said. I know how customary it is with both the Hebrews and Chaldees to uni te these words together; but I think the repetition emphatic in this place, sinc e the king then uttered what he had long ago conceived and concealed in his mind ; Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal palace, and that too in the mightiness of my valor; as I have built it in the splendor of my excelle ncy? In these words we do not see any open blasphemy which could be very offensi ve to God, but we must consider the king by this language to claim to himself su preme power, as if he were God! We may gather this from the verse, "Is not this great Babylon? says he. He boasts in the magnitude of his city, as if he wished to raise it giant-like to heaven; which I, says he -- using the pronoun with gre at emphasis -- which I have built, and that too in the greatness of my valor. We see that by claiming all things as his own, he robs God of all honor. Before I proceed further, we must see why he asserts Babylon to have been founde d by himself. All historians agree in the account of the city being built by Sem iramis. A long time after this event, Nebuchadnezzar proclaims his own praises i n building the city. The solution is easy enough. We know how earthly kings desi re, by all means in their power, to bury the glory of others, with the view of e xalting themselves and acquiring a perpetual reputation. Especially when they ch ange anything in their edifices, whether palaces or cities, they wish to seem th e first founders, and so to extinguish the memory of those by whom the foundatio ns were really laid. We must believe, then, Babylon to have been adorned by King Nebuchadnezzar, and so he transfers to himself the entire glory, while the grea ter part ought to be attributed to Semiramis or Ninus. Hence this is the way in which tyrants speak, as all usurpers and tyrants do, when they draw towards them selves the praises which belong to others. I, therefore, says he, have built it, by the strength of my hand. Now it is easy to see what had displeased God in th is boasting of the king of Babylon, namely, his sacrilegious audacity in asserti

ng the city to have been built by his own mightiness. But God shews this praise to be peculiar to himself and deservedly due to him. Unless God builds the city, the watchman watches but in vain. (Psalm 127:1.) Although men labor earnestly i n founding cities, yet they never profit unless God himself preside over the wor k. As Nebuchadnezzar here extols himself and opposes the strength of his fortitu de to God and his grace, this boasting was by no means to be endured. Hence it h appened that God was so very angry with him. And thus we perceive how this examp le proves to us what Scripture always inculcates, -- God's resistance of the pro ud, his humbling their superciliousness, and his detestation of their arrogance. (Psalm 18:27.) Thus God everywhere announces himself as the enemy of the proud, and he confirms it by the present example, as if he set before us in a mirror t he reflection of his own judgment. (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5.) This is one point. The reason also must be noticed why God declares war on all the proud, because w e cannot set ourselves up even a little, without declaring war on God; for power and energy spring from him. Our life is in his hands; we are nothing and can do nothing except through him. Whatever, then, any one assumes to himself he detra cts from God. No wonder then if God testifies his dislike of the haughty superci liousness of men, since they purposely weary him when they usurp anything as the ir own. Cities, indeed, are truly built by the industry of men, and kings are wo rthy of praise who either build cities or adorn them, so long as they allow God' s praise to be inviolate. But when men exalt themselves and wish to render their own fortitude conspicuous, they bury as far as they can the blessing of God. He nce it is necessary for their impious rashness to be judged by God, as we have a lready said. The king also confesses his vanity when he says, I have built it fo r a royal palace, and for the excellency of my splendor. By these words he does not dissemble how completely he looked at his own glory in all those buildings b y which he hoped to hand down his name to posterity. Hence, on the whole, he wis hes to be celebrated in the world, both during his life and after his death, so that God may be nothing in comparison with himself, as I have already shewn how all the proud strive to substitute themselves in the place of God. It now follows, -- While the speech was in the mouth of the king, a voice descen ded from heaven -- They say unto thee, O King Nebuchadnezzar, thy kingdom has de parted from thee! God does not now admonish the king of Babylon by either the mo uth of a Prophet or a dream by night; but he sends forth his own voice from heav en; and as if he had not tamed down the pride by which the king was puffed up, a voice is now heard from heaven which inspires greater terror than either the Pr op]let's oracle or interpretation. Thus God is in the habit of dealing with the hardened and impenitent, since he causes his own prophets to denounce the penalt y which hangs over them. Besides, when he sees them untouched or unaffected, he doubles the terror, until the final execution follows, as in. the case of this t yrant. The word was in the king's mouth when, the voice was heard. We see how Go d restrains in a moment the madness of those who raise themselves extravagantly. But it is not surprising that the voice was so suddenly heard, because time for repentance was allowed to King Nebuchadnezzar. In the form of speech, they say to thee, it is not necessary to inquire anxiously to whom these words apply. Som e restrict them to angels; but I do not agree to this; it seems rather to be use d in the customary way, they say -- meaning "it is said," as if sanctioned by co mmon consent. Hence they say to thee, O King Nebuchadnezzar; God does not simply call him by his name, but uses the word king -- not for the sake of honor, but of ridicule, and to strike away from the king all the allurements by which he de ceived himself. Thou indeed art intoxicated by thy present splendor, for while a ll adore thee, thou art forgetful of thy frailty; but this royal majesty and pow er will not hinder God from laying thee prostrate; for since thou: wilt not humb le thyself, thy kingdom shall be taken from thee! This indeed appeared incredibl e, since Nebuchadnezzar had the tranquil possession of the kingdom in his hand; no one dared to shew himself his enemy; he had subdued all his neighbors; his mo narchy was terrible to all nations; hence God pronounces, The kingdom has gassed away from thee! And this shews the certainty of the oracle; and thus Nebuchadne zzar may know the time to be fulfilled, and the punishment to be no longer delay

ed, because he had trifled with God's indulgence. It follows, -- They shall expel thee from among men, and thy habitation shall be with the beasts of the field -- or of the country, -- they shall make thee eat grass like oxen! Some think Nebuchadnezzar to have been changed into a beast; bu t this is too harsh and absurd. We need not fancy any change of nature; but he w as cut off from all intercourse with men, and with the exception of a human form , he did not differ from the brutes, -- nay, such was his deformity in his exile that, as we shall afterwards see, he became a horrid spectacle; -- all the hair s of his body stood up and grew like eagles' feathers; his claws were like those of birds. In these points he was like the beasts, in others like the rest of ma nkind. It is uncertain whether God struck this king with madness, causing him to escape and he hid for a length of time, or whether he was cast forth by a tumul t and conspiracy of nobles, or even the consent of the whole people. All this is doubtful, since the history of those times is unknown to us. Whether, then, Neb uchadnezzar was snatched away by madness, and while he continued a maniac was se parated from the society of men, or was cast forth as many tyrants have been, hi s dwelling with beasts for a time, becomes a memorable example to us. He was pro bably rendered stupid, by God's leaving him a human form while be deprived him o f reason, as the context will make evident to us. They shall cast thee out from human society; thy dwelling shall be with wild beasts; they shall make thee eat grass like an ox! that is, when deprived of all delight, nay, of the commonest a nd plainest food, thou wilt find no other sustenance than that of oxen. Thou sha lt eat the grass like an animal, and seven times shall pass over thee. Of the "s even times" we have spoken before. Some restrict this to days, but this is contr ary not only to every reason, but to every pretext. Nor do I explain it of month s; the space of time would have been much too short. Hence the opinion of those who extend it to seven years is more probable. If Nebuchadnezzar had been cast o ut by a tumult, he would not have been so quickly recalled: then, since God wish ed to make an example of him for all generations, I suppose him to have been dri ven out from common society for a length of time. For if the penalty had been fo r seven months only, we see how coolly God's judgments would be received in the world. Hence, with the view of engraving this penalty more deeply in the hearts of all, he wished to protract it longer -- I will not say to seven years, since I have previously expounded the certain number as put for an uncertain one, impl ying a long space of time. Seven years, then, shall pass away, says he, until thou shalt know that there is a lofty ruler in the kingdoms of men. This is the end of the punishment, as we have previously said, for I need not repeat my former remarks. But we must remem ber this -- God mitigates the bitterness of the penalty by making it temporary. Then he proposed this end to induce Nebuchadnezzar to repent, as he required man y blows for this purpose, according to the old proverb about the fool who can ne ver be recalled to a sound mind without suffering calamity. Thus King Nebuchadne zzar ought to be beaten with stripes, to render him submissive to God, as he nev er profited by any holy admonition or any heavenly oracle. God does not treat; a ll in this way. Hence we have here a special example of his clemency, which prov ides for the punishment inflicted on King Nebuchadnezzar, being both useful and profitable. For the reprobate are more and more hardened against God, and are ev er stirred up and excited to madness. It was an act, then, of special grace, whe n Nebuchadnezzar was chastised for the time by the hand of God, to cause his rep entance and his owning God's entire sway over the whole world. He says, that God may be Lord in the kingdom of men; because nothing is more dif ficult than to persuade tyrants to submit to the power of God. On the one side t hey confess themselves to reign by his grace; but at the same time, they suppose their own sway to be obtained by either valor or good fortune, and to be retain ed by their own guards, counsels, and wealth. Hence, as far as they can, they sh ut God out from the government of the world, while they are puffed up with a fal se conceit of themselves, as if all things were maintained in their present stat

e by their valor or advice. This, then, was an ordinary effect when Nebuchadnezz ar began to feel God to be the ruler in the kingdom of men, since kings wish to place him somewhere between themselves and the multitude. They confess the peopl e to be subject to God's power, but think themselves exempt from the common orde r of events, and in possession of a privilege in favor of their lusts, relieving them from the hand and empire of God. Hence, as I have said, it was no common t hing for Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge God to reign in the earth; for tyrants us ually enclose God in heaven, and think him content with his own happiness, and c areless about mingling in the concerns of men. Hence thou mayest know him to be the ruler. He afterwards adds the kind of dominion, because God raises up whomso ever he pleases, and casts down others: God is not only supreme in the sense of sustaining' all things by his universal providence, but because no one without h is will obtains empire at all. He binds some with a belt, and looseth the bonds of others, as it is said in the book of Job. (Job 12:18.) We ought not, therefor e, to imagine God's power to be at rest, but we should join it with present acti on, as the phrase is. Whether tyrants obtain power, or sovereigns are pious and just, all are governed by God's secret counsel, since otherwise there could be n o king of the world. It follows: 1 That is, after twelve months. -- Calvin. 2 That is, that it may be a royal seat. -- Calvin. 3 That is, when the speech was in the king's mouth. -- Calvin. 4 Or, the grass shall feed thee as it does oxen. -- Calvin. ----------------------------"THE BOOK OF DANIEL" The Vision Of The Seventy Weeks (9:20-27) INTRODUCTION 1. We come now to one of the most difficult passages of the Old Testament... a. Commonly called "The Vision Of The Seventy Weeks" - Dan 9:20-27 b. Edward J. Young describes it as "one of the most difficult in all the OT, and the interpretations which have been offered are almost legion." c. Stuart says that "it would require a volume of considerable magnitude even to give a history of the ever-varying and contradictory opinions that have been offered" 2. With such a difficult passage before us, we should ... a. Approach it with humility, and not dogmatically b. Not draw conclusions that would contradict clear teachings of Scripture [We begin our study with verse 20, in which Daniel first describes...] I. THE ARRIVAL OF GABRIEL A. AT THE TIME OF EVENING OFFERING... 1. Even as Daniel was confessing his sin and the sin of his people, and making supplication for the holy mountain of God (i.e., Jerusalem) - Dan 9:20-21 2. This was the same person seen in the vision at the beginning - cf. Dan 8:16 B. TO GIVE DANIEL SKILL TO UNDERSTAND...

1. Commanded to do so even at the beginning of Daniel's prayer - Dan 9:22-23 2. For Daniel was "greatly beloved" - cf. Dan 10:11,19 [And so Gabriel, who provided explanation to Daniel regarding the vision of the ram and the goat (Dan 8:16), now proceeds to give details concerning...] II. THE VISION OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS A. A GENERAL STATEMENT OF WHAT IS TO OCCUR... 1. 70 "weeks" are determined for Daniel's people (Israel) and his holy city (Jerusalem) - Dan 9:24 a. The word "weeks" in Hebrew is actually "sevens" (i.e., 70 "sevens") b. Most agree it likely refers to "weeks", but weeks of what? 1) Weeks of days? a) Then it would be 490 days b) Few believe this to be the case, and so most all figuratize this passage to some extent 2) Weeks of years (i.e., each day representing a year)? a) Then it would be 490 years b) But the Jews used a lunar calendar (360 days/yr), so it would be 483 years according to our calendar) c) Many suggest this to be the answer, but it is not without difficulty 3) Of some complete, yet non-specific period of time? a) Then it may just refer to seventy complete periods of time b) And each week may not be equivalent in time (i.e., one "week" may be longer than other "weeks") 2. This period of time will be for the fulfillment of six things, each apparently related to the work of the coming Messiah a. To finish the transgression 1) The marginal reading has "restrain" for "finish" 2) The idea is that Messiah would provide a restraining power and influence which would check the progress of sin (Barnes) - cf. Ac 3:25-26 b. To make an end of sins 1) The marginal reading has "to seal up" for "make an end" 2) The idea is that sins will be sealed up, or closed, or hidden, so that they will not be seen, or will not develop themselves (Barnes) - cf. Ac 3:19 c. To make reconciliation for iniquity 1) Literally, to cover iniquity 2) How this would be done is not stated here, but cf. Isa 53:5-6,10-12 -- Note: The first three things relate to our Lord's work of dealing with the problem of sin, how sin would "restrained", "sealed up", and "covered over" d. To bring in everlasting righteousness 1) Literally, to cause to come 2) To provide a way by which a man could become righteous and holy - cf. Ro 3:21-26; 2Co 5:21 e. To seal up the vision and the prophecy 1) To complete, to finish, meaning the prophecies would be fulfilled (Barnes) 2) Young suggests that it is referring to OT prophecies, especially those related to the work of the Messiah making an end of sin - cf. Lk 24:44-47

f. To anoint the Most Holy 1) Barnes opines that the Most Holy refers to the temple in Jerusalem 2) And that the anointing of the temple refers to the presence of the Messiah in the temple - cf. Mal 3:1-2; Mt 12:6 3) Especially regarding the presence of the Lord in the temple during His final week - cf. Mt 21:1-16 4) Some believe it may refer to the baptism of Jesus when the Spirit came upon Him in the form of a dove - Mt 3: 16-17 B. A SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS WOULD OCCUR... 1. There shall be 7 weeks and 62 weeks - Dan 9:25 a. Beginning with the command to restore and build Jerusalem, until Messiah the prince (the street and the wall shall be built, even in troublesome times) b. At least three possible decrees may serve as the "terminus pro quo" (starting point) of the 70 "weeks" 1) The decree of Cyrus (539-538 BC) - cf. Ezr 1:1-4 a) To rebuild the temple (and the city, cf. Isa 44: 26-28; 45:13) b) If one starts here, then the 70 weeks could not be 490 literal years, for that would place the end of the 70 weeks around 55 B.C. (much too early) c) The appeal of using this decree as the starting point 1] It is the most well-known decree regarding the restoration of Israel 2] It was given about the time Daniel received his vision of the 70 weeks -- This decree is preferred by many who do not hold to a literal 490 years (Young, Harkrider, McGuiggan) 2) The decree of Artaxerxes (457 BC) - cf. Ezr 7:13-14 a) For Ezra to restore the Law and its worship b) Starting here, 490 Julian years would end the 70 weeks around 33 A.D. c) But 490 lunar years end the 70 weeks around 26 A.D. (seven years too early) -- This decree is preferred by some amillenialists who hold to a literal 490 years, but not lunar years (Haley's Bible Handbook) 3) The second decree of Artaxerxes (445-444 BC) - cf. Neh 2:1-8 a) For Nehemiah to build the city b) Starting here, 490 lunar years end the 70 weeks around 38 A.D. c) This would place the start of the 70th week near the beginning of Jesus' public ministry (ca. 30 A.D.) d) There are problems with the first 7 weeks ending around 396 B.C., which some contend is too late for the restoration of the city -- Premillenialists prefer to start with this decree, but so do some amillenialists such as Albert Barnes c. Each starting date has its problems, but I lean towards Barnes' choice of the second decree of Artaxerxes in 445 B.C. as the terminus a quo for this prophecy 1) The 7 and 62 "weeks" is the period of time from the decree until "Messiah the Prince" 2) Barnes has this period ending with the baptism of Jesus and the beginning of His public ministry

2. After the 62 weeks, certain events will occur - Dan 9:26-27 a. Messiah will be cut off, but not for Himself 1) This refers to the death of Christ 2) Whose death occurs midway during the 70th week (see below) b. People of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary 1) The end of it shall be with a flood; until the end of the war, desolations are determined a) The people are generally accepted to be the Romans, who destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70 b) The "prince" is thought to be either Titus, the Roman general, or perhaps referring to Jesus Himself (with the Roman army as the instrument of God's judgment upon Jerusalem) 2) Many contend that the destruction must fall within the 70th week a) However, Young and Barnes argue that such is not necessarily required by the text b) The desolation to befall Jerusalem may be the consequence of events during the 70th week, and not fall within the period of the 70th week c. For 1 week, he shall confirm a covenant with many 1) "He" refers to Jesus (Barnes) 2) "Confirm a covenant" describes the work done by Jesus and His apostles in Israel, before and immediately after His death (Barnes) a) His earthly ministry lasted about 3 and half years b) The gospel was preached only to Jews for 3-4 years after Pentecost d. In the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering 1) This refers to Jesus who was cut off, but not for Himself (Barnes) 2) Through His death, He brought the need for sacrifices to an end - He 10:12-18 e. The abomination and desolation to come - Dan 9:27 1) Alluding to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 2) Jesus referred to this in Mt 24:15 3) Again, this desolation may be the consequence of what occurred in the 70th week, even though it occurred after the 70th week 4) But if required to occur during the 70th week, then the 70th week must extend beyond A.D. 70 (Harkrider, McGuiggan) CONCLUSION 1. Such a brief look at this difficult passage will naturally raise many questions, which are beyond the scope of our study 2. For more detailed study, one might consider the following commentaries which provide several alternative views... a. Commentary on Daniel, Albert Barnes b. The Prophecy of Daniel, Edward J. Young c. Commentary on Revelation, Robert F. Harkrider d. The Book Of Daniel, Jim McGuiggan e. Exposition Of Daniel, H. C. Leupold -- Each of these examine the passage from the amillenial perspective, which finds no place for the "gap theory" favored by

dispensational premillenialists While the passage is admittedly difficult, let's not lose sight of the wonderful promises concerning the Messiah's work related to sin and righteousness. For Jesus through His death has truly brought an end to the consequences of sin and introduced everlasting righteousness! --------------------------------The Hope of Heaven (Daniel 12:1-13) Study By: Bob Deffinbaugh Add to Library Share5 Printer-friendly versionSend to friend Introduction A retired pastor, relating humorous incidents during his years of ministry, tell s the story of a problem-plagued funeral service he conducted. Just as he was be ginning the service, a woman called out for help. Someone in the congregation ha d collapsed from a heart attack and was lying on the floor. Managing to keep the victim alive until the medics came, the man was rushed to the hospital. After a significant delay, the pastor resumed the funeral service, or so he thou ght. The graveside service was miserably cold and wet, with rain continuing to f all. Everyone tried to crowd under the tent where a small heater attempted to of fset the bitter cold. As the pastor began to read the encouraging words of Roman s 8, For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, he was interrup ted by flames bursting from the heater, causing everyone to flee the tent. To re medy the problem, the funeral director leaped over the casket toward the heater to disconnect it, sending floral arrangements flying in all directions. Once more, the group gathered under the shelter, and the pastor again began to r ead from Romans 8, For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels From the corner of his eye, he could see the funeral director studying the tent roof where rain water had collected producing a sizeable overhead pool. Now the tent visibly began to bulge. Hoping to drain the water by pushing upward on the tent with his umbrella, the director slipped. His umbrella pierced the canvas, rippi ng a gaping hole in the roof of the tent as a river of ice cold water cascaded o ver the pall-bearers. Involuntarily, they yelped from the shock of the cold wate r, and once again rushed from the shelter. The pastor questioned the wisdom of continuing, but he decided to once again rea d the precious words from the text of Romans 8: For I am convinced that neither d eath, nor life, nor angels, Gratefully, he completed the service. I have conducted many funerals, but never have I had an experience approaching t his one. Nevertheless, every funeral service which I conduct presents me with a great challenge. Funerals must deal with the ugly reality of death and the remin der that each of us must come to terms with it. Those without hope of eternal life try to avoid the reality of death. They are, in fact, enslaved by the fear of death (see Hebrews 2:15). Great amounts of mone y and effort are spent to conceal the ugly face of death. The gospel of Jesus Ch rist faces death head-on, with the proclamation that while death is the conseque nce of sin, Christ is the cure for sin and death. Death prompts each of us to get to the bottom line of what life is all about and w hat comes after death. The final chapter of the Book of Daniel is occasioned in large measure by Daniel s coming death. The last words of this chapter, and of the entire book, speak of death and of the believer s hope beyond the grave. Death poses more than a personal problem for Daniel. Death is the great dilemma of biblical prophecy. The prophets struggled with their own writings which spoke of the suffering and death of Messiah (see 1 Peter 1:10-12). How can the promis

ed blessing of biblical prophecy bring hope to the believer who will die before they are fulfilled? There is only one way resurrection. The promises of God which are not fulfilled in this life are fulfilled in the next. Resurrection is the me ans by which men pass from time to eternity. Daniel 12 is the crowning chapter of this prophecy, as well as its conclusion. I t takes the believer to the high-water mark of Christian hope the assurance of the resurrection of the dead. Let us listen and learn, and gain hope and comfort. The Setting In the Book of Daniel, chapters 10, 11, and 12 are a part of one revelation. Cha pter 10 serves as the introduction; chapter 11 provides a number of the details of God s prophetic program, and chapter 12 serves as the conclusion. Before we tur n our attention to the conclusion of this section and the entire book, let us re fresh our memory concerning the setting for this final prophetic revelation give n to Daniel shortly before his death. Verse 1 provides the timing of the vision and the revelation Daniel received the t hird year of Cyrus. Verse 4 tells us where Daniel was when the vision appeared t o him by the bank of the great Tigris River. Verses 2 and 3 inform us of Daniel s me ntal and spiritual state at the time of his vision: 2 In those days I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3 I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any oint ment at all, until the entire three weeks were completed (Daniel 10:2-3). Daniel was in mourning, although we are not told why he mourned, apparently for some period of time. We know the vision he received was in response to his reque st to understand that which the angel was sent to explain: 10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understandi ng this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I h ave come in response to your words (Daniel 10:10-12). Up until this time, the revelations Daniel had received of the times of the end were a mystery to him, even though they were divinely revealed and explained: 15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my m ind kept alarming me. 16 I approached one of those who were standing by and bega n asking him the exact meaning of all this. So he told me and made known to me t he interpretation of these things. 28 At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were great ly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself (Daniel 7:1 5-16, 28). 27 Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carr ied on the king s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it (Daniel 8:27). Partly because of the troubling subject matter of his visions, compounded by his inability to understand what the visions meant, Daniel was greatly distressed a nd sought to understand their meaning. His distress and desire to understand mor e fully is spoken of at the beginning of chapter 10, providing the setting for t he entire revelation, including chapter 12. The final revelation of Daniel 10-12 gave Daniel more details and a greater, though far from complete, grasp of what

it all meant. Daniel, distressed, mourning, and praying for insight finds the a nswer to all of his petitions in this final revelation. The final words spoken to Daniel are words of comfort, words intended to turn th e sorrow of verses 2 and 3 of chapter 10 into joy. They are words which also bri ng joy to the heart of the believer of any age and terror into the hearts of the wicked. The Structure of The Text As many commentators agree, the chapter division at this point is less than sati sfactory, with no real break between the last verse of chapter 11 and the first verse of chapter 12. Daniel 11:40 12:4 is one paragraph. Daniel 12:1-4 describes t he final events of human history paving the way for the second coming of Christ, the defeat of His enemies, and the establishment of His kingdom. They sum up fo r Daniel the destiny of Israel as a nation, the saints, and the wicked. Verse 4 contains Daniel s instructions to conceal what has been revealed to him. Verses 5-7, a final vision of two angels and of the glorified Lord, raises and a nswers the question, How long will these wonders be? Verses 8-13, the final paragr aph, explore the outcome of the events. The text can be outlined: (1) Israel and the Last Days 11:40 12:13 (2) Israel and the little horn 11:40-45

(3) Israel s distress and deliverance 12:1-4 (4) The length of Israel s distress 12:5-7 (5) The outcome Israel s distress 12:8-13 Israel s Distress and Deliverance (12:1-4) 1 Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of yo ur people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurr ed since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, every one who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 And many of those who s leep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the ot hers to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who have insight will shi ne brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But as for you, Danie l, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase. The events of history from Daniel s day down to the day of the Lord are described in chapter 11 in terms of the on-going struggle of two world powers: the king of th e North and the king of the South. The final king of the North is introduced in Danie l 11:21 and is the central figure in the remainder of chapter 11. He comes into frequent contact with the nation Israel because of its location in relationship to the king of the South. At least three times in our text, the king of the North wa ges war with the king of the South. 113 The first and last attacks are successful, while the second ends in retreat. On each of these occasions, the king passes t hrough Israel and gains a growing hatred and animosity toward the God of Israel, His people, and the holy place. At the end of chapter 11, the king of the North i s encamped between the sea and the beautiful Holy Mountain ready to attack and to destroy. Verses 1-4 of chapter 12 are generally considered part of the paragraph beginnin g at Daniel 11:40. In defense of the chapter division as we have it in our Bible s, a significant change is evident in Daniel 12:1, one which explains (if it doe

s not also justify) the ending of chapter 11 at verse 45. Never again is the king of the North (or the king of the South ) mentioned in the remaining verses of Danie l. If chapter 11 describes the approach of the last days from a human standpoint , chapter 12 describes the end in terms which are divine. The first verse of chapter 12 reveals two facts pertaining to the end times we w ould not have expected apart from divine revelation. First, the angel Michael114 is the instrument through whom the period of the Great Tribulation is initiated . There is a definite link between the king of the North and the Great Tribulation to be sure. But the text leaves this evil king behind in chapter 11, linking th e beginning of the tribulation to Michael, who will arise and bring about a time of great distress, a time particularly directed toward the Jews. It is easy to see that the first half of verse 1 pertains to Michael and the las t half to the period of the Great Tribulation, but it is difficult to accept the connection between the two. When Michael arises, the time of Israel s trouble beg ins. At first this does not seem possible. Michael is Israel s prince (10:21), the gr eat prince who stands guard over the sons of Daniel s people, Israel (12:1). How co uld the protector of Israel precipitate this time of such great suffering? The answer is found in the second surprising fact revealed in verse 1: The deliv erance of God s people is that which occurs in the time of her greatest trouble the Great Tribulation.115 If we are surprised to see Michael associated with the suf fering of Israel, we should also be surprised to see Israel s deliverance associat ed with the time of her greatest suffering. Those whose names are found written in the book of life116 will be rescued. God has chosen to bring about the salvation of his chosen ones by means of suffe ring. God does save men and women from suffering, but He also saves through suff ering. Consider for a moment the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. Go d was well aware of their suffering and heard the cries of His people. He sent M oses to deliver His people from their suffering. But the deliverance of the Isra elites came through suffering. When Moses appeared before Pharaoh and demanded t hat he let God s people go, Pharaoh only made things more difficult for the Jews. The Jews protested that Moses had only made matters worse. In a sense, they were right. Things were going to get worse before they got better. It looked as thou gh the entire nation would be wiped out by the Egyptian army as they found thems elves trapped between the Red Sea and the approaching Egyptian forces. But God o pened the sea, bringing about the salvation of His people and the destruction of their enemies. The salvation of sinners has been accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ. He deli vers us from sin, from suffering, and from death, but He did so by means of His own suffering and death. So too the nation Israel will be delivered from its sin s and suffering, but this will happen by means of the suffering of the nation in the time of the Great Tribulation. Then the people of God will be rescued. For this reason, Michael, the guardian prince of the nation Israel, is revealed as the one who will arise, bringing about the Great Tribulation. Israel s time of great suffering is God s appointed means for her deliverance; thus, the angel appo inted to protect her precipitates by his actions the time of her suffering. When Michael arises and the tribulation begins, it is like the doctor who breaks the water of a woman as she nears the time to give birth to her child. A time of pain will come upon her, but it is through this pain that the joy of new life will c ome to pass. The righteous do not receive their full reward in this life. When the wicked rul e, the righteous may suffer persecution and even death because of their faith in God and their obedience to Him:

33 And those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the man y; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for ma ny days. 34 Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. 35 And some of those who have insight will fall, i n order to refine, purge, and make them pure, until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time (Daniel 11:33-35). In order for justice to be meted out at the coming of the Messiah and of His kin gdom, the dead must be raised so that all men receive their just reward. This re surrection of the righteous and the wicked is very plainly prophesied in verse 2 of our text. The righteous will be raised and rewarded with everlasting life, w hile the wicked will be raised and given the recompense of everlasting contempt. In verse 3, the reward of the righteous in eternity is directly linked to their faithfulness to the task they were given in time. Those who let their light shine in the dark days of persecution and opposition, and thus led many to righteousne ss, will shine brightly forever in eternity. In verse 4, the angel turns from the fate of the saints of the latter days to th e fate of Daniel whose life and ministry is drawing to a close. Daniel need not worry about these future days of distress; he has seen difficult times in his li fe, and remained faithful. Daniel was instructed to conceal the words revealed t o him and to seal up the book until the end time. I understand the angel to mean t hat this final vision has completed the revelation of the Book of Daniel; now th at the book is complete, it is to be sealed. Why should the book be sealed? If the saints of the end times were faithful to p roclaim their faith and to lead many to righteousness, why should the revelation of the Book of Daniel be kept concealed until the later days? The reason is giv en in the last half of verse 4: many will go back and forth, and knowledge will i ncrease. The prophecy of Daniel is not the revelation of God s plan of salvation; it is the revelation of God s plan for the future. It reveals how God s salvation will be ful filled, not how it is made possible. Daniel focuses on the manifestation of God s salvation in history, not its means through the coming, death, burial, and resur rection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is recorded as told by our Lord. When the rich man died, he went to hell , while Lazarus went to Abraham s bosom. In his place of torment, the rich man beg ged that someone be sent to warn his five brothers of the wrath to come. Abraham s response to this request was: They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear th em (Luke 16:29). The brothers of the rich man did not need new revelation nor did they need to hear a word of warning in a unique and dramatic way. What this man s brothers needed was to obey the revelation they had already received from the O ld Testament Scriptures. The same was true for those in Daniel s day as well as for those in the last days. They needed no new revelation. They needed to believe God s promise of salvation which was revealed to them in the Old Testament Scriptures, just as every Old Te stament saint was saved by faith (see Hebrews 11). While the last days would be characterized by a rapid increase in knowledge, this will not turn men toward Go d. Instead, men in the last days will vacillate, manifesting no consistency. The y will go here and there seeking new knowledge (see Acts 17:16-21). The prophecy of the Book of Daniel proves to be of great value to those living in the last t imes, for it gives insight into the events taking place around them. The Length of Israel s Time of Trouble (12:5-7)

5 Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river, and the other on that bank of the river. 6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long will it be unt il the end of these wonders? 7 And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was abov e the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heave n, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and ha lf a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, a ll these events will be completed. Daniel did not ask the question. Instead, one of the angels standing on the shor e of the Tigris river asked for him. The answer was given by the One whom Daniel saw in the vision of 10:5-6 our Lord Himself. He raised both hands and swore by t he eternal Father117 who lives forever that the end of these wonders would come af ter a time, times, and half a time. This is generally understood to mean a perio d of three and one-half years. While Daniel would surely be concerned with the length of time his people would suffer in the Great Tribulation, the emphasis of this paragraph does not seem to fall on the length of Israel s suffering but on its purpose. The suffering will e nd when its purpose has been fulfilled: as soon as they finish shattering the pow er of the holy people, all these events will be completed (verse 7). Israel s deliverance does not come about because God will make them strong, but ra ther because God will use wicked men to shatter the power of His holy people. He re again we come to a biblical principle which defies human logic but consistent ly underlies the way God deals with men. The principle is this: God s power and our deliverance come not through our streng th but through our weakness. We see this principle at work all through the Bible. God provided the means for Abram s blessing through a son, whom Abram and his wife were powerless to produce (Genesis 12:1ff.). God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, not by their power b ut in their weakness, through His power. They were powerless to resist the Egypt ian army or to cross the Red Sea. God opened the Red Sea, making a path for Isra el s escape and the means for the destruction of the Egyptian army (Exodus 3-15). God provided man s salvation when we were too weak to save ourselves: 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodl y. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good ma n someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). Jesus said that He came not to minister to those who were healthy but to those w ho were sick (Luke 5:31-32). He pronounced blessings on those whom the world wou ld consider weak and unworthy and cursings on those who were strong (see Matthew 5:1-12; Luke 6:20-26). Paul reminded his Corinthian readers that God saved the weak, not the strong, for His own glory (1 Corinthians 1:18-31). He further spok e of the way God allowed Satan to afflict him, so that he would be weakened and depend upon God s strength rather than his own: 5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflic ted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, bu t also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us y our longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. 8 Fo r though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regr et it for I see that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while 9 I now rejoi ce, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the po

int of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, in order that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 For the sorrow t hat is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leadin g to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death (2 Corinthians 7:5-10 ). Like all sinners, unbelieving Israel s self-righteousness and self-sufficiency tur ns this people from God, trusting in themselves for righteousness, strength, and eternal life. In His grace, God brings the nation Israel into the most terrible time of their national existence to press them beyond the limits of their power , wisdom, and strength and to turn them to Himself for salvation. Before we can be saved, we must be broken. We must cease to trust in ourselves a nd cast ourselves upon God. We must recognize our deeds of righteousness as filt hy rags and receive the righteousness of God, which God provided in the person o f His son, Jesus Christ (see Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:19-26; Titus 3:5-7). Before w e can be used of God, we must cease to trust in our own strength and wisdom, and turn to Him in our weakness for the strength He provides (Romans 12:1-8; 2 Cori nthians 3:1-8; 4:7-15). The breaking of Israel s power takes place through a very painful process, as does the bringing about of new life in the pains of labor. The goodness and grace of God is seen in both. God graciously stops this self-righteous, self-sufficient people in their tracks, breaks all their power, and then turns them to Himself f or salvation. Such is the way God has always worked with men. Such is the way He has worked and does work in us. And so it will be with Israel in the day of her deliverance. Three-and-a-half years is the measure of Israel s s long to break this people, shatter their power, Messiah whom they have rejected. Three-and-a-half d s severity, but the measure of Israel s sin and The Outcome of Israel s Distress (12:8-13) stubborn and turn years is of God s unbelief. God takes thi them to faith in the not the measure of Go patience.

8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, My lord, what will be t he outcome of these events? 9 And he said, Go your way, Daniel, for these words ar e concealed and sealed up until the end time. 10 Many will be purged, purified a nd refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will unders tand, but those who have insight will understand. 11 And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, the re will be 1,290 days. 12 How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! 13 But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age. In chapter 10, we were told that Daniel understood the message and had an underst anding of the vision (verse 1). I do not think this meant he understood everythin g concerning the future, but he did have a general grasp of the prophetic progra m of God and of its meaning and message for him (unlike previous revelations he received). As a result of the vision and revelation of chapters 10-12, Daniel un derstood all he needed to know about the future. As I understand the words of Da niel 10:1, they refer to Daniel s understanding after the vision was given and the message was conveyed and explained. Daniel s understanding came not at the beginn ing but at the end of the process. From Daniel s question in verse 8, it is clear he did not yet understand where the prophetic program of God was going, and so he asked, My lord, what will be the o utcome of these events? The answer Daniel is given in verse 9 seems to be a gentl e refusal to supply the information he requested. It is as though he were told, T hat s really none of your concern, Daniel, for these things will take place in the

distant future, long after your death. What you have asked needs only to be rev ealed to those who live in those last days. What Daniel needs to know is that the time of Israel s suffering will have a two-f old effect. Those who are righteous will be purged and purified by their sufferi ng, prepared for the coming of the King and His kingdom (compare 1 Peter 1:6-7). Those who are wicked will not understand what God is doing, and they will persi st in their sin, awaiting the day of their judgment (compare 2 Thessalonians 2:8 -12; Revelation 22:11). While the wicked will blindly pursue the same course of sin, those who have insight will understand and see the hand of God divinely gui ding the course of human history in such a way as to fulfill His purposes and pr omises. Verse 11 reveals one more detail: the period between the time the regular sacrif ice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up will be 1,290 days. Those will be truly blessed118 who persevere throughout these 1,290 difficult d ays, from the time the regular sacrifice is stopped until the abomination of des olation, and then the 45 additional days (1,290 + 45 = 1,335) until the evil horn is destroyed and the kingdom of God comes). While the specifics of God s plan for the future will remain a mystery to Daniel a nd to us, God does not leave Daniel in doubt as to the implications of prophecy for this Old Testament saint. The final verse of the chapter and of the Book of Daniel spell out the hope of Daniel and every Old and New Testament saint: 13 But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age. The first words spoken to Daniel in verse 13 should set the standard for every C hristian. Daniel s death was surely not very far away in time. The day of his depa rture was near, yet he was encouraged to go his way; he was to keep on just as he had been. I wonder how many of us could be told the same thing. As the day of ou r death or the day of our Lord s return draws near, is there anything we would wis h to change? I know many changes are needed in my life. But from the first chapt er of Daniel through all those many years of his bondage and service in captivit y, Daniel remained faithful. He did not need to change as death drew near, for h e had lived all of his life in the light of eternity and of his glorious hope in the God of Israel. His death would be the entrance into his rest. His hope was that he would rise fro m the grave to receive the blessings which God had promised. The prophecies of G od s Word, in which Daniel found courage and comfort, were certain because he woul d rise from the dead to receive his allotted portion at the end of the age. Conclusion Daniel 12 brings us to the crowning revelation of the Book of Daniel, the doctri ne on which the Christian hope rests: the doctrine of the resurrection of the de ad. Early in the Book of Daniel the subject of the promised kingdom of God is in troduced. In Nebuchadnezzar s dream, recorded in chapter 2, the mysterious stone fa shioned without human hands strikes the statue, putting an end to temporal kingdo ms and commencing the eternal kingdom. The stone is none other than the promised M essiah, whose coming will terminate earthly kingdoms and inaugurate the kingdom of God. In Daniel s vision of chapter 7, the same four Gentile kingdoms seem to be in view as described in chapter 2. The four metals of chapter 2 are replaced by the fou r beasts of chapter 7. In chapter 7, a new element of prophecy is introduced in Daniel the little horn who boasts (verses 8 and 20), speaks against the Most High (v erse 25), and successfully opposes God and His saints (verses 21, 25). Now the s uccess of the little horn and the suffering of the saints is shown to precede the

coming of the kingdom of God, when the little horn is destroyed and the promised k ingdom is granted to the saints (verses 9-12, 22, 26-27). In Daniel s vision of chapter 8, the little horn of this vision extends his kingdom toward the Beautiful Land (verse 9), overcomes some of the host of heaven (verse 1 0), and exalts himself as though he were equal with the commander of the host (ver se 11). He also removes the regular sacrifice (verse 12) and tramples the holy p lace (verse 13). It will be 2,300 evenings and mornings until the holy place is properly restored. Once again, the coming of the kingdom of God will take place only after the rise and success of a wicked but powerful king who opposes God an d His saints and defiles the holy place. In Daniel 9:24-27, the nation Israel and her Messiah are in view when the time o f the first coming of Messiah is predicted, the timing being reckoned from the t ime the decree to return to Israel and to restore the temple is issued. After th e Messiah is cut off, a time of great tribulation is foretold along with a prophec y concerning the timing of the abomination of desolation. In chapter 11, another reference is made to the coming of the antichrist, the te rmination of the regular sacrifice, and the abomination of desolation (verses 29 -35). As a result of the reign of this evil king, many of the saints will be per secuted and some will die: And those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for many days (Daniel 11:33). Any hope for Israel and for the saints must be a hope which extends beyond the g rave. The hope of the Old Testament saint required the resurrection of the dead. The faith of the Old Testament saints included the assurance of resurrection: 25 And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. 26 Even after my skin is flayed, yet without my flesh I sha ll see God (Job 19:25-26). 19 Your dead will live; their corpses will rise, you will lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will g ive birth to the departed spirits (Isaiah 26:19) 14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death. O Death, where are your thorns? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion will be h idden from My sight (Hosea 13:14). 16 For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is t he father of us all, 17 (as it is written, A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE Y OU ) in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead an d calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believe d, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that whi ch had been spoken, SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE. 19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hun dred years old, and the deadness of Sarah s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the prom ise of God, he did not waiver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glor y to God, 21 and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore also IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23 Now n ot for his sake only was it written, that IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM, 24 but for our s ake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Je sus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered up because of our transgress ions, and was raised because of our justification (Romans 4:16-25).

13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were s trangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been th inking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly on e. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a ci ty for them; 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he w ho had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED. 19 He considered that Go d is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to co me. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dyin g, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones (Hebrews 11:13-22). While the Old Testament saint trusted in God to raise them from the dead, so tha t they could receive the promised blessings, they did not grasp as fully that th eir resurrection from the dead would be the result of the death and resurrection of Messiah. This was promised in the Old Testament and declared to be fulfilled in the New: 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a l amb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearer s, So He did not open His mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land o f the living, For the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? 9 H is grave was assigned to be with wicked men, Yet with a rich man in His death; A lthough He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. 10 But t he LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himse lf as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11 As a result of the a nguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righte ous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the bo oty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered wi th the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for th e transgressors (Isaiah 53:7-12). 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell se curely. 10 For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt Thou allow T hy Holy One to see the pit (Psalm 16:9-10). 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:5). 14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also pa rtook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives (Hebrews 2:14-15). The prophet Daniel was indeed a godly man. From the first time we are introduced to him as a young lad in chapter 1 to the time of his approaching death in chap ter 12, Daniel was a man who was faithful to his God. He faced death on several occasions, but he did not deny his faith or convictions. He prayed for his peopl e, and for their restoration, only to learn that the day of Israel s restoration w as a distant one, one that would come long after his death.

In God s final revelation to this great prophet, He spelled out the way in which t he triumph of evil men, and the suffering of the saints and the holy people, con tributed to the fulfillment of God s plans and promises. Beyond this, He assured D aniel that he, along with all mankind, would be raised from the dead to receive either eternal life or eternal contempt. The resurrection of the dead was a logi cal necessity, in order for divine prophecy to be fulfilled. The resurrection of the dead is the truth which God withheld in Daniel until the final chapter. The certain hope of the resurrection of the dead is the basis for godly living, even in times when godliness brings persecution. The saints are encouraged to li ve godly lives because they know that even if they are killed for their faith, G od will raise them from the dead to give them their allotted portion at the end of the age. They are also encouraged when they see wicked men persecuting the ri ghteous and seemingly getting away with it, for these men will be raised from th e dead as well to stand before the Sovereign God of the universe and to give acc ount. What better truth to end the prophecy of Daniel than that of the resurrection fr om the dead! For the saint, the doctrine of the resurrection is the basis for ou r hope. For the sinner, the doctrine of the resurrection is the basis for fear a nd for repentance. When you face the reality of death, my friend, will it be with hope or with fear ? The answer to this question has much to suggest concerning your relationship w ith Jesus Christ. May you trust in Him for eternal life, before and beyond the g rave. 25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me s hall live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall ne ver die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26). 8 But what does it say? THE WORLD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your m outh Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousn ess, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (Romans 10:8-10). 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will H e not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge agains t God s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Chris t Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Chris t? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or p eril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, FOR THY SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED. 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things presen t, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creat ed thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39). Chapter 12: Questions and Answers (1) How does the time period in which Michael arises (12:1) relate to the preced ing context? What is the relationship between Michael and the time of distress r eferred to in verse 1? According to Daniel 12:1, it is at that time that Michael arises. From chapter 11 we know that that time is the period of the end time (11:40) when the king of the N

orth engages the king of the South militarily, and when the king of the North is very successful. Rumors from the East and the North reach him, and he becomes very h ostile and aggressive, destroying and annihilating many (11:44). At this time, t he king of the North will encamp his troops between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain (11:45), and then Michael will arise. In the first half of verse 1, we are told that Michael arises. In the second hal f of this same verse, we are told that the time of Israel s great tribulation begi ns. It is almost unavoidable to conclude that Michael s rising is the reason for t he commencement of the Great Tribulation. Just as the angel s rising (so to speak) i n response to Daniel s prayer precipitated angelic conflict (10:12-13), so Michael s rising precipitates the heavenly and earthly conflict of the Tribulation. In a si milar way, our Lord s coming to earth also precipitated demonic opposition and con flict. (2) According to verse 1, who will be rescued, and from what will they be rescue d? Is there any clue in the text as to how will they be rescued? In verse 1, Daniel is specifically assured that his people (literally your people ) w ould be rescued. This statement is then given the additional clarification, every one who is found written in the book. There are some who take this to mean that t he tribula- tion affects only the Jews and that only believing Jews will be resc ued. While this is possible, other biblical texts may inform us that it is only the believer, Jew or Gentile, who is a true Israelite (see Romans 4:16; Galatian s 3:29). The rescue of verse 1 seems to be described largely in terms of the resurrection i n verses 2 and 3. It would seem that many will be put to death because of their faith in Messiah, and that the rescue of these can only be by means of resurrect ion. There is another aspect of divine rescue in that the Messiah will come and will defeat and destroy the king of the North and His opponents, but this does not seem to be the focus of this chapter. (3) Compare Daniel 12:2 with Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40. What was the hope of the O ld Testament saint? Does the hope of the Old Testament saint differ substantiall y from that of the New Testament believer? In Hebrews 11, the faith of the Old Testament saint is spoken of as a resurrecti on faith. Every Old Testament saint died without having received the promise, an d thus they came to understand by faith that the greatest blessings promised by God were not earthly, but heavenly, not temporal, but eternal, and that they wou ld receive these promised blessings after their death at the resurrection. The r esurrection faith of the Old Testament saint can be seen in Genesis 22:1-20 (esp ecially verse 5); Job 19:25-26; Psalm 16:9-10; Isaiah 26:19; Hosea 13:14. (4) What is the hope described in Daniel 12:3? This verse describes the believer s hope of heavenly rewards. Those who have insig ht, and by it are encouraged to let their lights shine in the midst of opposition and persecution, will shine even more brightly in heaven. Heavenly rewards are h ere, as elsewhere, linked to earthly faithfulness and service. (5) In verse 4, what was Daniel commanded to do, and why? Verse 4 is puzzling. In the first half of the verse, Daniel is told to seal up t he book of revelation he has received and to conceal the words he has been told. These words have been given for the benefit of those who live in the end time. The last half of the verse describes the end times as having a great increase in knowledge but lacking stability or direction. The increase of knowledge in the last days will not produce righteousness nor will it serve as a guiding light. T

he revelation Daniel has been given will do so for those who have insight. The B ook of Daniel will be a guiding light for those with insight in the last days. (6) What is the difference between the of verse 4? insight of verses 3 and 10 and the knowledge

The answer to this question comes more from inference than from direct statement s in this text. A number of other biblical texts speak to this matter. As I unde rstand it, insight comes only to believers, who have and heed the Word of God, and who also benefit from the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Knowledge is that informat ion available to all, which most often does not originate from Scripture or from the Spirit. Insight is that God-given understanding of what is happening, and how this is bein g used of God to achieve His overall plan and purpose. Knowledge is the assimila tion of facts and information, but without the ability to see beyond that which is material, physical, and temporal to that which is spiritual and eternal. A br illiant scientist may have great knowledge, while a manual laborer with little e ducation may have great God-given insight. Knowledge has given us the atomic bom b and a vast arsenal of lethal weapons, but it has not given us world peace. (7) What is the message of verses 5-7? Why the emphasis of these three verses? W hat was to happen during the time specified, and why? The question raised relates to the length of time God s people will suffer in the tribulation period. It is not raised by Daniel but by one of the angels. It is a nswered, as I understand it, by our glorified Lord who is described in Daniel 10 :5-6. The Lord swears by Him who lives forever. Our hope of resurrection rests wit h the God who lives forever. The emphasis is not so much on the length of this t ime of suffering but on its purpose. Its purpose is to shatter the power of the h oly people, so that they will cease to trust in themselves and will turn to God. (8) In verses 8-13, what is Daniel s question, why is it asked, and how is it answ ered? The question Daniel asked inquired as to the outcome of all these amazing and pe rplexing events (which he calls wonders ). The outcome of this suffering (as with a ll suffering and adversity) is two-fold. Some will be purged and purified, prepa red for the glory of God s coming kingdom. Some will be undaunted by it, continuin g on in their sin until the time of their judgment. This is consistent with the teaching of 2 Thessalonians 2:11-13 and Revelation 22:11. (9) What is the relationship between the doctrine of the resurrection and prophe cy? Prophecy is the declaration of God s purposes and promises. Some prophecies have a lready been fulfilled, giving us hope and confidence that the remainder of His p romises will also be fulfilled. Some prophecy may be fulfilled in our own lifeti me. But most of the prophecies which remain unfulfilled will likely be fulfilled after our death. The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is fundamental to the Christian s hop e and to the literal fulfillment of the prophecies of God. The resurrection of o ur Lord is the first-fruits of the full and final resurrection of all men, who wil l receive rewards or recompense from the Righteous Judge. Without the resurrecti on, there is no prophetic hope. It is little wonder that the Book of Daniel conc ludes with this comforting doctrine and that God assures Daniel of the truth of this doctrine shortly before his death. 113 The first attack of the king of the North against the king of the South is recor

ded in verses 25-28. It is a successful military campaign. The second attack is his return, recorded in verses 29-39. This campaign is successfully resisted, an d the king of the North must retreat in humiliation, taking out his vengeance on I srael as he draws back. His final conflict with the king of the South is recorded in verses 40-42 along with other victories. This last campaign leaves the king of the North encamped between the sea and the beautiful Holy Mountain (verse 45). 114 See also Jude 9; Revelation 12:7. 115 For the Old Testament teaching on the time of the Great Tribulation, see Deu teronomy 4:30; Jeremiah 30:4-8; Daniel 9:27; 11:40-45; Zechariah 13:7-9. See als o Matthew 24:15, 21-22. 116 For references to the book see Daniel 7:10; 10:21; Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 69:2 8; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:15; 21:27. 117 Whereas it was usual to lift one s hand (singular) in taking an oath (Gn. 14:22 ; Ex. 6:8; [Deut. 32:40]; Ezk. 20:5), here the heavenly messenger raised both hi s right hand and his left hand toward heaven, as the more complete guarantee of t he truth of what is about to be affirmed. Cambridge Bible: The Book of Daniel, by S. R. Driver, p. 204, as cited by Joyce Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Com mentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 207. 118 There are several specific, but different, time indicators in the Book of Da niel. In Daniel 7:25 we are told that they (apparently the Jewish saints) will be given into the hand of the antichrist for a time, times, and half a time. In Danie l 8:14 we learn that there will be 2,300 evenings and mornings from the time the r egular sacrifice is stopped until the time when the holy place is restored. In D aniel 12:7 we are again told that it will be a time, times, and half a time until the end of these wonders. In Daniel 12:11, we read that there will be 1,290 days f rom the time the regular sacrifice is stopped until the abomination of desolatio n, and in Daniel 12:12 it is 1335 days (45 additional days) until the time of bl essing for the saints who endure. I do not believe that we can expect to explain the differences between these time indicators until all of the events have take n place. -----------------Preface to Daniel Study By: Bob Deffinbaugh Add to Library Share Printer-friendly versionSend to friend What makes the Book of Daniel most profitable for some makes it most problematic for others. Daniel is one of the great Old Testament prophets, and these prophe cies have a great deal to say about things yet to come. For the Bible-believing Christian this puts Daniel on the must read list. For the unbelieving skeptic, it puts the message and meaning of this great book on the hit list. Much that is writ ten about Daniel, then, is written from a critical perspective. Daniel is profit able for the Christian because it describes life in Babylon during the dark days of the captivity of the Jews, in fulfillment of the prophecies God had given th is wayward people. Finally, Daniel is a most profitable book because it describe s the life of a very godly man, living in an ungodly world. Only about half of t he Book of Daniel is prophetic; the rest is history. In the historical chapters of Daniel we find familiar stories, of Daniel in the lion s den, and Daniel s three friends in the fiery furnace. These exciting stories provide models for all of u s as to how we should live in an ungodly world, until that time when the Lord fu lfills His prophetic promises and returns to the earth to establish His kingdom. I urge you to make the study of Daniel a must. It is my hope and prayer that thes e messages on the Book of Daniel will stimulate and facilitate your study of thi s portion of God s Word. The material in these sermons is available without charge for your personal stud

y and to assist you in living, teaching and preaching God s Word. --------------------Daring to Believe Daniel Study By: Bob Deffinbaugh Add to Library Share Printer-friendly versionSend to friend (The Critics Versus Christ) Introduction Years ago as college student, I attended the first session of an education class required for a degree in education. The professor began by asking us to write d own our expectations for the class and turn them in at the end of the period. Li ke the rest of the students, I wrote a flowery dissertation about my expectation s. Later, after some reflection, I went to the professor and told him how I really felt. I m in this class for one reason, I confessed to him. It is a requirement if I want to become a teacher. Quite frankly, I must admit I don t expect to gain much from this class at all. Needless to say, this was not what the professor wanted to hear, but it was the truth. Most of the other students shared that same opinion by the time the class was finished. At least I had the satisfaction of telling the truth. This leads me to ask you: What do you expect to gain from a study of the Book of Daniel? There are a number of critical scholars who expect to learn no more from th e Book of Daniel than I expected to learn from that education class. Due to the criticism leveled against the Book of Daniel, we will begin by surveying some of the criticisms of this book and some responses to these criticisms. An important goal of this lesson is to identify some values of the study of Dani el. Another is to provide an overview of the book as a whole and point out some of its unique characteristics and contributions. Finally, we will attempt to lay the groundwork for further study by considering the setting and historical back ground of Daniel in order to understand it in the light of the time it was writt en. Daniel comes highly recommended to us. The Scriptures consistently and emphatica lly testify to the authenticity and authority of the Book of Daniel. Ezekiel, a contemporary of Daniel, speaks of this man in the highest of terms. He is single d out by Ezekiel, along with Noah and Job: Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man, if a country sins agains t Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and b east, even though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, by t heir own righteousness they could only deliver themselves, declares the Lord God. If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they depopulated it , and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the bea sts, though these three men were in its midst, as I live, declares the Lord God, t hey could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate. Or if I should bring a sword on th at country and say, Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and be ast from it, even though these three men were in its midst, as I live, declares th e Lord God, they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it, to cut off man and beast from it, even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live, declares the Lord God, they c ould not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only the mselves by their righteousness (Ezekiel 14:12-20).

If Daniel s righteousness is in view in this text, Ezekiel also refers to his wisd om in this indictment of the leader of Tyre : The word of the Lord came again to me saying, Son of man, say to the leader of Ty re, Thus says the Lord God, because your heart is lifted up and you have said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas ; yet you are a man an d not God, although you make your heart like the heart of God behold, you are wise r than Daniel; there is no secret that is a match for you (Ezekiel 28:1-3). Just as Daniel spoke of our Lord, the Messiah (see, for example, Daniel 9:24-27) , our Lord spoke of Daniel. In His Olivet discourse, He refers to Daniel as the p rophet (Matthew 24:15) and then lays out the events of the last days as the fulfi llment of Daniel s prophecies. Others in the New Testament, who may not quote directly from Daniel, reflect the profound impact Daniel s writing had on their thinking. Paul s doctrine of the Anti christ draws heavily from Daniel 7 and 11. The Book of Revelation draws from Dan iel s prophecies and from the symbols he employs.1 Virtually every New Testament w riter has been influenced by or has drawn from Daniel in some way.2 Since the Scriptures show Daniel in such favorable light, it is indeed remarkabl e to find Daniel under greater attack from certain scholars than any other Old Tes tament book. The skeptical scholars have a serious problem with the Book of Dani el: its prophecies of future events, particularly those during the Maccabean per iod, are too precise. For such prophecies to have been made, and then be precise ly fulfilled, would require the supernatural, and this is not acceptable to thos e who reject a sovereign God who is in control of history. The fundamental issue is that of prophecy,3 the ability of God to foretell the f uture through His inspired prophets. The assumption that the Book of Daniel does not contain predictive prophecy makes it necessary to explain why the latter ch apters of Daniel so accurately depict what has already taken place, especially d uring the 400 silent years between the Old and New Testaments. The anti-supernatur alist explanation is simple: Daniel is not a book of prophecy but of history; Da niel was not written in the 6th century B.C. but in the 2nd century. Kraeling, who holds this view, represents it in these words: For the Christian reader Daniel is a prophetic book. This is because he is calle d a prophet in the New Testament (Matt. 24:15) and because of the profound influ ence, especially of the visions, on Jesus and early Christianity. In our English Bible the book of Daniel follows Ezekiel. Not so in the Hebrew Bible, where it stands not among the prophets but among the Writings. From the standpoint of the b ook s own suppositions the author (at any rate of the visions) was a man living in the time of the Chaldean and Persian kings. But this, in the view of all critic al scholars, is a masquerade. Since prophecy, as we have seen, was virtually out lawed in the second century B.C., the idea came up to publish predictions under the name of some wise man or prophet of long ago. The pattern was provided by an cient Egyptian tales of wise men or seers who prophesied to a ruler about what w ould happen in the future how his dynasty would end in social chaos and be replace d by a new one bringing blessing to the country. Jewish authors took over the pa ttern but gave it a new importance by providing a finale consisting of judgment over a current empire that had trodden down their people and the coming of the k ingdom of God or of the Messiah. Thus was born the apocalyptic literature of whi ch Daniel is the oldest specimen.4 J. Sidlow Baxter, a conservative evangelical scholar, summarizes the critical vi ew this way:

To our skeptical critics the book is merely one of the pseudepigrapha, or Jewish writings of the first and second centuries B.C., issued under a spurious name. It was written about 164 B.C., to hearten loyal Jews amid their trials in the ti me of the Maccabees. This means that it was written three and a half centuries a fter the time which it pretends. Its miracles are imaginations. Its predictions are simply history pretended to be foretold three hundred and fifty years later. 5 Critical scholars have cited various lines of evidence to support their conclusi on. Further inquiry and more recent data not only provide conservative biblical scholars with the ability to refute the arguments of the critical scholars; it h as even caused some liberal scholars to rethink their position.6 Listed below ar e some arguments of those who attack the accuracy and authority of Daniel and th e response of conservative scholarship to them. ARGUMENT 1: Daniel was not listed among the famous Israelites by Ecclesiasticus 44:1ff. Since this document was in existence by 180 B.C., Daniel must have lived at a time later than 180 B.C. RESPONSE: Among the Qumran discoveries were manuscripts and fragments from the B ook of Daniel. Since the [Qumran] community was itself Maccabean in origin, it te stifies to the way in which Daniel was revered and cited as Scripture in the sec ond century B.C. 7 Harrison points out that Ecclesiasticus not only omits any dir ect reference to Daniel, but also to Job and all the Judges except Samuel, as we ll as Kings Asa and Jehoshaphat. Mordecai and even Ezra himself are also omitted .8 Harrison further points to allusions to Daniel by this same author (Ben Sira) in some of his other writings. He alludes to Daniel in Maccabees (1 Macc. 2:59f f.), Baruch (1:15-3:3), and Sibylline Oracles (III, 397ff.).9 ARGUMENT 2: In the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament, the Book of Daniel is not i ncluded in the second section (the prophets), but in the third (the writings).10 This shows that Daniel was not considered one of the earlier prophets. The book must therefore be a later work. RESPONSE: In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) Daniel is listed with the prophets, indicating the translators, like Jesus, accepted Da niel as one of the prophets. Daniel was not a typical prophet like Isaiah or Jer emiah. His ministry was more like that of Joseph. Both were interpreters of drea ms in a foreign land. Inclusion among the writings does not indicate anything ab out the date of the book. Job, for example, is included among the writings and i s generally regarded to be a very old book. ARGUMENT 3: The language of the Book of Daniel argues for a late date. Certain P ersian and Greek words are used which originated later than the 6th century B.C. The Aramaic used in Daniel is late in form. RESPONSE: Each individual language argument falls apart under scrutiny. The more we learn about the language of Daniel s day, the more critical arguments collapse .11 ARGUMENT 4: Daniel was incorrect when he wrote (1:1) that Nebuchadnezzar s conques t of Jerusalem occurred in the third year of Jehoiakim because Jeremiah spoke of i t as being in the fourth year (Jeremiah 25:1, 46:2). Daniel s error can be explained by the fact that he did not live in those days but wrote at a later time. RESPONSE: It should first be noted that Daniel did not say Nebuchadnezzar defeat ed Jerusalem in the third year of Jehoiakim, but only that he took certain peopl e captive to Babylon. Secondly, the Palestinian method of reckoning the number o f years of a king s reign from the time of his accession differed from that of the Babylonian method. The Babylonian method did not count the year of a king s acces

sion; the Palestinian method did. Thus, Daniel (by the Babylonian method) spoke of the event as being in the third year of Jehoiakim s reign, and Jeremiah (by the Palestinian method) as being in the fourth.12 I differ with the presuppositions and premises of the critical scholars not only because of the basis of their arguments, but because of the implications of the ir views. I differ not only with where they are coming from but also with where the y are going. Consider some implications of the critical view of Daniel. If their arguments are true, then these implications must be faced: (1) The critical view of Daniel makes Scripture merely human, denying its divine and supernatural character. By eliminating the supernatural element from prophe cy, one removes the divine. The critical view believes God did not speak through Daniel, men did. (2) The critical view of the Book of Daniel makes Daniel a fictional character, no t a real person. This means that the piety of Daniel (and his three friends) was fictional and that there is no real link between the practical piety of Daniel and his prophecies. (3) The critical view of Daniel legitimizes falsehood by employing a fabricated story to teach the truth. One of the purposes of divine prophecy is to reveal th e truth while exposing falsehood. The critical view makes the prophecy of Daniel a falsehood. How then can it proclaim God s truth? (4) The critical view of Daniel, by inference, demeans all biblical prophecy. If the divine revelation of future events is rejected in Daniel, then we must reje ct it elsewhere in the Bible as well. The prophecies of the Bible pertaining to the future to which we presently look for hope and comfort, cannot be a supernat ural revelation of the future and thus are worthless. To reject Daniel because i t is prophecy is to reject all prophecy. (5) To accept the critical view of Daniel is to demean the rest of the Scripture s, the authors of Scripture, and our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Kraeling said it . We have a high view of Daniel because Jesus did. But if such a view of Daniel is wrong, then all those who have esteemed Daniel highly were wrong, including o ur Lord. If the Book of Daniel is less than our Lord thought it was, our Lord mu st be less than we have thought Him to be. Our view of Christ will either determ ine our estimation of Daniel, or our (critical) estimation of Daniel will dimini sh our view of Christ. These criticisms of Daniel all begin with unbelief unbelief in a sovereign God, wh o supernaturally foretells future events and then brings them to pass. God s Word always accomplishes that purpose for which it is intended. I declared the former things long ago And they went forth from My mouth, and I pr oclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. Because I know that you are obstinate, And your neck is an iron sinew, And your forehead bronze, Therefo re I declared them to you long ago, Before they took place I proclaimed them to you, Lest you should say, My idol has done them, And my graven image and my molte n image have commanded them. You have heard; look at all this. And you, will you not declare it? I proclaim to you new things from this time, Even hidden things which you have not known. They are created now and not long ago; And before toda y you have not heard them, Lest you should say, Behold, I knew them (Isaiah 48:3-7) . For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there witho ut watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So shall My word be which goes forth from My mout h; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And wit

hout succeeding in the matter for which I sent it Characteristics of the Book of Daniel

(Isaiah 55:10-11).

Just as every individual has a unique set of fingerprints, every book of the Bib le has its own individual characteristics which enable it to make a particular c ontribution to the reader. Consider the following characteristics of the Book of Daniel: (1) The Book of Daniel depicts historical events beginning with the first conque st of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. and ending in the third year of Cy rus (536 B.C.). (2) The prophecies of the Book of Daniel encompass time from Daniel s day to the f uture establishment of the kingdom of God. (3) Daniel is written in two languages, not just one. The Book is written in Heb rew and in Aramaic:13 * Daniel 1:1 - 2:4a-Hebrew language * Daniel 2:4b - 7:28-Aramaic language * Daniel 8:1 - 12:13-Hebrew language There are a number of theories why two languages were used. One reason may be th at the Spirit of God was indicating that the message of this book was for both J ews and Gentiles. Thus, the Hebrew portions would get the attention of the Jews, while the Aramaic portion would have the attention of the Gentiles. (4) The structure of Daniel is not strictly chronological, making it difficult t o neatly categorize.14 Chapters 1-6 tend to be historical and chronological; cha pters 7-12 are prophetic, but not chronological. If there is a chronological seq uence in chapters 7-12, it may be in the prophetic scheme of future events laid out in these chapters, rather than in the historical events described in Daniel. The prophecies of Daniel tend to range from events in Daniel s day onward to eter nity. Consider the following observations comparing the structure in Daniel:

Chapters 1 - 6 Chapters 7 - 12 The days of Daniel A time future to Daniel Biographical and historical Prophetic and apocalyptic History is chronological Prophecy is chronological Written in the third person

Written in the first person Others have dreams15 Daniel has dreams Daniel interprets Another must interpret (5) There is a deliberate interweaving of history and prophecy, of present and f uture, of prophetic revelation and practical piety. Chapter 1 deals with an hist orical event in the lives of Daniel and his three friends. Chapter 2 is an histo rical account but deals with the interpretation of a dream Daniel explains as pr ophetic. Chapter 3 returns to the present time and to the decision of Daniel s thr ee friends who must face the firey furnace for not bowing down to the king s golde n image. The structure of the book encourages us to recognize that personal piet y and prophecy go together. The Contribution of the Book of Daniel We know that the Book of Daniel comes highly recommended in the Scriptures, if n ot by some scholars of a later time. Several contributions offered in a unique o r special way will be considered in two categories: (1) the contribution of the Book of Daniel to the Scriptures; and, (2) the contribution of the Book of Danie l to us personally. Daniel s Contribution to the Scriptures (1) The Book of Daniel provides us with valuable insights into conditions in Bab ylon during the 70 years of Judah s Babylonian captivity. (2) The Book of Daniel testifies to the accuracy and reliability of the Word of God. All that God had said would happen to the southern kingdom of Judah did hap pen, as the Book of Daniel bears witness. (3) The Book of Daniel links the Old Testament to the New by prophetically revea ling the events to take place in the 400 silent years between the two testaments. Bible students have often commented concerning that 400 year period in which no book of the Bible was written. While God may have, in one sense, been silent durin g the 400 years, He was not silent about the 400 years. Daniel describes some of the events which will take place during these four centuries with such accuracy , the critics insist it must be history rather than prophecy. (4) The Book of Daniel is perhaps the most comprehensive layout of God s prophetic plans in all of the Old Testament. The theology, themes and symbolism of Daniel provide the student of Scriptures with the key to prophecy : Of the three prophetic programs revealed in Scripture, outlining the course of t he nations, Israel, and the church, Daniel alone reveals the details of God s plan for both the nations and Israel. Although other prophets like Jeremiah had much to say to the nations and Israel, Daniel brings together and interrelates these great themes of prophecy as does no other portion of Scripture. For this reason , the book of Daniel is essential to the structure of prophecy and is the key to the entire Old Testament prophetic revelation.16 Daniel s Contribution to the Saints (1) The godly personal life of Daniel is a model for the saints. Daniel was not

a priest nor was he a typical prophet like Isaiah or Jeremiah. We are not told t hat he ever had a prophetic call like that Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-13) or Jeremiah (Jer emiah 1:1-10) or Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:1-7). So far as we are know, Daniel was not given direct revelation to guide him in those daily decisions which proved to be turning points in his life and ministry. In his youth, as in his final days, Da niel remained faithful to God and his fellowmen. Daniel is a man whose personal piety can challenge and inspire us in our walk with God. (2) The life and ministry of Daniel provide us with some valuable insights on Ch ristian leadership. Daniel was indeed a great leader whose ministry impacted the lives of several of the greatest political leaders of his time. How Daniel got to be a leader, and the way in which he led, are not the way of our culture (Chr istian or heathen). Daniel is a model leader, and we should learn about leadersh ip from him. (3) Daniel was a man who served God in the midst of his suffering. Though he suf fered because of the sins of his nation and because of his own personal piety, D aniel faithfully served God even in the midst of affliction and has much to say to those who suffer. (4) Daniel is a book which has much to say about prophecy and about personal pie ty. In the New Testament, Peter instructs us that prophecy should inspire the Ch ristian to personal piety (see 2 Peter 3:11-13). Daniel demonstrates how this is done. (5) Daniel is a book which inspires hope and comfort, giving constant witness to the sovereignty of God. God is in control just as he was in the defeat and capt ivity of Judah. He was in control of the history of the world, so He could foret ell the powers who would rule from Daniel s day onward. He was in control, using t he captivity of Judah for their good, and for the blessing of the Gentiles. Dani el bears witness to the comforting truth of God s power and His control over the a ffairs of men. The book assures us that nothing happens to His people which is n ot a part of His plan, designed for our good and His glory. (6) The Book of Daniel teaches the Christian how to relate to a godless, heathen society, outside of church walls and stained glass windows. The people of Judah were inclined to think that God was with them only when they were in the promis ed land and in the proximity of the temple. God was still present and active amo ng His people in Babylon, as seen in His intervention on behalf of Daniel and hi s friends. They are examples of how saints can live in a heathen society so as t o bear witness to the majesty, power, and grace of God. This book shows how to l ive godly lives in a fallen world and how to impact a heathen society, even when a minority as small as one. The Setting for the Book of Daniel In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king o f Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god (Daniel 1:1-2). From the first two verses of Daniel 1 which inform us of the setting of the book , we can draw some initial conclusions to provide the key to understanding this book and its implications for our lives. (1) The Book of Daniel contains a great deal of future prophecy but also is the result of fulfilled prophecy. In these brief words of introduction, Daniel informs us that he and his people a re captive in Babylon because God gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzer. How

did this come about and why? We see from the Old Testament scriptures that vers es 1 and 2 are the precise fulfillment of prophecy. Before the nation Israel crossed the Jordan to possess the promised land of Cana an, God renewed His covenant with this people, promising to bless them for obedi ence to His law and to curse them for disobedience. This curse included captivit y: But it shall come about, if you will not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all t hese curses shall come upon you and overtake you Your sons and your daughters sh all be given to another people, while your eyes shall look on and yearn for them continually; but there shall be nothing you can do The Lord will bring you and your king, whom you shall set over you, to a nation which neither you nor your f athers have known, and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone. And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a taunt among all the people where the Lo rd will drive you (Deuteronomy 28:15, 32,36-37). The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand, a nati on of fierce countenance who shall have no respect for the old, nor show favor t o the young (Deuteronomy 28:49-50). Moreover, the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and st one, which you or your fathers have not known. (Deuteronomy 28:64). The nation Israel divided into the northern kingdom (referred to as Israel or Ephra im ) and the southern kingdom (most often referred to as Judah ). Israel consisted of 10 tribes under the leadership of Jeroboam and then 18 subsequent kings, none o f whom were of the line of David. The northern kingdom was consistently in one o f two conditions: bad or worse, as seen from a reading of 1 and 2 Kings. The souther n kingdom of Judah also had 19 kings, all of whom were of the line of David. Som e of these kings were bad, others had a heart for the Lord, and some wavered in between. God foretold the defeat and destruction of Israel, the northern kingdom, by the Assyrians: For the Lord will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will up root Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherim, provokin g the Lord to anger. And He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jerobo am, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin (1 Kings 14:15-16). The scriptures record that defeat: Now it came about in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh yea r of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. And at the end of three years they captured it ; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Isra el, Samaria was captured. Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exil e to Assyria, and put them in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded; they would neither listen, nor do it (2 Kings 18:9-12). During the reign of Hezekiah, Judah (the southern kingdom) was threatened by Ass yria but was divinely delivered from their hand (2 Kings 18-19). Hezekiah later became very ill and was told that he was to die. Because of his appeal to God fo

r mercy, his life was extended 15 years (2 Kings 20:1-11). The king of the (as y et) distant and obscure empire of Babylon, hearing of Hezekiah s sickness and reco very, sent him a get well note which led to a visit to Jerusalem. Foolishly Hezeki ah showed his Babylonian visitors all the riches of Jerusalem. For this Isaiah r ebuked Hezekiah and gave this prophecy of Judah s downfall at the hand of Babylon: Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord. Behold, the days are comi ng when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in sto re to this day shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And some of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you shall beget, shall be t aken away; and they shall become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon (2 Kings 20:16-18). Reading Daniel 1:1-2 in light of these and other prophecies, I am struck by the fact that God s promises and prophecies concerning Israel and Judah were literally and precisely fulfilled. If Daniel is the source of future prophecies, his book is also a testimony to fulfilled prophecy. The future prophecies of Daniel are all the more certain in light of the fulfilled prophecies, to which Daniel bears witness. (2) The Book of Daniel turns our attention and focus to Israel s God and the certa in hope of His people for reconciliation with God, restoration, and eternal bles sing. The promises and prophecies of God fulfilled in the defeat and captivity of Isra el and Judah were only part of the picture. God not only promised Israel s captivi ty, but also her restoration: So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations wher e the Lord your God has banished you, and you return to the Lord your God and ob ey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, y ou and your sons, then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and ha ve compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the L ord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, f rom there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you ba ck. And the Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers posses sed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more tha n your fathers (Deuteronomy 30:1-5). As surely as God s promises of judgment were fulfilled, so will be His promises of salvation and blessing. In many ways, this Book fixes our hope on the restorati on of His people, as well as the blessing of the Gentiles. The certainty of restoration and blessing for God s people was assured by the doct rine of the sovereignty of God. God s sovereignty is indicated in the introduction , Daniel 1:1-2. Judah, under Jehoiakim, was defeated by Babylon and taken into c aptivity. But Daniel makes it clear that this defeat was in fulfillment of God s p urposes and promises. God gave Jehoiakim and Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezz ar. Judah s defeat came from God. The great and mighty nation of Babylon was but a n instrument in the hand of God to achieve His purposes. The sovereignty of God, pointed out in the introduction, is taught and affirmed throughout the rest of the book. The prophecies which God revealed to the kings of Babylon and fulfilled in their times bore witness to God s sovereignty. The mir aculous deliverance of Daniel (from the lions, chapter 6) and his three friends (from the firey furnace, chapter 3) also testifies to the sovereignty of God. The greatest witness to God s sovereignty comes from the Babylonian rulers themsel ves. Note the contrast between Daniel 1 and Daniel 4.

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the h ouse of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god (Daniel 1:2). In the ancient world, military battles waged between two nations were battles of the gods of those warring nations. The winning nation was thought to have the g reater gods.17 When a heathen nation defeated another nation, it often placed th e gods of its defeated foe in the temple of their own god as a symbol of their g od s victory (see 1 Samuel 5:1-2; Daniel 1:1-2). When Nebuchadnezzar took the vessels of the house of God and placed them in the house of his god, we are prepared for a battle of the gods. Did Nebuchadnezzar thi nk that his gods had prevailed over the God of Israel and Judah? Though the book o f Daniel begins with Nebuchadnezzar giving his gods credit for being better than the God of Judah, take note of his final words, which speak of the God of Israe l: But at the end of that period I, Nebuchadnezzar raised my eyes toward heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored H im who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingd om endures from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth a re accounted as nothing. But He does according to His will in the host of heaven . And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, What has Thou done? At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, f or all His works are true and His ways just and He is able to humble those who w alk in pride (Daniel 4:34-37). Nebuchadnezzar, like Israel, had become proud in the position and power God had given. Nebuchadnezzar, like Israel, was humbled for a time, and then restored to give praise and glory to God. There is hope of Israel s restoration, as Nebuchadn ezzar and the Book of Daniel bear witness. May God enrich our lives as we study and apply the message of this great book to His glory. And may the kingdom for which the saints of all ages have looked soo n come to the earth with the Lord Jesus as our Great King. Questions and Answers About the Book of Daniel (1) Who was Daniel? Daniel was a Hebrew, apparently of noble birth, who was taken captive as a youth by Nebuchadnezzar when he attacked Jerusalem in 605 B.C. Daniel became an offic ial in the court of Nebuchadnezzar, and he continued to serve later rulers, unti l the first year of Cyrus (536 B.C., see Daniel 1:1-2, 21). Although not called a prophet in the book, Jesus referred to him as such in Matthew 24:15. The Bible has only good things to say about him. He is regarded as one of the great saint s of the Old Testament (see Ezekiel 14:12-20; 28:1-3). (2) What is the Book of Daniel all about? Daniel is not grouped with the rest of the prophets in the Hebrew Old Testament, but rather among the writings (including Job, Psalms, and Proverbs). The Book o f Daniel depicts events which occurred during the 70 years of Judah s captivity in

Babylon. It records a number of very important prophecies concerning future eve nts, some of which were fulfilled in Daniel s lifetime, others in the years up to and including the first coming of Jesus Christ. Still other prophecies (see chap ter 12) are yet to be fulfilled when Christ comes once more, to establish the ki ngdom of God on the earth. In general terms, Daniel is about the personal piety of Daniel and his three fri ends and the prophecies which were revealed to, or through, Daniel during his li fetime. (3) What are some of the characteristics of the Book of Daniel? The book of Daniel was written in two languages: Hebrew, the language then spoke n by the Jews (1:1-2:4a; 8:1-12:13), and Aramaic, the language of the Babylonian s (2:4b-7:28). The structure of the Book of Daniel is not quickly or easily determined. It seem s difficult to neatly divide the book, which may have been by divine design (to prevent liberal scholars from claiming that Daniel had more than one author, as they claim with other books, like the Book of Isaiah). Chapters 1-6 tend to be more historical, dealing with people and events in Danie l s day. Writing in the third person, Daniel interprets the dreams of others which they are unable to understand. Chapters 7-12 tend to be more prophetic, dealing with events from Daniel s day to eternity. Here, Daniel writes in the first person, describing his own visions fo r which God provides the interpretation through an angelic interpreter. The Book of Daniel interweaves history and prophecy indicating to us that prophe cy goes hand-in-hand with godly living in the present. (4) What do some critics of the Book of Daniel say about this book, and how do w e answer them? The critics are opposed to the Book of Daniel because they do not believe in the supernatural. The miracles of the Book of Daniel bring strong reaction from tho se who have determined that miracles don t happen. In particular, the critics find Daniel s prophecies too good to be true. The events of the Maccabbean period too precisely fulfill some of the prophecies of Daniel. The skeptics conclude from t his that Daniel must not be prophecy, written before the events which are predic ted, but rather history. They believe Daniel was written late, in the first or s econd century B.C., posing as prophecy and attempting to comfort the Jews at tha t time with falsified evidences of God s sovereign preservation and protection of His people. They seek to point out errors in Daniel, which they believe help to es tablish that the book is not really divine prophecy. Virtually all of the specific examples of error in Daniel vaporize under the scrut iny of investigation and in the light of later and more complete information, su ch as that provided by language study and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran. (5) What does the Bible tell us about Daniel, and about the value of this book? Ezekiel, a contemporary of Daniel, speaks most highly of him (Ezekiel 14:12-20; 28:1-3). Jesus spoke highly of Daniel, calling him a prophet and indicating that His scheme of prophecy is the same as that laid out by Daniel (see Matthew chap ter 24, especially verse 15). Every chapter of Daniel is referred to or quoted i n the New Testament; every New Testament writer makes use of Daniel s prophecies. Daniel s book is the backbone of Old and New Testament prophecy. Daniel provides u

s with the most complete prophetic picture of any Old Testament book and with th e key to understanding New Testament prophecy, especially the Book of Revelation . (6) What is the unique contribution of Daniel? Daniel describes some of the historical events which took place during the Jews seventy-year exile in Babylon. In addition, Daniel s prophecies depict future even ts from the time of Daniel to the establishment of God s kingdom in the future. Da niel s prophecies describe events which took place during the 400 silent years bet ween the Old and New Testaments, thus serving as a bridge between the two testam ents. Daniel is not only a book of future prophecy, it is a book which demonstra tes the fulfillment of prophecy. The captivity of the Jews and of Daniel, as wel l as his ministry to Babylonian kings, is the precise fulfillment of Old Testame nt prophecies, from the time of Moses onward. (7) What can we gain from a study of Daniel? The person of Daniel provides the Christian with a model of a godly man, from hi s youth to the end of his life. He demonstrates how a Christian can live a godly life in an ungodly world and have an impact upon the society in which he lives, even when in a minority. He is an example of a man who learned to stand alone f or God when it was dangerous to do so. He has much to teach us about faithfulnes s in times of suffering and adversity, about leadership, and about the sovereign ty of God. Daniel is a reminder of God s faithfulness, even when men are unfaithfu l. Daniel shows how God can work in our lives, even through those who are unbeli evers and who are opposed to God s people. 1 Paul s doctrine of the coming Antichrist obviously reflects Daniel vii. and xi. S till more are the visions of John in the Apocalypse bound up with those of Danie l. J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960), vol. 4, p. 70. 2 The New Testament in Greek and English, published by the American Bible Societ y in 1966, lists in its index of quotations (pp. 897-907), every chapter of Dani el as being quoted in the New Testament. It also shows that most of the books of the New Testament quote the Book of Daniel. While not every New Testament book cites Daniel, virtually every New Testament author does, including all the gospe l writers, Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and the writer to the Hebrews. One-hundredthirty-three New Testament references were listed here, citing 68 references in Daniel. 3 Those who reject the foretelling dimension of prophecy maintain that all a pro phet can do is to forthtell, to speak concerning the present, but not concerning the future. Viewed this way, the prophets were those who challenged men to abid e by God s rules, but who were unable to describe the form God s rule would take in the future. 4 Emil G. Kraeling, The Prophets (Rand McNally and Company, 1969), p. 285. 5 J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book, vol 4., p. 49. 6 For an excellent conservative discussion of these issues, see R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969), pp. 1110-1127. 7 R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 1107. 8 Ibid., 1123.

9 Ibid., 1123-1124. 10 In Luke 24:44, Jesus spoke of the Old Testament in terms of three commonly re cognized divisions: the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament) ; the Prophets (divided into two categories: Former and Later ); and the Psalms (whic h is also known as the writings). The writings include Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Cant icles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah and Chro nicles. 11 See R. K. Harrison, pp. 1124-1126. 12 See R. K. Harrison, p. 1112. 13 After the captivity, the language of the Jews ceased to be Hebrew, which nece ssitated the translation of the Old Testament Scriptures into Greek (this Greek translation of the Old Testament is known as the Septuagint). Only a select few would retain the ability to study the Hebrew Scriptures. The Jews of our Lord s da y spoke a form of Aramaic. The common language in Babylon at the time of Daniel was Aramaic. 14 I am tempted to think that God deliberately structured Daniel to make it diff icult to subdivide. The two-fold division of chapters 1-6 and 7-12 has some appe al, but this arrangement hardly explains the use of both Hebrew and Aramaic, whi ch spans both divisions. The tendency of liberal scholars has been to claim mult iple authorship of some of those books which are prophetic. Isaiah, for example, is claimed to have had two, three, or even more authors. Did God see to it that Daniel s structure resisted division, so that we would be more inclined to admit that Daniel wrote the whole book--history, prophecies, and all? 15 Nebuchadnezzar has two dreams in chapters 1-6. The first is the dream of the great statue, in chapter 2, and the second is the dream of the tree, in chapter 4. I would also include Belshazzar s revelation from God in the handwriting on the wall recorded in chapter 5. While this was not a dream, it was a divine revelatio n which required Daniel as an interpreter of its meaning. 16 John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Pre ss, 1971), p. 7. 17 See, for example, 2 Kings 18:28-35. ---------------------The Hope of Heaven (Daniel 12:1-13) Study By: Bob Deffinbaugh Add to Library Share5 Printer-friendly versionSend to friend Introduction A retired pastor, relating humorous incidents during his years of ministry, tell s the story of a problem-plagued funeral service he conducted. Just as he was be ginning the service, a woman called out for help. Someone in the congregation ha d collapsed from a heart attack and was lying on the floor. Managing to keep the victim alive until the medics came, the man was rushed to the hospital. After a significant delay, the pastor resumed the funeral service, or so he thou ght. The graveside service was miserably cold and wet, with rain continuing to f all. Everyone tried to crowd under the tent where a small heater attempted to of fset the bitter cold. As the pastor began to read the encouraging words of Roman s 8, For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, he was interrup ted by flames bursting from the heater, causing everyone to flee the tent. To re medy the problem, the funeral director leaped over the casket toward the heater to disconnect it, sending floral arrangements flying in all directions.

Once more, the group gathered under the shelter, and the pastor again began to r ead from Romans 8, For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels From the corner of his eye, he could see the funeral director studying the tent roof where rain water had collected producing a sizeable overhead pool. Now the tent visibly began to bulge. Hoping to drain the water by pushing upward on the tent with his umbrella, the director slipped. His umbrella pierced the canvas, rippi ng a gaping hole in the roof of the tent as a river of ice cold water cascaded o ver the pall-bearers. Involuntarily, they yelped from the shock of the cold wate r, and once again rushed from the shelter. The pastor questioned the wisdom of continuing, but he decided to once again rea d the precious words from the text of Romans 8: For I am convinced that neither d eath, nor life, nor angels, Gratefully, he completed the service. I have conducted many funerals, but never have I had an experience approaching t his one. Nevertheless, every funeral service which I conduct presents me with a great challenge. Funerals must deal with the ugly reality of death and the remin der that each of us must come to terms with it. Those without hope of eternal life try to avoid the reality of death. They are, in fact, enslaved by the fear of death (see Hebrews 2:15). Great amounts of mone y and effort are spent to conceal the ugly face of death. The gospel of Jesus Ch rist faces death head-on, with the proclamation that while death is the conseque nce of sin, Christ is the cure for sin and death. Death prompts each of us to get to the bottom line of what life is all about and w hat comes after death. The final chapter of the Book of Daniel is occasioned in large measure by Daniel s coming death. The last words of this chapter, and of the entire book, speak of death and of the believer s hope beyond the grave. Death poses more than a personal problem for Daniel. Death is the great dilemma of biblical prophecy. The prophets struggled with their own writings which spoke of the suffering and death of Messiah (see 1 Peter 1:10-12). How can the promis ed blessing of biblical prophecy bring hope to the believer who will die before they are fulfilled? There is only one way resurrection. The promises of God which are not fulfilled in this life are fulfilled in the next. Resurrection is the me ans by which men pass from time to eternity. Daniel 12 is the crowning chapter of this prophecy, as well as its conclusion. I t takes the believer to the high-water mark of Christian hope the assurance of the resurrection of the dead. Let us listen and learn, and gain hope and comfort. The Setting In the Book of Daniel, chapters 10, 11, and 12 are a part of one revelation. Cha pter 10 serves as the introduction; chapter 11 provides a number of the details of God s prophetic program, and chapter 12 serves as the conclusion. Before we tur n our attention to the conclusion of this section and the entire book, let us re fresh our memory concerning the setting for this final prophetic revelation give n to Daniel shortly before his death. Verse 1 provides the timing of the vision and the revelation Daniel received the t hird year of Cyrus. Verse 4 tells us where Daniel was when the vision appeared t o him by the bank of the great Tigris River. Verses 2 and 3 inform us of Daniel s me ntal and spiritual state at the time of his vision: 2 In those days I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3 I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any oint ment at all, until the entire three weeks were completed (Daniel 10:2-3). Daniel was in mourning, although we are not told why he mourned, apparently for

some period of time. We know the vision he received was in response to his reque st to understand that which the angel was sent to explain: 10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understandi ng this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I h ave come in response to your words (Daniel 10:10-12). Up until this time, the revelations Daniel had received of the times of the end were a mystery to him, even though they were divinely revealed and explained: 15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my m ind kept alarming me. 16 I approached one of those who were standing by and bega n asking him the exact meaning of all this. So he told me and made known to me t he interpretation of these things. 28 At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were great ly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself (Daniel 7:1 5-16, 28). 27 Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carr ied on the king s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it (Daniel 8:27). Partly because of the troubling subject matter of his visions, compounded by his inability to understand what the visions meant, Daniel was greatly distressed a nd sought to understand their meaning. His distress and desire to understand mor e fully is spoken of at the beginning of chapter 10, providing the setting for t he entire revelation, including chapter 12. The final revelation of Daniel 10-12 gave Daniel more details and a greater, though far from complete, grasp of what it all meant. Daniel, distressed, mourning, and praying for insight finds the a nswer to all of his petitions in this final revelation. The final words spoken to Daniel are words of comfort, words intended to turn th e sorrow of verses 2 and 3 of chapter 10 into joy. They are words which also bri ng joy to the heart of the believer of any age and terror into the hearts of the wicked. The Structure of The Text As many commentators agree, the chapter division at this point is less than sati sfactory, with no real break between the last verse of chapter 11 and the first verse of chapter 12. Daniel 11:40 12:4 is one paragraph. Daniel 12:1-4 describes t he final events of human history paving the way for the second coming of Christ, the defeat of His enemies, and the establishment of His kingdom. They sum up fo r Daniel the destiny of Israel as a nation, the saints, and the wicked. Verse 4 contains Daniel s instructions to conceal what has been revealed to him. Verses 5-7, a final vision of two angels and of the glorified Lord, raises and a nswers the question, How long will these wonders be? Verses 8-13, the final paragr aph, explore the outcome of the events. The text can be outlined: (1) Israel and the Last Days 11:40 12:13 (2) Israel and the little horn 11:40-45

(3) Israel s distress and deliverance 12:1-4

(4) The length of Israel s distress 12:5-7 (5) The outcome Israel s distress 12:8-13 Israel s Distress and Deliverance (12:1-4) 1 Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of yo ur people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurr ed since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, every one who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 And many of those who s leep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the ot hers to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who have insight will shi ne brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But as for you, Danie l, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase. The events of history from Daniel s day down to the day of the Lord are described in chapter 11 in terms of the on-going struggle of two world powers: the king of th e North and the king of the South. The final king of the North is introduced in Danie l 11:21 and is the central figure in the remainder of chapter 11. He comes into frequent contact with the nation Israel because of its location in relationship to the king of the South. At least three times in our text, the king of the North wa ges war with the king of the South. 113 The first and last attacks are successful, while the second ends in retreat. On each of these occasions, the king passes t hrough Israel and gains a growing hatred and animosity toward the God of Israel, His people, and the holy place. At the end of chapter 11, the king of the North i s encamped between the sea and the beautiful Holy Mountain ready to attack and to destroy. Verses 1-4 of chapter 12 are generally considered part of the paragraph beginnin g at Daniel 11:40. In defense of the chapter division as we have it in our Bible s, a significant change is evident in Daniel 12:1, one which explains (if it doe s not also justify) the ending of chapter 11 at verse 45. Never again is the king of the North (or the king of the South ) mentioned in the remaining verses of Danie l. If chapter 11 describes the approach of the last days from a human standpoint , chapter 12 describes the end in terms which are divine. The first verse of chapter 12 reveals two facts pertaining to the end times we w ould not have expected apart from divine revelation. First, the angel Michael114 is the instrument through whom the period of the Great Tribulation is initiated . There is a definite link between the king of the North and the Great Tribulation to be sure. But the text leaves this evil king behind in chapter 11, linking th e beginning of the tribulation to Michael, who will arise and bring about a time of great distress, a time particularly directed toward the Jews. It is easy to see that the first half of verse 1 pertains to Michael and the las t half to the period of the Great Tribulation, but it is difficult to accept the connection between the two. When Michael arises, the time of Israel s trouble beg ins. At first this does not seem possible. Michael is Israel s prince (10:21), the gr eat prince who stands guard over the sons of Daniel s people, Israel (12:1). How co uld the protector of Israel precipitate this time of such great suffering? The answer is found in the second surprising fact revealed in verse 1: The deliv erance of God s people is that which occurs in the time of her greatest trouble the Great Tribulation.115 If we are surprised to see Michael associated with the suf fering of Israel, we should also be surprised to see Israel s deliverance associat ed with the time of her greatest suffering. Those whose names are found written in the book of life116 will be rescued.

God has chosen to bring about the salvation of his chosen ones by means of suffe ring. God does save men and women from suffering, but He also saves through suff ering. Consider for a moment the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. Go d was well aware of their suffering and heard the cries of His people. He sent M oses to deliver His people from their suffering. But the deliverance of the Isra elites came through suffering. When Moses appeared before Pharaoh and demanded t hat he let God s people go, Pharaoh only made things more difficult for the Jews. The Jews protested that Moses had only made matters worse. In a sense, they were right. Things were going to get worse before they got better. It looked as thou gh the entire nation would be wiped out by the Egyptian army as they found thems elves trapped between the Red Sea and the approaching Egyptian forces. But God o pened the sea, bringing about the salvation of His people and the destruction of their enemies. The salvation of sinners has been accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ. He deli vers us from sin, from suffering, and from death, but He did so by means of His own suffering and death. So too the nation Israel will be delivered from its sin s and suffering, but this will happen by means of the suffering of the nation in the time of the Great Tribulation. Then the people of God will be rescued. For this reason, Michael, the guardian prince of the nation Israel, is revealed as the one who will arise, bringing about the Great Tribulation. Israel s time of great suffering is God s appointed means for her deliverance; thus, the angel appo inted to protect her precipitates by his actions the time of her suffering. When Michael arises and the tribulation begins, it is like the doctor who breaks the water of a woman as she nears the time to give birth to her child. A time of pain will come upon her, but it is through this pain that the joy of new life will c ome to pass. The righteous do not receive their full reward in this life. When the wicked rul e, the righteous may suffer persecution and even death because of their faith in God and their obedience to Him: 33 And those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the man y; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for ma ny days. 34 Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. 35 And some of those who have insight will fall, i n order to refine, purge, and make them pure, until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time (Daniel 11:33-35). In order for justice to be meted out at the coming of the Messiah and of His kin gdom, the dead must be raised so that all men receive their just reward. This re surrection of the righteous and the wicked is very plainly prophesied in verse 2 of our text. The righteous will be raised and rewarded with everlasting life, w hile the wicked will be raised and given the recompense of everlasting contempt. In verse 3, the reward of the righteous in eternity is directly linked to their faithfulness to the task they were given in time. Those who let their light shine in the dark days of persecution and opposition, and thus led many to righteousne ss, will shine brightly forever in eternity. In verse 4, the angel turns from the fate of the saints of the latter days to th e fate of Daniel whose life and ministry is drawing to a close. Daniel need not worry about these future days of distress; he has seen difficult times in his li fe, and remained faithful. Daniel was instructed to conceal the words revealed t o him and to seal up the book until the end time. I understand the angel to mean t hat this final vision has completed the revelation of the Book of Daniel; now th at the book is complete, it is to be sealed. Why should the book be sealed? If the saints of the end times were faithful to p

roclaim their faith and to lead many to righteousness, why should the revelation of the Book of Daniel be kept concealed until the later days? The reason is giv en in the last half of verse 4: many will go back and forth, and knowledge will i ncrease. The prophecy of Daniel is not the revelation of God s plan of salvation; it is the revelation of God s plan for the future. It reveals how God s salvation will be ful filled, not how it is made possible. Daniel focuses on the manifestation of God s salvation in history, not its means through the coming, death, burial, and resur rection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is recorded as told by our Lord. When the rich man died, he went to hell , while Lazarus went to Abraham s bosom. In his place of torment, the rich man beg ged that someone be sent to warn his five brothers of the wrath to come. Abraham s response to this request was: They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear th em (Luke 16:29). The brothers of the rich man did not need new revelation nor did they need to hear a word of warning in a unique and dramatic way. What this man s brothers needed was to obey the revelation they had already received from the O ld Testament Scriptures. The same was true for those in Daniel s day as well as for those in the last days. They needed no new revelation. They needed to believe God s promise of salvation which was revealed to them in the Old Testament Scriptures, just as every Old Te stament saint was saved by faith (see Hebrews 11). While the last days would be characterized by a rapid increase in knowledge, this will not turn men toward Go d. Instead, men in the last days will vacillate, manifesting no consistency. The y will go here and there seeking new knowledge (see Acts 17:16-21). The prophecy of the Book of Daniel proves to be of great value to those living in the last t imes, for it gives insight into the events taking place around them. The Length of Israel s Time of Trouble (12:5-7) 5 Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river, and the other on that bank of the river. 6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long will it be unt il the end of these wonders? 7 And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was abov e the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heave n, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and ha lf a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, a ll these events will be completed. Daniel did not ask the question. Instead, one of the angels standing on the shor e of the Tigris river asked for him. The answer was given by the One whom Daniel saw in the vision of 10:5-6 our Lord Himself. He raised both hands and swore by t he eternal Father117 who lives forever that the end of these wonders would come af ter a time, times, and half a time. This is generally understood to mean a perio d of three and one-half years. While Daniel would surely be concerned with the length of time his people would suffer in the Great Tribulation, the emphasis of this paragraph does not seem to fall on the length of Israel s suffering but on its purpose. The suffering will e nd when its purpose has been fulfilled: as soon as they finish shattering the pow er of the holy people, all these events will be completed (verse 7). Israel s deliverance does not come about because God will make them strong, but ra ther because God will use wicked men to shatter the power of His holy people. He re again we come to a biblical principle which defies human logic but consistent ly underlies the way God deals with men.

The principle is this: God s power and our deliverance come not through our streng th but through our weakness. We see this principle at work all through the Bible. God provided the means for Abram s blessing through a son, whom Abram and his wife were powerless to produce (Genesis 12:1ff.). God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, not by their power b ut in their weakness, through His power. They were powerless to resist the Egypt ian army or to cross the Red Sea. God opened the Red Sea, making a path for Isra el s escape and the means for the destruction of the Egyptian army (Exodus 3-15). God provided man s salvation when we were too weak to save ourselves: 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodl y. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good ma n someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). Jesus said that He came not to minister to those who were healthy but to those w ho were sick (Luke 5:31-32). He pronounced blessings on those whom the world wou ld consider weak and unworthy and cursings on those who were strong (see Matthew 5:1-12; Luke 6:20-26). Paul reminded his Corinthian readers that God saved the weak, not the strong, for His own glory (1 Corinthians 1:18-31). He further spok e of the way God allowed Satan to afflict him, so that he would be weakened and depend upon God s strength rather than his own: 5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflic ted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, bu t also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us y our longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. 8 Fo r though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regr et it for I see that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while 9 I now rejoi ce, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the po int of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, in order that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 For the sorrow t hat is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leadin g to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death (2 Corinthians 7:5-10 ). Like all sinners, unbelieving Israel s self-righteousness and self-sufficiency tur ns this people from God, trusting in themselves for righteousness, strength, and eternal life. In His grace, God brings the nation Israel into the most terrible time of their national existence to press them beyond the limits of their power , wisdom, and strength and to turn them to Himself for salvation. Before we can be saved, we must be broken. We must cease to trust in ourselves a nd cast ourselves upon God. We must recognize our deeds of righteousness as filt hy rags and receive the righteousness of God, which God provided in the person o f His son, Jesus Christ (see Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:19-26; Titus 3:5-7). Before w e can be used of God, we must cease to trust in our own strength and wisdom, and turn to Him in our weakness for the strength He provides (Romans 12:1-8; 2 Cori nthians 3:1-8; 4:7-15). The breaking of Israel s power takes place through a very painful process, as does the bringing about of new life in the pains of labor. The goodness and grace of God is seen in both. God graciously stops this self-righteous, self-sufficient people in their tracks, breaks all their power, and then turns them to Himself f or salvation. Such is the way God has always worked with men. Such is the way He has worked and does work in us. And so it will be with Israel in the day of her deliverance.

Three-and-a-half years is the measure of Israel s s long to break this people, shatter their power, Messiah whom they have rejected. Three-and-a-half d s severity, but the measure of Israel s sin and The Outcome of Israel s Distress (12:8-13)

stubborn and turn years is of God s

unbelief. God takes thi them to faith in the not the measure of Go patience.

8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, My lord, what will be t he outcome of these events? 9 And he said, Go your way, Daniel, for these words ar e concealed and sealed up until the end time. 10 Many will be purged, purified a nd refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will unders tand, but those who have insight will understand. 11 And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, the re will be 1,290 days. 12 How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! 13 But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age. In chapter 10, we were told that Daniel understood the message and had an underst anding of the vision (verse 1). I do not think this meant he understood everythin g concerning the future, but he did have a general grasp of the prophetic progra m of God and of its meaning and message for him (unlike previous revelations he received). As a result of the vision and revelation of chapters 10-12, Daniel un derstood all he needed to know about the future. As I understand the words of Da niel 10:1, they refer to Daniel s understanding after the vision was given and the message was conveyed and explained. Daniel s understanding came not at the beginn ing but at the end of the process. From Daniel s question in verse 8, it is clear he did not yet understand where the prophetic program of God was going, and so he asked, My lord, what will be the o utcome of these events? The answer Daniel is given in verse 9 seems to be a gentl e refusal to supply the information he requested. It is as though he were told, T hat s really none of your concern, Daniel, for these things will take place in the distant future, long after your death. What you have asked needs only to be rev ealed to those who live in those last days. What Daniel needs to know is that the time of Israel s suffering will have a two-f old effect. Those who are righteous will be purged and purified by their sufferi ng, prepared for the coming of the King and His kingdom (compare 1 Peter 1:6-7). Those who are wicked will not understand what God is doing, and they will persi st in their sin, awaiting the day of their judgment (compare 2 Thessalonians 2:8 -12; Revelation 22:11). While the wicked will blindly pursue the same course of sin, those who have insight will understand and see the hand of God divinely gui ding the course of human history in such a way as to fulfill His purposes and pr omises. Verse 11 reveals one more detail: the period between the time the regular sacrif ice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up will be 1,290 days. Those will be truly blessed118 who persevere throughout these 1,290 difficult d ays, from the time the regular sacrifice is stopped until the abomination of des olation, and then the 45 additional days (1,290 + 45 = 1,335) until the evil horn is destroyed and the kingdom of God comes). While the specifics of God s plan for the future will remain a mystery to Daniel a nd to us, God does not leave Daniel in doubt as to the implications of prophecy for this Old Testament saint. The final verse of the chapter and of the Book of Daniel spell out the hope of Daniel and every Old and New Testament saint: 13 But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.

The first words spoken to Daniel in verse 13 should set the standard for every C hristian. Daniel s death was surely not very far away in time. The day of his depa rture was near, yet he was encouraged to go his way; he was to keep on just as he had been. I wonder how many of us could be told the same thing. As the day of ou r death or the day of our Lord s return draws near, is there anything we would wis h to change? I know many changes are needed in my life. But from the first chapt er of Daniel through all those many years of his bondage and service in captivit y, Daniel remained faithful. He did not need to change as death drew near, for h e had lived all of his life in the light of eternity and of his glorious hope in the God of Israel. His death would be the entrance into his rest. His hope was that he would rise fro m the grave to receive the blessings which God had promised. The prophecies of G od s Word, in which Daniel found courage and comfort, were certain because he woul d rise from the dead to receive his allotted portion at the end of the age. Conclusion Daniel 12 brings us to the crowning revelation of the Book of Daniel, the doctri ne on which the Christian hope rests: the doctrine of the resurrection of the de ad. Early in the Book of Daniel the subject of the promised kingdom of God is in troduced. In Nebuchadnezzar s dream, recorded in chapter 2, the mysterious stone fa shioned without human hands strikes the statue, putting an end to temporal kingdo ms and commencing the eternal kingdom. The stone is none other than the promised M essiah, whose coming will terminate earthly kingdoms and inaugurate the kingdom of God. In Daniel s vision of chapter 7, the same four Gentile kingdoms seem to be in view as described in chapter 2. The four metals of chapter 2 are replaced by the fou r beasts of chapter 7. In chapter 7, a new element of prophecy is introduced in Daniel the little horn who boasts (verses 8 and 20), speaks against the Most High (v erse 25), and successfully opposes God and His saints (verses 21, 25). Now the s uccess of the little horn and the suffering of the saints is shown to precede the coming of the kingdom of God, when the little horn is destroyed and the promised k ingdom is granted to the saints (verses 9-12, 22, 26-27). In Daniel s vision of chapter 8, the little horn of this vision extends his kingdom toward the Beautiful Land (verse 9), overcomes some of the host of heaven (verse 1 0), and exalts himself as though he were equal with the commander of the host (ver se 11). He also removes the regular sacrifice (verse 12) and tramples the holy p lace (verse 13). It will be 2,300 evenings and mornings until the holy place is properly restored. Once again, the coming of the kingdom of God will take place only after the rise and success of a wicked but powerful king who opposes God an d His saints and defiles the holy place. In Daniel 9:24-27, the nation Israel and her Messiah are in view when the time o f the first coming of Messiah is predicted, the timing being reckoned from the t ime the decree to return to Israel and to restore the temple is issued. After th e Messiah is cut off, a time of great tribulation is foretold along with a prophec y concerning the timing of the abomination of desolation. In chapter 11, another reference is made to the coming of the antichrist, the te rmination of the regular sacrifice, and the abomination of desolation (verses 29 -35). As a result of the reign of this evil king, many of the saints will be per secuted and some will die: And those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for many days (Daniel 11:33).

Any hope for Israel and for the saints must be a hope which extends beyond the g rave. The hope of the Old Testament saint required the resurrection of the dead. The faith of the Old Testament saints included the assurance of resurrection: 25 And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. 26 Even after my skin is flayed, yet without my flesh I sha ll see God (Job 19:25-26). 19 Your dead will live; their corpses will rise, you will lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will g ive birth to the departed spirits (Isaiah 26:19) 14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death. O Death, where are your thorns? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion will be h idden from My sight (Hosea 13:14). 16 For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is t he father of us all, 17 (as it is written, A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE Y OU ) in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead an d calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believe d, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that whi ch had been spoken, SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE. 19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hun dred years old, and the deadness of Sarah s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the prom ise of God, he did not waiver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glor y to God, 21 and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore also IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23 Now n ot for his sake only was it written, that IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM, 24 but for our s ake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Je sus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered up because of our transgress ions, and was raised because of our justification (Romans 4:16-25). 13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were s trangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been th inking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly on e. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a ci ty for them; 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he w ho had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED. 19 He considered that Go d is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to co me. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dyin g, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones (Hebrews 11:13-22). While the Old Testament saint trusted in God to raise them from the dead, so tha t they could receive the promised blessings, they did not grasp as fully that th eir resurrection from the dead would be the result of the death and resurrection of Messiah. This was promised in the Old Testament and declared to be fulfilled in the New: 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a l amb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearer s, So He did not open His mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away;

And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land o f the living, For the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? 9 H is grave was assigned to be with wicked men, Yet with a rich man in His death; A lthough He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. 10 But t he LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himse lf as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11 As a result of the a nguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righte ous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the bo oty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered wi th the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for th e transgressors (Isaiah 53:7-12). 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell se curely. 10 For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt Thou allow T hy Holy One to see the pit (Psalm 16:9-10). 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:5). 14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also pa rtook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives (Hebrews 2:14-15). The prophet Daniel was indeed a godly man. From the first time we are introduced to him as a young lad in chapter 1 to the time of his approaching death in chap ter 12, Daniel was a man who was faithful to his God. He faced death on several occasions, but he did not deny his faith or convictions. He prayed for his peopl e, and for their restoration, only to learn that the day of Israel s restoration w as a distant one, one that would come long after his death. In God s final revelation to this great prophet, He spelled out the way in which t he triumph of evil men, and the suffering of the saints and the holy people, con tributed to the fulfillment of God s plans and promises. Beyond this, He assured D aniel that he, along with all mankind, would be raised from the dead to receive either eternal life or eternal contempt. The resurrection of the dead was a logi cal necessity, in order for divine prophecy to be fulfilled. The resurrection of the dead is the truth which God withheld in Daniel until the final chapter. The certain hope of the resurrection of the dead is the basis for godly living, even in times when godliness brings persecution. The saints are encouraged to li ve godly lives because they know that even if they are killed for their faith, G od will raise them from the dead to give them their allotted portion at the end of the age. They are also encouraged when they see wicked men persecuting the ri ghteous and seemingly getting away with it, for these men will be raised from th e dead as well to stand before the Sovereign God of the universe and to give acc ount. What better truth to end the prophecy of Daniel than that of the resurrection fr om the dead! For the saint, the doctrine of the resurrection is the basis for ou r hope. For the sinner, the doctrine of the resurrection is the basis for fear a nd for repentance. When you face the reality of death, my friend, will it be with hope or with fear ? The answer to this question has much to suggest concerning your relationship w ith Jesus Christ. May you trust in Him for eternal life, before and beyond the g rave.

25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me s hall live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall ne ver die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26). 8 But what does it say? THE WORLD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your m outh Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousn ess, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (Romans 10:8-10). 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will H e not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge agains t God s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Chris t Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Chris t? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or p eril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, FOR THY SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED. 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things presen t, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creat ed thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39). Chapter 12: Questions and Answers (1) How does the time period in which Michael arises (12:1) relate to the preced ing context? What is the relationship between Michael and the time of distress r eferred to in verse 1? According to Daniel 12:1, it is at that time that Michael arises. From chapter 11 we know that that time is the period of the end time (11:40) when the king of the N orth engages the king of the South militarily, and when the king of the North is very successful. Rumors from the East and the North reach him, and he becomes very h ostile and aggressive, destroying and annihilating many (11:44). At this time, t he king of the North will encamp his troops between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain (11:45), and then Michael will arise. In the first half of verse 1, we are told that Michael arises. In the second hal f of this same verse, we are told that the time of Israel s great tribulation begi ns. It is almost unavoidable to conclude that Michael s rising is the reason for t he commencement of the Great Tribulation. Just as the angel s rising (so to speak) i n response to Daniel s prayer precipitated angelic conflict (10:12-13), so Michael s rising precipitates the heavenly and earthly conflict of the Tribulation. In a si milar way, our Lord s coming to earth also precipitated demonic opposition and con flict. (2) According to verse 1, who will be rescued, and from what will they be rescue d? Is there any clue in the text as to how will they be rescued? In verse 1, Daniel is specifically assured that his people (literally your people ) w ould be rescued. This statement is then given the additional clarification, every one who is found written in the book. There are some who take this to mean that t he tribula- tion affects only the Jews and that only believing Jews will be resc ued. While this is possible, other biblical texts may inform us that it is only the believer, Jew or Gentile, who is a true Israelite (see Romans 4:16; Galatian s 3:29). The rescue of verse 1 seems to be described largely in terms of the resurrection i

n verses 2 and 3. It would seem that many will be put to death because faith in Messiah, and that the rescue of these can only be by means of ion. There is another aspect of divine rescue in that the Messiah will will defeat and destroy the king of the North and His opponents, but seem to be the focus of this chapter.

of their resurrect come and this does not

(3) Compare Daniel 12:2 with Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40. What was the hope of the O ld Testament saint? Does the hope of the Old Testament saint differ substantiall y from that of the New Testament believer? In Hebrews 11, the faith of the Old Testament saint is spoken of as a resurrecti on faith. Every Old Testament saint died without having received the promise, an d thus they came to understand by faith that the greatest blessings promised by God were not earthly, but heavenly, not temporal, but eternal, and that they wou ld receive these promised blessings after their death at the resurrection. The r esurrection faith of the Old Testament saint can be seen in Genesis 22:1-20 (esp ecially verse 5); Job 19:25-26; Psalm 16:9-10; Isaiah 26:19; Hosea 13:14. (4) What is the hope described in Daniel 12:3? This verse describes the believer s hope of heavenly rewards. Those who have insig ht, and by it are encouraged to let their lights shine in the midst of opposition and persecution, will shine even more brightly in heaven. Heavenly rewards are h ere, as elsewhere, linked to earthly faithfulness and service. (5) In verse 4, what was Daniel commanded to do, and why? Verse 4 is puzzling. In the first half of the verse, Daniel is told to seal up t he book of revelation he has received and to conceal the words he has been told. These words have been given for the benefit of those who live in the end time. The last half of the verse describes the end times as having a great increase in knowledge but lacking stability or direction. The increase of knowledge in the last days will not produce righteousness nor will it serve as a guiding light. T he revelation Daniel has been given will do so for those who have insight. The B ook of Daniel will be a guiding light for those with insight in the last days. (6) What is the difference between the insight of verse 4? of verses 3 and 10 and the knowledge

The answer to this question comes more from inference than from direct statement s in this text. A number of other biblical texts speak to this matter. As I unde rstand it, insight comes only to believers, who have and heed the Word of God, and who also benefit from the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Knowledge is that informat ion available to all, which most often does not originate from Scripture or from the Spirit. Insight is that God-given understanding of what is happening, and how this is bein g used of God to achieve His overall plan and purpose. Knowledge is the assimila tion of facts and information, but without the ability to see beyond that which is material, physical, and temporal to that which is spiritual and eternal. A br illiant scientist may have great knowledge, while a manual laborer with little e ducation may have great God-given insight. Knowledge has given us the atomic bom b and a vast arsenal of lethal weapons, but it has not given us world peace. (7) What is the message of verses 5-7? Why the emphasis of these three verses? W hat was to happen during the time specified, and why? The question raised relates to the length of time God s people will suffer in the tribulation period. It is not raised by Daniel but by one of the angels. It is a nswered, as I understand it, by our glorified Lord who is described in Daniel 10

:5-6. The Lord swears by Him who lives forever. h the God who lives forever. The emphasis is not ime of suffering but on its purpose. Its purpose oly people, so that they will cease to trust in

Our hope of resurrection rests wit so much on the length of this t is to shatter the power of the h themselves and will turn to God.

(8) In verses 8-13, what is Daniel s question, why is it asked, and how is it answ ered? The question Daniel asked inquired as to the outcome of all these amazing and pe rplexing events (which he calls wonders ). The outcome of this suffering (as with a ll suffering and adversity) is two-fold. Some will be purged and purified, prepa red for the glory of God s coming kingdom. Some will be undaunted by it, continuin g on in their sin until the time of their judgment. This is consistent with the teaching of 2 Thessalonians 2:11-13 and Revelation 22:11. (9) What is the relationship between the doctrine of the resurrection and prophe cy? Prophecy is the declaration of God s purposes and promises. Some prophecies have a lready been fulfilled, giving us hope and confidence that the remainder of His p romises will also be fulfilled. Some prophecy may be fulfilled in our own lifeti me. But most of the prophecies which remain unfulfilled will likely be fulfilled after our death. The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is fundamental to the Christian s hop e and to the literal fulfillment of the prophecies of God. The resurrection of o ur Lord is the first-fruits of the full and final resurrection of all men, who wil l receive rewards or recompense from the Righteous Judge. Without the resurrecti on, there is no prophetic hope. It is little wonder that the Book of Daniel conc ludes with this comforting doctrine and that God assures Daniel of the truth of this doctrine shortly before his death. 113 The first attack of the king of the North against the king of the South is recor ded in verses 25-28. It is a successful military campaign. The second attack is his return, recorded in verses 29-39. This campaign is successfully resisted, an d the king of the North must retreat in humiliation, taking out his vengeance on I srael as he draws back. His final conflict with the king of the South is recorded in verses 40-42 along with other victories. This last campaign leaves the king of the North encamped between the sea and the beautiful Holy Mountain (verse 45). 114 See also Jude 9; Revelation 12:7. 115 For the Old Testament teaching on the time of the Great Tribulation, see Deu teronomy 4:30; Jeremiah 30:4-8; Daniel 9:27; 11:40-45; Zechariah 13:7-9. See als o Matthew 24:15, 21-22. 116 For references to the book see Daniel 7:10; 10:21; Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 69:2 8; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:15; 21:27. 117 Whereas it was usual to lift one s hand (singular) in taking an oath (Gn. 14:22 ; Ex. 6:8; [Deut. 32:40]; Ezk. 20:5), here the heavenly messenger raised both hi s right hand and his left hand toward heaven, as the more complete guarantee of t he truth of what is about to be affirmed. Cambridge Bible: The Book of Daniel, by S. R. Driver, p. 204, as cited by Joyce Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Com mentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 207. 118 There are several specific, but different, time indicators in the Book of Da niel. In Daniel 7:25 we are told that they (apparently the Jewish saints) will be given into the hand of the antichrist for a time, times, and half a time. In Danie l 8:14 we learn that there will be 2,300 evenings and mornings from the time the r

egular sacrifice is stopped until the time when the holy place is restored. In D aniel 12:7 we are again told that it will be a time, times, and half a time until the end of these wonders. In Daniel 12:11, we read that there will be 1,290 days f rom the time the regular sacrifice is stopped until the abomination of desolatio n, and in Daniel 12:12 it is 1335 days (45 additional days) until the time of bl essing for the saints who endure. I do not believe that we can expect to explain the differences between these time indicators until all of the events have take n place. ------------------------------THE FOUR BEASTS VISION 4 beasts - lion, bear, leopard Daniel Chapter 7 4 Beasts from the Sea 4th beast, 10 horns

The 4 beasts vision of Daniel chapter 7 are commonly explained as follows: Lion Bear Leopard 4th Beast = = = = Babylonian Empire Medo-Persian Empire Greek Empire Roman Empire beasts prophecy is easily derived. In fact anyone with a basic grasp of history (or of easily reached this arrangement as soon as the scene (more than 2,100 years ago).

This explanation of the four it is so easily derived that Daniel chapter 8) could have the Roman Empire appeared on

Nevertheless, Daniel 12:4 & 9 indicate that the true meaning of all Daniel's prophecies were 'shut up' and 'sealed'. Hidden from view until 'the time of the end'. Scholars, have is seems, been blinded to the fact that the Daniel 7 prophecy and its supplied interpretation (Dan 7:15-27) were disguising a more important deeper meaning. The surface teaching, presenting a progression of 4 kingdoms of mankind, was hiding a documenting of the progression of God's kingdoms. The need to correctly identifying God's intended meaning for Daniel chapter 7 can be more readily realised when one stops to consider that the 7 heads presented (lion 1, bear 1, leopard 4, last beast 1) are likely to correspond to the 7 heads of the Dragon and/or the 7 heads of the Scarlet Beast (refer to Revelation chapters 12 & 17). To help us understand God's deeper teaching for the Daniel 7 prophecy it is necessary to consider how it starts; Dan 7:2 :3 ... the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.

THE GREAT SEA Most tend to read this and envisage a literal 'Great Sea'. However, it refers to a biblical sea, a sea also symbolized by the bronze sea located in the temple built by Solomon.

Great Sea - bronze sea 1King 7:23 And he made the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits from one brim to the other; it was completely round. Its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. :24 Below its brim were ornamental buds encircling it all around, ten to a cubit, all the way around the Sea. The ornamental buds were cast in two rows when it was cast. :25 It stood on twelve oxen: three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; the Sea was set upon them, and all their back parts pointed inward. :26 It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was shaped like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It contained two thousand baths. :39 ... He set the Sea on the right side of the house, toward the southeast. This bronze sea was placed upon 12 bronze oxen. Oxen which faced toward the four directions of heaven; north, west, south and east. Three oxen facing each direction. [ NB: The arrangement of the oxen mimics that of the 12 tribes of the children of Israel, which were to stand 3 tribes in each direction around the tabernacle of meeting. Refer, Numbers chapter 2. ] GREAT SEA CONCLUSION - The great sea represents the multitude of people supported by the national structure of the 12 tribes. (Note, Jude 13 where 'raging waves of the sea' represents people. Also in Rev 17:15 we observe the symbol 'waters' used to represent groups of people.) Therefore, this implies the four beasts which arise from this Great Sea, arise out of Israel! To try and identify the four beasts, one has to reflect upon the biblical history of Israel and also consider other relevant prophecies.

1ST BEAST - LION lion - 1st beast The first beast is presented in 2 forms: - like a lion with eagle's wings - like a lion standing on 2 feet with the heart of a man. The first form emphasizes strength and movement. The promises made initially by God to Abraham and Isaac were the source of the strength of Jacob and his descendants. The main thrust of the eagle symbolism is the journeying of the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land. Exod 19:4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.

The second form of the lion focuses upon the time immediately following the settlement of the children of Israel in the Promised Land. The eagle wings were removed from the lion and it was made to stand on two feet (presumably both sides of the river Jordan). A man's heart was given to the lion, symbolizing a heart which was soft, but also a heart which could become hard and rebel against God.

2ND BEAST - BEAR bear - 3rd beast The second beast is like a bear raised up on one side with 3 ribs in its mouth. It was told to devour much meat. This is the second form of Israel. The imagery presented may be viewed as either, 1) The nation of Israel after the crowning of the first human king. In this case the two sides of the bear would reflect the later division of this bear into the 'house of Israel' and the 'house of Judah'. The majority of the tribes of Israel, ten tribes (1Kings 11:31), being aligned with the house of Israel. The 3 ribs would represent the initial three kings (Saul, David and Solomon) who reigned over Israel while it was still united. (When Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, became king the nation divided. Refer 1Kings 12:1-19.) The devouring of much meat may pertain either to the consuming of much of the word of God, particularly during the reigns of David and Solomon, or the warfare which took place between

Judah and Israel. 2) The nation of Israel after the division. Again the two sides of the bear would represent the 'house of Israel' and the 'house of Judah'. In this case though the 3 ribs in the mouth of the bear would represent the weaker house of Judah, which was composed of 3 tribes; Judah, Benjamin and Levi (1Kings 12:21, 2Chron 11:14).

3RD BEAST - LEOPARD leopard - 3rd beast The third beast was like a leopard and had 4 bird wings and 4 heads. Dominion was given to it. [ NB: It may be thought that this beast should be shown with four pairs of wings, because of the four heads. However, it can be seen from other examples that wings are counted individually, refer Isa 6:2, Ezek 1:6, Rev 4:8 & 12:14. ] The four headed leopard form suggests this kingdom of Israel came quickly on the scene and manifested itself as four entities. [ NB: The identification of this entity is influenced by the need to have this 3rd kingdom arise prior to the appearance of the 'leopard/bear/lion' composite beast described in chapter 13 of Revelation, verses 1-3. ] These factors suggest this beast is a representation of the kingdom established by King Josiah. While Josiah was crowned the king of Judah, he also exerted his authority over the land formerly occupied by the house of Israel. Refer, 2Chr 34:6-7. The arrival of King Josiah was predicted some 300 years before his birth. 1Kings 13:2 Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, "O altar, altar! Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men's bones shall be burned on you'". Following the death of Josiah, four of his descendants reigned as kings and they each experienced captivity in a foreign land. These were; 1) 2) 3) 4) Jehoahaz (2Kings 23:31-34) Eliakim renamed Jehoiakim (2Kings 23:34, 2Chr 36:6) Jehoiachin also named Coniah (2Kings 24:8,12) Mattaniah renamed Zedekiah (2Kings 24:17,25:7).

This beast is presented with two pairs of bird like wings, because these four kings were all carried off as captives to either Babylon or Egypt. The line of Zerubbabel, who led the return from captivity, was traced traced through King Jehoiachin (refer Matt 1:11-16.) It was through Zerubbabel and later descendants that the life of this kingdom was preserved.

4TH BEAST - 10 HORNS 10 Horns - 4th beast The last beast was dreadful, terrible and strong and possessed huge iron teeth. With these teeth and its feet it was devouring, breaking and trampling what was left. This beast is described as taking 2 forms: - ten horns - seven horns and a little horn. 10 HORNS This 4th beast is initially introduced with the comment, "I saw in the night visions" (Dan 7:7). Daniel had already documented in Dan 7:1-2 that the vision came to him by night, so this later comment suggests the beginning of a period of end-time spiritual darkening. This 10 horn entity is described as having teeth of iron and nails of bronze. This suggests the presence of elements of the 3rd and 4th parts of the Daniel chapter 2 statue. The first 3 horns appear to portray the Jewish faith - a reflection of the three divisions of Levi who attended the tabernacle, Numbers 3:17, 25-26,30-31,36-37. The latter 7 horns, the Christian faith - a reflection of the seven lampstands amongst which the Son of Man stands, Rev 1:12-13, and the 7 horns of the Christ lamb, Rev 6:6. This union of 10 kings/kingdoms sets about verbally attacking other smaller non-aligned church groups desiring to teach the word of God. So in summary, this 4th beast appears of denominations, which join together organisation to represent God. These, will oppress and persecute dissenting to be a Jewish/Christian composite with the aim of becoming the only through the vehicle of this beast, groups.

7 HORNS + LITTLE HORN

The second stage of the 4th beast arises when the little horn appears on the scene and displaces the leaderships ('kings') of the first 3 horns. The period 'a month and a year' expires with the appearance of the little horn and the Great Tribulation begins. This little horn speaks great words and has eyes. These factors make him greater than the remaining 7 horns, Daniel 7:20. This little horn brings persecution upon the saints for the symbolic duration of '3.5 times' (Dan 7:25).

little horn The symbolic displacing of the 3 horns by the little horn represents Satan gaining control of the Jewish faith. A number of other prophecies portray this event as the end-time fall of Jerusalem. The Satanic entity accomplishes this victory with the assistance of the 'armies' of the seven Christian leaderships and so the ancient desire of the nations of Syria and Ephraim (house of Israel) is fulfilled. Isa 7:6 Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves, and set a king over them, the son of Tabel;

Upon the expiry of the period appointed for the rulership of the little horn, the 4th beast kingdom will be given to the saints of God. A SEASON AND A TIME To truly understand this Daniel 7 prophecy it is necessary to also consider the only time period provided. Dan 7:12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

- A Season and a Time 'SEASON' The word 'season' in the text is being used in an indefinite sense, rather than as a representation of 3 months. The word 'season' could therefore be equally rendered 'period' or 'interval'. 'TIME' The word 'time' is the same word found in Dan 4:16, where it is commonly considered to mean 'year'.

What span of time is being defined by 'a season and a time'? Obviously this period of prolonged life must begin with the removal of dominion from the 3rd kingdom. However, when this period expires is less apparent. Having already considered that the first 3 horns of the 4th beast are Jewish, suggests that this period of prolonged life ends when the 3 horns are removed by the little horn. There is an indication in the book of Zechariah that these three horns have a life-span of a symbolic 30 days. Zech 11:8 I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.

The period of a month or 30 days, is also mentioned twice in chapter 6 of the prior chapter, Daniel 6:7,12. In addition the period of a 'month' is mentioned adjacent to the term 'year' in; Rev 9:15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.

All these factors suggest the Daniel 7:12 'a season and a year' should be understood as 'a month and a year'. When one merges the teaching of Daniel 7 with Revelation 13 the following is implied; - 'month' = Daniel 7, life-span of 3 horns = Revelation 13, life-span of new image (verse 15) - 'year' = Daniel 7, gap between dominions of 3rd and 4th beasts = Revelation 13, mouth speaking '42 months' (verse 5)

FINAL COMMENT The teachings presented above reflect not only an entirely bible based solution (no inclusion of historical information sourced from non-biblical

sources), but also a perspective which one could describe as 'sealed' (Dan 12:4), ie not obvious from a surface reading of the text.

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