We have now come to the end of our amazing study of the book of Daniel. This post is titled, Prophecy of Daniel 12 Interpretation:Time of Trouble
Click here to go to the previous study – Prophecy of Daniel 11 Daniel Sees The End of the World Coming.
Prophecy of Daniel 12 Interpretation: Time of Trouble
Daniel 12:1: And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book.
“Michael” is Christ Himself. For Him to “stand up” means to begin to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. This we learn from considering the use of the words “stand up” in verse 2 of chapter 11, where we saw that three kings in Persia were yet to “stand up,” that is, reign.
When the “king of the north” comes to his end, Christ will begin His long awaited reign. Until now, He has continued His work as Mediator and High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. “At that time” which we are considering in this verse He will cease His work as Savior from sin, and become the mighty Judge of their enemies and Protector of His people. To wait until the “king of the north” comes to his end before we listen to the Savior is to wait until too late. The door of mercy which has remained open so long, will then swing shut forever.
When Christ ceases to intercede for guilty man, the Holy Spirit will be withdrawn. There is waiting now in the world such an explosive spirit of rebellion and pent-up wrath that people will be astounded beyond measure when the restraining influence of God’s Spirit is finally withdrawn. Then indeed will come a “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time.” Once in a while, even today, we catch little glimpses of the horror that can come when people reject the Spirit of God. This is but a foretaste of what the entire world will be given up to, when once the door is closed. Unbelieving people will be left to their own ways with no restraint.
Daniel 12: Salvation For Those Written in The Book.
“Thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Daniel’s people are God’s people, not of any one particular tribe, race, or nation, as the literal Jews, but those of “every nation, kindred, tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6). Their names have been retained “in the book,” because they have responded to the seeking love of Christ (Galatians 3:29).
This important “book” in which the names of God’s people have been written is the Lamb’s “book of life” (see Revelation 13:8). It is called the “book of life” because only those whose names are retained in it will receive the gift of eternal life. John tells us how he saw in vision that “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
And we must know, further, that our name will not be blotted out of that book. Jesus has warned us that to begin the Christian life is not enough. To “follow on,” to “keep the faith,” is what our Savior is concerned about. It is possible for one’s name to be “blotted out” of the book once it has been written there: “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment: and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels” (Revelation 3:5; see 22:19). We will be the happiest people in the universe when we hear Him “confess” our name.
Some have had their names blotted out of that book of life, although at one time they had their names written in it. There is Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, whom everyone knows about. Instead of overcoming his love of money, he permitted it to overcome him, until he sold the Son of God for thirty pieces of silver.
There is king Saul, who at times in his life felt the power of the Holy Spirit working upon his heart (see 1 Samuel 10:6; 19:23, 24). But later he gave in to jealousy and hatred, and rebelled against the Lord. He was eaten by jealousy of David until his heart was filled with an evil spirit. He died in his sin, without hope. There were Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, leaders in Israel, who rebelled against God and His chosen servant Moses (see Numbers 16), and others whose experiences are “written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of world are come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).
Before Jesus ceases His work as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, it must be determined whose name is to be retained in the book of life, and whose is to be blotted out. This has to be, because Jesus says, “I come quickly: and My reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:12).
How will these “rewards” be determined? There must be first an inquiry of all who have professed to serve God so their names have been at some time enrolled in the book of life. This is an investigative judgment. Some call it a “pre-Advent judgment,” because it must take place before Jesus returns to earth.
When it has been completed, “Michael” (another name for Christ), will “stand up” and begin to reign as King, no longer to serve as High Priest to grant forgiveness to the repentant sinner. The door of mercy which has stood open to the sinner so long, will then swing shut. Then will go forth the solemn decree, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Revelation 22:11). What we are, we will be, forever! (Scary? Then let’s be thankful verse 1 hasn’t been fulfilled, quite, yet).
Some among the dead will be judged righteous in this pre-Advent judgment. Jesus refers to them as being “accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection of the dead” (Luke 20:35). Some among the living will likewise be accounted righteous; Jesus refers to them whose names are retained in the book of life as those who will be “accounted worthy to … stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36). That means translation at His coming.
This is the judgment which Daniel saw in vision in chapter 7:9, 10, when the “Ancient of days did sit, … [and] thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: … and the books were opened.” This investigative judgment takes place while people are still living on the earth, for Jesus urges us to “watch and pray” while it’s going on, that we “may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36). This is carried on as part of the cleansing of the sanctuary, which (we learned in chapter 8) began in 1844 at the close of the 2300-year prophecy.
Not only is the book of life considered in this judgment, but there are other books that record all our words, acts, and even secret thoughts (see Malachi 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 3:5; Ecclesiastes 12:14). All these “secret things” will be revealed in the judgment, spread open to the gaze of “thousand thousands” of angels (and people), unless by repentance and confession we ask for forgiveness and “blotting out.”
Something must be “blotted out.” Either our names, as Jesus said they would be if we refuse to overcome; or our sins themselves must be blotted out.
Peter speaks of this time: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). The wise man says: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). At the cross of Christ, mercy and truth were met together, righteousness and peace kissed each other (Psalm 85:10). It is the blood of the crucified Jesus that washes away and “blots out” sins, which means two truths: first, the broken law has met in Him its legal substitution; and second, His love revealed in His sacrifice of Himself motivates us to a change of heart (Psalm 51:1, 2). “The Lamb of God … taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). More than a whitewash, it’s “taken away” from the heart.
This “taking away of sin,” “finishing the transgression,” “making an end of sins” (Daniel 9:24), is what is finally completely accomplished in the cleansing of the sanctuary. It is a work possible only because of the sacrifice of Jesus made on His cross. It has an effect on the hearts of God’s people on earth, because the books of heaven can never be cleansed of the record of our sins until first of all our hearts here on earth have been truly cleansed. Nothing else can make sense.
Those among the living who shall be “accounted worthy” when He comes will be those who “follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth,” in whose mouth is found no “guile,” who are “without fault before the throne” (Revelation 14:4, 5). To bring this about is what Christ died for on His cross.
Daniel 12:2: And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Two general resurrections will come: the first, that of those who died in faith, who will come forth at the second coming of Jesus (John 5:28, 29; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17); and the second, that of the unbelieving, who will come forth at the close of the one thousand years of Revelation 20 (verses 5, 7, and 8).
But this resurrection which the angel speaks of here is a special one. It comes before the second coming of Christ; it’s a mixed resurrection of good and evil people. We read about such a special resurrection in Revelation 1:7, where we learn that some of the people who actually crucified Christ will be among those on the earth who behold Him coming in the clouds of heaven in glory. Among them will be Caiaphas, whom Christ promised that he should see Him come in glory (Matthew 26:64). That promise must be kept! These eminently rebellious people will be given a special opportunity to see the glory of the One whom they hated and murdered. The Father won’t torture them physically; just looking will be torture enough. And it is fitting that some among the righteous dead should also be granted a special privilege of seeing the coming of their Lord and Savior.
Daniel 12:3: And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Those who are “wise” have often suffered in this world of evil. It costs something to live a life of faith. We forsake friends, wealth, property, ease, and comfort; sometimes relatives forsake us. We “bear the cross” with Jesus, suffer with Him, endure reproach and ridicule and loneliness, and privation, all with Him.
But who can say that it costs too much? Those who “turn many to righteousness,” who pour out their lives in self-sacrifice for the saving of others, will have an abundant reward beyond all counting.
It is Satan who would bewilder and confuse us. He says, “You cannot afford to make the sacrifice involved in keeping the Sabbath! You dare not stand alone in your family for the cross of Christ!” But the truth is that we gain infinitely more by standing for Jesus. We may lose a job, lose money, lose friends, possibly even (God forbid!) lose even a husband or wife or children or parents or property; but there comes an inheritance as everlasting as stars you see shine at night.
Let us not hesitate to pour out our lives in toil to help to finish God’s work on earth. “He that winneth souls is wise,” and it is the “wise” who shine forever and ever (Proverbs 11:30).
Daniel 12:4: But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Here is clear proof that the book of Daniel was to be opened and understood in the time of the end. Now there are no secrets “sealed” within it.
To “run to and fro” may refer to a unique searching of the book of Daniel in the time of the end, bringing “increased knowledge” of its message. Since the beginning of that “time of the end” in 1798, worldwide interest in Daniel has become intense.
This expression may also refer to the great increase of transport and scientific knowledge which has come at the same time as this increased knowledge of the Bible. Through unprecedented scientific inventions, the Lord has prepared the way for the proclamation of His last-day message. Practically no one is untouched by this, which U.S. News & World Report calls the “info explosion.” The commonest yet most astounding example is our instantaneous communication with nearly every person on planet earth through cell phones. Ordinary people of a generation or two ago could never have dreamed of them.
If one compares the 6000 years of human history to a single day between sunrise and sunset, mankind has slept the quiet sleep of bygone ages from sunrise to within twenty minutes of sunset, when suddenly, in that space of a few moments all these modern inventions have sprung into being.
Daniel 12:5-7: Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Daniel listens to this conversation between two angels and hears the same time prophecy mentioned that we saw in 7:25—”a time, times, and a half,” or three and one-half years of prophetic time. (Counting 360 days to a Bible year, we have a total of 1260 days. Each day standing for a year— see Ezekiel 4:6—we have a total of 1260 years.) During this time, the destroyer of God’s people has prospered in his evil work. Following the end of his supremacy there is only a comparatively short time until “all these things shall be finished.”
The book of Revelation unseals and explains Daniel. “The man clothed in linen” here reminds us of that “mighty angel” of Revelation who stood upon the sea and the earth and “lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever … that there should be time [delay] no longer: but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets [including Daniel!]” (Revelation 10:1-7). The Lord is speaking through these two books together.
Daniel 12:8-10: And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
The prophets often “inquired and searched diligently, … searching what, or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify. … Not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things” (1 Peter 1:11-12). We live in days they longed to see.
The Spirit of God chose to employ symbols in revealing the future to the “wise.” None others understand, or even desire to understand. Only the humble in heart “hunger and thirst after righteousness,” who earnestly seek the enlighten-merit of the Spirit of God, and thus are granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Can we not just now bow our heads in deep thankfulness to the Lord that He has seen fit to open to us this door of knowledge?
Daniel 12:11: And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand and two hundred and ninety days.
Last of all, the angel gives Daniel additional numerical evidence for the accuracy of his prophecies. Like the girders and cross-members bolted together to reinforce a heavy bridge, these time periods reinforce Daniel’s most important prophecies. The 1290 “days” are naturally to be understood as prophetic symbols, each day for a year, just as the 1260 days of Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 12:6.
We remember that the word “sacrifice” does not occur in the Hebrew words of this text, but has been supplied by translators who supposed it was required (see comments on chapter 8:13, 14; 11:31). The “daily” is a Hebrew term denoting the “continual” exercise of a self-exalting nature “in transgression,” the Hebrew word gadal, the evil thing that paganism was, which was taken away politically in order to set up a worse thing—”the abomination that maketh desolate.” We understand the meaning to be that the last organized resistance of paganism in Europe should be “taken away” that there should be no political opposition to the setting up of the power of the papacy to rule the world for 1260 years.
Paganism once ruled ancient Europe. Remnants of its superstitions abound in modern life. For example, our days of the week are named after pagan deities. Sunday as a day of worship is a remnant of ancient sun-worship. The belief in the immortality of the soul apart from Christ has been borrowed from paganism. Some other religious customs and holidays which have no foundation in the Bible but profess to be “Christian” can be traced to the same origin.
This political paganism was once a formidable power in Europe which seriously impeded the progress of the Roman church. The angel spoke of this situation in chapter 11:31. He now declared that from the time that paganism should be “taken away” as a political force in order to set up the papacy’s power, should be 1290 years—evidently to the time when the period of papal supremacy should come to an end. Subtracting 1290 from the year 1798 when the pope’s temporal power came to an end, we have the year 508.
At that time we see far-reaching changes taking place in European life. In 496, Clovis the king of the Franks (the kingdom which became France) was “converted” to the Roman Catholic faith. He immediately began to force his new-found “faith” on others. Though his pagan soldiers experienced no change in heart or conversion of character thereby, he ordered them all to march through a river and thus be “baptized.” Such a superficial profession of Christian faith was much more agreeable to the natural human heart than the faith of the Savior who said, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Clovis and his soldiers assumed a Christian name and profession.
The king of France was ever afterwards honored as the “most Christian” prince of Europe, and the “eldest son of the papacy.” Clovis’s baptism prepared the way for the dominance of a system of religion in Europe for 1260 years that had “a form of godliness” but denied “the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5). To this day, it is the custom of multitudes to make the same superficial exchange of the old paganism for an empty and powerless profession of Christianity. It knows no victory over the power of sin and love of self in the heart. Jesus said, “This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8, 9).
Whereas paganism was a “continual transgression,” such an empty profession of apostate Christianity is a more fatal “abomination that maketh desolate.”
A pagan person can be awakened to a sense of his need of a Savior from sin. but it is almost impossible to arouse the conscience and heart of a person who feels that his empty profession of Christ leaves him “in need of nothing” (Revelation 3:17). Multitudes who have been deceived by the “little horn,” “the abomination that maketh desolate,” remain as blind as the ancient Jews, having never learned to receive Christ into the heart as the only Sacrifice for sin and Savior from it.
The Lord has carefully drawn back the curtain in the book of Daniel and exposed the inner workings of the “mystery of iniquity.” His purpose is a gracious one—to enlighten and warn us to heed the voice of the True Shepherd.
Soon after his baptism in 496, Clovis began a series of wars to bring into subjection to the Roman church the last remnants of opposition among the non-Catholic kings of Europe. Early in 497 he began a campaign against the Visigoths, conquered them, and slew their king. In the year 508, Theodoric, the last remaining king opposed to the Roman faith, fought with Clovis. Though he seemed to have the advantage over Clovis by force of arms, he made peace with him for some strange reason. It was then that political paganism died. Thus Clovis and the Roman church emerged in that year as the undisputed masters of Europe. The way was clear for the complete setting up of the papacy 30 years later in 538 A.D.
Daniel 12:12, 13: Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
It is reasonable to consider that the 1335 “days” begin at the same time as the 1290 symbolic “days.” Adding 1335 years to 508 brings us to the year 1843. How can we consider that people living at that time were especially “blessed”? In what way did Daniel “stand in his lot” at that time?
We have seen in chapter 8:14 that the hour of God’s judgment began in 1844. It was then that the 2300 years came to an end. Then began the judgment-hour message to “every nation, kindred, tongue and people” of Revelation 14:6,7. Those who were living in that time—yes, we who are living today—are blessed above all people who have ever lived. “Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears for they hear,” said Jesus. “Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them” (Matthew 13:16, 17). This is the time for “the cleansing of the sanctuary.” We see the glorious fulfillment of the angel’s inspired prophecy. We see the miraculous, sudden “increase of knowledge.” Soon we shall also see the coming of Jesus in the clouds of heaven.
Daniel did not go to heaven as soon as he died, although he was certainly a saint by his life of faith. The angel told him that he would “rest” in his grave, until the “end be.” Then he would “stand in his lot” in the judgment when the names of all who have died professing faith in Christ would be called and considered. “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
But Daniel’s “lot” was assured. He had confessed his sins and forsaken them. All his life he had dwelt in the secret place of the Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). As a branch abides in the vine, he had abode in Christ, the Living Vine, through daily seeking after God, through study of His word, and earnest prayer. Everlasting life had begun in his heart as a well-spring of water of life springing up to refresh all around him. His death was only a sleep. He will be among those of whom the Savior speaks, “They … shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead” (Luke 20:35).
Daniel had no fear as he lay down to rest. His ‘works’ do follow him. We who live today have been wonderfully blessed through the study of this book. His words ‘are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come’. 1 Corinthians 10:11. It is God’s plan that we who are living in this ‘time of the end’ should see with our own eyes the setting up of that ‘kingdom which shall never be destroyed’, God’s kingdom of righteousness. Speaking of our time, Jesus said: ‘This generation shall no pass, till all these things be fulfilled.’ Mathew 24:34.
We, too, need have no fear as we face the future. If we humble our hearts and accept his message of truth, we shall share in Daniel’s reward.
Lord, how grateful we are for the priceless enlightenment of this book of inspired prophecy!
The stars that shine in the darkness overhead remind us how those who ‘turn many to righteousness’ will shine amid the darkness of our modern world that knows Thee not. We are constrained by the love of Christ to give not only our hearts, but our lives, to Thee. We are so thankful that Thou hast ordained that ‘the wise shall understand’. ‘Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.’ Psalm 119:34.
Purify us, and make us white, that we may ‘be found written in the book’, and have fellowship with Thee unto everlasting life.
We pray in the name of our dear Saviour. Amen.
Related Posts:
Prophecies of Daniel Chapter 10: Why Prayer Often Seems Unanswered
Daniel Chapter 9 Commentary: Daniel 9 Predicts Jesus’ Coming
Prophecy of Daniel Chap 8 Commentary – The Cleansing of The Sanctuary Pt.2
Daniel 2 Commentary and Bible study – William H Shea
Who Is The King of The North in Daniel 11 – Dwight Nelson Sermon
Prophecy of Daniel 12 Interpretation Video
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