To the End of Time

Daniel 12:1-13 (The angel continued) “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” 5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?” 7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.” 8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” 9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. 11 From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. 13 “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”
 
FOR 11 chapters, Daniel has revealed to us God’s sovereign authority to ordain all that occurs in heaven and on earth. The LORD God showed earthly kingdoms and specific people who would reign under evil’s influence and power. This view of Israel’s history also points to the continuing history of conflict. Satan’s deadly influence will infect the world until Jesus Christ comes again to establish his eternal kingdom. This final chapter points to that kingdom. You could say Daniel 12 is a mini-Revelation. The images and language are the same.
    Frist, with “everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered” we also read in Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.”
    The angel-like two men are as the two witnesses in Revelation 11:6 These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
     There is also the heavenly question: Revelation 6:10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
    Again comes the reply: Revelation 11:3 “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 
    Then see how the scroll, closed in Daniel’s vision is opened in Revelation 5:5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
    Remember that much of Revelation points to Rome’s persecution of the church in the apostle John’s time. In the same way, nearly all of Daniel describes the Jews’ persecution for about 400 years. Both books then advance the prophecies to Jesus’ return.
    Underscoring Daniel’s conclusion is that there is a time to wait until the Lord fulfills his purposes. Time, times and half a time are God’s definition of different periods of waiting, persecution and retribution. Let’s not spend so much time attempting to decide the details. Let’s focus, though, on God’s sure plan for the future.
    Earthly kingdoms will come and go. The Heavenly Kingdom is forever. The condemned will perish. The saved will live.
    Be as Daniel – faithful to live each day for God, prepared each day to hear and live God’s holy Word.  
 
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
      
 
We will return in early December – time to celebrate Jesus’ first advent and anticipate his second.