The Book of Daniel: Chapter 12

Chapter 12:1
{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 at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

"And at that time." This refers to the events mentioned in chapter 11:40-45. "Michael stand, the great prince with standeth for the children of thy people." Calvin applied the expression "great prince" to Christ. However we see that Michael as the representative of Christ is the valiant warrior who comes to protect God’s people. Michael, who is mentioned here, is called the archangel in Jude verse nine. The only place where he is named in the Old Testament is in the book of Daniel. He is the first of the "four presences that stand before God." Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel or Phanuel. This is according to Jewish angelology as seen in some of the apocryphal books. In other writings, the number is given as 12. Michael seems to function especially in the capacity of messenger and defender to the Jews. "And there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation." Daniel spoke of a time of distress which should come which would somehow be different from any that the world had ever seen before. This could not simply refer to the type of suffering, for man has experienced every known form of suffering. There have been earthquakes, floods, famines, diseases, wars, and many other judgments upon man. God’s children have gone thru many types of suffering and torture. Some have been burned alive, buried alive, pulled apart, sawn asunder, beheaded, skinned alive, thrown to the wild beasts, and every other form of cruel treatment that man is able to devise. Therefore, this distress cannot simply be a particular kind, but it must be of such a nature as to be most severe and universal in its character. "And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. The period that is mentioned here is commonly referred to as the great tribulation. This is the time when God will pour out his wrath upon the world and the suffering will be so intense and universal that a man will cry out for the mountains to fall upon him, for there will be no hiding place. But God will watch over those who belong to Him. One could get into a great debate as to how a man’s name is written in the book mentioned here. However, we know that the deliverance from God’s wrath has always come to man through God’s mercy as a result of man’s faith in God. It seems only logical therefore that these are individuals who have by faith in Christ received the mercy of God during the tribulation. Since this prophecy is primarily Jewish in nature, as seen from the church period being omitted during the seventy weeks, the individuals referred to here are primarily Jewish converts. However, we notice in Revelation 7:9 that others will be saved also. There are those who claim that the church will be on earth when this time of trouble comes upon the earth: however this great tribulation comes in the seventieth week of the seventy weeks and this seventieth week does not begin until the true church has left this earth.

Chapter 12:2
{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.

"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake." This verse has a striking resemblance to Revelation 20:4,5 "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." There will be a resurrection following the great tribulation for those who will live and reign with Christ during the millennium, but the ungodly shall be resurrected following the millennium as seen in Revelation 20:5

Chapter 12:3
{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.

This verse speaks of the reward to God’s faithful servants. They will occupy a special place in the kingdom as seen by the expression "shine as the stars forever and ever."

Chapter 12:4
{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.

Daniel was instructed to "shut up": this means to "guard or preserve" the words. He was told to "seal the book." This also carries the idea of preserving the book. Daniel was to seal up the book until the end time so that many men may be able to read them and gain understanding from them. Daniel is warned that many men will run to and fro in search of knowledge, but thy shall not find it.

Chapter 12:5-13
{5} 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. {6} 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? {7} 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. {8} And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? {9} And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. {10} 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. {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 two hundred and ninety days. {12} Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. {13} But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Then Daniel beheld two others who appeared in addition to the one who had been giving the revelation to Daniel. The stream was the Tigris , and one angel was on one shore while the second was on the opposite shore. "One said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river." One of the two new angels spoke. It was probably the one which was on the same side of the river as Daniel, for he was able to hear him speak. The fact that this individual is clothed in linen indicates that he serves in some priestly capacity. This would seem to indicate a physical appearance of Christ. The angel asked how long it would be to the "end of these wonders." This refers to the great distress and resurrection mentioned in verses one through three. The answer is given as "a time, times, and an half." This refers to the last 3 1/2 years of the seventieth week. In verses eleven and twelve, the days mentioned are literal days. The great tribulation lasts 1290 days, but the Lord will be manifested at the close of the great tribulation of 1260 days. The extra month will undoubtedly be for special judgments to overthrow the nations which came against Jerusalem. But 1335 days after the abomination had been set up in Jerusalem, the full blessing for Israel will come in the establishment of the glorious rule of Israel’s king.