Bible Study: Daniel 12
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good Morning
Let’s share any Prayer Requests and Praises Reports.
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Let’s pray
Text: Daniel 12:1-4
Text: Daniel 12:1-4
1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
In verse 1 the phrase “that time” is referencing what we previously covered in Daniel 11:36-45.
This period is regarding the time of the rise of the final Antichrist and his actions during the final tribulation period.
During that time, Michael the archangel, who was previously mentioned in Daniel 10, ministers with special attention to protecting Israel.
The phrase “Your people” is referencing Daniel’s fellow Israelite people.
They are able to have hope despite the distress and horror of the Great Tribulation.
The Great Tribulation is described like this in Matthew 24:21:
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
However, during the last days the Jews will finally come to the proper understanding that Jesus is the Messiah.
This means they will be delivered during these harsh times and find their names written in “The book.”
That is the Book of Life which lists every name of God’s elect who are predestined to be saved.
Consider what it says in Malachi 3:16-4:3 as it directly relates to this:
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.
17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.
18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.
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In verse 2 we see the two groups of people who will arise from death.
As John 5:27-29 says:
27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice
29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
So, those of who are in Christ will rise to eternal life...
However, the rest of the world...
The unregenerated and unsaved will rise to eternal torment.
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In verse 3 the phrase “those who are wise” or as some translations render it as “those who have insight” are those who have a true knowledge of God and Hid Word...
They put their faith in god’s truth.
To “shine” in glory is a privilege of all the saved...
We see this principle in verses like 1 Thessalonians 2:12:
12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
And and in 1 Peter 5:10:
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Any who influence others for righteousness in their life will shine like stars in varying capacities of light as their reward.
Consider what it says in 1 Corinthians 3:8 for example:
8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.
So, although good works don’t save us...
They don’t get us into heaven...
The good works we do will come under judgement and works that stand up to the purging fire will result in rewards for us in our eternal life as we live forever in the new Jerusalem.
So, put another way...
The faithfulness of the believer’s witness will determine one’s eternal capacity to reflect God’s glory.
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In verse 4 the phrase “the time of the end” or “the end of time” refers to the 70th week of tribulation mentioned in Daniel 11.
The phrase “shall run to and fro” or “go back and forth” is in the Hebrew verb form and always refers to the movement of a person searching for something.
So, in the tribulation, people will search for answers to the devastation and the wise will discover increased knowledge through God’s Word.
The statement “seal the book” is about how sealing the book preserves it unaltered as it awaits fulfillment.
The wise know where to find this wisdom, while the foolish “run to and fro” seeking answers in vain.
Consider Amos 8:12:
12 They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.
Text: Daniel 12:5-7
Text: Daniel 12:5-7
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream.
6 And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?”
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.
In verse 5 the “two others” are two angels.
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In verse 6 we witness Daniel and his angelic companion addressing two related questions to the divine messenger clothed in linen.
The angel’s question is a reminder that a heavenly audience is watching with interest the unfolding earthly drama.
Additionally, these are the key questions that are asked by those suffering under extreme persecution, and what follows answers these questions.
The first question is “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?”
The answer to this question is seen in the next verse and we will have even greater revelation of the answer to this question in verses 11 and 12 which we will discuss when we get there.
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In verse 7 we see that it says “For a time, times, and half a time.”
This means the period of persecution is limited in its scope by God.
So “a time, times, and half a time” probably refers to three and a half times (one, two, and one-half) or three and a half years.
This time focuses on the limited nature of this period as half of a complete period of judgment, which is seven times as seen earlier in Daniel 4:25 when the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, was under God’s judgement:
25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
So, this period come to the final 3½ years of Daniel’s 70th week...
This is the time of trouble when the “little horn,” or “willful king” or the Antichrist will persecutes the saints.
The same period span is also described by other phrases in Revelation.
For example Revelation 11:2-3 says:
2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.
3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
And Revelation 13:5 says:
5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.
Forty-two months or 1,260 days is equal to 3½ years.
The phrase “the shattering of the power of the holy people” relates to the biblical pattern we often see in Scripture of how the progress of God’s work always proceeds through human weakness, not their strength so it is clear that we can never boast for it is God who is in control and who is the one who is sovereign.
Text: Daniel 12:8-13
Text: Daniel 12:8-13
8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?”
9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.
11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.
12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days.
13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
In verse 8 we find the second question which is “what shall be the outcome of these things?”
So, let’s look to the remaining verses in this book for the answer.
In answer to the question in verse 8, the angel declares that the outcome of these things will be the perseverance of the saints through the refining fires of persecution, while the wicked display clearly their true colors.
These attributes have already been seen in the experiences of Daniel and his friends.
In verse 10 we see that salvation will come to many Jews during the Great Tribulation.
Consider the text from Zechariah 13:8-9 which says:
8 In the whole land, declares the Lord, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive.
9 And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
So, the prophet speaks of one-third or a remnant of faithful.
This is also mentioned in Romans 11:26:
26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
And Revelation 11:13:
13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The truly saved will develop in godliness through trials and tribulation.
Yet the unsaved, dispute seeing all these signs will pursue false and useless endeavors.
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In verse 11 we see again the “1,290 days” or the 3½ years.
The “regular burnt offering” or “regular sacrifice” is a reference is to the end of the daily temple sacrifice.
Previously the Antichrist allowed sacrifices again in the newly built temple under a covenant he formed with Israel...
Later he causes this to cease in the middle of the final 7 years...
Daniel 9:27 foreshadowed this act when Antiochus did the same to the Jews during the time between the Old and New Testament.
So, then, favorable relations give way to persecution.
Even his abomination that desecrates the temple is accompanied with persecution.
The Jewish nation will be shattered by their enemies, but then God will step in to vindicate them.
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In verse 12 just when the faithful feel that the absolute limit of their endurance has been reached and they cannot endure any longer, they are asked to remain faithful for a few more days.
The additional figure of 1,335 days, 45 days longer than the 1,290-day period, heightens the sense of mystery that surrounds the Lord’s timing and emphasizes the need for the saints to persevere faithfully, even when to human wisdom God’s arrival seems overdue.
The obscurity of this number underlines the fact that issues as to the timing of the end are a great mystery to all humans—even those with Daniel’s wisdom and insight—but are under the control of God.
The response to the “outcome of these things” is the assurance of continuing persecution to purify and refine the wise and of continuing wickedness on the part of the wicked.
This matches God’s consistent pattern of working in this world, moving through suffering to glory, and refining his people through trials and persecution, even to the point of martyrdom.
In the meantime, God’s people are to go on living faithfully in this corrupt world, confident of the inheritance that is stored up for them at the end of the days.
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Please join me one more time in prayer.
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