The End Daniel 12:4-13

Review Daniel has just received a lengthy, detailed vision of the future of Israel  From the time the Greeks would take control  Through years of peace and years of war  To the Roman conquest  To the coming of the Messiah and the end of the Jewish age Daniel had already been told of many of these times in various preceding visions  But in the last one, the information was put together But that doesn't mean there are no questions

Shut up and sealed Dan 12:4  “Shut up” means to stop Stop writing the book; this is to be Daniel's last vision  “Seal” can have several meanings Sign, make clear the conclusion and authenticity Keep safe, often two copies of important documents were made,  One was open to read  The other sealed away for later comparison Hide, document kept out of circulation  Since the book of Daniel was known and copies were made, this last meaning is not possible

Shut up and sealed Dan 12:4  “Many will run to and fro” A lot of people will run around trying to figure out what the meaning of the vision is As time goes on, the meanings will become more obvious, “knowledge will increase”  All will continue that way until the “time of the end” Again, ask what end or whose end?  This time you won't have to struggle to figure it out, God will tell us

Questions Dan 12:5-6  Two more angels join the scene The one who has been revealing the vision (the one in linen, Dan 10:5) is above the Tigris (Dan 10:4) The two new arrivals are on either bank  One angel asks the question that is probably on Daniel's mind: “How long?” Is that how long until the beginning (the Greek conquest)? or how long until the end (whatever that end might be)? The latter, since “fulfillment” is the same Hebrew word as “end” in v4 Looking for an endpoint for the vision, how will we know when it has been completed?

Answer Dan 12:7  The end is when the power of the holy people (Israel) has been completely shattered (along time (time, times and half a time) from Daniel's day) Not when they were forced to fight (like under the Maccabees against Antiochus Epiphanes) Not some future day (from our point-of-view) But the time when Israel ceased to be a nation with any power  Not a reference to modern Israel, since that nation is not the nation and people Daniel is concerned about  Historically, when was Israel's power shattered? When their rebellion against Rome (AD 66-73) failed and over a million Jews were slaughtered

Daniel's question Dan 12:8  Daniel knows what was said, but it didn't make sense to him How could God allow the people of Israel to be shattered? So Daniel asks a question, most English translations make it sound like he repeats the angel's question  But he does not use the word for “end” (v4) or “fulfillment”  His word means, “after” If the end is the destruction of the people of Israel, Daniel wants to know what God has planned “after” that end

Daniel's answer Dan 12:9  Sorry, Daniel, that answer can't be given until the end Eph 3:1-13  Paul said he was allowed to reveal that mystery What was next is the church, in which both Jews and Gentiles have redemption through Jesus 1 Pet 1:10-12  Peter said the prophets, like Daniel, spoke of the time of Christ, for our benefit 1 Cor 2:6-10  The mystery had been kept so that rulers of this age (like Satan) would not be able to stop the plan of God Instead they would unwittingly play a part in the plan

Daniel's answer Dan 12:10  Even though God wouldn't tell Daniel the specifics He did give a few generalities about what would come “after”  Many would be purified, made white refined Forgiveness, redemption, salvation  And the wicked will go on being wicked

One further answer Dan 12:11-12  Must be answering some earlier question But Daniel has been told his question about “after” the end can't be answered yet Only other question on the table is the angel's question of verse 5, when will be the end  Told the end is when Israel's power is shattered, but didn't tell us any time frame

One further answer Dan 12:11-12  Starts a time frame with the ending of daily sacrifice and the abomination of desolation We know Daniel had earlier been told of such a time in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes (Dan 11:31)  But was also told in Dan 8:9-14, that period would be 2,300 days and would end with the sanctuary being cleansed Daniel was also told in Dan 9:24-27 of another such time after the Messiah had come and died to take away sins  Would end with sacrifice and offering being ended and Jerusalem and the temple being destroyed (AD 70)

One further answer Dan 12:11-12  Since the first abomination of desolation doesn't fit Didn't end with the shattering of the power of Israel  Must be a reference to the abomination of desolation in AD 70 Says the end begins with the abomination  Josephus says the eagle was set up, pagan sacrifices offered, and then the temple destroyed around the beginning of August, AD 70

The End With the “end” of Israel beginning Aug. AD 70  The “end” ends 1290 days later which would be early spring, AD 73 When the Roman war against the Jews was winding down  The 1290 days were days of slaughter as Romans caught and killed all the Jews they could find that might have sympathisized with the rebels In spring AD 73, most troops were redeployed elsewhere in the empire One legion (the Tenth) remained having trapped the last 960 rebels in the fortress, Masada  45 days later, the Romans took Masada finding all but 5 of the rebels had committed suicide Israel's power was shattered, the war was over

Daniel's end Dan 12:13  Daniel told to go on with his life He would rest (die) And he would be raised to his inheritance, eternal life (Dan 12:2)  A life well-lived coming to an end with assurance of the reward (2 Tim 4:6-8)

Conclusion Daniel is a book about God's dominion over the kingdoms of man  His power not only over the minor matters Health of His followers, giving and interpreting dreams, defeating desires of kings and power of created thngs (like fire and lions)  But His power over the rise and fall of certain kings and kingdoms  All to point to God's plan for His kingdom, His Messiah, and salvation for the righteous Are you ready to obey and follow the only God?