Daniel 12

Daniel 12:1

B. The Great Tribulation (Chap. 12)12:1-3 Verse 1 describes the Great Tribulation, the three and one-half years preceding Christ’s Second Advent. Some will be raised to enter the Millennium with Christ; the wicked dead will be raised at the end of the Millennium (v. 2; see Rev_20:5). Those tribulation saints who proved themselves wise by obeying the Lord and by leading others to faith and righteousness will be resplendent in eternal glory. Some commentators see verse 2 as referring not to physical resurrection but to the national and moral revival of Israel. After God’s ancient people are regathered to the land in unbelief, a remnant will respond to the gospel and will enter the Millennium. These are the ones who awake to everlasting life. All the others, who worship the Antichrist, will be condemned to shame and everlasting contempt. Buried among the Gentiles for centuries, Israel will be restored nationally, and then the believing remnant will experience the spiritual resurrection described in Isa_26:19 and Ezekiel 37. 12:4 Daniel was instructed to preserve the prophecies in a book. Verse 4b is commonly taken to speak of advances in transportation and scientific knowledge. But it probably doesn’t mean this. Darby translates: “many shall diligently investigate.” Tregelles renders it, “many shall scrutinize the book from end to end.” It teaches that many will study the prophetic Word and knowledge of it shall increase in the Great Tribulation. 12:5-10 These verses record a discussion between two unidentified individuals and a man clothed in linen as to how long it would be to the time of the end. The time given is three and a half years (time, times, and half a time). When Daniel expresses continued failure to understand, he is told that the vision will not be completely clear until it occurs. But he can be assured that the righteous will be purified, the wicked will manifest themselves as such, and only the wise will understand. From the beginning of the Great Tribulation to its end would be time, times, half a time (three and a half years or 1,260 days). 12:11 Perhaps the abomination of desolation will be set up in the temple of Jerusalem thirty days before the Great Tribulation begins; this would explain the one thousand two hundred and ninety days here. 12:12 As for the one thousand three hundred and thirty five days, this has been explained as taking us past the Coming of Christ and the judgment of His foes to the beginning of His reign. 12:13 Daniel would rest (in death) and arise in resurrection to enjoy his inheritancemillennial blessings with his Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.