Daniel 12:8-9. Daniel 12:8-Daniel Inquires About the Future After the Prophetic Events in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7

Daniel 12:8-9 Daniel 12:8-Daniel Inquires About the Future After the Prophetic Events in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 Review of Daniel 12:1-7 Daniel 12:1 Now, during this particular period of time, Michael, your great ruler, who stands watch over the citizens of your nation, will come to defend. Consequently, a vexatious period of time will occur which has never taken place since a nation has been in existence up to this particular period of time. However, during this particular period of time, your nation, each and every one whose name is found written in the scroll, will be delivered. Daniel 12:1 contains three prophetic statements. The first is that during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week, Michael, the angelic ruler of the Jewish people who stands watch over the citizens of the Jewish state, will come to defend her. The angel s prophetic statements here in Daniel 12:1 are directly linked to his prophetic statements in Daniel 11:36-45. Daniel 11:36-39 describe the character of the Antichrist whereas Daniel 11:40-45 speak of his actions during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. Now, the prophetic statements in Daniel 12:1 describe God s response to the actions of the Antichrist. The first prophetic statement in Daniel 12:1 should be compared with Revelation 12:6-9 since both passages deal with Michael s actions in defending Israel from the attacks of Satan and the Antichrist. Also both passages deal with Israel being persecuted and attacked during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. So God will send Michael to defend Israel from the Antichrist s Satanically inspired attack against the Jewish people. The second prophetic statement in Daniel 12:1 present the result of the first prophetic statement indicating that during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week, Michael, will come to defend Israel with the result that a vexatious period of time will occur which has never taken place since a nation has been in existence up to this particular period of time. The Lord says the same thing in Matthew 24:21. The reason why Michael s intervention on behalf of Israel will bring about an unprecedented time of adversity in human history is answered by Revelation 12:6-9. This passage teaches that Michael will wage war in heaven with Satan and defeat him so that Satan is thrown down to the earth during this period of time. The fact that Satan will be thrown to earth during the midway point of the seventieth week and will be on the earth during the last three and a half years is one reason why the last three and a half years of the seventieth week will be the worst time in 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1

all of human history. Secondly, the Scriptures also reveal another reason why the last three and a half years of the seventieth week will be the worst period in all of human history. Namely, God will be pouring out His wrath upon the inhabitants of planet earth. Therefore, because of this unprecedented distress on the earth, the last three and a half years of the seventieth week are called by expositors of the Bible, the Great Tribulation period. Now, in the middle of the seventieth week, the cold war will become a hot war and overflow to planet earth. The event that will mark this is Michael the archangel and his legions of elect-angels expelling Satan and his legions from heaven (Rev. 12:7). Satan and the fallen angels defeat in heaven and permanent expulsion from heaven commences the worst period in all of human history and the war to end all wars. Satan will then move the Antichrist to sit down on the Mercy Seat between the cherubim and declare himself as God. So during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week God will pour out His righteous indignation against the inhabitants of the earth. During this period of time, the Lord Jesus Christ will break seven seals, which contain judgments that will be poured out upon the earth at that time. These seven seal judgments are recorded in Revelation 6:1-17 and 8:1-5. The seventh seal triggers seven trumpet judgments, which are recorded in Revelation 8:1-9:21 and 11:15-19. The seventh trumpet judgment triggers seven bowl judgments, which are recorded in Revelation 16. These bowl judgments complete the third and final portion of God s program to exercise His wrath, i.e. righteous indignation during the last three and a half years of Daniel s Seventieth, which is also called by students of prophecy as the Great Tribulation. The third prophetic statement in Daniel 12:1 is an adversative clause and thus stands in contrast to the second prophetic statement in this verse. In the first prophetic statement in Daniel 12:1, the angel informs Daniel that during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week, Michael, Israel s great angelic ruler, who stands watch over the citizens of Israel, will come to defend her from Satan and Antichrist. In the second prophetic statement, the angel says that consequently, a vexatious period of time will occur which has never taken place since a nation has been in existence up to this particular period of time. Then the third prophetic statement stands in contrast with the second prophetic statement that the last three and a half years of the seventieth week will be an unprecedented time of distress among nations in human history. This third prophetic statement reveals that during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week those Jews whose names are written in the scroll will be delivered from this awful period. Therefore, the contrast is between the inhabitants of the earth experiencing God s righteous indignation during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week and those Jews who are regenerated being delivered from this awful period of God s wrath. 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2

This deliverance mentioned in the third prophetic statement in Daniel 12:1 is not only a physical deliverance from Satan, Antichrist and the Tribulation armies but also a spiritual deliverance. It is a physical deliverance since the prophetic statements in Daniel 12:1 are related to the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-45 which speak of Antichrist persecuting the Jewish people during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. Those Jews who trust in Jesus Christ at His Second Advent to deliver them from Satan, Antichrist and the Tribulation armies will be delivered physically at that time from these enemies. This deliverance mentioned in the third prophetic statement in Daniel 12:1 is also spiritual since it is used in relation to the prophetic statements in Daniel 12:2 which speaks of many Jews being raised from the dead to everlasting life and also others being raised to everlasting disgrace and contempt. Those Jews who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior will also be delivered spiritually as a result of their faith in Him to deliver them from Satan, Antichrist and the Tribulation armies. This is indicated by the fact that this deliverance is mentioned in relation to the book or scroll of life which contains the names of those who are declared justified through faith alone in Jesus Christ. In other words it contains the names of all those who are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, those Jews who exercise faith in Jesus Christ to deliver them from Satan, Antichrist and the Tribulation armies will also be delivered spiritually from the wrath of God through this faith in Jesus Christ. So their faith not only saves them physically from these enemies but more importantly it saves them from their greatest enemy, namely God s wrath in the eternal lake of fire. These Jews are delivered from God s wrath during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week are mentioned in Revelation 7 and according to this passage will number 144,000. Revelation 7 teaches that 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel will delivered from the wrath of God during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. All of them will be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Zechariah 13:8-9 says that during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week, one third of the citizens of Israel will be killed and the remaining third will be purified through the events of the tribulation and will exercise faith in the Lord who will deliver them from their enemies. The future salvation is predicted in both the Old and New Testaments (Isaiah 11:11; 27:12-13; Jeremiah 30:7; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Hosea 3:4-5; Amos 9:11-15; Romans 11:16-27). Now we must remember that not every Jew will trust in Jesus Christ as Savior at the Second Advent. However, it will be a national regeneration of Israel at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ meaning that at that time the majority of Jews in Israel will exercise faith in Jesus Christ so as to be saved in contrast to His First Advent when the majority of Jews rejected and only a remnant believed. We know that some in Israel at that time will reject Christ since the 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3

Scriptures teach that the Lord will judge Israel immediately after His Second Advent and will have His elect angels remove every unbeliever from the nation (Ezekiel 20:37-38; Zechariah 13:8-9; Malachi 3:2-3, 5; Matthew 25:1-30). The apostle Paul in Romans 11 teaches that there will be a national regeneration and restoration of the nation of Israel at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. Beginning in Romans 11, the apostle Paul teaches concerning the future salvation of the nation of Israel. The single basic theme throughout Romans chapter eleven is stated at the beginning of the chapter, namely that God has not rejected the nation of Israel. If this is the case, then God is surely not employing the church to replace Israel. Therefore, a comparison of passages in both the Old and New Testament reveals that many Jews will be saved during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week and many will be saved at Christ s Second Advent. The question arises as to what is this scroll mentioned in Daniel 12:1? Is it or is it not the book of life which is mentioned in Philippians 4:3 and Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8, 20:12, 15; 21:27; 22:19? It would appear that this scroll is a reference to the book of life which is mentioned extensively in the above passages since in context and specifically in Daniel 12:2 the angel refers to the resurrection of those who are declared justified by faith in Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the unregenerate. Therefore, Daniel 12:2 would seem to indicate that this scroll in Daniel 12:1 that contains the names of those Jews who will be delivered from the tribulation period of the seventieth week is in fact the book of life mentioned in the New Testament. Further indicating this is that this deliverance of these Jews from God s wrath during the tribulation period will take place at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ who will at that time come to deliver from Satan, Antichrist and the Tribulation armies those Jews who trust in Him at that time. Daniel 12:2 Then, many from those sleeping in the dusty ground will be awakened-some for the purpose of experiencing everlasting life but others for the purpose of experiencing disgrace, for the purpose of experiencing everlasting contempt. (Author s translation) The elect angel of God reveals to Daniel that the resurrection of Old Testament saints will take place after those whose name is written in the scroll are delivered from Antichrist and Satan s armies. Therefore, the first prophetic statement in Daniel 12:2 indicates that the resurrection of the dead saints in Israel who lived during the Old Testament dispensations will be raised after the deliverance of the regenerate Jews from the tribulation period of the seventieth week. Thus, the angelic being is informing Daniel and the reader that chronologically, the resurrection of Old Testament saints in Israel will take place at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ when He delivers regenerate Jews from the Antichrist and Satan during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4

The first prophetic statement many from those sleeping in the dusty ground will be awakened refers to an undefined number of Jewish individuals who had died during the Old Testament dispensations. This is indicated by the fact that the angel tells Daniel that they sleep in the dust of the ground which is a metaphor for those who are dead. Also, he is speaking to Daniel in the context of his people, the Jews (cf. Daniel 12:1). Daniel had no knowledge of the church age since this was a mystery dispensation meaning it was unknown to Old Testament prophets like Daniel. The reference to sleep here is figurative language for the state of being physically dead. So it is a euphemism for death. The idea of sleep here in Daniel 12:2 is not one of unconscious existence in death. Rather it simply means that a dead person appears to be asleep. The body is asleep but not the soul. The Scriptures teach that those who have died in the Old Testament went to a place called Hades, which contained two compartments: (1) Paradise (2) Torments. The Old Testament saints resided in Paradise until the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ (cf. Eph. 4:8). Therefore, it is empty during the church age. However, Torments contains the unregenerate dead from every Old Testament dispensation including the church age. These will be transferred to the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of human history where they will be thrown into the eternal lake of fire. After death, a human being s body goes back to the dust of the ground in fulfillment of the Lord s prophecy in Genesis 3:14. However, the souls of human beings in the Old Testament dispensations go to Hades. The saved go to Paradise and now reside in heaven after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ whereas the unsaved go to Torments. During the church age, the saved go immediately to the presence of Jesus Christ in heaven when they die (2 Cor. 5:8). However, the unsaved during the church age go to Torments. The second and third prophetic statements in Daniel 12:2 amplify the first. Some for the purpose of experiencing everlasting life is a reference to the resurrection of Old Testament saints who lived in Israel during the Old Testament dispensations. The Old Testament associated confident expectation of resurrection with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Old Testaments saints in Israel is also referred to in Daniel 11:35. The third prophetic statement in Daniel 12:2 others for the purpose of experiencing disgrace, for the purpose of experiencing everlasting contempt is a reference to the resurrection of unregenerate Israelites who lived during the Old Testament dispensations. The purpose of raising the unsaved dead is for the purpose of experiencing eternal condemnation. Disgrace refers to the ignominy which unregenerate Israelites will experience as a result of suffering eternal condemnation. This disgrace is the direct result of rejecting Jesus Christ as Savior and refusing to exercise faith in Him in 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 5

order to receive eternal life. It can also be the result of refusing to acknowledge and worship God as Creator as He is revealed in creation. It also can be the result of rejecting God s revelation of Himself in the conscience. Many unsaved never get to the point that they consider Jesus Christ as Savior since they reject there is a Creator in the first place or they acknowledge there is a Creator but refuse to worship Him. Therefore, even if a person is never exposed to the gospel, they can receive eternal condemnation for failing to acknowledge there is a God or they suffer eternal condemnation even though they acknowledge His existence because they refuse to worship Him. From the First Advent through the church age and the seventieth week until the end of human history, if a person accepts that there is a God and they want to worship Him, they will be exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. But if they reject there is a God and refuse to worship Him, then they would not accept the gospel since the gospel reveals that Jesus Christ is the Creator and is to be the object of worship. Everlasting contempt pertains to a holy God s attitude towards those who are unregenerate. It pertains to a holy God s attitude towards those who have either rejected the revelation of Himself in their conscience, or in creation or they refused to acknowledge Him as Creator and worship Him or they rejected His Son Jesus Christ as Savior. Daniel 12:3 Soon after this those who are wise will shine like the stellar universe shining. Specifically those who cause the masses to be made righteous, will be like the stars throughout all of eternity. (Author s translation) The elect angel reveals to Daniel that after the resurrection of regenerate Jews which will take place at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, those in Israel who are wise will shine like the stellar universe shining. He then clarifies this by identifying specifically what he means by that these Jews are wise. In other words he then identifies specifically what makes these Jews wise. They are wise because they cause many people to be made righteous. They were wise because of the application of this knowledge. They were wise because they obeyed the gospel and communicated it to others. It implies that these Jews considered thoughtfully the gospel and wisely valued it enough to seek to understand it and respond appropriately so that it effectively governed their lives. It also means they valued it enough to share it with others. The wisdom of these Jews is manifested by the fact that they lead others to receiving the imputation of divine righteousness through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. In other words, they are wise because they communicated the gospel to the unsaved who in turn responded in faith to the gospel so as to receive the gift of righteousness. Now, in Old Testament dispensations this would involve communicating the Word of God to the unregenerate who in turn respond by exercising faith in 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 6

Yahweh, the God of Israel who the New Testament identifies as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. During the First Advent of Jesus Christ, the church age and the seventieth week, this would involve regenerate Jews like the apostles communicating the gospel to the unregenerate who in turn respond to the gospel by exercising faith in Jesus Christ. Those who respond to the Word of God in Old Testament dispensations and respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ during the First Advent, the church age and the seventieth week will receive the imputation of divine righteousness. This results in God the Father declaring them justified. When the angel describes these Jews as shining like the stars of the stellar universe throughout all of eternity, he is speaking of these individuals being in a state of havingbeen rewarded for their faithfulness. It means that these individuals will be prominent in Jesus Christ s millennial kingdom and in the eternal state. They will possess a high status in the kingdom of God and will be respected by the elect angels of God. They of course will receive this high status from the Lord Jesus Christ who will reward them for their faithfulness and give them high positions of authority in His millennial kingdom. These Jews will be rewarded for their faithfulness to the revelation God gave them in whatever dispensation they lived in and as a result they will reign with Jesus Christ for a thousand years and on into the eternal state (Daniel 11:33, 35; Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27; Revelation 20:4). They will live in different dispensations. Some will live during the dispensation of Israel, as well as during the First Advent of Jesus Christ. They will also live during the church age and of course during the seventieth week. Therefore, some of these Jews who live during the dispensation of Israel are being referred to by the angel here in Daniel 12:3. They would include those faithful Jews who taught their fellow Jews to be faithful to the Mosaic Law and communicated the prophecies in Daniel 11:21-35 regarding the persecution of the Jewish people under Antiochus Epiphanes IV. Some of these Jews being referred to in Daniel 12:3 would include the apostles of Jesus Christ and those who faithfully adhered to their teaching during the church age. Lastly, it would include the 144,000 Jews mentioned in Revelation 7 who lived during the seventieth week. Daniel 12:4 Therefore, as for you, Daniel, preserve these statements and then seal up in a scroll up to the end time. Many will diligently investigate so that this knowledge will be increased. (Author s translation) After communicating to Daniel, God s prophetic program for the nation of Israel during the Times of the Gentiles and after it, the angel orders Daniel to preserve this revelation in writing in a scroll and then to affix a wax seal to this scroll so as to protect its contents. Daniel received the same instructions from the elect angel Gabriel in Daniel 8:26 after receiving his second great prophetic revelation from God. In the ancient Near East, people wrote official documents and 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 7

then, after making copies for reference, deposited the original in a safe and secure place. The angel is not telling Daniel to conceal this revelation he received from God through him since this revelation is now in the book of Daniel which was published in Israel and throughout the world. The angel simply wants Daniel to preserve this revelation writing for future generations of people who will trust in the Lord, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Now, here in Daniel 12:4, the angel wants the revelation he communicated to Daniel which is recorded in Daniel 11:2-12:3 to be preserved up to the end time which speaks of the seventieth week and in particular up to the last three and a half years of the seventieth week and beyond. In other words, the angel wants Daniel to preserve this revelation for future generations in both Israel and among the Gentiles who would trust in the Lord for salvation. This fourth and final great prophetic revelation Daniel received from God contains prophecies that were fulfilled between 530-164 B.C. These are recorded in Daniel 11:2-35. It also contains revelation regarding the last three and a half years of the seventieth week and after it. It contains revelation regarding events taking place at the Second Advent such as the resurrection of Old Testament saints and receiving their rewards. These are recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3. God wants future generations in Israel and among the Gentiles to receive this revelation. He wants those who trust in Him who live in the period between 530-164 B.C. to have this revelation so that they can derive encouragement from it. He wants them to have it so as to produce faith in them to trust in Him as sovereign over history and over the Gentile rulers who will oppress and persecute them. God wants those who trust in Him during the seventieth week to have this revelation for this same reason. It will encourage them as they endure persecution from the Antichrist. It will encourage them and make clear to them that this persecution is only for a brief period of time. This revelation was also designed to produce faith in them in the sense that it is designed to cause them to trust in Him because it shows that He is sovereign, omnipotent and omniscience and all wise. He is omniscient in the sense that He knows these events will occur because He has all knowledge of every event and every person and every decision that will take place in human and angelic history. He is omnipotent in that He can bring to pass that which He predicts will take place centuries before. He is sovereign in the sense that prophecy reveals that God is sovereign over human history. Therefore, not only was God warning the faithful Jews in the second century B.C. about Antiochus Epiphanes IV with this fourth and final great prophetic revelation Daniel received from God but He is also warning the faithful Jews who will be living during Daniel s Seventieth Week. So we can see a spiritual principle emerge that God gives His people revelation about His character and nature and will for their lives in order to encourage His 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 8

people that He is sovereign and in control of history. He gives them revelation so that they can orient their lives to His will. The elect angel of God reveals Daniel him that many will increase in their understanding of this great prophetic revelation. The many is a reference to faithful regenerate Jews who will during the events prophesied about in Daniel 11:2-12:3. They are Jews because the angel is speaking of Daniel s people in relation to this prophetic revelation which is regarding God s prophetic program for the nation of Israel during the Times of the Gentiles. They will be regenerate because they could not understand this fourth and final prophetic revelation without the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit who is only given to believers or those who are regenerate. They will be faithful because only those who are faithful believers will take the time to diligently investigate this fourth and final prophetic revelation given to Daniel. The verb šûṭ in this second prophetic statement in Daniel 12:4 is not used in a literal sense meaning to roam about, to wander about referring to increased travel in modern times because the context does not support such an interpretation. The verb is used in a figurative sense for diligent investigation regarding the prophecies recorded in Daniel 11:2-12:3 because the angel is using this word in relation to knowledge of this prophecy he just communicated to Daniel which is recorded in Daniel 11:2-12:3. Further support for this interpretation is found in Amos 8:11-12 where this same verb is used of people go to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord but not finding it. Therefore, in Daniel 12:4, the verb šûṭ is used in a figurative sense for the frenetic study of prophetic Scripture by those faithful regenerate Jews who will live during the events prophesied about in Daniel 11:2-12:3. Consequently, this verb speaks of a diligent investigation or study of the prophecies recorded in Daniel 11:2-12:3. The cataclysmic events prophesied in Daniel 11:21-35 will cause faithful regenerate Jews living during the time of the events prophesied in this pericope to diligently study the prophesies contained in it. Daniel 11:21-35 contains prophecies related to Antiochus Epiphanes IV persecution of the Jewish people because of their worship of Yahweh and adherence to His Law. The cataclysmic events prophesied in Daniel 11:36-12:3 will cause faithful regenerate Jews living during the time of the events prophesied in this pericope to diligently study the prophesies contained in it. Daniel 11:36-12:3 contains prophecies related to the Antichrist s future persecution of faithful Jews during the seventieth week because of their faith in Jesus Christ, the King of the Jews. Knowledge is the noun dǎ ʿǎṯ which as we noted is used in relation to the prophetic revelation given to Daniel from God by an elect angel and is recorded in Daniel 11:2-12:3 which is indicated by its articular construction which is anaphoric meaning that it is pointing back to this prophetic revelation. Therefore, this noun 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9

speaks of faithful regenerate Jews who will live during the events prophesied about in Daniel 11:2-12:3 applying the knowledge they received from these prophecies as a result of diligently investigating these prophecies. Consequently it does not refer to the explosion of knowledge in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Although the angel is speaking in the context of faithful regenerate Jews who will during the events prophesied about in Daniel 11:21-12:3, the angel s statement that many Jews will diligently investigate so that knowledge of these prophecies will increase can also be applied to faithful regenerate Gentiles. Faithful regenerate Gentiles during the church age have diligently investigating this great prophetic revelation in Daniel 11:2-12:3 and have thus increased in their knowledge of these prophecies and have applied this knowledge to their lives. This knowledge has motivated many in the church age to evangelize both unregenerate Jew and Gentiles during the church age. The faithful regenerate Jews who lived in the second century B.C. during the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes IV fulfilled this prophetic statement in Daniel 12:4 that many will diligently investigate so that they will increase in knowledge of these prophecies in Daniel 11:2-35. They gained understanding of Daniel 11:21-35 which prophesies of this persecution and they applied this knowledge in the sense that they continued to be faithful to God by obeying His Law despite this persecution. The 144,000 Jews who will be saved through faith in Jesus Christ during the seventieth week will also fulfill this prophetic statement in Daniel 12:4. They will diligently investigate the prophecies recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 which pertains to the Antichrist s persecution of Israel during the seventieth week. They will apply this knowledge of these prophecies by remaining faithful to God by obeying the Word of God, both Old and New Testaments. Daniel 12:5 Then, I, Daniel was staring because, behold two others were standing, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite side of the riverbank. (Author s translation) After the unidentified elect angel finished communicating to Daniel the revelation regarding God s prophetic program for the nation of Israel during and after the Times of the Gentiles, Daniel then tells the reader that he saw two individuals standing on both sides of the banks of the river. These two individuals were impressive in appearance to Daniel and astounded him as indicated by the interjection hin nē(h), behold and the verb rā ʾā(h), was staring. Their appearance was so impressive to Daniel that it caused him to stare at them. The angel that was standing on Daniel s side of the Tigris was the angel who communicated to him the revelation recorded in Daniel 11:2-12:3 and who spoke to him in Daniel 10:11-11:1. 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 10

With regards to the two angels standing on either side of the river, we know that one of these angels is the unidentified angel who has been speaking to Daniel in 10:10-12:4 and had given him his fourth and final prophetic revelation from God in Daniel 11:2-12:3. As we noted, he is standing on Daniel s side of the Tigris. Also, we noted in our study of Daniel 10:10 that after falling into a deep sleep with his face to the ground as a result of receiving a revelatory vision of the preincarnate Christ, Daniel tells the reader that a hand touched him. Then, it set him trembling on his knees and the palms of his hands. Who does this hand belong to? The hand belongs to the man speaking to Daniel in the rest of the chapter which makes clear this is an angel. This is indicated by the fact that Daniel 10:11 connects the hand to the individual speaking to Daniel in the rest of the chapter. In verse 11, the text say that he spoke to Daniel, which would indicate that this is telling us the hand belongs to the one speaking to Daniel. Also, the individual appears to be an unidentified elect angel of God which is indicated by the conversation between Daniel and this angel recorded in Daniel 10:11-12:13. In these verses, there is no mention of the angel Gabriel who appeared to Daniel in chapters 7, 8 and 9. In fact, in Daniel 8:16, God orders Gabriel by name to interpret the vision He gave Daniel during the third year of Belshazzar s reign. Then, in Daniel 9:21, Daniel identifies Gabriel as the one whom he saw in the vision recorded in chapter eight which he received during the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede. Therefore, if Gabriel is the one touching Daniel in Daniel 10:10, we would expect him to identify him by name as he does in Daniel 8:16 and 9:21. However, he does not and there is nothing in Daniel 10:11-12:13 which would suggest Gabriel is speaking to Daniel in this passage and thus would be the one touching Daniel in Daniel 10:10. The hand that touches Daniel does not belong to the man in the revelatory vision recorded in Daniel 10:4-9 whose presence caused Daniel to fall into a deep sleep with his face to the ground. This again is indicated by the fact that the hand belongs to the man speaking to Daniel in the rest of the chapter which makes clear this is an angel. This is indicated by the fact that Daniel 10:11 connects the hand to the individual speaking to Daniel in the rest of the chapter. In verse 11, the text say that he spoke to Daniel, which would indicate that this is telling us the hand belongs to the one speaking to Daniel. Therefore, in Daniel 10:10, the unidentified individual who touches Daniel and rouses him from his deep sleep and sets him on his hands and knees is an elect-angel but not Gabriel. So he is one of the angels involved in the conversation recorded in Daniel 12:4-13. Daniel 12:6 Next, one said to the man dressed in linen who was apart from, above with respect to the river s waters, How long will these extraordinary events take place? (Author s translation) 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 11

Daniel continues his account of what took place after he received his fourth and final prophetic revelation from God during the third year of Cyrus the Persian. He informs the reader that the man dressed in linen who appeared to him before he received this revelation appeared to him again after he received this revelation. This time this man dressed in linen was miraculously standing above the waters of the Tigris indicating that he was no ordinary human being. Daniel 10:4-9 presents Daniel s first encounter with this man dressed in linen. So this same man dressed in linen who appeared to Daniel in Daniel 10:4-6 prior to receiving his fourth great prophetic revelation from God appears again to him after receiving this revelation. If one compares the account in Daniel 10:4-11 with the account of the apostle John s vision of the resurrected, glorified Christ in Revelation 1:13-16, it appears that Daniel saw a vision of the preincarnate Christ. John s description of the glorified resurrected Christ is similar to Daniel s description of the supernatural being he saw. Daniel tells the reader that one of the angels posed a question to this man dressed in linen who was standing above the waters of the Tigris and who was in fact the preincarnate Christ. He asks the Lord how long will these extraordinary events take place? The fact that the angel has to ask this question indicates that the elect angels are not always fully informed as to how God s prophetic promises will be fulfilled or when which corresponds to 1 Peter 1:12 which reveals that elect angels are eager to learn how God s prophetic promises will be fulfilled and when. In Daniel 12:7, the Lord answers by saying that they will be for a time, times and a half time which is three and a half years. This is a reference to the last three and a half years of the seventieth week which according to Daniel 9:27 begins with the Antichrist s treaty with the leadership of Israel and will end with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. This is indicated by the fact that the time, times and a half time in Daniel 12:7 correspond with the for a time (one year), times (two years), and a half time (six months) in Daniel 7:25 and the one thousand two hundred and sixty days in Revelation 12:6 and the forty-two months in Revelation 11:2. All of these are references to the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. The fact that the Lord tells the angel that it will take three and a half years to fulfill the prophetic events in the revelation communicated to Daniel indicates that He is speaking of the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3. This is indicated by two factors. First, Daniel 11:36-12:3 speaks of prophetic events that will take place during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week and those associated with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. The second is that the last three and a half years of the seventieth week ends with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 12

History records that the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:2-35 have all been fulfilled in history, from 530-164 B.C. However, the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-45 will take place during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. Also the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 12:1 also speak of the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. However, the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 12:2-3 are associated with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. In Daniel 12:2, the prophesy that many who are dead will be raised again to everlasting life is a reference to the resurrection of regenerate Israel which would include Old Testament saints in Israel as well as regenerate Jews who were martyred during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. Daniel 12:3 contains a prophecy of these saints in Israel receiving rewards for faithful service to God while enduring underserved suffering. This too will take place at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the extraordinary events mentioned in Daniel 12:6 are a reference to the prophecies in Daniel 11:36-12:3 because the last three and a half years of the seventieth week ends with the Second Advent and the prophecies in this passage speak of events taking place during this Tribulation period and the Second Advent. Daniel 12:7 Then, I heard the man dressed in linen who was apart from, above with respect to the river s waters as he lifted up his right hand as well as his left hand toward the heavens in order to swear by the immanent eternal one that it would be for a period of an appointed time, appointed times and half an appointed time. In fact, when the defeat of the holy people s military power has been accomplished, each and every one of these extraordinary events will be fulfilled. Daniel presents to the reader the Lord s answer to this question. He says that the man dressed in linen, who is the preincarnate Christ, communicates to him the duration of the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3. He does so while raising both his hands toward the heavens. The raising of hands in Old Testament times was done when swearing an oath to God. It would signify the most solemn assurance that the words spoken are reliable or trustworthy. Therefore, the Lord is solemnly assuring the elect angel and Daniel and more importantly those regenerate Jews who would have to endure the persecution of the Antichrist that this persecution would last three and a half years and no longer. The Lord tells the angel and Daniel that these extraordinary events will take place for a period of an appointed time, appointed times and a half an appointed time, which is three and a half years or 1,260 days according to the Jewish calendar. These three and a half years are sovereignly appointed by God to take place in human history. This is a reference to the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. This is indicated by the fact that the appointed time, appointed times and a half an appointed time in Daniel 12:7 correspond with the for a time 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 13

(one year), times (two years), and a half time (six months) in Daniel 7:25 and the one thousand two hundred and sixty days in Revelation 12:6 and the fortytwo months in Revelation 11:2. All of these are references to the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. The fact that the Lord tells the angel that it will take three and a half years to fulfill the prophetic events in the revelation communicated to Daniel indicates that He is speaking of the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3. This is indicated by two factors. First, Daniel 11:36-12:3 speaks of prophetic events that will take place during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week and those associated with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. The second is that the last three and a half years of the seventieth week ends with the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. This is the second time in the book of Daniel where the last three and a half years of the seventieth week are mentioned. The first was in Daniel 7:25. If you notice, both Daniel 7:25 and 12:7 mention the three and a half years in relation to the Antichrist s persecution of the Jewish remnant of believers living during the seventieth week indicating that this three and a half years is a reference to the last three and a half years of the seventieth week. After the Lord informed Daniel and the angel that the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 will last three and a half years, He advances upon and intensifies upon this prophetic statement. He reveal that when the when the defeat of the holy people s military power has been accomplished, each and every one of these prophetic events will be fulfilled. Therefore, the advancement and the intensification is that Daniel is told how long it will take to fulfill the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 but then specifically when these events will have been fulfilled. They will be fulfilled when the defeat of the holy people s military power has been accomplished. This prophetic statement in Daniel 12:7 that Israel s military power will be defeated coincides with the prophetic statements in Daniel 7:21 and 7:25 which say the same thing. In Revelation 13:7, the Antichrist, who is depicted by the first beast in Revelation 13, is described in this verse as waging war against the saints and overpowering them. So Daniel 7:21, 25, 12:7 and Revelation 13:5-7 reveal that the Antichrist will defeat Israel by overpowering her militarily. However, Zechariah 12 and 14 as well as Revelation 19:11-20:3 reveal that Jesus Christ will intervene at this point when Israel has been defeated militarily and destroy Antichrist and his armies. Therefore, when they are without strength and in a hopeless and helpless situation, the Lord Jesus Christ will come to planet earth and rescue her from Satan and the Antichrist and the tribulation armies. This brings out a spiritual principle 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 14

which Paul taught in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, namely that divine power is manifested in human impotence. Daniel Did Not Understand the Prophecy Recorded in Daniel 12:7 Daniel 12:8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, My lord, what will be the outcome of these events? (NASB95) As for me, I heard but could not understand is composed of the conjunction wa (ו ) (waw), which is not translated and followed by the first person singular independent personal pronoun ʾǎnî (an-ee), as for me which is (א נ י) followed by the first person singular qal active perfect form of the verb šā mǎʿ (waw), (ו ) (shaw-mah ), I heard and then we have the conjunction wa (ש מ ע) but which is followed by the negative particle lō(ʾ) ( לא) (low), not which is negating the meaning of the first person singular qal active imperfect form of the verb bîn (ב ין) (bene), could understand. wa The conjunction wa means now since it is used to mark a transition from the conversation between the Lord and one of his elect angels to Daniel telling the reader that he did not understand what would take place after the prophetic events in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. ʾǎnî The independent personal pronoun ʾǎnî means as for me and is employed for emphasis, stressing with the reader Daniel s inability to understand what would take place after the prophetic events in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. The word functions as a nominative absolute, which serves to highlight or focus upon one element of the main clause. It emphasizes Daniel s spiritual and mental inability to understand what would take place after the prophetic events in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. šā mǎʿ The verb šā mǎʿ means to hear referring to the perception of hearing with the ears to process information. Here it is used again of Daniel hearing the Lord s prophetic statements recorded in Daniel 12:7 which were in direct response to an elect angel s question. 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 15

The qal stem is stative expressing the state of Daniel being able to hear the Lord s prophetic statements recorded in Daniel 12:7. The perfect conjugation of this verb is constative describing in summary fashion this action on the part of Daniel in hearing the Lord s prophetic statements. wa This time the conjunction wa is a marker of contrast meaning it is introduces a statement which stands in contrast with the previous statement that Daniel heard the Lord s prophetic statements which were in response to an elect angel s question. It introduces a statement which tells the reader that Daniel had absolutely no understanding of what would take place after the prophetic events in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. Therefore, the contrast is between Daniel hearing these statements and not understanding them in relation to what would take place after these events. bîn The verb bîn means to understand, to have knowledge of a particular subject and its meaning is emphatically negated by the negative particle lō(ʾ) which means absolutely not because it is functioning as a marker of emphatic negation. Therefore, these two words indicate that Daniel had absolutely no understanding of what would take place after the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. The qal stem of this verb is stative expressing the state or condition of Daniel having absolutely no understanding of what would take place after the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. The imperfect conjugation of the verb is a potential imperfect which expresses or denies the ability to do or be something. Here it denies Daniel s ability to understand what would take place after the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. Daniel Asks a Question Daniel 12:8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, My lord, what will be the outcome of these events? (NASB95) I said, My lord, what will be the outcome of these events? is composed of the conjunction wa (ו ) (waw), so which is followed by the first person masculine singular qal active imperfect form of the verb ʾā mǎr ( אמ ר) (aw-mar), I said and then we have the masculine singular construct form of the noun ʾā ḏôn ( אד ון) (aw- 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 16

done ), lord which is modified by the first person singular pronominal suffix ʾǎnî (maw), (מ ה) mā(h) (an-ee), my and then we have the interrogative pronoun (א נ י) what and this is followed by the feminine singular construct form of the noun ʾǎ ḥ ǎ rîṯ ית) ( אח ר (akh-ar-eeth ), the outcome and then we have the demonstrative pronoun ʾēl lě(h) (א ל ה) (ale-leh), these. wa This time the conjunction wa means consequently since it is functioning as a marker of result meaning it is introducing a statement that presents the result of Daniel having absolutely no understanding what would take place after the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. The conjunction is introducing a statement in which Daniel informs the reader that he asked the Lord what would take place after the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. The conjunction wa is marking Daniel s question as being the direct result of his not understanding what would take place after the prophetic events in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled. ʾā mǎr The verb ʾǎmǎr means to say in the sense of communicating something to someone. Here it denotes Daniel communicating with the Lord in the form of a question. The qal is fientive indicating that Daniel is performing the action of asking the Lord a question. The imperfect conjugation of this verb refers to a completed action as part of a temporal sequence. It describes this event as taking place in the past from Daniel s perspective. ʾā ḏôn The noun ʾā ḏôn means lord and is used by Daniel when addressing the man dressed in linen who we noted was the preincarnate Christ who is standing above the waters of the Tigris. The noun ʾā ḏôn is used by Daniel as a term of respect for the man dressed in linen and polite address. It expresses the fact that Daniel viewed himself as inferior to this man dressed in linen. The noun ʾā ḏôn is modified by the first person singular pronominal suffix ʾǎnî, which means my since it is functioning as a possessive personal pronoun referring of course to Daniel. It is expressing Daniel s servant attitude in relation to this man dressed in linen. 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 17

The noun ʾā ḏôn is a vocative since Daniel is directly addressing this man dressed in linen. It demonstrates Daniel s respect for this man dressed in linen who he recognized as superior to him. mā(h) The interrogative adverb mā(h) means what since it functions as a marker of a question referring to events in the future taking place after the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7. Ellipsis At this point in Daniel 12:8, we have the figure of ellipsis meaning that the verb hā yā(h) is omitted but implied from the context. It means, to take place and refers to events which will take place after the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 have been fulfilled. That it is referring to events taking place after the prophetic events in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 are fulfilled is indicated by Daniel s question and the prophetic statements of the man dressed in linen in Daniel 12:11-12. The qal stem of the verb is fientive is expressing the action of events taking place after the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 have been fulfilled. The imperfect conjugation of the verb is expressing this as taking place in the future from the perspective of Daniel in the sixth century B.C. ʾǎ ḥ ǎ rîṯ The noun ʾǎ ḥ ǎ rîṯ means after since it is marking events taking place subsequent to the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 have been fulfilled. The construct state of the noun means that it is governing the demonstrative pronoun ʾēl lě(h) which follows it and is expressing a genitive relation between these two words. This is a genitive of result which specifies the outcome of the construct term. This indicates that the demonstrative pronoun which is pointing to the prophetic events recorded in Daniel 11:36-12:3 and 7 specifies the result of these prophetic events being fulfilled. Ellipsis Omitted but implied from Daniel 12:6 is the noun qēṣ (ק ץ) (kates), which is modifying the articular feminine plural form of the noun pě lě(ʾ) (פ ל א) (peh -leh), which together mean extraordinary events. This expression in Daniel 12:6 refers 2014 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 18