This is the final post in my study of Daniel. As a reminder, the final three chapters (10-12) related a description of one vision. Daniel was visited by a heavenly messenger who laid out several hundred years of political prophecy (it wasn’t history because it hadn’t happened yet).

Chapter 11:29-35 was included in the last study, but they are repeated below to bring us back into context for the rest of the chapter. These verses are part of the description of the actions of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

“At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.“

As a reminder, these verses tell of the waning of Antiochus’ power. He invaded Egypt again in 168 B.C. but was met by Roman forces and was told to leave or face war against Rome. He acquiesced but on his way back to Syria he began a vengeful aggression against the Jews, murdering many and desecrating their temple. This ultimately resulted in the Maccabean revolt which led to the re-dedication of the temple in 164 B.C. and the institution of the celebration of Hanukkah. The somewhat cryptic phrase “until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time” may refer to the end of Antiochus IV’s reign, but the next verses may shed some light on that.

“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all. He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.“

While Antiochus IV did terrible things and thought of himself as a god, these verses don’t seem to match any particular description of Antiochus IV, and certainly not to the degree of accuracy that all the previous verses have. It is for this reason that most biblical commentators believe that the prophecy has now turned toward something that has not yet happened. This would match up with the prophecy Daniel related in Chapter 9 in which he envisioned a “final week” of tribulation for the Jews and the coming of the “Antichrist” spoken of in Revelation. I’ll mention that again a bit later.

“At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.“

This section definitely does not match up with any particular events associated with Antiochus IV or his successors and may very well be pointing to the events associated with a future “Antichrist”. While this is a very uncertain-sounding statement, I will remind you of the TREMENDOUS accuracy that the rest of Chapter 11 had with respect to future events (from Daniel’s perspective). I believe that the accuracy with which the rest of the chapter lines up with the history that occurred in the region is God’s way of saying, “You can trust that these mysterious events will be fulfilled because all the rest was fulfilled accurately.” Just because it doesn’t match with any known events doesn’t mean that it won’t match up with something that is still yet to happen.

The story continues in Chapter 12.

“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. 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. 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. 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.”

I believe that this passage is referring to the events described in Revelation and in other related passages throughout scripture. There will be a Great Tribulation such as the world has never seen. If you think about the horrors of the Holocaust, and other terrible world events and then realize that this promises a “time of trouble such as never has been”, it’s going to be bad. Yet Daniel and his people are assured that there will be deliverance, a resurrection of all, some (whose names are written in the Book of Life) to eternal salvation and life, and the others (those whose names are not in the Book of Life) to eternal torment.

But then Daniel is told to “shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end.” I believe that Daniel saw even more in his vision, which is probably why he was so terrified, but God instructed him not to write about that. I also believe, that these are the events that John wrote about in his vision described in Revelation, which was revealed at the beginning of the end, or the time between Jesus’s death/resurrection and Jesus’s second coming. This is the “church age” which occupies that period of time between the sixty-nine weeks and the seventieth week in Daniel Chapter 9.

“Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 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?” 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. I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 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. 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. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

This final passage tells us that Daniel is not the only one receiving this vision and information. There are other heavenly beings who are listening and watching and they are as interested as Daniel is. They, along with Daniel, are asking questions for clarification. The messenger gives a little more detail using various numbers of days which approximate a period of three and a half years. But more importantly, he tells Daniel to “go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

Daniel, like all of us, will die. But Daniel is promised that after he dies, had will rest for a time and then be resurrected to stand firm at the end of time. We can have that same assurance! Those who believe in the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf and put their faith and trust in Him for deliverance, will stand with Daniel at the end of days. Can you imagine the line of people wanting to talk to Daniel about his life? What a great reunion that’s going to be!