The Purpose of End Time Prophecy
God designed our human biology to correspond to the daily patterns of sunlight and darkness. Artificial lighting, like street lights, computers, and cell phones can prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep. But light, as God designed it, can also wake us up from a deep sleep so that we can get to work. God not only designed light to wake us up physically, He designed the light of His glory to wake us up from spiritual death so that we can know His transforming goodness and shine His light in a perverse world.
The glory of God calls us to wise up unto salvation through the sanctifying word of God. At the end of Daniel chapter 11, the angel, probably Gabriel, speaks of the demise of the coming antichrist, who will persecute the people of God and in particular Israel. The angel’s revelation continues in Daniel 12:1: “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.”
The final Antichrist, who is referenced at the end of Daniel chapter 11 and in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, is behind the persecution of believing Israel and all who put their faith in Christ during this final tribulation period (see also Matthew 24:21). The time of the final Antichrist will bring tribulation and persecution like this world has never known. But this final Antichrist is the last in a series of “antichrists” as described by the Apostle John (1 John 2:18; 4:3). Are you standing firm against the antichrist spirit of this age?
In light of the coming great trouble, the angel Gabriel continues at the end of verse 1: “But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.” Gabriel doesn’t say that God’s people will be exempt from the coming great tribulation. Rather, all who are written in the book will be rescued from it. How will they ultimately be delivered? He continues in verse 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.” As believers, whose names are in the book of life, we can trust that our sovereign God is able to deliver us from tribulation or through tribulation. That is, through divine assistance we can escape trouble or endure hardship for the cause of Christ.
Like the three Hebrew youth in Daniel 3, we can trust God’s ability to deliver us from the fiery furnace and we can also trust Him to purify and perfect us through fiery trials. But greater still, all who sleep in Jesus or die in Christ shall awake, as Gabriel revealed, to everlasting life. After giving Daniel greater insight into the hope of the resurrection to come for his people and all whose names are written in the book, Gabriel explains: “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” (Daniel 12:3). The wise are not only those who are made righteous through the saving and sanctifying word of God, but also those who turn others to righteousness through the good news of Jesus Christ. They will shine like the brightness of the sky above because they will share in the glories of Christ for all eternity (John 17:16-17).
Regarding the word of God, Gabriel continues in verse 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.” Gabriel is not telling Daniel to keep the book and its words a secret. Daniel is to seal them for “safekeeping, not secrecy” (Ryan Boys). “God’s people need this word from our Lord, especially as we move forward to the end of the age.” -Danny Akin
Secondly, the glory of God not only causes us to wise up unto salvation through the sanctifying word of God, His glory causes us to rise up from sleep through the illuminating Spirit of God. What the angel reveals in verse 3 about the wise, who turn many to righteousness, and shall shine like the stars forever, is both a future hope and a present reality. In other words, if you’ve received Christ as your Savior, as the Apostle Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 3:18, the liberating Spirit of God is at work in you so that you can behold the light of the glory of the Lord. And as we behold the glory of the Lord, we are progressively transformed into the likeness of Christ to reflect His glory in the world.
So, for the believer, although sharing in the fulness of the glory of God is yet to come, through the Spirit we already share in His glory now. Similarly, although Gabriel is speaking of a future resurrection that awakens those who sleep in the dust (v.2), there is also a spiritual resurrection that all believers experience in the present (Ephesians 2:1). This spiritual resurrection by the Spirit awakens all, who were dead in sin, to see, savor and spread the glory of Christ (Isaiah 60:1-3).
With this in mind, we continue on: “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” (Daniel 12:5-7).
While seeing the vision of the two divine beings opposite each other on the banks of the Tigris river, Daniel hears an angel saying to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” Most commentators agree that precisely what the angel is asking is not clear. Is he asking how long before the glories being revealed will take place or is he asking how long will these end time events last? Exactly what the angel is asking, we don’t know for sure. One thing we can say is that even the angels do not fully understand these end time events (Mark 13:32).
Regarding the period in which these events will occur, the Lord revealed 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." The answer given by the Lord to the angel about time, times and half of time, as some commentators suggests, is referring to the latter half of the great tribulation period, which occurs before the millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20). Some also suggest that because the final week (7 years) is decreed for Israel and not the church in Daniel 9:24, the church will be raptured by Christ before the tribulation begins.
Although I hold to the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, I think we need to resist being overly dogmatic about the timeline of end time events. There’s room for debate. However, what is absolutely clear in scripture and is not up for debate is that Jesus is coming for His church. If you’re struggling to understand the revelation given of the timeline of end times events, be encouraged by the fact that Daniel didn’t fully get it either. Notice his response to the Lord’s answer: “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” (Daniel 12:8-9).
The question that Daniel asked is different than the angel’s question. The angel seemed to ask about the timeline of end time events. Daniel, on the other hand, seems to be asking about the outcome or purpose of end time events. Interestingly, in response, the Lord didn’t first give Daniel an explanation, but an exhortation. When we got saved, God didn’t give us a roadmap about our future; He gave us a relationship with the Father. Growing in intimacy with the Father more so than understanding why we may be going through a tough time gives us the strength to persevere.
Whether you believe in a pre-trib, mid-trib, or post tribulation rapture of the church, God never promised that believers will be exempt from tribulation in this life. On the contrary, Jesus said: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). The grace that enables us to rise up in a dark period and press on is not that the Spirit of God illuminates us to know all things. Rather, the Spirit of God awakens us to know the glory of the God who does know all things and promises to work all things for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). As Job declared in his day of trouble, which he struggled to understand: “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold” (Job 23:10).
Lastly, the glory of God not only causes us to wise up unto salvation through the sanctifying word of God, and rise up from sleep through the illuminating Spirit of God; His glory causes us to light up like stars in view of the coming Son of God. After exhorting Daniel, who could not fully understand the outcome of what was being revealed to him, the Lord continued: “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” (Daniel 12:10).
There were things about the end times, and how long his people had to endure before they were delivered that Daniel couldn’t understand. In response to his question, the Lord not only exhorts Daniel to go on with the understanding that he already had, but He also reveals that the wise will be purified and refined through the coming trials and tribulation. The wicked, on the other hand, will continue to act wickedly.
Unlike the wise, the wicked do not know God nor understand the ways of God. They look to the ways of the world for security and escape, which leads to more wickedness. In contrast, the wise, like Daniel, are wise because they know their God—they know He’s sovereign and that evil will not thwart His redemptive plans. They don’t know precisely when the end will come, but they know the people of God will win in the end. Job in the midst of his trials said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25).
After explaining to Daniel that the wise will be refined in the days ahead, the Lord continues: “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” (Daniel 12:11-12). Notice that in answer to the “how long” question, the Lord reveals that from the time the burnt offering stops and the abomination that makes desolate is setup, there will be 1,290 days, which is roughly 3-1/2 years. Most commentators agree that one cannot say with certainty what these 1290 days refer to. Some suggest they relate specifically to the time between Antiochus Epiphany’s defilement of the temple in 167 BC until the temple’s rededication in 164 BC. Others suggest that it’s a reference to the latter half of the seven-year tribulation during the end times.
I appreciate Bryan Chapel’s insight: “Ultimately the purposes of the vision are not simply to inform us or to warn the wicked. The visions are to ignite the faithful in God’s purposes. There is an additional promise made to God’s people through Daniel with this intended effect. The Lord says, “Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days” (v. 12)—that is, just a little longer (a month and a half), after the period of judgment. I have not found a single commentator who will dare to speak with certainty about what this period of time represents. Does this extra time represent the coming of Christ after Antiochus Epiphanies, or the coming of Antiochus’s death after the abomination he caused? Many explanations have been offered, but the common thread among them is the understanding that God promises his blessing in his time to those who are faithful through their trials. This has been the ultimate purpose of all of Daniel’s revelations. God intends for the prophet’s visions to give people confidence in the present through the revelations of God’s hand upon the future.”
What was the primary purpose behind these great prophesies that Daniel, a man greatly loved by God, received which also reassured Him that God answers prayer? The primary purpose is found in the Lord’s personal words to Daniel at the conclusion of the book: “But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days” (Daniel 12:13).
Notice after giving Daniel further insight into the future, which is in God’s hands, the Lord again exhorts Daniel to go your way till the end. In other words, he’s exhorting him to carry on and to stay faithful to the end of his earthly days. Daniel is not to be preoccupied so much with the timeline of the end times, but with the fact that his time, his future, his eternity is in God’s hands. This is the promise for all the redeemed.
And when it was time for Daniel’s earthly days to come to an end, (v.13) he would enter into his eternal rest and stand in his allotted place, the place that the Lord has prepared for him and also all the wise who know Him, love Him and live in light of the glory to come. This is our blessed hope. (John 14:1-3)
May the light of the crucified, and risen glory of Christ shine in our hearts and cause us to wise up through His sanctifying word and rise up in prayerful dependence on the Spirit from the corruption of this world so that we might light up the darkness in the sure hope that Jesus will come for us in His perfect time.
Rise up and shine to the glory of Christ. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
In your service,
Pastor Marco
The glory of God calls us to wise up unto salvation through the sanctifying word of God. At the end of Daniel chapter 11, the angel, probably Gabriel, speaks of the demise of the coming antichrist, who will persecute the people of God and in particular Israel. The angel’s revelation continues in Daniel 12:1: “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.”
The final Antichrist, who is referenced at the end of Daniel chapter 11 and in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, is behind the persecution of believing Israel and all who put their faith in Christ during this final tribulation period (see also Matthew 24:21). The time of the final Antichrist will bring tribulation and persecution like this world has never known. But this final Antichrist is the last in a series of “antichrists” as described by the Apostle John (1 John 2:18; 4:3). Are you standing firm against the antichrist spirit of this age?
In light of the coming great trouble, the angel Gabriel continues at the end of verse 1: “But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.” Gabriel doesn’t say that God’s people will be exempt from the coming great tribulation. Rather, all who are written in the book will be rescued from it. How will they ultimately be delivered? He continues in verse 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.” As believers, whose names are in the book of life, we can trust that our sovereign God is able to deliver us from tribulation or through tribulation. That is, through divine assistance we can escape trouble or endure hardship for the cause of Christ.
Like the three Hebrew youth in Daniel 3, we can trust God’s ability to deliver us from the fiery furnace and we can also trust Him to purify and perfect us through fiery trials. But greater still, all who sleep in Jesus or die in Christ shall awake, as Gabriel revealed, to everlasting life. After giving Daniel greater insight into the hope of the resurrection to come for his people and all whose names are written in the book, Gabriel explains: “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” (Daniel 12:3). The wise are not only those who are made righteous through the saving and sanctifying word of God, but also those who turn others to righteousness through the good news of Jesus Christ. They will shine like the brightness of the sky above because they will share in the glories of Christ for all eternity (John 17:16-17).
Regarding the word of God, Gabriel continues in verse 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.” Gabriel is not telling Daniel to keep the book and its words a secret. Daniel is to seal them for “safekeeping, not secrecy” (Ryan Boys). “God’s people need this word from our Lord, especially as we move forward to the end of the age.” -Danny Akin
Secondly, the glory of God not only causes us to wise up unto salvation through the sanctifying word of God, His glory causes us to rise up from sleep through the illuminating Spirit of God. What the angel reveals in verse 3 about the wise, who turn many to righteousness, and shall shine like the stars forever, is both a future hope and a present reality. In other words, if you’ve received Christ as your Savior, as the Apostle Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 3:18, the liberating Spirit of God is at work in you so that you can behold the light of the glory of the Lord. And as we behold the glory of the Lord, we are progressively transformed into the likeness of Christ to reflect His glory in the world.
So, for the believer, although sharing in the fulness of the glory of God is yet to come, through the Spirit we already share in His glory now. Similarly, although Gabriel is speaking of a future resurrection that awakens those who sleep in the dust (v.2), there is also a spiritual resurrection that all believers experience in the present (Ephesians 2:1). This spiritual resurrection by the Spirit awakens all, who were dead in sin, to see, savor and spread the glory of Christ (Isaiah 60:1-3).
With this in mind, we continue on: “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” (Daniel 12:5-7).
While seeing the vision of the two divine beings opposite each other on the banks of the Tigris river, Daniel hears an angel saying to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” Most commentators agree that precisely what the angel is asking is not clear. Is he asking how long before the glories being revealed will take place or is he asking how long will these end time events last? Exactly what the angel is asking, we don’t know for sure. One thing we can say is that even the angels do not fully understand these end time events (Mark 13:32).
Regarding the period in which these events will occur, the Lord revealed 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." The answer given by the Lord to the angel about time, times and half of time, as some commentators suggests, is referring to the latter half of the great tribulation period, which occurs before the millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20). Some also suggest that because the final week (7 years) is decreed for Israel and not the church in Daniel 9:24, the church will be raptured by Christ before the tribulation begins.
Although I hold to the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, I think we need to resist being overly dogmatic about the timeline of end time events. There’s room for debate. However, what is absolutely clear in scripture and is not up for debate is that Jesus is coming for His church. If you’re struggling to understand the revelation given of the timeline of end times events, be encouraged by the fact that Daniel didn’t fully get it either. Notice his response to the Lord’s answer: “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” (Daniel 12:8-9).
The question that Daniel asked is different than the angel’s question. The angel seemed to ask about the timeline of end time events. Daniel, on the other hand, seems to be asking about the outcome or purpose of end time events. Interestingly, in response, the Lord didn’t first give Daniel an explanation, but an exhortation. When we got saved, God didn’t give us a roadmap about our future; He gave us a relationship with the Father. Growing in intimacy with the Father more so than understanding why we may be going through a tough time gives us the strength to persevere.
Whether you believe in a pre-trib, mid-trib, or post tribulation rapture of the church, God never promised that believers will be exempt from tribulation in this life. On the contrary, Jesus said: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). The grace that enables us to rise up in a dark period and press on is not that the Spirit of God illuminates us to know all things. Rather, the Spirit of God awakens us to know the glory of the God who does know all things and promises to work all things for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). As Job declared in his day of trouble, which he struggled to understand: “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold” (Job 23:10).
Lastly, the glory of God not only causes us to wise up unto salvation through the sanctifying word of God, and rise up from sleep through the illuminating Spirit of God; His glory causes us to light up like stars in view of the coming Son of God. After exhorting Daniel, who could not fully understand the outcome of what was being revealed to him, the Lord continued: “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” (Daniel 12:10).
There were things about the end times, and how long his people had to endure before they were delivered that Daniel couldn’t understand. In response to his question, the Lord not only exhorts Daniel to go on with the understanding that he already had, but He also reveals that the wise will be purified and refined through the coming trials and tribulation. The wicked, on the other hand, will continue to act wickedly.
Unlike the wise, the wicked do not know God nor understand the ways of God. They look to the ways of the world for security and escape, which leads to more wickedness. In contrast, the wise, like Daniel, are wise because they know their God—they know He’s sovereign and that evil will not thwart His redemptive plans. They don’t know precisely when the end will come, but they know the people of God will win in the end. Job in the midst of his trials said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25).
After explaining to Daniel that the wise will be refined in the days ahead, the Lord continues: “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” (Daniel 12:11-12). Notice that in answer to the “how long” question, the Lord reveals that from the time the burnt offering stops and the abomination that makes desolate is setup, there will be 1,290 days, which is roughly 3-1/2 years. Most commentators agree that one cannot say with certainty what these 1290 days refer to. Some suggest they relate specifically to the time between Antiochus Epiphany’s defilement of the temple in 167 BC until the temple’s rededication in 164 BC. Others suggest that it’s a reference to the latter half of the seven-year tribulation during the end times.
I appreciate Bryan Chapel’s insight: “Ultimately the purposes of the vision are not simply to inform us or to warn the wicked. The visions are to ignite the faithful in God’s purposes. There is an additional promise made to God’s people through Daniel with this intended effect. The Lord says, “Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days” (v. 12)—that is, just a little longer (a month and a half), after the period of judgment. I have not found a single commentator who will dare to speak with certainty about what this period of time represents. Does this extra time represent the coming of Christ after Antiochus Epiphanies, or the coming of Antiochus’s death after the abomination he caused? Many explanations have been offered, but the common thread among them is the understanding that God promises his blessing in his time to those who are faithful through their trials. This has been the ultimate purpose of all of Daniel’s revelations. God intends for the prophet’s visions to give people confidence in the present through the revelations of God’s hand upon the future.”
What was the primary purpose behind these great prophesies that Daniel, a man greatly loved by God, received which also reassured Him that God answers prayer? The primary purpose is found in the Lord’s personal words to Daniel at the conclusion of the book: “But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days” (Daniel 12:13).
Notice after giving Daniel further insight into the future, which is in God’s hands, the Lord again exhorts Daniel to go your way till the end. In other words, he’s exhorting him to carry on and to stay faithful to the end of his earthly days. Daniel is not to be preoccupied so much with the timeline of the end times, but with the fact that his time, his future, his eternity is in God’s hands. This is the promise for all the redeemed.
And when it was time for Daniel’s earthly days to come to an end, (v.13) he would enter into his eternal rest and stand in his allotted place, the place that the Lord has prepared for him and also all the wise who know Him, love Him and live in light of the glory to come. This is our blessed hope. (John 14:1-3)
May the light of the crucified, and risen glory of Christ shine in our hearts and cause us to wise up through His sanctifying word and rise up in prayerful dependence on the Spirit from the corruption of this world so that we might light up the darkness in the sure hope that Jesus will come for us in His perfect time.
Rise up and shine to the glory of Christ. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
In your service,
Pastor Marco