Thank you all for indulging me as we unpacked the rest of Daniel 12 and looked at quite a few companion scriptures that helped to bring clarity to the final 3 ½ years of the tribulation. Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 all record the Olivet Discourse, and Daniel 12 is a prophetic chapter that helps shed more light on the last days.
Daniel 12:7 gives a prophetic marker concerning the great tribulation describing it as lasting for a time, times, and a half, which is exactly what John records in Revelation 12:6 & 12:14. This time will be the fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2:40-45 and Daniel 7:23-27. The beast / Antichrist will make war with the saints and will wear them out! Revelation 13:5-8 and Revelation 17:12-17 clearly describe the most desperate time in the history of the world, and how the man of sin will declare himself to be God, and make war with all who refuse to worship him.
Paul describes the atmosphere of the tribulation in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12. He describes the close of the mystery program in verses 1 & 2, then describes the Antichrist in verses 3 & 4, and how the day of the Lord / that day will not occur until the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. We then follow the events that lead to all who take the mark of the beast being condemned to eternal damnation in verses 7-12.
Daniel 12:8-10 remind us that we are not charged with understanding all that we read, but we are charged with believing all that we read. As I stated in class, the secret to unlocking the Bible is to believe what you read!
Daniel 12:11-12 give us a bird’s eye view of how things will play out in the final days of the tribulation. Remember, Daniel 9:27 explains how the Antichrist will break the peace treaty with Israel and outlaw sacrificing. In Daniel 12, we are given the “when” it will happen.
V.11: The sacrificing will cease 1,290 days before the 2nd Advent. We know that the abomination of desolation occurs 1,260 days before the end. “When you see…you flee!”
V.12: 1,335 days – 1,290 days = 45 days. The “blessed” people who are alive in the kingdom 45 days after the 2nd Advent:
…have survived the carnage of the battle of Armageddon
…have survived the separation of the tares from the wheat
…have survived the separation of the good fish from the bad fish
…have survived the Lord, Lord judgment of Matthew 7:21-23
…have survived the judgment of the sheep and the goats
…have survived the trumpet judgments and bowl / vial judgments
These people are the Matthew 5:1-11 blessed people who enter the kingdom of Messiah King Jesus when he returns in Revelation 19:11-21. They exhibit all the character traits of the subjects of the kingdom.
V.13: Daniel is given the promise of the resurrection and a place in the kingdom. He will sleep / die, but will be resurrected and stand in his lot at the end of days! He is given the same promise that Job claimed in Job 19:25-27: For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
The promise of the resurrection of the Old Testament saints is just as real as the promise of our resurrection at the Day of Christ, the rapture of all the Church Age saints that closes out the mystery program and puts the prophetic program back at “time in” till Daniel’s 70th week is fulfilled.