daniel : chapter 12 (10-12)

Chapters 10-12 are all one unit; 11 is the body of the section.

Chapter 10: The Setting

Daniel was in mourning, fasting and praying for three weeks. (v1-3)
When...all of a sudden, a being in linen that only Daniel could see appeared! (v4-9)
An angel then twice encourages Daniel to understand the vision. (v10-21)

Chapter 11: The History Lesson

First, Persia: Four kings,the last of which will rise against Greece. (v1,2)
Then, Greece: A mighty king will arise, then his kingdom will be broken into four pieces. (v3,4)
Finally, North vs South: The Seleucids (Syria) and the Ptolemies (Egypt) fight. (v5-45)

Chapter 12: The End

Life as we know it comes to an end. (v1-4)

Setting: the 'king of the north' (antichrist?) was camped in israel; 'yet he will come to his end' (11:45)

Michael will arise, the greatest distress of all time will occur, and everyone in 'the book' will be rescued. (v1)

michael has already been identified as 'one of the chief princes'; here he is identified as someone who stands guard over 'daniels people', either israel in specific or god's people.
there will be the greatest distress of all time...
and everyone who is in 'the book' will be rescued.

The dead arise, either to glory or contempt. (v2,3)

many of those who sleep will awake to everlasting life.
the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
those who have insight will shine brightly, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars.

'Conceal these words' (v4)

this is said twice, once in each section of 12....

v4 - conceal these words
v9 - these words are concealed

Cryptic conclusions. (v5-13)

Daniel returns to the setting of the vision and hears about when these things will occur.

first question: an angel(?) asks when? (v5-7)

v5 - back to the setting of the vision; two more angels(?) have joined the party.
v6 - one of the angels(?) asks, 'how long until these things happen?'
v7 - "time, times, and half a time", and 'after the power of the holy people is shattered'

first question: daniel asks what? (v8-13)

v8 - daniel asks, 'what will the outcome be?'
v9,10 - bad things will happen, but 'those who have insight will understand'.
v11 - 1,290 days from sacrifice to the abomination of desolation
v12 - blessed are those who wait the 1,335 days.
v13 - as for you daniel...rest, then rise again at the end of the age.

When/What is the 'distress such as has never occured since there was a nation until that time'?

Most people identify this with the distress in Revelation (7 trumpets, 7 seals). But when is this?

the 'time, times, and half a time matches rev 12:14 and daniel 7:25

7:25 parallel:

we saw this back in 7:25

[the horn of the 4th beast] will speak out against the most high and wear down the saints of the highest one, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

after which the horn/beast is judged and god's kingdom comes.

it also matches :

rev 11:2 "they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months",
rev 12:6, the woman flies to the wilderness for "one thousand two hundred and sixty days" (42 * 30)
which correlates to...
rev 12:14, the women flies to the desert where "she was nourished for a time, times, and half a time"
rev 13:5 "the beast from the sea is given "authority to act for forty-two months"

1,260 is 42 months (where each month has 30 days), and 42 months is 3.5 years (12 months per year).
of course the hebrew calendar used then seems to have had some 29 day months, but leap years were present as well, etc...close enough.

1,260? 1,290 days? 1,335 days? Huh?

nobody really knows here...
1,260 is how long the woman is in the desert...
1,290 is from the end of the sacrifice until the abomination of desolation.
1,335 is a number thrown out...'how blessed is he who keeps waiting...'

options:

- these are different parts of 7 years
TODO

Also, is this abomination of desolation the same as in daniel 11:31, matt 24?

The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD?

Some argue that this is referring to the destruction of the Jewish rebellion and accompanying decimation of Jerusalem and the temple.
'Preterists' argue this - that most tribulation type events tie to 70 AD.

To say this, you'd probably need to tie the end of 11:

to Antiochus Epiphanes and say this is a jump forward in time
or to a roman general (Titus? Vespasian?)

A point still in the future?

personal view, the view of GCC

Daniel and the Resurrection

"Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will wake, these to everlasting life"

Daniel 12 is the most clear argument for spiritual life past death in the Old Testament.
In fact, many argue that the theology wasn't clearly revealed until Daniel 12.

Resurrection isn't just to Israel, but specifically "everyone who is found written in the book"

'Rescue' is given to everyone "who is found written in the book", not just to Israel.
This seems rather like Paul's assertion in Romans that "they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel" (Rom 9:6).
Something else Daniel says that isn't so clearly stated elsewhere.

Eternal Perspective: The dead aren't.

Life may be terrible ('a distress such has never occurred since there was a nation until that time'), but life doesn't stop with death.

1. the expectation of the passage is to disaster for israel and the worst distress of time.

2. the hope is post death - in the resurrection.

3. that's the foundational belief of christianity

what does it mean about decisions? worries?