Chapter Twelve

1–3. Revelation about the last destinies of the world. 4–13. The conclusion of the book.

Daniel 12:1. And at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise; and there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; but at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Daniel 12:2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:3. And those who are wise will shine like the luminaries in the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness — like the stars, forever and ever. The protector of the Jewish people in the epoch of severe calamities which will befall it from Antiochus Epiphanes will be the Archangel Michael, the “prince” and guardian of the Jews (Dan 10:13). It is only through the intercession of this “great prince” that they will be saved from complete destruction. But just as Antiochus, the enemy and persecutor of the Jewish people, reminds one of the last and cruelest enemy of Christianity—the antichrist—so the grievous time endured by the chosen from the people of God under him serves as a type of the latter days of the new covenant church—a type of the tribulation of the times of the antichrist. To this epoch, the time of the end of the world, the revelation now turns. It is depicted as a time of unprecedented affliction since the creation of the world, which cannot be said of the calamities inflicted on the Jews by Antiochus Epiphanes, and which, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, applies to the end of the world (Matt 24:21). In this grievous hour only those “written in the book of life” will be saved (cf. Exod 32:32; Ps 68:29; Phil 4:3; Rev 3:5; Rev 13 and so on), that is, all those righteous and true members of the people of God whom the Lord has appointed to everlasting life. Just as the living, so too some of those “sleeping in the dust of the earth” will rise to everlasting life, and others—to eternal torment (John 5:29; 1 Cor 15:51-53; 1 Thess 4:16). The first will shine forth like the heavenly bodies (Matt 13:43; 1 Cor 15:40-42).

Daniel 12:4. But as for you, Daniel, conceal the words and seal up the book until the time of the end; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase. The revelation concludes with an instruction directed to the prophet to “conceal the words,” that is, to take care to preserve the given vision carefully. And since it was the last in the series of all the other visions, simultaneously with the first instruction a second is given: “seal up the book”—to take care to preserve all the earlier revelations in the same way. In preserving them in their original purity and integrity, the “knowledge” of the ways of the Lord will increase.

Daniel 12:5. Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this side of the bank of the river and the other on that side of the bank of the river. Daniel 12:6. And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders? Daniel 12:7. And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end, all these things will be completed. Daniel 12:2. The indicated requirement could have ended the revelation. But then there would be lacking an explanation regarding the duration of the predicted events, and yet, by analogy with the vision of chapter 8, the prophet might have expected such an explanation. And it is indeed given, and moreover twice. First, to one of the heavenly beings who posed the question to the man in linen: “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” If by the latter, as judged by the context, is meant the resurrection of the dead (Dan.12:2), then the answer of the man in linen: “a time, times, and half a time... all these things will be completed,” as clearly alluding to (Dan 7:25), indicates the duration of the activity of the antichrist. With such an understanding, the meaning of his words is this: the resurrection of the dead will follow immediately after the time of the antichrist. Daniel 12:8. As for me, I heard but did not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events? The prophet did not understand the answer, and accordingly, to the question: “What will be the outcome of these events?” he is told to be content with what has been revealed and to leave to the future the resolution of doubts regarding what is unclear in the revelation. Understanding of the latter belongs to future times, for which the revelation must be carefully preserved.

Daniel 12:9. And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are concealed and sealed up until the time of the end. Daniel 12:10. Many will be purged, made white, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those with insight will understand. Daniel 12:11. From the time when the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Daniel 12:12. Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days. Daniel 12:10. The prophet’s mental gaze cannot penetrate into the future of the new covenant church. As if in compensation for this, he is given the duration of the sufferings of his people, thoughts about which could torment and trouble him. Dan.12:10, as parallel to (Dan 11:35), and (Dan 12:11), as directly related to (Dan 11:32) of the same chapter, clearly show that the speech of the heavenly being concerns the activity of Antiochus Epiphanes—his persecution of the Hebrew people. Accordingly, the numerical data (Dan 12:11-12) must define its duration. The latter equals 1,290 and 1,335 days. The beginning of the count of these days relates to the “time when the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up,” which took place on the 15th of Chislev in the year 145 (1 Macc 1:54). On the 25th of Chislev in the year 148, the altar in the temple of Jerusalem was restored, and on that day the Jews offered a sacrifice to God on the newly constructed altar (1 Macc 4:52). This event should be recognized as the final point for the period indicated by the angel. But since the interval between the desecration of the temple by Antiochus (15th of Chislev, year 145) and its restoration (25th of Chislev, year 148) equals 3 years and 10 days, or 1,105–1,102 days, then the difference between this number of days and the 1,290 days announced by the angel equals 185–188 days, and between 1,290 and 1,335 days—another 45 days. In order to explain such a discrepancy, it is supposed that 185–188 days passed before the time when Antiochus, having heard in Persia that his forces, directed against the Jews under the command of Lysias, were defeated, and that the Jews had destroyed the desecrated altar, built a new one, and restored their sanctuary, was frightened and troubled, coming to the realization that the misfortunes that had befallen him constituted punishment from above (1 Macc 6:5-13), and the following 45 days the illness of Antiochus lasted (1 Macc 6:9), ending in death in the year 149. If this latter is recognized as the end of the period of 1,335 days, then to some extent the words of the angel become clear: “Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days.” The death of Antiochus Epiphanes put an end to the religious persecutions of the Jews and is therefore regarded as a joyful and gladsome event.