The End Game [Chapter 12]

I read about a scientist who had died and they wondered what they would put on his headstone. They come up with the words, “He died learning.”

As I come to the end of this great book. I must confess I am still learning about the great historical and prophetic scriptures in this book. I make no claim to have covered either with great originality or even adequacy. This book has challenged my walk and witness for the Lord.

Let’s see what we can learn from this last chapter.

Intervention.

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

The first words in this verse would tell us that the chapter division is not helpful here. Verse one is really a continuation of the great vision, which began in chapter ten.

A vision covering the history of Israel written in advance, from the time of the Medo-persian Empire right up until the coming prince the antichrist.

“At that time,” is the time of the end. In our last study we finished with the end of the Antichrist. This does not represent subsequent events rather they coincide with the time of the end. At that time when antichrist will be turning up the heat against Israel Michael shall stand up. We met Michael in chapter ten.

Daniel 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Michael fought with Satan’s demons to make way for the answer to Daniel’s prayer. He is the one who fights with Satan. He is the one who is especially concerned with Israel. Notice he is called your prince, speaking of Israel.

Daniel 10:21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

In Daniel twelve he is called Michael the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people. We don’t meet Michael again until we get into the New Testament. We meet him in the book of Jude.

Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Here he is called Michael the archangel. The word of God speaks of only one archangel, Michael. Again in Jude he is fighting with the devil. Notice how Michael treats the devil with respect.

We read of the archangel again at the rapture of the Church.

1 Thes. 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Here he is against Satan as the price of the power of the air. Michael is there to resist the devil. I believe Michael is also signalling God’s re- commencement with the nation of Israel. We meet Michael once more in scripture and this is very interesting.

Rev. 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

The twelve stars would identify this woman with Israel. Notice that this woman is with child.

Rev. 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

Satan has an interest in this woman.

Rev. 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

This is the devil. Look now at verse four.

Rev. 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Satan, along with all his fallen angels is ready to devour the child. The child is Christ and Satan tried to wipe out the Messiah. Even before he was born the royal line was under attack. Herod tried to kill the babies.

Rev. 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Here we read about Christ’s birth and his ascension. Compare this with Psalm two.

Psalm 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

Verse six of Revelation twelve now looks forward.

Rev. 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Israel would flee into the wilderness and for three and one half years God would preserve a remnant of Israel.

Rev. 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

Here we have war in heaven. Here we meet Michael again as he stands up and fights Satan.

Rev. 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

Michael defeats Satan.

Rev. 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

We know from Job that Satan has access to somewhere in heaven. He is cast out.

Rev. 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Satan will know that his days are numbered and he turns up the heat on Israel.

Rev. 12:13-14 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. [14] And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Satan will turn against Israel for the three and a half years. This supports other scriptures already studied in Daniel. In the midst of the tribulation after three and one half years Israel will really begin to suffer. God will protect those who have turned to him. There are 404 verses in the book of Revelation v 8-9 of chapter twelve are the middle two verses and the middle of the tribulation period.

The first half of the book closes with Satan expelled from heaven. The last half closes with the throne of God and the Lamb. Can’t we see from comparing scripture with scripture how that Michael will deal with Satan in God’s time?

The Tribulation.

When did this time of trouble come about? Is it still future?

Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

Joel 2:2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

These scriptures reveal what a terrible time it will be.

Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

According to Matthew twenty-four this day was still future. What would come after this day according to Matthew?

Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: [30] And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [31] And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew says that the Lord will come back. The events of the great tribulation are detailed in Revelation chapters six to nineteen. At the close of chapter nineteen what happens?

Rev. 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war

This time will end with the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Obviously it is still future.

Salvation.

“Thy people shall be delivered,” whose names are written in the book. Remember what Paul and Jeremiah said.

Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

Resurrection

Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

This is one of the few mentions in the Old Testament of the resurrection.

Abraham believed in Resurrection.

Genesis 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you,

Hebrews 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Job, Hosea and Isaiah believed in Resurrection.

Job 19:25-26 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: [26] And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Hosea 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

Here again in Daniel twelve we see the truth of resurrection taught.

Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Two groups are in view here, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. This is the first mention of everlasting life in scripture.

Let’s look at what the Lord said in John five.

John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, [29] And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

These verses may give the impression of a general resurrection, that is one resurrection of both saved and sinner and this will bring in eternity but that is not what scripture teaches.

We have the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1 Cor. 15:3-5 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [5] And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

We have the resurrection of saints in Jerusalem.

Matthew 27:52-53 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, [53] And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Then we await the resurrection at the rapture of the church.

1 Thes. 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Those who have died in Christ that is the church. Then following the great tribulation we have the resurrection of tribulation saints and Old Testament saints. Look at Daniel twelve verse two. We see following tribulation we have resurrection. Remember what Job said.

Job connected resurrection with the time when the redeemer stands upon the earth. Daniel was not speaking about church saints. We have this confirmed in Revelation twenty. In chapter nineteen Christ came back to the earth and destroyed the Antichrist and the false prophet. He defeated the armies of the world.

Rev. 20:1-2 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. [2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Satan is bound for a thousand years. This is where the term millennial comes from. It is not found in the Bible. It is Latin for one thousand years. Satan will be bound in a bottomless pit for a thousand years.

Postmillennialism would teach that the church will succeed and the world will become a better place. Then after a thousand years Christ will come back that is were post comes from after the millennium. Paul refutes this idea.

2 Tim. 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Scripture teaches the opposite things will get worse. Also Christ returns in Revelation chapter nineteen and then comes chapter twenty the millennium.

A millennialism teaches that there is no literal millennium “a” means none.

They teach that Satan was bound at Calvary and the thousand years are figurative. Christ will return and eternity will begin, therefore there is no literal one thousand years reign of Christ.

Was Satan bound at Calvary? If he was it must be with a very long chain!

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

1 Thes. 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

Notice in Revelation twenty verse seven we are told that Satan will be loosed.

Rev. 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Does that mean that the work of Calvary will be undone?

When the likes of Augustine taught this in the third century they had no problem. A thousand years seemed a long time but when one thousand years expired, those who taught it said the time span didn’t mean anything.

If everything else in chapter twenty is literal why not the one thousand years?

Satan is not bound that’s why there will be no real peace until the prince of peace comes.

Pre- millennialism teaches that Christ will come first then establish his one thousand year reign. If one takes scripture literally they must come to the same conclusion that Christ’s return will be pre- millennial. Back to Revelation, John next sees the tribulation saints resurrected.

Rev. 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

What of the rest of the dead? Look at verse five.

Rev. 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

The first resurrection concerns all those who are saved. It includes the resurrection of Christ, church and tribulation saints and Old Testament saints. They are first as a group but it happens at different times as I have shown.

Rev. 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Those who have died without the Lord will be raised at the end of the millennium to face the great white throne judgement and the second death.

1 Cor. 15:20-23 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. [21] For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. [22] For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. [23] But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

The resurrection is compared to a harvest. Firstly there were the first fruits, Christ and those who arose when he arose. In the Rapture we have the harvest. After the harvest came the gleanings. Every man in his own order or rank and not a general resurrection as some teach.

Reflection.

Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

What does the Psalmist describe the firmament like?

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

All those who teach the word and turn others to the Lord will shine with the glory of the Lord. They that be wise will be they who turn many to righteousness.

Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

The greatest work that you and I can do is to turn many to righteousness. During the tribulation two witness and an angel will preach the gospel, as well as and one hundred and forty four thousand Jews.

Rev. 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

How successful will they be?

Rev. 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

A great multitude will be reached with the gospel. The servants of the Lord will shine with the glory of God. Look at revelation fourteen.

Rev. 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

Following the tribulation there are still one hundred and forty four thousand. When God seals you, you are saved eternally.

Ephes. 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

If the devil could take your salvation away he would. Your salvation doesn’t depend on the goodness of the devil. It depends on the power of God and the promises of God.

Rev. 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

They sang a new song. It was a song that no one else could sing. Their experience was unique. I wonder, Dear child of God, will you and I have much to sing about?

What are we doing to turn many to righteousness?

Philip. 2:15-16 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; [16] Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Instruction.

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Daniel is told that this book has a special application to the time of the end. During the great tribulation many Jews will read this book and then understand it. There were things here that Daniel would not understand, but in a coming day, others will understand it more. The last part of this verse many take to mean that increased travel and knowledge will mark the last days and how true this is. It is more likely however, that increased knowledge of the word of God will occur as many go to and fro through this book.

Leupold said, “Many shall diligently pursue it and knowledge shall be increased.”

Daniel is instructed to seal up the book. John was told in the Revelation.

Rev. 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

Now is the time to understand this book

Duration.

Daniel 12:5-7 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. [6] And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? [7] And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

Two angels are in conversation and they ask, “How long?” Here again we have this three and one half years the time of the great tribulation. Notice this prophecy applies to his Holy People. This is for Israel. Don’t try and put the church through the tribulation. All these things shall be finished and God’s will, will be done.

Intention.

Daniel 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

The angel asks, “How long?” Daniel’s asks “what” or for what purpose?

Daniel 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

God told Daniel that some of these things are in the distant future and they did not concern him then. Then we discover the outcome, the reason for the tribulation.

Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

This is what it will take for Israel to repent and believe. We can see two results in verse ten. The purification of the saints and it will manifest the true character of the wicked.

Addition.

Daniel 12:11-12 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. [12] Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

Added to the three and one half years we now have an extra seventy-five days. Nothing is said about this time. Perhaps it will allow time to reorganise and clean up after the great battles. Also we know that the nations will be judged and Israel will be the judges, as only the truly saved will enter the millennium.

Expectation.

Daniel 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Daniel you shall die but you too shall share in this glorious resurrection.

Just let’s finish with those words, “go thy way till the end be.”

Walvoord calls Daniel the greatest and most comprehensive prophecy in the Old Testament. We have not only considered prophecy, we have considered history and we have looked at many spiritual applications for ourselves.

May we like Daniel, live godly lives in this ungodly world.

Daniel purposed in his heart as a young man that he would not defile himself. He continued throughout his life and even to the end. Like Paul he could say.

2 Tim. 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Character is made by what you stand for, reputation by what you fall for.

Dare to be a Daniel?