THE TIME OF THE END.
Daniel 12:1-3.
DANIEL 12:1. “And at that time.”
This reaches beyond the prophesied histories of the previous chapter to ‘the time of the end’ (cf. Daniel 11:35).
“Michael” = 'Who is like God?'
Various commentators throughout Christian history have identified Michael as Jesus.
In Revelation 12:7, “there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.”
In Jude 1:9 we see Michael contending with Satan for the body of Moses. ‘The LORD rebuke thee,’ said he: the exact same words as the LORD Himself said against Satan in the days of Joshua the high priest (Zechariah 3:2).
Whether this identification between Jesus and Michael is true, Jesus does contend for the church, which is ‘the body of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 12:27).
“Michael shall stand up.”
I am put in mind of Jesus standing up from His seat in heaven in order to receive the first Christian martyr, Stephen (Acts 7:55-56).
Michael is “the great prince who stands for the children of thy people” (cf. Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21).
I am also put in mind of the continual intercession of Jesus at the right hand of the Father.
“And there shall be a time of trouble, such as was never seen since there was a nation (even) to that same time.”
In Daniel 11:35, this prefigures a time of persecution, and of tribulation; of testing, and of purging for the people of God. Cf. Mark 13:19-20.
“And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”
Deliverance is reserved for those whose names are ‘written in the book of life’ (Revelation 20:15).
DANIEL 12:2. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.”
“Sleep” is a euphemism for death (cf. Luke 8:52; John 11:11-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).
“The dust of the earth” takes us back to the Garden (Genesis 2:7), and the curse on fallen man (Genesis 3:19).
“Shall awake” quite clearly indicates a bodily resurrection (cf. Job 19:25-27; John 11:23-26; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Corinthians 15:51).
“Some to everlasting life.”
This is the first reference to “everlasting life” in the Bible. It will not be the last (cf. John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:47).
“And some to shame (and) everlasting contempt.”
In the final verse of the book of Isaiah, this “contempt” is translated as abhorrence. It is not annihilation: ‘for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh’ (Isaiah 66:24).
Death is not the end, no, not for anyone.
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.”
“The wise” and “they that turn many to righteousness” are the same group of people.
In Daniel 11:33, ‘they that understand among the people shall instruct many.’
In the New Testament, too, ‘he that turns a sinner away from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins’ (James 5:20).
Thus do the “wise shine.”
Jesus says, ‘ye are light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14). He is The Light of the world (John 8:12), so let us be lights for Him by calling the “many to righteousness.” Amen.
