Daniel 12

Daniel 12

Garland comments: In view of this reality, the marching orders of the Church are similar to those of the prophet Ezekiel: But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD.” He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house. (Ezek 3:27) It was not Ezekiel’s responsibility to make the rebellious turn. His responsibility was to accurately preserve and convey the message of God. Those who would respond did so. Those who would not did not. He did not own the results! (Quoting John MacArthur) Preaching Revelation draws the line. Its truths will melt the hearts of the repentant and harden the hearts of the unrepentant. Those same truths thus become either an instrument of salvation, or an instrument of damnation (cf. 1Co 1:18; 2Co 2:15, 16). Those who have insight will understand (cf foreshadowing of this future event in Da 11:33, 35-note in time of Antiochus Epiphanes) - Who are "those"? In context this refers to believing Jews (those who were spiritually purged, purified and refined) but by application to all believers in these end times. They will understand because God gives them insight (cp Da 2:21,22-note), for the ability to discern or perceive God's work comes only from the wisdom which He imparts. In short, only believers will have supernatural insight into these spiritual events (1Cor 2:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, cf 1Jn 5:20 = "given us understanding") and therefore they will understand what is happening when the difficult, rapid paced fulfillments begin to transpire in the Seventieth Week of Daniel and especially in the last half, the time of distress. Daniel 12:11 FROM THE TIME THAT THE REGULAR SACRIFICE IS ABOLISHED AND THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IS SET UP, THERE WILL BE 1,290 DAYS. A DIFFICULT TO DISCERN TIME PHRASE From the time - This time phrase clearly begins the countdown which will end in 1290 days. While the beginning is clearly identified as discussed below, there is no specific event associated with the ending. The regular sacrifice is abolished - This refers to the Jewish sacrifices in the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem. Daniel 9:26-note explains that the "prince who is to come", who in context is the "little horn" or the Antichrist, will "put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering" (Da 9:27-note) The abomination of desolation (See word study) is set up - This is the pivotal event about which Jesus had prophesied in Mt 24:15 (Mk 13:14) and Daniel had described in Da 9:27-note, the abomination occurring at the midpoint of Daniel's Seventieth Week. This event was prefigured by actions of Antiochus IV Epiphanes as described in Daniel 8 and Daniel 11… It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down. And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper. (Da 8:11, 12-note) And forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. (Da 11:31-note) The abomination of desolation describes the future desecration of the rebuilt Jewish Temple by an abomination presumably in the Holy of holies. The Hebrew word for abomination often refers to an idol, something/someone in the place of God, and when compared with other related passages, the abomination is best explained as either an abominable person (the Antichrist) or his idolatrous image as recorded by Paul and John respectively… (Paul writes about the "abominable" person, the Antichrist) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. (2Thes 2:3, 4) (John writes about the "abominable" image of the person, the Antichrist) And he (the False Prophet, aka the second beast, the "front man" for the Antichrist) deceives those who dwell on the earth (earth dwellers = a "technical term" in Revelation that equates with unbelievers) because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had^ the wound of the sword and has come to life. And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast (An abominable idol of the Antichrist!), that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. (Rev 13:14-18-note) Those who do not accept the literal futuristic interpretation of prophecy, are forced to contrive speculative interpretations of the text. Here is an example from the respected theologian R A Torrey who compiled the incredibly useful resource, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (from which this quote is derived)… (Ed note: Explaining the "abomination of desolation Torrey writes that this is) Probably Mohammedanism, which sprang up in power the same year as the papal, A.D. 606; and 1,290 years from that time will be A.D. 1896, and 1,335 years A.D. 1941. There will be 1290 days - There are 1260 days from the setting of the image in the temple until the Beast is destroyed by the returning Christ (Rev 19:19,20-note). One can only speculate to what this extra 30 days (1260 + 30) refers. Most conservative commentators feel this probably refers to the time it will take to judge the Gentiles and Jews who physically survive the Great Tribulation to determine who is allowed to enter into the 1000 year Kingdom of Christ. It is surprising that the highly respected commentator Gleason Archer feels that the last 3.5 years is only an approximation and that the 1,290 days is a more accurate description of the Antichrist’s persecution of Israel! To the contrary, God seems to go to great lengths to identify exactly the beginning and end of this most horrible time period in the history of Israel (and the world) (See table listing God's very specific parallel time phrases). Be on the alert for non-literalist interpreters like Joyce Baldwin who writes that… All attempts to find an exact application of the literal numbers break down (Ed: O really?!). We turn next to the symbolic interpretation, keeping in mind that there have already been indications of symbolic numbers in the book, notably the seventy sevens of years in Da 9:24-27 Comment: I do not agree with Baldwin (and would advise an Acts 17:11-note mindset when reading anything by this relatively acclaimed author!). I would offer this quote by Baldwin as an example of the dangerous practice of invoking non-literal interpretation in passages where the text does not obviously warrant such an approach. Just because we do not know the event(s) associated with 1290 days and 1335 days does not justify a non-literal interpretation! God does know and one day we will know! (1Cor 13:12-13) What these specific time phrase do warrant is a measured, non-dogmatic interpretative approach. Remember Dt 29:29 is still apropos! Remember Jesus' words to His disciples in Jn 16:12! See Tony Garland's discussion of Systems of Interpretation This verse of course presupposes that the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Mark Hitchcock writes that… The main impediment to the rebuilding of a temple in Jerusalem is the presence of the Muslim Dome of the Rock, or the Mosque of Omar, on the place where the temple must be rebuilt. Also on the Temple Mount is the AL-Aqsa Mosque, which was completed in A.D. 715 and which is regarded as the third holiest place in Islam (after Mecca and Medina). However, Muslims consider the Dome of the Rock to be the crown of the Temple Mount. How will the Jews ever be able to rebuild their temple, with the Dome of the Rock on the same piece of real estate, without triggering World War III? To me this is one of the thorniest problems in all of Bible prophecy. However, there are several possible solutions that are commonly put forth. Here are three of the more common solutions to this problem: 1. Some believe that the temple could be rebuilt without disturbing the Dome of the Rock. The Jewish temple and Muslim Dome of the Rock could stand side by side on the Temple Mount. This is very unlikely for two reasons. First, the best archaeologists, including Israeli scholars, concur that the Dome of the Rock stands on the site where the first and second Jewish temples once stood. Second, even if the temple could be rebuilt next to the Dome of the Rock, this would be anathema to both the Jews and the Muslims. Neither of them would accept this solution. 2. It is also possible that God will send some great disaster, such as an earthquake, that will destroy the Muslim structures on the Temple Mount. 3. A third possible solution is that the annihilation of Russia and her Muslim allies, as detailed in Ezekiel 38-39, will eliminate the Muslim threat to the Jews, thus allowing them to tear down the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque and rebuild their temple without fear of reprisal. I believe that the simplest one is for the Antichrist, when he comes to power, to impose a peace treaty on Israel and the Islamic/Arab nations. A key element in that plan would have to include Israeli sovereignty over the Temple Mount area. The Antichrist will then do what no one has been able to do up to that point. He will bring a comprehensive peace plan to the Middle East. If he is able to somehow compel Muslims to give up control of the Temple Mount and return it to the Jews, he certainly would be hailed as the greatest diplomat in human history. This may be the event that catapults him onto the international political scene as the world's messiah. (Mark Hitchcock - Is the Antichrist Alive Today?) Daniel 12:12 HOW BLESSED IS HE WHO KEEPS WAITING AND ATTAINS TO THE 1,335 DAYS! Ro 11:15 Rev 20:4 IT IS MORE BLESSED TO WAIT Blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains - While the specific event that ends in 1335 days is uncertain, the reaction called for is clear -- this time is marked by blessing in the Millennial age and then the age to follow (New Heaven and New Earth). Compare the seven uses of "blessed" in the Revelation - Rev 1:3-note Rev 14:13-note Rev 16:15-note Rev 19:9-note Rev 20:6-note Rev 22:7-note Rev 22:14-note. My favorite is… Blessed (makarios) are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (in His Messianic Kingdom). (Rev 19:9-note, see also Lk 22:18, 29, 30, Mt 8:11) Blessed (0835) ('esher/'eser related to the verb 'ashar = in its root means to be straight, to be right) conveys a deep sense of well-being. 'Esher speaks of the inner contentment in the life of the man or woman who is right or “straight” with God. The man who practices righteousness will be a blessed man. 'Esher - 42 OT uses - Dt. 33:29; 1Ki. 10:8; 2Chr. 9:7; Job 5:17; Ps 1:1; 2:12; 32:1,2; 33:12; 34:8; 40:4; 41:1; 65:4; 84:4,5, 12; 89:15; 94:12; 106:3; 112:1; 119:1,2; 127:5; 128:1,2; 137:8,9; 144:15; 146:5; Pr 3:13; 8:32, 34; 14:21; 16:20; 20:7; 28:14; 29:18; Ec 10:17; Isa. 30:18; 32:20; 56:2; Da 12:12 One person has written "The word happy is a good rendition of blessed ('esher), provided one keeps in mind that the condition of "bliss" is not merely a feeling. Even when the righteous do not feel happy, they are still considered "blessed" from God's perspective. He bestows this gift on them. Neither negative feelings nor adverse conditions can take his blessing away." John