DANIEL - Chapter 11 -12- DAIRIUS TO THE ANTICHRIST - Great Vision cont'd.
Daniel, Chapters 11-12
Tuesday Morning Bible Study, July 21, 2026
January 22, 2012
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
HISTORY FROM DAIRIUS TO THE ANTICHRIST
Chapter 11 continues with Daniel’s fourth vision (The Great Vision).
This is a continuation of the prophecy by visitation of the Angel, which I identify as the Angel of the Lord (The Messiah). It has now been five years since Gabriel visited him and gave him the vision of the seventy 70-weeks.
11: 1-2: And in the first year of Dairius the Mede, I (The Angel of the LORD speaking) arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him. And now I will tell you the truth, Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia, and then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece.
The Angel of the Lord said that he had stood with Darius the Mede to confirm and strengthen him in his first year as king. When the Medo-Persians conquered Babylon and set up their kingdom, the demons took possession of this kingdom and manipulated it to try to destroy all the captive Jews within its borders.
This transition fulfills prophecies regarding the fall of Babylon and the rise of Persia.
I skipped Chapter 6 of Daniel in the Lion’s Den under King Darius. I think it good to insert it here.
Daniel 6: 1-3: It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps (governors) over the kingdom, that they should be in charge of the whole kingdom, and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss. Then Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an excellent spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom.
Daniel would now be up in years, approaching ninety. He was once again promoted to the position of administrator. As a commissioner, he would be administrator of the governors. His association with the ousted regime was outweighed by his integrity and unusual, supernatural giftings. It is very clear from this chapter that King Darius like Nebuchadnezzar grew attached to Daniel. The King planned to set Daniel over the whole kingdom.
We can picture that Daniel is older than the other two commissioners and governors. It seemed to be the logic of the younger leaders that it was okay to plot to get rid of Daniel by any means. They probably complained that the young people did not have the opportunity to be promoted because of him. Moreover, Daniel was in exile from Judah, so his prominence and power seemed an insult to native citizens.
If Daniel became the chief administrator, they would have to serve him.
6: 4-5: Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they would find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.”
In the world system, any one in public office is fair game to anyone that can find grounds of accusation to bring them down. This is totally opposite to the Kingdom of God whereby Satan is identified as the “accuser of the brethren.” I would also identify him as the “accuser of Daniel.”
Daniel did not desire worldly gain or political ambition, so there was only one way they could bring charges against him. It was through the treachery that will eventually cost them their lives.
6:6-9: Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Dairius, live forever! All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den. Now O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked. Therefore, King Darius signed the document that is, the injunction:
Manipulation and deceit… However, the very sly officials knew the King’s weakness. Darius probably thought to unify the empire, establish official discipline, and elevate his own authority. He consented to the decree and signed it with his royal ring so it could not be changed.
With Daniel’s intimate relationship with the Lord, his gifts of discernment and prophecy, he could not have been ignorant of the trap. We have already seen Daniel’s faith in action. His faith “stopped the mouth of lions” and he made it in the Faith Hall of fame (Hebrews 11).
These demons stirred up all the administrators and satraps of the kingdom to bring charges against Daniel to King Dairius. They probably intended to begin an extensive extermination of the Jews as soon as Daniel and his friends were killed in the lion’s den. But thanks to Daniel’s prayer, the angels of God defeated the demons that were in possession of the kingdom.
6:10-11: Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
Despite the threat of death, Daniel went home, opened the window, and prayed. Even his enemies had been certain that he would still pray.
If Daniel had departed just a little from his convictions, he could have avoided danger. He did not have to open the windows in full public view while he prayed. He could have hidden in a closet and prayed. But he did not compromise even a little.
The king (6:12-15) realizes that an evil scheme lay behind the decree. He was deeply distressed. We now see the relationship of love and loyalty between Daniel and the King. The King determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. The officials pressed him implying that if he did not carry out the decree he had issued, he would have difficulty in ruling over the kingdom. This indicates he did not have absolute authority over the whole kingdom. Darius the Mede remains a problematic figure in History. Cyrus was the supreme ruler. One history book (Diodorus Sicular, Histories 17.30) quotes the account of Darius III who sentenced a man to death; immediately he repented and blamed himself having greatly erred, but it was not possible to undo what was done by royal authority.
6: 16-18: Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lion’s den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” And a stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing might be changed in regard to Daniel. Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
Here is an act of faith by Darius in Daniel’s God. Even a heathen king who was ignorant of God was so deeply moved by the integrity of Daniel’s character and the firmness of his faith in God that he made a confession of faith before Daniel. In essence, he spoke a word of Faith. “Daniel, though I have tried hard all day long to deliver you, it’s beyond my power to deliver you. But I’m sure that your God will deliver you from the lions’ den.”
Daniel, who had made King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon surrender himself to God, now delivers King Darius of the Medes and Persians as well.
6: 19-23: Then the king arose with the dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also, toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So, Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Even in the lions’ den Daniel maintained the courtesy which he had always shown in the presence of the king. He shows no sign of blaming the king or any bitterness. Evidently, he had spent the night with a calmness of heart---which is more than we can say for the king.
Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language who were living in all the land; ‘May your peace abound! I made a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; for He is the living God and enduring forever; And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed; And His dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions? So, this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Dairus and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”
God is not only the God of Judah and Israel, but He is also the God who controls the history of all human beings. Even though Babylon conquered Judah, their kings and kingdoms knelt before the God of their captives and surrendered to Him. In the same way, our spiritual faith has greater power than armies of nations.
WARRING KINGS OF NORTH AND SOUTH
(Continuation of Great Vision- Chs. 10-12)
11: 3-5: Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall e broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these. Also, the king of the south shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion
In all of the verses from 11:3-35, we see how Daniel’s prophecies were fulfilled in history down to the last detail. These verses are concerned with the war between the king of the south, Egypt, and the king of the North, Syria. The book of Daniel was recorded two hundred to four hundred years before the incidents of the prophecy actually took place. Skeptics, who do not believe that prophecy is possible, assert, “The book of Daniel is spurious, a fake prophecy which in reality was recorded after the things of the prophecy actually had happened. How otherwise could it be so accurate?”
Phase after phase of this prophecy was fulfilled in history! Thus, the Word of God is true, and not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen will fall to the ground.
Three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all… All four are future at the time of the vision, they may be Cambyses, Smerdis, Darius the Great, and Xerxes. The strong rich king was fulfilled in the Persian King Xerxes. Cyrus was King at the time of the vision. If we count Cyrus, Smerdis (probably an imposter) can be discounted. Then a mighty King shall appear, Alexander the Great.
God defeats the Satanic rulers of certain kingdoms before the succeeding one can come to fulfill His prophetic word. He has already predicted the rise and fall of world empires in the times of the Gentiles. To fulfill His Word, He must wage war against Satanic forces who constantly seek to hinder such fulfillment.
The time of verses 11: 13-14 refers to Syria invading Egypt several times, like the flow of a tide. Now in those times many will rise up against the king of the south. The violent ones among your people (Daniel’s people) will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down.
At that time Israel was subject to Egypt, and the garrison of the Ptolemaic general Scopas was defending Jerusalem. Scopas showed much favor to the Jews, aiding them in refurbishing the temple and helping them in many other ways.
Nevertheless, when Syria invaded Egypt, many of the Jews stood with Syria against Egypt. Their plan was to take advantage of the conflict to drive Egypt from the country. But the plan ended in failure. Because of this behavior, Israel was branded a robber and an ungrateful nation.
11:14: …Then the king of the North will come, cast up a siege mound, and capture a well-fortified city; and the forces of the South will not stand their ground, not even their choicest troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand.
The Egyptian army of Scopas was defeated at the upper stream of the Jordan. Thus, Syria came to possess all the regions of Palestine and even Gaza at the border of Egypt, just as Daniel had prophesied.
Then Rome enters the picture: 11:16-17: He who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand. And he will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he will put into effect; he will also give him the daughter of women to run it. But she will not take a stand for him or be on his side.
Then Syria, once it had crushed Egypt, brought to trial the Jews who had earlier rebelled against it, and Jerusalem once again came under the control of Antiochus III. Antiochus perceived the danger of Rome’s advance east from Italy. To secure his kingdom, he gave his beautiful daughter, Cleopatra I Syra (192-176 B.C.), to the sixteen-year-old King Ptolemy V. Epi-pha-nes of Egypt. She was ten years old. Her father hoped to gain control of the Egyptian throne through this marriage.
But Cleopatra sided with her husband, Pto-le-my, against her father in several matters. Antiochus’ plan to make peace with Egypt failed.
11: 18-19: Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn. So, he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more.
Eventually Antiochus gave up on Egypt and instead met with a Roman envoy that was traveling eastward. The envoy proposed to Antiochus that he should surrender and pay tribute to Rome. Antiochus answered proudly: “Asia has no interest in Rome, nor will she obey the command of Rome.” He later made an expedition west into Europe, but his campaign ended in failure.
11: 20: Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though neither in anger nor in battle.
He returned home disheartened from the failure of this campaign. Sometime later he was murdered by an assassin while attempting to plunder a temple.
After his death, Syria surrendered to Rome and paid a tribute of several thousand talents every year. Sel-eu-cus IV Phil-op-ater had succeeded to the throne. He sent a man name Hel-io-dorus to be the tax collector for the Jewish nation. He was to seize the funds from the temple treasury in Jerusalem, but he died abruptly without any apparent cause. (2 Macc. 3:4- records that he was poisoned.)
11:21: And in his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by flattery.
“He makes a league with the high priest; deals deceitfully and becomes strong… Palestine was greatly reduced to poverty during the long wars.” (Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible).
The rest of the chapter following verse 21 is the key to the prophecy in the book of Daniel. “The little horn which appears in Chapter 8: 9-14, 23-25 of this book. Antiochus Ephiphanes, arrives on the scene. He is a type of the antichrist. He was a king who arose from Syria, and he devastated the temple of Israel.
He was a contemptible person who did not rightfully inherit the throne. When Seleucus IV Philpater died unexpectedly, he left two sons behind, Demetrius, who was being held in Rome as a hostage. His second son, Sel-eu-cus, was still a young boy.
Their Uncle Antiochus under the pretext of becoming his nephew’s guardian hired a man named Andronicus to kill his young nephew.
11: 22: The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant.
Epiphanes struck Egypt with a mighty army in 170 B.C. and crushed its forces in the region between Gaza and the Nile delta. He murdered Onias, the high priest of Israel, breaking the treaty of alliance he had made with him. This is the one referred to by Daniel as “the prince of the covenant.”
11: 23: And after an alliance is made with him, he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.
Verses 24-35 describe the wickedness of his reign. Rome turned Ephiphanes back. On his way home he stopped and took out his vengeance on Jerusalem. He destroyed the temple, violating the former covenant. He suspended the daily sacrifice. He set up an altar to Zeus Olympius, the pagan god he worshipped. Worst of all he ordered a sow to be sacrificed under the abominable winged image.
The Jews arose in revolt under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers. During the revolt, eighty thousand Jews were killed, 40,000 were sold as slaves.
Another 40,000 were carried off as captives. This was the greatest tragedy Israel had ever suffered from its involvement in the war between the kings of the south and kings of the north. It was all prophesied centuries before by Daniel.
We often wonder how small forces of people are able to gain so much power in our nation. Verse 23 is the key to this. The demonic power of the spirit-of-antichrist gives power to small forces of people.
Beginning with verse 36, the focus suddenly shifts to the antichrist that will appear at the end of time. Antiochus historically can be cautiously identified with verses 36-39. However, no one in history has fulfilled verses 40-45. Since these verses have not literally been fulfilled (as have all of the other prophecies of Daniel) these should be read as entirely shifted to a future king or antichrist.
11:36 is a clear description of the antichrist. Then the king shall do according to his own will. He shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the god of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished, for what has been determined shall be done. He will do as he pleases. He will exalt himself above all, claiming that he is divine. He will oppose the Lord God with unheard-of-things.
11:37-39 foretells how the antichrist will arise: He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. But in their place, he shall honor a god of fortresses, and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus, he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory, and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divided the land for gain.
These are the scriptures that theologians project that the antichrist, like Antiochus Epiphanes, will come from Syria and will be a Jew. They believe he will appear on the European political scene as a prominent politician, and he will accomplish the unification of then European countries with his sternness and intrigue.
Daniel says that he will honor the god of forces, which means that he will worship Satan. The god of forces refers to a god of war. He will not have a desire for women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.
The Bible shows that he will honor his god, Satan, with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. It also shows that he will build a strong fortress and conquer the whole world with the help of a foreign god. He will honor those who follow him, and he will distribute the land in return for a bribe.
11:40-45: At the time of the end shall the king of the south (Egypt) and the king of the north (Syria) push at him; and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tiding out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; therefore, he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly make away many. He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
As all of Daniel’s prophecies have been fulfilled to the letter, we can expect the same for this prophecy.
Taught by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries Church, 10115 West Hidden Lakes Lane, Richmond, TX
Bibliography as noted.
DANIEL – CHAPTER 12
AT THE TIME OF THE END
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Sunday Evening Service, January 29, 2012
After the prophesy in chapter eleven of the troubles of the Jews under Antiochus as a type of the troubles of the Christian church and Israel under the anti-Christian power of the antichrist, this closing chapter is a comfort to God’s people of His support in those troublous times.
The Angel of the Lord is still speaking by vision to Daniel. This is a continuation of the Great Vision which began in chapter 10:5 at the Hiddekel River.
12:1: Now at that time (the same time as 11:40-45-“the time of the end”) shall Michael stand up the great prince which stands for the children of your 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 your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Michael, the great prince, will stand for Israel, “The children of your people” unlike the antichrist in 11:45 “who will come to his end with none to help.” We too are children of Daniel’s people because we are grafted in through the Blood of Jesus Christ, our elder brother.
Throughout the Book of Daniel, the term “your people” used by Gabriel and the Angel of the Lord refers to the Jews. Michael stands watch. The watchers operate like true followers of Jesus; they bind and loose. Watcher angels call forth the will of God on earth (Dan. 4:23 – watcher angels).
When Christ appears whether at His Second Coming, or by visitation, he will recompense tribulation to those that trouble His People. There shall be a time of trouble threatening to all. Historically this is applicable to the destruction of Jerusalem which Christ calls such a great tribulation as was not since the beginning of the world to this time (Mt. 24:21- Rev. 12-19). Prophetically it speaks of the judgment of the great day that will be such a day of trouble at the time of the end. To those who are walking after the Spirit and the Word of God, it will be a day of rejoicing. To those that are wicked, it will be a day of darkness, sudden destruction shall come upon them (1 Thess. 5: 1-5).
“Every one that shall be found written in the book”, seems to refer to Daniel 7:10- at the throne of God…ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
12:2-3: Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
This is speaking of the Second Coming of the Lord (1 Thess. 4:13-18): I would not have you to be ignorant brethren, concerning them which are asleep…even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him…those who are alive and remain shall not go ahead of them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel (Michael), and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
There will be a resurrection of those that sleep in the dust. This is meant of the general resurrection of the last day. It may also imply an awakening glimpsed in Ps. 13:3: Consider and answer me O Lord my God; lighten the eyes of my faith to behold Your face in the pitch like darkness, lest I sleep the sleep of death.
Jer. 51:39: In their heat (revelries) I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, says the Lord.
51:57: I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, says the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.”
1 Thess. 5: 6-8: Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. Let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
At the Coming of the Lord, there shall be a glorious reward conferred on those who are children of the light.
Rev. 21:12: Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. They that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and instruct many. Those that turn men to righteousness; that turn sinners from the errors of their ways and help to save their souls from death will share in the glory of those they have helped to heaven. Those who are outstanding in earth in God’s sight will have a glorious reward in Heaven.
12:4: But you, 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.
This prophecy of those times, though sealed up now will be of great use to those that will live “at that time of the end.” Daniel was told to preserve his writing because its relevance was far in the future. Here it is to be closed and sealed, authenticated, and protected from tampering.
Isaiah 29:11: And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray you; and he says, I cannot; for it is sealed; and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, read this, I pray thee; and he says, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men; behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
At the end of time men will be vainly seeking to discover God’s plans, as Amos foretold to Amos 8:12: They shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Men will be seeking to increase knowledge then the only answer will lie in God’s word.
This is one of the reasons I have felt the need to do an in-depth study in the Book of Daniel without pre-conceived ideas. As prophesied by Isaiah, men will seek to presumptuously open the seals of God. Many doctrines of eschatology are the precepts of men and not of the Holy Spirit.
Those things of God which are now obscure will one day be made clear and easy to be understood.
“Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority” (Francis Bacon). Scripture prophecies will be expounded by the accomplishment of them. Daniel’s prophecies have been fulfilled to exact time and date. We can expect this to be true of those designated as “at the time of the end.”
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. 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?” 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 swore by him that lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”
Daniel had been made to foresee amazing revolutions of states and kingdoms, as far as the Israel of God was concerned in them. Salvation is from the Jews. The Holy Scriptures are from the Jews. Jesus Christ was born of the seed of Abraham, the seed of David and from the womb of a virgin of the House of Israel.
Through our inheritance of salvation, we also have seen troublous times to the church in the war between evil and good. Here Daniel is given another scene within the great vision. (Vs.5) I, Daniel, looked and behold there stood two others, the one on the brink of the river on this side and the other on the brink of the river on that side. And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?”
The positioning of Christ from the Angel of the Lord in discourse with Daniel has changed to “the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river.” The location of this river is important to the vision. However, it is now vague to us. In chapter 10:5, Daniel was praying at the river, Hiddekel (in present day Iraq). Matthew Henry describes this as between the banks of Ulai (a river in Iran). In Chapter 8, Daniel was translated to the Ulai River (Tigris in Iran) by vision. It does not seem the location of the vision ever changed from the Hiddekel to the Ulai. In view of the present threat of Iran to the nation Israel, it would be very significant. The location of the river is inconclusive.
“When shall the end be” And, “What shall the end be?” The question, “When shall the end be?” is asked by an angel.
The “man clothed in linen” (Christ) raised both hands and swore by Him who lives forever. Oaths were sworn with one hand raised (Dt. 32:40). The Mighty One stood with both feet on the water and swore with both hands lifted up and swore by Him who lives forever. This then is another precise and exact time that is especially binding because He who lives forever will ever enforce it. As we have consistently noted, all of Daniel’s prophecies historically have been precise as to the exact number of days and years to date.
They shall continue for a time, times, and a half, that is a year, two years, and half a year. Some understand it indefinitely, a certain time for an uncertain; it shall be for a time (a considerably time), for times (a longer time yet), and yet but half a time; when it is over it shall seem not half so much as was feared. Dispensationalists believe this refers to the second period of three and a half years in the tribulation, during which the antichrist and his soldiers “finish shattering the power of the holy people,” that is, the Jews.
Josephus says that Antiochus surprised Jerusalem and held it three years and six months and was then cast out of the country by the Maccabeus. Christ’s public ministry continued three and a half years, during which time he endured the contradiction of sinners against himself, and lived in poverty and disgrace; and then, when at his death, his enemies triumphed over him, he obtained the most glorious victory and said, it is finished. Then three and one-half years later, there was a sharp separation between the Christian church and Judaism at the stoning of Stephen.
12:8-9: And I heard, but I did not understand, then said I, “O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 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. From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waits and comes to the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. But go your way until the end for you shall rest and stand in your lot at the end of the days.”
No more would be explained to Daniel. Go your way: or simply “Go!” meant the matter was closed. From that point, or at the time of the events, there will be saints and there will be sinners; the ways of God will be made known to the wise, to the wicked they will grow more obscure. Verse 11 re-iterates the relatively short span of the final outrage given here as 1290 days or 3-1/2 years of 360 days each, with one leap-year. That this is another time set separate from the vision of the 70-weeks is certainly a matter of debate among theologians. The 70-week vision was given five years prior to this vision. The fact that the Mighty One dressed in linen said, “the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end” tells me that revelation has still not been totally revealed to those who consider themselves wise (Isa. 29:11).
If the time of the trouble is to be dated, from the taking away of the daily sacrifice by Antiochus, and the setting up of the image of Jupiter upon the altar, which was the abomination of desolation, 1290 days or the beginning of the trouble was in the 145th year of the Seleucia, and the end of it in the 148th year. If the 1290 days began after the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., then that would be 73-74 A.D.
Then there is a time fixed for the termination of the church’s troubles, and the bringing about of her deliverance. This time must be waited for with faith and patience. When it comes, it will abundantly recompense us for our long expectation.
Daniel must content himself with the discoveries that had been made to him: “Go your way, and record what you have seen and heard for the benefit of posterity, and covet not to see and hear more at present. He must not expect that which was said to him would be fully understood until it was accomplished.
As long as the world stands, there will be in it a mixture of good and bad. God will secure to himself a remnant of good people. Many shall be purified and made white and tried, by their troubles. The word of God shall do them good. The wicked will not understand, and will stumble at the word, but the wise shall understand.
1 Thess. 1:5: You brethren are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Whatever our lot is in the days of time, we shall have a happy lot at the Second Coming of the Lord.
Daniel was bidden turn to other affairs until the end of his life. There will be an unsealing near the “time of the end.” Revelation will pour forth in the Latter Days, but it will be to those who understand.
With all this in mind, what are we to say? We who have received knowledge; who know the Son of Man as the living, loving Lord; who have the Holy Spirit and His precious gifts; can take the words of Paul, If God is on our side, who can be against us?’ and find their truth in Daniel’s experience, and in his visions the promise that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Taught by: Pastor
Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V.; Bibliography: F F. Bruce Bible Commentary, A. R. Millard; Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“Daniel comprehended the power of the Seal. He understood that history was sealed. The players in history were sealed, that times were appointed, and hours were anointed for certain events to take place. He lived within the seal of history set by the hand of God. He knew that within the seal, God changed and altered circumstances and times while not diminishing His omniscience…Emphasis in Daniel is not placed on the kingdoms of men, even though every successive kingdom in history was reviewed, including the last one. Neither his prophecies nor their interpretations were meant to conceal secret coding and signs of the end. The prophecies of Daniel point to the ultimate establishment of the kingdom of God against a backdrop of failing earthly kingdoms…It is noted that God, who has the power to institute change within the seal of history, will be challenged by one who wishes to extend his power to change times and law. It is the same challenge of Chapter 8:12.” (C. R. Oliver – Sealed Unto His Coming)