PREVIOUS CHAPTER - NEXT CHAPTER - HELP - GR VIDEOS - GR YOUTUBE - TWITTER - SD1 YOUTUBE CHAPTER 12 Da 12:1-13. CONCLUSION OF THE VISION (TENTH THROUGH TWELFTH CHAPTERS) AND EPILOGUE TO THE BOOK. Compare Da 12:4, 13; as Da 12:6, 7 refer to Da 7:25, that is, to the time of Antichrist, so the subsequent Da 12:8-12 treat of the time of Antiochus (compare Da 12:11 with Da 11:31), thus putting together in one summary view the two great periods of distress. The political resurrection of the Jews under the Maccabees is the starting-point of transition to the literal resurrection about to follow the destruction of Antichrist by Christ's coming in glory. The language passes here from the nearer to the more remote event, to which alone it is fully applicable.
1. at that time--typically, towards the close of Antiochus' reign;
antitypically, the time when Antichrist is to be destroyed at Christ's
coming.
2. many . . . that sleep--"many from among the sleepers . . . these shall be unto everlasting life; but those (the rest of the sleepers who do not awake at this time) shall be unto shame" [TREGELLES]. Not the general resurrection, but that of those who share in the first resurrection; the rest of the dead being not to rise till the end of the thousand years (Re 20:3, 5, 6; compare 1Co 15:23; 1Th 4:16). Israel's national resurrection, and the first resurrection of the elect Church, are similarly connected with the Lord's coming forth out of His place to punish the earth in Isa 26:19, 21; 27:6. Compare Isa 25:6-9. The Jewish commentators support TREGELLES. AUBERLEN thinks the sole purpose for which the resurrection is introduced in this verse is an incitement to faithful perseverance in the persecutions of Antiochus; and that there is no chronological connection between the time of trouble in Da 12:1 and the resurrection in Da 12:2; whence the phrase, "at that time," twice occurs in Da 12:1, but no fixing of time in Da 12:2, 3; 2 Maccabees 7:9, 14, 23, shows the fruit of this prophecy in animating the Maccabean mother and her sons to brave death, while confessing the resurrection in words like those here. Compare Heb 11:35. NEWTON'S view that "many" means all, is not so probable; for Ro 5:15, 19, which he quotes, is not in point, since the Greek is "the many," that is, all, but there is no article in the Hebrew here. Here only in the Old Testament is "everlasting life" mentioned.
3. wise--
(Pr 11:30).
Answering to "they that understand"
(Da 11:33, 35),
the same Hebrew, Maskilim; Israelites who, though in Jerusalem
when wickedness is coming to a head, are found intelligent witnesses
against it. As then they appeared worn out with persecutions
(typically, of Antiochus; antitypically, of Antichrist); so now
in the resurrection they "shine as the brightness of the firmament."
The design of past afflictions here appears "to make them white"
(Mt 13:43;
Re 7:9, 14).
4. shut up . . . seal the book--John, on the contrary,
is told
(Re 22:10)
not to seal his visions. Daniel's prophecy refers to a distant
time, and is therefore obscure for the immediate future, whereas John's
was to be speedily fulfilled
(Re 1:1, 3; 22:6).
Israel, to whom Daniel prophesied after the captivity, with
premature zeal sought after signs of the predicted period: Daniel's
prophecy was designed to restrain this. The Gentile Church, on
the contrary, for whom John wrote, needs to be impressed with the
shortness of the period, as it is, owing to its Gentile origin, apt to
conform to the world, and to forget the coming of the Lord (compare
Mt 25:13, 19;
Mr 13:32-37;
2Pe 3:8, 12;
Re 22:20).
5. A vision of two other angels, one on one side of the Hiddekel or Tigris, the other on the other side, implying that on all sides angels attend to execute God's commands. The angel addressing Daniel had been over the river "from above" (Da 12:6, Margin).
6. one--namely, of the two
(Da 12:5).
7. held up . . . right . . . and . . . left hand--Usually the right
hand was held up in affirmation as an appeal to heaven to attest the
truth
(De 32:40;
Re 10:5, 6).
Here both hands are lifted up for the fuller confirmation.
8. understood not--Daniel "understood" the main features of the vision as to Antiochus (Da 10:1, 14), but not as to the times. 1Pe 1:10-12 refers mainly to Daniel: for it is he who foretells "the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow"; it is he who prophesies "not unto himself, but unto us"; it is he who "searched what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in him did signify." 9. Daniel's desire of knowing more is thus deferred "till the time of the end." John's Revelation in part reveals what here is veiled (see on Da 12:4; Da 8:26). 10. There is no need of a fuller explanation as to the time; for when the predictions so far given shall have come to pass, the godly shall be "purified" by the foretold trials and shall understand that the end is at hand; but the wicked shall not understand, and so shall rush on to their own ruin (Da 11:33-35) [MAURER]. The "end" is primarily, of Antiochus' persuasion; antitypically, the end of Antichrist's. It is the very clearness in the main which renders necessary the obscurity. The fulfilment of God's decree is not a mere arithmetical problem which the profane may understand by arithmetical calculations, but a holy enigma to stimulate to a faithful observance of God's ways, and to a diligent study of the history of God's people [AUBERLEN]. To this Christ refers (Mt 24:15), "Whose readeth, let him understand."
11. from . . . sacrifice . . . taken way . . . abomination--
(Da 11:31).
As to this epoch, which probably is prophetically germinant and
manifold; the profanation of the temple by Antiochus (in the
month Ijar of the year 145 B.C., till the
restoration of the worship by Judas Maccabeus on the twenty-fifth day
of the ninth month [Chisleu] of 148 B.C.,
according to the Seleucid era, 1290 days; forty-five days more elapsed
before Antiochus' death in the month Shebat of 148 B.C., so ending the Jews' calamities [MAURER]); by pagan Rome, after Christ's death;
by Mohammed; by Antichrist, the culmination of apostate Rome.
The "abomination" must reach its climax (see AUBERLEN'S translation, "summit,"
Da 9:27),
and the measure of iniquity be full, before Messiah comes.
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