The second half of the Book of Daniel is an example of what is called “apocalyptic” literature. An “apocalypse” means a revelation and this kind of writing contains revelations given to God’s people, often by angelic messengers. These are usually dreams or visions of “the end times” which also sometimes unveil insights about current events. As with lots of prophecy, the language used to describe these visions is often more symbolic than literal. Chapters 7-12 in Daniel are the most developed apocalyptic literature in the Old Testament, although we can find the same kind of thing in the second half of Isaiah, particularly chapters 24-27 and 33. The first eight chapters of Zechariah and Haggai chapter 2 are similarly apocalyptic. The most obvious example of this kind of language in the New Testament is of course the Book of Revelation. In some ways apocalyptic literature follows on from the writings of the Old Testament prophets. But while the prophets more often delivered messages of judgment and calls to repentance, the emphasis in apocalyptic literature is messages of hope and encouragement.
That is certainly the case in Daniel’s vision in chapter 12. Remember how Chapter 10 gave us a disturbing vision of the spiritual war which is going on in heavenly places, behind the scenes of the human conflicts and the persecution of God’s people on earth. Building on the visions in chapters 7 and 8, chapter 11 foretells battles between Kingdoms in the North and in the South with God’s people as the pawns in the great war. Chapter 11 also foretells a great and evil king who will trample on God’s people. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see how all these prophecies were fulfulled in historical wars. But the central truth which the whole of the Book of Daniel declares is that it is Almighty God Most High who is ultimately in control of history. God is on the throne! Even if a great king rises up to oppose God’s people, the final sentence of chapter 11 declares the reality,
Yet he will come to his end, and no-one will help him.
So God is in control and will come to the rescue of his chosen people. Which brings us to chapter 12 and a powerful message of hope and encouragement for times of suffering. Daniel is given a vision to inspire and sustain God’s people. Although the beginning of the message is far from cheerful!
Daniel 12:1 ‘At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.
A terrible time of distress. Jesus also warned his followers that tribulation would come in the end times.
Matthew 24 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Times of suffering are coming. That was true for Jews in Daniel’s time and is still as true for Christians in the world today. But in the midst of these terrible times, Daniel’s vision encourages God’s people to hold on to their hope of rescue.
But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.
God will rescue his chosen people. Here we have the wonderful promise of the book of life.
We saw this book, or books, at the judgment seat of God the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7.
10 …. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated, and the books were opened.
The book of life also features in John’s vision of the holy city in Revelation 21
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
The book of life offers great hope for all who put their trust in God. Even though they may die physically, they have the happy certainty of sharing in the resurrection of the dead! Daniel 12 goes on with a message of hope.
2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Here we have one of the clearest promises in the Old Testament of the resurrection to eternal life.
Job held on to this hope.
Job 19 25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another.
Isaiah made this promise.
Isaiah 26 19 But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.
So God’s people have this wonderful hope of the resurrection of the dead. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: But here is also one of the clearest places in the Old Testament which speaks of eternal judgment and the classic Christian understanding of hell.
2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Hell is the dark side of hope. C.S. Lewis called the day of judgment, “the great divorce”. On that day, when multitudes who are sleeping in the dust of death awake to resurrection life, it will be
some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
The book of Revelation carries the same grim warning.
Revelation 20 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.
Some people object that Daniel 12 and Revelation 20 are apocalyptic literature and so the language should be interpreted symbolically and not literally. But the same argument cannot be used with the words of Jesus himself.
John 5 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 ‘Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
Rising to live, or rising to be condemned. Those are the words of Jesus himself. The parable of the sheep and the goats ends with this dreadful warning for the Day of Judgment.
Matthew 25 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
The ending of Jesus’s parable of the weeds seems to echo Daniel’s vision.
Matthew 13 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
The righteous will shine like the sun. On the other hand, “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” is the phrase which Jesus uses on no less than seven separate occasions to describe the destiny of those who do evil.
Daniel 12 puts it this way. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
And here is the good news, in Daniel vision, God promises great blessings to those who remain faithful to him.
3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
The vision calls God’s people to be wise, and to lead others to righteousness. They will share in God’s glory forever. What wonderful encouragement to the Jews Daniel is writing for in the middle of such difficult times! This vision has already warned that things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. So understandably Daniel wants to know how soon the end might be coming and just when the prophecies will be fulfilled.
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, ‘How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?’
7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand towards heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives for ever, saying, ‘It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.’
There isn’t a clear answer to the question. We aren’t told what this time, times and half a time might mean in earthly years, or decades, or centuries. God’s people are only warned that terrible times will come. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.’ When God’s people are completely defenceless, God will bring the end. But even in this, there is great reassurance in the fact that these visions reveal that that God knows in advance what will happen. God already knows when the end will come and he knows the final outcome. Even when things appear hopeless, God is sovereign – God is in control. The final outcome is already decided.
10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
Here is God’s promise to his chosen people. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined. On the day of resurrection, God will purify his chosen ones so that they can spend eternity in the presence of his holiness.
But as we just said, there are other people who will face a different end. The prospect of the resurrection of the dead is not good news for everybody. As we have already seen in verse 2, there will be people who will not awake to everlasting life but instead will awake to shame and everlasting contempt. Verse 10 repeats the warning that such people face a different destiny.
The wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand.
The message is clear and indisputable. Our actions in this life will have consequences into eternity on the day of the resurrection of the dead. So how should God’s people be living?
11 ‘From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
We don’t have time tonight to talk about what “the abomination that causes desolation” might refer to. That prophecy, like many others, may well have been fulfilled not just once but in two or even three historical events in the centuries that followed. The vital promise is in verse 12.
12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end. Daniel’s vision calls God’s chosen people to patience and endurance and perseverance through the difficult times to come. Waiting patiently for God to act. Jesus warned his followers in a similar way,
Matthew 24 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Whatever believers are brought to endure, God calls us simply to stand firm, to wait for and to reach the end. And finally there is a personal promise for Daniel himself.
13 ‘As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.’
Daniel won’t be alive to see the terrible times which are to come. Daniel will rest – he will die. But that won’t be the end for him. God promises that Daniel will rise again to receive his reward from God!
So here is the message of the Book of Daniel. God is in control. Terrible times are coming. But God will bring deliverance for his chosen people. And beyond human history, even if we die, we have the glorious promise of the resurrection of the dead.
… everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined,
12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end