Today we complete the book of Daniel. Some things are challenging to understand. The phrase “the time of end” occurs four times (11:35,40; 12:4,9) is one of them. It is hard to know how to understand it. On its final occurrence Daniel writes, “the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end”. Are we now about to see what they mean? We can see what some probably mean. Daniel 12:4 says “many shall rush to and fro” – well many years ago I was on my way to Australia from England and the trip took 30 days; more recently it took me 24 hours! How long did it take Captain Cook? The same verse says, “knowledge shall be increased”. That is remarkably true in my lifetime, but my grandparents were seeing a considerable increase in knowledge in theirs! Today, we wonder what the world’s scientists and technology wizards will discover and invent next!
But what about the phrase in chapter 11? There is a clue in the New Testament in the way the Gospels describe some events then at that time as fulfilling the words of the prophets (e.g, Matthew 1:22; 2:15,17,23; 4:14 etc.). So, the prophecies are not given to make us know events before they happen, but to confirm our faith when we see them take place.
Chapter 11 intrigues us. It shows there will be “a king of the north” at the time of the end (verse 40) who overwhelms a king in the south. The context makes it clear this is north and south of God’s Holy Land. The aggressor goes south into Egypt and the adjoining countries. Today these are both Islamic. He gains their “treasures” (oil?). Then “news from the east and north alarm him” (verse 44) and he reacts with fury to try to destroy the cause, and starts by establishing himself “between the sea and the glorious Holy mountain” (surely Jerusalem).
But then the text states, “yet he shall come to his end with none to help him” and “at that time shall arise Michael”. Who is he? He is one of God’s chief angels we read about in chapter 10 and “he has charge of your (God’s chosen) people. And there shall be a time of trouble such as never has been since there was a nation till that time” (12:1). Jesus elaborates on these words (e.g, Luke 21:25,26). Then the resurrection of the good and the bad takes place, the good are identified as having their names written in the book (of life – see Philippians 4:3) but only they receive “everlasting life”. We are surely living in “the time of the end”. We can see the outline but not the detail, but coming events will make the clues plainer to those who know God’s scriptures. The most important thing is in chapter 12:10 which ends, “… but those who are wise shall understand”.
The “time of the end” is the time of the end of God’s wrath against the Jewish people, according to the “curses of the covenant” in the Law of Moses. Daniel 12 is based on Deuteronomy 32 – the “Song of Witness”. There are so many parallels there worth investigating.
Most of the Book of Daniel is about God’s wrath upon His people “because of transgression” and when it will ultimately end – for example, Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9.
When the “time of the end” is complete, it introduces us to a time when Israel is brought back to their land which ends with Christ sitting upon David’s throne in Jerusalem.