Daniel 12 is the end of a vision which began in Daniel 10:1. Daniel had wanted a better understanding of the Antichrist and the events that surrounded him. This information was not found in the visions given in chapters 7 and 8, so Daniel had asked for an explanation of some missing details. In Daniel 10, we discovered that an angel had been sent to give these details. The angel had been delayed because a fallen angel or demon had tried to stop him and Michael the archangel had to help him escape. Daniel 10 was an exciting chapter because it was there that we were given an unusual glimpse into an invisible world that surrounds us every day, a world that our invisible God created. Then in Daniel 11 this unnamed angel started giving Daniel the additional information he had wanted. It was a long chapter with many details about the empires of Medo-Persia and Greece. Daniel 11 focused on the portions of history that would help all of us understand this future evil man whom scripture calls the Antichrist. At the end of our last study, the Antichrist was surrounded by armies and was defeated.
Daniel 12:1 is simply saying that Michael will come to the rescue of Daniel’s people, Israel, during the Tribulation. At the end of the Tribulation, there is a final war with evil between the Antichrist and world forces. God will allow His angels and every Christian to participate. But it is Jesus Christ who will come and defeat Satan, the fallen angels, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. It will be a terrible time in the visible and invisible worlds, but Jesus will have the victory in both when He returns again. Now the angel tells Daniel that after this event there will be a resurrection of everyone who has trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.
Have you ever wondered if some people will go to hell? There are some today who are hoping that God will let everyone into heaven. But this verse says that will not happen. Some will go to heaven and others to hell or “everlasting contempt.†There will also be a second resurrection which is for all non-Christians. It will grieve God’s heart because they will go to hell.
When the vision ends, Daniel sees all of the angels who were present. There had been a total of three. One of the angels is the one to whom he has been talking. Another angel appears to be the one clothed in linen in Daniel 10:5-9, and the last angel is not identified. Was it Michael?
Daniel had an experience that is not recorded anywhere else in scripture. He was able to listen to three angels talk to one another. The angels help us understand when the events of Daniel 11:36-12:1 will occur. The help comes when one angel asks how long these events will take. Then another angel answers with “time, times, and half a time.†That is, these events will occur during a 3.5 year period of time. Jesus called this the great Tribulation (Matt. 24:20-30). That means the events of Daniel 11:36-12:1 occur during the last part of the Tribulation.
Apparently some things are said that are not recorded, because Daniel says that he does not understand. The angel responds by telling him this information is secret and to not write it down.The angel then provides Daniel with more information. This means that Daniel heard more than he was allowed to write.
There are many different views about the meaning of these “days.†Now i am going to give my opinion as to the meaning of “1,290 days†and “1,335 days,†but they are only guesses. Since scripture never explains the meaning of these days, i can only guess. First, we need to remember that the tribulation lasts for 7 years or 1,260 days. This means the 1,290 days is a period of time that lasts 30 days beyond the Tribulation. Now for my first guess. I believe this extra 30 days allows time for the clean-up after the Tribulation war. Next, I believe that the 1,335 days allows time for the judgment of all those who came back to life in the first resurrection before the Tribulation starts.
The believers of all ages are resurrected and their works will be judged when Jesus comes again. This is not a judgment to determine if a person goes to heaven or hell. It is a judgment that determines which rewards they will receive.God knows everything we have done, even things we do not know about. There will also be some things for which we may believe we will receive credit that God will reject. God has told us that He will look for one key characteristic in our Christian life, He will look at our motives. I believe Daniel had a strong passion to please God, just as the apostle Paul did. They both wanted to “fight the good fight.†They were both willing to sacrifice themselves for they knew there was a day of reward ahead. God is not unjust.
All of us will some day be alive again. Non-Christians will go to hell. But for Christians, God ends this book with a promise that is true for all those who are depending on Jesus to forgive their sins. It is the same promise He gave to Daniel. It is the promise of a physical resurrection to life with God forever. What a wonderful promise God gave to Daniel, a promise to live with Him forever. We too can live with God forever. But it comes only by believing in Jesus and depending on Him to forgive your sins. It means a willingness to turn your life over to God. What happens when Christians receive their physical bodies after Jesus’ Second Coming? It is time to receive our rewards! But the best is that I can finally see my God face-to-face as a friend knows a friend. It is a time to know God more than I can now.
