The Book of Daniel, Lesson 46, The Book is Sealed, Daniel 12:1-4

Daniel 12:1-4, And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy 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 thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And 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 be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, 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.

Daniel the prophet, has been given much revelation as to what is to come upon his nation and his people.

He has been a faithful servant of God and has been divinely used to record this revelation for not only himself but for all of God’s children down through the centuries.

But there is a limit as to what Daniel is to record for he is told to stop recording and to seal the book.

But Daniel understands that knowledge of what he has been given will increase at the time of the end for many shall diligently investigate the end times in light of what Daniel has received.

Prophesy is like that. God gives only what we can bear.

Only when events unfold will we completely understand prophetic utterances.

It is clear in this passage that this is how God intends for us to understand prophecy for the book is to be sealed up but later opened up to those who are living at the time of the end, those who are living in the seventieth week of years, that time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation.

This is what this phrase, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased, describes.

There is to be a connection of this running to and fro and the increase of knowledge to what is taking place at the end time, the time of Jacob’s trouble.

Daniel 12:3 speaks of teachers turning many to righteousness.

Daniel 12:4 speaks of many running to and fro with increasing knowledge.

The point that the angel who instructs Daniel is making here is that when the end time comes knowledge of what is sealed up will be found out by these preachers of righteousness.

We can get a sense of this in other translations.

Darby translates verse 4: Many shall diligently investigate and knowledge shall increase.

Fausset says, Many shall diligently peruse it, and knowledge shall be increased.

Pierson says it this way: Many shall read and review the book, and knowledge shall increase.

Daniel was instructed to shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end, at which time, when the prophecy in the vision is fulfilled, many will examine those prophesies carefully and the knowledge of them will increase.

We today have a sense that things are moving faster toward the time of Jacob’s trouble.

And we examine events that come on the scene in light of the book of Daniel.

And as time moves forward and events come to pass the book of Daniel will open up more and more and knowledge that God’s plan is being perfectly carried out will increase.

We see the worldwide movement of the Muslims, the people of Abraham’s son, Ishmael, the son of the bondwoman.

We see their expectancy of the coming of their Messiah and this opens up to us in a real way that which is given to us in the book of Daniel.

Today what we see is a view though a dark glass but during the time of tribulation it will be to those living a view through a glass clearly.

Israel is blind today to the truths of the book of Daniel but the day is coming when many Jews will read and understand, even as the Lord Jesus Christ predicted in, Matthew 24:15, a book which today the Jews reject.

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

We are 2500 years closer to this time then that of Daniel.

We have the benefit on knowing the New Testament and the book of Revelation.

The Lord said to John in Revelation 22:10, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

All that was sealed or shut up to Daniel and the Jews of that day is now being unveiled to believers, so that with the book of the Revelation we can have a better understanding of the book of Daniel.

In our day knowledge of the book of Daniel is increasing among believers in Christ but as to the Jews they remain in darkness as to the truths of this book.

But during the time of Jacob’s trouble this will change when many will diligently investigate its pages and knowledge of its truths shall increase.

The prophecy of the Book of Daniel will be of great value to those living in the last times, for it will give insight into the events taking place around them and its message of deliverance is a message that will keep hope alive.

The book of Daniel will most likely become one of the most widely read books in the last days preceding Christ’s second coming to the earth for God has so ordained it for He has said knowledge of it shall increase.

The Israel of today tries to project itself as strong.

Its military force has no equal in that part of the world.

It is allied with our own country and depends upon our power to continue its existence.

But it is a nation in unbelief and deliverance will not come about by God making them strong but by God making them weak.

He will do this by using wicked men, by using the crown jewel of wicked men, the Anti-Christ to shatter the power of the holy people.

The Jews of Jesus’ day were proud, and arrogant people who rejected the Lord Jesus Christ and that pride and arrogance continues to this day, for having rejected the true Messiah, they look for a Messiah who meets their set of qualifications.

That Messiah will be sent by Satan, whom God will simply use to do his bidding, for God stills operates by the principle that whosoever exalts himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

During the time of Jacob’s trouble God will abase the holy people in order that they come to a place of humility, a place which shall be followed by exaltation for when the power of the holy people shall be broken, then and only then, shall a nation be born in a day.

Israel is to be God’s bride, but Israel, like any rebellious sinner trusts in her own self-righteousness and self-sufficiency, trusts in her strength, but God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.

He will cause their strength to be weak, their power will not sustain them, and they will be abased like any sinner must be abased in order to be saved.

Like any sinner they must come to a place where they see all of their deeds of righteousness as filthy rags and come to the end of clinging to themselves.

During the 3½ years God intends to break this people, shatter their power, and turn them to Himself for salvation.

It is the age old way God has always worked with men and so it will be with Israel in the day of her deliverance.

God tells us that it will take three and a half years to break this people, to shatter their power, and turn them to faith in the Messiah whom they have rejected.

Daniel 12:8-13,  And I heard, but I understood not: 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 till 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.  And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.  Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.  But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Daniel is still not satisfied for he does not completely understand and asks: what shall be the end of these things?

His question is turned aside for he is again reminded that further words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

But the angel does tell him that the end time will be a time of judgment, a time of purification but also a time where the wicked will continue to do wickedly.

As the proverbs tells us the proud will continue to be proud in the face of destruction and those who exhibit a haughty spirit will continue to show that haughty spirit as they fall to their destruction.

The wicked shall do wickedly for none of the wicked understand what God is doing and they will persist in their sin.

We of this age have been given light that was kept from Daniel for we can read of their continued wickedness in:

II Thessalonians 2:8-12,  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

God does not force truth into the hearts of men, neither today or in that future day.

In contrast to the blinding of their eyes those who have the truth of God’s word will understand and see the hand of God guiding every event of those days in such as way as to fulfill His purposes and promises.

The angel then gives one more detail concerning the time of trouble to come and that has to do again with a three and one half year period plus 30 days and then 45 days more.

Because of the blessing that occurs at the 1335th day we can infer that the time of trouble is complete and this 30 period and 45 day period perhaps mark times of cleansing that must take place after such horrendous events have occurred.

The daily sacrifice is taken away in the middle of the 70th week of years, which begins the time of Jacob’s trouble.

Following that 3½ years there is time of mopping up and blessings come at the 1335th day.

So the book of Daniel is ended with Daniel not completely satisfied for he is not given all of the specifics of God’s plan for the future but told that he is given enough for his time.

And the angel tells him to continue in his way, a way of faithfulness and service.

He is also told that his time of rest is near but after that, which is a reference to resurrection, he shall stand in his lot, lot meaning his portion, his reward, at the end of the days.