Daniel 12
Greater trials coming in the distant future verse 1- 4
And at that time shall Michael stand up
the great prince which stands for the children of your 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 your 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 you – 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
Angel ask question of time of end verse 5- 6
THEN I Daniel looked – and behold – there stood other two
the one on this side of the bank of the river
AND the other on that side of the bank of the river
AND one said to the man clothed in linen
which was upon the waters of the river
How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
Angel answers that three and a half years will pass verse 7
AND I heard the man clothed in linen – which was upon the waters of the river
when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven
AND swore by HIM that lives for ever that it shall be for a
time- times – and a half
AND when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people
all these things shall be finished
Daniel didn’t understand the answer verse 8
AND I heard – BUT I understood not
THEN said I
O my Lord – what shall be the end of these things?
Purpose of the future trials given verse 9- 10
AND he said
Go your way – Daniel
for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end
many shall be purified – made white – tried
BUT the wicked shall do wickedly
AND none of the wicked shall understand
BUT the wise shall understand
Blessings given to those who wait on the LORD verse 11- 12
AND from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away
and the abomination that makes desolate set up
there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days
BLESSED is he that waits
and comes to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days
Daniel is going to die before the events take place verse 13
BUT go you your way till the end be – for you shall rest
and stand in your lot at the end of days
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 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. (1860 “contempt” [d@ra’own] means aversion, abhorrence, loathing, or abhorring.)
DEVOTION: Daniel wants to know about the future. He is told by the angel Michael that there is going to be a time of trouble in the future that has never happened before. During this future time there is a group of individuals that will be delivered among the nation of Israel. Those who will be delivered have their names written in a book that the LORD has in heaven. The book is called the “Book of Life.” These individuals will have everlasting life.
However, there are some that will have everlasting shame and loathing. These are the individuals who reject the message of the Bible. They will spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels.
This chapter also explains why those who are going to have everlasting life are still on the earth. They will purified and made white and tried while they are living. This will cause growth. The wicked don’t like these times. The wise will understand why these things are happening.
What about the belief in “soul sleep” that is taught by some. This verse is not saying that when people die they will sleep for a while until judgment day. What is in the grave is the body. However, the soul and the spirit will go immediately to their respective places. What are the respective places? Those who are followers of the LORD in the Old Testament will go into a place called Abraham’s bosom. It is a place of blessing. Those who are not followers of the LORD will go into a place of torment. Not the final place of torment but a temporary one. Neither of these individuals can change places once they die. Their eternal judgment is settled. Everlasting means everlasting. There is no salvation after death. There is no annihilation or universalism taught in the Bible.
We have the responsibility of telling all those around us that there is only ONE WAY to get to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. God is a God of love but that doesn’t mean everyone is going to heaven or universalism. It does not mean that those without Christ will be annihilated. They are going to join the devil and his angels in the lake of fire for eternity. They are not there yet and they don’t want to go there either. It is going to happen.
We need to get all those we love to understand these truths. Only the wise will understand. We have a hard job in front of us. Are we busy doing our job???
CHALLENGE: The choices are only two. There is no third choice. Hell is not living here on the earth for a lifetime. It is going to be real. Are we crying for the souls of loved ones who are not listening to us now?)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 4 But you, 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. (1847 “knowledge” [da‘ath] means perception, skill, discernment, understanding, wisdom, intelligence, or insight.)
DEVOTION: Daniel was commanded twice to seal the book that he was writing. He didn’t understand all that was given him in the visions he received. He was wise to listen to the angels regarding the fact that he would never understand. He just had to accept the truth that God knows the future.
Now we read that the book was to be sealed unto something new happened. What was the something new? It was the fact that at the end of time there would be two characteristics that would be self-evident.
One characteristic is that “many shall run to and fro.” This means that life was going to move at a faster pace as time continued. This is definitely happening today. We now can travel at a rate never before understood. We have sent men to the moon. We have supersonic jets traveling our skies on a regular basis. Our cars get us places faster than ever before and there is talk that there will be cars that can drive themselves. Impossible to understand but it is going to happen.
The second characteristic is that intelligence will increase. I have grandchildren who can work a computer better than I will ever know how to work one. They are learning more in kindergarten than I will understand regarding what is going on in the world. They can play games at faster rates than ever before. They see more pictures than were around in my childhood.
The computers are getting smaller but the capacity for material is getting larger. Our phones can call anywhere in the world. We can see people any time we want to get on Skype together. In fact, as I was writing this part of the devotional I received a call from Russia and talked with a young lady that was in seminary with me. It is great to see each other rather than just talk into a phone.
Our understanding of what is happening in our world has increased greatly but the worship of the True God of the Bible has decreased here where we have some many blessings we don’t really appreciate. We are to be a thankful people but it seems that all we want is more!
CHALLENGE: Understand the times we are living in and be prepared for what is going to happen next in our world. Share the Word with all you can and encourage all those who know the LORD
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
:10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
DEVOTION: God has a reason for all HE is doing now and has done in the past and what HE will do in the future. Everywhere you look throughout the Word of God it informs of God working HIS plans for a reason. HE just doesn’t do it to hurt us or those who have lived in the past or will live in the future.
All of the trials HE sends our way are for a purpose. If we are believers it is so that we will grow in our relationship to HIM. If we are those who are presently rejecting HIS Word, it is for us to realize that HE is in control and HE will send you to a place called hell for eternity.
Yes HE is a God of love. HE sent HIS Son to die for our sins and if we reject this sacrifice HE has no other choice but to reject us. The wicked seem to keep on doing things that HE considers wicked. They are disobedient on purpose. HE sends warning into each of our lives to help us understand that HE wants us to either repent of our sins and become a follower of HIM or to cause us to repent and restore our fellowship with HIM so that HE can bless us.
During the Tribulation period of seven years after the church is taken to heaven there will be final cleansing of the children of Israel. HE has not forsaken them but has given us a time period called the Age of Grace to have both Jews and Gentiles become follower of HIM.
The book is sealed and closed because the understanding of the words of the book of Daniel will be explained in the future to future generations to understand and act on what is revealed. We have the New Testament to help us understand these prophecies. God adds more details through Christ and the disciples.
HE doesn’t reveal everything at once. No one could handle it. HE gives us just enough information for us to make a good decision.
CHALLENGE: Those who reject are making a bad decision.
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:13 “As for you, go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you. (5117 “rest” [nuwach] means to settle down, to await, to repose, to set oneself down, or wait.)
DEVOTION: Daniel was a faithful prophet of the LORD. He was faithful in his work in the political world of the Babylonians and Medo-Persians. He didn’t live to see the time period of the Grecian or Roman empires.
He was given some answers but there were things that he didn’t understand but the LORD told him to seal the book that he was writing until the end times. We are not in the end times that he was told about because it is believed that those who live in this present age will be Raptured or taken to heaven before these events take place during what is the seventieth week of Daniel or the time of the Great Tribulation.
The Bible tells us that the angel told Daniel to rest now because he was going to die before these events took place and he would be resurrected at the end of the Tribulation to receive his inheritance.
We will receive an inheritance from the LORD as we live our lives to please HIM. HE wants us to wait for HIS return with patience.
There is life after death. There are rewards and punishment given after death. Those who are followers of Jesus Christ will have everlasting life. Those who reject will receive shame and everlasting contempt. The Bible teaches that those outside of heaven will suffer in a place called the lake of fire for eternity.
CHALLENGE: Those who reject the message of salvation will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Our time to witness to those outside of Christ is NOW!!
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
LORD has a book with names written in it verse 1
Daniel was to seal his book verse 4, 9
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Daily sacrifice verse 11
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God’s people verse 1,
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Michael – great prince of the children of Israel verse 1
Man clothed in linen verse 5- 13
Swore to one who lives for ever
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Knowledge shall be increased verse 4
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Shame verse 2
Everlasting contempt verse 2
Wicked shall do wickly verse 10
No understanding verse 10
Abomination of desolation verse 11
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Deliverance verse 1
Everlasting life verse 2
Wise verse 3, 10
Righteousness verse 3
Knowledge verse 4
Holy people verse 7
Purified verse 10
Made white verse 10
Tried verse 10
Understand verse 10
Blessed is he that waits verse 12
Wait on the LORD verse 12
1, 225 days
Rest verse 13
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Nation verse 1
Daniel verse 4- 13
Shut up the words and seal the book
even to the time of the end
Vision of two
One talked to man clothed
linen was asked
“How long shall it be
to the end of these wonders?
Asked: What shall be the end of these things?
Holy people verse 7
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Time of trouble verse 1
Found written in the book verse 1
Sleep in the dust of the earth verse 2
Everlasting life for believers verse 2
Everlasting contempt for unbelievers verse 2
Time of the end verse 4, 9, 13
Knowledge shall be increased verse 4
Time, times and a half verse 7
Holy people verse 7
Finished verse 7
Time of the daily sacrifice shall be taken away verse 11
Abomination that makes desolate set up verse 11
1,290 days verse 11
End of days verse 13
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QUOTES regarding passage
12:13 God had revealed many wonderful truths to Daniel over the years, but v. 13 implies that no more revelations would be granted him. The prophet was now a very old man, and he was instructed to cease being anxious about these matters and be satisfied with what he had been told for as long as he lived (“go your way till the end”). Daniel would die (probably soon after this vision) and “rest” from the labors of this life (and his body would rest in the grave; cf. Isa 57:2), but “at the end of the days” he “will rise” (lit., “will stand,” be resurrected) and “receive” his “allotted inheritance.” The promise of the resurrection set forth in 12:2 is now specifically applied to Daniel.
“At the end of the days” refers to the end of this present age. The prophet was not to be concerned, for he would be resurrected and receive an “allotted inheritance”—a great reward and a part in the kingdom of God (predicted in Daniel’s own prophecies) that will someday come upon the earth and then continue into the eternal state. Keil has aptly commented: “Well shall it be for us if in the end of our days we too are able to depart hence with such consolation of hope!” This “consolation of hope” belongs to all who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. May every person who reads these words be part of that great host of the redeemed who “will shine like the brightness of the heavens” and “like the stars for ever and ever!” (Miller, S. R. (1994). Daniel (Vol. 18, pp. 326–327). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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13 The final verse of the book contains an encouraging word for the aged Daniel: “Go your way till the end. You will rest [i.e., his body will rest in the grave], and then at the end of the days you will rise [on the day of resurrection] to receive your allotted inheritance.” Revelation 20:4 states, “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge,” and then it goes on to say that those who have died as martyrs will at that time “come to life” and reign with Christ a thousand years. Surely Daniel will be outstanding among the galaxy of judges and kings. Yet it is also true that those of us who are sincere and obedient believers will have a part in this glory and will see Daniel on his throne. And far eclipsing such honors as these will be the supernatural glory of the Son of Man himself, the Son of God incarnate, who will assume supreme control over the entire earth. His dominion will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth (Zech 9:10). And under his rule the earth shall be filled with righteousness, “as the waters cover the sea” (Isa 11:9). (Archer, G. L., Jr. (1986). Daniel. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel and the Minor Prophets (Vol. 7, p. 157). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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The end (Dan. 12:8–13). “How long?” and “How will it end?” are questions that we ask when the times are difficult and the future in doubt. “What’s the purpose of it all?” Daniel did what all of us must do: he humbly asked God for the wisdom that he needed. But He may not tell us! (Deut. 29:29) He knows how much we need to know and how much we can take (John 16:12). He did promise that all these things would be clearer for those living in the end times, which is an encouragement for us to prayerfully study the prophetic Scriptures.
But the Lord did reveal that, in the end times, as trials come to the people on the earth, these trials will make the believers purer and wiser, but the wicked will only become more wicked. “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13, nkjv; see Rev. 22:11). The unbelievers will be ignorant of the truth but the believers will have their eyes opened to the truths of the Word. The Word of prophecy is our light when things get dark (2 Peter 1:19).
The significance of the 1,290 days and the 1,335 days isn’t made clear, but there is a blessing attached to the second number. The starting point is the middle of the Tribulation, when the abomination of desolation is set up in the temple. Since there are 1,260 days (three and a half years) before the Tribulation ends, the 1,290 days would take us 30 days beyond the return of the Lord, and the 1,335 days 75 days beyond the end of the Tribulation. We aren’t told why these days are important or how they will be used to bring blessing to God’s people. Certainly there are activities that the Lord must direct and tasks to accomplish, all of which will take time. Perhaps the greatest task is the regathering of His people from the nations of the world (Ezek. 20:33–38; Isa. 1:24–2:5; 4:2–6; 11:1–16), their purging, and their preparation to enter the promised kingdom.
Though the Lord had taught Daniel many things and revealed to him many mysteries, it was not for him to know everything before he died. As the end of his life drew near, it was enough to know that he had been faithful to the Lord and would one day rest from his labors (Rev. 14:13). He will one day be raised from the dead and receive the reward the Lord has allotted for him (Matt. 25:21). “I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Ps. 17:15; 1 John 3:1–3; Rom. 8:29). (Wiersbe, W. W. (2000). Be resolute (pp. 147–148). Colorado Springs, CO: Victor.)
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Ver. 13. But go thou thy way till the end be, &c.] Prepare for death, and expect to be under the power of it, to lie in the grave, till the end of the world, until the resurrection-morn: for thou shalt rest; from all toil and labour, from all sin and sorrow; his body in the grave, his soul in the bosom of Christ: and stand in thy lot at the end of the days; signifying that he should rise again from the dead, have his part in the first resurrection, his share of the glory of the Millennium-state, and his portion in the heavenly inheritance of the saints; the antitype of Canaan, which was divided by lot to the children of Israel: and, in the faith and hope of this, it became him to be contented and satisfied; believing the accomplishment of all that had been shewn him, and looking for the blessedness which was promised him. Agreeable to which is the paraphrase of Jacchiades; “but thou, O Daniel, go to the end of thy life in this world; and, after thou art dead, rest in the rest of paradise; and at the end of days thou shalt stand and live in the resurrection of the dead, and shalt enjoy thy good lot in the world to come.” (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, pp. 374–375). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
“Viewers of CNN saw a display of confusion, evasion, and equivocation coming from one presented as a Christian pastor. What they were really seeing is the total theological bankruptcy of the word of faith movement and the gospel of positive thinking. Osteen cannot, or at least will not, speak even the simplest word of biblical conviction. He states his intention to stay in his “lane” of glib affirmation. …. Joel Osteen’s appearance on CNN Thursday revealed little that is new. It was Osteen as always — evasive and confused, but constantly smiling. This is now his calculated and well-practiced approach. He offered no word of the gospel, and no reference to Jesus Christ, but he was introduced as “one of the most recognizable faces of Christianity in America today.” (Albert Mohler’s blog, October 1, 2012)
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1 Chronicles 17
God promises David that He will propagate David’s lineage forever.
INSIGHT
David is described as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). It is difficult for us to accept that statement when David is guilty of lying, adultery, murder, and other indiscretions. However, to be a man after God’s own heart means that David wants the same things God wants. His noble desires and intentions are overruled several times by his passions; but when David’s senses are restored and he repents of his sin, again his heart beats after God’s desires. We may not be as bad as David in his bad moments, but are we as good as David in his good moments? Do our hearts beat after God?
(Quiet Walk)
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THE SPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIP OF REVIVAL
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another…” Galatians 1:6-7
Now this is the kind of thing that is being said at the present time: It does not matter what people may teach. Though they may deny the very essence of Christianity, if I like them, if I am attracted to them, if I can talk easily to them, then that is what counts. It is what they are that is important and thus they make an appeal to you. So what do we say about this modern tendency?
That is not the danger today! The danger today is that we are so afraid of legalism that we have become utterly nondescript. We have knocked down all the barriers and the signposts; anything is all right. “We are a happy lot together and we have a wonderful spirit. Roman Catholics are suddenly now changing. Everything is marvelous. We are going to have a great universal church and there will be no more trouble.”
But that is the very opposite of the New Testament teaching. No, I am not arguing for a legalistic precision. All I am arguing for is what the Apostle Paul is putting before us here in Romans 10:3. These Jews, he says, are outside because they have not got this exact knowledge that saves! There are implications and aspects of this great truth about which we cannot and must not speak dogmatically. But about the thing that saves us we must be as dogmatic as we can be This is absolutely essential to salvation.
The Apostle’s case was always this: there is only one gospel. It had been committed to him and he preached it. Any departure from it was a lie, and whoever preached a lie deserved to be “accursed” (Galatians 1:8).
A Thought to Ponder: “Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (From Saving Faith, a sermon on Romans 10:3 by Martyn Lloyd-Jones.)
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The Holy Ghost in David
“For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness.” (Psalm 95:7-8)
It is an interesting coincidence that verses 7-11 of Psalm 95 are quoted almost verbatim in verses 7-11 of Hebrews 3. The two writers are both referring, of course, to the 40 years of wandering by the children of Israel in the wilderness.
The Hebrews reference contains an important insight on biblical inspiration. It is introduced by the words “the Holy Ghost saith” (Hebrews 3:7), showing that God was actually the real author of the psalm. Then, the same phrase (“To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation”) is quoted again in Hebrews 3:15, but this time it is introduced merely by “it is said.”
Then, remarkably, it is quoted still a third time (Hebrews 4:7), where it tells us that God was “saying in David” this grave warning. In other words, the same Scripture was attributed both to David and to the Holy Spirit. Perhaps even more significantly, the phrase “it is said” is seen to be equivalent to “God says.” All of this is a clear affirmation of the divine inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures.
Finally, the fact that the same warning (“Harden not your hearts”) is cited three times in the space of just 19 verses, all quoting the original warning in Psalm 95:8, must mean that God considers it extremely important that we harden not our hearts! It is possible that even a child of God can become so involved in doubts concerning God’s Word that he becomes useless to God and thus simply must be allowed to die in a spiritual wilderness, never knowing the great blessings of a life of obedient faith. “The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart” (Psalm 19:8). Our hearts should rejoice at His Word, not be hardened against it. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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