End-Time Studies in the Book of Daniel (Spring 2015) – Mike Bickle
Session 11 The Tribulation and Triumph of the Kingdom (Dan. 12) Page 5
Session 11 The Tribulation and Triumph of the Kingdom (Dan. 12)
I. outline of Daniel 12
A. The victory of God’s people over the Antichrist (12:1-3)
B. Details about the Great Tribulation (12:4-13)
II. The context: The Antichrist (Dan. 11:36-45)
A. The Antichrist will be a king or political leader (11:36) in the generation when Israel is delivered at the end (12:1-3). He will plant part of his headquarters near Jerusalem (11:45).
36“The king shall…speak blasphemies…and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished…” 45“He shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas [Mediterranean and the Dead Seas] and the glorious holy mountain [Jerusalem] yet, he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.” (Dan. 11:36, 45)
B. No one will be able to help the Antichrist when Jesus consumes and destroys him.
8Then the lawless one [Antichrist] will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. (2 Thes. 2:8)
III. The victory of God’s people over the Antichrist (Dan. 12:1-3)
A. Daniel 12:1-3 describes the full and final deliverance of Israel and the resurrection of the saints.
The angelic messenger gave two encouragements. He reminded Israel of God’s sovereign power and assured them of the eternal rewards in the resurrection for those who stand faithful.
B. After describing the Antichrist’s invasion of Israel (11:45), the angel encouraged Daniel by assuring him that Michael will rise up to help Israel and that the martyrs rise up in the resurrection.
1“At that time Michael [archangel] shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people [Israel]; and there shall be a time of trouble [Great Tribulation], such as never was since there was a nation even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered…2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake [resurrection], some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Dan. 12:1-2)
C. At that time: the timing of the following events is in the context of the Antichrist (Dan. 11:36-45).
D. Great Tribulation: This is the verse that Jesus referred to when speaking of the Great Tribulation (Mt. 24:21). Trouble “such as there never was” qualifies this as a very unique time in history.
15“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place…21For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Mt 24:15-21)
14…So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:14)
E. Michael shall stand up: Michael the prince is an angelic prince or archangel. His assignment is to function as the great prince who stands watch over Israel. There is coming a time when Michael shall arise to action or “stand up” in context to the end-time drama. Daniel saw how Michael effectively intervened to help in the conflict in his generation (Dan. 10:12-14).
F. Michael and his angels will cast Satan and his demons out of heaven (Rev. 12:7-9).
7And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan…he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Rev. 12:7-9)
G. Your people shall be delivered: Israel’s final and full deliverance will come from Messiah who was killed (9:26) and raised from the dead to sit at the right hand of the Father (7:13). Daniel saw the Son of Man ruling with His saints (7:13-14, 27). The enthroned Messiah will rescue Israel (12:1) and raise the dead saints in the resurrection (12:2).
13“One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds…14To Him was given dominion…and a kingdom…27The kingdom…shall be given to…the saints of the Most High.” (Dan. 7:13-14, 27)
16The Lord Himself will descend…and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…
(1 Thes. 4:16-17)
IV. The resurrection
A. The Scripture teaches the resurrection of the righteous and the damned. Many believers will be martyred in the end times (11:33-35), but they only sleep until Jesus awakens them (12:2).
2Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake [resurrection], some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever.”(Dan. 12:2-3)
B. Jesus spoke of the resurrection of the godly and ungodly—all of the dead will be raised.
28Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (Jn. 5:28-29)
C. Revelation 20 teaches two resurrections occurring at different times. The resurrection of the righteous will occur at Jesus’ return and the resurrection of the wicked at the end of the Millennium.
4I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus…who had not worshiped the beast or his image…and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
(Rev. 20:4-5)
D. The first resurrection will occur at the last trumpet when Jesus returns.
52…in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Cor. 15:52)
15The seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord…and He shall reign forever…” 18The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants…those who fear Your name…” (Rev. 11:15-18)
16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout…and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up [raptured] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thes. 4:16-17)
E. Resurrection to condemnation with contempt
9These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints… (2 Thes. 1:9-10)
F. The wise who turn others to righteousness: The wise and those who turn people to righteousness (Mt. 5-7) shall shine like the stars forever (12:3). Jesus spoke of this end-time promise (Mt. 13:43).
43“Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Mt. 13:43)
41…for one star differs from another star in glory. 42So also is the resurrection of the dead.
(1 Cor. 15:41–42)
V. Details about the Great Tribulation (12:4-13)
A. The command to seal the vision (12:4): To seal a vision can mean to authenticate and fulfill it or it can mean to hide its full meaning (Dan 12:4, 9). In this context to seal the vision indicates that there would be withholding of some of its meaning until the end times.
4“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” (Dan. 12:4)
B. Two signs of the end-time times: increased travel (run and fro) and knowledge (technology)
C. The certainty and brevity of the Great Tribulation (12:5-7): One angel asked how long the trouble would last (v. 6). The other angel answered that it would be time, times, and half a time (3½ years) in context to the abomination of desolation lasting 1,290 days (v. 11).
5Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?” 7Then I heard the man…who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. (Dan. 12:5-7)
D. God’s purpose for the suffering of saints (12:8-10): to purify and prepare them to rule with Jesus.
8Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” 9And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10Many 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. (Dan. 12:8-10)
33Those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame…35And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end… (Dan. 11:33-35)
E. The length of the abomination of desolation: 1,290 days (12:11). Jesus prophesied that the Great Tribulation would begin with the abomination of desolation. The persecution of the saints will end after 1,260 days, but the Antichrist’s presence is not removed until after 1,290 days.
11From the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days [1,290 days].
15“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place”…21For then there will be great tribulation… (Mt 24:15-21)
F. Students of end-time prophecy are familiar with this well-known three-and-a-half-year period. This period is referred to in Scripture as 42 months or 1,260 days or as time, times, and half a time.
The angel told Daniel about a thirty-day period that would extend beyond the 1,260 days.
G. This important 1,260-day period begins on the day the abomination of desolation is set up. During these three-and-a-half years, three activities pertaining to God’s people will occur. They will all begin on the day the abomination of desolation begins and will continue for 1,260 days.
1. Provision: God will make supernatural provision for the remnant of Israel for exactly 1,260 days (Rev. 12:6, 14).
2. Prophecy: The two witnesses will prophesy for exactly 1,260 days (Rev. 11:3).
3. Persecution: The Antichrist will war against the saints (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:5, 7) and dominate Jerusalem (Rev. 11:2; Dan. 12:7) for exactly 1,260 days.
H. These three activities will end on exactly the 1,260th day after the abomination of desolation begins. Why? This is the day the Church is raptured at the seventh trumpet (Rev. 11:15) and when the Antichrist’s unchallenged domination of Israel ends. The Lord will allow the Antichrist’s worship system in Jerusalem to function for thirty days after the Church is raptured at the seventh trumpet.
I. A transitional time of 1,335 days after Jesus returns—to establish millennial governments? (12:12). The angel points out another forty-five days after the abomination is removed from Jerusalem.
12Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. (Dan. 12:12)
J. Encouragement to Daniel (12:13): he will receive his inheritance at the end of the 1,335 days.
3But you…shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days. (Dan. 12:4-13)
International House of Prayer of Kansas City ihopkc.org
Free Teaching Library mikebickle.org