Page 358 - Daniel

Scriptures add the facts that this time of the end begins with the
breaking of the covenant by “the prince who is to come” (Dan. 9:26–27);
that the “time of the end” will last for three and one half years (Dan.
7:25; 12:7; Rev. 13:5); that the time of the end is the same as the time of

Jacob’s trouble and the great tribulation (Jer. 30:7; Matt. 24:21). Many
additional details are supplied in Revelation 6–19.
The fact that the opening section of chapter 12 is obviously

eschatologically future is a major embarrassment to liberals who attempt
to find Antiochus Epiphanes in 11:36–45. chapter 12, which is naturally
connected to the preceding section, clearly does not refer to Antiochus
but to the consummation of the ages and the resurrection and reward of
the saints. Nowhere does the attempt to make Daniel entirely history fail
more miserably than here, as the detailed exegesis of these verses
demonstrates. 2

THE GREAT TRIBULATION (12:1)

12:1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has
charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as
never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time

your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found
written in the book.”

The opening phrase of chapter 12 makes it clear that this passage is
talking about the same period of time as the previous context, that is,
“the time of the end” (11:40). The action here is not subsequent to the
preceding events, but coincides with them chronologically. chapter 11
dealt primarily with the political and religious aspects of the end times.

chapter 12 relates this time period specifically to the people of Israel.
Here is stated in clear terms that this is the time of unprecedented
trouble for the people of Israel. To take the expression “your people” in
any other sense than the nation of Israel is to ignore the uniform
meaning of this designation in the book of Daniel (cf. 9:15–16, 19, 24;
10:14; 11:14).

The time of great trouble mentioned here is a major theme of both the
Old and New Testaments. As early as Deuteronomy 4:30, it was