In the revelation given to Daniel about the 70 sevens (years, 9:24-27), we observed that what Gabriel told the prophet in verses 24-26 has already happened. Those verses described what would happen in the first 69 sevens. Verse 27 predicts things that have not happened yet. It reveals what will happen in the seventieth seven. There is a similar break between verses 35 and 36 of chapter 11. What was predicted in verses 2-35 has happened. What follows in this chapter has not happened.
"No commentator claims to find precise fulfillment in the remainder of this chapter."423
Even liberal scholars, who believe that a second century writer wrote the book as history rather than as prophecy, admit that all of what follows has had no literal fulfillment in the past.424A few scholars, liberal and conservative, believe that Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled some of these predictions, especially those in verses 36-39.425However, I am not aware of anyone who believes that he fulfilled them all literally.
In view of later revelation, in the Olivet Discourse and in the Book of Revelation particularly, what the angel told Daniel in these verses must refer to the last one of Daniel's seventy weeks. This is the last seven-year period before Jesus Christ returns to the earth to establish His kingdom. Jesus called it a time of great tribulation (Matt. 24:21), and Daniel's angel called it the worst period of distress that the Jews have ever seen (12:1). Therefore it seems reasonable to conclude that what follows will occur in that seven year period.
11:36 "Then"signals a leap in time to the distant future.
The predicted king will have the power to do as he pleases; apparently he will not be subject to a higher human authority (cf. 7:23; Rev. 13:1-10; 17:12). He will exalt himself higher than any other god implying that he will demand worship (cf. 2 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 13:11-18; 17:16). He will also repudiate the true God (cf. 7:25). He will prosper for a time, until God's indignation against His people the Jews has elapsed (cf. 8:19; Isa. 10:25; 26:20). All of this will happen under the sovereign authority of God, however.
11:37 This verse gives more information about the ruler's religious convictions. The phrase "the God of his fathers"is similar to one that occurs elsewhere in Scripture describing the God of the Jews (cf. 2:23; Exod. 3:15-16; 4:5; et al.). This has led some interpreters to conclude that this king will be a Jew.426However the phrase does not require this interpretation. The name "God"is "Elohim,"the general word for God rather than the covenant name "Yahweh"that God often used when stressing His relationship to His chosen people. This word can have a plural translation (gods) or a singular one (God). Moreover in the light of other revelation about this man, he seems to be a Roman (7:8, 24; Rev. 13:1-10). Of course, he could be a Jewish Roman, but the description of him in this verse does not identify him clearly as a Jew. Probably the angel meant that this king will abandon the religion in his past whatever that religion may have been.
He will do this because he will set himself up as the object of worship in place of all gods.
The identity of "the desire of women"is also problematic. It may be a reference to the Messiah.427Supposedly the supreme desire of every godly Jewish woman in Daniel's day was that she bear the Messiah. Another view is that the reference is to Tammuz (Adonis), a pagan goddess in Daniel's day that women found very attractive.428Others believe that the meaning is that this king will have no desire for women. Some even speculate that he will be abusive toward women. In other words, he will be devoid of natural affection.429I tend to favor this third view.
11:38 What this king will really trust in is a "god"who he believes can give him military success. Evidently this is not a god in the religious sense. He will probably idolize power. His forefathers typically acknowledged some supreme being or some pagan god or gods. He will honor his "god"by spending money to build his military arsenal. In other words, he will be a materialist.430
11:39 The foreign god referred to in this verse may be the god of military might mentioned in verse 38. Alternatively it may be some other foreign god that he uses for his own ends, or it may even be himself. As Antiochus before him, this ruler will reward those who are loyal to him and support him by bestowing honors and positions of authority on them. Perhaps he will also take bribes, as Antiochus did, and give land to those who pay him off. Another possibility is that he will reward with lands those who are faithful to him.
11:40 Finally the very end time will arrive (cf. vv. 27, 35; 12:4, 9). Then this king will be the focus of attack by the king of the South (cf. vv. 42-43), a power south of Palestine, and the king of the North, a force to its north. Evidently they will attack him simultaneously. Apparently this king is neither the king of the South nor the king of the North himself. In view of 9:26, he will probably be a western ruler, the little horn arising out of the Roman Empire (i.e., Antichrist; 7:8, 24).431
The conflict will be great, but he, apparently the ruler described in verses 36-39 (Antichrist), will invade many countries, overwhelm them, and pass on to conquer others. (The Nazis were able to do this early in World War II.)
"Presumably the warfare will be carried on by armored vehicles and missiles such as are used in modern warfare--though in order to communicate with Daniel's generation, ancient equivalents of these are used here. Likewise, the ancient names of the countries or states occupying the region where the final conflict will be carried on are used in the prediction, though most of those political units will no longer bear these names in the last days."432
Ezekiel described a great military force descending on Israel from the far north in the future (Ezek. 38-39; 38:15). Ezekiel did not mention a power from the South. Part of the fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy is probably the same invasion Daniel recorded here.433This aspect of the fulfillment will probably occur in the second half of the Tribulation, when Israel is suffering intense persecution.434
11:41 This king, the Antichrist, will also enter Palestine (cf. 8:9), and many there will fall before his forces. He will also defeat other countries in addition to Israel. He will probably enter Palestine after he breaks his covenant with Israel, which would confirm that these events will happen in the last half of the Tribulation. There will be a few areas that he does not overpower, however, namely, those in the former territories of Edom, Moab, and Ammon. These nations were to the east and south of Israel. Today Jordan occupies this region. The "foremost"of the sons of Ammon probably refers to the best part.435
11:42-43 This ruler will then press his attack against other countries, particularly Egypt. It will fall to his control. He will plunder the treasures of Egypt and will bring those living in the ancient territories of Libya and Ethiopia under his control. Libya lay to the west of Egypt and Ethiopia to its south.
11:44-45 Rumors of enemy armies from the East (cf. Rev. 9:13-21; 16:12) and from the North (cf. v. 40) will cause him to kill more people (cf. Zech. 13:8).436He will also return to Palestine. His headquarters there will evidently be in Jerusalem. This city stands between the Mediterranean and Dead Seas. The NIV translation "at the beautiful holy mountain"confirms this location since Jerusalem stands on Mt. Moriah. It is evidently there that he will meet his match and suffer defeat. Later revelation says that Jesus Christ will return from heaven and destroy him (Rev. 19:19-20; cf. Zech. 14:1-4).
One writer summarized the revelation about Antichrist in verses 36-45 as follows. He will act in self-will (v. 36), will exalt himself (v. 36), and will magnify himself above every god (v. 36). He will blaspheme the true God (v. 36), will prosper for a limited period of time (v. 36), and will be an irreligious person (v. 37). He will also place confidence in military might (vv. 38-39), his military might will be challenged (v. 40), and he will be initially victorious in battle (vv. 40-43). However, he will face renewed conflict (v. 44), will establish his headquarters in Jerusalem (v. 45), and will finally come to an end (v. 45).437
Whereas the previous verses have focused on the Antichrist, those in this pericope concern Israel. Here we learn that this "end time"will definitely be a time of intense persecution of Jews. This section constitutes the climax of this revelation (chs. 10-12) as well as the climax of the whole series of prophecies that this book records. It highlights God's faithfulness to His promises to His chosen people Israel.
12:1 At the time of the end (11:40), Michael, the angel responsible to protect Israel (cf. 10:13, 21), will arise in defense of this nation. This revelation focuses the reader's attention again on the invisible and supernatural dimension to the events that will take place. "Now at that time"introduces additional information about this end time; it does not introduce a chronologically subsequent event.
This period generally will be a time of extreme distress for the Jews, worse than any other time in their national history (cf. Deut. 4:30; Jer. 30:7; Matt. 24:21; Rev. 6-19).438The repetition of "your people"in this verse clearly identifies the Jews, not all believers. They will be the focus of intense persecution, and their land will become an international battlefield (cf. Matt. 24:22).
Nevertheless all those Jews whose names are in "the book"will experience rescue (cf. 7:18, 27). This is not a promise of spiritual regeneration; that comes only by faith in Jesus Christ for Jews living then. Rather it is a promise of national deliverance from human enemies (cf. Zech. 12:10; 13:8-9; Rom. 11:26). Therefore "the book"probably contains the names of all the Jews living in that region then who will experience physical deliverance (cf. Rev. 12:13-17).439The figure of a book connotes a divine record written beforehand that is the basis for this rescue.440
12:2 Why did the angel say "many"will awake and not "all?"Apparently he did so to stress the fact that those Jews who die because of Antichrist's persecutions will experience resurrection at the end of this period (i.e., the Tribulation; cf. Rev. 20:4-6).441He referred to the hope of those Jews in particular. Furthermore this wording clarifies that not all will arise then. Some will experience resurrection at other times in history (e.g., 1 Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 20:4-6).442
The angel meant a physical resurrection rather than just a renewal of the soul (cf. Isa. 26:19; Hos. 13:14). This seems clear since he specified that they will arise from "the dust of the ground."443
"The OT's standard way of envisaging dying and coming back to life is by speaking of lying down and sleeping, then of waking and getting up. The former is an extreme form of the latter, which thus provides the metaphor for it (2 Kgs 4:31; 13:21; Isa 26:19; Jer 51:39, 57; Job 14:12). Further, dying means lying down with one's ancestors in the family tomb, with its nonmaterial equivalent, Sheol; so coming back to life would mean leaving such a land of earth' (cf. also Pss 49; 73). The image presupposes a restoring to life of the whole person with its spiritual and material aspects."444
"The Bible never speaks of sleep in reference to the soul, for sleep is not an activity of the soul. Rather, the Bible always speaks of sleep as an activity of the body (see Matt. 9:18-25; Mark 5:35-42)."445
Some of these Jews will enter into everlasting life, namely, those of them that will be believers. Others will experience disgrace and everlasting contempt, because they do not believe on Christ (cf. Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29). Evidently those martyred during the Tribulation and resurrected at this time will reign with Christ during His kingdom, which will begin with His return to earth following the Tribulation (Rev. 20:4).
While this verse teaches that there will be a resurrection of the wicked, it does not say that this will occur at the end of the Tribulation. It only says that others will awake to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Revelation 20:12-14 make it clear that the resurrection of the wicked will occur at the end of the Millennium, not at the end of the Tribulation. In the context of Daniel 12:2, the emphasis is on the hope of the Jews who will die in the Tribulation. The destiny of the wicked is brought in simply to clarify that they too will be raised, not to specify when.
This is the first mention in the Old Testament of a twofold resurrection. For this reason, and because this verse identifies the time of the physical resurrection of saved Jews (who lived outside the church age, cf. 1 Thess. 4:13-16), this is an extremely important verse.
"Those who argue simply on the basis of the concept of lifetime' or age' for only an age-long punishment in hell rather than one of endless duration must reckon with the many passages in the OT that apply olamto the endless life and sovereignty of God himself. In other words, if hell is not eternal, neither is God; for the same Hebrew and Greek words are used for both in the Bible (cf. Rev 4:10; 20:10; 21:8). The corresponding Greek word aionexactly parallels the Hebrew olamin connotation and semantic development."446
This is the first occurrence of the expression "eternal life"in the Old Testament.447
12:3 The emphasis on hope for the Jews living during this time continues in this verse. Rewards will follow resurrection. Those Jews who have insight into the importance of remaining faithful to God and who do so will receive glory (cf. 11:33, 35). Those who lead others to do right will too. Their glory will be similar to the glory of the firmament above and to the stars (cf. Matt. 13:43). The angel expressed this blessing in a beautiful parallelism. Their glory will involve the privilege of reigning with Jesus Christ during His millennial kingdom and from then on (cf. Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27; Rev. 20:4).
"Verses 2-3, then, clearly affirm the doctrines of resurrection and of eternity beyond the grave. Even the most skeptical OT scholars concede the presence of these doctrines here . . ."448
In conclusion the angel instructed Daniel to close the record of this revelation. In the ancient Near East, people wrote official documents and then, after making a copy for reference, deposited the original in a safe place. The phrase "conceal these words"does not mean that Daniel should keep them to himself but that he should preserve this revelation because it was important (cf. 8:26). Also it was customary for the scribe who recorded important documents such as contractual promises to run his cylinder-seal across the bottom to guarantee authenticity.449That is what the angel instructed Daniel to do with this contractual promise. By sealing it, Daniel would certify that what stood written was exactly what God had revealed to him (cf. Rev. 22:18-19).
Daniel was to preserve this revelation until the end of time because much of what God had revealed to him concerned the far distant future. He confessed that he did not understand much of it (v. 8), as we can appreciate since most of it predicted things still future from his standpoint in history.
The last part of this verse probably refers to the attempts of people in the future to understand this revelation, in view of the context (cf. Amos 8:12).450Attempting to understand these prophecies people would search around and try to discover what they meant. As time passed and knowledge increased, they would understand these things better than Daniel could.
"Whether or not physical wandering and travel is involved, the implication is that attempts to understand the truth will require considerable effort."451
Even though Daniel and his people did not understand this book's prophecies as well as we do, simply because we have seen many of them fulfilled, these predictions did comfort them. They assured them that Yahweh would ultimately deliver Israel from the hostile Gentiles and fulfill His covenanted promises.
