Daniel Chapter 12
Daniel 12:1–4 (NKJV) — The Time of Trouble and Deliverance for Israel
Daniel 12:1 "At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book."
This climactic prophecy signals the onset of Israel's most intense period of distress—yet it is also one of ultimate deliverance. The archangel Michael, Israel’s divine protector, will rise in spiritual defense during a time of unprecedented tribulation. This “time of trouble” surpasses all historical suffering Israel has endured, pointing to the Great Tribulation described by Jesus in Matthew 24:21 and commonly called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).
Key Insight:
Though Israel has suffered much through history, this future tribulation will surpass it all. Yet deliverance is promised for all those “written in the book”—those whose names are secured by God’s eternal covenant.
Daniel 12:2–3 "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever."
Here, Daniel is given a glimpse of final resurrection and judgment. The dead will rise—some to eternal life, others to eternal shame. This is a clear affirmation of bodily resurrection and eternal destinies. The wise—those grounded in God’s truth—will shine eternally, especially those who bring others to righteousness.
Key Insight:
The faithful who endure and lead others to truth will receive eternal honor. This is a promise for all ages, but especially poignant for those enduring the terrors of the last days.
Daniel 12:4 "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."
Daniel is instructed to preserve the prophecy for future generations. While his message had meaning for his own time, it would have far greater significance in the “time of the end.” The reference to increased travel and knowledge likely alludes to the fervent search for truth and the explosion of insight into prophecy in the last days.
Key Insight:
Prophetic understanding will expand as the end draws near. What was once mysterious will be made clear in God’s timing.
Daniel 12:5–7 (NKJV) — The Duration of the Tribulation
Daniel witnesses a heavenly conversation asking how long this time of trouble will last. The answer is given solemnly: “a time, times, and half a time”—three and a half years. This period aligns with the final half of Daniel’s seventieth week and is echoed throughout Revelation as the span of Antichrist’s rule.
Key Insight:
Israel’s suffering under Antichrist will last three and a half years, culminating in their deliverance and the Messiah’s return.
Daniel 12:8–13 (NKJV) — Final Words and Promises
Though Daniel heard, he did not fully understand. The response? “Go your way.” He is told that these truths will be fully revealed in the time of the end. Purification, testing, and discernment will separate the wise from the wicked. Two additional time markers are given: 1,290 days and 1,335 days from the abomination of desolation. While the exact significance of the extra 45 days is debated, it likely pertains to the cleansing, restoration, and judgment that follow the tribulation.
Key Insight:
The wise will endure, understand, and shine. Daniel is assured of his rest and future inheritance—an eternal reward after a faithful life.
Summary of Daniel 12:1–13
Israel will face its greatest tribulation, but Michael will defend, and God will deliver.
Resurrection and eternal judgment await all people.
The wise will shine like stars, especially those who lead others to righteousness.
Prophetic insight will increase in the last days, marking God’s unfolding plan.
God’s people will be purified, and Daniel himself is promised eternal rest and reward.
Lessons from the Book of Daniel
(Baptist Theology, Graduate-Level)
1. God’s Sovereignty over Nations and History
Daniel’s central theological theme is the sovereignty of God over human empires. From Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling (Daniel 4:17, 35) to the rise and fall of future kingdoms (Daniel 2, 7), Daniel teaches that God ordains and overrules the affairs of men for His redemptive purposes.
Key Baptist Insight: God's rule is not merely providential but also eschatological. He is bringing history toward a climactic fulfillment in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ (Revelation 20:4–6; Daniel 2:44–45).
2. Faithfulness in Exile: Personal Holiness and Public Witness
Daniel and his companions model unwavering fidelity in a hostile pagan culture. Whether in dietary conviction (Daniel 1), refusal to bow (Daniel 3), or integrity in prayer (Daniel 6), they exemplify holiness under pressure.
Key Baptist Insight: Holiness and obedience in the believer’s life serve as a testimony to the world (cf. 1 Peter 2:11–12). Daniel prefigures how New Testament believers should live as “aliens and strangers” (Philippians 3:20).
3. The Supremacy of Divine Revelation
Human wisdom and pagan magicians fail repeatedly in Daniel (chapters 2, 4, 5). Only through God's revelation is truth made known. The visions of Daniel come from angelic messengers, not human speculation.
Key Baptist Insight: This affirms the sufficiency and authority of Scripture—God's revelation is the only foundation for truth. Baptists emphasize sola Scriptura in interpreting prophecy and doctrine.
4. The Doctrine of Angels and Spiritual Conflict
Daniel 10 reveals angels like Michael and unnamed beings engaged in cosmic spiritual warfare. These conflicts are unseen but influence earthly outcomes.
Key Baptist Insight: Angels are ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14), not to be worshiped or consulted, but understood as part of God’s sovereign plan. Spiritual conflict reminds believers to “put on the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11–12).
5. The Coming Antichrist and the “Time of the End”
Daniel 7–9 and 11–12 prophesy the rise of a final blasphemous ruler. He is a foreshadowing of the Antichrist (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4; Revelation 13). Daniel 9:27 speaks of a covenant being broken midway through a seven-year period—known in Baptist dispensationalism as Daniel’s 70th week.
Key Baptist Insight: Premillennial Baptists interpret this as literal, expecting a future Antichrist, a seven-year tribulation, and Christ’s return to establish His millennial reign.
6. The Resurrection of the Just and the Unjust
Daniel 12:2 provides one of the clearest Old Testament affirmations of bodily resurrection, both to “everlasting life” and to “shame and everlasting contempt.”
Key Baptist Insight: This affirms the Baptist doctrine of eternal conscious punishment and the glorious resurrection of believers. There is no annihilationism or purgatory—judgment is final and eternal (cf. John 5:28–29; Revelation 20:11–15).
7. God’s Covenant Faithfulness to Israel
Despite judgment, exile, and suffering, God preserves a faithful remnant (Daniel 9:24–27; 12:1). His covenant promises to Israel (Genesis 17:7; Romans 11:25–29) are irrevocable.
Key Baptist Insight: Most Baptists reject replacement theology. They affirm a future for ethnic Israel, including national repentance, spiritual renewal, and restoration in the Millennial Kingdom (cf. Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:26).
8. The Messiah as the “Son of Man”
Daniel 7:13–14 presents a divine-human figure who receives eternal dominion. Jesus explicitly applies this to Himself (Matthew 26:64).
Key Baptist Insight: The “Son of Man” is a messianic title affirming both the deity and future kingship of Christ. Baptists affirm this as a preview of the Second Coming and literal reign of Jesus.
9. The Call to Evangelistic Urgency
Daniel 12:3 honors those who “turn many to righteousness.” This reflects not only faithfulness but also mission.
Key Baptist Insight: Evangelism is central to the Christian life. Baptists emphasize personal responsibility to share the gospel, and Daniel affirms the eternal value of soul-winning.
10. The Progress of Revelation
Daniel is told to seal the book (Daniel 12:4), yet Revelation opens the scroll (Revelation 5). Prophetic truth unfolds progressively, culminating in Christ.
Key Baptist Insight: The New Testament clarifies and completes what the Old Testament anticipated. The Baptist commitment to progressive revelation undergirds dispensational interpretation, culminating in the triumph of Christ.
