DANIEL 12

AMAZING PANORAMIC HISTORY 6
THE CLOSE OF EARTH'S PROBATION

Michael Stands Up!  

“And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.”  Daniel 11:45.

 “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy 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 thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Daniel 12:1

Daniel 10,11 and 12 are really one. Ch.12 just continues the angel’s words explaining to Daniel the meaning of the visions he had seen earlier. People get mixed up in their understanding when they don’t realize this fact.

We want to take a close look at this final verse of chapter 11 and see the picture-story God has placed there for us. After the time of the cross, the prophecies have a spiritual meaning, and apply world-wide rather than to the LITERAL nation of Israel.

So we see the King of the North taking a stand here. The words ‘plant the tabernacles of his palace’, in the Hebrew can mean that he will pitch his war tents. He is going to take a stand; and where is he standing?

Now people get all confused when they keep looking to the literal land of Israel for something to fulfill these words—but it has a spiritual and a world-wide meaning. The King of the North is spiritual Babylon—who’s that? It is Rome and all the churches who join with her.

Who are the ‘seas’? Seas represent people, nations and so on. (Revelation 17:15) What does the ‘Holy Mountain’ mean? It means the true people of God. The ones that really have the TRUTH and live by every word out of the mouth of God!

You see TRUTH as it is in Jesus, is like a Mighty Mountain. You may not like it and you may try to get rid of it. You may ignore it or fight against it in every way, but it just stands there like a mighty mountain. You will only wear yourself out and smash yourself to pieces if you keep attacking it!

There is an interesting text in Luke 20:18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Jesus is here explaining something very important to our salvation. He talks about 'falling on a Rock', Who is that Rock? It is JESUS and His WORD. Jesus identified Himself with His Word, so much so that he calls Himself the Word. 

So what does it mean to 'fall and be broken'? It means that we come to Jesus through His Word, and when we really get a glimpse of Him we see our own wretchedness.  We repent fully, we die to self and this is falling on the Rock and being broken. But Jesus lifts us up and gives us a new life in Him. We are born again with Christ living in us His victorious life.

But the verse says that some don't fall on the Rock and on these the Rock will fall—grinding them to powder! These are the ones who reject and refuse every effort God makes to get them to surrender and co-operate with Him in their salvation. 

The King of the North in this prophecy has done this, and here he stands defying the Holy Mountain, the Rock—and it is about to fall on him. None shall help him; no-one CAN help him. He has chosen his own wicked ways until even God Himself has no more that can be tried. Finally the Rock falls.

In verse 44, it talks about ‘tidings’ that make this power angry. This is a message that comes from the people of God to the nations of earth. It warns against what this power is trying to do, and tells people to come out of her. And it also tells that Jesus is about to return.

Hebrew scholars say the verse should read ‘between the seas AND the glorious holy mountain’. So here sits this wicked power between the nations of earth and God’s Holy people trying to stop the message of God's Holy Truth from reaching earth’s millions.

But he comes to his END! Glorious promise!

In the 1260 year prophecy, God’s people were ‘given into his (Rome’s) hand’ In the final time of trouble they will not be; instead the power comes to its end as it tries again to wipe out God’s children.

   “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy 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 thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Daniel 12:1.

Michael stands up! Who is Michael? We know it is our mighty Saviour, Jesus. This is the name always used when He wars against Satan. He stands up for His people. There is another place where we see Jesus stand up--it is when Stephen was stoned; (Acts 7) he saw Jesus standing by the Father’s throne. He wasn’t taking this sitting down! In AD 34, Probation ended for the Jews as a nation. (they can still be saved as individuals, of course.) When He stands up this time--probation will close for the world! Everyone will have decided and will either belong totally to God, keeping all His commandments, or be in total rebellion against Him.

I want to be among that number who shall have their names written in the book, who shall be delivered. I want the overcomer's reward. The masterly temptations of Satan will overpower many who now profess to believe the truth. Their unworthy course of action, their denial of Christ, will make it necessary for God to blot their names from the book of life. But O, may it not be so with us!

In the time of trouble just before the coming of Christ, the righteous will be preserved through the ministration of heavenly angels; but there will be no security for the transgressor of God's law. Angels cannot then protect those who are disregarding one of God’s Commandments.  Jesus will be with His dear children who trust in Him and Satan cannot overcome them!

Why is this coming Time of Trouble more terrible than any that has gone before? There have been many times of trouble and terrible happenings and persecution, what makes this so dreadful?

Always before the 'Common Grace'—the Mercy of God was still mixed with everything that came in history. Because Jesus was still ministering His blood in behalf of sinful mankind. We don't know how much we owe to this merciful Grace! Without it life would long ago have been extinguished from this planet by the insane destruction caused by Satan and his nasty demons. In Revelation 7:1 this mercy is pictured as four mighty angels holding back the winds of destruction. 

 “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. 3 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. ” Daniel 12:2

Just before the actual coming of Jesus in the clouds of heaven, there will be a special resurrection; The people of God who die in the final persecution before the close of probation, and those who have believed the 3 angel’s messages, will be raised to see Him come.

But also the ones who crucified Jesus, and ones who have been the worst persecutors of God’s children through the ages will be raised to watch in horror as Jesus returns, not now as a humble man, but as King of Kings! 

Remember Jesus warned the high priest about that?

“Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:64.

Imagine how terrible will be this sight to those wicked ones! But think how wonderful it will be for God’s dear children as they see Him coming and know that soon they will be forever free from those who want to force them to disobey their dear heavenly Father!

 Those wicked people will die three times, the earthly death, then, when they see Him come they will die of fright, and finally in the lake of fire they will die forever.

 “But thou, 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.”  Daniel 12:4.

The angel told Daniel that his book was not going to be understood until the end of those great time prophecies in the book. Then ‘knowledge would be increased’. This knowledge doesn’t just mean worldly knowledge, it means understanding the book of Daniel.  The Syrian Peshitta has this verse: 

"But you, O Daniel, seal these words and be silent, and seal this book even to the time of the end; many shall want to know the end, and knowledge shall be increased." Daniel 12:4.

As the time prophecies neared their end, God’s Holy Spirit drew people’s attention to them, and helped them to understand what they meant. ‘Running to and fro’ does not just mean people traveling around a lot, it means to study the scriptures, ‘running here and there’ in the Bible and putting texts together to understand the great message of the Book.  

TIME PROPHECIES END

As the 1260 year prophecy and the 2300 year prophecy neared their end, people all over the world began to study the book of Daniel and learn wonderful truths out of it. The prophecy was perfectly fulfilled.  

The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation as well as the other prophets in the Bible, have special meaning for us now in the end times. God wants us to study and understand His messages to us. 

"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. 6 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?" Daniel 12:5,6

 “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 sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” Daniel 12:7

"And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." Daniel 11:8-10.

   "And from the time that the daily (sacrifice) shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." Daniel  12:11-13.

Clovis, king of the Franks,  dedicated his sword and his throne to the Papacy in A.D. 508, and then began the war against the three horns--the Goths, Vandals, and Heruli. In 538 the last of them fell and the Papal horn was ruling the world.

Then we see 1335 years, they start at the same place, 508 AD, and it comes to 1843! Jesus says there is a blessing on that year. What happened in 1843? Well the message of the time prophecies of Daniel were preached with great power. We call it the ‘Midnight Cry’ message.

Daniel ‘stands in his lot’; this means that at those times, and in our day also, the prophecies of the book of Daniel, would be understood and do a great work in the earth. This happened in 1843. BUT it is also to happen today. The final message to the world will have its great power from the time prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. Daniel and Revelation are really one book given by Jesus. He gave the first part to Daniel and the second part to John on Patmos. 

May God bless you as you continue to learn about the Prophetic Messages for these last days!