Daniels final vision was of the final conflict, for a time far beyond his own natural life. He wondered at the outcome and the angel told him to rest and assured him he would have his inheritance. What Daniel witnessed through his life and in his earlier visions was the striving of men for dominion and Israel was always in the middle intended as God’s sign post to the world. I have heard people say, “Why does God allow …” and these same people would agree they have a free will to choose. So, I answer ” Why do you allow …? If you keep reading, you will see that God had compassion on his people and did everything they would allow to preserve them, yet the only way to restore the Sabbath rest was to remove them.
The god of Fortresses
Daniel 11:38–45
This continues describing from Daniel 11:36 “The wilful king here, though primarily Antiochus, is antitypically and mainly Antichrist, the seventh head of the seven-headed and ten-horned beast of Rev 13:1–18, and the “beast” of Armageddon (Rev 16:13, 16; 19:19)”1
Some say this last vision for Daniel was fulfilled in our history and there are some similarities in what has happened but I think it is just that same spirit of the devil that has rebelled against God from the beginning was operating in these kings after Daniel so as was said in David’s day
Psalm 2:1–3 (LEB) Why are nations in tumult, and countries plotting in vain? 2 The kings of the earth establish themselves, and the rulers conspire together against Yahweh and his anointed: 3 “Let us tear off their bonds, and cast their cords from us!”
and as Jesus said in his day,
John 8:44 (LEB) You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father! That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand firm in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
It seems though, that this vision is still in the future for us where at the end in Daniel 11:45 “there is no one helping him” and the deceiver, the accuser, the destroyer will himself be thrown down.
Written In The Scroll
Daniel 12:1–7
Daniels visions are for his people and there will come a time as described in Daniel 12:1 when Michael “will arise, the protector” and in Daniel 12:2-3 there is resurrection and eternal life for those written in the scroll. The angels comment in Daniel 12:4 is the best description of our age I have ever heard, “many will run back and forth and knowledge will increase” and this description is of the time of the end. This is revealed in Daniel 12:6-7 “he swore by the one who lives forever that an appointed time, appointed times, and half an appointed time would pass when the shattering of the power of the holy people would be completed; then all these things will be accomplished. And this language is also used in Revelation when the end will come.
What Will Be The Outcome
Daniel 12:8–13
The angel explained in Daniel 12:9-12 that these words are secret until the end. Then the angel says “happy is the one persevering”, that is the one the goes one more day. Finally, in Daniel 12:13 the angel tells Daniel to rest. It is the end of his days on the earth until the “end of days” where Daniel will receive his inheritance. I believe what was true in Daniels time and what our history demonstrates is that Israel is right in the middle. Israel was intended as a sign post for the world to see God’s goodness as North and South push back and forth. But the people and their leaders did evil in the site of the Lord and they faced seventy years of captivity for it.
He Had Compassion On His People
2 Chronicles 36:10–16
All that we read in Daniel was because the people and leaders in Israel “did evil in the eyes of Yahweh” as it says in 2 Chronicles 36:12. They, in 2 Chronicles 36:14 “increased in unfaithfulness”. And in
2 Chronicles 36:15–16 (LEB) And Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, had repeatedly and persistently sent to them by the hand of his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they were mocking the messengers of God and despising his words and scoffing at his prophets until the wrath of Yahweh rose against his people until there was no remedy.
The exile was not God’s best plan for them. They cast aside God’s plan to seek their own way, a way that led to their destruction.
Until The Land Enjoyed Its Sabbaths
2 Chronicles 36:17–21
In 2 Chronicles 36:17-20 we see the death of man, woman, and child at the had of the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans robbed the temple and all of the wealth and storehouses. The Chaldeans destroyed the temple “shattered the walls of Jerusalem and burned all of the citadels”. Anyone left alive was taken as servants and carried away.
It may seem odd to us that this captivity lasted the time needed for the land to recover its rest, but in
Isaiah 55:6–9 (LEB) Seek Yahweh while he lets himself be found; call him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of sin his thoughts. And let him return to Yahweh, that he may take pity on him, and to our God, for he will forgive manifold. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” declares Yahweh. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The Lord values all of his creation, us as human beings created in his image, and the earth we stand on created to provide in abundance for us. Any farmer knows that growing the same crop year after year depletes the soil. Even the ground needs its rest. If a sabbath rest was taken by God, isn’t that part of his character and nature? Isn’t is reasonable to expect his creation to carry that same nature? This time of captivity held the rebellious nature of Israel in check “until the land has enjoyed its Sabbaths” in 2 Chronicles 36:21.
Study Verses
- Daniel 12:8–13 What Will Be The Outcome
- 2 Chronicles 36:10–16 He Had Compassion On His People
- 2 Chronicles 36:17–21 Until The Land Enjoyed Its Sabbaths
Today’s Reading
- Daniel 11:38-45
- Daniel 12:1-13
- 2 Chronicles 36:10-21
References
- 1. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 646). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.