Sprinting Toward the End

Daniel 12 moves the reader from the darkest time in history —the Great Tribulation —to the ultimate hope of the Christian: the resurrection. But when does this all happen?

Daniel 12:1 (ESV) “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.

One more verse in chapter 12 continues the description of what the tribulation will be. It will be an unparalleled time of trouble. Yet amid the trouble, Daniel's people (the Jews) shall be delivered. Yet not all, for Daniel is told that it is those whose names are found in the Book of Life. These are Messianic Jews who come to Christ during the trouble that God allows to come upon the Earth. 

Revelation states:

Revelation 7:13–14 (ESV) Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

God will still have a remnant of believers who hold fast to Christ even as the world seems to fall apart. Amazingly, they will be the formerly hardened Jewish people who lead the way. 

Zechariah states:

Zechariah 12:10 (ESV) “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

And Paul makes clear that the hardening of the Jewish people will come to an end.

Romans 11:25–27 (ESV) Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

Notice that it is a present, PARTIAL hardening, as many Jews do now believe in Christ. However, once the nations are brought in, there will be an explosion of conversion among the Jewish people as God opens their hearts on the last day. 

From the trouble of the great tribulation, we see one of the clearest, if not THE clearest, teaching of the resurrection in the Old Testament. 

Daniel 12:2 (ESV) And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Not only will there be a general resurrection for the just and wicked, but there will be rewards and honor for those who turn sinners from their ways. 

Daniel 12:3 (ESV) And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Then verse 4. 

Daniel 12:4 (ESV) 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.”

We have here a description of that time. And a more accurate depiction of our time, you cannot find. Knowledge had increased exponentially in the last 100 years. Some experts suggest up to 90% of all we know has been learned in that time. Furthermore, our knowledge may double every 12 months or even every 12 hours through advancements in AI and biotechnology. And world travel is now commonplace, as many people go all over the globe at lower costs than we could have ever imagined. 

Are these the times Daniel was seeing? They very well may be!