The Bible does not talk about the “end of time” or the “end of the (physical) world.” Instead it describes the “TIME OF THE END” of the Old Heavens and Earth cosmological order and the Old Covenant Jewish age.
Daniel Chapter Ten
Daniel receives a vision of Christ, a message from the angel Gabriel, and a prophetic vision.
Key verses:
(10:14) “…understand what will happen to your people in the latter days…”
(10:21): “The writing of truth” is a Hebrew way of speaking of God’s decrees.
This vision in Daniel 10 was seen in 536 BC “in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia.”
Critical “theme” verse: Gabriel said this was his message –> Daniel 10:14, “Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.” It cannot be overemphasized –> this verse is the central point of emphasis of the entire vision Daniel is about to receive for the rest of the book (Chpts 10-12 –> a reiteration of Daniel 9:24-27 foretold through the foretelling of the coming history).
- That phrase in my NKJV “in the latter days” in the literal translation in Hebrew is “end of days.” This phrase is only mentioned 4 times in the entire Bible, here in Daniel 10:14 and:
- This is the exact same phrase “end of days” as written in (read) Genesis 49:1. Here, Jacob is nearing the end of his life and he calls his 12 sons (the heads of the nation Israel) so that he could tell them about what was going to happen to them (Israel) in the “end of days” –> not about the end of time, or the world, but the end of nationalistic Israel.
- This is the exact same phrase “end of days” as written in (read) Isaiah 2:2. This verse echoes what we see happening at Pentecost where it says in Acts 2:5 that people from all nations under heaven were present for Peter’s sermon –> 3,000 were saved…and another 5,000 a short time after.
- This very sermon in Acts is also where the last mention of this exact same phrase “end of days” is recorded in (read) Acts 2:17. In verse 16 Peter says “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.” This what –> the “end of days.” Right there in the 1st century they were in the beginning of the “end of days,” and as Christ had promised in Matthew 23-24 –> the complete end of their temple, city, nation, world would come upon that 1st century generation.
Going back to Daniel 10:14 and putting this all into perspective and context: the angel Gabriel is saying to Daniel that he is about to show him a prophecy through till the “latter days of his people” –> the “end of days” –> the “time of the end” (Dan. 12:4) of His people (Israel).
In other words, Daniel was about to receive a vision in Daniel 11-12 about what would happen from his day, 536 BC, throughout the next 606 years until the “power of the holy people has been completely shattered” (Dan. 12:7) with the utter decimation of his people by the Roman armies and the destroying of Jerusalem and their temple in AD 70 (the “end of days” –> Old Covenant Israel’s days).
DANIEL 11:35 “And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.”
* DANIEL 11:33-35 is a parenthetical description for the entire period from the Maccabean revolt in 167 BC down to the appointed “time of the end” of Daniel 12:4, which in Daniel 12 clearly includes the “Big Three” events: The Great Tribulation on the church (Daniel 12:1) (AD 64-66), the final Resurrection of “the just and the unjust” (Daniel 12:2), and the consummation of the Everlasting Kingdom (Daniel 12:3), which would culminate with the final “complete shattering of the holy people” in AD 70 (Daniel 12:7).
This parenthetical section implies that the Maccabean-Herodian-Roman kingdom was the 4th iron/clay kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:40-43).
DANIEL 9 AND DANIEL 12
Partial Preterists such as Kenneth Gentry, Joel McDurmon, Keith Mathison, etc. have no problem teaching that Daniel 9 extends no further than AD 70. While many deny Daniel 9 predicts the resurrection, they affirm that Daniel 12 does predict the “final” resurrection. Thus, if Daniel 9 and Daniel 12 are parallel passages this would demonstrate the fulfillment of the resurrection by AD 70 and refute their positions.
The following chart will prove that the passages are parallel.
| DANIEL 9 | DANIEL 12 |
| Concerning Israel (v. 24) | Concerning Israel (vs. 1-7) |
| Time of the end (v. 27) | Time of the end (v. 4) |
| Abomination of Desolation (v. 27) | Abomination of Desolation (vs. 9-11 cf. Matt. 24:15; Luke) 21:20) |
| Resurrection (Bring in Everlasting Righteousness) (v. 24) | Resurrection (v. 2) |
| Fulfilled by AD 70 (v. 24 End of the weeks)70 weeks) | “When power of the holy people is shattered.” (v. 7) |
Daniel 9 and 12 are prophecies about the consummation of God’s covenant dealings with Israel. These passages are not about the end of time. They are not about the end of the Christian age. Daniel 9 and Daniel 12 are parallel passages, speaking of the same time and same events. But, the events of Daniel 9 were all confined to the seventy weeks that ended no later than the time of the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. Therefore, the events of Daniel 12 were all confined to a period of time no later than the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. But, if the events of Daniel 12 were confined to a period of time no later than AD 70, this mean that the Great Tribulation, the final Resurrection of the dead ones (souls) out of Hades/Sheol, and the consummation of the eternal Kingdom were confined to a period of time no later than AD 70. Daniel was told this exact thing.
DANIEL 12:1-3 1“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3“Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
DANIEL 12:1 “At that time” is harkening back to (read) Daniel 10:14 when the angel Gabriel says the vision he was about to tell him would tell him “what will happen to your people in the latter days [end of days].” The time to describe the “decreed desolation” of the end of the 70 weeks of the Daniel 9:24-27 vision “for your people and your holy city.” That time in the Daniel 11-12 vision had now come for him to hear!
The Great Tribulation: vs. 1, “And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.”
- The angel is echoing the OT long foretold promised saving of the faithful remnant of Daniel’s people. The OT scriptures are full of scriptures promising the salvation of the faithful remnant at the “time of the end” (For an in-depth study see eschatology Study Series 11 Study of Romans 11 sub study on “A Remnant Shall be Saved”). The fact that vs. 1 is not meaning all of ethnic Israel, but rather only the “faithful remnant,” is clarified in the description stating only those “found written in the book” would be saved à salvation would only be for the righteous remnant who had faith like Abraham.
- Jesus references the “Great Tribulation” of Daniel 12 in Matthew 24:21-22, and then positions it within the lifetime of His disciples in the 1st century (Matt. 24:29-34, 10:16-23) (See eschatology Study Series 7 Lesson 2 for an in-depth study into this).
DANIEL 12:2 notice that this verse predicted the final resurrection where all the dead souls in Hades/Sheol would be raised, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and contempt.”
- Some have tried to argue away this point of this being the final resurrection by saying that this verse says only “many” will be raised. This attempt at a denial of the power of this verse falls short on all fronts, with just two being:
- 1) They fail to understand that this is a Hebrew idiom and that it does not mean that it is not referring to “all,” anymore than saying that the sin of Adam did not bring death to “all,” or that Jesus did not die for “all,” whereas in Romans 5:15 it refers to both as only applying to the “many.” (cf. Isa. 53:6; 1 John 2:2, 4:14; Rom. 8:32; John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4-6, 4:10).
- 2) Those who want to try and make the claim that only “some” were resurrected have the daunting task of trying to show from scriptures how after the Great Tribulation (v. 1; referenced by Jesus in Matt. 24:21-22), and coinciding with the consummation of the eternal Kingdom (v. 3), that there is any mention “anywhere” in the Bible that there would be only a “partial” resurrection à it is not possible. No, this was the final great Resurrection being spoken of to Daniel, and its position perfectly coincides with the order as seen throughout the rest of the scriptures.
DANIEL 12:3 is the prediction of the time of the end when the righteous would shine as the sun (this was to happen at the consummation of the one eternal Kingdom à the reuniting of heaven (unseen heavenly realm) and earth (seen realm in the church) in Christ of Eph. 1:10. This would be the time when Jesus returns with His Kingdom (Luke 19:14) and the righteous dead souls in Hades/Sheol are raised and caught together with the righteous living who had been changed/raptured in the twinkling of an eye into the unseen realm where all received their new immortal heavenly bodies and were caught together to be with Jesus in the heavenly unseen realm to be taken to heaven). Jesus said this text would be fulfilled at the time of His coming/Parousia at the end of the age (Matthew 13:43).
DANIEL 12:4 instructed Daniel to seal up his book “until the time of the end” (heos kairou sunteleiasi). It was far removed from his day, reserved for the “end.”
While Daniel was told to seal his prophecy, in Revelation 22:10 (read), John is warned not to seal his book because the time was short and all that had been seen would soon come to pass. This was in stark contrast to what Daniel was told about his prophecy in Daniel 12:4 where he was told to “seal the book.” Daniel was told to seal his prophecy which was to be completed in approximately 600 years because that amount of time was called “many days” (Dan. 10:14). How could 600 years be considered “many days” and need Daniel’s prophecy “sealed,” and yet as futurists would have us believe that we are still waiting over 2,000 years from the time of John’s prophecy when he was told “do not seal” the Revelation prophecy because the “time is at hand”?
No, John was divinely instructed to not seal the Revelation prophecy because I believe it was clearly predicting the very time of the “opening” of Daniel’s prophecy and the consummation of the “70 weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city…” (Dan. 9:24-27; Rev. 5:1-5), which was about to “shortly” be completed in AD 70, “…when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished” (Dan. 12:7).
Thus, in Daniel 12:2-4 we have two major eschatological passages. The prediction of the resurrection and the prediction of the time of the end, that Jesus applied to the end of the age, the time of the harvest (Matt. 13:37-43). (We will look at this passage in Matthew 13 in great depth in eschatology Study Series 15 Lesson 3 Parable of the Tares)
DANIEL 12:5-7 Daniel overheard one angel ask another: “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?” Undeniably, the question involves the time of the end and the resurrection just spoken of in vs. 1-3. Heaven’s answer is given as one angel raised his hands to heaven and swore by the name of YHWH: “…a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.”
Now, while Daniel 12:7 does not give “the day or the hour” for the time of the resurrection and time of the end, the marker it does give is unmistakable and undeniable: “when the power of the holy people is completely shattered, all these things will be finished.”
The “time of the end” was a time of terrible divine judgment. That sentence would be executed against Israel “in their latter days.” (Dan. 10:14). This judgment came because of their constant disobedience and harlotry breaking their covenant with God, and then the ultimate sin of failing to recognize Jesus as the Messiah à and crucifying Him. The end would occur when the power of the Hebrew people had been finally and fully smashed. At that time, the ‘time of the end’ would be finished (Dan. 12:7b).
The “power of the holy people” was the privilege and authorization of Old Covenant biblical Judaism to be the special people of God à only they had Torah, the temple, the priesthood and a sacrificial system, and an exclusive covenantal relationship with Yahweh. In the great times of Israel’s past, when they were obedient to, and in fellowship with Yahweh, the surrounding nations knew and were shaken by the many great stories of Yahweh and their unique relationship with Him. However, that unique covenantal relationship was now going to be taken away from them forever à and be opened to all of the nations to come to the salvation of the Lord through the blood of Christ (Isa. 2:2-5; 56:1-8, 57:19; Eph. 2:11-17).
THE TIME, TIMES AND HALF TIME; THE TREADING OF THE CITY FOR 1260 DAYS
In Revelation 11:1-3, John was told that the holy city would be downtrodden by the Gentiles for “forty- two months,” and that the two witnesses would testify for 1260 days, i.e. the time when the city was to be downtrodden.
Unmistakably the source for these time statements in Revelation 11 is Daniel’s referent to “the time, times, and halftime” in Dan. 12:7 (1,260 days or 3 ½ years).
Notice that in Daniel 12, the prophet was given a vision of the Great Tribulation, the final resurrection, the righteous shining forth in the Kingdom (Dan. 12:1-3), and is told that all of these things belong to the time of the end (v. 4). His vision was to be sealed however, until the time came for its fulfillment.
Now notice what Daniel witnesses. The prophet sees and hears one angel ask another angel, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?” (Dan. 12:6). Will heaven answer that question, or will the reader be left to wonder about the framework and time for the fulfillment of Biblical eschatology? Will we be given more enigma, more revelation that would be like seeing “through a mirror darkly,” or will we be given clear insight?
Heaven gives a vague answer and a clear answer. The responding angel, “held up his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, that it shall be a time, times and half a time” (Dan. 12:7).
Now, unless there are two different “time, times and half a time” periods for the consummation of Biblical eschatology, then this means that Daniel 12 ties in directly with the two witnesses and the fate of the holy city in Revelation 11. Since it is agreed by virtually all commentators that these referents are to the same time, i.e. the time of the end, then this much should be clear:
First, we are dealing with the same time period as Daniel 9, i.e. the fulfillment of the Seventy Weeks, since Daniel 9 and Daniel 12 both deal with the fate of Daniel’s people (Dan. 9:24; Dan. 12:1). Thus, all of these referents must be viewed within the confines of God’s dealings with Israel. As I believe it is clear that Daniel 9 and Daniel 12 are dealing with the same time subject, then there is simply no way to posit either text into a far distant future and “end of time” application.
Second, if Daniel 9 and Daniel 12 are parallel texts, then since the seventy weeks of Daniel 9 consummate in the “overwhelming flood” of the time of the end against “your people and your holy city” (Dan. 9:24), then this means that Daniel 12 must consummate at that same time.
Third, if Daniel 9 and Daniel 12 are parallel, then since the “time, times and half a time” of Daniel 12 are also the ground for Revelation 11-13, then this means that the “time, times and half a time” of Revelation is inextricably bound up with the fulfillment of the seventy weeks and the fate of “your people and your holy city” (Dan. 9:24).
Fourth, to answer the question posed above, “Will heaven answer that question, or will the reader be left to wonder about the framework and time for the fulfillment of Biblical eschatology?” Daniel not only heard that the end time events would be fulfilled at the end of “the time, times and half a time,” but heaven then answered the question so definitively that there can be no escape. The time, times and half a time would be consummated, “when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all of these things will be fulfilled” (Dan. 12:7b). So, Daniel’s seventy weeks would be fulfilled, “when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered,” and this agrees perfectly with his prediction that “the end thereof shall be with a flood” when “the holy city” would suffer desolation (Dan. 9:27).
Further, “the time, times and half a time” would be fulfilled when the city that killed the two witnesses, and was, “where the Lord was slain,” was destroyed (Rev. 11:6-8). This agrees perfectly with Daniel’s prediction that the time of the end would be, “when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all of these things will be fulfilled.”
Can there be any doubt as to when the power of the holy people was completely shattered? The holy people here cannot be the church being destroyed at the end of the Christian age. The Kingdom will never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44; 7:13-14; Isa. 9:7; Eph. 3:21). Further, there is no place in the Postmillennial or Amillennial paradigm for a total destruction of Israel at the end of the Christian age. Both views believe Israel was finally destroyed in AD 70. This being true, this demands that the Great Tribulation, the final Resurrection of the dead ones out of Hades/Sheol, and the consummation of the eternal Kingdom of Daniel 12 was fulfilled by AD 70.
Of course this agrees perfectly with Daniel 9. The time of the resurrection is the time to bring in everlasting righteousness and the time of the fulfillment of all things as we have seen. So, the time of the bringing in everlasting righteousness of Daniel 9 is the time of the final resurrection of Daniel 12. But, the bringing in everlasting righteousness of Daniel 9 is confined to and would be fulfilled no later than AD 70. Therefore, the time of the final resurrection of Daniel 12:2 is confined to and would be fulfilled no later than AD 70.
Jesus had spoken to His disciples in AD 30 on the Mount of Olives regarding the fate of Jerusalem and the temple. They asked Him, when would “THE TIME OF THE END” (the end of the Old Covenant Jewish Age) be? (Matt. 24:3). He told them of signs and events to watch for that would occur, leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and His second coming. Jesus said:
“33So you also, when YOU (first century disciples) see all these things, know that IT IS NEAR—AT THE DOORS! 34Assuredly, I say to you, THIS GENERATION WILL BY NO MEANS PASS AWAY till all these things take place.” (Matt 24:33-34).
See also related “Topic Studies & Terms”:
“Time, Times and Half a Time (3 ½ Years “Last Days)”
“End of the Age (End of the World?)”
“Covenant (old) (The “LAW” Was Only for Israel)”
“Heavens and Earth (Prophecy)”
Related full “Study Series” (available upon request if not hyperlinked):
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 7 Lesson 1 Matt. 24:1-14”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 7 Lesson 1 Appendix 2”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 7 Lesson 2 Matt. 24:15-28”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 7 Lesson 3a1 and 3a2”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 7 Lesson 3b”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 7 Lesson 4 Matt. 24:29-31”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 7 Lesson 5 Matt. 24:32-44”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 7 Lesson 6 Matt. 24:45-51”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 9 Lesson 1 The Book of Daniel Chpt 1-9”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 9 Lesson 2 The Book of Daniel Chpt 10-12”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 11 on Romans 11 (sub study on A Remnant Shall be Saved)”]
[For a more in-depth study see eschatology “Study Series 15 Lesson 3 Matthew 13 Parable of the Tares”]