Daniel 12

The Explanation

Daniel 12 is the last chapter of the book of Daniel. An angel is still speaking to Daniel, and he tells him what will happen at the end of time. The angel begins with these words: "At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people." Michael is an angel, a kind of leader among God's angels. He protects God's people.

Then the angel says something serious: there will come a time of trouble such as has never happened before. But God's people, everyone whose name is written in the book, will be rescued. And here comes something amazing. The angel talks about people who have died. "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." This is one of the clearest places in the Old Testament where it says that dead people will one day live again. Some to life with God forever, others not.

Daniel hears all this and does not really understand. He sees two other figures standing by a river, and one of them asks: "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" The man clothed in linen swears by God that it will be "a time, times, and a half." That is a mysterious way of speaking. Nobody knows exactly how long that is. Daniel himself asks: "My lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?" And the answer is honest: "Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end."

The very last words are for Daniel personally. He may go. He may rest. And at the end of the days, he will stand up again to receive his inheritance. A promise, right at the end.

What Does This Mean?

This chapter is about the end. Not the end as in "and they lived happily ever after," but the real end, when God makes everything new. The Bible does not hide that there will be difficult times first. That is honest. But the message is: God knows who belongs to Him. Their names are written in His book. And death is not the last word. People will rise.

Notice that Daniel does not understand everything. He asks a question and gets no clear answer. The angel says: this is sealed. That means: not everything is for you to know now. That is strange, but also freeing. You do not have to know everything about the end times to trust God.

The Common Thread

The book of Daniel ends with resurrection. And centuries later, Jesus himself rises from the dead on Easter morning. He is the first. Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and the life." What Daniel heard from far away, Jesus made true.

And that book with the names? In Revelation it is called the Book of Life, and Jesus is the one who keeps it. Everyone who belongs to Him is written in it. So Daniel 12 points forward, like an arrow, to Jesus who conquers death and brings his people home.

For You

Sometimes you hear things about the future that scare you a bit. Wars, disasters, sickness. Daniel 12 does not pretend that nothing bad will happen. But it does say: God has the last word, and that word is life.

You do not have to figure out exactly when Jesus is coming back. Even Daniel did not know. What matters is: do you know Him? Because if you know Jesus, your name is written in that book. That is not something to earn, it is something to receive.

And when you have questions you cannot answer, you may say so out loud. Daniel did too. Faith is not knowing everything. Faith is trusting the One who does know everything.

Talk About It

Daniel asks a question and gets no clear answer. What do you do when you have questions about God that no one can really answer?

The chapter talks about names written in a book. What do you think it means that God knows your name?

Praying Together

Lord God, thank You that You know the end from the beginning. Thank You that death is not the last word. When we are afraid or have questions we cannot answer, help us to trust You. Write our names in Your book, through Jesus. Amen.