Daniel 12

The Time of Trouble and the Resurrection

¹“At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.

²Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

³Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever.

⁴But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many will run back and forth, and knowledge will be increased.”

The Sealed Prophecy and Final Instructions

⁵Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on the river bank on this side, and the other on the river bank on that side.

⁶One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be to the end of these wonders?”

⁷I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished.

⁸I heard, but I didn’t understand. Then I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”

⁹He said, “Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

¹⁰Many will purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined, but the wicked will do wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

¹¹“From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days.

¹²Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.

¹³“But go your way until the end; for you will rest, and will stand in your inheritance at the end of the days.”

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Daniel 12 concludes the book's prophetic visions with promises of end-times deliverance and resurrection. The archangel Michael will stand up during an unprecedented time of trouble, after which God's people will be delivered and the dead will be raised—some to eternal life, others to eternal shame. Though Daniel seeks understanding about the timing of these events, he is told the prophecies are sealed until the end times, when the wise will understand and shine like stars.

Context

This chapter serves as the climactic conclusion to the extended prophetic vision that began in chapter 10, bringing Daniel's apocalyptic revelations to their ultimate fulfillment.

Key Themes

Outline

1-3
Michael's Deliverance and the Resurrection The archangel Michael will deliver God's people during the great tribulation, followed by resurrection to eternal life or shame.
4
The Sealed Prophecy Daniel is instructed to seal the prophetic words until the end times when knowledge will increase.
5-7
The Duration of the End Times Two figures ask about the timing, and the man in linen reveals it will last for 'a time, times, and half a time.'
8-13
Final Instructions to Daniel Daniel seeks further understanding but is told to go his way, as the prophecies remain sealed until the wise understand at the end.

The Time of Trouble and the Resurrection

12:1–12:4

prophecy vision hopeful

Daniel receives a vision of the end times when Michael the archangel will deliver God's people through unprecedented trouble, and the dead will be resurrected to either eternal life or eternal shame. The wise who lead others to righteousness will shine like stars forever.

person_contrast

Michael's appearance here uniquely combines his typical role as Israel's protective prince with unprecedented themes of resurrection and eternal destinies, making this his only biblical appearance explicitly linked to afterlife judgment.

The Sealed Prophecy and Final Instructions

12:5–12:13

prophecy dialogue contemplative

Daniel witnesses heavenly beings discussing the timeline of the end, learning that the prophecies will remain sealed until the appointed time. He is instructed to go his way until the end, when he will rest and receive his inheritance, with specific time periods given for the final events.

person_contrast

Daniel receives the unprecedented command to "go your way" and wait for resurrection, marking the Bible's first explicit promise of individual afterlife reward tied to prophetic ministry.

Insight Character Study

Daniel receives the unprecedented command to "go your way" and wait for resurrection, marking the Bible's first explicit promise of individual afterlife reward tied to prophetic ministry.