View Daniel 12 in the note window.
A promise of deliverance, and of a joyful resurrection, ver. 1 - 4.
A conference concerning the time of these events, ver. 5 - 7.
An answer to Daniel's enquiry, ver. 8 - 13.
1: For the children - The meaning seems to be, as after the death
of Antiochus the Jews had some deliverance, so there will be yet a
greater deliverance to the people of God, when Michael your prince,
the Messiah shall appear for your salvation. A time of trouble - A the
siege of Jerusalem, before the final judgment. The phrase at that
time, probably includes all the time of Christ, from his first, to
his last coming.
4: Seal the book - The book was command to be sealed, because it
would be long before the words would be fulfilled, whereas those that
were shortly to be fulfilled, were forbidden to be sealed.
Shall run - Shall diligently search these prophecies; and they shall
know the signs of the times, and wait upon God in the way of his
judgments: he means chiefly in gospel - times.
5: Other two - Two angels waiting on Christ.
6: To the man - To Christ, who seemed to stand in the air above
the waters, or upon them.
7: He held up his right hand - He held up both hands to heaven,
for the more sure and solemn confirmation of it; and to denote the
unchangeableness of God's decrees both for good to the church, and
for evil to her enemies. By him - By God the father, and by himself
that liveth for ever, to shew the eternal God only knew that decreed
it, and would bring it to pass. And an half - That is, a year, two years
and half a year. We meet with this in the revelation, under the title,
some times of three days and an half, put for three years and an half,
sometimes, forty two months, sometimes, twelve hundred and sixty
days. Shall be finished - Which reaches to the calling of the Jews
upon the destruction of antichrist.
8: What shall be the end - What is the meaning of all this?
9: And sealed - They shall not be clearly understood, 'till the event
make them good.
10: And tried - The afflictions of the church are to prepare
them, by taking away their filth, for the bridegroom, as gold and
silver are tried and refined.
13: But go thou - I have revealed to thee these things, that thou and
thy people, might be prepared for sufferings, and yet not without hope of
a glorious deliverance. For thou shalt rest - In which hope thou shalt
die, and rest from trouble, 'till the resurrection of the just. It ought
to be the great concern of every one of us, to secure a happy lot in the
end of the days, and then we may well be content with our present lot,
welcoming the will of God.
