“And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? … And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?” Daniel 12:6, 8.

This study begins the most important timing prophecies in the whole Bible! We have learned that after the 2300 atonement evening and morning prophecy several things would occur:

1.   Babylon would fall.

2.   The end (eth qets) would come.

3.   It would be a time of judgment and wrath.

4.   God would be vindicated.

5.   The little horn or papacy would defy God and persecute His people.

6.   The little horn would come to its end.

7.   God’s people would become holy.

8.   At the “appointed time” (mowed) the end would be.

Gabriel’s questions about the papacy, asked over seven years previously, remain unanswered (8:13). Jesus will answer those shortly. First, Daniel wants to know more about the future hope of God’s people and their deliverance. What Jesus is about to say develops a timing framework that will show when the papal transgressions and the restoration of God’s people will occur during an “appointed time.” Jesus will also tell us what begins the “appointed time,” how long it will last and how it will end.

Just before Daniel reopens the timing concerns, he is introduced to Jesus once again. T, above the waters of the river. That river is unnamed but appears to be the Hiddekel or Tigris, last described in 10:4, whose waters represent God’s people.

In the book of Revelation we repeatedly find the papacy trying to copy what Jesus did or does. One scene (Revelation 17) shows the harlot (apostate woman – the false church) sitting on waters – these represent her apostate people. Here we see Jesus above the waters of the river. Babylon was by the Euphrates River. The Hiddekel River was eastward, the direction of deliverance. Those were two of four Edenic rivers that
watered the eastward Garden of Eden.

Here, Jesus, above the waters of the river, is described as being totally clothed in linen (bad). He was also in linen exactly the same way in Chapter 10 (vs 5). But there He displayed other exhibitions of His power as judge and king. Here, He is seen as a High Priest on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:4).

It is imagery of intercession and judgment. It symbolizes the great day of reckoning when eternal decisions are made. In that setting He can answer those questions of Gabriel and the queries of Daniel. As Priest and Judge, He can tell God’s people when things will come to an end. He is the arbiter of all destinies. This dress draws on the final Jubilee Day of Atonement.

Daniel is at the river noticing two individuals – one on either bank (12:5). In Jewish law, legal matters can move forward in the presence of two witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:30-31). We are beginning to observe legal proceedings. Gabriel had posed questions of the defendant, advocate and judge. Now Daniel is about to start. The chazown vision was saturated with violence and hatred against God’s people and against God Himself. All questions are focused on one thing: “When will justice come?” This proleptically echoes the cry of the martyrs of the fifth Seal of Revelation (6:10). What Jesus is about to say will answer all “How long?” questions for all time. This relates to the time of the end (eth qets), the appointed time (mowed).

Daniel’s first question is at the end of verse 6, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” Note specifically what he just asked. Gabriel, in 8:13, wanted to know when the chazown vision would occur or begin. Here Daniel wanted to know when the “wonders” of the chazown vision would end! Since Jesus has not answered either set of questions, we can now expect them both to be answered. But first – what does Daniel mean by “wonders?”

The Hebrew word for “wonders” is pele or pelaot and relates to the works and words of God. The chazown vision finally ended in 12:2. Several specific things came to their completion in rapid sequence there:

•    End of papacy and evil agencies (11:40-45)

•    Michael the great Prince stands up (vs 1)

•    Time of trouble – worst in history (vs 1)

•    God’s people delivered – those written in the book (vs 1)

•    Special resurrection (vs 2)

Those are the final “wonders” or things that finished up the chazown vision. Daniel wants to know when all these will end. He uses that special word we learned previously – qets for “end.” “At what point in time, during judgment, will those things finally end?”

Daniel’s question is so important. Many scholars feel that he is wanting to know when the evil career of the antichrist would come to an end. It’s much broader than that alone. It is the timing of the last conflict between good and evil. Daniel wants to know when all this will finally be finished. After receiving a partial answer he repeats the question in verse 8, using different words: “What shall be the end of these things?” E. G. White put it this way: “Twice Daniel inquired, How long shall it be to the end of time?”[1]

Now Jesus – “the man clothed in linen” – lifts up His right and left hands to heaven and swears by Him that liveth forever (vs 7a). The right hand is lifted to assure truth, just as it is done in the courts of today. But the left hand – why did He raise that? Hebrew custom declared that when the left hand was raised, it was an oath against that person’s blood – his life! In this incredible scene Jesus not only seals His words against the very authority of God but places what He is about to say regarding time against His very life! He did shed His blood. The cross is our assurance that these prophecies will come true!

Every reader should pause to think about what He is doing. There are three timing messages He is about to unveil. There is no other place in all the Bible where this legal gesture is used by a divine being! And, of all things, Jesus does it regarding three timed prophecies. What we are about to hear, Jesus placed His very life against! That makes them as important as His Word is! Those prophecies tell exactly when evil will end, God will be vindicated and His people finally become holy. In the Daniel 8–12 theme, God and man are brought back into an eternal covenant relationship.

Now we will hear some of the most awesome prophecies in the whole Bible – directly from Jesus’ lips – as to when, in the “appointed time,” all things march to an end!

Franklin S. Fowler Jr., M.D.; Prophecy Research Initiative © 2009