End-Time Secrets of Daniel 8–12

Chapter 18

 

An Apocalyptic Allusion

Not To Be Missed

 

Before we listen to the rest of that incredible mareh vision by Gabriel, it is very important that we take a trip to the library of Revelation. John’s book helps to explain Daniel’s book, especially the sealed portion. In fact, what we have been talking about ever since we started looking at Daniel 8–12 is all noted in Revelation: The fall of Babylon, the development of a holy people, papal power, persecution, the fulfillment of the everlasting covenant and time prophecies – just like Daniel 12! When the two are put together, they actually complement each other – and a beautiful picture of what God wants us to understand is painted in our hearts. That’s what we want to do before we go further into Daniel 9.

Jesus Appears to John

“And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: … and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth” (Revelation 10:1, 2b).

Daniel was honored to have Jesus personally come and visit with him three times. This is the second time for John. This “mighty angel” comes down from heaven itself. This message or vision is part of an interlude or pause within another vision to add special information. It refers back to the time of the first Seal – the white horse – when the Latter Rain begins to be poured out.

Remember the pictures Daniel had of Jesus. It was different each time.

 

•    Daniel 8:14-16 – Just a “man’s voice” – he didn’t actually see Him as far as we know.

•    Daniel 10:5-6 – A dazzling picture, symbolizing lordship, advocacy and judgment – very similar to Revelation 1:13-16.

•    Daniel 12:6-7 – A “man” clothed in atonement garb above the waters.

John’s vision is a combination of the latter two visions of Daniel’s. “The mighty angel who instructed John was no less a personage than Jesus.”[1] There were times in the Bible when a pending judgment of enormous proportions was about to occur. God Himself often came to give the warning. They represented the last opportunity given to repent or be saved.

 

•    Christ and two angels visited Abraham before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed (Genesis 18).

•    Ezekiel was carried to Jerusalem by a Being like fire or glowing amber just before Judah and Jerusalem were destroyed (Ezekiel 8).

•    Ezekiel was shown the glory of the Lord and His throne just before that glory departed forever from the temple (Ezekiel 10).

•    Jesus came to this world as the Savior before Jerusalem was destroyed (A.D. 70). He finally pronounced the sentence, “Behold your house is left unto you desolate” (Matthew 23:28). At the cross, the Jewish people ceased to be His chosen people – forever.

John is here experiencing the exact same thing. Just before the destructive judgments of the Seven Vials, a final warning is to be given. Jesus personally comes down with characteristics of a judge (face and feet) but still mediating and guiding (rainbow and cloud).

In Daniel, Jesus was above the waters, symbolizing His sovereignty and atoning care over all people. Jesus’ feet now stand on the sea and the land. This has very special meaning.

“Setting His right foot on the sea, and His left upon the dry land, shows the part which He is acting in the closing scenes of the great controversy with Satan. This position denotes His supreme power and authority over the whole earth. The controversy has waxed stronger and more determined from age to age, and will continue to do so, to the concluding scenes when the masterly working of the powers of darkness shall reach their height. Satan, united with evil men, will deceive the whole world and the churches who receive not the love of the truth. But the mighty Angel demands attention. He cries with a loud voice. He is to show the power and authority of His voice to those who have united with Satan to oppose the truth.”[2]

We are seeing fulfilled in Revelation what was only a proleptic message in Daniel. Here begins the final battle between the claimed sovereignty of Satan and the sovereignty of Christ. Why is this so important in our study of Daniel? What Gabriel is about to share with Daniel in chapter 9 talks about that very battle. So we urgently need to know the outcome of that sealed book of Daniel as depicted in Revelation to finish our study of that book!

An Open Book in Jesus’ Hand

“And he had in his hand a little book open” (Revelation 10:2a).

In the hand of Jesus is a “little book” (biblaridion), and amazingly, it is open. That means it is not sealed and is open to our understanding. This scroll or book is not the same one noted in Revelation 5. That scroll will not be opened until the saints are en route to heaven with Jesus. It is opened by Jesus and is a final timing Seal – when there is silence in the courts above. The little open book in Revelation 10 is already open and about to be eaten by John. What is the meaning of this
“little book?”

“The book that was sealed was not the book of Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel which related to the last days. The Scripture says, ‘But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased’ (Dan. 12:4). When the book was opened, the proclamation was made, ‘Time shall be no longer.’ (See Revelation 10:6). The book of Daniel is now unsealed, and the revelation made by Christ to John is to come to all the inhabitants of the earth. By the increase of knowledge a people is to be prepared to stand in the latter days.”[3]

Isn’t that astonishing news! Everything we have been studying in Daniel’s sealed chazown vision is now open to us – including chapter 12, with those three timing prophecies! In Revelation the Book of Daniel becomes Present Truth. And it is to go to all the world!

Recall if you will the mareh vision that Gabriel is so anxious to continue there in Daniel 9. That was never sealed. But to understand it fully, we need to know the greater picture of the part that was sealed. Why? One part describes Satan working through his agents (the sealed portion). The other (the mareh vision) describes God working through His agents, the 144,000. When they are both revealed, we can see the final events of the great controversy that is unfolded in miniature, in a Daniel look-alike in
Revelation 11.

“As we near the close of this world’s history, the prophecies recorded by Daniel demand our special attention, as they relate to the very time in which we are living. With them should be linked the teachings of the last book of the New Testament Scriptures. Satan has led many to believe that the prophetic portions of the writings of Daniel and of John the revelator cannot be understood. But the promise is plain that special blessing will accompany the study of these prophecies. ‘The wise shall understand’ (verse 10), was spoken of the visions of Daniel that were to be unsealed in the latter days; and of the revelation that Christ gave to His servant John for the guidance of God’s people all through the centuries, the promise is, ‘Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.’ Revelation 1:3.”[4]

We don’t know when that book was opened, but it relates to what Jesus promised Daniel (12:13): “But go thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” Yes, the Hebrew word for end is once again qets – the very end of time at the time of judgment when God’s people are waiting for the wedding. Expositor White presents in her writings a progressive message of Daniel “standing in his lot” – which extends from 1798 to beyond 1906. Little by little that sealed “little book” was to be open to our understanding.

But we can be even more precise as to the timing. There is a “little message” about the “little book” that keeps getting denied.

When is the “Little Book” Fully Opened?

“When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart….

“A wonderful connection is seen between the universe of heaven and this world. The things revealed to Daniel were afterward complemented by the revelation made to John on the Isle of Patmos. These two books should be carefully studied. Twice Daniel inquired, How long shall it be to the end of time?

“‘And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And He said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.’

“It was the Lion of the tribe of Judah who unsealed the book and gave to John the revelation of what should be in these last days….

“The book of Daniel is unsealed in the revelation to John, and carries us forward to the last scenes of this earth’s history.”[5]

Revelation 10 shows that book already open. This and chapter 11 open the final scenes of the gospel call to the world. Thus we know that Daniel, tied to that chapter specifically, refers to:

 

•     A time of revival

•     The end of time and the last days

•     Interestingly, the previous quotes were written in 1896 – thus they apply to then or afterwards.

 

“And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven” (Revelation 10:5).

In a gesture reminiscent of Daniel 12, Jesus raised His hand to heaven to make another oath. In Daniel 12 He raised both hands, here one hand. Why the difference? The right hand is a covenant against the Almighty Father that this promise will come true. The left hand is from a Jewish court scene and seals the promise with the blood of the one making the guarantee. Here Jesus only needs to raise His right hand because Daniel’s timing prophecies are now coming true and the shedding of the blood of the covenant has already happened. The Messiah is now the Redeemer.

But – He does raise His hand with another oath. Why? Jesus is going to give another time declaration. This time it is specifically for the last generation. This is so important that the rest of the book can’t be fully understood without knowing what is happening here.

“And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer” (Revelation 10:6).

His right hand (by Jewish and Biblical custom) is raised, and He swears by the Creator of all creation. This ties to the incredible declaration of Exodus 20:11. Three times the words “things that are therein” or “all that in them is” are used in this verse. This compels us to acknowledge this oath of Jesus acting as a covenant angel, tying this timing message to the fourth commandment. Wonder of wonders – that is exactly what we saw in Daniel 12 – timing messages tied directly to the onset of the abomination of desolation when the fourth commandment was broken!

 

 

                             Exodus                           Revelation

                               20:11                                   10:6       .

Heaven        All that in them is          And the things that therein are

Earth            All that in them is          And the things that therein are

Sea              All that in them is          And the things which are therein

 

Are you beginning to see why all of this is so important? Both Daniel and Revelation tie end-of-time prophecies to the Sabbath issue!

“Daniel shall stand in his lot at the end of the days. John sees the little book unsealed. Then Daniel’s prophecies have their proper place in the first, second, and third angels’ messages to be given to the world. The unsealing of the little book was the message in relation to time.”[6]

There it is! God is extremely interested in time. He has very important timing messages in Revelation that we must understand if we will successfully traverse the events at the very end.

Did you notice, in the previous thought from E. G. White, what else those timing messages were to be tied to? The three angels’ messages. Part of those messages must include a message regarding time. Why? It will be the last call with a Loud Cry, and we will know how soon it will be before the deliverance of God’s people and approximately when the Plagues will begin. Will we be setting a time for Jesus’ return? Absolutely not – never! God Himself will reveal that. Those timing messages are specifically to couch the final message to the world in every urgent appeal possible – probation is about to close. To the 144,000 is given a message of moral consequences. The eternal destiny of the world now hangs on those last entreaties.

What does Jesus swear? “That there should be time no longer” (hoti ouketi estai chronos). In context, this means “that there should no longer be a delay in time.” Delay of what? Daniel 8–12!

This is exactly what Habakkuk was talking about years ago: “For the vision [chazown] is yet for an appointed time [like Daniel 8:19], but at the end [qets] it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it [where we are now]; because it will surely come [Jesus’ two oaths], it will [then] not tarry” (Habakkuk 2:3). Jesus is declaring to John that it’s now time for it to “not tarry.” The vision is no longer to be delayed.

“Revelation 10:6-7 speaks of the end of this period [when Christ is ready to come], which is the end of history. Daniel ‘could not understand’ this prophecy fully (Dan. 12:7-8). He asked the angel how long it would be until the prophecy would be fulfilled (Dan. 12:6) and how it would be fulfilled (Dan. 12:8 – its ‘outcome’). The angel told Daniel that he would not be able to understand these things because the full meaning of the prophecy was to be ‘concealed and sealed up until the end time,’ when finally it would be fulfilled and all would be revealed to the ‘wise’ (maskilim) living then (Dan. 12:9).

“In contrast to Daniel 12, the angel’s oath in Revelation 10 begins an emphasis on when and how the prophecy will be completed, which is amplified in ch. 11. When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, the prophecy of Daniel 11:29–12:13 will be fulfilled, and history will come to an end; that is, God’s purposes in history will be completed, so that no more time is needed in this historical epoch for him to execute such purposes (in this sense ‘time will be no longer’).”[7]

Jesus Doesn’t Want Any Misunderstanding

“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty [and] two months. And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth” (Revelation 11:1-3).

John, representing the 144,000, ate (at God’s command) the “little book” of Daniel. It was sweet because it became an exciting message for God’s people. But it turned bitter. Why? That final message brought persecution. At the time all those claiming to be God’s are being judged (the living), persecution (“tread under foot”) occurs.

Now notice how long the persecution is to last – 42 months – 1260 days. Amazing – the same period of persecution as in Daniel 12:7.

But there is a beautiful message in Revelation 11:3. The saints will prophesy for 1260 days. The same period. This is when, under the Latter Rain, the final message goes to all the world, often called the Loud Cry.

Now let’s go back to Revelation 10, verse 7. “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7).

What does this mean? When the seventh Trumpet angel sounds – the last trump – the mystery of God is finished. Do you grasp this incredible picture that is suddenly before us?! Daniel 12 tells us when the Mystery of Iniquity will end. Revelation 10 and 11 tell us when the Mystery of God will end. They are both exactly the same time period! That is why Daniel and Revelation need to be studied together. They unfold each other with dramatic information that we all will need to know if we want to be among the 144,000.

Time to Visit Daniel 9 Again

Now that we know the two mysteries are being worked out in these books, we can resume our study of what Gabriel is about to tell Daniel. We will shortly find that the incredible message he is going to tell us more about shows how those two mysteries finish.

Some of you might be wondering, “What happened to the 1844 era applications?” It is not the purpose of this book to deal with those historical, incomplete applications. They were a great metaphor for what is to happen at the very end of time. God hid the meaning of many of the timed prophecies so the Advent movement would occur. Now that we are at the end and the appointed time is about to begin, a full and precise understanding is vital to the last generation.

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