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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Daniel 12:1 - 12:4
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The Deliverance of the Lord's People
v. 1. And at that time, at the end of the present world age, shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people, as the heavenly protector of Israel, Dan_10:13-21; and there shall be a time of trouble, of tribulation and affliction for the believers, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time, the climax of the oppression brought upon the spiritual Israel by all antichristian forces; and at that time thy people, the true believers, shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book, whose name had been entered in the book of life. Cf Rev_13:8.
v. 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, literally, "many, a great multitude of those who sleep in the dust-land, shall awake," shall return to life in the final resurrection, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt, this being the division at the Last Judgment, the believers destined for heaven, the unbelievers to hell with its torments.
v. 3. And they that be wise, the true teachers of the people, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, in a wonderful glorification, and they that turn many to righteousness, by instructing them in loyalty and faithfulness in the midst of the tribulations of the latter days, as the stars forever and ever, this statement being rightly applied to the work of faithful preachers of the; Gospel in these latter days of corruption and apostasy.
v. 4. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, so that its contents, for the present, would not be revealed to men, even to the time of the end, the present Messianic era; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased, literally, "many shall search it through, and thus understanding will become great. " It is true in general that the knowledge and interpretation of the prophecies of old comes to those who search the Scriptures most carefully, diligently comparing prophecy and fulfillment as indicated in the directions of the Lord. Cf Joh_5:39.