Mideast Beast: The Scriptural Case for an Islamic Antichrist by Joel Richardson

Author:Joel Richardson [Richardson, Joel]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Tags: Non-Fiction, Israel, Eschatology, Contemporary, Christianity, Biblical Prophecy, End times, Middle East, Bible Prophecy, Antichrist, Prophecy
ISBN: 9781936488858
Goodreads: 14652404
Publisher: WND Books
Published: 2012-07-05T00:00:00+00:00

11 DANIEL 12: SEALED UNTIL THE END-TIMES

BEFORE WE CONCLUDE our study of Daniel, there is one more very important passage that needs to be considered. As Daniel comes to its conclusion, its angelic narrator makes it abundantly clear that the ultimate context of the passage is the end-times: “At that time … there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time … and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (12:1–2).

When the angel says that these things will take place at the time when “those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,” it is clear that he is referring to the time of the resurrection of the dead. Obviously this has not yet happened. There can be no question that these revelations are not merely historical. Then comes the verse that we must consider. The angel tells Daniel that the revelations are to be “sealed up”: “But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (v. 4).

This a hard pill for Daniel to swallow. He has had a series of revelations that pertain to the future, and he is naturally wanting to better understand the meaning of the prophecies. As such, he further inquires of the angel. But Daniel is told once again that the words have been sealed and shut up until the last days, and the vision is not for him to understand; rather, it is for the final generation: “I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, ‘O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?’ He said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand’” (vv. 9–10).

There are two positions that scholars and commentators have been unable to agree on as to the meaning of this passage. Some claim that the prophecy is not “shut up” or “sealed,” but only preserved or kept safe for everyone. Others claim that in Daniel’s day, the book would be sealed, but understanding would gradually become more and more available to those believers who diligently and collectively study the book, though it would not ultimately be fully understood until the actual end-times.

Now, clearly, the most widely held, most traditional view of Daniel’s prophecy is the Roman perspective, viewing much of the book as speaking of a coming Roman Antichrist. As early as the fourth and fifth centuries, Jerome provided strong evidence that the Roman perspective on Daniel’s prophecy was the most widely held view of the day: “We should therefore concur with the traditional interpretation of

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.