Key: Dan.4:17, 25; Ps. 22:28P
Conclusion of the Vision (chs. 10–12.), and Epilogue to the Book. Dan. 12:1- 13.
Dan. 12:5-7. “Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6And 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 the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”
- “These angels appeared, (1.) To adorn the vision, and make it the more illustrious; and to add to the glory of the Son of man, Heb. 1:6. Daniel had not seen them before, though it is probable that they were there; but now, when they began to speak, he looked up, and saw them. Note, The further we look into the things of God, and the more we converse with them, the more we shall see of those things, and still new discoveries will be made to us; those that know much, if they improve it, shall know more. (2.) To confirm the discovery, that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses the word might be established. Three angels appeared to Abraham. (3.) To inform themselves, to hear and ask questions; for the mysteries of God’s kingdom are things which the angels desire to look into (1 Pt. 1:12) and they are known to the church, Eph. 3:10. Now one of these two angels said, When shall the end be? To whom this question was put, to the man clothed in linen, of whom we read before (ch. 10:5), to Christ our great high priest, who was upon the waters of the river, and whose spokesman, or interpreter, the angel Gabriel had all this while been.” M. Henry
- “God impelled the angel to ask, in order to awaken us out of our torpor, seeing that the very “angels desire to look into” the things affecting man’s redemption (1 Pet. 1:12), as setting forth the glory of their Lord and ours (Eph. 3:10, “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”). which was upon the waters—rather, ‘which was over the waters from above’ Rev. 10:2–5. How long. ch. 8:13. Ps. 74:9. Re. 6:10. as in Isa. 6:2]. How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? This question of the angel refers to the final dealings of God in general, Antichrist’s overthrow, and the resurrection. Daniel’s question (v. 8, “What shall be the end of these things?”)refers to the more immediate future of his nation” Fausset A. R. ch. 7:25; 8:14; 11:13, Rev. 11:2, 3, 15; 12:6, 14; 13:5.
- “Usually, the right hand was held up in affirmation as an appeal to heaven to attest the truth (Deut, 32:40; Rev. 10:5, 6). Here both hands are lifted up for the fuller confirmation. and swore by him that liveth forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time.” “The duration of the “time of the end” is three- and one-half years, coinciding with the last half of the seventieth week of Daniel (Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 13:5). (3) This “time of the end” is the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7); “a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation” (Dan. 12:1); “great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world … nor ever shall be” (Mt. 24:21). The N.T., especially the Book of the Revelation, adds many details.” Scofield C. I.
