◄ What Does Daniel 12:1 Mean? ►

Chapter 12 of Daniel has been identified as one of the most important Old Testament passages that relates to the Great Tribulation, which takes place just prior to Christ's Second Advent - when He returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom on earth. This passage is dealing with the time when God's promises to Abraham and David will finally be fulfilled. It is the time when all Israel will acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Messiah and King.

However, when reading this passage it is important to recognise that it is written specifically to Israel, and covers that 7-year period following the Rapture of the Church, when God begins, once again, to work through His chosen people, Israel. This is the period of time when Israel will complete their covenanted mission to preach the 'gospel of the kingdom' throughout the world - a task originally given to them through Moses.

Since the fall of Adam, every individual is born with a sin nature and is enslaved to the evil one. From Daniel, we discover that each nation is under the authority of a satanic principality or power. Israel, being God's chosen and covenanted nation, is unique... having the protection of one of God's holy angels standing guard over them. Indeed, in this verse we read that Israel's angelic protector is none less than Michael, the archangel. Michael is the great angelic principality who is responsible for the protection of God's chosen people.

It is in the final three and a half years of the Great Tribulation, which is often called 'The Time of Jacob's Trouble', that Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of the people of Israel, will arise as their great protector. But it will be "a time of intense distress, such as never occurred since there was a nation, until that time."

Throughout the entire history of the world, we can identify times of shocking cruelty and periods when the most horrific deeds are perpetrated by evil men against the people of God, but the period that Daniel describes in this verse is to take place at the conclusion of the Great Tribulation and is a time of intense distress "such as has never occurred since there was a nation until that time, and will never happen again."

It is at that time - the end of the Great Tribulation, that Satan will unleash every ounce of his satanic powers against God's holy nation of Israel as never before... and we read, in Zechariah, that during that time two-thirds of that nation will be slaughtered.

The atrocities that took place in AD 70, when Rome sacked the city of Jerusalem and mercilessly murdered men, women, and children - and the evil attempts of Hitler to exterminate the Jews through the evil Nazi death-camps, will pale by comparison with the atrocities that will be perpetrated during this darkest period of history, described by Daniel - just prior to Christ's return.

Although half of the world's population will die by the sword, famine, pestilence, or demonic entities, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved... and everyone who is saved will have their names recorded in the book of life. Whether they live or are martyred, everyone whose name is found written in the book of life, will have a place in Christ's coming kingdom.

Those that are saved by grace, because of their faith during this terrible time of trouble, and yet are killed for their faith, will be resurrected to life immortal. They will serve the Lord in the temple of God, day and night... and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Those that are saved by grace, because of their faith during this terrible time of trouble and endure to the end, will be those that enter into the Millennial Kingdom of Christ in their physical bodies. They are the ones who will live on the earth during this promised time of prosperity and peace. They will enjoy the fruits of their labour and no one shall make them afraid. They will live on earth as subjects in the promised kingdom of heaven and Christ shall rule and reign in Jerusalem, sitting on the royal throne of David in power and great glory.

And in that day "the earth will be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea."

Heavenly Father, thank You for the amazing insights we receive from the prophetic book of Daniel and his revelations into the coming time of Jacob’s Trouble, when Michael will stand up to protect the little nation of Israel from the hands of the satanic Antichrist whose desire is to exterminate them so that they may not call on the name of the Lord and be saved. Thank You that nothing and no-one can stop Your plans and purposes, for both Israel and the Church, and that everything will be fulfilled at Your appointed time and in Your appointed way. In Jesus' name, AMEN.