Dan 12:6 | KingComments | STEP | When the angel has finished his announcements to Daniel, Daniel sees two other angels together with the Man about Whom has been reported before ( ). One of the angels asks the Man about the length of history shown in the vision. He most probably expresses the question that lives in the heart of Daniel. He speaks of these “wonders”. Everything that is shown in the vision is a wonderful development of the events. These events lead to the entry into the promised blessing of God’s people, after they have experienced the salvation from the time of great distress. The Man to Whom the question is asked can be none other than the Lord Jesus. He knows the answer and gives it. Before He does so, it is still mentioned of Him that He was “above the waters of the river”. This place seems to indicate symbolically that He is above all circumstances and also controls them. He will put an end to all the suffering of His people at the appointed time, after the period appointed by Him. He will do so by judging His enemies, after which He will establish a glorious realm of peace and righteousness and joy. The duration of the time from suffering to liberation is fixed at three and a half years: “a time” is one year, “times” is two years and “half a time” is six months. That time will not be exceeded. Rather, that time has been shortened to three and a half years, for otherwise no one would survive ( ). That this is so, He confirms with an oath. He does so to give His own the greatest assurance that it will take so long, and not a day longer. He swears by Him Who lives forever and is not bound to time, but Who at the same time holds time in His hand. At the end of the great tribulation He returns Who here raises His right and left hand to heaven. His return to earth will have many consequences. But here His coming is mainly related to the place He has always wanted to give His people in the world system. He will make them “the head and not the tail” ( ). That the reverse has become the case is because of the unfaithfulness of the people ( ). He will fulfill His plan in the “holy people”, which is the God-fearing remnant. They form all Israel, as it is written: “So all Israel will be saved” ( ). All hatred of the surrounding peoples has always been and will be directed to “shatter the power of the holy people”. Through His intervention He will make His people, “the holy people”, the people who belong to Him and are devoted to Him, the heads of the nations. Israel is hated by all the surrounding peoples because of his power. That power has been shattered time and again in the past, sometimes by the king of the North, sometimes by the king of the South. In the time of the end his power is shattered once more by the king of the North. But when this hostile power has been judged by the Lord Jesus, “all these [events] will be completed”.

‏ Daniel 12:6

How Long?

When the angel has finished his announcements to Daniel, Daniel sees two other angels together with the Man about Whom has been reported before (Dan 10:5-8). One of the angels asks the Man about the length of history shown in the vision. He most probably expresses the question that lives in the heart of Daniel. He speaks of these “wonders”. Everything that is shown in the vision is a wonderful development of the events. These events lead to the entry into the promised blessing of God’s people, after they have experienced the salvation from the time of great distress.

The Man to Whom the question is asked can be none other than the Lord Jesus. He knows the answer and gives it. Before He does so, it is still mentioned of Him that He was “above the waters of the river”. This place seems to indicate symbolically that He is above all circumstances and also controls them. He will put an end to all the suffering of His people at the appointed time, after the period appointed by Him. He will do so by judging His enemies, after which He will establish a glorious realm of peace and righteousness and joy.

The duration of the time from suffering to liberation is fixed at three and a half years: “a time” is one year, “times” is two years and “half a time” is six months. That time will not be exceeded. Rather, that time has been shortened to three and a half years, for otherwise no one would survive (Mt 24:22).

That this is so, He confirms with an oath. He does so to give His own the greatest assurance that it will take so long, and not a day longer. He swears by Him Who lives forever and is not bound to time, but Who at the same time holds time in His hand. At the end of the great tribulation He returns Who here raises His right and left hand to heaven. His return to earth will have many consequences.

But here His coming is mainly related to the place He has always wanted to give His people in the world system. He will make them “the head and not the tail” (Deu 28:13). That the reverse has become the case is because of the unfaithfulness of the people (Deu 28:44). He will fulfill His plan in the “holy people”, which is the God-fearing remnant. They form all Israel, as it is written: “So all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26).

All hatred of the surrounding peoples has always been and will be directed to “shatter the power of the holy people”. Through His intervention He will make His people, “the holy people”, the people who belong to Him and are devoted to Him, the heads of the nations. Israel is hated by all the surrounding peoples because of his power. That power has been shattered time and again in the past, sometimes by the king of the North, sometimes by the king of the South. In the time of the end his power is shattered once more by the king of the North. But when this hostile power has been judged by the Lord Jesus, “all these [events] will be completed”.