“‘At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.’”
The first three verses of chapter twelve set forth the future deliverance of Israel and the climax to the book of Daniel. The immediately preceding context indicated that Israel would go through a period of great tribulation by the Antichrist (11:36-45).
Chapter 12:1-4 is the climax to the prophecy running from chapter 10:1.
“At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.”
Michael, the archangel, is responsible for the defense of Israel (Dan 10:13, 21). He is the head of all holy angels, an archangel.
Jude 1:9, “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’”
The “time” in this verse is the second half of the Tribulation mentioned in the last chapter (Dan 11:40). The second half of the Tribulation will be a time of unusual duress for the nation Israel (Je 30:7; Mt 24:21). Jesus Christ indicated that the beginning of the Great Tribulation is the abomination of desolations spoken of by Daniel the prophet (Mt 24:15; Da 9:27). Both Daniel and Jesus warned that this time would be a period of unprecedented trouble.
Chapter 11 dealt with the political and religious features of the end times, but this chapter deals with its impact on the nation Israel. God will nationally deliver all Jews whose names are in the “book” (Zech 12:10; 13:8-9; Ro 11:26; Re 12:13-17).
PRINCIPLE:
Prophecy looks toward the consummation and purpose of history.
APPLICATION:
The whole course of prophetic history moves toward the end times. The Tribulation will be a period beggaring description of duress, conflict, and suffering. The nations of the world will continue to be belligerent until the end.
Prophecy looks toward the consummation of the age, an age of conflict and bloodshed. This will be especially true for Israel. There is trouble before triumphing for the nation Israel. Israel will invariably posit a problem for the nations of the world. There is no international solution to the problems of the Middle East. No diplomacy or human intelligence will resolve the problem.
Je 30:7, “Alas! For that day is great,
So that none is like it;
And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,
But he shall be saved out of it.”
Zech 12:2-3, “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.”
Mt 24:21-22, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”
There is a time coming, when the time of the Gentiles is over, in which God will deliver Israel. The Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation will resolve the problem of the Middle East. At that time, “all Israel shall be saved.”
Ro 11:26-29, “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.’
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
Dr. Grant,
Some people say that because Michael will "stand up" "in the tribulation", he is Jesus Christ. They correlate standing up with the fact that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, and that since He will come at the end of the tribulation, and it is stated here that Michael will help Israel at that time, then they are the same. I know that there is no Scriptural evidence that points Jesus and Michael to being the same, but these people make an interesting connection (albeit a false one), but I still would like to know your opinion on their conclusion, and if the reasoning behind it is not straight. Thanks!
Jakob, this is the same problem with a number of the interpretation you sent me–inferential logic. This interpretation has no basis in fact other than an allusion to something that must be interpolated (reading into Scripture) into the passage. This is an inference without substantiation.
Dr. Grant,
Is Michael the guardian angel of Israel (God's people under the Old Covenant) or the Church (God's people under the New Covenant? Thanks!
Jakob, the context of this passage deals with Israel.
What is the timeline of Daniel 12:1? Midtrib, post? Thank you Dr. Grant
Tommy, “tribulation” is the entire 7 years; the “great tribulation” starts around the middle part of the tribulation.
Thank you for making my research easier for me, because writing the scriptures are okay. My problem comes in when I began to research because I spend a lot of time doing research. But finding this web site made research easy for me to find whatever I am looking for. God bless you and your team.
Thank you Nathan