Daniel 12

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Climax of all the Prophecies in Daniel

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. The resurrection in Daniel 12 does not include the Rapture of the Church.

  2. The numbered days in Daniel 12 do include the Return of the Lord.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. It will be great to be an end time Monday Morning quarterback.

QUESTIONS

  1. When will the archangel Michael arise on behalf of the Jewish people (verse 1)?

  2. What is the Rapture of the Church? Which New Testament passages address this?

  3. List three reasons we don’t believe Daniel 12 refers to the Rapture of the Church.

  4. So when does this resurrection fit into the biblical timeline?

  5. Explain the two different numbers given in verses 11-12.

ANSWERS

  1. In context this is the same time as the last half of Daniel 11, a time of great distress on the earth – the Tribulation Period.

  2. In 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 we read of a resurrection of Christians in which the bodies of Christians who have died will be resurrected and the bodies of Christians who are alive will be changed and become immortal.

  3. 1) When you put together all of the Biblical prophetic passages systematically, the Rapture of the Church occurs before the Tribulation Period, which is the time period of Daniel 12:1-2. 2) It is Daniel’s people, the Jewish people, who are written in God’s book here. 3) Unbelievers are involved in this resurrection, whereas only believers are involved in the Rapture.

  4. We believe that this resurrection in Daniel 12 is the same as the resurrection of Revelation 20, which involves the martyrs of the Tribulation Period, certainly including the martyrs of the godly remnant of Jewish believers. They will be resurrected at the end of the Tribulation Period to enter and reign with Christ in His millennial kingdom, along with the rest of believers (Revelation 20:4). Revelation 20 goes on to reveal that the resurrection of the damned (Daniel 12:2), who come to life for shame and everlasting contempt, comes at the end of the 1,000 year earthly kingdom of Christ.

  5. The second half of the Tribulation Period, known as the Great Tribulation, will last 42 months or 3½ years (Revelation 11:2, 13:5). Based on a Hebrew year of 360 days, this is 1260 days. An additional 30 days may be for the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation before the mid-point of the Tribulation. Or the total 45 days may be at the end of the Tribulation Period, during which time the cleansing of the Temple and the judgments will take place.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Can you answer Daniel’s question in verse 8 about how all these events will work out in the end? Does God have a plan and purpose for the Jewish people?

  2. Think back over your study of the book of Daniel. Which have you enjoyed more, the life of Daniel or the prophecies of Daniel? What is a practical lesson you will take away?

CHALLENGE

  1. When all the events of the end time begin to take place it will be a lot easier to see God’s overall plan. It is good for us to study God’s prophetic program, but there are many details we cannot be dogmatic about. Enjoy studying what you can, and know the rest will turn out God’s way!

KEY VERSES

  • “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:2-3



Daniel, Old Testament, TalksDeb HarmsDaniel 12