Preaching the Word
The "First Principle" podcasts which are numbered # are a great tool for believers to go over the essentials of the Christian Faith.
The "Mysteries of God's Word" podcasts are an indepth study of Scripture.
The other podcasts are sermons that have been given, some verse by verse and others topical.
It is my passion to be true to God and His Word. To preach in such a way that people can easily see the LORD as our Creator and as our Redeemer. To understand that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever even as we live in a world that is continually changing. Salvation is and has always been through faith alone in the Messiah alone. His name is Jesus the Christ; there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Preaching the Word
Daniel 12 - Michael Rises, Israel Endures - The Mysteries of God's Word
A single chapter, thirteen verses, and a sweeping map of the end of days—Daniel 12 brings heaven’s conflict and earth’s hope into sharp focus. We open with Michael rising and a cosmic eviction that mirrors Revelation 12, then follow the implications for Israel during a time of trouble unlike anything before. That tension sets the stage for a promise that refuses to blink: deliverance for those written in the book of life and a resurrection that separates everlasting life from everlasting contempt.
As we move deeper, we explore what it means for the wise to “shine,” not only in shared glory but in the unique reward for those who lead others to righteousness. The angel’s command to seal the book becomes surprisingly relevant, not as a nod to faster travel or smarter tech, but as a forecast of urgent seeking and Spirit-given insight when the world is hungry for truth. And at the center stands a solemn oath: “time, times, and half a time,” the three-and-a-half-year period that culminates in the shattering of Israel’s power and the brief rule of the Antichrist before Christ’s return.
We also unpack the two numbers that have sparked centuries of debate: 1,290 days and 1,335 days. We consider how these may mark a 30-day judgment of the nations after Armageddon and a further 45-day transition into the millennial kingdom, where those who endure are called blessed. Through it all, Daniel’s closing comfort anchors the heart: rest now, rise later, and stand in your allotted place. If you care about biblical prophecy, the role of Israel in the end times, or how to live wisely when the world feels unsteady, this conversation offers clarity, courage, and hope.
If this helped you see Daniel 12 with fresh eyes, subscribe, share it with a friend who loves prophecy, or support the show.
Email: nathan@nathandietsche.com
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today we are in Daniel chapter 12, which is the last of three chapters where an angel comes to Daniel after he has fasted and prayed for three weeks. The message this angel brings is a prophecy about what will become the history of Israel. And as we learned last week, the message about Israel included both future history of Israel over the next few hundred years, as well as Israel's history in the very end times of the earth. And for the sake of our narrative, we've called this angel Gabriel because Gabriel is the one who has visited Daniel in the past with messages and prophecy from God. As we read today in chapter twelve, Gabriel will continue the end times prophecy of Israel. Chapter twelve truly is a foundational block for end times prophecy that surrounds the nation of Israel. And it packs a great deal of information and end times prophecy into just thirteen verses. So let's get started with verse one. At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered. Everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. It begins by saying that at that time shall arise Michael. The mention of Michael the Archangel here is significant, because it's the same timing that's found in Revelation chapter twelve, verses seven through nine, which reads Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, he was thrown down to earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. From our verse in Daniel chapter one and from what we've read in Revelation chapter twelve, it seems clear that Michael will be put into action by God to remove Satan from access to the third heaven, and from access to God's throne room. I feel it's important to bring some clarity onto this issue because I've heard some confusion over it in the past. Now, up until this time that Daniel is talking about, when it says, at that time shall arise Michael, Satan still had access to come before God and accuse the saints. For example, in Job chapter 1, verses 6 and 7, we read how the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came before the Lord as well. And that's when Satan accused Job, and the Lord asked Satan, Where did you come from? And Satan says, from going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it. So we know from Scripture and the story of Job that while Satan is a fallen angel, he still has access to the heavens, and he has access before God's throne, and that's where he goes to accuse the saints. But at this time, during the last days of the earth, Satan shall be shut off from the heavens, and that's how he will know that his time is short. Now back to our verse in Daniel, it says that Michael will arise. That word, that Hebrew word for arise here, also can mean to stand or stand aside. Examples of that are in Job 32.16 or Nehemiah 8.5. And the rest of the verse tells us that there's going to be a great time of trouble, such as never has been since there was ever a nation on the earth. So this time of trouble is the greatest the earth has ever seen, greater than World War I, greater than World War II. This is the greatest time of trouble the earth has ever seen. But perhaps even more so, there will be a great time of trouble for Israel. Considering how Michael standing or arising leads to such a great time of trouble for Israel, it would seem to imply that Michael has become focused on this battle in heaven that we read about in Revelation chapter 12. And he's no longer focused on the nation of Israel here on earth. Therefore, this is why Israel as a nation is left without their great defender Michael. That could explain why there is such trouble now for Israel. Scripture talks about a time of trouble, a time of Jacob's trouble in Jeremiah 37. I also believe that Michael is the restrainer that the Apostle Paul was speaking of in 2 Thessalonians 2, 6 and 7. Because when Michael is focused on this battle in heaven, rather than on Israel on earth, there will no longer be a restrainer, keeping the spirit of the Antichrist at bay. But verse 1 says, Your people shall be delivered. The deliverance of Israel, of Daniel's people here, it's describing a final revival in the nation of Israel. During the very last days of the earth, these last three and a half years, much of Israel will be saved. Scripture tells us that they will look upon the one whom they have pierced. And finally, we know that this deliverance isn't physical. This is an eternal deliverance, because it says everyone whose name is found written in the book. And that description tells us that it has nothing to do with simply being a part of the nation of Israel or being a Jew. But this is about those who will put their faith in the Messiah. Because it is only through faith in the Messiah Jesus Christ that anyone has their name written in the book of life. Moving on to verse two, and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Again, this one verse has packed an awfully lot into it. It describes the resurrection of the dead and the judgment of mankind for both the righteous and the unrighteous into this one verse. There are other Old Testament verses that point to how the resurrection of the dead was also the hope of the believer. For example, Job nineteen, twenty five through twenty six reads, For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth, and after my skin has thus been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God. Other verses in the Old Testament that declare the resurrection of the dead are Isaiah twenty six nineteen, Psalm sixteen ten, and Ezekiel thirty seven twelve. Now we find in other scriptures that there are actually more than just one resurrection of the dead. The greatest and most glorious resurrection was the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is known as the firstborn over the dead eighteen. There will be a resurrection of the dead at the rapture of believers, when Jesus Christ comes on the clouds Thessalonians four, sixteen and seventeen. There will also be a resurrection of the dead after the battle of Armageddon, Revelation twenty four through six. That resurrection is known as the first resurrection, not because it's the first ever resurrection, but rather because the resurrection unto life is the first resurrection. And then there's a final resurrection of the unbelieving after the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ at the great white throne judgment, known as the second resurrection. And that's in Revelation twenty, eleven through thirteen. Here in verse two of Daniel chapter twelve, we find the resurrection and judgment of mankind packed into this single verse. And that isn't uncommon in Scripture. For example, in John 5 29, Jesus spoke about the resurrection and judgment. Picking up in verse three of Daniel, and those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever. Now in a general sense, the wise includes all believers, everyone who has a true knowledge of the Messiah through faith in God's Word. In heaven all believers will shine because the righteousness of Jesus Christ has been applied to them and is glorified in their bodies. And that concept of all believers shining can be found in Matthew thirteen forty three, Romans eight thirty, Thessalonians two twelve and first Peter five ten. Yet what Daniel is teaching here is even more specific, and Scripture does teach us that in a more specific way, when faith is put into action to teach others about Jesus Christ, there is reward. Believers that influence others towards a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ will shine to a greater degree as their reward in heaven. The faithfulness of a believer's witness on earth will determine their capacity to reflect the glory of God in heaven. That also is found in Scripture Corinthians three eight, Corinthians nine twenty four and twenty five, and Corinthians fifteen thirty three. Picking up in verse four. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end, many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase. Here in verse four, the angels command Daniel to shut up the words and seal the book. The angel isn't telling Daniel to hide this revelation, but rather to preserve it for the end days, because that's what this prophecy is intended for, the time of the end. It is speaking specifically of the last days of the earth, the seventieth week that was spoken of in Daniel 9 twenty seven. Now that phrase many shall run to and fro. It's a Hebrew phrase that always describes the movement of someone searching for something. I know I myself have viewed this differently in the past, as I've heard many preachers speak about how they thought this referred to modes of travel, such as how planes, trains, or automobiles have increased man's capacity to run about the earth. But that's a poor understanding of this text. This text refers to how in the last days people will be searching for answers. They'll be searching in the middle of these apocalyptic times that they find themselves in. And the phrase knowledge shall increase has also been miscommunicated by many. I know I've heard preachers say that this is somehow describing how we've so quickly gone from the written word to a digital age, how now we're coming into the age of artificial intelligence. However, the proper understanding of the original text of Daniel here is that knowledge increasing is because people will find this preserved book of Daniel in the age of the apocalypse. That's why the angel has commanded him to seal it up and preserve it. What we are reading right now will be a lifeline to people during those final seven years of earth, revealing the truth of the last days in which they live. Picking up in verse five. Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream How long shall it be till the end of these wonders? Now in verses five and six, suddenly there were two other angels, along with Gabriel who had brought this prophetic message to Daniel. Now these two other angels signal a minimum of the witnesses that were legally needed for an oath under the law of Moses. And that would speak to the validity and the significance of this oath in the presence of Daniel. You can find that law in Deuteronomy nineteen fifteen. And when these three angels are together, one of the angels asks, How long is it going to be until the end of this appointed time of great distress? Picking up in verse seven, and I heard the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the stream. He raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and swore by him who lives forever, that it would be for a time, times and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end, all these things will be finished. Here in verse seven the angel Gabriel makes an official oath before the Lord God almighty, and he does so in front of Daniel and these two other angels. This dramatic scene with Gabriel raising his hands to heaven will solidify in the mind of Daniel and the mind of us the reader, that this oath is certain, it is appointed, it will not change. It is for a time, times and half a time. This oath is the answer to that question in verse six. A time is one year, times two years and half a time is half a year, for a total of three and a half years. This three and a half years is found throughout Daniel and Revelation as the final three and a half years of Earth. Verses that confirm this are Daniel seven hundred twenty five, Daniel nine twenty seven, Revelation eleven two, Revelation twelve six, Revelation twelve fourteen, Revelation thirteen five. These three and a half years will bring about the shattering of the power of God's holy people. The Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel at the very beginning of these three and a half years. Then there will be a war over Israel between the Antichrist and a king of the south, after which the Antichrist will capture and take Jerusalem. He will then set up his image in the temple, proclaiming himself to be God over all of the earth. And from that time the power of Israel will become utterly broken, and the Antichrist will rule for three and a half years until Jesus Christ Himself comes on the clouds and destroys the Antichrist at the battle of Armageddon. Picking up in verse eight, I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, O my Lord, what shall be the outcome of these things? He said, Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Here in verses eight and nine, while Daniel heard the words of the angel, and Daniel would faithfully record them for us today, he still did not understand what all of this meant. Gabriel had been sent to Daniel after Daniel had been fasting and praying for three weeks, wanting to understand what was going to happen to his people Israel. And now after being given this final revelation by God through the angel Gabriel, with incredible detail about Israel's immediate future and their final future in the end days, Daniel is still wondering what will be the outcome of all of this. While Daniel understood that this was about Israel's future and the end times, there was no way that he could understand the details of these prophecies, hundreds, even thousands of years before they would happen. And while today we can look back through history and understand many of these prophecies, putting together the puzzle pieces of history and looking at how they apply to the end times, the fullness of what is in the book of Daniel will only truly be understood during those last seven years of earth, when what is written will be accomplished. teny shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined. But the wicked shall act wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. In verse ten we're told that many shall purify themselves. During these last years of earth and the time of Jacob's trouble, many Jews will become pure through faith in Jesus Christ. Verses that describe this are Romans eleven twenty six, Revelation eleven thirteen, Zechariah twelve, ten. Zechariah the prophet speaks of how one third of the Jews will come to faith Zechariah thirteen, eight and nine. But only those who trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be able to truly understand these words of Daniel. The wicked will continue to live out their wicked lives. They will be blinded by the God of this age in darkness. As Proverbs nine ten teaches us, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is insight. Picking up in verse eleven and from that time that the regular burnt offering is taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Verse eleven gives us the first of two very specific times that are only found here in chapter twelve of Daniel. The angel reveals to Daniel that there are an additional thirty days or one month after the three and a half years that the Antichrist will rule over Jerusalem. Just to do a little math for you on this, three and a half years according to the Jewish calendar is one thousand two hundred sixty days, or forty two months times thirty days is one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Many scholars believe that these extra thirty days are a time in which Jesus is judging the living after the battle of Arbageddon as described in Matthew twenty five, thirty one through forty six. Verse twelve. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the one thousand three hundred thirty five days. Verse twelve is the second of these two specific times that are only found here in chapter twelve of Daniel. Now this is another forty-five days after the one thousand two hundred and ninety days, or this is a total of seventy-five days after the three and a half years of the Antichrist. And we're told that those who wait and arrive at this point are blessed, which implies that this begins the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ in the millennial kingdom. Other verses that speak to the blessing of this are Revelation nineteen nine and Revelation twenty six. Therefore it's believed by many that these forty five extra days are a transition time where Jesus is restoring the earth and setting up his government for this messianic kingdom. And all who are part of this final kingdom, governed by the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be blessed to be part of the greatest and most glorious kingdom ever on this earth. And now we come to our final verse of Daniel thirteen of chapter twelve. But go your way till the end, and you shall rest, and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of days. Daniel is told by the angel to go and continue on his way. Meaning that Daniel should remain content in what God has revealed to him, to no longer worry about these things. Daniel is then told that he will rest, which is a euphemism for his upcoming death before these things take place. And finally the angel Gabriel encourages Daniel by telling him that in the end of days he will be resurrected, and he will stand in his allotted place, set by God. Thank you for joining me for Daniel chapter twelve, and for all of Daniel if you've joined me for it. God bless you this week.