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One-sentence summary: The angel Gabriel visits Daniel and reveals to him what is to come at the end of time.
In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a message is revealed to Daniel. "The message [is] true, but the appointed time [is] long. And he [understands] the message and [has] understanding of the vision." Daniel is mourning for three weeks: he eats no pleasant food, no meat or wine, and he does not anoint himself with oil. As he is by the great Tigres River, he lifts his eyes and sees a man clothed in linen, whose waist is girded with gold. His body is like topaz, his face is like the appearance of lightning, his eyes are like torches of fire, his arms like burnished bronze, and the sound of his words is like the voice of a multitude. The other men with Daniel do not see it, but a great terror falls upon them, and they flee to hide themselves. Daniel is left alone, and no strength remains in him because "[his} vigor is] turned to frailty." He hears the sound of the man's words, and he is in a deep sleep on his face. Suddenly, a hand touches him which makes him tremble and says, "Oh, Daniel, man greatly beloved! Understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." Daniel stands, still trembling, and the man says, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days, and behold! Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me.... now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision refers to many days yet to come." Then, Daniel turns his face to the ground and becomes speechless. Then, "one like the son of man" touches his lips, and then he opens his mouth and speaks and tells the man that because of the vision "his sorrows overwhelm him" and have taken his strength. He wonders out loud why he should speak with him. Then, the man touches and strengthens him and says, "Oh man! Greatly beloved! Fear not! Peace be to you! Be strong! Yes, be strong!" Then, Daniel is strengthened and says, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me." The man asks if he knows why he has come to him. He says he must return to fight with the prince of Persia, and after that, the prince of Greece will come, and he will tell him "what is noted in the Scripture of truth." He says only Michael "[Daniel's] prince" helps him fight them.
In the first year of Darius the Mede, that which is to come in the end times is revealed to Daniel. Three more kings will arise in Persia, the fourth greater than them all. Through his strength and riches, he will stir up all kingdoms against the realm of Greece. Then, "a mighty king will arise with great dominion, and he will do all according to his will," but "when has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and divided among the four riches of heaven, but not to his posterity or according to the dominion with which he ruled, for his kingdom will be uprooted." The king of the south will become strong and his prince, and he will gain power over him and have dominion. His kingdom will be great, and at the end of some years, they will join forces, because the daughter of the king of the south will make an agreement with the king of the north, but neither will keep their authority. However, from a branch of her roots, one will arise who will come with an army and enter a fortress of the kingdom of the north and "deal with them and prevail." He will carry their gods and treasures and princes to Egypt, and he will continue more years than the king of the north. The king of the north will come to the kingdom of the south but will return to his own land. His sons "will stir up strife and assemble a multitude of great forces, and one will certainly come and overwhelm and pass through, then he will return to his fortress and stir up strife." The king of the south will be enraged and go and fight with the king of the north, who will be defeated. After that, his heart will be lifted up, and "he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail." The king of the north will return with a greater multitude and much army and equipment. Many will rise up against the king of the south, and violent men of the Jews will exalt themselves, but they will fall, and the king of the north will take a fortified city; the forces of the south will not withstand him. He will stand in the glorious land with "destruction in his power" and "set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom and upright ones with him." He will give him the daughter of women to destroy it, but she will not "stand with him or be for him." Then, he will "turn to the coastlands and take many." However, a ruler will bring the reproach against them to an end, and then turn on him. Then, "he will turn his face toward the fortress of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and not be found. In his place will arise one who will impose taxes on the glorious kingdom, but he will be destroyed in a few days, although not in anger or in battle." In his place will arise "a vile person who they will not give the honor of royalty," but he will "come peaceably and seize the kingdom by intrigue. With the force of a flood they will be swept away before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant." After an agreement is made with him, he will "act deceitfully. He will come up and become strong with a small number of people. He will enter peacefully even into the richest places of the province, and he will do what his fathers or forefathers have not done. He will disperse the riches and devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. He will stir up his power and courage against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south will fight back with a great and mighty army, but he will not stand. Those who eat of the portion of his delicacies will destroy him." Both the kings' hearts will be "bent on evil," and they will "speak lies at the same table," but they will not prosper, for "the end will still be at the appointed time." While returning to his land with great riches, this king's heart will be moved against the holy covenant, so he will do damage and return to his own land. At the appointed time, he will return and go toward the south. But it will not be as before. Ships from Cypress will come against him. He will be grieved and return in rage against the holy covenant and do damage. He will return and "show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant." He will "muster forces who will defile the sanctuary fortress." They will take away the daily sacrifices and place there the "abomination of desolation." He will "corrupt those who do wickedly against the covenant with flattery. But the people who know their God will be strong and carry out great exploits. Those who understand will instruct many, yet for many days, they will fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. When they fall, they will be helped with a little help. Many will join with them by intrigue. Some will fall to refine them, purify them, and make them light, until the time of the end, because it is still for the appointed time. The king will do according to his own will. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god, speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and will prosper until the wrath has been accomplished. For what has been determined shall be done. He will regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god, for he will exalt himself above them all. But in their place he will honor a god of fortresses and a god which his fathers did not know." He will make sacrifices to advance the glory of this god and will divide the land for gain. Then, at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack him, and the king of the north will come against him like a whirlwind, and "he will enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through and enter the glorious land, and many countries will be overthrown," except for Edom, Moab, and some of Amon. "News from the east and north will trouble him, and he will go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. He will plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain. But he will come to his end, and no one will help him."
At that time, Michael will stand up, "the great prince who stands watch over the sons of [God's] people, and there will be a time a trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time." Then, God's people will be delivered, "anyone who is found written in the Book. Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." The man tells Daniel to shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end. It says, "Many will run to and fro, and knowledge will increase." Daniel sees two standing on a riverbank, and one asks the man clothed in linen how long until the fulfillment of the wonders. The man in linen holds his hands to heaven and swears by the Lord that it will be for "a time, times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things will be finished." Daniel hears the words but does not understand. He says, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?" Then, the man says, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed til the time of the end. Many will be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked will do wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand. But the wise will understand." He says from the time the daily sacrifice is taken away and the "abomination of desolation" is set up, there will be 1,290 days. He tells Daniel, "Blessed is he who waits and comes to the 1,335 days. But you, go your way til the end. For you shall rest and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days."
Thoughts/discussion questions:
We are wise if we consider all this in light of what we see happening in our world today, stay alert, and pray!