Bible Commentaries
Daniel 12

Verses 1-13

The Vision of Future Wars Up Until Christ’s Second Return (535-534 B.C.) Daniel 10:1 to Daniel 12:13 records Daniel’s most lengthy vision about the future wars between the kings of the North and the South. The traditional interpretation of this lengthy vision is that it represents a conflict, first between Persia and Greece, and then between two kingdoms that rise up out of the Grecian Empire, the Seleucid Empire of Syria and the Ptolemaic Empire of Egypt (Daniel 11:4-20). History records the many battles that took place. The continual wars that took place between these two powers deeply affected the Jewish people since they were situated between them. Their land would be taken and retaken in these ongoing conflicts and battles, causing many problems for them. These conflicts are believed to carry on until the time of the death of Antiochus Epiphanes, a great enemy of the Hebrew people. In Daniel 11:21-35 we are given the description of Antiochus Epiphanes and his violent acts against the Jews.

Many scholars suggest that Daniel 11:36-45 refers to the antichrist figure that will arise during the Tribulation Period, whom Paul calls the Son of Perdition. Within this context, the king of the North would refer to Gog and his army that surrounds Jerusalem during the Battle of Armageddon, as described in Ezekiel 38-39.

At this point the vision comes to a close with a few brief remarks about the last times and the coming of the Lord and the final Day of Judgment. Thus, the first few verses of Daniel 12:0 tell us that this is a time of trouble, which we now call the Tribulation Period. It makes a brief refer to the Rapture of the Church and the Great White Throne Judgment.

This lengthy vision that Daniel is given takes biblical prophecy up to the Second Coming of the Messiah when the “Times of the Gentiles” will come to an end. Thus, we see how the book of Daniel deals with prophecies limited to the Times of the Gentiles.

Outline - Note the proposed outline by William MacDonald regarding this interpretation: [123]

[123] William MacDonald, Daniel, in Believer’s Bible Commentary, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Pub., 1995), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), “Introduction.”

1. Introduction of the Vision Daniel 10:1-9

2. Prophecies of the Immediate Future Daniel 10:10 to Daniel 11:35

a) Greece’s Conquest of Medo-Persia Daniel 10:10 to Daniel 11:3

b) The Decay of the Grecian Empire Daniel 11:4-35

i) The Wars between Egypt and Syria Daniel 11:4-20

ii) The Reign of Antiochus Epiphanes Daniel 11:21-35

3. Prophecies of the Distant Future Daniel 11:36 to Daniel 12:13

a) The Antichrist Daniel 11:36-45

b) The Great Tribulation Daniel 12:1-13