Deliverance through Tribulation

Daniel 12:1-13 

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.

2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3 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.

4 "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."

5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?"

7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?"

9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

13 "But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days."

Michael the archangel who watches over all God’s chosen people will stand up to defend them in the great time of troubles or tribulation to come at the end.  This affliction and distress will be far greater than anything like it ever before, and so we can assume Daniel had a vision of the great tribulation we read about in Mark 13:19, 24 with the hope of delivering us in Mark 13:27 at the very end.  There seems to be no mention of deliverance before that tribulation but an assurance for the elect out of the end of all things as all the chosen ones still alive are brought out when God gathers them together to Himself.  To be clear, only those written in the book of God (which is the Lamb’s book of life) from Revelation 21:27 (and Philippians 4:3) will be delivered or saved forever after that time of greatest affliction on the earth, as all are judged and held accountable for their unrepentant sin not acquitted by that book of life.  As for those already dead in that time, we see Daniel’s description of only two alternatives in waking to judgment (Hebrews 9:27-28) - by waking in resurrection to everlasting life, or to shame and everlasting contempt (John 5:28-29, Matthew 25:46).  The wise who hide in the righteousness of Christ will shine brightly as the stars in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16) and turn many to that light of the gospel while they live and have breath in anticipation of the end.  Before then, many will run after knowledge of these things but still be surprised when He comes like lightning (Luke 17:24) and as an unseen thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2) of darkness covering the eyes of men.  Here we also see God as הָעוֹלָ֑ם, the Eternal One (אֵ֥ל עוֹלָֽם) as in Micah 5:2, Genesis 21:33, and Psalm 90:2, as well as further explained in John 1:1-2, 14.  He is the eternal one who makes certain all these things from the beginning to the end as promised to us by Daniel and all the prophets.  Yes, many before the end will understand and be found by Him and made white in Christ’s righteousness (Revelation 7:14) and in their sanctification (1 Peter 1:22), while those whose refuse faith and repentance will go on doing wickedly without understanding.  The precise end times given here have varying interpretations as they apply to both past and future events, but the certainty for us to pursue is finding rest for our souls in Christ and His inheritance in the end of days.  There is then a certain absolute hope in our deliverance through the tribulations to come and we have time to forewarn other and offer hope of deliverance from God’s wrath.  Praise God who delivers His chosen elect in Christ Jesus our Lord!  Amen.