**The Vision of the End Times: Daniel 12**
In the final days of Daniel’s life, as he stood on the precipice of eternity, the Lord granted him one last vision—a revelation so profound and mysterious that it would echo through the ages, offering hope and warning to generations yet to come. It was a time of great turmoil, and Daniel, the faithful servant of God, had already endured much. He had faced lions, interpreted dreams, and deciphered the handwriting on the wall. Yet this vision surpassed all others in its scope and significance.
The scene unfolded in the spiritual realm, where the veil between heaven and earth was lifted. Daniel found himself standing beside the great river Tigris, its waters rushing with a sound like distant thunder. The sky above was neither day nor night but a swirling tapestry of light and shadow, as though the heavens themselves were trembling in anticipation. Suddenly, a radiant figure appeared before him, clothed in garments that shimmered like polished silver. His face shone with the brilliance of lightning, and his eyes burned like flaming torches. This was the angel Michael, the great prince who stands guard over God’s people.
Michael spoke with a voice that resonated like the roar of many waters, yet it carried a tenderness that comforted Daniel’s soul. “At that time,” the angel declared, “there will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.”
Daniel’s heart trembled at these words. He knew that the days ahead would be filled with unimaginable suffering, a time when evil would seem to triumph and the faithful would be tested as never before. Yet Michael’s promise was clear: deliverance was assured for those who belonged to the Lord. The book he spoke of was no ordinary scroll; it was the Lamb’s Book of Life, in which the names of the redeemed were inscribed from the foundation of the world.
As Daniel pondered these things, two other figures appeared, one on each bank of the river. They were angels, their forms glowing with celestial light. One called out to the other, his voice echoing across the waters, “How long will it be until these astonishing things are fulfilled?”
The second angel raised his hand toward heaven and swore by the One who lives forever: “It will be for a time, times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.”
Daniel’s mind raced to understand the meaning of these cryptic words. “A time, times, and half a time”—it was a phrase that spoke of a period of tribulation, a season of suffering that would precede the ultimate victory of God’s kingdom. He longed to know more, to grasp the full significance of what he had seen and heard. Turning to Michael, he asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”
Michael’s gaze was steady, his expression both solemn and compassionate. “Go your way, Daniel,” he replied, “because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.”
Daniel’s heart ached with a mixture of sorrow and hope. He knew that the path ahead would be fraught with trials, but he also knew that God’s purposes were sure. The wicked might prosper for a season, but their end was destruction. The righteous, though they might suffer, would shine like the stars forever and ever.
As the vision began to fade, Michael spoke one final word of encouragement: “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”
With these words, the heavenly figures vanished, and Daniel was left alone by the river. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the land, but in his heart, a light burned brightly—a light of faith and hope that no darkness could extinguish. He knew that his time on earth was drawing to a close, but he also knew that his story was far from over. One day, he would awaken to a new dawn, to a resurrection that would usher him into the presence of his Lord.
And so, Daniel returned to his home, his spirit strengthened by the vision. He recorded all that he had seen and heard, sealing the words for a future generation. Though he did not live to see the fulfillment of these prophecies, he trusted in the faithfulness of the God who had guided him all his days. And as he closed his eyes for the final time, he did so with the assurance that his name was written in the book, and that one day, he would shine like the stars in the kingdom of his Lord.
Thus ends the vision of Daniel, a testament to the enduring hope of God’s people and a reminder that, though the night may be long, the dawn is certain. For the Lord is sovereign over all things, and His promises will never fail.
