Journey Through The Scriptures

The book and the story of Daniel end with this short, but powerful chapter concerning the deliverance of Daniel’s people, the nation of Israel. By this time Daniel must have been deeply concerned about Israel’s future. But in verses 1–3, he was given two great messages of hope. First, the people of Israel will be delivered in the end times by the intervention of the angel Michael, who is Israel’s defender. Second, Daniel is assured that those who have died will be resurrected. There is much here that is still mysterious, but we must bow before the divine wisdom of God, even as Daniel was told to do, instead of seeking further answers to what God has chosen not to reveal.

Daniel knew that he did not fully understand the meaning of everything that he had seen and heard. But the angel Daniel saw in this vision told him that the words were “closed up and sealed” (v. 9) until the time of God’s choosing for the full meaning to be revealed. No more is known of Daniel after this, although he apparently did not return to Jerusalem with the first Jews from exile, probably because of his age. Daniel had served faithfully for over 60 years, and even though he was an exile, God granted him great honor. Thus it is that although Daniel is not counted among the prophets of Israel, God chose him to receive the revelation of Israel’s destiny. In this way, Daniel was different from his contemporaries, the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, who had no visions!