What role do the "two others" play in Daniel 12:5's narrative? Setting of the Scene - Daniel’s last recorded vision stretches from 10:4 through the end of chapter 12. - He is still by the Tigris River (10:4), watching the majestic “man clothed in linen” hover “above the waters” (12:6–7). - Into this dramatic moment step “two others”: “Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two others standing there, one on this bank of the river and the other on the opposite bank.” (12:5) Who Are the “Two Others”? - Scripture does not name them, but the context consistently portrays celestial beings—angels—interacting with Daniel (10:10–21; 12:6–7). - A similar scene occurs earlier: “Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who was speaking…” (8:13). - Their placement—one on each bank—underscores their distinct identity from the linen-clothed Figure (who stands above the waters). Their Immediate Actions - One angel addresses the Man in linen: “How long until the end of these astonishing things?” (12:6). - Both remain silent afterward, functioning as attentive witnesses while the Man in linen swears an oath (12:7). Symbolic Significance of Their Presence • Witnesses who confirm the prophecy – God’s law requires “the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15; cf. John 8:17). – By stationing one on each riverbank, the vision visually supplies the legal minimum to establish the truth of the timing the Man in linen gives. • Heavenly counterparts to future earthly witnesses – Revelation 11:3–4 speaks of “My two witnesses.” – Zechariah 4:3 pictures “two olive trees” flanking a lampstand, again evoking dual testimony. – Daniel’s two angels anticipate this pattern: God always confirms His word. • Guardians of perspective – Their question—“How long…?”—mirrors the cry of saints who long for God’s timetable to be revealed (Psalm 13:1; Revelation 6:10). – By voicing the question, they draw out the precise answer (“a time, times, and half a time,” 12:7), ensuring Daniel—and readers—receive the information clearly. How Their Role Shapes the Prophecy’s Message - They frame the revelation: the prophecy is not a private declaration but a publicly witnessed oath. - They guarantee that the answer about the end cannot be dismissed as Daniel’s imagination; two angelic witnesses heard it. - They remind us God’s plan is orderly, verifiable, and sure—anchored by sworn testimony from heaven’s court. Takeaways for Today - God employs witnesses so His people can rest in the certainty of His word. - Questions about timing are natural; heaven itself asks them, and God answers. - When prophecy seems complex, remember the twin angels on the banks: God’s promises stand, guarded by reliable testimony, until every detail is fulfilled “exactly as it was told” (Luke 1:20). |
    |