Why was Daniel instructed to seal the words until the end times? Immediate Context of Daniel 12:9 Daniel 12:8-9 : “I said, ‘My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?’ He replied, ‘Go on your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.’” The command occurs at the climax of the visions that began in chapter 10. Daniel, now aged (cf. 10:1), has received detailed predictions of successive pagan empires, fierce persecution under Antiochus IV Epiphanes (11:21-35), the coming of Rome (11:36-45), the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked (12:2-3), and a cryptic timeline (12:11-12). Overwhelmed, he asks for clarification. The angel Gabriel (cf. 8:16; 9:21) tells him the revelation is “closed up and sealed.” Ancient Meaning of “Seal” a. Authentication: In the Persian-Babylonian milieu, a clay-tablet or scroll was impressed with a signet to certify authorship (Daniel 6:17, the king’s signet). b. Preservation: Wax or clay seals protected contents from tampering (cf. Revelation 5:1). c. Restricted Access: A royal message could be read only at the appointed moment (Esther 8:8). Thus “seal” does not mean “hide forever,” but “secure intact until the proper recipient and season.” Purposes Behind the Sealing Command 3.1 Preservation for a Future Generation The audience who would most need these words would live in “the time of the end” (Daniel 12:4, 9). God safeguarded the prophecy so it would arrive untarnished when persecution and global upheaval reached their zenith (cf. Matthew 24:15). Dead Sea Scrolls (4QDana-c; 2 cent. BC) demonstrate that the Hebrew-Aramaic text we hold matches remarkably with the Masoretic family—evidence that the words truly were preserved, not lost. 3.2 Protection From Premature or Erroneous Interpretation First-century Jewish apocalyptists repeatedly misdated the end (e.g., 1 Enoch 93, 104; 4 Ezra 14). By “closing up” the text, God curbed speculative obsession. Jesus echoes this restraint: “It is not for you to know times or seasons…” (Acts 1:7). 3.3 Progressive Revelation Principle The canon unfolds in stages (Hebrews 1:1-2). Earlier revelations remain valid but take fuller meaning under later light. Daniel sees empires vaguely; John’s Apocalypse expands the same imagery (Revelation 12-13). The sealed scroll of Revelation 5 alludes to Daniel; only the slain-and-risen Lamb can break the seals, showing Christ as the ultimate interpreter. 3.4 Eschatological Trial and Refinement Daniel 12:10 : “Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined… but the wicked will act wickedly.” The sealed prophecy itself becomes a dividing line; those who revere God will keep searching the Word (12:4), while scoffers dismiss it (2 Peter 3:3-4). “Until the Time of the End” – What Time? The phrase refers to the period culminating in: • The first advent: partial fulfillment in Antiochus IV and Rome validated Daniel’s accuracy (Josephus, Antiquities 11.337-339). • The Church age: knowledge-explosion (“many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase,” 12:4) fits our information age. • The Great Tribulation and Second Coming: Jesus quotes Daniel 12:1 (cf. Matthew 24:21), assigning its ultimate realization to future global distress preceding His return. Practical Implications for Modern Readers 6.1 Confidence in Prophecy Precisely fulfilled portions (Medo-Persia, Greece, Antiochus, Roman desecrations) validate the yet-unfulfilled section. If the past 80% proved accurate, the remaining 20% concerning the resurrection and final kingdom will also occur (Isaiah 46:10). 6.2 Vigilance, Not Date-Setting Sealed timing urges readiness without presumption (Matthew 24:42-44). Wise servants live holy lives, support the persecuted church, and share the gospel while anticipating Christ’s return. 6.3 Motivation for Evangelism Because the resurrection of the righteous and the condemned is certain (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29), proclaiming the risen Christ becomes urgent. The sealed-yet-now-opened message propels missions to “every tribe, language, people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9). 6.4 Worship of the Sovereign Author The sealing underscores divine sovereignty over history: kingdoms rise and fall, yet God alone controls revelation’s timetable. This evokes doxology, aligning with the chief end of man—to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Conclusion Daniel was told to seal the words so that the prophecy would be authenticated, preserved, protected from distortion, and unveiled progressively at history’s climax. The seal has not muzzled the message; it has guarded it for us, the generation witnessing an unprecedented surge in travel, knowledge, and global convergence—signposts that the “time of the end” draws near. Therefore, heed the sealed-and-opened Word, trust the resurrected Christ it exalts, and live in hopeful obedience until He breaks the final seal of history. |
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