Chapters 10, 11, and 12 of the Book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament comprise Daniel's final vision. The vision describes a series of coming conflicts between an unnamed "King of the North" and a "King of the South", ultimately leading to the "time of the end", when Israel will be vindicated. The dead will be raised: some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Although set during the 6th century BC, the Book of Daniel was written in reaction to the persecution of the Jews by the Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167–164 BC.[1] Its authors were the maskilim (the "wise"), of whom Daniel is one: "Those among the people who are wise shall make many understand ..."[2] Its fundamental theme is God's control over history.[3] The climax comes with the prophecy of the resurrection of the dead.[4] Daniel 7 speaks of the kingdom of the saints or "holy ones" of the Most High,[5] but Daniel 10–12 does not say that history will end with the coming of the Jewish kingdom; instead, the "wise" will be brought back to life to lead Israel in the new kingdom of God.[4]
In contemporary Christian millennialism, Daniel 11:36–45 is interpreted as a prophecy of the career and destruction of the Antichrist; Daniel 12 is interpreted as concerning the salvation of Israel and the coming kingdom of Jesus.[6]
- ^ Collins 2001, p. 2.
- ^ Davies 2006, p. 406.
- ^ Levine 2010, p. 1234.
- ^ a b Collins 1984, p. 103.
- ^ Daniel 7:18
- ^ LaHaye & Hindson 2006, pp. 259–263.
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