Visions and Prophecies of Daniel Expounded, Prophecy 5 · Part 2 · Section 18
Sect. 18. The concluſion, Chap. 12. verſ. 4.
VErſe 4. But thou O Daniel, ſhut up theſe words and ſeal the book even to the time of the end] Therefore theſe myſteries were to be hidden from the ages before the time of the end, and in the time of the end only to be revealed.
many ſhall run to and fro and knowledge ſhall be increaſed.] That is, by meditation ſearching to and fro to find out the myſteries: Or, by travailing to and fro, as the Waldenſes, to and learn propagate the truth, knowledge ſhall be multiplied on the earth in the laſt time.
Verſe 5. Behold two others.] Theſe ſeem to be the types of the two witneſſes, asking of Chriſt, who is that man clothed with fine linnen; the knowledge of theſe myſteries in the laſt time to be revealed.
Verſe 7. After a time, two times and halfe a time] a time is a yeer, Dan. 4.20. which in propheticall uſe containeth 360. dayes: whence three times and an half do contain thrice 360. dayes, and alſo one half part thereof, that is, dayes or in uſe propheticall yeers, 1260. as it is expreſly declared, Apoc. 12.6, 14.
and when he ſhal accompliſh to ſcatter the power of the holy people, all theſe things ſhall be finiſhed.] This is, to ſhew that the end of Antichriſtian perſecution ſhalbe at the end of the 1260 yeers.
Verſe 9. And he ſaid, go thy way Daniel: for the words are cloſed up and ſealed till the time of the end.] Therefore the foreſaid myſteries, eſpecially thoſe about the times of Antichriſt, God intended to conceal and hide for a certain time, and only to reveal the ſame in the laſt time. And unto this place our Saviour ſeemeth to have reſpect when he ſaith, That no man knoweth the day and hour, not ſo much as the Angels of heaven, but the Father only, Mat. 24.15, 36. and when he ſaith, It is not for you to know the times, which the Father hath put in his own power, Act. 1.7. wherefore Chriſt exhorted the preſent age, that they would be watchfull, becauſe they knew not the time of the end: foraſmuch as it was to be hidden from the former ages, leaſt the long diſtance of the time being known, ſhould hinder the duty of watchfulneſſe. But in the time of the end, whereof ſee Chap. 11.40. it ſeemeth that it is to be revealed: Not unto the world, on whom the end ſhall come as a thief in the night, eſpecially the laſt part of the laſt time: but unto the Saints, which by the propinquity of the time ſhall be ſtirred up to watchfulneſſe. Napier ſaith a little otherwiſe, affirming that our Lord ſpeaking of the hiding of the laſt time, ſpeaketh of the day properly ſo called, not of the yeer, which he ſaith is to be revealed. But the Author of the key Apocalypticall, doth inſinuate upon chap. 5. that the myſtery of the times was not revealed to our Lord himſelf as man, before his Aſcenſion; and that therefore he ſpake thereof, as of a thing to be unknown: But he addeth, that after his glorification he received of the Father the knowledge of this myſtery, and revealed it by his ſervant John unto the Church. Let the Reader conſider all, and hold that which is moſt right.
Verſe 10. Many ſhall be purified, made white and tried] to wit, many of the witneſſes of truth, by the perſecutions of Antichriſt, Chap. 11.35.
but the wicked ſhall do wickedly, and none of the wicked ſhall underſtand, but the wiſe ſhall underſtand.] For they which have not received the truth with love, ſhall think the Antichriſtian lies to be reall truths, 2 Theſ. 2. Dan. 11.32. and in the time of the end they ſhall be ſecure as in the dayes of Noah, Mat. 24. but the witneſſes of truth and the reformed Saints ſhall underſtand the myſtery of Antichriſt, and the time of the end alſo.
Verſe 11. And from the time that the dayly ſacrifice ſhall be taken away, and the abomination of deſolation ſet up.] That is, from the time when firſt the true Doctrine and worſhip inſtituted by the Son of God ſhall begin to be removed, and Hereſle and Idolatry ſhall begin to be ſolemnly ſet up in the Chriſtian Church, making it deſolate ſpiritually and temporally.
ſhall be 1290 dayes.] by 30 dayes this number exceedeth the 1260. whereof, Verſe 7. and therefore they muſt begin 30 yeers before the ſame.
Verſe 12. Bleſſed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 dayes.] In this ſpace of 45 yeers, there will be the ſpring of the glorious ſtate of New-Jeruſalem: the Summer thereof ſhall follow after in the heavenly and immutable condition. The reſurrection of Daniel, and conſequently of all the dead, is deſcribed in the next verſe. So v. 2. Apoc. 11.18. and 20.11, 12.