Little Lion, Big Lion and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah

“At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.” Daniel 12:1

Michael means “like God” or in the image of God. This is likely a reference to Jesus Christ. He is the One who in Daniel 3:25 appeared to King Nebuchadnezzar like the Son of God with the three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace so that they were not harmed by that fiery ordeal.

Jesus Christ was with those three men. He was with the people of God who endured the Old Testament antichrist Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus demanded people to worship his false god Zeus. He set his image in the temple of God. This happened before Christ’s first coming. Another antichrist will arise and demand similar obedience before the second coming of Christ. Jesus will be in the fire with His saints in those days as well.

In Daniel 12:1, “Michael, the great prince, shall stand up” to deliver God’s people from the antichrist. Some think the antichrist will be a Jew. Revelation 11:8-9 says in the same “city where our Lord was crucified,” the antichrist “sits” which implies occupying the place of power and majesty in opposition to Christ.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:4, God describes the antichrist as one “who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”

The words used of Antiochus Epiphanes, Paul implies, shall even be more applicable to the man of sin, who is the New Testament antichrist.

During the first coming of Jesus, Jerusalem’s priesthood joined with Rome against Jesus, and afterwards Jerusalem was destroyed by Rome. In Revelation, the Church becomes an “harlot” by joining itself with the “beast.” This harlot church will ride on the back of the political beast until that beast (the antichrist) betrays and destroys her.

Pastor Richard Würmbrand said that many pastors joined the communist movement in Romania when it seemed a harmless baby lion, but after that baby lion grew up (gained strength), it destroyed those pastors. The communists relied on the pastors to rally people to their ideology until they were strong enough to function without them, then, they destroyed them. Richard overcame the tortures that he experienced under the communists by relying on the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Jesus was with him throughout the fiery ordeal.

Idolatry of self, spiritual pride, and rebellion against God, are characteristics of the antichrist.

1 John 2:22 says, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.”

2 John 7 says, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”

Christ-worship, humility, and dependence on God, characterize Christianity.

In due season, the real Christ will dethrone the imposter. In Matthew 26:64, Jesus said, “I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

Revelation 7:9 speaks of many coming to everlasting life during the end times tribulation. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” Revelation 20:15 says, “anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Those who reject Jesus shall not be saved.

“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3

Those with God shine. They lead many to righteousness which literally means to “justify,” that is, convert many to justification through faith in Messiah.

The Lord said in Daniel 11:35 that some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end. The trials purge sin from God’s people as fire purges dross from metal. They shine brightly after being purged by God.

1 Peter 1:7 says, “So that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus had said to Simon Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Job was considered blameless before God, but lest, he think he could be blameless without God’s help, the Lord allowed Satan to subject him to great losses and scrutiny of doctrine by friends who tested him with words. By the end of the book, Job knew 100% that everything good that he had was from God.

2 Corinthians 4:6 says, “It is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 2:14-15 says, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

Praise God for causing His amazing His grace to shine in and through us. Jesus Christ is the light of the world. In Him, we shine even when darkness surrounds us.

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Daniel 12:4

Daniel is told to seal the book. John, on the contrary, is told in Revelation 22:10 not to seal his visions. Daniel’s prophecy refers to a distant time and is therefore obscure for the immediate future, whereas John’s was to be speedily fulfilled according to Revelation 1:1-3.

“Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, ‘How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?’ Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.” Daniel 12:5-7

Usually the right hand is held up in affirmation as an appeal to heaven to attest the truth. John sees a similar vision in Revelation 10:5-6, “The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer.”

In Revelation 12:6, “The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there 1,260 days” which is 42 months. In Revelation 12:14, these 42 months in the wilderness are called “a time and times and half a time.”

“When the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.“ The people will realize like Job did that apart from God’s saving grace that they will not be saved.

In Revelation 11:2, “the Gentiles tread the holy city underfoot for 42 months.” In Revelation 13:5, the beast “was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.”

Three and half years or 42 months links the tribulation of the Church with Israel which suffered famine and drought in Elijah’s days for “three years and six months.” In Luke 4:25, Jesus said, “I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land.

This is the same period of time that Antiochus persecuted God’s people before Jesus came the first time to earth.

“Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, ‘My Lord, what shall be the end of these things?’ And he said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” Daniel 12:8-9

Daniel “understood” the main features of the vision as to Antiochus, but not as to the times. 1 Peter 1:10-12 refers mainly to Daniel. For Daniel is he who foretells “the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.” He prophesied “not unto himself, but unto us.” He “searched what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in him did signify.”

Daniel’s desire of knowing more is thus deferred “till the time of the end.” John’s Revelation reveals more of which here is veiled.

In Matthew 24:15, Jesus said, “When you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place let the reader understand.”

“Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and comes to the 1,335 days. But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.’” Daniel 12:8-13

Until Christ returns wicked people will do wicked deeds and lack any sense of what God is about to do. But God’s people will be continually renewed day by day in the image of Christ. They will be preoccupied with and abiding in Christ. They will understand what is happening.

From the time that the antichrist desecrates the holy place in Jerusalem and defiles many people until the time that he is removed is 1,290 days or three and half years. Blessed is he that waits and comes to the 1,335 days. “The Lord adds a month and a half to the former number, signifying that it is not in man to appoint the time of Christ’s coming, but that they are blessed that patiently wait for his appearing.” (Geneva Bible Notes)

“For you shall rest.” Daniel would rest in the grave and resurrect to receive his inheritance from God before his prophecy was fulfilled. Hebrews 11:40 says, “Because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us [Gentile Christians] they [Messianic Jews] would not be made complete.”

The Lord concludes Daniel’s prophecy with imagery of both good and bad events that happen before He returns. He is with us now like a Good Shepherd faithfully attempting to guide us into His eternal and glorious kingdom of love.