What "sealed" the words Daniel heard so that he could not understand his own prophecy?

[Alfred Persson]

8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?"
9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 "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.
(Dan. 12:8-10 NKJ)

Daniel could not understand the words he heard, they were sealed to him. It is said they would be unsealed in the End Time.

Either:
1. God will unseal the words in the end time supernaturally revealing hidden meaning to His prophets.
2. End time events "unseal" the words as events uncover the words can have new application and meaning.

The context indicates #2 is how "many...will understand" (Dan. 12:10) as it is stated the new understanding arises from "wisdom" [critical thinking] to "many", not by a special supernatural gift of understanding to a few prophets.

Therefore, the "many wise" are Bible Believers who employ critical thinking to unseal the words, whereas those who slavishly follow "originalist hermeneutic" interpreting words only as Daniel would, leaves the prophetic words "sealed".

Unknown to Daniel, in the New Covenant the apostles interpret OT Temple imagery as applying to the Church.

Scripture interprets Scripture.

As Christ fulfilled the law the "continual" [08548 תָּמִיד tamiyd] sacrifice (ἡ θυσία δι παντoς, LXX) is now a function of Christ's ministry. Confirming this, the apostles apply Old Testament Temple imagery to the Church, calling it "the Temple of God" (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; 2 Thess. 2:4; Eph. 2:21). Born Again Christians are the Temple priests (1 Pet. 2:5) who offer up "the Daily Sacrifice" by their service to Christ their LORD:

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet. 2:5) NKJ

As we take up Christ's cross daily (Lk. 9:23) our sacrifice and service are the continual [sacrifice]

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Heb. 13:15) NKJ

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Rom. 12:1) NKJ


The above invalidates a the common deduction a literal Jewish temple must exist in the end time for the "daily sacrifice" to be offered. Jesus never implied the destroyed Temple isn't one of the signs that will exist in the end time:


38 "See! Your house is left to you desolate;
39 "for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say,`Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
(Matt. 23:38-24:2 NKJ)

 

[RandyK]

Unknown to Daniel, in the New Covenant the apostles interpret OT Temple imagery as applying to the Church.

Scripture interprets Scripture.

As Christ fulfilled the law the "continual" [08548 תָּמִיד tamiyd] sacrifice (ἡ θυσία δι παντoς, LXX) is now a function of Christ's ministry. Confirming this, the apostles apply Old Testament Temple imagery to the Church, calling it "the Temple of God" (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; 2 Thess. 2:4; Eph. 2:21). Born Again Christians are the Temple priests (1 Pet. 2:5) who offer up "the Daily Sacrifice" by their service to Christ their LORD:

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet. 2:5) NKJ

As we take up Christ's cross daily (Lk. 9:23) our sacrifice and service are the continual [sacrifice]

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Heb. 13:15) NKJ

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Rom. 12:1) NKJ


The above invalidates a the common deduction a literal Jewish temple must exist in the end time for the "daily sacrifice" to be offered. Jesus never implied the destroyed Temple isn't one of the signs that will exist in the end time:


38 "See! Your house is left to you desolate;
39 "for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say,`Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
(Matt. 23:38-24:2 NKJ)

I think you make a great point, if I understand you correctly. The way I've read it is that these things were *future prophecies,* and as such had limited relevance for Daniel in his time. In principle the things said spoke to him in his environment, since moral/spiritual principles are eternal. However, they were things designed to lead to a culmination in a later era--something less relevant for Daniel in his time.

1 Peter 1.10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

But you bring out an interesting facet of this--why would Daniel not be given more explicit information on this? I have two thoughts on this.

1) God does not want our view of the future to be an exercise in speculation, which is something we all like to do, including myself. God knows we have intense interest in seeing a whole matter, and not just part.

But God does not want us to engage in *excessive* speculation, to the point where we lose our focus on today's ministry and today's concerns. He does want us to see the "bigger picture," but only within certain parameters.

Acts 1.7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

2) The parameters God seems to have set for speculation is framed by the then-current covenant system. Since Israel, and Daniel, were at that time under the Covenant of Moses' Law, God did not want them to peek too far past current law, which would just create confusion and perhaps too much of a libertine attitude towards law that may appear to be fading away.

So as you suggest, what was "sealed" and "closed" likely had something to do with the limitations imposed by the Old Covenant superstructure and law. In the NT era we have a better picture of where those symbols were designed to go, to a new Temple, a new Priesthood, and a new Sacrifice.

John's Revelation was not "closed," even though it was cloaked in subtle, mysterious images. It seems it was "hidden" at most to disguise judgment directed at the Roman world, which would not see blatant prophecies against them as anything more than subversion and rebellion by Jews and Christians.

So Revelation opened up the big picture of the things Antichrist would be opposed to--not just Israel, as Dan 7 seemed to indicate, but the whole world, once the Kingdom of God had passed from Israel to the whole world. This was indeed a much expanded form of Temple, one that fulfilled God's promise to Abraham to consist of "many nations"--not just Israel.

Israel is not excluded from the Church but currently only participates in the Church via a relatively small remnant. The fulfillment of nations in Christianity will take place, I believe, only in a future Millennial Kingdom, after Christ has returned.

 

[Alfred Persson]

I think you make a great point, if I understand you correctly. The way I've read it is that these things were *future prophecies,* and as such had limited relevance for Daniel in his time. In principle the things said spoke to him in his environment, since moral/spiritual principles are eternal. However, they were things designed to lead to a culmination in a later era--something less relevant for Daniel in his time.

1 Peter 1.10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

But you bring out an interesting facet of this--why would Daniel not be given more explicit information on this? I have two thoughts on this.

1) God does not want our view of the future to be an exercise in speculation, which is something we all like to do, including myself. God knows we have intense interest in seeing a whole matter, and not just part.

But God does not want us to engage in *excessive* speculation, to the point where we lose our focus on today's ministry and today's concerns. He does want us to see the "bigger picture," but only within certain parameters.

Acts 1.7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

2) The parameters God seems to have set for speculation is framed by the then-current covenant system. Since Israel, and Daniel, were at that time under the Covenant of Moses' Law, God did not want them to peek too far past current law, which would just create confusion and perhaps too much of a libertine attitude towards law that may appear to be fading away.

So as you suggest, what was "sealed" and "closed" likely had something to do with the limitations imposed by the Old Covenant superstructure and law. In the NT era we have a better picture of where those symbols were designed to go, to a new Temple, a new Priesthood, and a new Sacrifice.

John's Revelation was not "closed," even though it was cloaked in subtle, mysterious images. It seems it was "hidden" at most to disguise judgment directed at the Roman world, which would not see blatant prophecies against them as anything more than subversion and rebellion by Jews and Christians.

So Revelation opened up the big picture of the things Antichrist would be opposed to--not just Israel, as Dan 7 seemed to indicate, but the whole world, once the Kingdom of God had passed from Israel to the whole world. This was indeed a much expanded form of Temple, one that fulfilled God's promise to Abraham to consist of "many nations"--not just Israel.

Israel is not excluded from the Church but currently only participates in the Church via a relatively small remnant. The fulfillment of nations in Christianity will take place, I believe, only in a future Millennial Kingdom, after Christ has returned.

Excellent observations. " God did not want them to peek too far past current law, which would just create confusion," an aspect that never occurred to me, but so obviously true. Thanks for your reply, its well presented.

"Originalist" hermeneutic is sound for interpreting our Constitution, or Scripture for doctrine. But prophecy reveals things that don't exist in the time of the writer. Therefore, one must see things that were impossible for the writer to see, as your quote from Peter 1:10 proves. The NT reveals nuance the OT writers couldn't possibly image, but we can discern are plainly in the prophetic word.

For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." (Isa. 56:7 NKJ)

 

[miamited]

Hi Alfred Persson

I rather believe that much of what Daniel wrote wasn't understood by him. He had no idea that there would ever be a decree issued to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. He had no idea what nations the beasts that he describes for us would be, except for the one in his day which was Babylon. But he wrote down the things that the angel told him about. That's likely all that he did. As far as understanding all the things that the angel told him to write down, I imagine there was quite a lot that he didn't understand.

"The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future." (Daniel 8:26).

He was just told to seal it up. I take that to mean that there were some things that he was told that he didn't write about. And according to Daniel's own testimony in the next verse, he seems to allude that he didn't understand a lot of it. He claims that the things he was told were beyond understanding. So, I wouldn't be particularly in agreement that Daniel didn't understand the things that he was told to seal up, but yes, there seems to be a lot in many other visions that he received that he would have had no way to understand.

 

[Alfred Persson]

Hi Alfred Persson

I rather believe that much of what Daniel wrote wasn't understood by him. He had no idea that there would ever be a decree issued to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. He had no idea what nations the beasts that he describes for us would be, except for the one in his day which was Babylon. But he wrote down the things that the angel told him about. That's likely all that he did. As far as understanding all the things that the angel told him to write down, I imagine there was quite a lot that he didn't understand.

"The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future." (Daniel 8:26).

He was just told to seal it up. I take that to mean that there were some things that he was told that he didn't write about. And according to Daniel's own testimony in the next verse, he seems to allude that he didn't understand a lot of it. He claims that the things he was told were beyond understanding. So, I wouldn't be particularly in agreement that Daniel didn't understand the things that he was told to seal up, but yes, there seems to be a lot in many other visions that he received that he would have had no way to understand.

We agree over 90%, disagree about "seal up" in this text. I agree the wording is to be "sealed up", not added to. But in context the suggestion is made "critical thinkers" will compare end time events, and "unseal" the words:

4 "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."
...
8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?"
9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 "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.
(Dan. 12:4-10 NKJ)

Consulting with people everywhere (run to and fro) increases knowledge. The meaning is "sealed" (not what words are used), the "wise" (critical thinkers who can interpret "dark sayings") shall understand, but not the wicked. The wording is the same for both the wicked and wise, but only the wise "shall understand". Therefore, running "to and fro" opens up possible meaning to the words, but the wicked won't take the time to understand or the meaning is hidden to them by God.