“From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
The book of Daniel comes to an end on a surprising note. Although the Angel declined to give Daniel an exact timetable of the end time, he does name two time periods— a longer one of 1,335 days and a shorter one of 1,290 days.
Many commentators take these time periods literally—in each case equaling about 31/2 years. Jewish commentators have seen in them a reference to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. “The period (1290 days) would end in the summer of 164 (B.C.). The death of Antiochus in fact took place in the course of that year.” The period of 1,335 days, 45 days longer than the first, is explained in this way: “Perhaps the full effects of Antiochus’ death would only be felt after the lapse of this period” (A. Cohen, ed., Soncino Books of the Bible, pages 103,104).
Others have interpreted these two time periods to refer to the approximate time the Roman army arrived when it destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70, without explaining, however, what the numbers 1,290 and 1,335 have to do with this date.
Most commentators have preferred to solve the problem by understanding the two time periods symbolically rather than literally. The starting point for both periods is described as “from the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up.” This points almost surely to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, that difficult period of persecution for God’s ancient people. We have an interesting parallel to this time designation in Revelation 11:2,3, where the apostle John was told that the enemies of the church “will trample on the holy city for 42 months,” again a 31/2-year period. At the same time, however, God gave Saint John this additional promise: “I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days.” The Concordia Self-Study Commentary adds this pertinent comment: “The 31/2 years of the terrible reign of Antiochus IV, when the temple was desecrated, became the measure for the duration of a period of oppression and affliction in Judaic tradition” (page 296).
The 1,335 days, then, refer to that period of time— exactly measured out by God—when the church of Jesus Christ will be the suffering church. It includes the entire period of persecution, the whole period of opposition to God’s gracious rule, down to the end of time. The 1,290 days would then represent the most severe phase of this period, including both the persecution under Antiochus and the later persecution which it symbolized, namely, persecution under the Antichrist.
It may be that by numbering the days, God is telling us that the suffering he calls us to undergo for his sake is limited. In biblical visions, seven is often the number for symbolizing perfection or completion. The 1,290 days, the worst phase of persecution, amounts to a little more than 31/2 years. The suffering that God’s people will be called upon to bear will last no longer than about half of a complete time period. It will be bearable.
Daniel’s question, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” has, in effect, been answered. Whatever persecution lies ahead for God’s people, it will not be too much. God’s children will be able to bear it. God saw fit to cut short the persecution unleashed on the Jews by King Antiochus, the antichrist of the Old Testament. In the same way, God will in his good time also cut short the devilish work of the New Testament Antichrist pictured in the Scriptures.
Exactly what form the suffering of Christ’s followers will take is not spelled out. Luther, in commenting on this passage, states that it could very well happen that the world in which we live may be so preoccupied with enjoying life that “in the entire world not a single pulpit would be left from which the Gospel is preached publicly.” Under such conditions “the gospel would be preserved in the home only through God-fearing parents” (Saemmtliche Schriften, Volume 6, page 938).
“Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days” is an Old Testament form of Christ’s comforting promise, “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13). On this note, Daniel’s prophecy ends.
13 “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”
The book comes to its close on a note of victory. Daniel was to continue in the situation of life in which God had placed him, undaunted and undeterred by the knowledge that difficult days lay ahead.
“You will rest” in the grave, and “at the end of the days,” at Christ’s second coming, “you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” And what an inheritance awaited Daniel—eternal life in heaven!
Luther has this to say about the closing verses of the book of Daniel: “Daniel concludes the record of his terrifying visions and dreams on a note of joy, namely with the coming of Christ’s eternal reign of glory. It is to this glorious final chapter of world history that all of Daniel’s visions and dreams have pointed. . . . Whoever wants to study them profitably dare not focus his attention on the details of the visions and dreams, but will find comfort in the Savior Jesus Christ whom they portray and in the deliverance he brings from sin and its misery.”