Daniel 12:4, commentary and pictures

The command to shut and seal concerns the portion of Daniel relating to the last days, which neither Daniel himself nor any other could understand until the closing period of this world's history.
That seal lasted only until the time of the end after the close of the twelve hundred and sixty years in 1798, and has now been removed so the book stands open and its light is to go to the world as never before.
The running to and fro is the observing, examining, and thinking about the prophetic time with reference to the approaching judgment, and it is also the making of means for rapid travel and the urgent carrying of present truth to those in darkness.
The increase of knowledge is increased understanding of those prophecies by sincere seekers hungering to know God, preparing a people to stand in the latter days and calling all to worship God as Creator on the true Seventh-day Sabbath.
Thus opened, the book grounds the proclamation that the judgment is near and time shall be no longer, having its place in the first, second, and third angels' messages and pointing to Christ's second coming as near.

Words and Setting

The book ordered shut and sealed is the portion of Daniel's prophecy relating to the last days, not the book of Revelation. Daniel was taught the mysteries of future ages and set them before coming generations through figures and symbols, including events to come in the last days. Some of his writings therefore concern things that will come to pass in the last days, or the time of the end.

That prophecy reaching far into the future was closed up and sealed till the time of the end and could not be understood by Daniel himself or by anyone until then. Its meaning would be opened later, for the prophetic writings were to remain sealed until that appointed season. The time of the end to which the sealing looks is the closing period of this world's history.

The command belongs to the last-days vision in which Michael stands up for Daniel's people and there comes a time of trouble such as never was. In that same vision those found written in the book are delivered, and many sleeping in the dust of the earth awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. The wise shine as the brightness of the firmament, and those turning many to righteousness shine as the stars forever and ever. Many are purified and made white and tried, while the wicked do wickedly and none of the wicked understand but the wise understand, blessing comes to him who waits to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days, and Daniel rests until he stands in his lot at the end of the days. He was told to shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end, when the seal would be removed and the light of truth would shine upon his visions so the testimony would be understood, and he now stands in his lot bearing that testimony to be understood at the end of the days.

Time of the End and Unsealing

The time of the end comes after 1798, when the 1260-year period of papal supremacy ended. Before that point the judgment message could not be proclaimed on the basis of fulfilled prophecy, but afterward fulfilled prophetic history made it possible for many to proclaim that the judgment was near as part of the everlasting gospel.

The sealing was only until the time of the end, and that seal has now been removed by God's own hand. Daniel is therefore no longer a sealed book but an unsealed, open revelation to be entered with reverence and godly fear. The veil has been withdrawn from Daniel and Revelation for those living in the last days, since Revelation by its very name means revealed and not sealed, and its prophecies are nearing fulfillment. Since 1798 knowledge of Daniel's prophecies has increased, the prophetic visions stand unsealed with their warnings pointing to Christ's second coming as near, and that increase of knowledge prepares a people to stand in the latter days.

The Lion of the tribe of Judah in Revelation has opened the book of Daniel to students of prophecy. Daniel thus stands in his place bearing testimony of the great and solemn events revealed to him in vision. Those events must be known by those standing on the very threshold of their fulfillment, as their fulfillment approaches. The time of the end has come and is the time now being lived in, so the light given to Daniel is to go to the world as never before.

Running and Increasing Knowledge

Running to and fro means observing, examining and thinking carefully about the prophetic time whose knowledge was to increase once the seal was lifted. That increase is knowledge about that time itself, allowing the approach of the prophetic period and of Christ's coming to be recognized so that preparation can be made. The same running to and fro points to the invention of means for rapid travel at the time of the end, brought about by God as part of His preparation for the great day and worked through by Him to accomplish His purposes.

The picture of people hastening hither and thither also describes humble workers urgently carrying present truth to those in darkness under the Spirit's leading. This includes uneducated people and children leaving their usual employment to proclaim the last message of mercy, who are to be prepared and supported rather than hindered. Many run to and fro with the knowledge of the great subject treated in the unsealed prophecy, which is the approaching judgment, and knowledge in relation to that judgment is increased and spread. At that time many proclaim that the judgment is near, which becomes possible only when the book is unsealed with much of its prophetic history fulfilled and past.

Many search through the sealed words and knowledge increases, and as the time of trouble approaches that increase is tied to understanding the prophecies as the end draws near. Those who search Scripture with sincere desire and with pure heart hungering and thirsting to know God and Christ understand the prophecies concerning Christ more fully as earth's history nears its close. The prediction is fulfilled as the last warning message is given, when many are enlightened about the sure word of prophecy and the light given to Daniel goes to the world as never before. This increase of knowledge prepares a people to stand in the latter days. That preparation includes increased knowledge calling all to worship God as Creator and to return from the spurious sabbath to the true Seventh-day Sabbath.

In the time of the end knowledge of Bible truth grows until faith and courage revive and truth triumphs. In the Waldensian valleys where martyrs died to defend the Bible, honest-hearted descendants now sitting in dim light under the influence of the clergy will recognize God's voice speaking through His word and come out to take their stand for God and the truth. The clear light of the third angel's message reflected from them, with the glory of the angel joining the third angel to lighten the earth, will cause truth to shine through those valleys like morning light, vindicating their fathers' fidelity with new victories on the old battlefield. The increase of knowledge is the knowledge of the Lord's way, which is increasing and will continue to increase. Knowledge increases through new truths revealed to humble seekers, with the teachings of Scripture freed from errors and superstition.

Even doctrines widely taught and sincerely accepted, if unsupported by Scripture, must give way when truth is revealed, and each person has a duty to accept it and is accountable to God for neglecting it. The verse does not mean the exact day and hour of Christ's coming will be known. Understanding is given to those prepared, pure in heart and hungering for God, while it remains sealed from the impure and unready. Those prepared do not need to seek enlightenment from teachers in error, for God opens sealed truths to people ready to receive them and makes any new light known to His chosen and beloved people. The result is division between the wicked, who do wickedly and none of whom understand, and the wise, who are purified and made white and tried and who understand.

Prophetic Fulfillment and Proclamation

The sealing lasted until the time of the end, and only after that time, when much prophetic history had been fulfilled, could a message about the opening of the judgment be proclaimed on the basis of fulfilled prophecy as part of the everlasting gospel. That time came after 1798, when the 1260-year period of papal supremacy ended, the book was unsealed, knowledge of its prophecies increased, and many consequently proclaimed that the judgment was near. The sealed book is the portion of Daniel relating to the last days, and its opening brings the proclamation that time shall be no longer and brings the revelation given to John to all inhabitants of the earth. The promised increase of knowledge prepares a people to stand in the latter days, calling all to worship God as Creator and to return from the spurious sabbath to the true Seventh-day Sabbath.

The unsealing is represented by the little book opened in Revelation, bringing a message about prophetic time. Daniel's prophecies then had a place in the first, second, and third angels' messages, while further light was withheld until the first two messages had done their work. The prediction that many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased is fulfilled as the last warning message is given, when many are enlightened about the sure word of prophecy. That time has arrived, the prophetic visions are unsealed, and their warnings point to Christ's second coming as near.

The instruction belongs to what was given about the closing scenes of earth's history and points to events at the end. As prophecy is fulfilled it shows that the end is near. At the appointed time, the fulfillment confirms the testimony of God's servants as they give the loud cry.

Links to Other Scriptures

Daniel's prophecies are not unintelligible, for Revelation takes up the same line of prophecy and presents it as an opened book recording definite events to occur in the last days, and the repetition of the prophetic material shows the repeated prophecies are important. Daniel is to be read attentively together with the Revelation given to John on Patmos as a foundation for understanding the last days. That united study revives the old waymarks and the blessed experiences of the past and establishes the foundation principles of faith. It gives work to be done and calls for workers to take it up, and its established points and the faith built on them are to be held fast unto the end through severe trials and everything invented to make them of none effect.

Together with Revelation, whose very name means revealed and not sealed, Daniel's truths are addressed to those living in these last days as the time nears for Revelation's prophecies to be fulfilled, since the seal on Daniel lasted only until the time of the end and has now been removed by God's own hand so that Daniel is no longer a sealed book but an open revelation to be entered with reverence and godly fear. As that time comes the Bible is unsealed, and the Spirit reveals long-neglected truths and fresh meaning in familiar passages to earnest, reverent seekers. As that time approaches the prophecies call for special attention and are to be understood rather than treated as permanently closed or beyond understanding. The reference to knowledge increasing supports the importance of studying the prophetic book rather than treating it as permanently closed, since its words were sealed only until the time of the end when the prophecy is to be understood.

The verse has been misused to claim the prophetic books were sealed and could not be understood, which discouraged examination of the prophecies and the prophetic periods. Against that misuse, the verse shows the prophetic books were not sealed against understanding.

Warning and Present Application

Daniel 12 is a warning that all must understand before the time of the end. It shows what character God's people must form in order to pass through the test and proving of the last days. It calls those living in spiritual weakness and backsliding, who know not what they believe, to read and study. It warns ministers who claim to believe the truth but are not sanctified through it that unless a change comes in their lives they will say, My Lord delayeth His coming.

God warned through Daniel about events connected with the time of the end. That warning bears on the signs of the times and calls for heeding urgent messages that prepare for the great issues ahead. Unimportant matters are not to be allowed to distract from that preparation.

The time of the end is a time when every ambitious project will appear fascinating and people aspire for supremacy. God's people find greater security in His protection the farther they separate from those seeking and aspiring for supremacy.

The time of the end is when God prepares a people to stand before Him. He instructs the ignorant and anoints with heavenly eyesalve the eyes of many who are in spiritual darkness, and He raises up agents to carry out His will. He calls His people to sharp, quick work, with neglected places now receiving attention through sanitariums and schools established as educational centers for training workers. There each one stands in his lot, looking to God as Guide and Counselor.