Remember that Chapter 12 is a elaboration of Daniel's 70th week which describe the coming of the Antichrist onto the world scene and signs a firm covenant with Israel for ''one seven'', which in context is a Seven year period (Daniel 9:27).  In the middle of that ''Seven Years'' the Antichrist puts a stop to sacrifice and grain offering which indicates that the Jews have reinstituted animal sacrifices. The fact that the Jews were performing sacrifices indicates there was a Temple at the time the Antichrist caused the sacrifices to cease. Today (2004) the Jews do not have a Temple because the Temple Mount is occupied by the Muslim Dome of the Rock, one of the 3 most holy sites in Islam. Any Jewish attempt to rebuild the temple at this time would almost surely lead to a jihad or holy war between the Jews and Muslims. 

So how could a Jewish Temple be rebuilt? One possible scenario is that the Antichrist signs the firm covenant and guarantees Israel peace. Since Antichrist is the strongest ruler (he worships the god of fortresses, and has all of the treasures of Egypt) he could guarantee peace to the Jews and keep the Arabs from coming against the Jews.  A second, albeit less likely, scenario is that the Jewish Temple could be rebuilt directly next to the Dome of the Rock, because there does appear to be enough room on the Temple Mount for both structures.

So for the first time since 70A.D. Israel has the potential ability to rebuild the Temple! Quoting a Temple Institute (click for website) official:

''It may be a long time before the building rises. No one can say how and no one wants to do it by force, but sooner or later, in a week or in a century, it will be done and we will be ready for it. Every day's delay is a stain on the nation.''

One way the one world ruler could get the Jews to come over to his side would be to guarantee that he would be their protector and that they could rebuild their beloved Temple.

So Daniel 9:27 shows us that instead of just a 3.5 year period of time, this period, the 70th Week of Daniel is 7 years long, and as you examine parallel passages in the Revelation, you will see several time periods that to the 3 1/2 yrs, to 42 months, to ''time, times, half a time''. You will see that some of these references fit in the first 1/2 of Daniel's 70th week and others in the last 1/2.

Daniel 12:1 "Now AT THAT TIME Michael, the great prince who stands [guard] over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until THAT TIME; and AT THAT TIME your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.

What does ''AT THAT TIME'' refer to? the last mention of ''time'' was in 11:40

Daniel 11:40 "And AT THE END TIME the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow [them,] and pass through.

The other KING of Daniel 11:36-45 is the Antichrist, the LITTLE HORN of Daniel 7, the one that confirms a covenant for one wk in Daniel 9:27 but he is NOT the Rather Small Horn (RSH) of Daniel 8 because the RSH has come and gone historically under the Grecian Empire. The RSH was indeed similar in character and conduct to the KING (the Antichrist) of Daniel 11:36-45. The RSH desecrated the sanctuary, set up an abomination of desolation and caused the sacrifices to cease for 2300 evenings and mornings (see Dan 8:23 "And in the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run [their course,] A king will arise Insolent and skilled in intrigue...his power will be mighty, but not by his own power [energized by Satan like the Antichrist]...he will magnify himself [minted coins with his figurehead & title ''Theos Epiphanes'', god manifest]...he will destroy many [he destroyed many Jews]...oppose the Prince of princes [he did by desecrating the sanctuary]...broken w/o human agency [some say in fact he died insane]...2300 years. This RSH, Antiochus Epiphanes is history (click here for Kay's lecture on Daniel 8) and will not stand again until he is resurrected to stand at the Great White Throne Judgment to be cast into the lake of fire (see Revelation 20:11-15 for final judgment of those whose name is not found written in the book of life).

A TIME OF DISTRESS

DANIEL 12:1

1 "Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.
2 "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
3 "And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."
5 Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river, and the other on that bank of the river.

Antiochus Epiphanes is the first great persecution of Jews recorded, but he is nothing compared to the ''TIME OF DISTRESS'' and in fact between Daniel's 69th and 70th week many persecutors of the Jews have occurred. For example, the Crusaders put Jews to death with a cross in one hand and a sword in the other saying ''in the name of Christ we are killing you''. No wonder the Jews don't understand Christianity. They have only seen hatred in the name of Christianity. They have seen Satan disguising himself as an angel of light (2Cor 11:14-15) and they thought it was true Christians. You also have the anti-Semitic Turkish rule, the holocaust of WWII. All of these don't compare to the ''TIME OF DISTRESS''.

AT THAT TIME = important phrase because

"Everyone of your people who is found written in the book will be rescued"

Dan 12:6 ''man dressed in linen'' is the angelic being that appeared to Daniel in Chapter 10 to give him an explanation of the vision, of what would happen at the end times.

He asks how long will it be until the end of this time of distress?

Daniel 12:7-13

Daniel 12:7 And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.
8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?"
9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.
10 "Many will be purged, purified and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.
11 "And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
12 "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!
13 "But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.".

Daniel 12:7 = time, times, and half a time = 3.5 years.

So when those alive at this time see some ruler shattering the power of the holy people, the Jews, they will know that Jesus Christ is coming soon.

Daniel 12:9 ''And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time"

We can understand them now because Israel is back in the land.

Daniel 12:11 "And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days."

This from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished takes us back to Dan 9:27 where the Antichrist puts a stop to sacrifice and the grain offering in the middle of the week. And there will be another abomination of desolation.

What happens in ''time, times and half a time''?

Scripture records that the power of the Jews is shattered. From Daniel 7 (see timeline above) we know that the Little Horn rules over them for ''time, times and half a time'' and then Christ comes.

THE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL = TIME OF DISTRESS: WHERE IS THE CHURCH?

These Scriptures all describe THE LAST 1/2 of Daniel's 70th Week and help us to see what happens when Christ returns.

Jeremiah 30:3-9

Jeremiah 30:3 'For, behold, days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will restore the fortunes of My people ISRAEL AND JUDAH.' The Lord says, 'I will also bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers, and they shall possess it.' " [both are coming back now]
4 Now these are the words which the Lord spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah,
5 "For thus says the Lord, 'I have heard a sound of terror, Of dread, and there is no peace.
6 'Ask now, and see, If a male can give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth? [the picture is one of incredible agony, pain, distress, labor pains] And why have all faces turned pale? 7 'Alas! for that day is great, THERE IS NONE LIKE IT; And it is THE TIME OF JACOB'S DISTRESS, But he will be saved from it.

This correlates well with all we have learned...Jacob (Israel) will be distressed but will be delivered from the distress by the return of Christ...WATCH ISRAEL, GOD'S TIMEPIECE.
 

Jeremiah 30:8

Jeremiah 30:8 'And it shall come about on that day,' declares the Lord of hosts, 'that I will break his yoke from off their neck...9 'BUT THEY SHALL SERVE THE LORD THEIR GOD, [this is what the Jews will in fact do when Jesus Christ rules as King of kings over His earthly messianic kingdom.] and David their king, whom I will raise up for them."

Revelation 12

(Click here for more discussion)

Rev12:1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;
2 and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.
4 And his tail swept^ away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
 

As was discussed in a Daniel lecture 11, The sign of the woman pregnant with a male child. She brings forth this MALE CHILD Who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron, but that child is caught up to God and to His throne. We know that when Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, He ascended from the Mount of Olives and the angel said in Acts 1:11

"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

His return is at the end of the 3 1/2 years of distress

Rev12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

WHEN DID THE WOMAN FLEE?

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.
11 "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.
12 "For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time."
13 And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.

If the ''when'' is when Satan is thrown down, then when would that happen? That would happen right in the middle of Daniel's 70th week, during the last 3 1/2 years when he is shattering the power of the holy people.

Revelation 12:14 And the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, in order that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
15 And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

During this last 31/2 yrs when power of Jews is shattered, the ANTICHRIST is going to first break the covenant that he made with the Jews, will stop the sacrifice and will begin to persecute the Jews. When that happens, look at Matthew 24 to see what the Jews are to do during this ''TIME OF DISTRESS''. Note that the TIME OF DISTRESS is not 7 years but 3 1/2 years. Why? Because that is what the Word of God says!
 

Matthew 24
 

CONTEXT: In Mt 24:3 the 4 disciples have asked Jesus what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age and Jesus does not directly answer but instead gives them an admonition to

''See that no one misleads (leads astray by deception) you.'' (Mt 24:4)

People will be deceived as shown in this headline from Florida on July 18, 1990.

''Cult Linked to Desertion Arrest: Pensacola, Fla. Six soldiers here to kill the antichrist.''

These 6 soldiers were deceived, being motivated by ''religion not espionage.''
 

They had been told that if they were not on the beach in Pensacola when the Rapture occurred, that they would not go to heaven! They were DECEIVED into thinking that it was men who would kill the antichrist but it is the Son of Man Who will do this. Why were these soldiers misled? Because THEY DID NOT KNOW THE WORD OF GOD! Only those who know their God will be strong and take action.
 

Matthew 24:6-15

Matthew 24:6 "And you will be hearing of WARS and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
7 "For NATION will rise against nation, and KINGDOM against kingdom, and in various places there will be FAMINES and EARTHQUAKES.
8 "But all these things are merely THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PANGS.
9 "Then they will deliver you [NOTE: Jesus is talking to JEWS] to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations [this is true...the Jews are in fact hated by all nation] on account of My name.
10 "And at that time many will fall away [apostasy--even as we read about in the day of Antiochus Epiphanes] and will deliver up one another and hate one another.
11 "And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.
12 "And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.
13 "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. [This is the one who is not going to compromise his belief. He is not going to apostatize. He is going to be willing to stand fast and love not his life even to death. The ones that will be willing to die rather than to deny their faith in God. His endurance does not save him but simply proves his faith is genuine].
14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

Matthew 24:15 "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION [this can't be a reference to the abomination described during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes because that is past history] which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet [just as Antiochus set up an abomination in Daniel 8 & 11, we see Antichrist set one up in Daniel 12] standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)"

WHAT CAN WE KNOW WHEN WE SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION?
That in 3 1/2 years the Jews will be shattered and Jesus will return. The extra 30 days could be time for the cleansing of the Temple but this is speculation.

Matthew 24:16-31

Matthew 24:16 then let those who are in Judea FLEE to the mountains; [this parallels Revelation 12 when Satan is thrown down and goes after the woman, Israel.]
17 let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house; [suggests that the Antichrist will have pitched his tent in the Beautiful Land].
18 and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak.
19 "But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days!
20 "But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a SABBATH

[in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes the Jews who resisted his hellenization and rebelled were slaughtered in their caves on the Sabbath bc they would not come out to defend themselves. So Jesus could be addressing future Orthodox Jews who would not break the Law by running on the Sabbath.]

Matthew 24:21 for then there will be a GREAT TRIBULATION, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. [Any reader of Daniel would immediately recognize from Mt 24:15 and the passages that follow what Jesus is saying]
22 "And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect [Kay thinks Jesus is referring to the Jewish elect. Matthew of all the Gospels is the most Jewish.] those days shall be cut short.
23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is' do not believe him.
24 "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect

25 "Behold, I have told you in advance.
26 "If therefore they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go forth, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them.
27 "For just a