Introduction
Some of God’s people whose names are recorded in the book (scroll) will “escape” at the time when Michael the great prince/angel makes his stand! At least that’s what Dan. 12:1 says but I believe that the real meaning or the common interpretation may completely miss what Daniel is trying to say here and is hidden by many modern translations. The key points discussed in this verse are the exact timing when God’s people shall escape or be delivered, who exactly will escape, where do they escape to, and finally should the Hebrew word “yimmalet” be translated as escape, delivered or rescued? Let’s take a closer look at this verse with some trusted translations. The Lamsa is a Syriac version based on the Aramaic supposedly predating the Greek Septuagint (LXX) version and the Literal Standard version is based on the Textus Receptus (same as KJV) that is an improvement on the trusted Young’s Literal Version (YLT)…
AND at that time shall Michael arise, the great angel who has charge over your people; and there shall be a time of trouble such as never has been like it since the beginning of the world; and at that very time some of your people shall be delivered, every one whose name shall be found written in the book.
And at that time Michael stands up, the great head, who is standing up for the sons of your people, and there has been a time of distress, such as has not been since there has been a nation until that time, and at that time your people escape, everyone who is found written in the scroll.
When do God’s people escape?
The verse is quite clear when this escape or rescue will take place. It occurs at the time Michael the great angel stands up or arises. The word translated “arise” or “stands up” can also be translated as “to serve,” “to minister,” or “defend.” In other words when Michael the angel is needed and begins his ministry, this is when the rescue or escape takes place.
And so the question is when does he stand up and begin? This is answered in Rev. 12:7 where we see that Michael and his angels fight the dragon and his angels and subsequently they were hurled down to the surface of the earth. The devil and his angels will lose their place in heaven and then their time begins and it will be very short. Daniel says it will be time, times and half a time. I.e. 3 ½ years. The time of trouble or distress mentioned by Daniel in his book is always this length.1 Furthermore John in Revelation concurs using this exact same phrase to indicate the length of time that the devil will be on the earth.2 This is also known as the Great Tribulation. The Lamsa Bible even goes further saying, “at that very time some of your people shall be delivered.” Previously I had always assumed that God’s people will be rescued or delivered at the time of the rapture but a careful examination reveals that this escape or deliverance occurs at the midpoint of the seven years. But this ministry believes that the rapture is a post-tribulational rapture which is detailed most convincingly in Matt. 24:29-31 which says that the gathering of the elect occurs after the tribulation of those days. So logically they cannot be referring to the same event! So that leads us to the next question, who exactly is escaping or being rescued if it is not the elect.
Who exactly is escaping at the midpoint when Michael arises?
Verse 1 actually tells us who is escaping or being rescued. It is God’s people whose names are written in the book or scroll. But that needs deciphering because a cursory reading leads one to conclude that Daniel is referring to the book of life. After all, aren’t all Christian’s names written in the book? Yes all of the believer’s names are in fact written in the Lamb’s book of life but Rev. 20:12-15 seems to indicate that there are other books. There are quite a few books. One cannot assume that Daniel was referring to the one and only book of life but perhaps another book, a book only containing the names of those who escape or are rescued at the time Michael arises at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. It is certainly feasible. One has to be careful of making assumptions that Daniel is referring to the book of life. Daniel doesn’t call it the book of life only “the book.” I postulate that this book contains the names of the woman of Revelation 12–those who escape to the wilderness at the time that Michael arises and the devil is flung to the earth. This woman will need protecting and in fact is protected by Michael as it says in this verse. Some translations say “protect,” (NIV) some say “stands guard over” (NASB) and some say “stands watch over” (NKJV).
Where do God’s people escape to?
So as the woman (believers) escape, being protected from the dragon, Revelation 12 gives us the answer to where they escape to. They escape to the wilderness. One might say that is a stretch because I am combining an Old Testament verse with a New Testament verse but Daniel himself confirms this only a few verses before in Dan. 11:41. He even uses the same Hebrew word, “yimmalet” which means to escape or be delivered…
He shall reach also the land of Israel, and many people shall be slain; but these shall be delivered out of his hands, even Edom and Moab and the remnant of the children of Ammon.
Because the same word is used, the context suggests that they are delivered or escape to Edom and, Moab and Ammon. Where is that? That is the southern part of Jordan. And in fact as I write this, many Palestinians are now escaping to safety in Jordan much to the dismay of Jordan’s King Abdullah in order to escape the latest major military operations by the Israeli Army in the West Bank (Samaria). See the YouTube below…
Furthermore some 29,000 Jews, mainly from America, have immigrated to Israel since the start of the Hamas war on October 7th despite the dangerous situation. God is moving people and has been moving His people since Israel became a nation in 1948. It is not inconceivable that God will be moving some of His people again just as the Great Tribulation, the time of Jacob’s trouble begins. It will only be those people whose names are written in the book and they will flee to Jordan just like even many are doing right now.
Should the Hebrew word “yimmalet” be translated as escape, delivered or rescued?
All the above are acceptable translations. In a sense Michael, the protector of God’s people will rescue or deliver them to safety but there is also a sense in which those people will also flee and escape. We need to be the ones who take action by faith. The TWOT3 says that the most prominent facet of meaning of yimmalet is of deliverance or escape from the threat of death, either at the hands of a personal enemy4 or a national enemy,5 or by sickness.6 Of course the context in Daniel is that the enemy is the devil because in Rev. 12 we see that the dragon sends a torrent of water to destroy the woman but God helps the woman. They truly are delivered while escaping. Furthermore the TWOT says that deliverance is only possible for those who call on God.7 How true that is.
Conclusion
How can we be of those who escape the dragon at this time? It won’t be the so-called rapture because that doesn’t happen until much later after this event described in Dan. 12:1. The solution is to have one’s name in the book. How do you get your name in the book? Deliverance is possible only for those who call on Him as it says in Joel 2:32 and so I urge you to call on Him and have the desire by watching and praying that you may be able to escape and flee when the time comes. It’s up to us. You won’t be forced to be ready or go. We have to pray about it and have the deep desire to escape when the time comes. That’s what the Luke 21 project is all about. Why don’t you subscribe now! I’d love to have you aboard.
One Response
I agree. Maybe it’s not talking about the book of life in its context. I’ve never really looked into that. Thanks for your insight. I’m going to have another look at this scripture and ask God for fresh revelation.
Blessings to you both.