In studying the distinctions between the day of the Lord and the day of Christ, and taking it further, and learning the day/hour scriptures are about the second coming, and not the rapture, I ended up several times in Daniel 12 and a portion in Revelation 10 and 11. Instead of including what I've so far learned in that study with the article I wrote on the above distinctions, I decided to first study this deeper, and then make it a separate article, and here it is.
First, I decided I needed to look closely at every passage in the book of Daniel that mentioned sealing a prophecy. The first one is the following:
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." -Daniel 9:24
In this case, sealing up the vision and prophecy isn't mentioned until after everlasting righteousness is brought in. Perhaps this is the closing of the book that is unsealed in Revelation, but this passage doesn't seem to be about sealed (yet unknown) prophecies in the end times.
There are two more seal passages in Daniel, and they are both in the last chapter, chapter 12. Let's go through this short chapter, and be astounded, shall we?
"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." -Daniel 12:1
The above is describing the rapture! The rapture was sealed to the Jews until after the New Covenant, when many mysteries were made known. For example, the mystery of Christ was made known through the new covenant, where the mystery of how gentiles can become spiritual Jews is answered. Anyone, regardless of physical lineage, becomes part of the chosen people, and a child of God when they receive Christ as their Lord and Saviour, and are truly born again and saved. Mystery solved. Such is the case with the Old Testament rapture passages. We see the rapture in several places in the Old Testament, but until the New Testament came, these mystery passages were not understood.
Even now, under the new covenant, there are things not known or understood. We have some sealed prophecies, for starters. There are more things that will be revealed to us, when Christ comes back:
"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." -1 Corinthians 13:9-12
For a deeper study on the above chapter, click here.
While many things will be revealed to us when Christ comes back, I believe prophecies yet still sealed with become revealed as we approach closer and closer to the mid-trib rapture.
What I'm about to show you, is something that made me sit up and take notice. In fact, when I saw it, I think I became quite audible in my surprise and astonishment...
I think the sealed prophecy mentioned in Daniel chapter 12 corresponds to the seven thunders of Revelation. We'll get deeper into that in a few minutes, but I wanted to put that out there. Continuing on...
As you saw above, Daniel 12:1 shows us the rapture. Notice the verse begins with "at that time." We need to know what "that time" is, because that is the marker, telling us when the rapture will be. To find the time is simple, we just need to go to the end of chapter 11:
"And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." -Daniel 11:40-45
Now we know at what time - the time of the Abomination of Desolation, also mentioned in Daniel 9:27, Daniel 12:11, Matthew 24:15 (and parallel passages in Mark and Luke), 2 Thessalonians 2:4, Revelation 13:6-8, and myriads of other old and new testament scriptures. We therefore know that both the rapture event, and the abomination of desolation event both take place in the middle of the seven year tribulation. This is very clear in such passages as Daniel 9:27, Daniel 12, Revelation 12, and many more old and new testament passages.
Continuing on with Daniel 12:1, it says there will be a "time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time." This is elsewhere in the Old Testament referred to as "Jacob's Trouble," and in the New Testament, Jesus refers to it as the "Great Tribulation." This troublous time occurs during the second half of the seven year tribulation. The first half is the tribulation and the wrath of the Lamb. The second half is the great tribulation, the time of trouble, and the wrath of the Lord. For more information on this click here.
Notice in Daniel 12:1, that after it describes the time of trouble, it immediately says "and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." What a beautiful promise! The book is the Lamb's book of life:
"And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life." -Philippians 4:3
"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." -Revelation 21:27
Continuing our study of Daniel chapter 12:
"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." -Daniel 12:2-3
Here, we see the resurrection of the rapture combined with the resurrection at the judgment. Just as the Old Testament often combined the first and second comings of Christ, it sometimes combines these resurrections, as well.
"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." -Daniel 12:4
Here's a prophecy sealing. Notice this sealing is mentioned after the mid-trib rapture passage.
"Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." -Daniel 12:5-10
Above is the timeline, and the sealing.
"And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." -Daniel 12:11-13
When will this end? The above says there will be 1290 days after the Abomination of Desolation, and that those who come to the 1335 days are blessed.
In Revelation and Daniel 9:27, we are shown there will be 3.5 years, then the rapture and abomination of desolation, and then the other 3.5 years to finish out the seven-year tribulation. 3.5 years is 1260 days, as is also shown in Revelation 12:6. The Bible also refers to this as "time, and times, and half a time," and also as "forty and two months."
It is 1260 days for 3.5 years. Daniel has 1290 days. That is an extra month. Perhaps this is where the sealed seven thunders of Revelation occurs. Then, it says those are blessed who come to the 1335 days. I think that may be the marriage supper of the Lamb. If you were not taken during the Lord's wrath, which is death, and your body being eaten by the birds, then you may still have a chance to be saved. This is for those who were not saved before the rapture, but got saved after the rapture. Those who were raptured will already make it to the Lord's supper, but those who got saved after the rapture better have oil in their lamps, or they won't make it to the 1335 days. See Matthew 25:1-13.
A point I wish to make, is that the sealed prophecy or prophecies seem directly related to, or around the time of, the mid trib rapture.
In the book of Revelation, there is something still sealed, as well:
"And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." -Revelation 10:4
The reason I think these sealed seven thunders may have something to do with the mid-trib rapture, is because a few verses later, it says:
"But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." -Revelation 10:7
Remember in Daniel 12 we saw the rapture was mid-trib. If you follow the Revelation timeline, the seventh trumpet hits mid trib.
1 Corinthians says the rapture will be mid-trib - which is the last trumpet:
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." -1 Corinthians 15:51-52
And here is the rapture in Revelation:
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." -Revelation 11:15
If you are under the mis-interpretation that the rapture is pre-trib, and at Revelation 4:1, the below articles and the proof scriptures they contain, can show you that is not the case:
The Revelation 4:1 Deception
Angel and Trumpet
In conlclusion, it looks to me that when I line up the timelines given in Daniel with the Revelation timeline, the sealed prophecy in Daniel 12 lines up with the sealed seven thunders of Revelation chapter 10. This may also explain the discrepency of days mentioned in Daniel, compared to the days mentioned in other chapters of the same book, which agree with the days of Revelation. Therefore, to zoom in on the sealed portion of the timeline, it looks like we have:
1) The sixth trumpet occurs, as well as the second of the three woes warned of by an angel in Revelation. Before the seventh trumpet, seven thunders utter their voice, but Daniel is told to seal what they said, and not write it. This seems to match around the time of Daniel's sealed prophecy in Daniel 12
2) 1260 days left of the tribulation: Middle of the tribulation, anti-christ revealed to Christians as the "son of perdition," and after the rapture he is revealed as "that Wicked." (see 2 Thessalonians chapter 2)
3) The Mid-Trib rapture occurs
4) In the second half of the tribulation days 1260-1290 - 30 days for the sealed seven thunders which seem to occur right before the rapture, and may have to do with it
5) Then the Daniel 12 numbers of 1290 to 1335 - 45 days - blessed is he who makes to the 1335th day - Sounds like this could be the marriage supper of the Lamb
