Daniel’s conversation with Gabriel reveals that much goes on in realms we wouldn’t even know exist, except for such revelations from the One Who knows. No details are revealed about this realm, but the details Gabriel shared about the events are evidence enough that it truly exists. Obviously there is so much that we don’t know; we are foolish to think that if our senses or technology can’t detect something then it doesn’t exist. I believe that God gives us the information He wants us to have about things we wouldn’t know about except through His revelation. Although our curiosity might demand more information, I suspect that He gives us little information about this/these other realm(s) for our own protection. Seeking more knowledge than what God has given or speculating about what we don’t know is unwise.
The vision that Gabriel was explaining to Daniel in these chapters was an enlargement upon the one described in chapter eight, again starting with the Persian Empire of Daniel’s day and filling in more details. Somewhere in those details the time period of those events’ fulfillment switches from our past to our future. I’m not sure where that is, the descriptions are so obscure. People who study what Scripture reveals of the end times may think that they have them figured out, but I’m skeptical of our ability to understand them if Daniel couldn’t. He was told to go his way rather than seek more understanding, because “the words are closed up and sealed until the time” the events actually take place.
I believe the take-away we should get from this is this: “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Since what is at stake here is whether we will rise or be delivered to everlasting life or to “shame and everlasting contempt,” hopefully we have chosen the way of wisdom and being such an example of righteousness that we lead others to righteousness. Of course, we know Messiah as Daniel didn’t, and He has revealed much more to us than Daniel knew about that. I firmly believe that seeking from the Scriptures regularly and systematically what God wants us to know, as we are doing daily this year, is one choice we make toward that end. What other choices might you need to make in light of the reality that the end will come?