Big Idea: The wise should understand that the struggle of human history ends with resurrection to everlasting life for the righteous and to everlasting punishment for the wicked.

Understanding the Text

See the unit on 10:1–11:1 for a discussion of the larger context, structure, and comparisons of chapters 10–12, including its fourfold division. Against this backdrop, 11:40–12:13 completes the last section of Daniel’s final appearance vision (chaps. 10–12), the book’s two Hebrew sections (chaps. 1 and 8–12), the book’s four apocalyptic visions (chaps. 7–12), and, of course, the book of Daniel as a whole. Daniel 11:40–12:13 divides easily into two sections: 11:40–12:4 completes the vision proper (contained in 11:2–12:4) and 12:5–13 concludes this larger vision in general, paralleling its i…