Lesson 1 – Some Principles of Prophecy
1.3 Daniel-Shut Up the Words
When Knowledge Blossoms in the Time of the End
Introduction – When Truth Remains Sealed
Some truths need time.
Some books remain closed for a long time — until the right moment comes to understand them.
Such is the case with the book of Daniel.
While many Christians reference technical advancements or modern discoveries when speaking of Daniel 12:4, the text actually points to something deeper: a spiritual understanding that will increase in the time of the end.
Bible Study – What Does Daniel 12:4 Say Compared to Revelation 22:10?
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Daniel 12:4:
“But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end…” -
Revelation 22:10:
“Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.”
Observation:
While Daniel is told to seal, John is explicitly told not to.
Why?
Because Daniel’s message was intended for the end times, whereas Revelation was meant to be understood from the beginning.
The “increase in knowledge” in Daniel 12:4 therefore refers specifically to the understanding of prophetic messages — especially Daniel’s — during the final chapter of earth’s history.
Spiritual Principles – What We Learn from Daniel 12:4
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God’s revelation is progressive.
Not everything was meant to be fully understood at every point in time — and this is by divine design. -
The end times are a period of spiritual awakening.
After 1798, when the 1260-year prophecy ended, understanding of prophecy rapidly increased. -
Knowledge is grace — not achievement.
It leads to obedience, not spiritual pride. -
True prophecy always leads to Jesus and His redemptive work.
Not to wild speculation — but to a decision for Christ.
Life Application – What Does This Mean for Us Today?
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We live in prophetic times.
The book of Daniel is open — the real question is:
Do you read it with an open heart? -
Knowledge alone doesn’t save — lived truth does.
➤ Do you understand what you read — and do you live it? -
Others still live in darkness.
➤ Don’t treat your knowledge as superiority — treat it as a call to share light. -
Gratitude over apathy.
➤ If you know what God has revealed — don’t stay silent.
Conclusion – Knowledge at the Right Time
God didn’t seal the book of Daniel to hide it — but to reveal it at the right time.
We are now living in that time.
The prophetic insights into Jesus, the judgment, the Sabbath, and the Second Coming are clearer than ever.
The question is no longer whether God is speaking —
but whether we are listening and responding.
Thought of the Day
God has opened the book — now it’s up to us not just to read it, but to live it.
Illustration – The Opened Book
Soft jazz music, the clinking of cups, warm light.
A quiet corner in a reading café in the heart of Cologne.
Julian sat there — 29, IT specialist, amateur historian, internally torn.
He had taken a vacation — not to travel, but to search.
Not on Google.
Not on Wikipedia.
But in a book that had long felt foreign to him: the Bible.
More precisely: the book of Daniel.
He had stumbled across a YouTube lecture about the “time of the end” and Daniel 12:4.
“Seal the words and shut up the book…”
What did that mean?
Why would something be sealed — and when would it be opened?
His thoughts spun in circles, but one idea wouldn’t leave him:
What if now is the time when the sealed knowledge is being released?
He read about William Miller, the Great Awakening, 1844, the Sabbath, and a judgment that didn’t terrify — but gave hope.
He felt it:
This wasn’t just history.
This was divine timing.
Julian closed his eyes.
Maybe this wasn’t about a new theory.
Maybe this was the moment when God’s timeline intersected with his own life.
Later, as he walked across the Cathedral Square, an inner voice whispered:
“You’ve seen more than many will ever know. What will you do with it?”
He didn’t know — not yet.
But he knew this much:
The book was open.
And he wanted to read it — with his heart.
