The book of Daniel was sealed so that key prophecies of Revelation could not be understood until a future time. It was not meant for Daniel's day, nor for him to understand completely what it meant
Yes, you've got me in, I think I know where you're going....
Prophecy is understood, and unfolds, according to God's timeline, not ours.
Oh no. I think you missed it.
Daniel's scroll was unsealed in Revelation 5 as the gospel itself. More on that below - but basically ALL OT prophecies find their fulfilment in Jesus in eschatological tension. That is, there are a few pictures of the new earth in the OT, but basically the NT fulfils all OT prophecy. The only thing left? Judgement Day and the new earth.
Anything else starts to minimise the gospel.
I have become convinced that the bigger our futurist expectations are, the smaller the gospel gets in our thinking, in our practical theology, and in our emotional life. We're like, "Yeah, the gospel is a bit necessary isn't it -
so that all this cool futurist prophecy can be decoded right?"
It's a bit sad really. Good Reformed Amil preaching makes the gospel so much bigger and more amazing - and motivates us to get out there and get busy with the job. Futurist's often cloister themselves into little communes to live out their apocalyptic fantasies - like Jonestown, or Waco, Texas.
MORE ON DANIEL
I wonder if you've ever noticed that Daniel's 'scrolls' are actually unrolled and explained in Revelation 5 - and as such their 'mystery' is also unpacked in Colossians, Ephesians, and in a way Acts?
Let's start with the 'mystery' Paul speaks of.
Colossians 1:26 "the
mystery that has been
kept hidden for ages and generations,
but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people."
2:2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full
riches of complete understanding, in order that they may
know the
mystery of God, namely,
Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4:3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the
mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
What is this great mystery? Ephesians shows us it is Covenant Theology - that is - how the OT promises are fulfilled in the NT. And it's all about the Kingdom of God moving from being exclusively Hebrew and Jewish to including the gentiles. (Futurists call Covenant Theology 'replacement theology' because they don't like the way it robs modern day Israel of many theological or eschatological importance. 1948? Covenant theology says "Meh!")
When Paul speaks of “mystery” in the book of Colossians, he doesn't mean something impossible to understand. Instead, Paul describes mystery as a truth which was
previously hidden but has
now been made known by God. It's the
indwelling of Christ, the believer’s hope of glory. Paul outlines the broad contours of biblical mystery in Colossians 1:26 when he characterizes this doctrine as something that “has been hidden for ages” but is “now disclosed to the Lord’s people.” Mystery in this sense is synonymous with revelation. Christ Himself is the mystery. It is the revelation of the person and work of God’s Son who is also Israel’s Messiah.
This mystery also includes a revelation of the extent of Christ’s work. In Ephesians 3:3–4, Paul writes of the mystery made known to him by revelation, which he also refers to as “the mystery of Christ.” This mystery was
not made known to previous generations. But it was revealed by the Holy Spirit to the Apostles - those who first preached the gospel. It was that God's kingdom was going to explode out of the confines of one ethnic group - the literal sons of Abraham - and include ALL who trusted in Jesus death and resurrection. Both Jew and Gentile were now included in God's kingdom and this good news energized the growth of the early church and should motivate us today.
Ephesians 3
"Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the
mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then,
you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was
not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me:
to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."
What hints do we have about these mysteries in the OT? We have all the types of the Prophets, Priest and King that Jesus threefold ministry would fulfil. We have the law, sacrifice and temple all meeting in his body. But what how we understand the mystery of God's people and the times they will be saved in?
Daniel 12 says: "He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because
the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand."
In Acts 2, Peter calls Pentecost a sign that Joel's
"Last Days" are being fulfilled. Hebrews 1:1 also says the gospel events ushered in the
Last Days. They were the
times of the end - 2000 years ago! They were receiving the great mysteries unveiled in Jesus, that both Jew and Greek would be together in one holy nation through God - the church!
Revelation 5 shows us that only Jesus death opens the way for Daniel's scroll to be unsealed.
And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain, and with your blood you
purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and
priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
As 1 Peter 2:9 says: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
What does all this have to do with eschatology? While some futurists look for various scrolls that are going to be unsealed, the New Testament is clear. Daniel's scroll is unsealed in Jesus, and shows how Australians and Austrians and even Americans can be in God's kingdom. He did this in the first century.
This is all highly symbolic, and shows that Revelation really is a sermon about the wonders of the gospel and how it applies to ALL Christians in all ages. The scroll was opened by Jesus death and resurrection, and the seals break open as a result. What follows is a general description of what life will be like during and after John's generation - 2000 years and counting - and the future hope we have that Jesus will one day return and surprise all God's people.