“The vision
Of the evenings,
Of the mornings,
That has been told,
Is true.
As for you,
Seal up the vision!
It refers to many days
From now.
Gabriel indicated that this vision about the evenings and mornings of desolation in the Temple was true. He wanted Daniel to seal this vision for future reference, since it pertained to days in the future.
“The vision of all this
Has become for you
Like the words of a sealed document.
If it is given to those
Who can read,
With the command.
‘Read this!’
They say.
‘We cannot.
Because it is sealed.’
If it is given to those
Who cannot read,
Saying.
‘Read this!’
They say.
‘We cannot read.’”
These few verses seem to be an addition about how revelation is hidden. This vision about the future is like a sealed document or scroll that you cannot read. Even if you are told to read it, you cannot, because it is sealed. In fact, the same thing happens to those who cannot read, whether the document is sealed or not. They still cannot read it, because they do not know how to read. This pertained to the majority of the people, since only about 5-15% of the Israelite people could read.
“The earth dries up.
It withers.
The world languishes.
It withers.
The heavens languish
Together with the earth.
The earth lies polluted
Under its inhabitants.
They have transgressed laws.
They have violated the statutes.
They have broken the everlasting covenant.
Therefore a curse devours the earth.
Its inhabitants suffer
For their guilt.
Therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled.
Few people are left.”
This oracle of Isaiah says that the earth and the heavens were drying up and withering away. The earth was polluted by its inhabitants. Does that sound familiar? They had transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the eternal covenant. The Mosaic laws and statutes only pertained to the Israelites. However, the eternal covenant came after the flood for all people. Thus everyone was guilty. Yahweh was going to curse all the earth and its inhabitants because of their guilty ways. A lot of people would be wiped out, but a few would be left, like the “Left Behind” series of books, movies, and video games by Tim LaHaye (1926-2016).
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 