DANIEL 12:4
4 ...many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
We are usually told that this verse refers to a boom in travel and technology, as a sign that the "end" is near.
But when one approaches this verse without that presupposition, and first reads the whole book of Daniel in one sitting, the meaning that then seems to spring naturally to mind in this verse is that "many shall run to and fro [CARRYING PROPHETIC REVELATION], and that knowledge [OF GOD] shall be increased".
Leading up to and following this verse in Daniel, one will notice words and phrases such as “knowledge" and "wisdom” and “they that be wise" and "those with understanding" always refer to people who know God.
With this in mind, it seems out of context that the word “knowledge” should suddenly now instead mean public transport on commercial Boeing 747 jet aircraft and electronic technology, just in this one verse.
Compare the vocabulary of prophetic passages elsewhere in the Bible, and observe what meaning they give to the same words as those used in Daniel. For example:
"Write the vision, and make it plain, for it is yet for an appointed time, and he shall run that readeth it"; and
"The knowledge of God (of the glory of God) shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea".
In those verses, "running" means activity in response to prophetic revelation; while “knowledge" means knowing God. Running doesn’t primarily refer to public transport on commercial jet aircraft; nor knowledge primarily to technology.
The same meanings make sense in the Book of Daniel too, because remember that under the Old Covenant, revelation was only given to prophets, and knowing God was limited to the Hebrews. Whereas when the time came that God made a New Covenant with the house of Israel, it came to pass as prophesied by Jeremiah that, “They shall all know me, from the least of them even to the greatest, saith the Lord”. It was encouraging for Daniel to foreknow this, since at the time, his nation was in such spiritual decline.
Moreover, in these latter days (and note that the Apostle Peter said the "latter days" began on the day of Pentecost), not just Jews but all people even the Gentiles are coming to know Him.
Therefore it can truly be said, that beginning at the time of Christ and continuing until today, we live in a day of fulfilment, wherein many are running to and fro with God’s sure word of prophecy (i.e. the gospel), and the knowledge of God has increased.
This increase of knowing God began with the introduction of the New Covenant by Christ. Knowledge increased in three ways:
* Firstly, in Daniel’s day, Israel was spiritually bankrupt and in captivity. But when John, Jesus and the Apostles came preaching, many backsliders in Israel returned to the God of their fathers and “the word of God increased and multiplied”.
* Secondly, under the Old Covenant only those who stood in the office of prophet received direct revelation, while others needed someone to teach them. But in the New Covenant, “They shall not need any to teach them saying, ‘Know the Lord’. For they shall all know me, from the least even to the greatest, saith the Lord. I will give them a new heart and I will put my spirit within them and my laws will I write on their inward parts.”
Through the new birth, Israel was given the promise of the Spirit and everyone could receive an anointing (no longer limited to just prophets, priest or kings) “and you need not that any man should teach you, because the anointing that you have received teaches you of all things”. The New Covenant is based on better promises and brought better privileges to Israel.
* A third way in which knowledge increased is that since Christ, unlike during Daniel’s day, the Gentiles are now grafted-in to the promises, and share in this New Covenant. Many all over the world are coming to know Him.
If the above is truly the intended meaning in Daniel, then perhaps this verse doesn’t really give as strong a basis as we have been told, for the idea that the 20th Century boom in travel and electronics is a sign that this is the last generation before Christ returns.
Besides, we in the 21st century feel that we can describe the growth in travel and technology during the 20th century as a “boom”, only because we compare it to the 19th century. But who’s to say (if the Lord tarry) that future generations won’t undergo even further developments that supersede even the last century’s rate of increase, so that in future history the 20th century “boom” may appear relatively small?
So even if travel & technology is the correct meaning of running & knowledge in Daniel, no-one could claim that the “increase” of his own generation was the final boom of history. The most any of us could say is that it’s the biggest boom so far.
Therefore either way, this verse can’t really be used to prove that we are the terminal generation.
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