1“At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever. 4But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many will run back and forth, and knowledge will be increased.”
5Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on the river bank on this side, and the other on the river bank on that side. 6One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be to the end of these wonders?”
7I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished.
8I heard, but I didn’t understand. Then I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”
9He said, “Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10Many will purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined, but the wicked will do wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
11“From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days. 12Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.
13“But go your way until the end; for you will rest, and will stand in your inheritance at the end of the days.”
The persecution of the woman by the dragon was thwarted by her flight into the wilderness and the earth’s swallowing the dragon’s river that flooded after her, and so he attacked her offspring instead. Satan is referred to once more as “the dragon.” This brings us back into the vision. The dragon turns his attention to the woman, indicating that Satan will turn his attention to Israel when he is cast out of heaven for the last time. The wings of an eagle picture swift flight. The indication is that God will provide a swift means of escape to His people, Israel, to go to a place of safety. Being nourished indicates that God will provide for His people as they flee from Satan’s servants, who will be introduced in the next two signs. The identification of “time, times, and half a time” connects this period to Daniel’s prophecy of the final week in his seventy-week prophecy (Dan 12:7).
The dragon spewing out a river from his mouth pictures the attempt of Satan to overwhelm and destroy all of Israel as they flee from him to God’s provided safety. The idea of the earth swallowing the river is that God will protect His people and enable them to reach safety despite Satan’s attempt. There will not be a literal river; this is figurative language. Satan will work through human agents to hunt down and kill all Jews. This will likely be initiated by the Antichrist, the Beast out of the Sea who will be introduced in the next sign.
“The rest of her offspring” refers to tribulation saints, Gentile believers who come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation. Keeping God’s commandments indicates their faithfulness to God and subsequent rejection of the moral and spiritual values of the Antichrist’s world system. Further, the “testimony of Jesus” indicates their faith in Christ. Thus, the indication is that when the Israelites are safely out of the Antichrist’s reach, Satan, through him, will seek to hunt down and destroy all those on the earth who believe in and obey Jesus.