Matthew Poole and continuators on Daniel 12:1

1 AND at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people , and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Many interpret this of the heat of Antiochus his persecution but their arguments are not cogent, but the meaning is this as after the death of Antiochus the Iews had some deliverance and respite, so there will be yet a more famous deliverance to the People of God when Michael your prince, i. e. Messiah the Prince shall signally appear for your Salvation. He is called the great Prince, but these words in their contexture refer not to the times of Antiochus, but to Antichrist, and to that part of them which are the last part. Yet I think the truest meaning is to interpret these words, at that time, of all the time of Christ, from his first coming to the last. These all are the last times wherein God spake to us by his son, Heb. 1.1, 2, 3. to which Michael, answers well, i. e. who is like God, which notes his equality with God Phil. 2.6. it was necessary Christ should now appear as a Prince to comfort his People against the oppression of Herod, and the Romans, by bringing in a glorious Salvation, which should wholly free the Elect Israel of God from the Roman yoke, both under the persecuting Emperours, and under Antichrist.

Thus this election is called by a metaphor usual in Scripture, and drawn from the usage of men in many cases, namely writing some select mens names in a book, shewing that this Salvation shall not be National neither to Iews nor any Gentile Nation, but only a gathering together of the Elect of God which are scattered abroad called therefore a remnant, Rom. 9.

Marginal references: Or, is set over,; Exod. 32.32. Psal. 69.28. and 87.6. Isa. 4.3. Ezek. 13.9. & Mal. 3.16. Luk. 10.20. Rev. 3.5. and 13.8.