I have read in many places and heard many voices proclaim that where Daniel speaks of running to and fro merely refers to the great amount of general travel that goes on amongst human beings upon the Earth. However, this view ignores details, which is often the reason for wrong headed thinking regarding the scripture. The details are there for a reason and are not merely "literary spackle."
The actual statement made is as follows:
Dan 12:4 KJVR But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Dan 12:4 YLT And thou, O Daniel, hide the things, and seal the book till the time of the end, many do go to and fro, and knowledge is multiplied.'
Dan 12:4 ASV But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
This states that many "do go to and fro" or "shall run to and fro". Although the old saying goes, "The devil is in the detail", actually it is the truth which is in the detail but the devil is in its ignorance.
This is referring specifically to commuting and not merely to any form of travel. Before the post-industrial era (roughly pre-1930's), commuting, especially to and from a place of work, was relatively uncommon and, going back into the 19th century and prior, it was the extreme exception, whereas now it is the norm. Note that this change took place as a result of the remarkable fall in the cost of transport and its necessary energy, and all of this was possible with, and paralled, a dramatic and unprecedented increase in scientific knowledge which, itself, has preceded the rise of the understanding of scriptural prophecy, thus bringing to fulfilment in our day the unsealing of the sealed book of Daniel.
Prior to the 1930's, the majority of people were relatively poor and, generally, lived at, or were walking distance from, their place of work, if they had any. The industrial era revolutionised energy availability and transportation so that as mankind entered the post-industrial era, the use of cheap transportation grew dramatically to fill the needs of burgeoning economies whose growth was predicated on the growth of scientific knowledge and a concurrent pursuit of wealth by a new class, the middle class. Although there is still great disparity in wealth across the globe, this is not equivalent to a lack of wealth (whatever form that wealth may take) and therefore does not negate the facts heretofore stated. Commuting became an often necessary burden and was even welcomed by many for it brought with it the capacity to learn more (more access to schooling and universities), see more and experience more, bringing for many the power to negotiate with their prospective employers since they were no longer confined to one small geographical region as was the case for the vast majority of mankind in the preceding millennia.
As the economies of nations such as China, Korea, Vietnam and even middle eastern and some African nations enter that same condition of wealth, impact and global reach as has been enjoyed by western economies for decades, the complete fulfilment of the prophecies of Daniel also approach. Many now run to and fro like never before. Commuting is no longer restricted mostly to cities and states but people now commute globally. Astonishing! Those who lived a mere 100 years ago would never have imagined what we take forgranted.
It is noteworthy that the change took place around about the time of the re-emergence of Israel as a nation. Thus, the prophecy of Daniel 12:4 falls in line with the parable of the fig tree.
Mat 24:32 ASV Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh;
We are at the time of the end, for as said the Lord...
Mat 24:34 ASV Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished.
Which generation? Some think He was speaking of those standing around Him but this misunderstands speech and sentence structure as used in the era of the apostles. The reference is to the immediate prior subject, that being a reference to those who would see and experience the things that Yeshua had only just been speaking about, those things that would happen at the time of the end. He was talking about our generation, ours because we have seen the rebirth of the fig tree.
However, a generation does not pass away in seventy years. It is true that a "standard" lifetime was declared as three score and ten (ie. seventy) years, but we do not automatically die at exactly seventy years. Some die younger and some older, even as much as 120 years, but we do know that no given generation has ever lasted less than seventy years, so we can say that upon reaching the mark of seventy years since the rebirth of Israel as a nation, a time of uncertainty is upon us. This is the time when the Lord will return though none of us knows the day or the hour, but it is the season, that much we can be certain of. We can also be sure that in this time will come the great tribulation. It could have occured before this time but since we are now almost at the average duration of a generation since Israel re-emerged, it is certain that the tribulation must come and do so at any moment. Sadly, it shall catch most unexpectedly. Truthfully, it has already begun as we see the dramatic rise in Christian persecution worldwide. We are entering the time of sudden destruction as the Lord withdraws from the world the restraint He has placed upon evil since the day that Noah came to rest upon the mountains of Ararat. Upon the completion of the "feast of weeks" this year (Shavuot, at the end of May, 2017), the world will have seen the passing of seventy such feasts since the return of Israel, and this may well be the marker for the time of the end.
Get your house in order, that is, get into right standing with God for the darkness is now upon us and the great day is almost come.
