Various dates appear in the biblical prophecies in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. Daniel, for example, describes a period of 3.5 units of time, and Revelation also contains the prophetic time specifications of 42 months and 1260 days. The Bible itself specifies how this information is to be used.
Inhalt / Content
- 1 The dates describe the same period
- 2 Prophetic statement “3.5 times”
- 3 Prophetic statement “42 months”
- 4 Prophetic statement “1260 days”
- 5 The Bible gives clear indications for the interpretation of the times
- 6 Prophetic dates describe the same institution
- 7 History confirms the prophetic dates
- 8 Reinterpretation of the prophecy is pure red herring
The dates describe the same period
The three very different prophetic dates of the (supposedly) future events are interpreted just as differently. However, a look at the previous historical treatises reveals some surprising things. What is (allegedly) supposed to happen in the future has already happened and possibly misleading information turns out to be just pure diversionary maneuvers. The supposedly “future” Antichrist has actually been up to his brutal mischief in this world for a long time. In order to divert attention from the activities of the clearly identifiable adversary, it was also necessary to reinterpret the prophetic dates.
Prophetic statement “3.5 times”
Daniel 7:25:
“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.“
Daniel 12:7:
“And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”
Revelation 12:14:
“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”
Prophetic statement “42 months”
Revelation 11:2:
“But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months..”
Revelation 13:5:
“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.”
Prophetic statement “1260 days”
Revelation 11:3:
“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Revelation 12:6:
“And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”
The Bible gives clear indications for the interpretation of the times
A time, two times and half a time add up to 3.5 times. These units of time are often interpreted as 3.5 years to also accommodate this period “conveniently” for the falsely predicted coming Antichrist. But the Bible speaks of “times”. However, the respective prophetic information corresponds to 3.5 times, 42 months and 1260 days the same period of time, namely 1260 years.
A Hebrew year is 360 days and a Hebrew month is 30 days.
3.5 times describe 3.5 x 360 days, resulting in 1260 days.
42 months describe 42 x 30 months, resulting in 1260 days.
The prophetic indication of 1260 days (self-explanatory) also describes 1260 days. Prophetic days actually correspond to years. With the three different statements, it is one and the same period of 1260 years.
The Bible itself gives information about the interpretation of time
The Bible gives two examples of how prophetic dates are to be treated as annual periods.
Numbers 14:34:
“After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”
Ezekiel 4:6:
“And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”
From today’s perspective, the two explanatory examples in Numbers and Ezekiel would no longer be necessary, since a look back at written history is very enlightening. While Daniel and later generations still had unanswered questions about the prophecies, the more recent generations can look back on a fait accompli. This is also announced in Daniel 12:4:
“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..”
Prophetic dates describe the same institution
It is not surprising that the three different prophetic dates each add up to 1260 years. The descriptions are also about one and the same institution. The Roman Catholic Church.
This is how Daniel 7 describes the little horn of the fourth beast. This horn blasphemes God, persecutes the faithful, and seeks to change God’s laws and times. The fourth beast describes the Roman Empire, and out of it grew the Roman Catholic Church, almost in a smooth transition. No other religious institution caused as much persecution, torture and murder of true believers as the organization led by the Bishop of Rome, later also called the Pope. The blasphemy described in the Bible is fully fulfilled by this church.
It was Rome that changed the 10 Commandments after Exodus chapter 20 (more infos here), changed the Sabbath (7th day) to Sunday (1st day). (more infos here) and also changed the Julian calendar to today’s Gregorian calendar without further ado, so that the pagan feast days always fall on the same day. Since then, Easter and Christmas have always fallen on a Sunday. Easter is dedicated to the pagan goddess Ishtar (Babylon) and December 25 is dedicated to the “sun god” Mitra (Medo-Persia). Ishtar is considered the goddess of fertility and her symbols include rabbits and eggs (symbols of fertility).
In Daniel 12, the beginning of the end times is described with the statement “this is how it will all end” after the 3.5 times (1260 years). With the expiry of the 1260 years, the period of the “beast out of the abyss” described in Revelation 11 also begins.
Revelation 12 shows that the “woman” refers to the church of God. She has a crown with 12 stars (12 tribes of Israel) and is having a child (Jesus is from the tribe of Judah). This church is persecuted by the dragon and flees from the persecutions into the desert for a period of 3.5 times (1260 years). A desert describes sparsely populated areas, which could be found in the “New World America”, South Africa and other areas far away from Europe. Verses 4 (1260 days) and 14 (3.5 times) each describe the same period of 1260 years.
Revelation 11:2 shows that the Gentiles will “trodden under foot” the people of God for 42 months (1260 years), that is, they will persecute and also murder them.
In Revelation 13 the language is “beast out of the sea”. The properties described correspond to the properties of the “little horn” in Daniel 7 and thus also the same institution. The beast from the sea received power and throne from the dragon (Satan). As in Daniel 7, the descriptions repeatedly apply to the Roman Catholic Church.
Revelation 11:3 repeats the same period of verse 2 with the prophetic indication of “1260 days”. The two witnesses in the sackcloth (mourning clothes) are the Old and New Testaments, ie the true gospel. This was suppressed by Rome with all its might. Possession of the Bible, let alone one in the native language, was usually punished by being burned at the stake. So much for the self-appointed “representative of Jesus on earth”.
History confirms the prophetic dates
As early as the 6th century, the then Roman Emperor Justinian I (527-565 AD) appointed the bishop of Rome “corrector of heresy”. This happened after a thorough political-religious “cleansing” during the Council of Constantinople (May to June 536). Thus the papal forerunner received in the year 538 AD. practically the monopoly on determining what is to be believed by the people. The Roman Emperor Gratian (359 – 383 AD) last held the title “Pontifex Maximus” and thus the quality of “adorable ruler”. However, he converted to Christianity and gave the title to the Bishop of Rome. In the meantime, Western Rome had broken up into 10 Germanic tribes (10 horns, Daniel 7).
As early as the end of the 4th century, the pope was using state powers to get rid of opponents. In this way 3 out of 10 Germanic tribes (Ostrogoths, Vandals, Herulians) were destroyed (according to “three kings humiliated” in Daniel 7). The Roman Catholic Church exercised absolute political and ecclesiastical power from 538 AD. This also marked the beginning of what is sometimes described as the “Dark Middle Ages”. The institution described in Daniel and Revelation persecuted, trampled, abused, tortured, and killed untold millions. This for (prophetic) 1260 days, 3.5 times or 42 months. So for the 1260 years described in each case.
The year 538 plus 1260 years is the year 1798. A look at the history books shows that Napoleon Bonaparte had already occupied Rome in this year and sent his general Berthier to St. Peter’s Basilica. He removed the pope (Pius VI) from his chambers without further ado. The “Pontifex Maximus” was (politically) disempowered (Revelation 13:3: “And I saw one of his heads wounded to death…”).
Healing of the political wound
The political power of the papacy ended, and with it the use of states to legislate and executive persecute true believers. But this wound will be healed (Revelation 13:3: “…and his deadly wound was healed”). The healing began in 1929 when the Vatican City State was established under the Lateran Treaty (with Benito Mussolini). The papacy thus regained political power and the declared goal of the pontiff is to regain the absolute power that it had in the 1260 years between 538 and 1798. It will also succeed and the renewed (final) persecution of the true believers will continue as described in the Bible.
Reinterpretation of the prophecy is pure red herring
It was already unmistakably clear to the first reformers: With the “antichrist”, “son of perdition”, “abomination of the earth”, “man of sin”, “mother of harlots”, it is about the Roman cath. Church. It is understandable that it is in Rome’s interest to get this knowledge out of the world and thus get itself out of the line of fire.
So waren es u.a. die Jesuiten Francisco Ribera und Robert Kardinal Bellamine, die den in der Bibel beschriebenen Antichristen einfach in die Zukunft legten und dafür auch die prophetischen Zeitangaben umdefinierten (more information about end-time events here). According to the motto that Rome cannot be the Antichrist, since this will only appear in the future. Unfortunately, a great many people will succumb to this deception.
Bible verses from King James Version
