This Article: (7 Pages)
- 1. Revelation 17: The prophecy of one... hour
- 2. The Harlot, the Horns and the... Beast leading to the One Hour
- 3. The Beast and Zion
- 4. Revelation 11: 42 months and 1260... days
- 5. Daniel 7: time & times and the... dividing of time (1260 years)
- 6. Daniel 7: The season and a time
- 7. Summary of times
5) Daniel 7: time & times and the dividing of time (1260 years)
There is a prophecy of a time period of the dominance of a political kingdom opposing Yahweh, and the very next verse speaks judgement then the kingdom being given to the “Saints of the most High”. This is an end time prophecy.
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. (Dan 7:25)
But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:26-27)
This period of time in verse 25 implies an end with “until”, but it does not give specific information for dating the start. A 'time' is a year. An ancient year is 360 days. The period is 360 + 2x360 +180 which equals 1260. A prophetic 'day' is at the scale of nations and equals a year (Ezekiel 4:6). The 1260 year period is the dominance of the last 'horn' that will “wear out” the “saints of the most high”. The time is presented not as a single numerical figure but as an expression. This fits as a description for the kingdom who changes “times”. This kingdom, or 'horn' came out of the last beast who is Imperial Rome. This last beast becomes 10 horns or kingdoms and the last 'horn' kingdom subdues 3 of these kingdoms. This is the holy Roman Empire.
This period is not the same as in Revelation. The 42 months, 1260 days, the time, times & half time, and 1260 days does not give the period to the start of the everlasting Kingdom but only that of the dominance of the persecuting apostate religious system. The prophecy in Daniel is quite specific. There would be a kingdom that would “wear out” the saints. At the end of the time, times & half time (1260 years) the political power would be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.
Traditionally the political power of the holy Roman Empire is dated from Charlemagne, crowned 25th December 800. This date means the 1260 years would end in 2060. However, the prophecy starts when the 'little horn' can first be identified, and that is when first the Roman religious system is elevated to become a political force. By 800 it was at the beginning of the height of its power.
Charlemagne's power came from the work of his father Pepin. On January 6, 754, the pope StephenII re-consecrated Pepin as king. Pepin became protector of the Church and was given the additional title of patricius Romanorum (Patrician of the Romans). From 754 the 1260 years to the end of this kingdom would be in 2014. However, this is only an agreement. Due to Pepin's subsequent conquests in Italy he gave the land as a "donation” in 756 to give a legal basis for the Papal States, and so we have the beginning of the political presence of the papacy. From 756 the 1260 year period goes until 2016.
This papal kingdom changed times and seasons and enforced them. The Gregorian calendar was decreed by Pope Gregory XIII, on 24 February 1582 by a papal bull Inter gravissimas. For a time this papal kingdom was under attack, and almost was removed by Napoleon, but the Pope was restored and the Vatican still exists now as a political force and is growing again in strength. The era from 756 to 800 saw the beginning of the kingdom of the Papacy, so the ending will begin 2016 and end 2060.
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Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)
This may be one of the most misunderstood passages of the Bible. Paul is notorious for long sentences of connected thoughts, and this is part of a complex wide ranging thought which lasts 2 chapters, and includes what seems opposite advice:
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Cor. 5:11-13)
Over all of history the servants of God have known the signs of the times: their times. They have seen the direction of events toward the Kingdom of God on earth replacing the kingdoms, republics and democracies of humans.
An article prompted by National DNA day April 25 celebrating the understanding of DNA.
As I was thinking to write this article, having just read Psalm 46 as I do each year on that day, on January 25th a Bible was found untouched after a tornado hit Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
We have been given many time periods to prophetic events in the Bible. Many people think it too hard, and do not make an effort to understand them. However, if they were not to be understood, why were they given? And the Bible says the wise shall understand (Daniel 12:10).
