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
4) Revelation 11: 42 months and 1260 days
The subject of the prophecy in Revelation 11 is the “holy city” which is “the city the holy”, or the bride, in Revelation 22. These people are trod “under foot forty two months”. Forty signifies a time of trial, and two that it be a time of division (see here). 42 months is 3.5 years, or approximately 1260 days. But the prophecy implies a very long time of trial, which indicates that a 'day' represents a year (and a month of 30 days represents 30 years). For 1260 years a system divided from the true congregation and opposed to it would seek to actively harm the servants of the Most High (see here). Revelation adds that for a time of 1260 days (years) there would be two witnesses who prophesy, or speak, while in sackcloth, a sign of mourning and trouble. This double expression indicates two mostly parrallel eras.
Looking at history these 1260 years can encompass the years from:
- 533AD Justinian proclaims Pope as universal bishop and
1793 (533+1260) when the French revolution weakenes papal power and
1809 (549+1260) Napoleon annexes the papal states
- 590AD Gregory 1 makes himself pope and extends papal influence and in
- 608-610 Phocas confirms Justinian's decree for papal political rule to
1850 (590+1260) Pius IX driven into exile, and
1868-1870 (608/610+1260) Papacy has no political power, and reduced to the Vatican
The era of the rise of the papacy 533-610 is matched 1260 years later by the era of its fall from 1793-1870. The trial and division was from 533 and the witnessses began to speak soon after.
Revelation 12: 1260 days and the time, times & half a time
But there is more. The apostate 'woman' in Revelation 12 persecutes the 'woman' who gave her birth, which is the true servants and she is given sanctuary in the “wilderness” or the edges of the empire for 1260 days (Revelation 12:6). Though the length of time in Revelation 12 is the same as in Revelation 11 this is not the same era, as the rule of 42 months is over 'the Holy city', or was a political oppression, whereas, the 1260 days of Revelation 12 relates to the 'woman' or religious persecution.
Historically this religious persecution can be seen from 312AD when Constantine (I) comes to power, and in 316AD begins giving power to some Christians in favour of others, even going to war to defeat the Donatists to remove religious dissent. In 325AD Constantine again imposes orthodoxy and persecution. This led to the dominance of the pope to determine doctrine with Julius I (338-340AD). After 338AD life is more difficult for dissenters, and those who would wish to serve God in 'sincerely an in truth'. The 1260 years of religious persecution begin to end in 1572 with the August 24th St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre and officially ended with the 1598 Edict of Nantes, granting religious freedom.
From 312/338 to 1572/1598 is a 1260 year time of almost unrelenting religious tribulation.
In Revelation 12:14 it is added that 'the woman', the servants of God, are nourished in the wilderness for “a time, times and half a time”, which is 360 + 2x360 +180 which equals 1260 years. This is the period where the “earth” or the people who fought for religious freedom helped the servants. Well known are the Donatists 311-394AD a term also used in the Reformation (1517-1648) for the often violent opposition to Roman Catholicism.
There are altogether 4 periods of 1260 mentioned in two sets. The one in Revelation 11 is about the political world and the other set in Revelation 12 is about the religious environment. The first in both sets speak of persecution of the servants and the second in both sets speak of the help given. The 'help' is not given by the true servants, as those who help or 'nourish' the servants' often take up arms and fight, and some who fought for religious freedom did so from various political motives alien to the servants of Chirst, but by their actions they help the true servants.
None of the 4 relate to the time period in Daniel
Show All
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).
