Monday: Prophetic Time Periods
Daily Lesson for Monday 6th of May 2024
Compare Revelation 11:3 and Revelation 12:5-6,14-15 with Daniel 7:25. What similarities do you see in these prophetic periods?
The two witnesses “ ‘will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth’ ” (Revelation 11:3, NKJV). This is the same time period as the 42 months during which the “Gentiles” (those who oppose God’s truth) will tread the Holy City underfoot (Revelation 11:2). The enemies of God tread underfoot God’s truth for 1,260 days (42 x 30 = 1,260, each day symbolizing a year in apocalyptic prophecy), and God’s two witnesses, the Old and New Testaments, prophesy against them during this same time.
Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com
As we already have seen (see lesson 4), Daniel 7:25 says the little-horn power that would arise out of the breakup of the Roman Empire would persecute God’s people “ ‘for a time and times [literally, “two times”] and half a time’ ” (NKJV). A “time” is one year (360 days). So, three and a half times equals 1,260 days.
Revelation 12:6,13 talks about 1,260 days of persecution for the people of God. Revelation 12:14 talks of a time, times, and half a time. Revelation 13:5 talks about 42 months. We find both 42 months and 1,260 days mentioned in Revelation 11:2-3. All these prophecies describe different aspects of the same historical time period.
When the authority of Scripture is neglected, other (human) authorities arise instead. This often leads to persecution of those who uphold the Word of God, which happened during the time of papal domination from a.d. 538 to a.d. 1798, when the medieval church descended into deep spiritual darkness. The decrees of men substituted for the commandments of God. Human traditions overshadowed the simplicity of the gospel. The Roman Church united with the secular power to extend its authority over all of Europe.
During these 1,260 years, the Word of God—His two witnesses—were clothed in sackcloth. Their truths were hidden under a vast pile of tradition and ritual. These two witnesses still prophesied; the Bible still spoke. Even amid this spiritual darkness, God’s Word was preserved. There were those who cherished it and lived by its precepts. But in comparison to the masses in Europe, they were few. The Waldenses, John Huss, Jerome, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, John and Charles Wesley, and a host of other Reformers were faithful to God’s Word as they understood it.
What are some of the teachings today, held by many Christians, that are based on tradition and not on the Word of God?
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In my first year of teaching - 1969, for those who need a date - the school had a parent-teacher evening and I was given the task of introducing the "New Maths" to the parents. I chose with all the enthusiasm of a first-year teacher to give a short talk on numbers in different base systems. I started my talk with the proposal that if we only had 4 fingers and no thumb on each hand, we would have used a base-8 rather than the decimal number system. I then proceeded to give a brief summary of the consequences complete with calculations and examples,
At the end of my talk I asked if there were any questions and a wickedly wise old grandad sitting up the back, put his hand up and said, "I understand the 4 finger bit but I haven't a clue what happens after that!" They should ban grandads from parent-teacher meetings. But, he had a point; calculation often obscures the big picture.
And if you think time prophecies are there to justify our view of history so that we can stand up and say, "We have got it right!" we are missing the point.
The true purpose of God was oppressed by greed, power, selfishness and political gain for a very long time. The reformation has allowed us to participate in God's revelation once again. It would be a very sad thing if we were to smother that opportunity with apathy, and our own importance.
Jesus said:
good read.
According to the dictionary, "emotion" may be interpreted as "a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others."
I may do many things without even having an apparent reason for them. Sometimes (if not always!), the reason is affected by an emotional tie; thus, I may like something or do something because of my unconscious emotional condition.
Regarding religion, anyone can go through the same process and do things because of the teaching of someone emotionally important, like mother and father. Being open to questioning the values and principles passed on by parents takes a lot of work. That's why the knowledge of God has to be an experience, and the easiest way to overcome tradition is a self-discovery of the most incredible loving person of the Trinity called Jesus.
I am not sure what you mean by "the most incredible loving person of the Trinity called Jesus." Are you implying or saying that Jesus is more loving than God and the Holy Spirit?
I think a fresh look at Daniel chapter 7 would show that the papacy was never a church, but a kingdom. The reformers we speak about, GOD raised up to try to reform man's view of HIM and HIS plan of Salvation. For too long we have been preaching the papacy as apostate Christianity when it really never was christian. When we compare the beast in Revelation with Daniel 7's fourth beast, we would see that Daniel's focus was on the heads while John gave the full description of that same beast. The beast in Revelation, was standing on the feet of the bear. The foundation of that beast was based on Medopersian principles of worship just as Israel's foundation was to be the worship of THE MOST HIGH GOD. If we look at the history of that world power, we would see that they worship a god called Zoromazda as their supreme god , and Mithra the sun god. Rome was steep in sun worship and tried to get all its provinces to worship the sun and Jupiter which was really a revamped version of Zoromazda. Rome had also incorporated gods from Greece and Egypt which they had conquered.When that did not work Satan changed strategy by renaming the gods of Rome with names such as Peter(Jupiter), Mary(Isis/Semiramis) Jesus(Mithra) and so forth. This disguised pagan religion is what dominated the world for 1260 years and if we go back to Daniel's prophesy "stomped on the residue of GOD'S people. This disguised pagan religion had to stop people from getting knowledge of the truth or else it would have been exposed, so it sought to outlaw the Scriptures, even suggesting that when men study Daniel and Revelation, they would go mad. They killed those who dared to study the Scriptures and open truth to the medieval world. After the 1260 years of Papal domination was broken, men began to open GOD'S Word again and the light of truth started to permeate the darkness of tradition that had ruled the world all that time.
In this time, however we have stopped studying GOD'S Word and started to rely on a lot of the philosophies of men. This is what will lead back to the era of persecution again. Brothers and sisters, I am calling us back to the study of the Word of GOD with the aid of THE HOLY SPIRIT as our guide. As we get to understand the Love of GOD expressed for mankind in JESUS CHRIST and throughout history, we would be able to stand firm on the foundation of HIS word and have a more intimate relationship with HIM. Study, to show yourself approved of GOD.q
If we look at the papacy as a kingdom we are over looking the prophecy of the legs of Iron, the kingdom of Rome. The single horn rises up out of the kingdom of Rome to join Rome in wielding its power. The single horn joined forces with Rome, it was not a kingdom in of its own. Rome was the power behind it in trying to kill the two witnesses(the Scriptures). Revelation 11:7-10.
Just think of the accuracy of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream . Sure enough Rome became known as the Iron age.
Even amid this spiritual darkness,God's word was preserved.There were those who cherished it and lived by its precepts.Even us we can cherish and live by God's word with the aid of the holyspirit.
Why 360 days are there not 365 days in a year?
Good question Linda. The Jewish calandar had 360 days to a year. We also see from the story of Noah in the Bible that each month had 30 days equalling 360 days to a year.
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. Genesis 7:11NKJV
And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days. Genesis 7:24 NKJV
And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. Genesis 8:3-4 NKJV
The 17th day of the second month to the second day of the 7th month were exactly 150 days. Each month had 30 days equalling 360 for the year.
Thank you, will read and study these texts.
Thank you people for sharing.
Here in Kenya it's 10:22pm so I say good night and be blessed as we go on with the week of prayer.
I learned that God’s Word was preserved, and that the two witnesses, are the old and new testament. And that even in darkness, GODS word is preserved.
What are some of the teachings today, held by many Christians, that today many people woship icon and to come church on sunday instead subbath dayare based on tradition and not on the Word of God?