“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…. And from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, [there shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days” (Daniel 12:7, 11-12).

Few chapters in the Bible have created more opinion and conflict than this one. People like (with a little speculation mixed in) time predictions because they are “objective” and have an element of excitement. Jesus gives, however, very specific clues that make all speculation unnecessary. We have already been given very clear timing words, issues and events.

Remember, all the questions were associated with the chazown vision – that repeated story of hostile events against God’s people right at the end. Daniel just asked when that would all end. Here’s the answer:

“It [the hostility] shall be for a time, times and a half; when he [king of the north – 11:40-45] shall have accomplished [finished] to scatter [persecute] the power of the holy people [remnant], all these things [wonders of verses 1-2] will be finished” (Daniel 12:7b).

These remarkable thoughts tell us:

 

1.   The hostility will last time, times and a half

2.   Then the persecution ends and

3.   The wonders will be finished

In review, what were those “wonders” that Daniel alluded to as to when the end of the chazown vision would be? (Daniel 11:40-45; 12:1-2):

1.   King of the North comes to an end (11:40-45)

2.   Michael stand up (12:1)

3.   Great tribulation (12:1)

4.   Deliverance of God’s people (12:1)

5.   Special resurrection (12:2)

The Hebrew word for time here is mowed. Back in Daniel 8:19 we learned that if we could discover when this “appointed time” (mowed) or season was, we would know when the very end (qets) would be. Most scholars agree that in this setting mowed means a year. Thus, year (1), years (2) and a half (6 months) equal three and a half years. Jesus is telling us that at the end of a three and a half year period the wonders of the chazown vision would be ended. All hostility against God’s people would end. The beauty of deliverance and the resurrection will occur at the end of that 1260-day period.

Many try to tie this to the 1260 years of papal power and suppression of the Dark Ages. That application lifts the whole Biblical setting out of context. The Dark Ages was a metaphor for what happens in literal time with these wonders right at the very end. Remember what we already discovered in 8:13 and 8:14. All these things must happen after the 2300 atonement evenings and mornings end.

At the end of time (eth qets), during judgment, is the “appointed time” (mowed). Now we know that the appointed time is 1260 days or three and a half years. Now we know what Habakkuk meant when he said that at the “appointed time” (mowed) the tarrying will no longer tarry! Note: This verse tells us when that period ends.

If we can discover when the appointed time begins, we will have a deeper understanding of that “appointed time.” Jesus will tell us very closely when it does. Shortly after the appointed time ends is the parousia – the coming of Jesus. Will we know when that occurs? Only when He announces it. But we will know when it is near – “even at the doors” (Matthew 24:33). These great prophecies make it precision-clear as to when the tarrying time ends and the “appointed time” begins. We will discuss in later chapters how all this ties to Daniel 9, Revelation 11, 12 and 13. This “appointed time” is the period that virtually the whole book of Revelation sits within.

Mowed has even deeper implications. It’s not only an “appointed time” but a time of religious assembly, a time to “meet the Lord” – the “tent of meeting” and a time to receive revelation. This is the time when God’s people will be morally purified (qodesh am) and assembled as His – forever. It is the time of the Loud Cry – the Trumpet’s last call.

That is exactly what 8:14 said. After the 2300-”day” prophecy all God’s people and His name would become holy and legally adjudicated! It all happens when the “tarrying time ends” and the “appointed time” begins.

“When Satan shall have accomplished his work of ensnaring all who will subject themselves to his deceptive influence, when he shall have finished his work of scattering abroad, Christ will rise up and bring deliverance to every one whose name is found written in the book of life. Satan and his followers will be destroyed. Then ‘they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.’ [Daniel 12:3] –Letter 268, Dec. 17, 1903.”[1]

This is how verse 7 looks graphically:

  

 

There is something missing in this timed prophecy – and that was done on purpose. We have an ending but no beginning. That comes in the next few verses.

Daniel is distraught because he simply doesn’t understand (vs 8). Again, as we’ve already noted, he asks what that “future final end” means. Jesus tells him (just like Gabriel did in 8:26b) that the meaning would be kept from him and sealed until the time it would be fulfilled (vs 9) – at the very end of time (qets). But this still doesn’t end what Jesus has to say.

In verse 10 Jesus clarifies that time as the point when there would be two classes of people in the world. We know that comes right at the end (Revelation 14). Again, that shows that the chazown ends during the last three and a half years of earth’s history.

The words “the wise shall understand” are used in both Daniel and Revelation contextually to refer to the time Jesus will come again.

“And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:9-10).

“As the dew and the rain are given first to cause the seed to germinate, and then to ripen the harvest, so the Holy Spirit is given to carry forward, from one stage to another, the process of spiritual growth. The ripening of the grain represents the completion of the work of God’s grace in the soul. By the power of the Holy Spirit the moral image of God is to be perfected in the character. We are to be wholly transformed into the likeness of Christ.”[2]

Now comes another series of wonders for us today. Jesus is going to explain the 1260-day prophecy further by answering Gabriel’s questions of 8:13. Many years have gone by. Daniel – and we – have had to learn more background information to get to this point. Let’s listen in: “And from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, [there shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days” (Daniel 12:11).

“From the time” means we are given a beginning. Intriguingly, this timed period doesn’t have an ending. The 1290 days begins with the two main concerns that Gabriel had years ago (8:13): (1) The daily and (2) the abomination/trans-gression that leads to desolation.

The little horn – the papacy – takes away the continual presence of God by a transgression that removes God’s authority, His law and covenant. He sits in the temple as if he were God. The Hebrew word here for abomination is shigguwts. This noun is always used to refer to idols that are abhorrent and detestable to God. Idols are an abomination (Jeremiah 16:18; Ezekiel 5:11, 7:20; II Chronicles 15:8). Now we have further insight into the little horn’s transgression (pesha) that removes the daily (tamiyd). An idolatrous standard is set up by the papacy, which begins the 1290 days. This takes away the presence of God. It is none other than the false Sabbath! It is the promotion of Sunday worship – a change of the Ten Commandments, which hold His character, law, authority and the keys to His everlasting covenant (see Chapter 8).

 

 The word for days here is yowm. Daniel has been using this word for literal days elsewhere (1:14-15). In this context there is no reason to suddenly take this Hebrew word and make its meaning a year when there is no permission given. When yowm is used in the Old Testament and is used with a number, it always means literal days. Thus, we have:

 

 At this point there is no beginning for the 1260 days nor ending to the 1290 days. Through verse 11, other than the lengths of time, it is unknown as to how far apart or close together these periods are.

The 1260 days ends with the deliverance of God’s people and the special resurrection. The 1290 days begins with the Sunday laws.

Jesus now “fills in the gap.” Verse 12 is a beatitude with promise. Yet the blessing is tied to a time period that has neither beginning nor ending. Those who wait for all these events and remain faithful through them, covering 1335 days, will be blessed. There it is – the beginning of the 1290 and the ending of the 1260 are 1335 days apart.

 

 

You protest – We are not to know when Jesus is coming! This is date setting!

1.   What date? We haven’t a clue from this when He is coming!

2.   What coming? Daniel hasn’t mentioned it. Jesus’ coming is not at the deliverance of His people. That is when the day and hour are announced.[3] Jesus said we wouldn’t know the day or the hour.

Let’s listen to what He says. He tells us we will know when it is near, even at the doors (Matthew 24:33). Paul admonishes us to be children of the light so Jesus would not come as a thief (I Thessalonians 5:4-6).

We’re now seeing the beginning and the ending of the chazown vision – the “appointed time” period, which encompasses issues that will occur during the last short period of earth’s history.

There is a vast set of timing messages still tucked within Daniel 8–12. Type is to meet antitype! It transcends purely events. It drills deeply into the very bedrock of time. When God created this earth He introduced time. When He invoked prophecy, He placed it within segments of that time. They are His appointments for us to strengthen our faith and to make clear the gospel message! Remember what we discovered some time back? These timed prophecies will be part of the Loud Cry! They are to be enmeshed in the final gospel message. They give urgency to prepare for His coming.

Now we must go back to look at the mareh vision in more detail. This is the incredible story of how a holy people will be restored. It has far deeper meaning than we’ve ever discussed.

“We have no time for dwelling on matters that are of no importance. Our time should be given to proclaiming the last message of mercy to a guilty world. Men are needed who move under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. The sermons preached by some of our ministers will have to be much more powerful than they are now, or many backsliders will carry a tame, pointless message, which lulls people to sleep. Every discourse should be given under a sense of the awful judgments soon to fall on the world. The message of truth is to be proclaimed by lips touched with a live coal from the divine altar.”[4]