THE 1260, 1290 AND 1335, DANIEL 12.
Lets now turn to the events of Dan 12. In broad terms, Daniel’s prophecy really concerns what are often referred to as eastern matters, or the things to do with the eastern leg of the image of Dan 2, which is more obvious shall we say from chapter eight onwards. Dan 10 through to 12 is a single continuous vision, of various stages or sections, which are essentially about expounding the earlier vision in ch8 of the ram and the goat. The implications of ch8 had made Daniel physically sick, as recorded in ch8v27, and further more in seeking to understand these things, he mourns ch10v2 for a full 3 weeks, before he is blessed with a reply. The reply commences in Dan 10v4 and ends at the end of ch 12. We don't have the time at present, but if you were to take the trouble to look into the detail of the prophecy in Dan 11 I'm sure you'd find them quite staggering accurate. So much so that some have claimed them to be an history of the events.
Towards the end of this exposition of ch8, Daniel in ch12 is conveyed three time periods, which are introduced by a change in the vision which commences in v5. [READ v5-6]. In scripture a river denotes people, here is depicts the people of the Babylonian power who are under the control of what are referred to as 3 men, who are actually Elohim, spirit bodies. Two stand on the banks, or lips as the Hebrew word implies, of the river, and therefore they effectively bound the power of the mouth of the people of Babylon. The third Elohim, the certain man, who is described at the commencement of the vision, in ch10v6, and who depicts Christ and the Saints in military power, stands above the river, in dominance.
One of the two men on the lip of the river v6 asks the Certain man, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” What wonders, we might ask? Well the wonders that had been conveyed during the vision which commenced in ch10v4 through to ch12.
There is an initial reply, v7, it shall be for a time, times and half a time, or 1260 years as we've seen earlier from Rev 12. Towards the end of v7we are given further information about this 1260 year period, where we are told that when it concludes, the power of the holy people or people of Israel will have been fully dispersed, and all these things would be finished. So we understand that by the conclusion of the 1260 year period, all the things which are related to the dispersal of Israel, the destruction of the temple, and the abomination of desolation set up, would be finished.
Whilst Daniel v8 hears these things, he understood not, and so he asks himself what shall be the “end” of these things. The reply is given in v9-13, in which a further 2 time periods are provided, a 1290 and a 1335.
In v9 Daniel is told to go his way, to close and seal up the words of the vision until... the time of the end, when by implication the words would be unsealed, and interestingly understood. The time of the end is defined for us in Dan 11v40, when we are told that the King of the South will push at him, and as a consequence the King of the North shall come against him, taking the middle east, and establishing his power in the holy mount of Israel. So we are being told that as we approach the time of these events, the wise will come to understand these things. v10 continues, “Many shall be purified and made white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly, but the wise shall understand”, by implication the vision, for it was the vision and its implications on the people of Israel that Daniel was seeking to understand.
In v11 we are told that from the “time” that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation maketh desolate is set up, there shall be 1290 years.
So we are being told that from the end of the time just stated in v7, in which Israel's power is dispersed, the 1260 year period, there will be a further 1290 years before the things of the complete vision would be finally complete.
By then we understand from the vision that, v2 the dead will have been raised, judged and glorified, v1there will have been a time of trouble, such as has never been since there was a nation, and ch11v41-43, Russia will have attacked the middle east, taken control of it, and established v45 his head quarters in the Holy mount of Jerusalem; yet he shall come to his end at the hands of the Certain man who stands in control on the river, and non shall help him.
V12 then continues to explain that he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 will be blessed, after which v13 Daniel will stand in his lot. So after this date we understand that there will be a time of blessing, in otherwords the fulfilment of those great and precious promises that were made to the fathers of old, the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Israel, with the master as the ruler from his great white throne in Jerusalem.
So we understand the 1290 and 1335 follow on directly from the end of the initial period of 1260 years. But when does the 1260 start. Well by implication with the start of the wonders of the vision, which could have commenced in the 3rdyear of Cyrus, when the vision was given Daniel, BC535/6, or when the details of the vision commenced, which according to ch11v1was the first year of Darius the Mede, 2-3 years earlier, in BC538.
If we take the earlier date adding 1260 years to BC538, we arrive at AD 723, when nothing particularly appears to have occurred, but we do find that all the events that were associated with the dispersion of the power of Israel had been completed. The taking away of the daily mentioned in v11, is referred to in more detail in Dan 11v31 where its relates how a Greek king called Antiochus Epiphanes would take away the daily sacrifice and defile the temple. This took place in BC 168.
About 240 years later, the Romans also suppressed the daily sacrifice, although not specifically foretold in this particular vision. The desecration of the holy place lasted until about the time of the Mohammedan rising. Omar the Mohammedan leader took Jerusalem in AD 637, and then set up the abomination of desolation, the Dome of the Rock, commencing in AD 685, and finishing it in AD 691. So we see that by the completion of the 1260 year period, all the things referred to in the first 40 verses of Dan 11 had been accomplished.
A further 1290 years brings us to AD 2013, but if we date the start of the vision from the year the vision was given, the third year of Cyrus, 2-3 years later, we arrive at AD 725/6 and AD 2015/6. The 1335 then finishes in 2058 or 2060/1 respectively.
Show 1260,1290 & 1335 – Dan 12 summary slide.
So in summary from the time periods we have looked at we appear to have established a time table that is consistent with the order and time frames that we would expect from our understanding of other scriptures that we've not had time to look at. We believe, [or show summary slide]
· from Dan 8 that the end of the desecration of Jerusalem for 2300 evening and mornings would finish in 1967, which it did.
· from Dan 4, that after 2520 years, finishing AD2005/7, that later day head of gold would arise.
· From Dan 12, that at the end of 1260 plus 1290, ending in AD2013-16, Michael the prince would stand up following the judgement of the saints.
· From Dan 7, that after 1260 years ending in AD2060, the power of the little horn of the beast would finally be destroyed.
· From Dan 12, that after the end of 1260 plus 1335, ending in AD 2058/61 Daniel would be blessed and stand in his lot in the father's millennium.
We believe from Ez (40v1) that there will be a period of one jubilee from Armageddon to the start of the kingdom age. Many things will occur during this time, but we are told in Rev 14v6-7 of a 10 year period of peace in which the Aionian Gospel or truth is proclaimed. We also know that Elijah will be calling the people of Israel out of the wilderness of the nations for a period of 40 years, Mic 7, which we believe will be subsequent to the 10 years of peace, Rev 18v10 suggests the saints will make war for 30 years against the beast, Europe. So we see how that the dates and times for these events do readily fit the timetable that we've proposed.
Show - Time table slide.
In conclusion we don't claim these dates to be fallible, they do represent our best understanding we have to date, and that the dates are accurate to within a few years. Either way we are clearly in the end of the gentile age referred to in Luke 21, and that we are very near if not in the period of time that the Certain man described in Dan 11v40, as the “end of time”. After which Daniel was told the wise, those who understand the truth, would understand the vision in its entirety.
What is very clear from these dates, for instance the 2013, the possible return of the master to judge the household and all those who have a knowledge of these things, is very close. It gives us very little time to respond to the call of the truth, be baptised and develop those fruits of the spirit and the character that the master will be looking for at the judgement seat. Lets be very clear, baptism is the very first step of our development, being a babe in Christ, we are then required to grow into a fully mature man over time, James 2.
Our unreserved appeal to you is that you seek out the truth of these things to your own satisfaction, be baptised, and await in faith the very near return of the master. The spirit adds in Isa 62v1, “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.” v6 continues “Ye that make mention of Yahweh, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”.
