The time, times and a half

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The Creation Concept


The units of 'time' in the time, times and a half

The time, times, and a half, and Christian unity

Natural time and the time, times, and a half

The pattern of the “time, times, and a half” and the writing on the wall

Understanding the time, times and a half

The 3 ½ years of no rain, and the gospel age

Dispensationalism and the time, times and a half

The little horn, times, and laws

The last time

Daniel's 70 Weeks

The 70 weeks simplified

70 Weeks Calculator

Does John interpret Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy?

The Flood of Daniel 9:27

The 7 Times of Moses

The 2,300 Days of Daniel

The Woman in Heaven

War in Heaven

The Wings of the Great Eagle

The 1,260 Days and the Time of the Church (PDF)

Natural time and the time, times, and a half

The prophetic time periods of 1,290 days, and 1,335 days, are mentioned in Dan. 12:11-12. The 1,260 days is found in Rev. 11:3 and 12:6. Each of these three periods is distinct, because each represents either the church age, or a portion of it. This is a diminishing period. The “time, times and a half” is symbolic, and the numbers associated with it are also symbolic. They are “models” having a character similar to other prophetic symbols. For example, the church is represented by a temple, or a candlestick; Christ is represented by the passover lamb, etc. Likewise, the duration of the church age is represented by three and a half symbolic years, that together with the ministry of Jesus, make a prophetic “week,” in which Christ confirms his covenant with his saints. [Dan. 9:27]

Each of the periods associated with the “time, times and a half” differ from a natural three and a half years, as shown in the series of 3D graphs below, which compare the times related to the prophetic “time, times and a half” to a natural three and a half years, according to the Jewish solar-lunar calendar. The natural three and a half years is shown in light green, in each graph. It is a period of three and a half years, where months are lunar months, and one year has 13 months.

1,290 days:

1,335 days:

1,260 days:

The graphs illustrate the differences between the prophetic periods and the natural. I suggest that this distinction of the periods from a natural three and a half years was intended to show that these are spiritual, or figurative periods, not literal earthly days or years. Natural time does not apply to the works of God, which are spiritual in nature.

The time periods may be explained briefly as follows.

The 1,290 days is the time remaining after the “abomination of desolation” was set up in the church. “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.” [Dan. 12:11] This began in the first century, probably about the time of the destruction of the earthly Jerusalem in 70 A.D., which was evidently a sign that the desolation of the heavenly city was about to begin. Afterwards, John said “many antichrists” were present.

1 John 2:18
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

There have been “many antichrists” from John’s time to the present; they have not gone away.

The 1,335 days represent all the time assigned to the present age of the church. This period began at about the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Daniel was told, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” [Dan. 12:12] The one who waits is Christ. He waits while his church is built and prepared.

The 1,260 days represents the remaining time, after the New Testament was completed; it is the duration of the ministry of the two witnesses. It probably began about the end of the first century. It is the period when the church, represented by the woman in Rev. 12, is nourished in the wilderness. She is nourished by the scriptures, and the Spirit, and the woman fleeing to the wilderness pictures the saints departing from the corruption of the world.

Copyright © 2012, 2013, 2014 by Douglas E. Cox
All Rights Reserved.