“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days” (Daniel 12:11). Daniel 12:11 can best be described as a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. A conundrum is a difficult and confusing problem or question. An enigma is a puzzling or inexplicable occurrence or situation…a riddle or mystery

This verse is in regards to Daniel’s vision and prophecy concerning the duration of the last half of the Tribulation/Jacob’s Trouble/Daniel’s 70th seven. It is the last 3.5 years of the 7 year Tribulation and is sometimes referred to as the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation starts with the Anti-Christ invading the land of Israel as mentioned in Daniel 11:40-45.

In Daniel 9:27, the angel Gabriel tells Daniel that in the “midst” of the last 7 years, the Anti-Christ will cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease from the temple of Jerusalem. He will then set up an image or idol of himself known as the abomination of desolation. Most bible scholars believe the biblical or prophetic calendar of 360 days is used for this time period, and the duration of the 7 year Tribulation will be for 2520 days. Therefore they conclude that from the mid-point of the Tribulation until the end will be for 1260 days.

After the Anti-Christ kills three of the ten kings that are ruling the nations, the remaining seven pledge their loyalty to him and crown him as king of the Earth. The bible describes the 1260 days duration of the Anti-Christ’s dictatorship and his persecution of God’s people in three different ways.

       1) “forty two months”

  “But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months” (Revelation 11:2).

 “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months” (Revelation 13:5).

       2) “time, times, and half a time” (3.5 years)  

 “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent” (Revelation 12:14).

 “ And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time” (Daniel 7:25).

 “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 swore by him that lives 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” (Daniel 12:7).

      3) “thousand two hundred and threescore days” (1260 days)  

 “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days” (Revelation 12:6). 

 However, Daniel 12:11 clearly states that from the abomination of desolation until the end of the Great Tribulation will be for 1290 days:  “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” How do you reconcile this one verse of 1290 days duration for the Great Tribulation with the other 6 verses of 1260 days duration? This is the conundrum wrapped in an enigma which I will try to explain.

The Tribulation will start with the A.C. confirming a covenant/peace treaty with Israel for 7 Years. As stated above, Daniel 9:27 says that in the “midst” of the 7 years, the A.C. will break the covenant by causing the sacrifices to cease and setting up the abomination of desolation. The Hebrew word “midst” means near the middle… not necessarily the exact middle. Here are a few examples: “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the water.” (Genesis 1:6).  “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die” (Genesis 3:3).

Daniel 9:27 is the only verse in the bible where it is implied that the first part of the Tribulation (confirming of the covenant to the abomination of desolation) is for 1260 days. I suggest an alternative duration… the abomination of desolation will occur “in the midst” or 1230 days after the A.C. confirms the covenant with Israel. This event is in the “midst” of the Tribulation…but not necessarily in the exact middle.

The Anti-Christ’s absolute rule will last for 1260 days in which he will try and destroy the Jewish remnant and the Tribulation saints. His end will come when Jesus Christ returns at the campaign of Armageddon and destroys the A.C. and his forces. Jesus’ 2nd coming will be on a future Feast of Trumpets. It will occur after an extended blackout of the sun and moon due to the convulsions of nature from God’s vials of wrath. Therefore no one will know the day or hour of his coming.

The end of Daniel’s 70th week will not occur with the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. I believe that Daniel’s 70th week will continue for another 30 days in order for all of the objectives of Daniel 9:24 to be met. ”Seventy weeks are determined upon your people and upon the holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”

Ten days after the 2nd coming of Jesus, on the Day of Atonement, the Jewish remnant will be re-gathered into the land. They will be reconciled and restored to their Messiah. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh…Thus says the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be built” (Ezekiel 36:26,33).

 Paul also prophesied of Israel’s greatest Day of Atonement when he declared, “And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, “You are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God” (Romans 9:26).  On this future Day of Atonement, Jesus will be the high priest and will atone for their sins by pouring out his holy spirit upon them. This Day of Atonement will fulfill the first three objectives of Daniel 9:24. It will finish the transgression and will make an end of their sin of unbelief. Although Jesus made reconciliation (atonement) for iniquity at the cross, it is the Jewish remnants belief in Him that will ultimately fulfill the reconciliation.

Five days after the Day of Atonement, the Jews will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles with their new found Messiah. Regarding this feast, Moses said: “You shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 23:42-43)

In all probability, the remnant will have to live in booths since much of Jerusalem has been destroyed at this time. They will acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Messiah. He will bring them out of the Gentile nations and will end their Great Tribulation. This seven day feast will be the prelude to the Millennium Kingdom which will fulfill the forth and fifth objectives of Daniel 9:24 (to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophecy).

The sixth objective of Daniel 9:24 will take place approximately seven or eight days later when Jesus/Yeshua will be anointed King of the Earth and will begin his 1000 year reign. This will be the 1291st day after the Abomination of Desolation.  Jesus will have defeated Satan’s plan to destroy mankind and will have reclaimed the kingdom of Earth from him. King Jesus will judge the Gentile nations and individuals at the Sheep and Goats Judgment. The sheep are the righteous (by faith) individuals and will inherit the Kingdom. The goats are the non-believers and will be cast into Hell.

Daniel’s 70th week (Tribulation) lasts for seven years of 360 days…2520 days total.  It is divided into three parts…1230 days (start of Tribulation to Abomination of Desolation), 1260 days (Abomination of Desolation to Jesus 2nd coming), and 30 days (Jesus 2nd coming to the start of His Millennium Kingdom). 

The last three of the seven feasts of the Lord will have then been completely fulfilled by the Lord Jesus at His 2nd coming….just as the first four were fulfilled by his 1st coming. “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holiday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ” (Colossians 2: 16-17).

Daniel 12:12 is another mystery/enigma. “Blessed is he that waits and comes to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days”. This event will occur 45 days after the Millennium officially begins.  I believe it will be when the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place. The Old Testament saints and Tribulation saints will be resurrected and will be the guests at the wedding of Jesus to His Church saints. Daniel is then told in verse 13: “But go your way till the end comes: for you shall rest, and stand in your lot at the end of the days.”

 

 

Randy Nettles

nettlesr@suddenlink.net