Daniel Unlocked #87. The Three Time Prophecies of Daniel 12.
Attempts have been made to interpret the time prophecies mentioned in Daniel 12 as literal time periods to be fulfilled sometime in the future. However, the best evidence indicates that these time prophecies coincide and overlap with the long-range time prophecies of Daniel 7, 8, and 9.
As we look into the prophetic timelines mentioned in Daniel 12, we should bear in mind that this chapter is a conclusion and epilogue to the whole book. Three specific time prophecies appear in Daniel 12. The first one predicted that “a time, times, and half a time” must last until “the power [yad, hand] of the holy people has been completely shattered” (Dan. 12:7). This prophecy refers to the time during which the saints were in the “hand” (yad) of the entity symbolized by the little horn (Dan. 7:25), according to Daniel 7. This three and a half year time period spans from A.D. 538, with the establishment of the papacy, to 1798, when the French emperor Napoleon put an end to the secular rule of the papacy and thus “shattered” the “power” (yad) that oppressed God’s people.
The second prophetic time mentioned here is the “1,290 days.” This time prophecy should start with the removal of the “daily” (tamid) and the setting up of the “abomination of desolation” (Dan. 12:11). These events are related to the work of the little horn, which removed the daily and set up the abomination of desolation that Jesus refers to in Matt.24:15. (Dan. 8:9–12). Therefore, this prophetic period must overlap with the three and a half times mentioned above. It most likely extends until 1798, in which case it reaches back to A.D. 508. The major event that occurred around this date is the conversion of the French King Clovis to the Catholic faith.
This major event—comparable to the conversion of Constantine to Christianity—paved the way for the consolidation of papal power. It is interesting that both the beginning and the end of this prophetic period are marked by the action of a French leader.
Finally, the prophetic period of “1,335 days” (Dan. 12:12) comes with a blessing for those living at the end of it (see also Rev. 14:13). No starting or closing time is given. But it appears that this time period is a continuation of the previous period of “1,290 days.” Thus, from the conversion of Clovis around 508, the 1,335 days reach to 1844, when the first angel’s message began to be presented and the 2,300 evenings and mornings were coming to a close.