Subject: U.S.A. in Bible Prophesy? |
Bible Note: in those texts God is telling the future events of Israel. what is prophecy but God telling us future events? the passages have everthing to do with prophecy plus: (a). Jews and Christians have used this principle for centuries.(1) (b). The prophecy in Daniel chapter 9 is ridiculous without it.(2) Also, the 490 years of chapter 9 is cut off from the longer period of chapter 8, thus indicating that the day-for-a-year principle must also apply in Daniel 8. (c). In Dan. 8: 13 it says "How long will the vision be…?". This vision of chapter 8 runs from the ram (Medo-Persia) right through to the activities of papal Rome. Therefore the 2300 period must cover Medo-Persia, Greece, Imperial Rome and papal Rome. (d). The prophecy of Daniel chapter 8 starts with Medo-Persia but we are told it relates to the "time of the end". Therefore the 2300 period must certainly be a long period of time to take us to the time of the end.(3) (e). A literal 3 1/2 years does not fit in Daniel 7:25. The kingdom of the horn with eyes and a mouth referred to in this verse is a more significant kingdom in the vision than the empires that reigned before it. All these previous kingdoms lasted for many decades. Also God judges the horn with eyes and a mouth towards the end of earth's history when He gives the dominion to His Son. So it must continue for a long time after the downfall of Imperial Rome. (f). These time periods are characterised by symbolic language. This should point us to considering a day-for-a-year principle as applying. After all, why would one want to use symbolic language unless there was some deeper meaning behind the time period mentioned? (g). The idea of a day standing for a year is relatively common in Scripture. See, for example, Nu.14: 34; Eze. 4: 6; Ge. 29: 27; Le. 25: 3,4.(4) (1). Froom L. E., The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, Washington DC, Review and Herald, 1950, vol.1, p. 176, 203. (2). Seventy weeks is literally only about one and a half years. How can this be enough time to accomplish what is in the prophecy? 490 years fits perfectly when we add in the dates for the decree and the Messiah's coming. (3). By studying Daniel 11: 35 and 12: 7-10 along with Daniel 7: 25 we can see that the "time of the end" when Daniel's prophecies would be unsealed started at the end of the 1260 years of persecution ie. 1798. (4). In Le. 25:3,4 the week is used to symbolise a seven-year cycle with the seventh-day Sabbath representing the seventh year of rest. |