The 1,260 and 1,335 days of Daniel's prophecy

I have enjoyed your essays. I think the leaders of the organization have misled the congregations on the book of Daniel. Would you tell me: what is your understanding of verses 7, 11 and 12 of Daniel chapter 12? Do you think that each count of days run concurrently with the events during the tribulation?

The entire span of verses in the concluding chapter of Daniel read as follows:

“The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, ‘It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.’

I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, ‘My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?’ He replied, ‘Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.’” (NIV)

The Watchtower applies this portion of the prophecy of Daniel to insignificant events of the past century. For example, the Paying Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy commentary says that the 1,335 days were fulfilled in May of 1926 with the release of the book Deliverance. Showing the absurdity of such a notion, those International Bible Students who were supposedly pronounced “happy” to have received Rutherford’s published insights back then have all long since died and the book that supposedly made them happy has even been discarded by the Watchtower and is not considered to have any particular spiritual value for Jehovah’s Witnesses living at this present time. And obviously, those International Bible Students back then did not experience their hoped for deliverance.

It should be clear to honest reasoning persons that the Society’s prophetic interpretations are a work of fiction. Worse, Bethel is not at all disposed to discard such nonsense.

Be that as it is, the time values revealed in Daniel have to do with “the end of the wonderful things.” What are the wonderful things the angel was referring to? The wonderful things have to do with the revelation of Christ in glory. That is what the prophecy of Daniel is all about. Consider, for example, how the prophecy in the 11th chapter of Daniel concludes with the king of the north coming all the way to his end and there being no helper for him because of Michael’s superiority. Certainly the outworking of the final details of that prophecy must be considered “the end of the wonderful things.” Surely no sane person would conclude that Christ’s kingdom has already vanquished the Devil’s political system.

Nevertheless, in spite of what commonsense dictates, the Society uses its ecclesiastical authority to persuade, yes, to demand, that Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the wonderful things came to an end back in 1926. How ridiculous!

The desolation of the holy place, which is a sub-theme what runs throughout the prophecy of Daniel, as well as virtually all other prophecies, takes place during the period Christ referred to as the appointed times of the nations. When discussing the destruction of the holy place, which takes place during the conclusion of the system of things (time of the end), Jesus referred the discerning reader to the book of Daniel. It is, therefore apparent that the 1,290 and 1,335 days have to do with the duration of the appointed times of the nations – or the Gentile times as they are sometimes called.

Elsewhere, in the 11th chapter of Revelation specifically, it is revealed that the appointed times for the nations to trample Jehovah’s spiritual temple amount to 42 months – or 1,260 days.

What accounts for the differing periods of time? At this point it is impossible to definitively determine. After all, the book of Daniel is officially sealed up until the time of the end.

One possibility, though, is that the 30 days and 45 days beyond the 1,260 days represent a period of restoration following the 1,260 days during which the holy place is destined to lay desolate.

Perhaps it is an interval during which time there are no holy ones left on the earth, but before the last king is totally annihilated.

It is worth noting that Jesus' earthly ministry lasted approximately 3 & 1/2 years; which is the same as 42 months and 1,260 days. There may also be some chronological significance to the last days of Christ’s life on earth; beginning with the week before his death; when Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem and undertook a surprise inspection of Jehovah’s temple; including the post resurrection period of 40 days; when he appeared to his disciples before his ascension; concluding some days after the outpouring of Pentecost, which was a full 50 days from the day of Jesus’ death on the Passover; when the apostles were finally thoroughly infused with God’s spirit before the Jewish rulers – giving evidence that the kingdom of Christ was fully empowered.

That precise time period is unknowable since the record does not state exactly how long it was after Pentecost when the apostles stood before the Jewish high court. But it most certainly is an equivalent period approximating the 75 days beyond the 1,260 (42 month) period.