Introduction
‘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.’ Daniel 12:7
Before we try and answer this question, I think it’s important that we look at Daniel 11 first because that chapter introduces a series of prophecies relating to world history after the fall of the Babylonian Empire to an alliance of the Medes and Persians, as recorded in Daniel 5.
‘His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.’ Daniel 11:31
This verse tells us that Darius the Mede ruled after the death of Belshazzar, but history reveals that it was the Persians who became the dominant partner in that alliance, Daniel 11:2, whilst the Medes faded into the background, this would be during the ‘inter-testamental Period’.
Daniel 11 predicts the conflict, which developed between the Persians and the rapidly rising, Macedonian, or Greek Empire, of which Alexander the Great was the central figure, a conflict, which resulted in the defeat of Persia.
However, after the early death of Alexander, predicted by Daniel 11:4, that power wasn’t retained by his immediate family as might have been expected but went to his many generals who fought among themselves for control of the empire. It’s often claimed that, before he died, when he was asked to whom he left the empire, Alexander replied, ‘To him who can take it’.
Struggle between Egypt and Syria
Eventually, two rulers remained to face each other in a contest for supreme power. These were Ptolemy, who is described as the ‘king of the South’, which was Egypt, and the ‘king of the North’, which was Syria, ruled by the Seleucid dynasty, whose successive rulers took the name Antiochus.
We should bear in mind that, since at this point Daniel’s prophecy relates to the future of Palestine and the Jews, these two kingdoms, Syria and Egypt, are called ‘North’ and ‘South’ only in relation to the situation of the Jews.
At first Judea and the Jews formed part of the kingdom of Ptolemy, but as you may see from a map, because of their unfortunate geographical situation, lying between the two warring kingdoms, they were overrun, first by the army of Antiochus as he marched south to attack Egypt; and then by the Egyptian army as Ptolemy struck back. This conflict is described in Daniel 11, from verse 5.
The most notorious of these Syrian rulers was Antiochus 4th, whose vanity led him to call himself, ‘Antiochus Epiphanes’. The word ‘Epiphanes’, which means ‘Glorious’ or ‘Brightness’, reveals his opinion of himself. The people, however, called him ‘Epimanes’, a word that means ‘mad’. This man is referred to in Daniel 11:21-25.
The Syrian Oppression
The intensity of the suffering, he inflicted on the Jews, is well known and well documented, and we need not discuss it here. It’s sufficient to say that the period of time during which they were oppressed by Syria, for which Antiochus 4th was responsible, lasted for three and a half years, or 42 months, or 1260 days, Daniel 12:6-7.
This is the period which in prophetic language, is expressed as ‘time, two times and half a time’.
‘Time’ represents one year.
‘Times (or two times)’ equals two years.
‘Half a time’ represents six months.
This gives a total of three and a half years.
The Historical Dates
This persecution of the Jews, instigated by Antiochus, began in June 168 B.C. and continued to December 164 B.C. a period of three and a half years, as predicted by Daniel. They enjoyed a period of independence, lasting for 100 years.
This independence ended when they foolishly invited the Roman general Pompeii to enter Judea. The Romans came and they stayed! We know that they were still there when the Lord Jesus was born.
However, the expression ‘time, times and half a time’, relates to the three and a half years of Syrian oppression which the prophet foresaw.
The subsequent liberation of the Jews from Syrian oppression is still celebrated by them in the ‘Feast of Lights’, and it is, therefore, important to remember that the expression which we are now considering relates to a definite period in the history of God’s ancient people, during which they endured persecution by the ‘Gentiles’ (i.e. ‘the Nations’) which was ended by a great deliverance.
New Testament References
In the Book of Revelation, the same period of time is also used to represent a period of persecution or suffering, inflicted on God’s new people, the Church, but also as a period which ends with their vindication and the defeat of the oppressor.
Five times this period is referred to in terms of ‘days’ or ‘months’ or ‘times’ or ‘years’.
‘But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.’ Revelation 11:2
Here we read that the ‘Holy City’ would be ‘trampled’, that is, violently overrun, by the Gentiles, a clear figurative allusion to the persecution of Jerusalem by Antiochus. This would be for 42 months, which are 1260 days, or three and a half years.
‘And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.’ Revelation 11:3
The same chapter mentions the 1260 days. Notice here the significant reference to ‘sackcloth’, the emblem of grief and mourning.
‘For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.’ Revelation 11:9
This verse speaks ‘three days and a half’, using here the well-known prophetic symbolism in which a day is used to represent a year; hence three years and a half.
‘But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.’ Revelation 11:11
This verse again expresses this period as ‘three and a half days’, after which God’s witnesses rise again.
‘The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.’ Revelation 12:6
In this verse, the church, represented as a ‘radiant woman’, is driven into the wilderness by Satan, the ‘Dragon’ of Revelation 20:2, for that familiar period of 1260 days, where she is nourished and cared for by God.
It’s clear that these verses in the Revelation refer to the same period of time, viewed from different angles, and are meant to remind us of that piece of ancient history.
They represent, as in the book of Daniel, a period of opposition and persecution endured by the church, the ‘true Israel of God’, Galatians 6:16, but which lasts for only a limited time because God has determined both the final deliverance and victory of His people and the destruction of the evil one responsible for their oppression.
Compare the reference to Antiochus, at the end of Daniel 11:45 and Revelation 20:10.
‘He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.’ Daniel 11:45
‘And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.’ Revelation 20:10
I also recommend a comparison of Daniel 11-12, with Revelation 11-12. At the very least this makes an interesting study!
