Dissertations on the True Inheritance of the Saints

2. DISSERTATION ON THE TWELVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY DAYS, OF DANIEL AND JOHN

IT is very evident to every Bible student, that “time, times and a half,” “forty-two months,” “and one thousand two hundred and threescore days,” mean the same length of time, in the prophecies of Daniel and John. And although they apply to different things, yet they have been, and will all be fulfilled in the same period of time. I shall therefore take up the several places where they occur, and show as well as I can, by Scripture and history, what the terms import, — when they began, — and when they had their end, or when they will have their accomplishment, as the case may be. DTIS 30.1

Daniel 7:24, 25: “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most DTIS 30.2

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.” DTIS 31.1

We must notice, in the first place, that this power, into whose hands the saints are given “until a time, and times, and the dividing of time,” is a part of Daniel’s fourth kingdom — the Roman. (See verses 7, 8, 11, 19-23, of the 7th chapter.) Again; it is represented as coming up after the Roman kingdom should be divided into ten parts. Verse 24: “And the ten horns out of this kingdom, are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall arise after them, and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.” DTIS 31.2

Of course, this power must have arisen after the empire of Rome fell, and after the division into ten kingdoms, which all happened before the beginning of the sixth century, A.D. 489. The character and acts of this power are minutely described by Daniel. “And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High.” This is the same character that Paul calls “that wicked,” or “that man of sin.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” DTIS 31.3

“Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” Is it possible for any man, not prejudiced, not to understand this power to mean Rome in its papal state? It must be in the Roman kingdom; or in the fourth and last empire of Daniel’s vision. This little horn was to come up among the ten. I believe all commentators and historians agree that the western empire of Rome was divided into ten kingdoms. Then this power was to come up in the west; it was to make “war with the saints and prevail against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High.” Before the end of the world, his dominion was to be taken away. Daniel 7:26. Or, as Paul says, 2 Thessalonians 2:8: “And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy by the brightness of his coming.” This horn then must be the power which was to have power over the western kingdoms in the Roman empire, and the people of the Most High are to be given into his hand for a time, times and an half, or which is the same thing, twelve hundred and sixty years. This same power is mentioned by John, in Revelation 13:5: “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies; and power was given him to continue forty and two months,” or twelve hundred and sixty years. DTIS 32.1

From a similarity of character and acts, as well as the time this power was to make war with the saints, (not the Jews,) we cannot be mistaken; it must mean papal Rome. See John’s farther description of this power, Revelation 13:6-8: “And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,” by calling himself “Most Holy, Lord God, the pope;” “to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle,” by calling that abominable city of Rome, where everything is unclean and filthy, the “holy city — holy catholic church;” “and them that dwell in heaven,” — those that are departed from this life — are worshipped as gods by the subjects of this same power. “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Thus we see the character and marks of this power agree in the writings of Daniel, Paul, and John. DTIS 33.1

And now, if we can find the same harmony in the beginning of this power, and in the ending of the same, agreeing with history, we cannot be far from right. DTIS 34.1