The 3½ YEARS, The Church goes to the Place of Safety. BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE 3½ YEARS. GOD CONFIRMS THE COVENANT BY PREACHING THE WARNING. GOD HAS TO PROTECT HIS PEOPLE FROM ANNIHILATION BY TAKING THEM TO THE PLACE OF SAFETY.
God confirms the covenant by preaching the warning. The Church is led to the place of safety. This move may occur during the brief half an hour wait at the beginning of the seventh seal in Revelation 8 but the sanctuary is for 3½ years. This may go back to the Exodus where God brought His people out into the wilderness after Passover and possibly intended that they would enter at the Feast of Trumpets three and a half years later.
Use this link to go back to the summary.
The 70 weeks
From Daniel 9:20-27 we know that there is only one 3½ years left. Christ had one week to confirm the covenant and He was cut off in the middle of the week. He is to complete the job over a 3½ year period which ends with the consummation of the abomination of desolation (Daniel 12:9-13). We also know from Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14 and Revelation 1:1 that the prophecy is about things that had not yet happened when John was at Patmos, so I will not spend significant time on events before the first century. Also from Revelation 1:10 we know that it is focussing on the Day of the LORD and so we expect that the majority of the writing will be from that perspective. In Daniel 9 seventy weeks are allotted to the coming of the messiah and evidence that 69 weeks are accounted for is now to be presented. Only a week is left. This seven days is interpreted as 2 x 3½ years.
In verse 24 Daniel is told that Seventy sevens are decreed for your people and your holy city. The weeks (sevens) would end sin and anoint Christ as king. The seventy weeks (actually sevens) should be understood as seventy weeks of years making 490 years. This is a perfect jubilee, i.e. a ten of sevens of sevens.
The jubilee is the period at the end of the cycles of seven therefore peace comes after the cycles of seven.
In verse 25 in the extract from Daniel 9 above, he is told about 69 weeks of the seventy and these are accounted for. The sixty-nine weeks (or sevens) is broken down in to a 62 week period and 7 week period leaving the 1 week to complete the seventy i.e. 62+7+1 = 70. So from the 62 we get a 434 year period (62 weeks x 7 = 434) and from the 7 we get a 49 years (7 weeks x 7 = 49), and one 7 years (one week) that would bring it to seventy.
The Jewish calendar uses a 360 day year. There are various interpretations of the fulfilment but everyone starts from the decree to build the temple by Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:7-21; 9:9). Some claim that this was in 457-458 BC. and it ended when Christ was baptised by John. Some are more specific and claim that it was March 14, 445 B.C. and accounting for leap year adjustments etc. ends when He made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. These are all credible but the point is that it has passed and that the calculation is:
Command to rebuild + 7 weeks (49 years) --> Holy City Completed + 62 weeks (434 years) --> Messiah + (one week) 7 years -->covenant confirmed.
In verse 26 we are told that messiah will somehow be cut off after the 62 weeks period.
Now this part was already mentioned in dealing with Revelation 8. In verse 27 (of Daniel 9) the cutting off of the messiah spoken of in verse 26 is further clarified. It will occur half-way through the final week. So Christ dies in the middle of that week of work leaving half to go to completely confirm the covenant. Notice that it is also He
that shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations He
shall make it desolate. It is Christ who will end the sacrifice not a man, and it is Christ that will cause the place to be desolate not a general.
Daniel reported the events as they related to the Old Testament but now John is going to give us information as it relates to the New Testament. Daniel looked forward and John looks back.
God will tell us the story several times: It is in Jeremiah as the time of Jacob's Trouble
(Jeremiah 34:4-6), in Ezekiel when Israel shall Pass under the Rod
(Ezekiel 20:37) and in Daniel 12:1 as a Time of Trouble
as well as a few more places in the Old Testament. It is also mentioned in the New Testament including four times in Revelation. Remember that it was 7 years in all not 3½, so part was already completed in ending the marriage at Christ's death. His old bride was made desolate. Christ began to confirm the covenant with what He said to Peter: Matthew 16:18 (KJV) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it
. The gates of hell
i.e. the grave prevailed against the old arrangement with ancient Israel when He died. He had promised to bless the earth in Abraham and the Church is the means to that end. It is His new bride. The other part is now for the new bride. In other words He is going to back track to bring us up to date with what brought us to the Day of the LORD, to ensure and demonstrate that He confirmed the covenant. The 3½ years is important for showing that Christ confirmed the covenant. There is only one 3½ years to go.
Face like the sun
Sun can mean enduring.
It can also represent time available to work or live.
Sun can mean openly or in plain sight.
It can mean ever-living or eternal.
It can represent righteousness.
the little book
The little book contains what is essential for their time. John eats the little book and then he could preach what he could not before (note verse 11). This little book probably includes the book of Revelation. The two witnesses get what they must preach from it because John never got to those many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings
, but he will through their preaching because they will witness to the whole world. The little book therefore has the book of Revelation and by God's spirit they are given a full understanding of it and how it relates to the Kingdom and the time of the end. God has reached the end of His rope, and if not for His promise, all life would be destroyed. Now remember that John is reporting history from the perspective of the LORD'S DAY
(chapter 1:10) so the 3½ years is already past from his perspective. The other part of the little book is the naughty/nice list (note verse 2).
Based on what we read in the Bible about the spiritual condition of the world at this time there will only be few names in the book of remembrance
for that time.
breakdown of Revelation 10
| Scripture | Comment |
|---|---|
| [1]And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven {*1}, clothed with a cloud {*2}: and a rainbow was upon his head {*3}, and his face was as it were the sun {*4}, and his feet {*5} as pillars of fire {*6}: | 1__this angel is mighty and comes down, not falls. 2__to lead Israel by day, Exodus 13:21-22. 3__God remembers his covenant not to destroy all life Genesis 9:13-16, Matthew 24:22, Deuteronomy 32:27. Instead of creating an ark and wiping out everyone else He takes the remnant to safety but leaves the rest alive. 4__Probably symbolising time to work and live, John 9:4. The phrase under the sunin Ecclesiastes supports that. It can also mean ever-living (Psalms 72:17, Psalms 89:36, Matthew 17:2-3) and righteousness (Matthew 13:43, Revelation 1:16). 5__not legs. From his feet rose pillars of fire as in the exodus (Exodus 13:21-22), the kind that would lead people where God wants by night. This may be how people get to the place of safety. Supernaturally led by night and day. 6__throughout Revelation we see different feet each indicating what happens in the stepping action; some trample, some burn etc. but feet can travel and lead someone who is willing to follow. |
| [2]And he had in his hand a little book open:{*7} and he set his right foot upon the sea {*8}, and his left foot on the earth,{*9} | 7__He had a littlebook i.e. the list of those to take was a short list. It had naughty and nice so he was checking it twice ☺. 8__ Each foot would have had a pillar of fire billowing from it. The right foot is the leading foot showing that he intended to cross the sea hence some would have to cross the sea. 9__The left foot was on land showing that he was leaving for a considerable journey from land across sea in some cases. |
| [3]And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth {*10}: and when he had cried, seven thunders {*11} uttered their voices. | 10__in the Bible lions roar when they have prey (Amos 3:4, Amos 3:8, Isaiah 5:29) and also to call the other males from the pride to gather, but generally its all about establishing presence, territory and communication. It is saying that this is my turf, it is gathering those who are his to help defend if necessary. This is a repetition of the Exodus where God's people were led across the sea. The right foot is the leading foot which may lead them across the sea - but the rest were destroyed in a flood, hence the rainbow says no flood for the whole earth. 11__possibly related to the storm that flooded the world. We do not see any more than his feet, hands and face because the rest was covered in cloud. Secular information on lions show that lions roar to communicate and when a lion in a pride roars he is joined by the other males. The leading lion can mark his location and enlist the aid of others in the pride by roaring. The main job of a male lion is to protect the home and to defend his pride. He will roar to warn off anything that might threaten his family. In this case the power that assists him is described as seven (complete) and thunder meaning extremely powerful. |
| [4]And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices {*12}, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not {*13}. | 12__thunder is the voice of God, 2 Samuel 22:14, Jeremiah 25:30. They are speaking on God's behalf in response to the first roar. Seven means complete support by these lions. 13__it would reveal too much about the place of safety. |
| [5]And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, | |
| [6]And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer {*14}: | 14__it was time to leave. This is a reminder of the situation with Lot: And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city(Genesis 19:15-16 [KJV]), Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar(Genesis 19:22 [KJV]). Once our names are in the little book the angels will ensure that we leave. |
| [7]But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel {*15}, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished {*16}, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. | 15__the seventh angel or seventh trump is days long and it has not come yet, the Day of the LORD has not yet started because verse 7 shows that the days of the voice of the seventh angelhas not yet come. IT DOES NOT START IN REVELATION 6 or 8. 16__At the time of the seventh and final angel it means that the mystery Christ in you the hope of gloryColossians 1:27, will be fulfilled and the Kingdom will be set up. This has many implications including Christ returns, the church and Christ become one Ephesians 5:32, Israel no longer blinded Romans 11:25, The first resurrection 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, all things begin to be gathered under Christ Ephesians 1:9-10, and the gentiles share in the hope of salvation the same as Jews Ephesians 3:6-9. |
| [8]And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. | |
| [9]And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey {*17}. | 17__it is the word of God, Psalm 119:101-103, Jeremiah 15:16, Ezekiel 3:3-14. |
| [10]And I took the little book out of the angel's hand {*18}, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. | 18__It would seem as though the angel reaches to heaven to hand John the book but Revelation 13:1 indicates that he was whisked back to Earth. |
| [11]And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings {*19}. | 19__John never left Patmos. The angel took God's people to safety with the word to be preached by the two witnesses. They are going to Jerusalem where the two witnesses are later found. John will preach through the two witnesses. |
After the Church is safe then four horrible plagues and a woe hit the earth in quick succession.