THE TIME, TIMES AND DIVIDING OF TIME

THE TIME, TIMES AND DIVIDING OF TIME DANIEL 7.

The next time period we'd like to look at is recorded in Ch 7. It relates to the little horn of the great and the fourth beast. Its found in Dan 7:25, but lets read from v23-25.

The period is given as a time, a times, and a half time. How are we to understand this. The largest time period of Gen1v15 that we looked at earlier was a year, 360 days, so we might quite reasonably presume that 3 and a half time equates to 1260 years. But we don't need to presume this, because it is confirmed for us in Rev 12. [Read v14, and then v6]. The time periods mentioned in these verses are identical, as the context would show, but they are numerated in different ways. 1260 days is equated with a 3 and a half times, and so back in Daniel, we deduce the father awarded the little horn of the goat a 1260 year period of power.  

The great and terrible fourth beast denoted the Roman power, whilst the  little horn symbolised the Holy Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire was founded over a period of time culminating in AD 800 when Charlemagne was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The time period ends when the power to persecute the saints of the Most High has come to an end. But when did it start. Some start it from the various decrees made by Roman emperors like Justinian and Phocas when they gave the Bishop of Rome temporal power. The time period however measures the life span of the little horn itself, and the horn being Holy Roman Empire, couldn't persecute the faithful before it was established. Notice from 7v24that the little horn arose from the fall of three horns before it. The horns denoting the Gothic kingdoms of Europe.

J.Bryce in his book “The Holy Roman Empire” charts the rise of Charles the Great.

1.      In AD 756 Pepin at the call of the Pope entered Italy and overcame the Lombards.

2.      In AD 758 his son Charles the Great became king of the Franks of Neustria, and in AD 771 King of the Franks in Austrasia.

3.      In AD 773 Charles defeated the Lombards again, and added northern Italy to his dominions, he fought in Spain in AD 778, and was crowned emperor on Christmas Day, AD 800.

The little horn therefore came to power we would suggest with the crowning of Charles in AD800. Now if we add 1260 years to this it would bring us to AD 2060, after which v26 indicates his dominion would be taken away to consume and destroy, and his power given v27 to the saints of the most high, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve him.

Show the 1260 - Dan 7.