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Daniel’s Prophetic Days and Our FaithThe Watchtower—1993 | November 1
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The 1,260 Days
9, 10. What events characterized the “time, and times and half a time” of Daniel 7:25, and in which other scriptures is a parallel time period mentioned?
9 At Daniel 12:7, we read of the first prophetic period: “It will be for an appointed time, appointed times and a half. And as soon as there will have been a finishing of the dashing of the power of the holy people to pieces, all these things will come to their finish.”a This same period is mentioned at Revelation 11:3-6, which says that God’s witnesses would preach in sackcloth for three and a half years and then be killed. Again, at Daniel 7:25, we read: “He will speak even words against the Most High, and he will harass continually the holy ones themselves of the Supreme One. And he will intend to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time, and times and half a time.”
10 In this latter prophecy, “he” is the fifth world power counting from Babylon. It is the “horn, a small one,” during whose time of power the Son of man receives “rulership and dignity and kingdom.” (Daniel 7:8, 14) This symbolic horn, originally imperial Britain, developed during the first world war into the Anglo-American dual world power, now dominated by the United States. For three and a half times, or years, this power would harass the holy ones and try to change times and law. Finally, the holy ones would be given into its hand.—See also Revelation 13:5, 7.
11, 12. What events led up to the start of the 1,260 prophetic days?
11 How were all these parallel prophecies fulfilled? For years before World War I, Jesus’ anointed brothers publicly warned that 1914 would see the conclusion of the appointed times of the nations. When war broke out, it was evident that the warning had been ignored. Satan used his “wild beast,” the world political organization then dominated by the British Empire, in an effort to “change times and law,” to put off the time when God’s Kingdom would rule. (Revelation 13:1, 2) He failed. God’s Kingdom was established in heaven, far out of human reach.—Revelation 12:1-3.
12 For the Bible Students, the war meant a time of testing. Since January 1914 they had been showing the Photo-Drama of Creation, a Biblical presentation that drew attention to Daniel’s prophecies. In the summer of that year in the Northern Hemisphere, war broke out. In October, the appointed times ended. By the end of the year, the anointed remnant were expecting persecution, as seen from the fact that the yeartext chosen for 1915 was Jesus’ question to his disciples, “Are ye able to drink of my cup?” based on Matthew 20:22, King James Version.
13. How did the Bible Students preach in sackcloth during the 1,260 days, and what happened at the end of that period?
13 Hence, from December 1914, this small band of witnesses ‘preached in sackcloth,’ humbly enduring as they announced Jehovah’s judgments. A shock to many was, in 1916, the death of C. T. Russell, the first president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. As war fever took hold, they encountered mounting opposition. Some were imprisoned. Individuals, such as Frank Platt in England and Robert Clegg in Canada, were tortured by sadistic authorities. Finally, on June 21, 1918, J. F. Rutherford, the new president, together with the directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, was sentenced on false charges to a long term in prison. Thus, at the end of the prophetic period, the “little horn” killed the organized public preaching work.—Daniel 7:8, King James Version.
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Daniel’s Prophetic Days and Our FaithThe Watchtower—1993 | November 1
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[Box on page 11]
DANIEL’S PROPHETIC TIME PERIODS
1,260 days:
December 1914 to June 1918
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