God's Prophetic
Calendar
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Let's pray together:
Lord God,
In our last lessons, we have discovered Your wonderful prophetic calendar, and the periods
which are contained in it.
We heartily thank You for giving us this calendar, and allowing us to understand it.
Please guide us in this lesson, through the presence of Your Holy Spirit, as we put
together all these periods and dates, to have a global picture of Your prophetic calendar.
In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
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Acts 17:26
[God] has made from one blood every nation of men to
dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the
boundaries of their habitation.
Yes indeed, God has «determined the preappointed times».
In this lesson, we will quickly review each one of the great periods contained in God's
prophetic calendar.
Then, we will draw a table putting together all these prophetic periods.
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Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are determined for your people.
First, we studied the prophetic period of the seventy weeks, announcing the
first coming of Jesus.
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Daniel 9:26,27
After the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off. (...)
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he
shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
Then this prophecy indicated that, in the middle of the seventieth week, the
Messiah would be cut off, bringing an end to sacrifice and offering.
Exactly at the predicted time, in the spring of the year 31, Jesus, the Messiah, died on
the cross, thus bringing to an end the temple's sacrificial system and offerings.
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Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your
holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins.
After Jesus' death and resurrection, half a week (3½ years) still remained
before the end of the 490 years of probation, set aside exclusively for the people of
Israel, who had then to accept Jesus as the promised Messiah.
Unfortunately, the Jewish nation rejected the gospel.
By stoning Stephen, the first Christian martyr, in A.D 34, they put an end to the 70 weeks
(490 years) of probation, and Christians turned to the Gentiles.
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Daniel 8:13,14
I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to
that certain one who was speaking,
«How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of
desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?»
And he said to me,
«For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.»
Then, we studied the prophecy of the 2300 days.
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Daniel 8:14,26
For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary
shall be cleansed. (...)
The vision of the evenings and mornings which was told is true; therefore seal up the
vision, for it refers to many days in the future.
The 2300 days have the same starting point as the 70 weeks, that is, 457 B.C.,
and thus lead to A.D. 1844.
So we can understand why the angel said to Daniel that his vision referred «to many days in the future».
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Hebrews 9:23,24
Therefore is was necessary that the copies of the things
in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with
better sacrifices than these.
For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true,
but into heaven itself.
We also saw that the cleansing of the sanctuary, which began in 1844, concerns
the heavenly sanctuary, where Jesus, our High Priest, is now performing a work of
judgment.
In fact, this cleansing of the sanctuary symbolizes the beginning of the judgment.
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Daniel 7:9-11
I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient
of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure
wool.
His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came
forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated, and the books were opened.
I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking.
The prophecy of Daniel chapter 7 already indicated
that the judgment would begin before the return of Jesus.
In fact, this vision of the judgment takes place as the little horn is still committing
its misdeeds.
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Daniel 7:25
The saints shall be given into his hand for a time and
times and half a time.
Revelation 13:5,7
And he was given authority to continue for forty-two
months. (...)
And it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.
Then, we studied the 1260 days, also described with the words «a time and times and half a time», or «forty-two
months» (42 x 30 = 1260).
This period of persecution for God's people took place from 538 to 1798 A.D.
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Daniel 7:25
He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall
persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.
Revelation 13:5,6
He was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God.
These 1260 years, which were a time of persecution, apostasy, and deep
spiritual darkness, correspond to the reign of the Church of Rome.
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Revelation 13:3
I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally
wounded, and his deadly wound was healed.
And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
When the pope was taken prisoner by France, in 1798, the Church of Rome lost
its political power, putting an end to the 1260 days.
But the papacy recovered this political power in 1929 when Mussolini, through the Lateran
treaty, restored temporal power to the pope, who was then given rulership over Vatican.
Thus was healed its «deadly wound».
And, as foretold, its influence over the nations has grown amazingly since the end of
World War II.
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Daniel 7:25,26
The saints shall be given into his hand for a time and
times and half a time.
But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and
destroy it forever.
Here is an interesting point. Daniel chapter 7
confirms this chronology:
- First, the papacy reigned for 1260 years, from 538 to 1798;
- Then, God's judgment began in 1844 («the court shall
be seated»), at the end of the 2300 days;
- Finally, after its temporary healing in 1929, the papacy's dominion will be
«consumed and destroyed forever».
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Daniel 12:11-13
From the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and
the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and
ninety days.
Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance
at the end of the days.
We then studied the 1290 days and the 1335 days, two prophetic periods given at
the very end of the book of Daniel, to provide additional
information about the reign of the Church of Rome.
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Daniel 12:7
[The man clothed in linen] swore by Him who lives
forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the
holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
Since the 1290 years concern the reign of the Roman Church, the course of the
1290 years takes place during this reign, which has two distinct stages:
- A first reign of 1260 years (3½ times), from A.D. 538 to 1798.
- Then, a second and last reign: «when the power of
the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.»
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Daniel 12:11
From the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and
the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and
ninety days.
Revelation 17:1,2,4
«Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot
who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the
inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.» (...)
[She had] in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her
fornication.
So the 1290 days end during the Church's second reign, when «the abomination of desolation is set up», that is, an event
linked with the alliance between the apostate Church and the nations made drunk with her
wine.
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Daniel 12:12
Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand
three hundred and thirty-five days.
We also saw that the 1335 days (which end 45 years after the 1290 days) lead to
the days of Jesus' return.
So, to discover when the 1335 days end, we must first determine when the second reign of
the Roman Church began.
Then we must find the event corresponding to «the abomination of
desolation» (which marks the end of the 1290 days).
We proposed two hypotheses about this. But we must always remember that other hypotheses
are possible: this is why every serious student must remain open-minded, and continue his
research.
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Luke 21:28-31
«Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift
up your heads, because your redemption draws near.»
And He spoke to them a parable:
«Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know
for yourselves that summer is now near.
So you, likewise, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is
near.»
Finally, we saw that, without being able to know the day and hour, we can note
the imminence of Jesus' return through the presence of the signs of the times.
Now, let's draw a global table of God's prophetic calendar.
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Mark 13:37
What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!
Finally, let's always remember the danger of thinking we know the year when the
last countdown leading to Jesus' return begins.
Some people, by setting the year too early, can be discouraged when they see that they
were mistaken.
Others, by setting the year too late, may not seriously prepare themselves, wrongly
believing that they still have much time before them.
The only wise attitude is to follow Jesus' advice: let's watch, in order to always be
ready, continuously having a strong personal relationship with our Savior.
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Let's thank God:
Heavenly Father,
The first part of this Bible study guide has helped us «To Find Out Where We Come From»,
by searching the past and by observing the amazing fulfillment of Your prophetic Word
throughout history.
Please grant us now the great privilege of finding out «Where We Go Now», in order that
we may discover what the future holds for us, and be able to make the best decisions from
now on.
In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
Source of the Pictures of this Lesson
Screen 1: In: «Photo Gallery 25,000» by Media Graphics
International, CD #1, 022_153.JPG. Screen 2: PROVONSHA, Clyde. In:
«Daniel 10-12: Palestine and Probation's Close», G.C. Ministerial Association, 1976,
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Prince» (NEFF, Merlin L.), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1950, p.58.
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Association, 1955, p.79. Second picture: In: «The Bible Story, volume 6» (MAXWELL,
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Press Publishing Association, 1955, p.69. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry.
Table of Screen 8: MANISCALCO, Joe. In: «God Cares, volume 1» (MAXWELL,
C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1981, pp.196,197. Screen 9: Picture
from: Generation of graphics on CoolText.com (http://www.cooltext.com/). Screen
10: DROST, Willem. «The Vision of Daniel» (1650), Gemäldegalerie, Berlin. From
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STEEL, John. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (March 1996), Pacific Press
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(MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Press Publishing Association, p.333. Screen 25: First
picture: GALLANT, Randy. In: «The Medical Post» (September 23, 1997), p.9. Second
picture: Photo by «Publiphoto». Unknown source. Third picture: In: «Signs of the
Times» magazine (October 1990), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.2. Fourth
picture: In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (January 1993), Pacific Press Publishing
Association, p.5. Fifth picture: In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (March 1993), Pacific
Press Publishing Association, p.3. Sixth picture: Photo by POZARIK, James. In: «La
Sentinelle» magazine (February 1992), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.5. Seventh
picture: In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (May 1996), Pacific Press Publishing Association,
p.14. Composite picture by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 26: Logo of the
company «A-L Associates Inc., a division of Esquire Communications Ltd.»
(http://www.alassoc.com/tech/hit01.htm). Table of Screen 26: First
Picture: In: «God Cares, volume 1» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1981, p.196. Second Picture: In: «God Cares, volume 1» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn),
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1981, p.196. Third Picture: STEEL, John. In: «God
Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.204.
Fourth Picture: In: «God Cares, volume 1» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1981, p.197. Fifth Picture: PENNI, Gianfrancesco. «The Donation of
Constantine», Sala di Costantino (1517-1525), Vatican Museum. In: WHITE, Ellen G., «The
(New, Illustrated) Great Controversy», Laymen for Religious Liberty Inc., 1990. Sixth
Picture: CONVERSE, James. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press
Publishing Association, 1985, p.329. Seventh Picture: STEEL, John. In: «God Cares, volume
1» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1981, p.182. Eighth
Picture: «Vatican City, St. Peter Church». In: «Collier's Encyclopedia Deluxe 1998»,
Sierra Home. Ninth Picture: Photo by SPIEGEL, Ted. «Cardinals During Mass at Synod of
Bishops Conference», Vatican City, October 1969. (www.corbis.com/Ted Spiegel, Picture ID:
GL001774). Tenth Picture: STEEL, John. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn),
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.539. Screen 27: In: «The
Watchtower» magazine (November 1, 1986), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society,
p.1. Screen 28: In: «Photo Gallery 25,000» by Media Graphics
International, CD #1, AW021.JPG. Screen 29: In: «The Watchtower»
magazine (April 1, 1991), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.1.
Screen 30: Photo by BAKER, John. In: «Signs of the Times» magazine (July 1990),
Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.23. Screen 31: TANK, Darrel. In:
«Ministry» magazine (June-July 2000), Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association,
p.40. Screen 32: MANISCALCO, Joe. In: «Images from the Bible and Sacred
History CD», Chosen Works, MLI Software, JM140.BMP. Screen 33: In:
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Any copyrighted images not bearing a statement of permission, are used
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The test of Lesson 55 is waiting for you!