Ángel
Manuel Rodríguez
Some
Adventists are interpreting the time periods mentioned in Daniel 12:5-13
literally, as future events. What is your reaction?
Some
Adventists are indeed applying Daniel 12:5-13 to future events that will
take place after Michael arises (verse 1). Accordingly, the prophetic
periods mentioned in those verses (the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days), are
taken to be literal days still in the future. Using the historicist method
of interpretation, Adventists have traditionally taken the time periods
to be symbols for years. Any attempt to merge futurism and historicism
by introducing a double fulfillment of apocalyptic prophecies will undermine
our system of prophetic interpretation. These new proposals cannot be
supported from the context or from the book of Daniel. Here's why:
1.
Structure of the vision: The vision introduced in Daniel 10 covers
Daniel 11:1-12:4, and ends with a conclusion, Daniel 12:5-13. The introduction
consists of a conversation between Daniel and two heavenly beings. The
conclusion to the vision describes the same conversation between Daniel
and two heavenly beings. It is a single literary unit.
2.
Location of the time periods: The time periods in Daniel's prophecies
are located at the end of the visions. In Daniel 7 the vision is described
in verses 1-14; the time period is given in
verse 25. The vision of Daniel 8:1-12 is followed by the time period in
verse 14. This implies that the time periods in Daniel 12:5-13 are directly
related to the vision in Daniel 11.
3.
Daniel 7 and the 1260 days: The three and a half times/1260-day prophetic
period is introduced for the first time in Daniel 7:25, in a context that
is clearly symbolic. There is no
reason to interpret the same prophetic period literally in chapter 12:7.
Such an approach invalidates the year/day principle because of the lack
of consistency in its application. Besides,
in Daniel 12:7 the time period during which God's enemy persecutes the
"holy people" perfectly parallels Daniel 7.
4.
Linguistic connections between Daniel 11 and 12: The phrase "the
end of the astonishing things/wonders" (Dan. 12:6) refers back to Daniel
11:36, where the same Hebrew root, pala, is used to describe
the words of the enemy spoken against God (cf. Dan. 8:24). Both passages
indicate that this evil power will be successful for a period of time.
Daniel 11 deals with the specific time during which this phenomenon takes
place and points out that it will come to an end after the enemy breaks
the power of "the holy people" (Dan. 12:7). This same event is described
in Daniel 7:25 and 8:24, where the same terminology designates God's servants.
Other connections include references to "the wicked" (Dan. 11:32; 12:10),
the verbs "to understand" (Dan. 11:33; 12:10), "to refine," "to purify,"
and "to make spotless" (Dan. 11:35; 12:10).
In
Daniel 11:31 and 12:11 the word "daily" is used together with the verb
"to abolish/remove." They both use the phrase "the abomination that causes
desolation" in conjunction with the verb "to set up." There is no ground
to argue that these two passages are dealing with different events. By
using the same terminology the writer is telling us that the reference
is to the same event. Therefore, the time periods mentioned in Daniel
12:11, 12 (1290 days and 1335 days) are to be applied to the events described
in Daniel 11:31. Daniel 12:7 describes the time of persecution mentioned
in chapter 11:32-35.
Defining
the historical fulfillment of the 1290 days and the 1335 days is not difficult.
First, the 1290 days are associated with the work of God's enemy, mentioned
elsewhere. Daniel 7 indicates that the control exercised by that religious/political
power over God's people came to an end in 1798. That date provides the
end for the 1290 years; its starting point would then be A.D. 508, when
the Franks defeated the Arian Visigoths. Second, the 1335 days are an
extension of
the 1290 days, thus indicating that they start at the same time. This
means that the 1335 years ended in 1843/1844.
For
a more comprehensive treatment of prophetic interpretation, I suggest
that you study the commentary by William Shea, Daniel 1-7 and
Daniel 7-12 (Boise, Idaho: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1996).
7/8/99
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