HOW LONG WAS THE CHURCH TO BE IN HIDING?

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. Revelation 12:6

HOW LONG WAS GOD'S WORD TO BE IN MOURNING?

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. Revelation 11:3

HOW LONG WERE GOD'S PEOPLE TO BE PERSECUTED?

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Daniel 7:25

HOW LONG WERE GOD'S PEOPLE TO BE SCATTERED?

And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. Daniel 12:7

HOW LONG WAS THE CHURCH TO BE IN THE WILDERNESS?

And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. Revelation 12:14

HOW LONG WAS JESUS' HEAVENLY MINISTRY DESPISED?

But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. Revelation 11:2

HOW LONG WAS THE BEAST TO HAVE UNDISPUTED POWER?

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. Revelation 13:5

NOTE: We shall now establish that these seven references all refer to the same period of time.

WHEN DID THE FLOOD BEGIN?

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. Genesis 7:11

HOW LONG DID IT CONTINUE TO COVER THE EARTH?

And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days. Genesis 7:24

WHEN DID THE ARK REST UPON MT. ARARAT?

And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.

And the ark rested inthe seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. Genesis 8:3, 4

NOTE: From the above verses we discover that a month consists of 30 days. From the seventeenth day of the second month to the seventeenth day of the seventh month (or five months) equals 150 days. Thus the 42 months of prophecy would equal 1260 days (42 months x 30 days = 1260 days). In the Bible a "time" equals one year (Dan. 4:23, 32), "times" equals two years, and "a dividing of time" or "half a time" would equal a half of a year. Thus a time would be 360 days (30 days in a month times 12 months in a year), times would be 720 days (two times 360), and a dividing, or half, a time would be 180 days (one half of 360), making a total of 1260 days. Therefore, we can readily see that all seven of these passages refer to the same period of time.

HOW LONG DOES A DAY EQUAL IN BIBLE PROPHECY?

And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year. Ezekiel 4:6

Note: This period of time is mentioned more than any other in Scripture and is found seven times in the books of Daniel and Revelation. As we have seen, the 42 months and the 3 ½ times are identical to the 1260 days. Since, in prophetic time, a day equals one year (Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34), these seven references to 1260 days would be 1260 prophetic years and refers to the period of undisputed power of the "little horn," "beast," "man of sin," or "antichrist" from 538 until it received its "deadly wound" in 1798. This 1260 years of persecution is but one of 17 distinguishing points that clearly identify this apostate power.