Daniel Studies

Daniel 7:25     360 days Babylonian cuneiform calendar explains Daniel 7:25

 

Koot van Wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Visiting Professor

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint Lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

13 November 2011

 

         Antiochus Epiphanes interpreters like John Collins and many before him traced back to the pagan historian Porphyry, claimed, much to the dismay of churchfather Jerome in his commentary on Daniel, that the little horn of Daniel 7:25 is Antiochus Epiphanes and that the time, times and half a time is three and a half years. The part that it is three and a half years is good. The other part not. The three and a half years will have to fit into the scheme of Revelation 12:6, 14 that it is 1260 days. Thus, the year has to be 360 days, not like the lunar calendar of 354 days. The year-day principle is very important here. That was already operative in the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel in Daniel 9:24-27 that can be cross-checked to arrive exactly at the baptism (27 CE), death (31 CE) as middle of the week, and ending with Stephen's stoning in 34 CE as the end of 490 years, not days, because one day is one year. Therefore, the 1260 days of Revelation 12:6, 14 are also 1260 years and thus, the time, times and half a time will also be years into days into years. Thus it is 3 and a half years, correctly as Collins also perceive, but with a Babylonian calendar of 360 days in a year, a total of 1260 days but converted into 1260 years by the year-day principle to align with Daniel's method in Daniel 9:24-27.

 

360 days Babylonian Calendar 1.jpg 360 days Babylonian Calendar b.jpg