Time in Prophetic Language, Means a Prophetic Year, or 360 Natural
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In biblical prophecy, the concept of "time" often carries a symbolic meaning that extends beyond the literal understanding of days, months, and years. A prophetic year, frequently understood as 360 days, is a significant unit in interpreting prophetic timelines, particularly in apocalyptic literature such as the books of Daniel and Revelation.

Biblical Basis for a 360-Day Year

The notion of a 360-day prophetic year is derived from various scriptural passages where time is expressed in symbolic terms. In the book of Daniel, the phrase "time, times, and half a time" (Daniel 7:25) is often interpreted as a period of three and a half years. This interpretation aligns with the 1,260 days mentioned in Revelation 12:6 , suggesting a year of 360 days (360 days x 3.5 years = 1,260 days).

Historical Context and Ancient Calendars

The ancient Hebrew calendar, like many ancient Near Eastern calendars, was primarily lunar, consisting of 12 months of 30 days each, totaling 360 days. This system required periodic adjustments to align with the solar year, which is approximately 365.25 days. However, in prophetic literature, the simplified 360-day year is often used for symbolic purposes, emphasizing the completeness and divine order of God's plan.

Interpretation in Prophetic Literature

In prophetic contexts, the use of a 360-day year serves to convey specific theological messages. For instance, in Daniel 9:24-27 , the prophecy of the "seventy weeks" is often interpreted using the 360-day year to calculate the timeline leading to the coming of the Messiah. Similarly, in Revelation, the periods of 1,260 days, 42 months, and "time, times, and half a time" are understood within this framework, providing a consistent method for interpreting eschatological events.

Theological Implications

The use of a 360-day prophetic year underscores the sovereignty and precision of God's timing in the unfolding of redemptive history. It reflects the belief that God's plans are meticulously ordered and will come to pass exactly as foretold. This understanding encourages believers to trust in the divine timetable, even when human comprehension of time and events may be limited.

Conclusion

While the concept of a 360-day prophetic year may seem foreign to modern readers accustomed to the Gregorian calendar, it remains a vital interpretive tool within biblical prophecy. By recognizing the symbolic nature of time in prophetic language, students of the Bible can gain deeper insights into the divine narrative and the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Daniel 12:7
And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was on the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him that lives 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.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 12:14
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.
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Library

Chronology of the Life of Christ.
... About the length of the intervening time there are ... remote is the reference to the
prophetic announcement of ... In the language of an impartial historian, "the ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 16 chronology of the.htm

The Society of Friends, or Quakers.
... the 'naked truth,' and to utter a prophetic 'testimony' against the ... up almost a man's
whole life-time to learn ... and answers the questions in the language of the ...
/.../creeds of christendom with a history and critical notes/ 107 the society of.htm

The Sixth vision "On Earth"
... present time is thus used in prophetic language it refers ... present tense, "IS SITTING,"
and is prophetic of what ... and the support afforded to her at that time. ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the sixth vision on earth.htm

The Prophet Amos.
... in Amos a main element of the prophetic discourse, which ... from the family of David,
at the time of its ... no means obvious, and is too much the language of natural ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet amos.htm

Inspiration of Scripture. --Gospel Difficulties. --The Word of God ...
... thought in a superfluity of inflated language, only in ... Are not some prophetic passages
common to Jeremiah and ... have been President about that time."Now, there ...
/.../inspiration and interpretation/sermon iii inspiration of scripture gospel.htm

The Evening of the Third Day in Passion-Week - on the Mount of ...
... signs in the literal heavens - but, in prophetic imagery, the ... time we again admit,
that the language of the ... Olam habba"' - so that the Messianic time is there ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vi the evening of.htm

Appendix iv. An Abstract of Jewish History from the Reign of ...
... In the extravagant language of the Talmud (Tann.23 a ... to the Asmon??ans is for the
first time reported during a ... on this ground to Hyrcanus the prophetic, as well ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix iv an abstract of.htm

The Essay which Brings up the Rear in this Very Guilty Volume is ...
... connexion in the prophecies where [the prophetic symbols] occur. ... not by degrees,
nor in lapse of time, but from ... the Father [211] .' Much of the language of the ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/vii the essay which brings.htm

The Deputation from Jerusalem - the Three Sects of the Pharisees ...
... purifications, and the study of their prophetic writings, gave ... the moulding of the
theological language, and who ... Angel of Death, but this time laughing, because ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ii the deputation from.htm

Fifthly, as this Revelation, to the Judgment of Right and Sober ...
... shall receive their final accomplishment by means of a ... in whom were found all the
other prophetic characters of ... of the Babylon in Jeremiah's time, and compares ...
/.../xiv proposition xiv fifthly as.htm

Resources
Will we experience time in heaven? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of “redeeming the time” in Ephesians 5:16? | GotQuestions.org

What time was Jesus crucified? What time did Jesus die on the cross? | GotQuestions.org

Time: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Subtopics

Time

Time for Friends

Time for War

Time Given To Religion

Time in Prophetic Language, Means a Prophetic Year, or 360 Natural

Time Management

Time to Die

Time to Laugh

Time to Plant

Time With God

Time: All Events of, Predetermined by God

Time: All God's Purposes Fulfilled in Due Time

Time: An Appointed Season

Time: Beginning of

Time: Computed by Days

Time: Computed by Hours, After the Captivity

Time: Computed by Months

Time: Computed by Weeks

Time: Computed by Years

Time: Daniel's Reckoning of Time, and Times, and Half Times

Time: Division of, Into Watches

Time: End of

Time: Epochs of Before the Flood

Time: Eras from Which, Computed: Accession of Kings

Time: Eras from Which, Computed: Building of the Temple

Time: Eras from Which, Computed: Nativity of the Patriarchs During the Patriarchal Age

Time: Eras from Which, Computed: The Captivity

Time: Eras from Which, Computed: The Exodus from Egypt

Time: Eras from Which, Computed: The Jubilee

Time: Fullness of

Time: Indicated by a Sun-Dial

Time: Moments

Time: One Day is Like One-Thousand Years

Time: Part of a Period of, Usually Counted As the Whole

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Accepted Time

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Ancient Time

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Evil Time

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Time of Healing

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Time of Need

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Time of Reformation

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Time of Refreshing

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Time of Restitution of all Things

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Time of Temptation

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Time of Trouble

Time: Particular Periods of, Mentioned: The Time of Visitation

Time: Shortness of Man's Portion of

Time: should be Redeemed

Time: should be Spent in Fear of God

Time: The Duration of the World

Time: The Exodus

Time: The Heavenly Bodies, Appointed As a Means for Computing

Time: The Measure of the Continuance of Anything

Time: The Sun-Dial Early Invented for Pointing Out

Related Terms

Time (7245 Occurrences)

Life-time (12 Occurrences)

Day-time (11 Occurrences)

Even-time (4 Occurrences)

Vintage-time (3 Occurrences)

First-time (1 Occurrence)

Evening-time (2 Occurrences)

Before-time (1 Occurrence)

Dinner-time (1 Occurrence)

Ploughing-time (1 Occurrence)

Seed-time (1 Occurrence)

Sowing-time (1 Occurrence)

Supper-time (1 Occurrence)

Meal-time (1 Occurrence)

Visitation (17 Occurrences)

Zoan (7 Occurrences)

Sanballat (10 Occurrences)

Scripture (51 Occurrences)

Sometime (5 Occurrences)

Supporter (6 Occurrences)

Since (1200 Occurrences)

Korahites (7 Occurrences)

Shallum (27 Occurrences)

Stork (6 Occurrences)

Zephaniah (11 Occurrences)

Slow (43 Occurrences)

Vine-dressers (18 Occurrences)

Zacharias (11 Occurrences)

Kissing (10 Occurrences)

Kore (4 Occurrences)

Sheshbazzar (4 Occurrences)

Salutation (6 Occurrences)

Sew (4 Occurrences)

Stitching (4 Occurrences)

Skip (8 Occurrences)

Shun (14 Occurrences)

Slayer (23 Occurrences)

Kills (38 Occurrences)

Spend (54 Occurrences)

Sabbatical (1 Occurrence)

Spent (76 Occurrences)

Vexation (36 Occurrences)

Year (4027 Occurrences)

Snow (25 Occurrences)

Sleep (136 Occurrences)

Short (128 Occurrences)

Sarah (38 Occurrences)

Areopagus (3 Occurrences)

Sanhedrin (19 Occurrences)

Zebulun (46 Occurrences)

Zedekiah (63 Occurrences)

Vine-growers (13 Occurrences)

Seer (21 Occurrences)

Kingdoms (65 Occurrences)

Kenites (8 Occurrences)

Knewest (11 Occurrences)

Kadesh (30 Occurrences)

Knives (12 Occurrences)

Asahel (17 Occurrences)

Arrive (20 Occurrences)

Ashdod (21 Occurrences)

Strangers (95 Occurrences)

Soon (636 Occurrences)

Sackbut (4 Occurrences)

Shape (17 Occurrences)

Showers (20 Occurrences)

Shephatiah (13 Occurrences)

Swiftly (15 Occurrences)

Spell (2 Occurrences)

Spending (7 Occurrences)

Salchah (1 Occurrence)

Sambuca (4 Occurrences)

Salcah (4 Occurrences)

Salecah (4 Occurrences)

Shelemiah (10 Occurrences)

Single (65 Occurrences)

Season (101 Occurrences)

Sela (5 Occurrences)

Time Given To Religion
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