I invite you to turn in your Bibles to our text for this Lord's Day, which is found in Revelation chapter 11, verses 1 through 3. Though we will not be expounding these verses, word by word, phrase by phrase. What we want to focus on are the time periods that are mentioned in these verses and verses like these in the book of Revelation. And so we read the following in Revelation chapter 11 verses 1 through 3. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the angel stood saying rise and measure the temple of God and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the cord 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. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth." In the previous sermon we considered how preterists interpret various temporal indicators like shortly, at hand, and quickly. and found that these temporal indicators carry absolutely no weight in establishing a pre-70 AD authorship of the book of Revelation if Revelation 11 verses 1-2 does not refer to a temple that is presently standing at the time that John penned the book of Revelation and if Revelation 13-18 and Revelation 17.10 do not refer to an Emperor Nero that was then reigning at the time that John received this prophetic vision from the Lord Jesus Christ. The very foundation of Preterism, dear ones, especially in its more popular form as expressed today, rests upon these two claims. One that Jerusalem and its temple had not yet been destroyed when John was given this revelation. And two, that Nero had not yet committed suicide when John penned the book of Revelation. Take away these two alleged pieces of internal evidence for the Preterist as was demonstrated in sermons 21 through 24 of the present series and it becomes apparent that the interpretive system of Preterism is built upon sand and is swept away by the scripture itself. This Lord's Day we will briefly consider stated time periods to which Preterists turn in their interpretation of the book of Revelation such as 1,203 days That is 1,260 days in Revelation chapter 11, verse 3 and chapter 12, verse 6. Forty and two months as found in Revelation 11, 2 and Revelation 13, 5. And a time and times and half a time. That is three and a half years. as found in Revelation chapter 12 verse 14. The Preterist interprets these just mentioned time periods literally in the book of Revelation seeking to apply them to the period of time in which Nero persecuted Christians and the period of time in which Jerusalem was besieged by the Roman armies. However, we must ask the question, are these and other time periods mentioned in the book of Revelation intended by the Holy Spirit to be interpreted literally or non-literally? For if these time periods are intended by the Lord to be interpreted non-literally, as I believe is the case, I submit this internal evidence, which the Preterist also offers, will likewise demonstrate that the interpretive system of the Preterist is built upon sand. Today's sermon will be divided therefore into two parts, two main points. The first main point is this, the problems the Preterist has with interpreting the time periods literally in the book of Revelation and The second main point, the solution to interpreting the time periods in the book of Revelation. And so let us consider the first main point, the problems the Preterist has with interpreting the time periods literally in the book of Revelation. The first problem with interpreting these time periods literally in the book of Revelation, first problem, It should be noted at the outset that the interpretive system of Preterism, as it's popularly expressed at the present time, believes that the events prophesied to occur in the book of Revelation, at least most of the events in the book of Revelation, were all to be fulfilled very soon from the time that John received the Revelation. Thus, according to the Preterist, long periods of time are not allowed in the fulfillment of the prophesied events in the book of Revelation. Long periods of time, for example, hundreds of years would push the Preterist far beyond the events that he believes are prophesied to soon be fulfilled in the book of Revelation, namely the persecution of the church by Nero and Nero's death in Revelation chapters 13 and 17 and the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in Revelation 11 and Revelation 17. However, if the prophesied events in the book of Revelation do not refer to the persecution of the church by Nero and his death in Revelation 13 and 17, and do not refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in Revelation chapters 11 and 17, as has already been demonstrated to be the case in previous sermons in the series, then the most important reasons for the Preterists to interpret these time periods in the book of Revelation literally evaporate into thin air. Thus the first problem for the Preterists in interpreting these time periods literally, that is these time periods being 1,260 days, the time period 42 months, and the time period three and a half years, is based, I submit, is based upon a false assumption. promoted by preterists. Namely, this is the false assumption, that the events concerning Nero and Jerusalem were soon to occur, when in fact these events had already occurred when John penned the book of Revelation. The second problem with interpreting these time periods literally in the book of Revelation The time periods of 1,260 days in Revelation 11.3 and in Revelation 12.6, 42 months in Revelation 11.2 and Revelation 13.5, and a time, times and half a time, that is three and a half years, in Revelation 12.14 are all very unique and unlike the way literal time periods are expressed in the rest of scripture. The Jewish calendar year consisted of 12 months of 30 days in each month so that there were 360 days in the Jewish calendar year. Thus, 1,260 days divided by 30 days in a month equals 42 months. And 1,260 days divided by 360 days in a year equals three and a half years. Thus, 1,260 days equals 42 months equals a time times and half a time or three and a half years. And again, we are going to be using a lot of numbers, but again, it's not a time because these numbers are being used to simply kind of zone out, but try to keep the concentration level up there because I think some very important principles are going to be gleaned as you consider what is taught in God's Word concerning these time periods today. When the Holy Spirit refers to a literal period of three and a half years, not a non-literal period, but a literal period of three and a half years, it is simply stated elsewhere in Scripture as three years and six months, and you'll find that to be the case in Luke 4.25 and James 5.17, the only other places in the scripture where that time period is expressed, three years and six months. In fact, whenever the Word of God expresses broken periods of time, that is so many years and so many months that are to be taken literally, it is stated as we find it in 2 Samuel 2.11 for example, where you find Again, broken periods of time in years and in months, 2 Samuel 2.11, as this, And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. We find another example of this broken period of time but again interpreted literally in Acts 18.11 Acts 18.11 in the following words and he continued there a year and six months teaching the Word of God among them that is Paul continued there a year and six months teaching the Word of God among them. Therefore, dear ones, when we read of a time period that is expressed as a time, times, and half a time, it clearly deviates from the ordinary way in which a three and a half year period of time is expressed in the Bible. It is like a flashing neon light that is intended to draw our attention to the fact that this uniquely stated time period is not to be interpreted literally. In fact, there are only three times that we find in all of scripture this wording, this expression, a time and times and half a time, or its equivalent. Daniel 7.25, Daniel 12.7, and Revelation 12.14. And this unique expression of a time, times, and half a time is found, interestingly, only in prophetic portions of scripture filled with various symbols. For example, in Daniel chapter 7, where in verse 25 occurs a time and times and the dividing of a time. There are symbolic beasts, symbolic horns, symbolic heads, and a symbolic little horn. And then when we turn to Revelation chapter 12, where in verse 14 occurs a time and times and half a time, there is there a symbolic woman that has a symbolic crown with 12 symbolic stars and is given two symbolic wings of a great eagle and flees into a symbolic wilderness and is pursued by a symbolic serpent. Thus in the midst of such prophetic symbolism I submit we also find non-literal time periods, not literal time periods, but non-literal time periods that are stated in a unique manner, different from how the Lord expresses literal time periods in other historic portions of God's Word. As for the time period expressed as 42 months in Revelation 11-2 and Revelation 13-5, this time period for three and a half years is only stated in these two places in all of Scripture in terms of 42 months in Revelation 11-2 and Revelation 13-5, never anywhere else. Thus it too is absolutely unique and unparalleled in scripture. The longest period of time expressed in terms of months in the Bible outside of Revelation 11-2 and Revelation 13-5 is 12 months and is only found in Esther 2-12 and Daniel 4-29. Once again this unique time period of 42 months is found only in symbolic portions of God's prophetic word. I submit when we see 42 months in this symbolic portion of God's word, we are being led by the Spirit of God away from a literal to a non-literal interpretation of that time period. As for the time period expressed as 1,203 score days that is 1,260 days in Revelation 11-2 and Revelation 12-6. This time period expressed as days, this extended time period expressed as days is also very unique in scripture and I submit we are being taught once again by the Spirit of God to interpret these days in a non-literal sense. Just as we find a time period in Daniel 12.11 of 1,290 days and a time period in Daniel 12.12 of 1,335 days. So when we come to time periods in symbolic portions of God's prophetic word we ought to consider a non literal use of those time periods as intended by the Holy Spirit, especially when those time periods are unique in comparison to how time periods in historical portions of God's Word are stated. Thus, the second problem for the Preterists in interpreting these time periods literally as 1,260 literal days as 42 literal months, or as three and a half literal years, is that they are so very unique in their expression and thus should not be interpreted literally, but rather non-literally. The third problem with interpreting these time periods literally in the Book of Revelation, though these time periods express the same length of time, for example, 1,260 days, 42 months, and three and a half years, though they express the same time periods and the same length of time, the Preterist does not apply them simultaneously to the same period of time. For example, The Preterist claims that the time period of the Roman siege around Jerusalem lasted 42 months, according to his erroneous interpretation of Revelation 11-2. And that the time period of persecution of Christians by Nero also lasted 42 months, according to his erroneous interpretation of Revelation 13-5. But that these time periods of 42 months do not simultaneously converge to cover the same 42 months. For the 42 months of Nero's persecution was from November 64 to June 68 AD while the 42 months of Rome's siege against Jerusalem was from the spring of 66 through September 70 A.D. In other words, the 42 months do not cover the precise same period of time contemporaneously. The persecution of Christians by Nero began in November 64 A.D. whereas the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans began in the spring of 66 A.D. a difference of approximately one and a half years. However, I submit the Holy Spirit is given the same time period of 42 months in the book of Revelation in reference to the downtrodden of the Holy City in Revelation 11-2 and in reference to the Beast's war with the Saints in Revelation 13-5 precisely because we are to understand that during the same period of 42 months These two sources of persecution are simultaneously, that is, at the same time, being exercised against Christ's Church. Just as the Holy City in Revelation 11-2, that is, the Church of Christ, is downtrodden for 42 months by the ecclesiastical beast and the man of sin, that is, the papacy, according to 2 Thessalonians 2, verses 3 and 4, who sits in the temple or Church of God showing himself that he is God. So likewise the civil beast in Revelation chapter 13 verses 5-7 wages war simultaneously against the saints of Christ during the same 42 month time period. The dragon as it were, the dragon that is Satan fires as it were a double barrel shotgun against the Church of Christ from the ecclesiastical beast and from the civil beast. Now this interpretation by the Preterists, I would submit, seems to be a case of Scripture being stretched to fit one's interpretation rather than one's interpretation being stretched to fit the Word of God. Thus, the third problem for the Preterists in interpreting these time periods, literally, as 1,260 days, 42 months, or three and a half years is that the Preterist does not apply prophesied events simultaneously to the same precise time periods of 42 months. The fourth problem with interpreting these time periods literally in the book of Revelation A fourth problem that the Preterist has with these time periods in the book of Revelation is that these time periods, 1,260 days, 42 months, and three and a half years, are fulfilled and realized after the unified Roman Empire is fragmented and divided by ten kingdoms. and not before that time as the Preterist claims. For the beast that makes war against the Saints in Revelation 13 7 and has authority given to him for 42 months in Revelation 13 5 is a beast you'll recall that has 10 horns. That is 10 kings, 10 kingdoms. that are already crowned according to Revelation 13.1 and have divided the unified Roman Empire into various kingdoms which occurred not before or during the time of Nero's reign but occurred hundreds of years after Nero's reign. And if you want to again consult the past sermon you might want to review sermon number 22 in the present series. whereas these ten horns, or kings or kingdoms, had not yet divided the unified Roman Empire and received power to rule when John penned the book of Revelation. We find actually, you recall in Revelation 17-12, that it says that these kings and kingdoms at the time that John wrote the Revelation had not yet received their kingdom, their power to rule, whereas in Revelation 13.1, at the time of the fulfillment of these future events concerning the beast and his making war with the saints, those ten kings are viewed as being crowned in Revelation 13.1. At the time of the fulfillment of these, they have received that. At the time of John, when he wrote, they had not received it in Revelation 17.12. And so these ten horns and kings and kingdoms did in fact divide and break up the unified Roman Empire and did receive power to rule in those kingdoms hundreds of years after Nero died and after the destruction of Jerusalem. Now although there is no historical evidence to which the Preterists can turn for the historical fulfillment of the Roman Empire being divided and broken by ten kingdoms prior to the death of Nero, which occurred in 68 AD, I submit there is much historical evidence to confirm that this prophesied division of the Roman Empire by ten barbarian kings or kingdoms began about 376 AD with the advance of the kingdom of the Visigoths and ten kingdoms had contributed to significant division within the Roman Empire by 538 AD, by which time three of the original ten kingdoms had fallen in fulfillment of Daniel 724. Thus the fourth problem for the Preterist in interpreting these time periods literally as 1,260 days, 42 months, or three and a half years, is that a literal interpretation of these time periods cannot be made to fit into a pre-70 A.D. time frame, because they relate to a period in history which according to Revelation 13.1, where the horns are crowned, and according to Revelation 17.12, where at the time that John wrote, they had not yet received their crowns, had not yet received their kingdoms. These were fulfilled hundreds of years after the death of Nero in 68 AD and after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The fifth problem with interpreting these time periods literally in the book of Revelation. A fifth and final problem that the Preterist has with these time periods in the book of Revelation is that these time periods of 1,260 days, 42 months, and three and a half years are interpreted literally by the Preterist, but then the Preterist inconsistently interprets other time periods that are found in the book of Revelation non-literally. We asked the Preterist for clarification as to why he interprets some time periods in the book of Revelation literally and others non-literally. Why, according to Preterists, is the 1260 days of Revelation 11.3 and Revelation 12.6 a literal time period, but the 10 days of Revelation 2.10 and the three and a half days of Revelation 11.9 a non-literal time period. Why, according to Preterists, is the three and a half years of Revelation 12.14 a literal time period while the three and a half days of Revelation 11.9 a non-literal time period? Now, I've not heard sound hermeneutical reasons, interpretive reasons for the arbitrary way in which the Preterist interprets the various time periods in the book of Revelation. While I don't agree with the futurist system of interpretation, futurists at least consistently interpret all the time periods literally in the book of Revelation just as historicism, which I believe to be the scriptural interpretive system, consistently interprets all the time periods in the book of Revelation non-literally. There's consistency at least, it might be said, with regard to Futurism, whereas that's not true with regard to Preterism. The Preterist, it seems, is inconsistent in his interpretation of time periods in the Book of Revelation, interpreting some time periods in the Book of Revelation literally and other time periods in the Book of Revelation non-literally. Thus the fifth and final problem for the Preterist in interpreting these time periods literally as 1,260 days, 42 months, or three and a half years, is his inconsistency in applying a literal interpretation to some time periods in the book of Revelation and a non-literal interpretation to other time periods in the book of Revelation, and yet does not give a sound hermeneutical reason for doing so. Let's move on now to our second main point, the solution to interpreting the time periods in the book of Revelation. I submit that the scriptural solution to accurately interpreting prophetic time periods like 1,260 days, 42 months, and three-and-a-half years in symbolic portions of God's prophetic word, as is the book of Revelation, is the day-year principle. The day-year principle basically means that Such time periods are to be understood in a non-literal sense by applying the principle that one prophetic day in scripture is equivalent to one literal calendar year in actual time. Such a principle is based upon sound scriptural warrant, I hope to demonstrate, Let us briefly consider the biblical warrant for the day-year principle. And what I present again is a summarized version. I think much more could be said, but this is said, I think, and is, I believe, sufficient to demonstrate the biblical and scriptural warrant for the day-year principle. First of all, turn with me to Numbers 14.34 in your Bibles. numbers 1434 where we read the following after the number of the days in which ye searched the land even forty days each day for a year shall ye bear your iniquities even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise." Here we find the Lord judging Israel based upon a day-year principle. The Israelites found themselves upon the borders of Canaan You'll recall spies had been sent out into the land where they explored Canaan for 40 days. In Numbers chapter 13 verse 1, 2, and verse 25. When they returned the faithless report of the 10 spies, that is the majority report, declared it was impossible for Israel to take the land. While the report of Joshua and Caleb, the minority report declared that all things are possible with God and that the God who cannot lie had in fact promised the land to Israel and he would keep and fulfill his promise to Israel. However, the people of Israel believed the majority report rather than the minority report. The Lord states he will send his judgment upon Israel by taking them back into the wilderness for 40 years. For the 40 days the spies went throughout the land they would spend 40 years in the wilderness. That is one year for one day. Carefully note the emphasis on the day-year principle in Numbers 1434. from a literal rendering of the Hebrew text. And that literal rendering of the Hebrew text is as follows. According to the number of the days which you spied out the land, 40 days, a day for the year, a day for the year, you shall bear your iniquities 40 years. Why is a day for the year repeated by God in the Hebrew text? Why does it occur twice? Well, I would submit it's repeated for emphasis so that this principle might be indelibly marked upon the minds of the Israelites and upon our minds as we read other portions of God's Word as it pertains to time periods. God Himself, I would submit, gives a very specific reason for the 40-year judgment upon Israel, a day for the year, and repeats it for emphasis so that later on in the scripture we might have the key, the interpretive key to unlock time periods found in prophetic portions of God's Word. Thus, it is God himself, not man, God himself that first uses the day-year principle. We turn to a second place in scripture, to Ezekiel 4, verses 4-6. Ezekiel chapter 4, verses 4-6. And there we read the following. Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. According to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it, thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days. so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 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." In this prophetic book of the Bible Ezekiel is commanded by God to act out in symbols stated time periods of sin that were perpetrated against the Lord by the northern kingdom of Israel and by the southern kingdom of Judah. Ezekiel is first commanded to lie on his left side for 390 days as exhibiting the sins of the northern kingdom of Israel in Ezekiel 4-5. Then after that is completed The Lord commands Ezekiel to lie on his right side for 40 days as exhibiting the sins of the southern kingdom of Judah in Ezekiel 4, 6. But what is significant is what God says the prophetic time periods of 390 days and 40 days mean in actual calendar time. in regard to the sins of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. God says in Ezekiel 4-6, I have appointed thee each day for a year. Literally, in the Hebrew text, I have appointed thee a day for the year, a day for the year. Now where have we heard that language? before. It's precisely the same language that was used in the Hebrew text back in Numbers 1434. Thus the 390 prophetic days equals 390 actual calendar years and the 40 prophetic days equals 40 actual calendar years according to God's own interpretation here in Ezekiel chapter 4 verses 4-6. And I would submit that both of these time periods provide the reasons why the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah incurred the judgment of God that fell upon them. The sin of the northern kingdom of Israel and the 390 year period of time would seem to have begun with the sin of Jeroboam in leading the revolt against Judah and in leading Israel into idolatry. It seems to be the very reason stated by God for the exile and captivity that the northern kingdom of Israel was brought into in 2nd Kings 17.22 The sin of Jeroboam seems to be that which is cited by the Lord himself. 2 Kings 17, 22 we read, For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did, they departed not from them, verse 23 says, until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria and to this day. And the sin of the southern kingdom of Judah and the 40 year period of time would seem to have begun with the sin or sins of King Manasseh in leading Judah into the grossest forms of idolatry. You remember how Manasseh extreme his idolatry was. He subsequently repented of those sins, that's true, at the end of his life. After he was taken into captivity and returned back, God graciously, upon his repentance, brought him back to Judah wherein he cleaned up all the idolatry and there was a great time of reformation. But for that approximately, it would appear, for a 40-year period of time, for a 40-year period of time in Hezekiah's life, of that extreme idolatry, Judah was punished and received the judgment of God. And again, that seems to be the reason cited by the Lord in 2 Kings 21 for their exile, for their deportation, for the captivity into which they were led. 2 Kings 21 verses 10-13 and we read there, and the Lord spake by his servants the prophets saying because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, that is, that which occurred by way of judgment upon Samaria, the northern capital of the northern kingdom, will be spread over Jerusalem and Judah, the southern kingdom and its capital. I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. Blessed dear ones, I submit it is God once again that uses and presents to us the interpretive key of the day-year principle rather than man. And then one last passage of scripture to consider Daniel 9 verse 24. Daniel 9 24, there we read, Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins. and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. One of the most significant prophecies in all of the Old Testament is based, I submit to you, upon the Day Year Principle, as we find it here in Daniel 9.24. Here in Daniel 9.24 we see that 70 prophetic weeks are determined for God's people Israel which would be 490 prophetic days if we multiply 70 weeks times 7 days per week. It should also be noted that the Hebrew word translated as weeks Shavuim is always used in the Old Testament to refer to a week of days, that is, a week consisting of seven days. Shavuim is used actually 20 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, four times in the singular and 16 times in the plural, but each time it refers to a week. consisting of seven days. Using once again the Day Year Principle, God would have us to understand that 490 prophetic days equals 490 actual calendar years. For as we look at this prophecy, this prophecy takes us not to a literal 490 days into the future but a prophetic 490 days which is equal a day to a year to 490 actual calendar years all the way to the time of Jesus Christ. This use of the day-year principle in Daniel 9.24 I submit to you it is especially important in interpreting prophetic time periods for example in the book of Revelation because a couple chapters earlier in Daniel 7.25 and later on in Daniel 12.7 is where we find for the first time the prophetic time period of a time, times, and half a time that is three and a half prophetic years which is later used in Revelation 12.14, which is, as we've already seen, the same time period as 42 months in Revelation 11.2 and Revelation 13.5, which is the same time period as 1,260 days in Revelation 11.3 and Revelation 12.6. Thus I submit that using the divinely inspired, not human inspired, but the divinely inspired day year principle found in Daniel 9.24 in reference to the 70 weeks of days or 490 prophetic days being equal to 490 actual calendar years Using that, we may likewise use the same divinely inspired day-year principle to interpret the time period of three and a half prophetic years in Daniel 7.25 and Daniel 12.7 to be equivalent to 1260 days or 1,260 actual calendar years. Early church fathers used the day-year principle, dear ones, to interpret the 70 weeks of Daniel, or 490 prophetic days, which mean 490 actual calendar years. Tertullian, who lived from about 160 to 220 AD, interpreted the first 69 weeks of Daniel, the first 69 prophetic weeks of Daniel, as giving the time period up to the first coming of Christ. He said, how then are we to show that Christ came within the 62 weeks? Now remember, in Daniel 9.25 and following, it has seven weeks and then 62 weeks, which together are 69 weeks. So when he refers to the 62 weeks, he's talking about the second period of time that's mentioned in Daniel 9.25. But by the end of the 62 weeks, or combining that with the 7, by the end of the 69 weeks, Tertullian says, how will we show that Christ came within that period of time. So he's implying we can demonstrate that Christ in his first coming came within the 69 weeks. He goes on to say, let us see then how the years are fulfilled up to the advent of Christ. So he's obviously not interpreting the 70 weeks or even 69 weeks in a literal sense, otherwise it would have been long past by the time Christ arrived. But he's extending an understanding that as prophetically 490 days which is equal to literally or actually 490 years. And again, that coming from Tertullian who lived very early on and was one of the earliest church fathers. And from that time on there are found various church fathers using the day-year principle to interpret time periods in the book of Daniel and in the book of Revelation. The day-year principle in fact became the classic historic interpretation of time periods. in the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation by most of the Protestant reformers in the first and second reformations. Interestingly enough, the counter-reformation efforts by the Roman Catholic Church, which in their counter-reformation, they argued for a literal interpretation of those 1,260 days, a literal interpretation of the 42 months and a literal interpretation of the three and a half years and so they fell back upon the literal interpretation of those time periods by futurists or by preterists because they did not want those time periods to be long so as to refer to and find fulfillment In reference to the Church of Rome, which the Protestants indicated that was what those time periods pointed to, long periods of time, to the Church of Rome and to the Papal Antichrist. When did this time period of 1,260 prophetic days or 1,260 actual calendar years begin that are referred to in the book of Revelation. Well, I've already given some indication in a previous sermon and I won't elaborate on that too much at this point as to when I would likely begin this time period of 1,260 years. It seems to me that when the ecclesiastical beast of the Church of Rome and its Pope Leo III joined hands with the civil beast of the revived Roman Empire under its revived eighth head, Emperor Charlemagne in 800 AD. The prophesied events found in Revelation 13 and Revelation 17 concerning this political ecclesiastical alliance took shape which subsequently issued forth in a concerted effort to trample underfoot the Church of Christ in Revelation 11-2 for 42 prophetic months or 1,260 actual calendar years using the divinely inspired day-year principle and also referred to that time in which the beast made war against the faithful witnesses of Christ in Revelation chapter 13 verses 5-7. Thus I submit that the time periods of 3.5 prophetic years, 42 prophetic months, and 1,260 prophetic days are not to be interpreted literally, but rather are to be interpreted non-literally according to the day-year principle which is the inspired key that God himself has given to us to unlock these prophetic time periods. In conclusion, dear ones, the prophetic time periods in scripture that we have been looking at remind us of a very, very important truth. That is, that God has ordained all our days. We do not live here upon the earth by chance from day to day but every event in history and every event in our lives and even the very number of our days have been ordained by the Lord. For we read from God's own Holy Word in Job chapter 14 verses four through five. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. You see, dear ones, we are taught by such truths to beseech the Lord to teach us to number our days that we might live wisely here upon the earth rather than foolishly. In Psalm 90 verse 12, for example, we are encouraged to beseech the Lord to teach us about the number of our days and the shortness of this life. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts into wisdom. We're to be taught to number our days because God has numbered our days. You know, so often at times we forget that the days we live here upon the earth are indeed numbered and that they are short. No matter how long we may live upon the earth, whether we live the lifetime of Methuselah, 969 years, or whether we live the lifetime of a stillborn child, it doesn't make any difference It will be considered short, a short period of time. He who lives the longest will say at the end of his life, where did time go? How did my days pass so quickly? I seem to have been here and then now I'm preparing for death. The strength, dear ones, that we feel today in our arms and in the tightness of our grip will pass away. And so will all our actual earthly possessions to which we cling and which we so tightly hold on to today. That grip will lessen. That grip will grow very weak until there is no grip left. upon the things of this world. We read again the psalmist in Psalm 39, verses four and five, where it is stated, Lord, make me to know mine end and the measure of my days, what it is that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as in hand breath, and mine age is as nothing before thee. Barely every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Therefore, dear ones, life of the Christian is not summed up in what he possesses of an earthly nature. Our life, dear ones, is not summed up in what we possess here upon the earth. But according to God's own word in Philippians 121, our life consists of Jesus Christ who cannot be taken from us. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. That's what life is for the Christian. While we live, We live for Christ, that He's our life. When we die, we die for Christ and we go to be with Christ for all eternity. If your life consists of even good things here upon the earth, whether family, whether many good benefits that God has provided for you, but if that's what life consists of, You'll always be afraid while you live because the possibility exists of you therefore losing the things that you consider to be your life. You'll worry, you'll fret, you'll fear because you can lose the things in this world. But when Christ is your life, you will not worry and fret and fear because he cannot be taken from you. What is it for you to live? What gives meaning and purpose to your life? If it's not Jesus Christ, then when you die, you'll leave your life behind here upon the earth. But if Christ is your life, you will be translated. You will be taken to glory to be with Christ your life. forever and ever. May Christ, dear ones, be our life and may we number our days. May we count out, as it were, out our days that God has numbered to us, that we might live righteously, godly, wisely in this generation. that we might glorify him and bring others to a saving knowledge of Christ and seek to extend the kingdom of Christ within our spheres of influence where the Lord has placed us. Amen. Let us stand in prayer. Our Heavenly Father teach us to number our days that we might, Lord, live them wisely into thy glory. But that assumes again that thou hast numbered our days and thou hast numbered every event, every day in this world thou hast numbered. And though, Lord, there is a numbering of these days, there is no numbering of thy days, There is no numbering of thy years because, O Lord, thou art from everlasting to everlasting. And so, Lord, we cast ourselves upon thee, the everlasting God, and upon thy promises. We pray, Father, that thou would forgive us of clinging so tightly to this life and to the things of this life that we can't let go, and that we fear and worry when the things of this life might be taken from us, whether loved ones or possessions, whether freedoms. Help us, our God, to understand and to embrace day by day as, Lord, the goal of our life, the purpose and that which gives meaning to our life, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. The Puritan Hard Drive and the free online Puritan Hard Drive videos are available at PuritanDownloads.com along with many other Puritan and Reformed books for as little as 99 cents each. Hello and welcome to this introductory video for the Puritan Hard Drive by Stillwaters Revival Books. You will soon see why the Puritan Hard Drive is a technological revolution in Puritan, Reformation, and Covenanter studies. For over 25 years, Stillwater's Revival Books has provided the worldwide Christian community with the finest in Puritan and Reformation resources, including classic and contemporary printed works, inspirational sermons, audio books, and videos. In recent years our collection of great Christian works has more than doubled, growing to a library that would occupy nearly 140 CDs. The Puritan hard drive is a tremendous library of over 12,500 Christian resources on an external hard drive that fits easily in your pocket or purse. It features the works of nearly 800 classic and contemporary authors including John Bunyan, Matthew Henry, Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Manton, Samuel Rutherford, and Charles Spurgeon. timeless works like the English Hexapla, Fox's Book of Martyrs, Sketches of the Covenanters, and from the Puritan Divines, the complete 34 volume set of the Puritan Fast Sermons. Many of these books are rare and classic titles unavailable anywhere else. Over 25 years in the making, the Puritan hard drive is simply the most extensive Christian collection ever released. The Puritan hard drive comprises more than 12,500 Puritan and Reformation resources, over half a million pages of great Christian books, more than 10,000 sermons and audio books in mp3 format, providing years of listening enjoyment, over 70 videos, All in all, a library of thousands of exceptional works accessible and affordable to everyone. Included on the Puritan hard drive is a custom search engine that makes it easy to find, browse, and organize the resources in your library. And much easier than trying to wade through a typical file directory on your computer. Connect the Puritan hard drive to any available USB port on your PC or Mac. The drive is self-contained, so there's no software to install or configure. Within moments, you can begin exploring the library by running the custom search interface. It's also a knowledge base with information about each work, including the author, title, description, keywords, and subject category. For you techies, this database contains over 15 million records of information. For all of us, that means we have an extremely powerful search and study tool. A list of all resources on the Puritan hard drive is available for viewing at any time. Here we see that the list of print materials contains over 2100 works. This view is ideal for browsing all documents or media files in alphabetical order, by title or by author. The list is rather long, so using the search function of the Knowledge Base is the easiest way to find resources of interest to you. For example, let's say that my pastor recommended a book by James Henley Thornwell. I can search the Knowledge Base by author by typing his name in this field, or by selecting it from the complete list of nearly 800 authors provided at the click of a button. Clicking the search button executes the search and immediately returns a list of all resources by this author. In this case, I've quickly found the book that was recommended to me. Clicking on the green icon opens the resource, allowing me to begin my reading. Further details about any resource can be found by clicking on the book cover icon, which opens the resource detail page. From here I can browse the details of this work, I can add and save my own notes about it, and open the resource for reading, listening, or viewing. Your search capabilities don't end there. The majority of the rare, classic works on the Puritan hard drive now contain an embedded index. This means that the actual text of these resources is now fully searchable for the first time in history. Enter a search term in Adobe Acrobat Reader. In this case, a search for the word scripture yields instant results. Having searchable text also makes it possible to highlight, copy, and paste the text into another document, such as a sermon, a lesson plan, or a school paper. Less time spent on research means more time for reading, studying, and appreciating the resources in your library. Just another reason why the Puritan hard drive is a technological revolution in Puritan, Reformation and Covenanter studies. Thank you for watching this introduction to the Puritan hard drive by Stillwaters Revival Books serving Christians worldwide for over 25 years. Join us in our other videos as we demonstrate even more features and functionality of the Puritan hard drive. For more information visit us on the web at PuritanDownloads.com Until then, be well, and God bless.