By Fransisco Msonge (MD), 2024.

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Indication of day-year principle
  • Principle Bible verses
  • The nature of symbolism
  • Conclusion

1. INTRODUCTION

The parallel between Daniel 2, 7, and 8 shows how the judgment in Daniel 7 leads to the second coming of Christ. We also see that the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8 was the only part of the vision not explained, and Gabriel came to Daniel in chapter 9 with that explanation, the 70-week prophecy, which was “cut off” from 2,300 days.

This 70-week prophecy, rooted in Jesus, formed the basis for the 2,300-day prophecy; it also provided the starting date for the 2,300 days, which brought that prophecy to 1844, a date that fits perfectly with what we were shown in Daniel 7 and 8. Thus, we have the essence of the 1844 prophecy, firmly rooted not only in massive world-historical empires but on Jesus Christ’s Calvary Cross.

When it comes to prophecy, we have some key biblical principles. One of the key principles to understand the prophecy in the book of Daniel (Daniel 7:25, 8:11-14,  9:24–27, 12:7, 11-12) and the book of Revelation (Rev 11:2-3, 12:6, 14, 13:5) is the principle of “one day to represent one year”. This principle is pivotal to the understanding of Bible prophecy. The day-year principle is a key and lock principle, the principle has its roots in the Bible; it is the God-given means for helping us interpret prophecy.

2. INDICATION OF A DAY-YEAR PRINCIPLE

The principle of “one day to represent one year” – application

  • It’s only applied to the biblical prophecies, whose fulfillment occurred outside the biblical era but before Jesus Christ’s second return.
  • Outside the biblical era means time after the first century (after 100 A.C.E.).

Once the day-year principle is applied, the time prophecies make more sense, fitting in much better with the scale of events in which they are depicted. Without the day-year principle application, the time prophecies in Daniel and Revelation would yield neither accurate predictions nor a correct understanding of events.

The 70-week time prophecy in Daniel 9:24 which takes us directly to the ministry of Christ proves the validity of the day-year principle. The long-range time prophecies in Daniel should help us to understand the meaning of patience as we wait for the promised things of God.

Contra-indication of a one-day-for a year-principle

  • It’s not used for prophecies that occurred and were fulfilled within the biblical era.
  • It’s not used for prophecies that will occur at or after Jesus Christ’s second return.

3. PRINCIPLE BIBLE VERSES

Principle bible verses

  • Day-year principle: Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4: 4-6.
  • Day-year principle: Genesis 29: 27, Psalms 77:5 and Isaiah 34:8.

1. Numbers 14:34 (KJV)

“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”.

The day-year principle appears frequently in Scripture. Numbers. 14:34 is a notable example of this principle, which describes how God pronounced that the children of Israel would remain in the wilderness for 40 years after the exodus from Egypt.

This was due to their lack of faith in the positive report of Joshua and Caleb, who spent 40 days spying in Canaan with the other 10 spies (Num. 13:1-33). By stating that, “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” (Num. 14:34), It should be noted that each year of wilderness wandering was based upon each day that the 12 spies spent in Canaan.

2. Ezekiel 4: 4-6 (KJV)

  • 4. 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.
  • 5. 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.
  • 6. 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 4:4-6 is another notable example of this principle, which describes how Ezekiel was told by God to lie on his left side for 390 days for the sins of Israel (Eze. 4:4-5) and on his right side for another 40 days for the sins of Judah (Eze. 4:6), thus totalling 430 days. By stating that, “I have appointed unto thee each day for a year” (Eze. 4:6), God equated these 430 days to 430 literal years. Although there are differing perspectives on when the 430 years took place, this passage clearly applies the year-day principle.

3. Genesis 29: 27

This principle is further confirmed through the practice of a Hebrew literary device called synonymous parallelism. This device identifies how a Bible writer can convey a specific idea with certain words and phrases, and then repeat the same idea in a parallel statement through the use of different words and phrases that have a synonymous relationship to the initial statement.

For example, in Genesis 29: 27. Laban requires an additional seven years of work in contract for Rachel`s hand in marriage to Jacob, Laban calls these seven years a week. This was after Jacob had served for seven years for Rachel-the younger daughter; instead, he was given Leah-the elder daughter Genesis 29: 26-27 (KJV) reads “And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years”.

4. Psalms 77: 5.

Other examples, David stated, “I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times” (Psalms. 77:5). In this passage, “days of old” and “years of ancient times” are parallel statements.

Scholars also have shown evidence for the link: between days and years in Hebrew poetry, where days are used in parallel to years, showing a semantic link between the two time periods: “Are thy days as the days of man? Are thy years as man’s days.” (Job 10:5) “Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.”(Job 32:7). “The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless”. (Job 15:20)

In each of these cases, days and years were saying basically the same thing; that is, they were different words used to convey the same idea. These parallels support and confirm the day-year principle; they also do show that in the Hebrew mind, days and years were linked.

5. Isaiah 34:8.

In another example, Isaiah stated, “For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of the recompenses for the controversy of Zion” (Isaiah. 34:8 KJV).

The parallel statements are “day of the Lord’s vengeance” and “year of the recompenses for the controversy of Zion.” Both of these examples show how “days” and “years” are used synonymously, and thus help to confirm the day-year principle in Scripture. “Days” and “years” and placed in a parallel relationship to each other, showing how they used to mean basically the same thing. This is known as “parallelism,” and it is common in Hebrew poetry.

4. THE NATURE OF SYMBOLISM

On the basis of a contextual study of Daniel 8 and 9, we need to note a few other factors: the nature of symbolic prophecy, the contextual flow in which the 70 weeks and 2,300 days are located, and the end-time nature of the 2,300-day prophecy. Classical prophets are predicted in terms of literal personages, actions, and times and they are fulfilled in those terms. Apocalyptic prophecy, on the other hand, generally makes greater use of symbols than is the case in classical prophecy.

Daniel and Revelation are known as apocalyptic prophecies because they deal with the conclusion of history in a cataclysmic manner and the establishment of God’s kingdom afterward. One important characteristic of apocalyptic prophecy is symbolism.

For example, Daniel 2 speaks of an image and a rock. As the interpretation itself shows, each of these symbolizes various kingdoms. Likewise, in Daniel 7 and 8, the beasts symbolize kingdoms, while the sea and the winds in Daniel 7:2 represent the conditions of the Mediterranean world out of which the kingdoms arose. The horns, the wings, and the little horn are symbolic of an earthly power. Thus, it is logical to conclude that the time periods mentioned in Daniel also are symbolic.

How else can we explain the supremacy of the little horn of Daniel 7 (papal Rome) that lasted “time, times, and half a time” (Dan. 7:25, 12:7) or “forty-two months” (Rev. 11:2, 13:5) or 1,260 days (Rev. 11:3, 12:6)? If they are literal, then papal Rome ruled for only three years and six months. Yet, this is not historically true. The little horn’s power is projected to the end time, something that is possible only if we accept and apply the day-year principle.

The day-year principle has the following supportive biblical factors.

  • 1. The empires of Daniel 2, 7, 8, and 12 last for long historic periods. So, the power of the little horn of Daniel 7 is said to be longer than any, reaching almost to the end time.
  • 2. Daniel 8:26 demands that the vision of the “evenings and mornings” (i.e., 2,300 days) is true but needs to be sealed up, “for it concerns the distant future.” This indicates that the time period is not literal days but prophetic years, projecting events to the distant future.
  • 3. Gabriel, in explaining the prophecy of 2,300 days, says 70 weeks (490 days) were cut off for the Jewish people. Cut off from what? Obviously from the 2,300 days; and both were to begin from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem in 457 B.C. If all these were to be true, then a literal period makes no sense, for the time period would not then be sufficient for all the events regarding the Messiah to take place (Dan 9:24-27). The rooting of Daniel 7–9 in the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus demands that the time period involved refer to years.
  • 4. Likewise, the truth concerning the sanctuary in the 2,300 days would make sense only if the period refers to years. Thus, biblical scholars throughout history have maintained that the year-day principle is key to interpreting apocalyptic prophecies. Those who deny this principle usually have a hidden theological agenda—to shift the interpretation of the little horn (papacy) to some other power than historicist interpreters have attributed.

We are to study the Bible both telescopically and microscopically to understand the prophecy in Daniel and Revelation. These two books have the present truth for our generation and are very important for our spiritual lives. When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart

5. CONCLUSION

When considering time prophecies and the application of the day-year principle in Scripture, there are examples that do not apply the day-year principle. These examples include:

  • 1. Israel’s 430-year captivity in Egypt (Exo. 12:40-41; Gal. 3:17)
  • 2. Judah’s 70-year captivity in Babylon (Jer. 25:11-12; 29:10; Dan. 9:2)
  • 3. Nebuchadnezzar’s seven-year exile, referred to as “seven times” (Dan. 4:16, 23, 25, 32)
  • 4. The 1000-year desolation of the earth (Rev. 20:1-6), which begins at Christ’s return.

Therefore, time prophecies that were fulfilled during the biblical era should be understood without applying the day-year principle, unless clear evidence suggests that this principle applies. If apocalyptic time prophecies extend beyond Bible times and describe events in salvation history during the post-biblical era prior to Christ’s return, they should be understood through an application of the day-year principle.

The one possible exception to this principle is the 70-weeks prophecy of Dan. 9:24-27. Yet, because (1) it forms the first 490 years of the 2300 years of Dan. 8:14; (2) it provides a starting point for the 2300 years (457 B.C.E); and (3) the 2300 years extend into the post-biblical era to A.C.E 1844, it seems appropriate that the 70 weeks should apply the year-day principle.

Properly understanding the day-year principle behind Bible prophecy will give you a vital tool in explaining the mysteries of the Scriptures. Those who understand simple mathematics and how time works will suddenly understand that these predictions aren’t mere fables but reliable guides to what has happened in history—and to what shall happen in the future. The year-day principle is firmly rooted in Scripture.

AMEN

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