The Historicist Interpretation with Solar Key Corrections
TRUTH CARRIERS EDUCATION SYSTEM
True History Series - Tier 1 (Adult Core)
This workbook presents the historicist interpretation of biblical prophecy—the view held unanimously by Protestant Reformers including Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and John Wesley. This approach views Daniel and Revelation as continuous "prewritten history" tracing events from ancient times through Messiah's return.
What You Will Learn:
Methodology: This workbook combines:
Audience: Adults and mature youth (16+) with interest in prophecy, history, and biblical interpretation
Study Time: 12-15 hours (10 comprehensive lessons)
| Term | Meaning/Significance |
|---|---|
| Historicism | Prophetic interpretation viewing Daniel/Revelation as continuous history from Babylon to Second Coming |
| Day-for-Year Principle | One prophetic day = one literal year (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6) |
| Solar Key | Conversion factor: 360 ÷ 365.25 = 0.98563 (prophetic years to solar years) |
| Little Horn (Daniel 7) | Power arising among 10 kingdoms, speaking blasphemy, persecuting saints (Reformers: Papacy) |
| 1260 Days/Time, Times, Half a Time | 3.5 prophetic years = 1260 days = 1260 literal years (538-1798 AD) |
| Abomination of Desolation | System replacing true worship with false (Daniel 11:31, 12:11, Matthew 24:15) |
| Futurism | Counter-Reformation view placing most prophecy in future 7-year tribulation |
| Preterism | View placing most prophecy in past (fulfilled by 70 AD or Antiochus IV) |
This workbook uses the 6 Rs Learning Method designed for deep understanding and long-term retention. Each lesson includes all six components:
Daniel 2 establishes the foundation for all biblical prophecy. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon dreamed of a great metallic image representing four successive world empires, followed by Yahuah's eternal kingdom.
| Body Part | Metal | Kingdom | Dates | Scripture Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Gold | BABYLON | 605-539 BC | Daniel 2:38 - "Thou art this head of gold" (explicit) |
| Chest & Arms | Silver | MEDO-PERSIA | 539-331 BC | Daniel 5:28, 8:20 - Named explicitly as "Medes and Persians" |
| Belly & Thighs | Bronze | GREECE | 331-146 BC | Daniel 8:21 - "The rough goat is the king of Grecia" (explicit) |
| Legs | Iron | ROME | 146 BC-476 AD | Church Fathers (Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Jerome) unanimous |
| Feet & Toes | Iron/Clay | DIVIDED EUROPE | 476 AD-Present | "Shall not cleave one to another" - no reunification |
BABYLON (605-539 BC): Explicitly named in Daniel 2:37-38. Nebuchadnezzar's empire was renowned for wealth and splendor (the "head of gold"). Conquered by Medo-Persia in 539 BC when Cyrus diverted the Euphrates River and entered Babylon through the riverbed gates.
MEDO-PERSIA (539-331 BC): Daniel 5:28 confirms: "Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." The two arms represent the dual Medo-Persian alliance. Daniel 8:20 explicitly identifies the ram with two horns as "the kings of Media and Persia." Conquered Greece at Gaugamela in 331 BC under Alexander the Great.
GREECE (331-146 BC): Daniel 8:21 explicitly states: "The rough goat is the king of Grecia." Alexander conquered the Persian Empire in just 10 years before dying at age 32. Greek soldiers were famous for bronze armor, matching the metallic symbolism. Rome conquered Greece at the Battle of Corinth in 146 BC.
ROME (146 BC - 476 AD): The description of iron "breaking in pieces and subduing all things" perfectly describes Roman military conquest. Early Church Fathers unanimously identified the fourth kingdom as Rome. The two legs may represent the division into Eastern (Byzantine) and Western Roman Empires in 395 AD.
DIVIDED EUROPE (476 AD - Present): The Western Roman Empire fragmented among barbarian tribes. Daniel 2:43 emphasizes: "They shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." Historically, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, the Habsburgs through marriage alliances—all attempts to reunite Europe have failed, precisely fulfilling this prophecy.
1. Why is it significant that Scripture explicitly names three of the four kingdoms (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece)?
2. How does the consistent failure of European reunification attempts (Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, EU) validate the historicist interpretation of Daniel 2?
3. Contrast the historicist view (we are currently living in the "feet" era) with the futurist view (most prophecy awaits a future 7-year tribulation). Which view better fits Daniel's "continuous timeline" from Babylon to the Second Coming?
1. The four metals in Nebuchadnezzar's dream represent:
○ A) Different types of worship
○ B) Four world empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome
○ C) Spiritual conditions
○ D) Future tribulation only
2. The historicist view teaches prophecy is:
○ A) All in the past
○ B) All in the future
○ C) Continuously fulfilled from Daniel to the Second Coming
○ D) Symbolic only
3. The iron mixed with clay represents:
○ A) A new empire
○ B) Divided Europe that won't unite
○ C) Church and state
○ D) Future technology
1. The futurist view was promoted by the Reformers.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
2. The stone that destroys the image represents the kingdom of Yahuah.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
Close this workbook. Write: The four empires and their metals. What the iron/clay mixture means. What the stone represents.
Explain Daniel 2's statue and its historicist interpretation to someone.
Person: Date:
Question:
Answer:
"And in the days of these kings shall the Elohim of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed..."
Write:
What I did:
Before we can unlock any prophetic timeline, we must understand that Scripture uses a 360-day year in its prophetic calculations, NOT the 365.25-day solar year we use today.
The flood account provides precise dates proving the 360-day calendar:
This is not an approximation. Scripture proves through its own recorded timeline that the prophetic calendar uses a precise 360-day year with 30-day months.
The 360-day year creates a perfect prophetic calendar because:
The second foundation is the day-for-year principle: one prophetic day equals one literal year. This is not interpretation—it is explicitly stated in Scripture twice.
Clear mathematical principle: 1 day = 1 year in prophetic judgment
Explicit command from Yahuah: "A day for each year"
When Daniel speaks of "2,300 days" (Daniel 8:14) or "1,290 days" (Daniel 12:11), we apply the day-for-year principle established in Numbers and Ezekiel:
1. Why is it important that the 360-day year and day-for-year principle are proven from Scripture itself, rather than being interpretive assumptions?
2. Some argue that "a day is just a day." How would you respond using Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6, where Yahuah Himself establishes the day-for-year principle?
1. A prophetic year has how many days?
○ A) 365
○ B) 360
○ C) 354
○ D) 400
2. The day-for-year principle is established in:
○ A) Genesis only
○ B) Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6
○ C) Matthew only
○ D) Revelation only
3. 1260 prophetic days equals how many solar years?
○ A) 1260
○ B) 1242
○ C) 1000
○ D) 500
1. The day-for-year principle is a human invention, not from Scripture.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
2. Genesis 7 uses 30-day months to total 150 days over 5 months.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
Close this workbook. Write: The 360-day year proof. The day-for-year principle scriptures. How to convert prophetic days to solar years.
Explain the day-for-year principle with biblical proof.
Person: Date:
Question/Answer:
"I have appointed thee each day for a year."
Write:
What I did:
We've established two foundational truths:
But here's the problem: We don't live by a 360-day calendar.
Our calendar (the Gregorian calendar) is based on Earth's actual orbit around the sun: 365.25 days per year. So when Scripture gives us a prophecy in "prophetic years" (360-day years), we need to convert that to "solar years" (365.25-day years) to match it against recorded history.
This is the Solar Key.
The math is beautifully simple:
Daniel 8:14 speaks of "2,300 days." Applying the day-for-year principle, this becomes 2,300 years. But are these prophetic years (360 days each) or solar years (365.25 days each)?
Answer: Prophetic years. So we must convert:
Over the span of 2,300 years, this "drift" amounts to approximately 33-34 years. This is why calculations that ignore the Solar Key will land on the wrong dates.
The Millerite movement (1830s-1840s) used the 2,300-day prophecy from Daniel 8:14. They calculated:
Their mistake: They counted 2,300 solar years instead of converting from prophetic years.
The corrected calculation:
The 69 weeks prophecy (Daniel 9:25) provides the perfect test of the Solar Key formula:
Daniel 9:25: "From the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks"
Calculation:
Historical fulfillment: Yahusha was crucified in 33 AD (spring, Passover).
The Solar Key works perfectly. This validates the entire methodology.
1. Why is it critical to use the same conversion factor (0.98563) consistently across ALL prophetic timelines, rather than adjusting it differently for each prophecy?
2. The 69 weeks prophecy is often called "the baseline" or "the proof" of the Solar Key. Explain why Yahusha's crucifixion in 33 AD validates the entire methodology.
1. The Solar Key conversion factor is:
○ A) 1.0
○ B) 0.98563
○ C) 0.75
○ D) 1.5
2. 69 weeks × 7 = how many prophetic days?
○ A) 69
○ B) 483
○ C) 1000
○ D) 2300
3. The 457 BC to 33 AD calculation proves:
○ A) Nothing specific
○ B) The Messiah's arrival and crucifixion was prophesied
○ C) A political event
○ D) Temple destruction
1. The Solar Key formula is 360-day prophetic × 0.98563 = solar years.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
2. Daniel 9's 69 weeks predicted Messiah's arrival to the year.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
Close this workbook. Write: The Solar Key formula. The 69 weeks calculation. Why 457 BC is the starting date.
Calculate Daniel 9:25's 69 weeks for someone using the Solar Key.
Person: Date:
Their reaction:
"From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks..."
Write:
What I did:
Daniel 7 covers the same four kingdoms as Daniel 2, but with additional details about the "little horn" power that arises among the ten divisions of Rome.
| Beast | Kingdom | Description | Key Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion with eagle's wings | BABYLON | Daniel 7:4 | Winged lions adorned Babylon's Ishtar Gate. Wings "plucked" = Nebuchadnezzar's humiliation (Daniel 4) |
| Bear raised on one side | MEDO-PERSIA | Daniel 7:5 | Raised side = Persia's dominance over Media. Three ribs = conquests of Lydia (546 BC), Babylon (539 BC), Egypt (525 BC) |
| Leopard with 4 wings, 4 heads | GREECE | Daniel 7:6 | 4 wings = Alexander's rapid conquest (10 years). 4 heads = empire divided among 4 generals after his death (Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy, Seleucus) |
| Dreadful beast, iron teeth, 10 horns | ROME | Daniel 7:7 | Too unique for natural animal description. 10 horns = 10 barbarian kingdoms that divided Western Rome after 476 AD |
After the fall of Western Rome in 476 AD, the empire fragmented among barbarian tribes. Various historicist lists include:
Daniel 7:8, 20-25 describes a power that would arise among the ten kingdoms:
| Characteristic (Daniel 7) | Historicist Application to Papacy |
|---|---|
| "Another horn, a little one, coming up among them" | Arose in Western Europe among the 10 kingdoms after 476 AD |
| "Three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots" | Heruli (493), Vandals (534), Ostrogoths (538/553) — all Arian kingdoms opposing papal supremacy |
| "Eyes like the eyes of a man" | Human wisdom, intelligence, cunning political maneuvering |
| "Mouth speaking pompous words" | Claims of divine prerogatives: "Most Holy Father," authority to forgive sins, papal infallibility |
| "Making war against the saints" | Medieval Inquisitions, Crusades against "heretics," Waldensian/Huguenot massacres |
| "Intend to change times and law" | Sabbath changed to Sunday, removal of 2nd commandment (graven images), changing "remember" to "observe" |
| "Saints given into his hand for time, times, half a time" | 1260 years of papal supremacy: 538-1798 AD |
| Kingdom | Date Destroyed | How Destroyed |
|---|---|---|
| Heruli | 493 AD | Theodoric the Ostrogoth overthrew Odoacer |
| Vandals | 534 AD | Byzantine General Belisarius defeated them under Emperor Justinian's orders |
| Ostrogoths | 538-553 AD | Belisarius lifted siege of Rome (March 538); final defeat 553 AD |
Key point: All three were Arian kingdoms that opposed Catholic orthodoxy. Their removal cleared the path for papal temporal power to function.
Daniel 7:25 states the saints would be "given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time."
This same period appears seven times in Scripture:
538 AD - Start Date:
1798 AD - End Date:
Catholic historian Joseph Rickaby wrote: "No wonder that half Europe thought Napoleon's veto would be obeyed, and that with the Pope the Papacy was dead."
Martin Luther: "We here are of the conviction that the Papacy is the seat of the true and real Antichrist."
John Calvin: Identified the Pope as the Antichrist predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2
Additional Reformers: John Knox, William Tyndale, Thomas Cranmer, John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, Isaac Newton—all held similar positions.
This identification was incorporated into the Smalcald Articles (1537), Westminster Confession (1646), and 1689 Baptist Confession.
1. Why did Protestant Reformers view identifying the Antichrist system as essential to the gospel? (Hint: Consider the issues of authority, Scripture access, and salvation by works vs. faith.)
2. The "little horn" would "intend to change times and law." Research the historical evidence for: (a) Sabbath changed to Sunday, (b) 2nd commandment removal/alteration in Catholic catechisms, (c) changing "remember the Sabbath" to "observe the Lord's Day."
3. Compare the historicist identification of the Papacy with the futurist view of a future individual Antichrist. Which view better fits Daniel 7's description of a SYSTEM arising "among" the ten kingdoms, ruling for 1,260 YEARS, and persecuting saints throughout the medieval period?
1. The Little Horn of Daniel 7 represents:
○ A) A single person
○ B) The Papal system arising among ten kingdoms
○ C) A future government
○ D) An ancient king
2. 538 AD + 1260 years =
○ A) 1798 AD
○ B) 1844 AD
○ C) 2000 AD
○ D) 1500 AD
3. The four beasts of Daniel 7 parallel:
○ A) Four apostles
○ B) The four metals of Daniel 2's statue
○ C) Future tribulation
○ D) Spiritual conditions
1. The Protestant Reformers unanimously identified the Papacy as the Little Horn.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
2. The 1260 years appears only once in Scripture.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
Close this workbook. Write: The four beasts and their empires. Who the Little Horn is. The 538-1798 AD timeline.
Explain Daniel 7's beasts and the Little Horn identification to someone.
Person: Date:
Reaction:
"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..."
Write:
What I did:
The time period of 1,260 days (or its equivalents) appears SEVEN times in Daniel and Revelation—more than any other prophetic time period. This repetition signals its critical importance. Using the day-for-year principle and the Solar Key, we can calculate its precise historical fulfillment.
| Reference | Expression | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 7:25 | "time, times, and half a time" | 1 + 2 + 0.5 = 3.5 prophetic years |
| Daniel 12:7 | "time, times, and half a time" | 3.5 × 360 = 1,260 days |
| Revelation 11:2 | "42 months" | 42 × 30 = 1,260 days |
| Revelation 11:3 | "1,260 days" | Direct statement |
| Revelation 12:6 | "1,260 days" | Direct statement |
| Revelation 12:14 | "time, times, and half a time" | 3.5 × 360 = 1,260 days |
| Revelation 13:5 | "42 months" | 42 × 30 = 1,260 days |
Step 1: 1,260 prophetic days ÷ 360 (prophetic year) = 3.5 prophetic years
Step 2: 3.5 × 360 = 1,260 prophetic days
Step 3: 1,260 × (365.2422 ÷ 360) = 1,260 × 1.01456 = 1,278.35 solar days
Converting to years: 1,278.35 ÷ 365.2422 = 3.50 solar years
OR using the year-day principle directly:
1,260 prophetic days = 1,260 literal years × Solar Key = 1,241 solar years
When applying the day-for-year principle to 1,260 days:
This workbook uses the Solar Key correction for maximum precision.
START: 538 AD - Justinian's decree establishing papal supremacy; Ostrogoths defeated
END: 1798 AD - Napoleon's General Berthier captures Pope Pius VI; "deadly wound"
Duration: 1798 - 538 = 1,260 years
Daniel 7:25 describes what the Little Horn would do during this period:
On February 15, 1798, French General Louis-Alexandre Berthier entered Rome and took Pope Pius VI prisoner. The Pope died in captivity in 1799. This ended the 1,260-year period of papal supremacy—the "deadly wound."
The wound heals: In 1929, the Lateran Treaty restored Vatican sovereignty, beginning the healing process that continues today.
1. How many times does the 1,260 days (or equivalent) appear in Daniel and Revelation?
○ A) 3 times ○ B) 5 times ○ C) 7 times ○ D) 10 times
2. What event in 538 AD began the 1,260 years?
○ A) Birth of Mohammed ○ B) Justinian's decree/Ostrogoths defeated ○ C) Fall of Rome ○ D) Council of Nicaea
3. According to Daniel 7:25, the Little Horn would "think to change" what?
○ A) Governments and kings ○ B) Times and laws ○ C) Languages and borders ○ D) Heaven and earth
Close this workbook. Write: The seven ways the 1,260 days is expressed. The 538-1798 AD timeline. What the Little Horn did during this period.
Explain to someone the 1,260 days prophecy and its historical fulfillment from 538-1798 AD.
Person: Date:
Their reaction:
"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."
Write:
What I did:
Traditional Adventist Calculation: 457 BC + 2,300 solar years = 1844 AD (INCORRECT - fails to convert prophetic to solar years)
Some Solar Key Proponents: 457 BC + 2,267 solar years = 1809 AD (closer, but still imprecise)
CORRECTED CALCULATION: 457 BC + 2,267 solar years = 1810-1811 AD
This workbook applies the user-corrected date of 1810-1811 throughout all calculations and analysis.
The 2,300-day prophecy is the longest time prophecy in Scripture, spanning over two millennia from ancient Persia to the 19th century.
Step 1: Identify the starting point
Daniel 9:25 connects to Daniel 8: "From the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem"
| Decree | Date | Reference | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyrus | 538/537 BC | Ezra 1:1-4 | Temple rebuilding only |
| Darius I | ~520 BC | Ezra 6:1-12 | Reaffirmed Cyrus' decree |
| Artaxerxes I (to Ezra) | 457 BC | Ezra 7:12-26 | Full autonomy, judicial authority, city restoration |
| Artaxerxes I (to Nehemiah) | 444 BC | Nehemiah 2:1-9 | Wall rebuilding specifically |
Selected: 457 BC (Artaxerxes' decree to Ezra - granted judicial/governmental autonomy, authority to enforce Mosaic law with death penalty - Ezra 7:25-26)
Step 2: Apply the day-for-year principle
2,300 prophetic days = 2,300 literal years
Step 3: Convert prophetic years to solar years
Step 4: Calculate the end date
Blake Carter's "Solar Key" book shows calculations landing on 1809 AD. However, careful recalculation reveals the proper endpoint is 1810-1811 AD. Possible reasons for the discrepancy:
1810:
1811:
Daniel 8:14 states: "Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Various historicist interpretations:
| Interpretation | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Truth Restored to People | Bible societies exploded 1809-1811; Scripture access restored after centuries of papal control |
| False System Exposed | Papal temporal power broken 1798; never fully recovered |
| Heavenly Sanctuary Ministry | Seventh-day Adventist view: Yahusha began final phase of intercessory work (Day of Atonement typology) |
| Prophetic Unsealing | Daniel 12:4 - "Seal the book until the time of the end; knowledge shall be increased" - fulfilled by explosion of prophetic study after 1798 |
Note: Scripture does not explicitly define "sanctuary cleansed" in this context. The mathematical convergence on 1810-1811 is undeniable; the precise fulfillment interpretation remains a matter of study.
1. Why is mathematical precision (1810-1811 vs. 1809) important in prophetic studies? Does a 1-2 year difference matter when dealing with millennia-spanning prophecies?
2. Compare the different interpretations of "sanctuary cleansed." Which view(s) best fit the historical evidence from 1810-1811? Can multiple interpretations coexist?
1. Using the Solar Key, 2300 prophetic days equals:
○ A) 2300 solar years
○ B) 2267 solar years
○ C) 1844 solar years
○ D) 1000 solar years
2. 457 BC + 2267 solar years =
○ A) 1844 AD
○ B) 1810-1811 AD
○ C) 1798 AD
○ D) 2000 AD
3. The "sanctuary cleansed" may refer to:
○ A) Physical temple only
○ B) Heavenly sanctuary, British & Foreign Bible Society, or papal temporal power end
○ C) Future event only
○ D) None of the above
1. The traditional 1844 date uses the Solar Key formula.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
2. The British & Foreign Bible Society was founded in 1804.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
Close this workbook. Write: The 2300 days calculation with Solar Key. Why 1810-1811 instead of 1844. Possible fulfillments.
Explain the corrected 2300 days calculation to someone.
Person: Date:
Reaction:
"Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."
Write:
What I did:
"And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days."
— Daniel 12:11-12
Daniel 12 contains two additional time prophecies that extend beyond the 1260 years: the 1290 days and the 1335 days. These prophecies have been understood by historicist interpreters to point to specific events in the papacy's rise and influence. Understanding these timelines helps complete the prophetic picture.
The "daily sacrifice" (Hebrew: tamiyd - "the continual") has been interpreted by Protestant scholars as referring to true worship being obscured. The key question is: When was this obscured and the "abomination that maketh desolate" set up?
Historicist scholars identify the starting point as 508 AD, when Clovis I, King of the Franks, was baptized into Catholicism and became the first Catholic king to militarily support the papacy against Arian nations. This began the political union of church and state that would define medieval Europe.
| Event | Date | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Clovis defeats Visigoths; France becomes papal champion | 508 AD | Start |
| Add 1290 years | 508 + 1290 | |
| Endpoint | 1798 AD | Papal captivity! |
Remarkable convergence: Both the 1260 years (538-1798) and the 1290 years (508-1798) end at the same point—Napoleon's general Berthier taking Pope Pius VI captive in 1798!
Daniel 12:12 promises a blessing for those who reach the 1335 days. Using the same starting point:
| Event | Date | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point (same as 1290) | 508 AD | Start |
| Add 1335 years | 508 + 1335 | |
| Endpoint | 1843-1844 AD | Great Awakening! |
The 1335 years points to the period of the Great Advent Awakening (1843-1844) when millions across the world were studying prophecy and expecting the return of the Messiah. Though the specific event expected (Yahusha's return) did not occur, the "blessing" was the worldwide revival of prophetic study and Scripture.
Applying the Solar Key (×0.98563) to convert prophetic to solar years:
1. Why might Yahuah provide multiple overlapping time prophecies (1260, 1290, 1335) that point to similar periods?
2. What does it mean to be "blessed" in the context of Daniel 12:12? How might this blessing have manifested in 1843-1844?
1. The 1290 days prophecy begins in:
○ A) 457 BC
○ B) 538 AD
○ C) 508 AD
○ D) 1798 AD
2. 508 AD + 1335 years equals:
○ A) 1798 AD
○ B) 1843-1844 AD
○ C) 1810 AD
○ D) 2000 AD
3. Clovis I was King of the:
○ A) Visigoths
○ B) Romans
○ C) Franks
○ D) Vandals
1. The 1290 and 1260 year prophecies both end in 1798.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
2. The Hebrew word "tamiyd" means "temporary sacrifice."
○ True ○ False — Correction:
Close this workbook. Write: The 1290 days calculation. The 1335 days calculation. What happened in 1843-1844.
Items I need to review:
Explain how the 1290 and 1335 day prophecies relate to each other and to the 1260 days.
Person: Date:
Question they asked:
"Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days."
Write from memory:
What I learned:
"And I will punish you seven times more for your sins."
— Leviticus 26:18 (also verses 21, 24, 28)
Leviticus 26 contains Yahuah's covenant promises and warnings to Israel. Four times He threatens "seven times" punishment for disobedience. Some historicist interpreters have understood this as a prophetic timeline—7 times × 360 days = 2520 prophetic years. This timeline appears to span from Israel's captivity to the modern restoration of the Jewish state.
The Assyrian captivity of the Northern Kingdom began circa 745-722 BC:
| Event | Date | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Assyrian captivity begins (Tiglath-Pileser) | ~745 BC | Start |
| Add 2520 years | -745 + 2520 | |
| Endpoint | 1775-1776 AD | American Revolution! |
Significance: Many believe the "lost ten tribes" of Israel migrated to Europe and eventually to America. The American Revolution in 1776 and its founding principles of liberty align with Israel's promised restoration.
Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 587-586 BC:
| Event | Date | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Jerusalem falls to Babylon | 587 BC | Start |
| Add 2520 years | -587 + 2520 | |
| Endpoint | 1933-1934 AD | Nazi persecution begins |
Using the end of Babylonian captivity (Cyrus's decree, 537 BC):
| Event | Date | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Cyrus's decree ends captivity | 537 BC | Start of "times of the Gentiles" |
| Add 2520 years | -537 + 2520 + 1 (no year 0) | |
| Endpoint | 1984 AD |
The most remarkable convergence uses the final Babylonian siege:
| Event | Date | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Nebuchadnezzar's final siege begins | 573 BC (approx.) | Start |
| Add 2520 years | -573 + 2520 | |
| Endpoint | 1947-1948 AD | Israel becomes a nation! |
November 29, 1947: UN Resolution 181 partitions Palestine
May 14, 1948: Israel declares independence
Applying the Solar Key (×0.98563) to convert prophetic to solar years:
1. How does the restoration of Israel in 1948 fulfill Ezekiel 37's "dry bones" prophecy? What prophetic significance do you see in this event?
2. Compare the timing of America's founding (1776) and Israel's rebirth (1948). Could both nations have prophetic roles in the end times?
1. Seven times × 360 days equals:
○ A) 1260 days
○ B) 2300 days
○ C) 2520 days
○ D) 1290 days
2. Israel declared independence in:
○ A) 1776
○ B) 1897
○ C) 1947
○ D) 1948
3. The First Zionist Congress was held in:
○ A) 1844
○ B) 1897
○ C) 1917
○ D) 1948
1. The Northern Kingdom was taken captive by Babylon.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
2. The 2520 years prophecy is based on Leviticus 26.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
Close this workbook. Write: How 2520 is calculated. The Northern Kingdom timeline. The Southern Kingdom timeline. What happened in 1947-1948.
Items I need to review:
Explain the 2520 years prophecy and how it connects to modern Israel to someone.
Person: Date:
Question they asked:
"And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins."
Write from memory:
What I learned:
"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of Elohim, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."
— Revelation 12:6
Revelation 12 and 13 contain some of the most significant prophetic imagery in Scripture. These chapters describe the woman (the true assembly of believers), the dragon (Satan working through Rome), and two beasts that would persecute the faithful. Historicist interpreters have identified these symbols with remarkable precision.
Revelation 12 contains TWO references to the same period:
This confirms the 538-1798 AD period when the true believers ("the woman") fled into the wilderness—remote areas, mountains, and hidden valleys—to escape papal persecution.
The Waldenses of the Italian Alps, the Albigenses of France, and other "heretical" groups fled to wilderness areas during the papal centuries. They preserved pure Scripture and Sabbath observance through centuries of persecution.
| Prophecy | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Rises from "sea" (peoples, nations) | Rome arose among populated nations |
| 7 heads, 10 horns (like dragon) | Same power as pagan Rome, now papal |
| Body of leopard, feet of bear, mouth of lion | Combines Greece, Medo-Persia, Babylon |
| "Power for 42 months" | 42 × 30 = 1260 days/years (538-1798) |
| "Blasphemous names" | Claims divine titles: "Holy Father," "Vicar of Christ" |
| "War with the saints" | Inquisitions, Crusades against "heretics" |
| "Deadly wound" that heals | 1798 captivity; 1929 Lateran Treaty restores power |
| Prophecy | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Rises from "earth" (unpopulated area) | Arises in New World wilderness |
| "Two horns like a lamb" | Appears Christian and gentle; civil/religious liberty |
| "Speaks as a dragon" | Eventually enforces worship |
| Causes all to worship first beast | Forces compliance with papal system |
| Creates "image to the beast" | Union of church and state mirroring Rome |
| Enforces "mark" in right hand/forehead | Actions and beliefs mandated |
Historicist identification: Many Protestant interpreters identified this as the United States—a nation that rose in the wilderness, appeared lamb-like with constitutional liberty, but is prophesied to eventually enforce religious conformity.
The "mark" represents allegiance to the beast's authority over Yahuah's authority. The primary conflict involves:
1. Why might the same 1260-year period appear seven times in Scripture (Daniel 7:25, 12:7; Revelation 11:2, 11:3, 12:6, 12:14, 13:5)? What does this emphasis tell us about its importance?
2. How might a nation that began with religious liberty eventually enforce religious conformity? What conditions would need to change?
1. The woman fled to the wilderness for:
○ A) 1290 days
○ B) 2300 days
○ C) 1260 days
○ D) 70 weeks
2. The Lateran Treaty was signed in:
○ A) 1798
○ B) 1844
○ C) 1929
○ D) 1948
3. The earth beast rises from:
○ A) The sea (populated nations)
○ B) The earth (wilderness/unpopulated)
○ C) The sky
○ D) Babylon
1. The sea beast has ten crowns on its heads.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
2. The 42 months equals exactly 1260 days using 30-day months.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
Close this workbook. Write: What the woman represents. The sea beast's identifying marks. The earth beast's characteristics. What the deadly wound and healing represent.
Items I need to review:
Explain the two beasts of Revelation 13 and their prophetic fulfillment to someone.
Person: Date:
Question they asked:
"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."
Write from memory:
What I learned:
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts."
— 2 Peter 1:19
Throughout this workbook, we have examined individual prophetic timelines. In this final lesson, we integrate all timelines into a comprehensive picture and examine the testimony of the Protestant Reformers who originally developed the historicist interpretation. Their unanimous identification of the antichrist system is a powerful witness.
| Prophecy | Start | Calculation | End | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 Weeks (483 yrs) | 457 BC | +483 | 27 AD | Yahusha's baptism |
| 70 Weeks (490 yrs) | 457 BC | +490 | 34 AD | Gospel to Gentiles |
| 1260 Years | 538 AD | +1260 | 1798 AD | Papal supremacy ends |
| 1290 Years | 508 AD | +1290 | 1798 AD | Papal captivity |
| 1335 Years | 508 AD | +1335 | 1843-44 AD | Great Awakening |
| 2300 Days (Solar) | 457 BC | +2267 | 1810-11 AD | Bible Society founded |
| 2520 Years (N. Kingdom) | ~745 BC | +2520 | 1775-76 AD | American Revolution |
| 2520 Years (S. Kingdom) | ~573 BC | +2520 | 1947-48 AD | Israel reborn |
The historicist interpretation was not invented in modern times. Every major Protestant Reformer identified the papal system as the antichrist of Scripture:
"We here are of the conviction that the papacy is the seat of the true and real Antichrist... personally I declare that I owe the Pope no other obedience than that to Antichrist."
— Luther's Works, Vol. 47, p. 154
"Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Roman pontiff Antichrist. But those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself, after whom we speak and whose language we adopt."
— Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4, Chapter 7
"That tyranny which the pope himself has for so many ages exercised over the church... [is] the very antichrist and son of perdition of whom Paul speaks."
— The Zurich Letters, p. 199
"The pope is antichrist, and has himself up in the hearts of men above all that is called God."
— Exposition of 1 John 4
"He is in an emphatical sense, the Man of Sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure. And he is, too, properly styled the Son of Perdition, as he has caused the death of numberless multitudes, both of his opposers and followers... He it is... that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped... claiming the highest power, and highest honour... claiming the prerogatives which belong to God alone."
— Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament (1755)
"The Pope is the pretended Vicar of Christ on earth, and the head of the Church. But it is evident that he is Anti-christ."
Why don't most Protestant churches teach this today?
1. Why do you think the historicist interpretation has been largely abandoned by mainstream Protestantism? What are the implications of this shift?
2. How does understanding prophetic timelines strengthen your faith? How might you share this knowledge with others?
1. Which of the following did NOT identify the papacy as antichrist?
○ A) Martin Luther
○ B) John Calvin
○ C) John Darby (Dispensationalist)
○ D) John Wesley
2. The Counter-Reformation introduced which interpretation(s)?
○ A) Historicism
○ B) Preterism and Futurism
○ C) Day-Year Principle
○ D) Solar Key Formula
3. The 1260 years prophecy appears how many times in Scripture?
○ A) 3 times
○ B) 5 times
○ C) 7 times
○ D) 10 times
1. John Wesley taught that the Pope was the "Man of Sin" from 2 Thessalonians 2.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
2. Dispensationalism was developed by the Protestant Reformers.
○ True ○ False — Correction:
Close this workbook. Write: Five Reformers and their statements on the antichrist. The three prophetic interpretation methods. Why historicism declined.
Items I need to review:
Explain the historicist interpretation and the Reformers' testimony to someone.
Person: Date:
Question they asked:
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place."
Write from memory:
What I did:
Instructions: After completing each lesson, return to review it at these intervals for maximum long-term retention.
| Lesson | Completed | Day 1 | Day 3 | Day 7 | Day 21 | Day 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Four World Empires | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 2. 360-Day Calendar & Day-Year | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 3. Solar Key Formula | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 4. Daniel 7 & Little Horn | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 5. 1260 Days/Years Prophecy | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 6. Daniel 8 - 2300 Days | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 7. Daniel 12 - 1290 & 1335 Days | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 8. The 2520 Years & Israel Reborn | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 9. Revelation 12-13 - Two Beasts | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| 10. Timeline Integration & Reformers | ___/___/___ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Studies show that reviewing material at increasing intervals dramatically improves long-term retention. Without review, we forget 80% within a month. With spaced review, retention can exceed 90%.
"Precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." — Isaiah 28:10