The second half of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks Prophecy is represented in 1290 days (Daniel 12:11). This time period begins when “the daily sacrifice is taken away” giving placement to “the abomination that makes desolate.” Thus, taking the daily sacrifice away and placing the abomination that makes desolate in its stead is one complete event, and 1290 days after this event the 70 Weeks Prophecy would be fulfilled. This would also be the time, when the Old Covenant ended and the New Covenant would be fully established with the parousia (G3952) or coming of Jesus as the Messiah. It would also be the time of the resurrection of the dead and of the Great White Throne Judgment.[1] The Scripture says:
From the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in place, there are 1,290 days. (Daniel 12:11)
Most scholars interpret this verse to mean there are 1290 days between the events of removing the daily sacrifice and the setting up of the abomination that makes desolate, but this doesn’t make sense. Why would there be any interval between the two. The second replaces the first. That’s the whole point of removing the daily sacrifice. When Antiochus Epiphanies removed the daily sacrifice in BC 167, he immediately offered an abominable sacrifice in its place. The words: “from the time” can just as easily mean from the time of the occurrence of both events. Notice how the verse reads, if we place the subject of the sentence first:
“1290 days (‘shall be’ or ‘is’ or ‘remains’ – the verb is not in the Hebrew) from the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in its place.”
If we can agree that the Daily Sacrifice foreshadows Jesus, who is the Reality of the shadow (Colossians 2:16-17), then the Daily Sacrifice, vis-à-vis Jesus, was ‘taken away’ and the abomination that brought desolation (Caesar) was set up on the same day (cf. John 19:15). However, Jesus gave the Jews a season to repent (Revelation 2:20-21). This season is represented between the day of Jesus’ resurrection in AD 31 and the Day of Atonement 3 ½ years later in AD 34.[2] The Day of Atonement represented a day of national repentance. Nevertheless, with the death of Stephen on this date, the Jews were shown to be in rebellion, proclaiming Caesar, not Jesus, as their king. Since this season of repentance ended in unbelief, the 1290 days would be fulfilled later, inserting a “gap” if you will, between the 1260 days, and the 1290 days. This “gap” is understood as a season of judgment for the unbelief of the nation during Israel’s exodus out of Egypt. Originally, they were to be brought immediately into the Promised Land. Instead, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, because of their unbelief.
During the second exodus, while Jesus was bringing his people out of bondage (Galatians 4:24-26), there were those who didn’t believe. In fact, the nation, as a whole, rejected Jesus in favor of Caesar (John 19:15), and refused to repent, though they were given a season to do so (Acts 7:55-60; Revelation 2:20-21). Therefore, a “gap” of unbelief occurred between the time of Jesus’ crucifixion to the time of his second coming, when he promised to judge Jerusalem and the Temple (Matthew 26:64; cf. 24:30). Therefore, if these things I mentioned are logical, we must look for the fulfillment of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks Prophecy during the Jews’ war with Rome (AD 66-70). However, since Acts ends in AD 62, we must look for those dates in secular history.
Josephus mentions several dates of significance, but only two seem to fit Daniel’s prophecy without any obscurity, and there are exactly 1290 days between them. Consider that the Roman general Cestius first surrounded Jerusalem with his armies, then broke into the city, but for no good reason retreated.[3] This is remarkably similar to what Jesus predicted would take place in Luke 21:20-21.[4] The date of this occurrence was the 8th day of the 8th month in the year AD 66, only a few weeks after the beginning of the war.[5] Once more, if we can agree that Jesus is the ‘Reality’ of the Daily Sacrifice, and Jesus was ‘in’ the believers, then when the believers left, the Daily Sacrifice was removed from the city (cf. Revelation 18:4). Exactly 1290 days later, on the 7th day of the 2nd month in AD 70, the Roman general, Titus, in the name of his father Vespasian, Caesar and king of the kings of the earth, broke into the city of Jerusalem and camped there in the shadow of the Temple.[6] The city was taken and the northern wall was destroyed (Babylon had fallen – Revelation 14:8; 18:2-3). The Temple would be taken and destroyed only a few weeks later on the 10th day of the 5th month, which was the anniversary of the day it was burned by Nebuchadnezzar.[7]
Thus, the 1290 days were fulfilled with Jesus’ judgment of Jerusalem in the person of Titus (the prince that should come – Daniel 9:27). This represents the time of Jesus’ “Second Coming” (Matthew 24:30), the end of the Old Covenant (Hebrews 8:13; 9:15), the resurrection of the just and the unjust (Matthew 13:39-41; 24:31) and the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-13), and the coming of the Kingdom of God in its fullness (Revelation 21:1-3).
| Nisan | |
| Iyar | |
| Sivan | |
| Tammuz | |
| Av (Ab) | |
| Elul | |
| Tishrei | |
| Marcheshvan, the 8th day – Christians flee city | The Christians left on the 8th day |
| Kislev, the 7th day – AD 66 | 29 days |
| Tevet, the 7th day – AD 66 | 29 days + 30 days = 59 days |
| Shevat, the 7th day – AD 67 | 59 days +29 days = 88 days |
| Adar, the 7th day – AD 67 | 88days + 30 days = 118 days |
| Adar 2, the 7th day – AD 67 | 118 days + 29 days = 147 days |
| Nisan, the 7th day – AD 67 | 147 + 29 days = 176 days |
| Iyar, the 7th day – AD 67 | 176 days + 30 days = 206 days |
| Sivan, the 7th day – AD 67 | 206 days + 29 days = 235 days |
| Tammuz, the 7th day – AD 67 | 235 days + 30 days = 265 days |
| Av, the 7th day – AD 67 | 265 days + 29 days = 294 days |
| Elul, the 7th day – AD 67 | 294 days + 30 days = 324 days |
| Tishrei, the 7th day – AD 67 | 324 days + 29 days = 353 days |
| Marcheshvan, the 7th day – AD 67 | 353 days + 30 days = 383 days |
| Kislev, the 7th day – AD 67 | 383 days + 29 days = 412 says |
| Tevet, the 7th day – AD 67 | 412 days + 30 days = 442 days |
| Shevat, the 7th day – AD 68 | 442 days + 29 days = 471 days |
| Adar, the 7th day – AD 68 | 471 days + 30 days = 501 days |
| Adar 2 |
| Nisan, the 7th day – AD 68 | 501 days + 29 days = 530 days |
| Iyar, the 7th day – AD 68 | 530 days + 30 days = 560 days |
| Sivan, the 7th day – AD 68 | 560 days + 29 days = 589 days |
| Tammuz, the 7th day – AD 68 | 589 days + 30 days = 619 days |
| Av, the 7th day – AD 68 | 619 days + 29 days = 648 days |
| Elul, the 7th day – AD 68 | 648 days + 30 days = 678 days |
| Tishrei, the 7th day – AD 68 | 678 days + 29 days = 707 days |
| Marcheshvan, the 7th day – AD 68 | 707 days + 30 days = 737 days |
| Kislev, the 7th day – AD 68 | 737 days + 29 days = 766 days |
| Tevet, the 7th day – AD 68 | 766 days + 30 days = 796 days |
| Shevat, the 7th day – AD 69 | 796 days + 29 days = 825 days |
| Adar, the 7th day – AD 69 | 825 days + 30 days = 855 days |
| Adar 2, the 7th day – AD 69 | 855 days + 29 days = 884 days |
| Nisan, the 7th day – AD 69 | 884 days + 30 days = 914 days |
| Iyar, the 7th day – AD 69 | 914 days + 30 days = 944 days |
| Sivan, the 7th day – AD 69 | 944 days + 29 days = 973 days |
| Tammuz, the 7th day – AD 69 | 973 days + 30 days = 1003 days |
| Av, the 7th day – AD 69 | 1003 days + 29 days = 1032 days |
| Elul, the 7th day – AD 69 | 1032 days + 30 days = 1062 days |
| Tishrei, the 7th day – AD 69 | 1062 days + 29 days = 1091 days |
| Marcheshvan, the 7th day – AD 69 | 1091 days + 30 days = 1121 days |
| Kislev, the 7th day – AD 69 | 1121 days + 29 days = 1150 days |
| Tevet, the 7th day – AD 69 | 1150 days + 30 days = 1180 days |
| Shevat, the 7th day – AD 70 | 1180 days + 29 days = 1209 days |
| Adar, the 7th day – AD 70 | 1209 days + 30 days = 1239 days |
| Adar 2 |
| Nisan, the 7th day – 70 AD | 1239 days + 29 days = 1268 days |
| Iyar, the 7th day – 70 ADOn the 7th day of Iyar Titus tore down the walls of northern Jerusalem and set his camp inside the city. Jerusalem (Babylon) had fallen (Revelation 14:8; 18:2). | 1268 days + 22 days = 1290 days |
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[1] This study has been revised. I have come to realize that there is a ‘gap’ between the fulfillment of the 1260 days and the 1290 days. Without the ‘gap’ the Jewish nation would have repented. The ‘gap’ represents judgment for their unbelief.
[2] Had the Jews repented instead of killing Stephen, the 1290 days would have ended here, because there are exactly 1290 days between the day Jesus rose from the dead in AD 31 and the Day of Atonement in AD 34. Jesus would have returned, the Kingdom of God would have been established, the Old Covenant would have ended embracing the New Covenant, and the resurrection would have occurred on the Day of Atonement AD 34, **IF** the Jews, as a nation, repented and received Jesus as their Messiah.
[3] Josephus, Wars, 2.19.4, 7
[4] Josephus, Wars, 2.20.1.
[5] Josephus, Wars, 2.19.9.
[6] Josephus, Wars, 5.7.2-3.
[7] Josephus, Wars, 6.4.5
Smoodock's Blog 
26 responses to “The 1290 Days of the 70 Weeks Prophecy”
Jesus warned the scribes and pharisees that blasphemy against Messiah would be forgivable but blasphemy against the Holy Sprit would not be forgivable. The modern tendency is to incorrectly individualize and personalize this warning — e.g. “have I comitted the unpardonable sin?” — but the warning was to the nation of Israel (God’s covenant people at the time) with respect to the coming time when God would bring final judgement on the nation of Israel for rejecting the New Covenant. This interpretation fits with your excellent presentation regarding Stephen’s death marking Israel’s official rejection (blasphemy) of the Holy Spirit. Or to state it differently — “Israel’s official rejection of the New Covenant.
Bill, thanks for reading and for your excellent comment. To tell you the truth, I had been guilty of individualizing the warning too, but in a different way. Your understanding fits best, in my opinion. It was a warning for the nation, and not the individual. Excellent! I missed that. Thank you very much.
Thing is the Earliest Christian traditions all agreed Stephen was Stoned on December 26th.
Do you agree with everything that is termed “the earliest Christian traditions”?
What I have done here represents an effort to show the word of God is correct. Revelation 12 gives two 3 1/2 year periods when God’s people would be protected. The first 3 1/2 year period represents Jesus’ ministry, and he claimed in his prayer to the Father (John 17) that he had kept safe all whom the Father had given him. Acts 1-7 represents the second 3 1/2 period. Although there was persecution during this period, no believer was killed until Stephen. The text implies (if compared with Revelation 12) that Stephen didn’t die until 3 1/2 years after Jesus’ resurrection.
So far, Jared, you have denied everything I claim, but in your comments you offer no proof of your claims. I find that telling.
Lord bless you as you study his word.
Doctrinally no, but form my Christmas research I think they got dates pretty right.
The Woman in Revelation 12 is Israel, the Church is The Man-Child.