Day-year principle

The day-year principle, year-day principle or year-for-a-day principle is a method of interpretation of Bible prophecy in which the word day in apocalyptic prophecy is symbolic for a year of actual time. It is used principally by the historicist school of prophetic interpretation.^[1] This view is held by groups such as Baha'is, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Jehovah's Witnesses today.

History

Application to three-and-a-half-days

The day-year principle was first used in Christian exposition in 380 AD by Tychonius, who interpreted the three and a half days of Revelation 11:9 as three and a half years, writing 'three days and a half; that is, three years and six months' ('dies tres et dimidium; id est annos tres et menses sex').^[2] In the 5th century Faustus of Riez gave the same interpretation of Revelation 11:9, writing 'three and a half days which correspond to three years and six months' ('Tres et dimidius dies tribus annis et sex mensibus respondent),^[3] and in c. 550 Primasius also gave the same interpretation, writing 'it is possible to understand the three days and a half as three years and six months' ('Tres dies et dimidium possumus intelligere tres annos et sex menses'.^[3] The same interpretation of Revelation 11:9 was given by the later Christian expositors Bede (730 AD), as well as Anspert, Arethas, Haymo, and Berengaud (all of the ninth century).^[3]

Primasius appears to have been the first to appeal directly to previous Biblical passages in order to substantiate the principle, referring to Numbers 14:34 in support of his interpretation of the three and a half days of Revelation 11:9.^[4] Haymo and Bruno Astensis "justify it by the parallel case of Ezekiel lying on his side 390 days, to signify 390 years ; — i. e. a day for a year. — ".^[5]

1260 day period

Historicists usually believe the "1,260 days" spanned the Middle Ages and concluded within the early modern or modern era. Although many dates have been proposed for the start and finish of the "1,260 days", three time spans have proven popular according to a survey by Leroy Froom. The majority of historicists throughout history have identified the "1,260 days" as being fulfilled by one or more of the following three time spans:^[6]

• 312 AD to 1572
• 606 AD to 1870^[7]
• 538 AD to 1798^[8]

Biblical basis

Proponents of the principle, such as the Seventh-day Adventists, claim that it has three primary precedents in Scripture:^[9]

1. Numbers 14:34. The Israelites will wander for 40 years in the wilderness, one year for every day spent by the spies in Canaan.
2. Ezekiel 4:5-6. The prophet Ezekiel is commanded to lie on his left side for 390 days, followed by his right side for 40 days, to symbolize the equivalent number of years of punishment on Israel and Judah respectively.
3. Daniel 9:24-27. This is known as the Prophecy of Seventy Weeks. The majority of scholars do understand the passage to refer to 70 "sevens" or "septets" of years—that is, a total of 490 years. However, many non-historicist scholars do not see the day-year principle as being necessary for this interpretation, as "septet" is not the ordinary Hebrew word for the time period "week".

There is also a fourth held by some. Luke 13:32 Some say Jesus uses the day for a year principle in these verses. He said 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' Jesus did not say this 3 days before the crucifixion, but earlier. Therefore, the days here can only mean years. The first, second and third year Jesus was going to continue his ministry and on the same third year he was going to be perfected (i.e.: crucified).

Jon Paulien has defended the principle from a systematic theology perspective, not strictly just from the Bible.^[10]

Applications

Three and a half day prophecy

Historicist and futurist interpreters typically understand the 'three and a half days' of Revelation 11:9 as three and a half years.

The Millerites, like the earlier Bible students of the Reformation and post-Reformation eras, were historicists and the immediate spiritual forebears of Seventh-day Adventists.^[11] Seventh-day Adventists use the historicist method of interpretation^[12] and understand the 'three and a half days' is further reinforced as a "time, times, and half-a-time, (TIME=1 year/360 days, TIMES=2 years/720 days, HALF-TIME=½-year/180 days, or a total of 1260 days) and correspond to three and a half years, and these years correspond to 1260 days, which, after again applying the day-year principle, corresponds to 1260 years. Adventists hold that the expressions “time, times, and half a time” (Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 12:14), “forty-two months” (Rev. 11:2; 13:5), and “one thousand two hundred and sixty days” (Rev. 11:3; 12:6) all apply to the same time period.^[13] Adventists have traditionally understood it to apply to the vast middle period of 1260 years of papal supremacy in the Middle Ages,^[14] and ending during the era of the French Revolution.^[15]

1260 day prophecy

Historicist interpreters have usually understood the "time, times and half a time", "1,260 days" and "42 months" mentioned in Daniel and Revelation to be references to represent a period of 1260 years.^[16] These time periods occur seven times in scripture, in Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7, Revelation 11:2, Revelation 11:3, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 12:14 and Revelation 13:5.

Seventh-day Adventists understand them to have taken place during the period from AD 538 to 1798 which they believe to be the “1260 days”, “42 months” or “time, times and dividing of time” of apocalyptic prophecy given in scripture. In Adventist thought, the 1260 days were a time of papal supremacy and oppression as prophesied in Revelation 12:6, 14-16.^[17][18] This period began with the defeat of the Ostrogoths by the general Belisarius and ended with the successes of Napoleon of France; specifically, the capture of Pope Pius VI by general Louis Alexandre Berthier in 1798.

Timeline of Three and a half year (42 month) prophecy in traditional Seventh-day Adventist teaching.

2300 day prophecy

Beginning of the 70 Weeks: The decree of Araxerses in the 7th year of his reign (457 BC) as recorded in Ezra marks beginning of 70 weeks. King reigns were counted from New Year to New Year following an 'Accession Year'. The Persian New Year began in Nisan (March–April). The Jewish civil New Year began in Tishri (September–October).

Seventh-day Adventist and Baha'i interpretation of the 2300 day prophecy time line and its relation ot the 70 week prophecy

The distinctly Seventh-day Adventist doctrine of the divine investigative judgment beginning in 1844, based on the 2300 day prophecy of Daniel 8:14, relies on the day-year principle. The 2300 days are understood to represent 2300 years stretching from 457 BC, the calculated starting date of the 70 weeks prophecy based on the 3rd decree found in Ezra, to 1844.^[19][20] The prophecy of 2300 days in Verse 14 plays an important role in Seventh-day Adventist eschatology. The Seventh-day Adventist Church traces its origins to the William Miller, who predicted that the second coming of Jesus would occur in 1844 by assuming that the cleansing of the Sanctuary of Daniel 8:14 meant the destruction of the earth and applying the day-year principle. The 2300 days are interpreted as 2300 years, starting at the same time as the Prophecy of Seventy Weeks found in Chapter 9, on the grounds that the 70 weeks were "decreed" (actually "cut off") for the Jewish people from the 2300-day prophecy. This beginning year is calculated to be 457 BC (see details here), so that the end of the 2300 years would have been in 1844. Although the Millerites originally thought that 1844 represented the end of the world, those who later became Seventh-day Adventist reached the conclusion that 1844 marked the beginning of a divine pre-advent judgment called "the cleansing of the sanctuary". It is intimately related to the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and was described by the church's prophet and pioneer Ellen G. White as one of the pillars of Adventist belief.^[21][22]

Baha'is

Baha'is believe that the 1260-day prophecy points to the year 1260 of the migration of Muhammad and his followers,^[23] which corresponds to the year 1844 AD, the year the Báb pronounced himself to be a Messenger of God (see also below).

`Abdu'l-Bahá in the book, Some Answered Questions, outlines a similar calculation as stated above. By applying the day-year principle, he demonstrates that the fulfillment of the vision of Daniel occurred in the year 1844, which is the year of the Báb's manifestation.^[24] However the prophecy states "For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed." (Daniel 8:14)

Interpretation and criticism

Ex-Adventist Desmond Ford challenges the use of the day-year principle in his critique of the investigative judgment doctrine.^[25]

A wise man changes his mind sometimes, but a fool never. To change your mind is the best evidence you have one. The last redoubt holding out for me was the year-day principle (on which I had written a defense in 1972 for the Southern Publishing Association Daniel volume which was published in 1978). This collapsed when I handled hundreds of books of commentary on Revelation in the Library of Congress stacks and found that the respective authors had in many cases suggested dates that seemed appropriate for their own time but ridiculous later. It became clear that we, as Adventists, had done the same as our predecessors. So when I gave the Forum meeting at Pacific Union College all the problems I had been fighting tumbled out, my rearguard action was over.

— Desmond Ford^[26]

See also

• Abomination of Desolation
• Bible prophecy
• Historicism - The school of prophetic interpretation which uses the day-year principle.
• Summary of Christian eschatological differences
• Investigative judgment
• Daniel's Vision of Chapter 7
• Daniel's Vision of Chapter 8
• Premillennialism
• Prewrath
• Prophetic Year
• Post Tribulation Rapture
• Prophecy of Seventy Weeks
• Rapture
• Seventh-day Adventist eschatology
• The Two Witnesses

References

1. ^ Jerry Moon. "The Year-Day Principle". SDAnet. http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/end/yearday.htm. 
2. ^ EB Elliott, 'Horae Apocalypticae', volume III, page 279, fifth edition, 1862
3. ^ ^{a b c} EB Elliott, 'Horae Apocalypticae', volume III, page 280, fifth edition, 1862
4. ^ 'More Scripturae loquentis utentes, quod dictium legius de quadraginta diebus quibus exploratores terram Channan circuierunt, anus pro die reputabitur; ut hic, versa vice, dies pro anno positus agnoscatur', Prismasius as cited by EB Elliott, 'Horae Apocalypticae', volume III, page 280, fifth edition, 1862
5. ^ EB Elliott, 'Horae Apocalypticae', volume III, page 281, fifth edition, 1862
6. ^ Leroy Edwin Froom, The Prophetic Faith Of Our Fathers, volume II (1948) pages 784, 787; volume III (1946) pages 744-745; volume IV (1982) pages 392, 395-397, 399-400
7. ^ Edward Bishop Elliott in his four-volume Horae Apocalypticae regarded the prophetic periods as representing the same temporal period, 606 - 1866CE. His view of the symbolic nature of the day-year principle was similar to the 'man as microcosm' argument; that a day in the life of a man could be likened to a year in the life of the wider world. Among his illustrations for this were Ezekiel 16 where the youth of a woman is likened to the growing in maturity of the Jewish people. (see Edward Bishop Elliott Horae Apocalypticae London: Seeley, Jackson & Halliday 5th ed (1862) Vol 3 p. 263) Similarly, the sabbath as a day for the individual is mirrored in the seventh fallow year of an agrarian society. Likewise, Ezekiel 4:1-7 where the prophet lies prostrate for a number of days to mirror the number of years of iniquity of Judah and Israel. "I have appointed thee each day for a year." He says another interesting, if problematic, illustration is Isaiah 20:2-3 where Isaiah appears to walk naked for three years. Elliott suggests that his prophetic act would have lasted three days as a sign of what the Assyrians would accomplish three years thence.
8. ^ The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4 (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1955), p. 880. "A time, times, and an half. That is, the 1260-year period, A.D. 538-1798, which is first introduced in ch. 7:25."
9. ^ Seventh-day Adventists Believe - An Exposition of the Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 2nd edition. Ministerial Association, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. 2005. pp. 48. 
10. ^ Jon Paulien, "A New Look at the Year-Day Principle", talk at the 2008 Evangelical Theological Society meetings
11. ^ http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents.htm#prophecy, What Prophecy Means to This Church, Frank B. Holbrook, Ministry, July 1983
12. ^ http://biblicalresearch.gc.adventist.org/Biblequestions/prophecypastfuture.htm
13. ^ The Year-Day Principle Gerhard Pfandl, BRI, page 1
14. ^ http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents.htm#prophecy The 1260 Days in the Book of Revelation, page 1
15. ^ Seventh-day Adventists Writers on the 1260 Days Historicist Commentators, page 2
16. ^ Seventh-day Adventists Believe (2nd ed). Ministerial Association, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. 2005. pp. 184–185. ISBN 1-57847-041-2. 
17. ^ The Great Controversy by Ellen White, p266. "Chap. 15 - The Bible and the French Revolution"
18. ^ Seventh-day Adventists Believe (2nd ed). Ministerial Association, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. 2005. pp. 184–185. ISBN 1-57847-041-2. 
19. ^ Seventh-day Adventists Believe (2nd ed). Ministerial Association, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. 2005. pp. 358–359. ISBN 1-57847-041-2. 
20. ^ William Shea, "Supplementary Evidence in Support of 457 B.C. as the Starting Date for the 2300 Day-Years of Daniel 8:14PDF". Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 12:1 (Spring 2001), p89–96
21. ^ White, E.G., "Counsels to Writers and Editors," pp. 30, 31 (Old Landmarks)
22. ^ Venden, Morris, 1982, "The Pillars", Pacific Press, p. 13-15
23. ^ Some Answered Questions. US Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1990. pp. 46. 
24. ^ Some Answered Questions. US Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1990. pp. 42. 
25. ^ "Desmond Ford on His Previous Defense of the Year Day Principle", Adventist Today, 2006
26. ^ "Desmond Ford on His Previous Defense of the Year Day Principle", Adventist Today, 2006

Further reading

Supportive:

• William H. Shea, "Year-Day Principle – Part 1" (p67–104) and Part 2 (p105–110) in Selected Studies in Prophetic Interpretation; Daniel and Revelation Committee Series, vol 1. Maryland: Biblical Research Institute/Review and Herald, rev edn, 1982. Part 1 has been called "arguably the [Adventist] church’s best scholarly defense of the day-year principle."[1]
• Desmond Ford, Daniel appendix (note the author has since changed his position – see below)

Undetermined:

• Kai Arasola, The End of Historicism (PhD thesis). This is a history, which includes the decline of use of the day-year principle

External links

• Jerry Moon, "The Year-Day Principle and the 2300 Days"
• Right On Time Prophetic Appointments Revealed