Forty-Two Months
The forty-two months are referenced in seven places in the books of Daniel and Revelation in the Bible (Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; 13:5). The phrases appear three times as a time, times, and half a time, twice as 42 months, and twice as 1,260 days.
The beast introduced in Revelation 13 and Daniel 7 is simply another name for the “antichrist,” which is the papacy. For more, check the following links:
In Revelation 13, the apostle John presents 11 points that identify the beast power (Revelation 13:1-10). One of the 11 points is:
“And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months”.
Revelation 13:5
If we consider the 30-day calendar used by the Jews, these periods are all the same duration of time:
3 1/2 years = 42 months = 1,260 days.
Interpretation of the 42 Months Prophecy
According to Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34, a prophetic day equals one literal year. Thus, the “Little Horn” of Daniel 7 (Antichrist) was to rule over the saints for 1,260 prophetic days or 1,260 literal years.
The rule of the papacy began in A.D. 538, when the last of the three opposing Arian kingdoms was uprooted or destroyed. The political rule of the papacy lasted until 1798 when Napoleon’s general, Berthier, took the pope captive with the goal of destroying both Pope Pius VI and the political secular power of the papacy.
The duration of the political rule of the papacy is an exact fulfillment of the 1,260-year or the forty-two months prophecy. The blow was a deadly wound for the papacy, but that wound began to heal to our present time.
Jesus, in Matthew 24:21, mentions this same period as the worst era of persecuting God’s people. And He adds that it was so deadly that not one person would have survived if God had not shortened it (verse 22).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
Disclaimer:
The contents of this article and website are not intended to be against any individual. There are many priests and faithful believers in Roman Catholicism. These who serve God to the best of their knowledge and are seen by God as His children. The information contained herein is directed only towards the Roman Catholic religio-political system which has reigned in varying degrees of power for nearly two millennia. This system has established an increasing number of doctrines and statements that directly go against the Bible.
It is our purpose to lay the clear Word of God before you, the truth-seeking reader. It is up to you to decide for yourself what is truth and what is error. If you find anything here contrary to the Bible, do not accept it. However, if you desire to seek for Truth as for hidden treasure, and find herein something of that quality and feel that the Holy Spirit is revealing Truth to you, please make all haste to accept it.
