There are many people who are confused about the proof for a literal end-times 7 year period. Martin Luther laid down the correct hermeneutics methodology for viewing scriptures hundreds of years ago, and all seminaries teach the process. We first view any scripture at face value, with a literal exegesis (explanation). This method applies to all scripture, including prophecies. In doing this, we recognize there are often figurative symbols embedded within a literal storyline of prophecy. The error common among many, is to view all prophecy as figurative or symbolic, which robs the reader of any sensible meaning. It also leads to heresies and gnostic interpretations. Proposal: The Bible teaches a literal 7 year end-times period that is apparent to any person who takes the time to connect the dots. First, let me outline the 7 year period in a synopsis for you, and then you can clearly see it as each piece of evidence is added. The seven year end-times period begins with the peace treaty of prophecy (called the covenant with death). The peace treaty will be between Israel and the surrounding nations, brokered by international powers. Israel will give away land in exchange for an internationally guaranteed peace. Half of Jerusalem will be given away. In exchange, Israel will be given half of the Temple Mount on which to build a Temple, unobstructed by Moslems. The evidence is that a wall will be built just north of the Dome of the Rock, separating the Temple Mount into a Jewish section and a Moslem section. In the middle of the end-times 7 year period, a person called the beast (antichrist) will forcibly stop the literal sacrifices and grain offerings taking place at the Jewish Temple. He will falsely declare himself to be God on earth and demand worship. This is the abomination of desolation. At the end of the 7-year period, Yeshua (Jesus) will return to reign on the earth with the armies of heaven. He will subdue all armies and governments. He will touch down on the Mount of Olives, cross the Kidron Valley, and enter the Temple Mount through the now-closed Eastern Gate. He will enter the Jewish Temple and take His seat. All eyes will see Him, it will not be some sort of invisible appearance. That's the outline of the end-times 7 year period in a nutshell. Below is a graphic showing the sequence of events.   Of course one points to Daniel 9:27 as a starting point for reference, but that is only one little verse. Daniel 9:27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate. The week is a week of years. At the beginning, one person brokers a peace treaty, and that person later stops the sacrifices and grain offerings. Then comes another person who makes an abomination of desolation at the Temple. Finally, a complete destruction is decreed to be poured out on the second person who performed the abomination of desolation. Straightforward, simple, and easy to understand; but if Daniel 9:27 were all we had, then it wouldn't constitute enough evidence to convince most people. Let's go on and look at corroborating evidence. In Daniel 12:11, it states specifically that from the abomination of desolation, there will be 1290 days. The 1290 days is when Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah will come to reign on the earth. Daniel 12:9-12 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end-time. Many will be purged, purified and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1290 days. How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1335 days." Clearly, the above verse corroborates a piece of the outline from Daniel 9:27. We are told that the sacrifices will be stopped and that an abomination of desolation will be performed. However, we are also told an important new piece of information, namely, that there would be 1290 days from the abomination of desolation until a certain event. In the context of the chapter, Daniel 12, the 1290 days is the arrival of the Messiah to rescue Israel. The 1290 days from the abomination of desolation is what Christians call the Second Coming, and the Jewish people call it the First Coming. The 1335 days points to the prophetic fulfillment of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), where Ezekiel 34 is fulfilled with the judgment of the Jewish people by the Messiah. Their sins will be forgiven and they will be saved, as written also in Romans 11:25-29. The 45 days between the 1290 and 1335 days is when the armies and governments attack the Messiah and are defeated, and all remaining people on earth are summoned for judgment. Before we leave Daniel 12, I'd like you to note Daniel 12:7, that the beast (antichrist) will be allowed to shatter the Jewish people for a time, times, and half a time (1 + 2 + 0.5 = 3.5 years). We will prove further down that a time, times, and half a time is a literal 3.5 year period. In the Olivet Discourse, Yeshua (Jesus) sat down with Peter, James, John, and Andrew, and explained the end-times period. In it, He spoke of the abomination of desolation occurring, and then the last half of the 7 year period would begin with the Great Tribulation period. Matthew 24:15-16 Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains........ Mark 13:14 But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Luke 21:20-21 But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, ....... While the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed in 70 AD, that was not the fulfillment of these verses (as the preterists and historicists claim). The sequence of the prophetic events from Daniel 9:12 and Daniel 12 is that a peace treaty would have to be struck 3.5 years before the abomination of desolation. Then the sacrifices are stopped, and the abomination of desolation performed in the Temple takes place where a person declares himself falsely to be God in the holy place of the Temple. Only after those events do the armies surround Jerusalem. Then exactly 1290 days later the Messiah comes visibly to reign on the earth. 45 days after the Second Coming, all the people of the earth are judged. During the 45 days, all governments and armies on earth are defeated and subdued. In 70 AD, armies did surround Jerusalem, but it was before the sacrifices were stopped. There was no abomination of desolation where a person declared himself falsely to be God and demanded worship. There was no mark of the beast system (666), where if a person refused the mark, they couldn't buy or sell. Finally, the Second Coming visibly did not take place 1290 days after the destruction in 70 AD. The Roman armies continued their dominance for hundreds of years. The people of the earth were not judged visibly standing before the Messiah. And Isaiah 65 was not fulfilled where people's lifespans increased so much, that a youth would die at the age of one hundred years. Only a foolish person would believe or teach that 70 AD fulfilled all the prophecies. Let's go on with our proofs of the 7 year period. In Rev 12:6, Israel (the woman, here is one of those figurative symbols within a literal timeline) flees into the wilderness for 1260 days, persecuted by the world system under the antichrist, a minion of satan. Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for 1260 days. Revelation 12:14 And the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, in order that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent. The first thing to notice is that verses 6 & 14 tell the same thing, but the timeframe is defined differently. 1260 days = time , times, and half a time = 3.5 (years). This is the same exact thing mentioned in Daniel 12:7, except that Daniel 7 calls them the holy people, Israel. The woman in Revelation 12 is Israel. Revelation 12:4-5 amplifies that point, since it states that the woman gives birth to the Messiah, the one who will rule all nations. The woman is not Mary, since in Daniel 12 and elsewhere, the prophecies speak of the Jewish people when it talks about the same exact prophecies. Christians all know that Yeshua (Jesus) was born and lived as a Jew. In Revelation 13:5, we are given an additional corroborating piece of the puzzle. Revelation 13:5-7 And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for 42 months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue was given to him. Revelation 13 tells us the same thing as Revelation 12 and Daniel 12, that the beast (antichrist) has an allotted period of power of 42 months, and he will persecute the Jewish people for that timeframe. He will also persecute the Christians as is shown in Revelation 12:17. Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. While the evidence is that satan through the antichrist will persecute Christians too for a season, the main point is that the persecution of the Jewish people is for 42 months. Therefore: 1260 days = time, times, and half a time = 42 months = 3.5 years I suppose that God added these different methods of describing the same timeframe, in order that people wouldn't foolishly say that it is a day for a year and the 1260 days is actually 1260 years. It is described in every possible way, to avoid misunderstanding the point. The 1260 days of allotted power for the antichrist are actually 24-hour days, and equal 42 months, or 3.5 years. Daniel 7 also describes the allotted time of power of the beast (antichrist) and it is the same 3.5 year period. Daniel 7:25 And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. Here we again have the abomination of desolation mentioned, when the beast will speak out against the Most High by falsely declaring himself to be God. He will be allowed to persecute the Jewish people for a time, times, and half a time (3.5 times = 3.5 years = 1260 days = 42 months). Which takes us back to Daniel 9:27 and the week of years. All of the above shows that included in the last half of the week of years is the 1260 days=3.5 years=3.5 times=42 months of the antichrist's allotted period of power on the earth. All of the 1260 days is included in the 1290 days in Daniel 12:11, from the time of the abomination of desolation until Yeshua (Jesus) comes to reign on the earth. The only way that someone can not believe this proof, is if they suddenly say they take all prophecy figuratively and don't believe the Bible is literal. The internal proofs for a literal end-times 7 year period are extremely strong, with the last half being 1290 days long. How will you face the facts?