Time No Longer

Did time prophecy finish in 1844? Is it appropriate to still pursue calculation of supposed time prophecies today?

The Time of the End

The book of Daniel contains the prophecy which extends the longest. What was Daniel told to do with this mysterious part of his book?

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4.

What timing is given for the “time of the end?”

“⁵ Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. ⁶ And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? ⁷ And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” Daniel 12:5-7.

• Notice the 1260 years
• Correlate to Daniel 11:30, 35

What is the response to Daniel’s further questioning?

“⁸ And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? ⁹ And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. ¹⁰ Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:8-10.

• Daniel’s book was to be sealed up
• That part of it, of course, which was not understood
• To be unsealed after the 1260 years
  • which terminated in 1798

No More (Prophetic) Time

What is seen prior to the first angel’s message?

“¹ And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: ² And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth.” Revelation 10:1, 2.

• Angel with a book open
  • Characteristic identical with Daniel 12
    • Personal description
  • Posture description
• What book was this?
  • Daniel’s book is the only one said to have been sealed
  • It would be sealed up until after 1798
• This especially refers to that part of it which was sealed up (the long prophecy)

What did the angel do then?

“⁵ And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, ⁶ And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer.” Revelation 10:5, 6.

• Note the lifting of his hand and swearing is the same as Daniel 12
  • Time no longer
• All time?
  • Prophetic time
  • For after this there would still be some history continuing
• The Advent Movement came to the fore
  • As a result of this time message, ending in 1844
  • They expected Jesus to come, but were disappointed

How was this also foretold?

“⁸ And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. ⁹ And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. ¹⁰ And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.” Revelation 10:8-10.

What was still to be done after the disappointment?

“And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Revelation 10:11.

The final time prophecy

Since the obscure part of Daniel was the 2300 days, and it was unsealed after 1798 and understood, after it there is no more time prophecy.

“This time, which the angel declares with a solemn oath, is not the end of this world’s history, neither of probationary time, but of prophetic time, which should precede the advent of our Lord. That is, the people will not have another message upon definite time. After this period of time, reaching from 1842 to 1844, there can be no definite tracing of the prophetic time. The longest reckoning reaches to the autumn of 1844.” SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 971:7.

After this, there is no time prophecy. None. God will give no message which hangs upon a time prophecy post-1844.