John's Revelation Interlude and Daniel's 70th Week

When John narrates the sequence of God's judgments, he introduces four intervening pauses / interludes that focus on human beings. Because the second interlude, between the angels' sixth and seventh trumpet (Rev 10:1-11:14), mentions the ministry period of the Two Witnesses (1260 days = 42 months = 3-1/2 years, Rev 11:2-3), it is possible to correlate these events to Daniel's 70th week (Dan 9:27).

1. In Daniel's prophecy, the 70th week begins with the emergence of the "one who makes desolate" and midway through this seven year period, Believers will be prevented from worshiping and complete desolation and destruction will occur (Dan 9:27).

Because the ministry of the Two Witnesses takes place when nations "tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months," it appears that they ministered around the latter 3-1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week (Dan 9:27).

2. Daniel's prophecy of the 70th week indicates that a covenant is made. While there is no information about this covenant, it is believed to be some sort of peaceful agreement. In John's third interlude, when Satan empowers the Antichrist (the Beast from the Sea, Rev 13:1-8), the beast is given the authority to act for 3-1/2 years "to make war with the saints and to overcome them." All of this is within the context of the last Gentile kingdom which God judges to: 1) finish the transgression, 2) to make an end of sin, 3) to make atonement for iniquity, and 4) to bring an everlasting righteousness (Dan 9:24).

Because the Two Witnesses were slain, their ministry appears to have occurred during the period when the beast had the authority to make war with the saints. This implies that God's judgment of trumpets and bowls took place around the latter half of Daniel's 70th week and ends the rule of the beast.


To learn more, see the article The Strong Angel's Little Scroll