Pt. 9    PASSOVER (Feast of Unleavened Bread)

Two Anointed Witnesses Begin Their 1,260 Days of Prophetic Warnings

Daniel 7:25 introduces a time period—”time, times and half of time,” meaning one year, two years and half a year (1,260 days)—which is also cited five times in the book of Revelation[1].  Why the repetition?  Unmistakably, this period is the primary timeline of prophecy.  It sets the standard of trouble as stated in this passage of Daniel: “the saints will be handed over to him [Antichrist] for a time [one year], times [two years] and half a time [half a year].”  There is a popular belief in Christendom, derived not by statements in Scripture, but from a contrived view of Daniel 9, that the tribulation and Antichrist’s rule will last seven years.  Nonetheless, prophecy is forthright in stating that Antichrist will rule for three and one-half years—no more, no less.

Daniel mentions seeing two witnesses on each bank of the river during his final vision in chapters 10-12; these two were very concerned about just how long end-time events would last[2].  Michael swore with a binding promise that it would last for a “time, times and half a time [1,260 days].”  The Hebrew could also read, “time, times and a part”, meaning between 3 and 4 years.  The promise is sure.  The Angel of the LORD swore by His own good name, for “since there was no one greater for Him to swear by, He swore by Himself.”[3] Final events will wrap up quickly.

A few centuries later during His ministry on earth, Jesus displayed His deity and future glory in the company of two witnesses, which the author connected to a seven day period:  “After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus,” (Matthew 17:1-3).  These two prophets of old, as witnesses to the transfiguration event along with Peter, James and John, demonstrate that they are the two anointed ones foretold in Zechariah 4:11-14:  “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand [Yeshua]?” Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?” He replied, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I said. So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to [“bring oil to” mankind, and] serve the Lord of all the earth.”  In turn, recorded in the Apocalypse[4], Jesus said, “I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”  These are the “two olive trees… that stand before the Lord of the earth.”  The two Menorahs will bring great light from the Temple to those who will enter into the courts and allow the radiance to shine into their darkened hearts.

Revelation 10:1-7 relates a similar vision to that of Daniel 12:5-7 about the Mighty Seventh Angel (Michael) who will one day descend from Heaven with a shout and the voice of the Archangel.  A comparison between the two passages shows Revelation 10 to be a parallel prophecy to Daniel 12.  In Revelation 10, Michael is standing with His right foot on the sea and His left foot on the land.  John the prophet sees Him raise His right hand of mercy and He “swore by Him who lives for ever and ever…[that] the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as He announced to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:6)—Moses and Elijah—centuries earlier.  The similarities are unmistakable to Daniel’s vision on the bank of the Tigris River as recorded in Daniel 12.

We should not be surprised to find the 1,260 days are repeated twice in Revelation 11:1-12.  As mentioned earlier, the first reference affirms the Gentiles will “trample on the holy city [Jerusalem, under the control of military powers] for 42 months.”  In prophecy, a month is 30 days, and 42 months of 30 day months equals 1,260 days.  The second reference in the third verse helps us understand why the two witnesses, one on each side of the bank in Daniel’s vision, are so interested in the length of the end-time period.  They themselves would one day be personally involved in last-day events.  “And I will give power to my two witnesses [Moses and Elijah], and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth,” (Revelation 11:3). They will bring spiritual light to our dark world.  However, they will eventually die a martyr’s death at the completion of their work at the end of the 1,260 days (42 months).  With the absence of God's light all kinds of plagues, death and destruction will follow in quick succession.

No wonder the two witnesses in the vision had such interest in knowing “how long” the trouble will last[5].  After six days, on the seventh day of the last week (Calendar Points 16 & 18; and Daniel 9:27: “he will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven’”), the seventh day that concludes at Yom Kippur, Moses and Elijah will be raised by a loud voice to stand beside Christ in their triumphant glory, just as Peter, James and John saw long ago on the holy mountain.

In a third reference to this prophetic time period, John saw the woman (Israel) in the vision of Revelation 12; she “fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of [by the two witnesses] for 1,260 days,” (Revelation 12:6). The fourth reference later in the chapter speaks again of the woman who would again flee into the desert for a “time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s [Lucifer’s] reach,” (Revelation 12:13-17).  The Dragon cannot destroy them, so he will turn his attention toward those he can defeat and will “war against [persecute] the rest of her offspring—those who obey God’s Commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 12:17); meaning, the warnings found in the book of Revelation[6]. 

The fifth and final reference in Revelation 13:5 affirms Daniel’s three and one-half year reign of Antichrist by saying, “the beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for 42 months [1,260 days].”  This is the sum total of time given to Antichrist’s rule; his evil work will last no longer than Christ’s faithful ministry on earth 2,000 years ago.

During this appointed time of trouble for mankind, three messengers are said to proclaim vital messages around the globe[7].  Even with great minds, technology and untiring missionary efforts, getting the gospel preached in all the remote regions and dialects has been an overwhelming task.  Nevertheless, Yeshua said in the record of Matthew[8] that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then THE END of history would come.  Just as the gospel went forth in the early years after Christ’s resurrection through miraculous efforts, so too, at the end of time, the message will be delivered by Heaven’s three ambassadors (Revelation 14:6-12).  Heaven’s warnings will be sent forth with a loud cry to all who are willing to hear and follow the truth; therefore, mankind will be without excuse on the Day of Judgment.

The Passover Connection

Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is one of the three major pilgrimages of ancient Israel. Originally, it was a commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt, especially the night when God “passed over” the houses of the Israelites during the tenth plague, and of the following day, when the Israelites had to leave Egypt hurriedly. Central to the holiday is the celebration of the seder (ritual meal).

In anticipation of Passover, it is traditional to engage in a thorough spring cleaning. During the holiday, food reflects the major theme of Passover, reliving God’s great redemptive act. Because the Israelites had no time to let their bread rise, Jewish law forbids eating (or even possessing) any food that contains leaven.  Therefore, a major part of the preparations for Passover consists of removing all traces of leavened foods from the home and replacing them with unleavened foods.  For many, this necessitates a massive cleanup and the replacement of one’s ordinary dishes with special Pesach ones. It also requires a shopping expedition to stock the kitchen with special Passover-kosher foods.

The Passover Seder (meaning order) is the most celebrated and beloved of Jewish home rituals.  It is believed that the obligation to tell the story of the Exodus each Passover was observed by Jews’ ancestors ever since the actual Exodus itself.  The

scriptural command (Exodus 13:8) to tell the story of the exodus to the children is interpreted as a positive commandment (mitzvah) for many and worth telling.

The overarching theme of Passover is redemption. After all, this is the holiday that celebrates God’s intervention in history to lead the Israelites from slavery to freedom. It is a time to celebrate El Shaddai as the great liberator of humanity.  No matter its joyous celebration today, the first Passover was preceded by plagues and death, which led to a miraculous escape from Egypt.  As Passover draws near at the appointed time of the end, a wide-scale series of global disasters involving war, earthquakes and nature’s wrath will intensify into plague proportions.  Untold numbers of men, women and children will lose their lives during the upheaval.  Demonic spectacles in the skies will escalate.  Matthew 24:4-8 forewarned the children of God to “watch out that no one deceives you. For many [a great number] will come in My name [Christians, in the name of the LORD], claiming, I [Jesus] am Christ,” which might cause a great number of faithful to believe their lies.  Jesus continued, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed [even though it looks like the end of the world is upon you]. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these things are the beginning of birth pains.”

Although the Israelites experienced new beginnings nearly 3,500 years ago at their historical escape from Egypt, their wilderness journey was plagued with numerous trials.  However, the Holy One provided wonderful supplies of food and water through the miracle-working power delivered by His prophet Moses.  In turn, when Moses and Elijah call for the people of Israel to leave “spiritual” Egypt at the future Passover, Israel will “fly to the place for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time [1,260 days], out of the serpent’s reach,” (Revelation 12:14).  Satan’s flood of destruction will be miraculously swallowed up, and God’s chosen ones will be sheltered by eagle’s wings. 

Elijah was taken alive, without seeing death, to Heaven[9] ages ago, and Moses was resurrected by the voice of the Archangel[10] sometime after his death.  Revelation 11:3 promises that these two witnesses “will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth [mourning].”  The two prophets will provide supernatural protection for the children of God while in the forsaken land, for the two are invincible and will inflict plagues for their own defense and for those under their care[11]. 

While the woman experiences God’s divine protection, other saints called by God will suffer a great deal during the appointed time of the end.  Passover will mark the time when, because the nations have given themselves over to Antichrist’s 1,260 day reign, persecution will increase against the true followers of Messiah.

Matthew 24:9-12 warns when the great sorrow begins, “then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith [they once believed in] and will betray and hate each other.”  Jesus added, “You will be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death,” (Luke 21:16).  Treachery will be commonplace.  Some will face abuse at the hands of their own friends and family; others by neighbors and criminals.

Opposition and persecution will rule the day, and some of the worst of these trials will come from within the body of believers and from within the households of the faithful.  “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets… Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets,” (Luke 6:22-23, 26). 

In the last days, we and our loved ones will most likely be laid to rest.[12]  We must be prepared for this reality, for each one of us have an appointment with death, says Hebrew 9:27; history proves this Biblical principle is rarely broken[13].  Isaiah wrote, “The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death,” (57:1-2).  In His mercy, Elohim reserves them to await His voice at the great resurrection.  Through our tears, we can have hope in a future reunion, when “He will wipe every tear from [our] eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away,” (Revelation 21:4).

In summary, Jews have for centuries anticipated Elijah’s announcement of redemption at Passover, particularly after havdalah—a ritual marking the end of Shabbat or a Holiday.  Therefore, Elijah’s ministry will likely begin at this holiday period.  Elijah, along with the second anointed one, Moses, will call out a people from spiritual Egypt into the wilderness journey for 1,260 days.  Elijah will save many from destruction; he will “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers” in love towards one another and towards God[14], while the majority of families disintegrate into hatred and division.  Elijah, guardian of the little ones, along with the great prophet Moses—religious ruler, lawgiver and military commander, will provide for and protect the chosen of God during the trials of the last days.

From the Messianic Jewish Perspective

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