Dr. Couch, the book of Revelation does not mention the making of the seven year covenant with the antichrist. Or does it?

  The book of Revelation does not have to mention the making of the seven year covenant (Dan. 9:27). It is assumed because the book is clearly dealing with the Prince, the Beast, the antichrist, and that covenant is there by the reference to the half-life of the covenant. For example, 11:2 says, "the temple (the rebuilt one standing at the time of the tribulation) … has been given over to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months (or three and a half years)." It is stated again by days in 11:3: "twelve hundred and sixty days" and in 12:6: "one thousand two hundred and sixty days." This is repeated in 13:5.

    This ties in with the desecration of the temple as spoken of by Christ in Matthew 24:15: "the Abomination of desolation which was spoke of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (the temple)." And it ties in with what Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4: "The man of lawlessness … who takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God." This would connect with what Daniel says in 9:27: "the Prince (the antichrist) will make a firm covenant with the man for one week (seven years) and in the middle of the week (3 and ½ years) he will put an end to sacrifice."

  Three and a half years is also mentioned in Revelation 12:14 as "times and time and half a time." This is directly quoted from Daniel 7:25 and 12:7. Daniel 12 closes the book of Daniel and speaks of the distress coming upon the Jews, God's people (v. 1). At the end of "a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they (the enemy) finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed."

  In conclusion Revelation focuses down on the final 3 ½ years of the tribulation and quotes directly time passages in Daniel to prove that these events are the same. One does not have to have a seven year covenant mentioned in Revelation in order to make the obvious connection.

Thanks for asking.

Dr. Mal Couch