Revelation 11
“But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Revelation 11: 2-3, 9, 11 NIV
The time period of 3 1/2 years is significant in the Bible and can represent various things. It can represent the amount of time that is allotted to the wicked to wreak havoc in this world, and also represents a time of righteous judgement by God. As half of the perfect number 7, 3 1/2 can indicate incompletion, imperfection, or even evil. In Revelation prophecy there are many examples of things that will happen for a 3 1/2 year time period (Note that 3 1/2 years in the Bible is equivalent to 1,260 days or 42 months because the original Hebrew calendar year had 360 days):
“But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months” (verse 2). This is a reference to the Great Tribulation, when persecution of believers who will not follow the antichrist will increase. The 7 year Tribulation Period is split into two 3 and 1/2 year periods.
“And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth” (verse 3). After they are killed, their bodies lie in the streets of Jerusalem “for three and a half days” (verse 9).
The “woman clothed with the sun” (Revelation 12:1) represents Israel, God’s chosen people. She is protected in the wilderness and is “taken care of for 1,260 days” (Revelation 12:6). In Revelation 12:14, “The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.” Time (1 year), times (2 years) and half a time (½ of a year) is another way to represent 3 1/2 years.
“The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months” (Revelation 13:5).
In addition to the End Times, there are other significant meanings to the 3 1/2 year time period, such as a time of drought and famine during Elijah’s lifetime:
“Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years” (James 5:17).
“I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land” (Luke 4:25).
3 1/2 years can also represent a time of waiting: “When you enter the land and plant all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it shall not be eaten. ‘But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD” (Leviticus 19:23-24).
Are the 3 1/2 years mentioned in the Bible symbolic or literal? This is something that we can’t know for sure, but we can be sure that evil’s reign will have a definite end. Although Satan and his demons are allowed to cause problems in this world, God is still in control and gives them boundaries that they must follow. The bottom line that can encourage us all is that God puts limits on our times of waiting or punishment, and limits the time period when Satan is allowed to cause destruction in this fallen world. Praise God that He is the one in control, making decisions and placing limits where they need to be placed instead of leaving it up to Satan or humans! We should be extremely grateful that we have an infinitely good, infinitely wise, and infinitely powerful God working everything together for the good of those who trust in Him.