A 2300-DAY PROPHETIC TIMETABLE
We have since completed part one of the study of Daniel Chapters 8 and 9. We recall that in chapter 8 that there were four figures that were brought to view, namely: the ram, the he-goat, the little horn, and 2300 days.
An explanation was given to Daniel regarding the three beasts; however, there was no further explanation given as to the meaning of the 2300 days.
The question is, are we left with a line of prophecy that was never completed or explained? It cannot be! The field of the prophecy covers all four. Why then was it not immediately explained? It is because of prophet Daniel’s momentary faint, and so, Angel Gabriel had to adjourn the meeting—by so doing the explanation was stayed.
Is there any reference to it in Chapter 8? The only apparent reference to it is in verses 13 and 14, namely:
“Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, how long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot. And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Daniel 8:13–14
Note that this fourth character is not as the foregoing-beastly powers, but a period. In addition, in keeping with the three previous elements, we saw that they started off being figurative, therefore there is no reason that this fourth element would deviate from the characteristic of the others in this vision. The 2300-day element is also figurative and must also have a literal fulfilment.
While we are seeking to find the meaning of the period in question, we must also deeply consider the question that was asked by one heavenly saint to the other, namely: “… how long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot”? The nature of the question appears to be quite troubling, enough to warrant an answer as to when it is to be dealt with, thus prompting the answer, “unto two thousand three hundred days.” Notice the answer did not stop at the 2300-day period, it states, “then”, meaning, that afterwards, the Sanctuary will be cleansed. This speaks volumes and will be studied in another study as it carries with it a most solemn, a most serious outcome of highest consequence,
We continue: “And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. . . . And I Daniel fainted and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.” Daniel 8:15–16, 27
Gabriel could not follow this directive of the voice at this time, that said “make this man to understand the vision” due to Daniel fainting. Why? Maybe, on seeing in this vision, all the atrocities that was to befall God’s commandment-keeping people, like what was described in chapter 7:25, and perhaps, on being shown the real perpetrators and desolators, that they were sheer professors he fainted, and was sick certain days. Thus chapter 8 concluded with no further development. “The vision was shut up for many days.”
Seventy Years
We now move to chapter 9. Will we find an answering chord that links chapter 8 and 9? From all accounts from verse 1–19 it tells only of Daniel now taken up with his finding. Namely: “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, . . . For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years are accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform My good word toward you, causing you to return…” Jeremiah 25:11–12; 29:10
Daniel, while among his displaced, now settled people, maintained his allegiance to God and was a keen studier of the prophecies, and on reading the book of Jeremiah, saw that they were on the verge of the termination of their seventy-year captivity, henceforth his humbling words:
“…I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love Him, and to them that keep His Commandments.” Daniel 9:2–4
Return of Angel Gabriel
“And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; . . . therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.” Daniel 9:20–24
Daniel knew that the land was still in ruins and on listening to Gabriel, thought that he was referring to the devastated Sanctuary. We will see that he was under a misunderstanding. Angel Gabriel, knowing where he had left off, went straight to the point. Said he: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24
Could this be the beginning of the explanation of the fourth element that was deferred, due to Daniel’s fainting? Can we undoubtedly link it to verses 13 and 14 of Chapter 8? Will it begin to satisfy the period of the 2300 days? I believe we can. Says the angel: “I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore, understand the matter, and consider the vision.” It is obvious that Gabriel had something more to say, and, that Daniel in his situation, did not understand the matter that was shown to him by Gabriel “…whom he had seen at the beginning of the vision.” What vision? The vision of Chapter 8. And so, without a doubt that it was a continuation of what Gabriel wanted to convey, he therefore went directly to where he left off, the opening of the 2300-day element.
Seventy Weeks
We have before us 70 weeks. The question may be asked, what does seventy weeks have to do with the 2300 days? The 70 weeks are part of the whole process. It is the period that God has allotted, as it were, cut off from the 2300-day period for the Jews, as a distinct peculiar people. The Angel made it clear as to what would happen within that allotted time. We again read: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24
To effectively comprehend the prophecy, we must now seek to grasp what is meant by “determined upon thy people”. If we can decipher this, then the rest of the prophecy will follow in its train. According to Uriah Smith: “The word determined. . . based on a primitive root word defined by Strong as meaning ‘to cut off’ . . . It must be from some whole larger than itself…. It may be added that Genesius gives the same definition as Strong, ‘to cut off. . . . to divide, and so to determine, to decree.’” –Uriah Smith, Daniel and the Revelation, p. 203
This statement then can be read as: Seventy weeks are cut off for thy people. The question now is, cut off from what? Since there is no other time in question, it must be from the 2300-day prophetic time. We can now see that this is opening to view little by little, the full spectrum of the 2300-day prophetic period in question.
Let us go one step further. We now look at the 2300 days and the 70 weeks. Are they literal? We are now to understand that these are prophetic numbering. So then, 2300 days becomes 2300 years and 70 weeks, 490 years. Can this numbering be supported in scripture? Most definitely.
Two clear examples of this are found in the Old Testament. Namely: Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6. “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know My breach of promise.” “And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”
Hence 2300 prophetic days become 2300 literal years. In keeping with the text before us, 70 weeks (490 days), translates to 490 years. In connecting it now to the 2300 years, it simply means 490 years are cut off, as it were, allotted to the Jewish people. This could not have happened in four hundred and ninety literal days. The proof is really in the fact that this year-day principle is substantiated, so to speak, validated by the fact that the prophecies are exactly fulfilled as per this proven biblical reckoning.
Remarks Uriah Smith: “By the events which were to occur in the seventy weeks, the prophecy is tested. By this the application of the whole vision is determined. If the events of this period are accurately fulfilled, the prophecy is of God, and will all be accomplished. If these prophecies are fulfilled as weeks of years, then the 2300 days, of which these are a part, are so many years.” –Ibid., p. 204
We continue: Daniel was not left to figure out when all this would begin. Truly this is an awe-inspiring moment. Indeed, “God does nothing until He reveals it to His servants the prophets.” In His permissive will, and His grace and mercy for His people, began to prepare the way, thus Gabriel told it to Daniel how it would come to pass as set out below.
“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” Daniel 9:26
Seven Weeks
The seven weeks then are prophetic weeks of years, literally 49 years. It is proven that it took this length of time which would include more than just the building. Says Smith: “There was to be a restoration.” He continues: “By this we must understand all the forms and regulations of civil, political, and judicial society.” –Ibid., p. 208
In this restoration, we note that it took three attempts to bring this to fruition:
- The decree of Cyrus to rebuild the house of God. B.C. 536 (see Ezra 1:1–4)
- The decree of Darius. B.C. 519 (See Ezra 6:12)
- The decree of Artaxerxes the Persian. B.C. 457 (see Ezra 7)
It is a known fact by many respected Bible historians that the first two did not fulfil the specification of the prophecy, they were too early to match up with the dating, according to the prophecy. The third commission by Artaxerxes the Persian king, from B.C. 457 to B.C. 408, perfectly met the period of seven weeks or 49 years as the starting date. Says Isaac Newton, an early historian: “The years of Artaxerxes reign are among the most easily established dates of history. . . all combine to make the seventh year of Artaxerxes at B.C. 457.” –Upon the Prophecies of Daniel, p. 154–157
Sixty-Two Weeks
We move on to the 62 weeks, (threescore and two weeks) or 434 years, that is, from B.C. 408 to A.D. 27. This is a marked period when the Jewish economy was at its finest, their Sanctuary services, in all its functions were actively being performed and so, for 483 years inclusive of the 49 years the people began again to enjoy their unique lifestyle. They had one week remaining however, to determine their destiny, as stated “Seventy weeks (490 years) are determined upon thy people.”
One Week
Let us return to the running narrative as it most amazingly gives us the full inescapable truth of what happened in this one week, so to speak, seven years. We read:
“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week, He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations He shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Daniel 9:26–27
According to the narrative, as well as the preceding 49 years, this period of 483 years reached Messiah the Prince. That is from B.C. 457, ending in A.D. 27. We know that at that precise time, Jesus the Messiah was baptized and immediately anointed with the Holy Spirit. Affirms Luke: “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21–22
We also have a most profound statement and confirmation as to the time when this was to take place. Says the word of God: After this, “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled.” Mark 1:14–15. Awe-inspiring, Jesus himself said those words!
What time was He referring to? “The time here mentioned must have been some specific, definite, and predicted period; but no prophetic period can be found then terminating, except the sixty-nine weeks of the prophecy of Daniel, which were to extend to the Messiah the Prince. The Messiah had now come; and with His own lips He announced the termination of that period which was to be marked by His manifestation.” –Uriah Smith, Daniel and the Revelation, p. 213
In His manifestation, for three- and one-half years He preached the gospel to the Jewish people. Yet the prophecy states that He would confirm the covenant with many for one week. So, pending therefore is the other three- and one-half years. How was that to be accomplished? The prophecy states that in the midst (middle) of the week He would be “cut off”, as it were, crucified. If He was cut off in the middle of the week the prophecy would still require the next three- and one-half years to correctly fulfill the specification.
Many stumble and are critical at this point and ask, how does one harmonize this seeming contradiction, that He was to confirm the covenant with many for one week, and yet be cut off in the midst of the week? Note, After He was cut off, crucified, in the Spring of A.D. 31, His disciples preached in His name for the remaining three- and one-half years confining their labour to the Jews as confirmed by this line of scripture: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47. Thus, the final seven years were fulfilled. Let God be true. After the stoning of Stephen, in A.D. 34, true to prophecy, the time of the Jews, the 70 weeks, were terminated, and after that, the gospel was preached to the Gentiles.
Four hundred and ninety years (70 weeks) is now terminated, in keeping with Gabriel’s first words to Daniel restated here: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24
Smith breaks it down well. Said he: “The events which were to be consummated within that period are briefly stated. The transgression was to be finished, that is, the Jewish people were to fill up the cup of their iniquity, which they did in the rejection and crucifixion of Christ. An end of sins, or of sin offerings, was to be made. This took place when the great offering was made on Calvary. Reconciliation for iniquity was to be provided. This was accomplished by the sacrificial death of the Son of God. Everlasting righteousness was to be brought in; the righteousness which our Lord manifested in His sinless life. The vision and the prophecy were to be sealed up, or made sure.” –Ibid., p. 203
Through Christ’s death, on Calvary’s Cross, everlasting
righteousness was then brought in. “…the grand work of reconciliation will go forward. Men will learn of the reconciliation for iniquity and of the everlasting righteousness which the Messiah has brought in through His sacrifice. The Cross of Calvay is the great center. . . this is that which Gabriel revealed to Daniel after his fervent prayer. . . He was to bring in everlasting deliverance to all who would walk after Him.” –Letter 201, 1899
Marking this manifestation Paul wrote: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son. . . To redeem them that were under the law.” Galatians 4:4–5. Oh wondrous love!
The final question then is: When did the 2300 years come to the foretold end, and the cleansing of the Sanctuary begin? The solid answer! 1844.
To determine the date: “The seventy weeks are but the first 490 years of the 2300-year period. Take 490 from 2300, and there remains 1810. The 490, as we have seen, ended in the autumn of A.D. 34. If to this date we now add the remaining 1810 years, we shall have the termination of the whole period. So to A.D. 34, autumn, add 1810, and we have the autumn of A.D. 1844.” –Ibid., p. 218–219. The cleansing of the Heavenly sanctuary began at that time, fulfilling Daniel 8:14.
This opens an age-old question! How do you arrive at 1844 if it began in 457 B.C. as this adds up to 1843 years? Says Smith: “It takes 457 full years before Christ, and 1843 full years after, to make 2300.” He affirms “If any part of the year 457 had passed away before the 2300 days began, just so much of the year 1844 must pass away before they would end. We therefore inquire, at what point in the year 457 are we to commence to reckon? …we learn that the period is to be dated, not from the starting of Ezra from Babylon, but from the actual commencement of the work at Jerusalem. This beginning could hardly be earlier than the seventh month (autumn) of 457, as he did not arrive at Jerusalem until the fifth month of that year. Ezra 7:9. The whole period would therefore extend to the seventh month, autumn, Jewish time, of 1844.” –Ibid., p. 219
This concludes the prophecy of Daniel 8 and 9. We see that the 70 weeks reached up to A.D. 34, however we must remember that the prophecy was not only about the seventy weeks—that was what was “cut off” for the Jews, but for the entire period of 2300 days, (2300 years) in answer to the question: “When shall the Sanctuary be cleansed?” Whereupon the answer: Unto two thousand three hundred days then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” We therefore have an additional 1810 years remaining in which time the gospel was preached to the Gentiles. Today this more sure word of prophecy, covering 2300 years, the longest prophecy in the Bible, where history confirms its accuracy, was by and large fulfilled in our time. In 1844, a studying people recognized its significance, and while they had the destination where final events would occur incorrect, they saw it for what it was, and like Daniel, on seeing the urgency of a needful preparation, earnestly sought the Lord and prepared accordingly.
Dear Reader, it is now 180 years since the 2300 years terminated. The work is going forward in the Heavenly Sanctuary. We know not when it will be “cut off”, so to speak, when probation will be forever closed, when time will turn into eternity.
God is no respecter of persons, rank or organizations, and since the Jewish people were “cut off” on account of rejecting Christ, and will only be saved individually, so each one, Jew or Gentile, must stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of his or her works.
How will you stand in this solemn time? Are you and I sending our sins beforehand? All signs about us indicates that Christ’s return is imminent. We know not if the judgment of the dead is past, or the judgment of the living is in progress. When all is said and done, “he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still.” Revelation 22:11
We close with this solemn statement: “The cleansing of the sanctuary. . . involves a work of investigation-a work of judgment. This work must be performed prior to the coming of Christ to redeem His people; for when He comes, His reward is with Him to give to every man according to his works. Revelation 22:12.” –The Great Controversy, p. 421
Rose Powell