the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot. The angel then addressed
himself to Daniel and said, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then
shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Waiving for the present the question as to what
may constitute the sanctuary, we wish to ascertain if possible the nature, the
commencement and termination of this period of time. There are two kinds of
time to
23
be met with in the Bible: literal and symbolic. In symbolic time a day signifies a
year. Num.xiv,34;Eze.iv,6. To which class do the 2300 days belong? Being
brought in in connection with acknowledged symbols, it would be both easy and
natural to infer that they partook of the nature of the rest of the vision and were
symbolic, presenting us with a period of 2300 years. And that such is the case is
further evident from the fact, as is shown in the investigation of Dan.viii, that the
field of the prophet's vision was the empires of Persia, Greece, and Rome. The
2300 days there given cannot therefore be literal days; for literal days (scarcely
six years and a half) would by no means cover the duration of any one of these
empires singly, much less embrace so nearly the whole of their existence put
together, as they evidently do. They must consequently denote 2300 years. Can
we now ascertain the commencement of this period? We answer, Yes; the key to
the matter being found in the ninth chapter of Daniel, between which and the
eighth there is an unmistakable connection, as we shall now endeavor to show.
After their mention in verse 14, the 2300 days are not again spoken of in
chap.viii. All the other parts of the vision are there fully explained; it must have
been, therefore, this point concerning the time, that troubled the mind of the
prophet, and in reference to this, solely, that he exclaims at the end of the
chapter, "I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it."
It was in the third year of Belshazzar, B.C.553, that Daniel had this vision of
chap.viii. Fifty-three years previous to this time, Jerusalem had been taken by
Nebuchadnezzar, and the seventy
24
years' captivity commenced; and thirty-five years before this, the Chaldeans had
utterly demolished the city, broken down its walls, and burned the house of God
with fire. 2 Chron.xxxvi,19. Daniel had learned from the prophecy of Jeremiah,
drawing near their close, in the first year of Darius, B.C.538, as we read in the
first verses of Dan.ix; and it is evident that he so far misunderstood the period of
the 2300 days as to suppose that they ended with the seventy years of Israel's
servitude; therefore turning his face toward the prostrate city and the ruined
temple of his fathers, he prays God to cause his face to shine upon his sanctuary
which is desolate. Verse 17.
"And while I was speaking and praying," says he, chap.ix,20-23,
"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 supplication, the
commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly
beloved; therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy
weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city." etc.
That this is a continuation of the explanation of the vision of chap.viii, would
seem sufficiently evident without the aid of any special argument to prove it so.
But as there is a vital point that hinges upon this fact, we will offer a few reasons
which place it beyond the limits of contradiction.
1. Gabriel had received a charge, chap.viii,16, to make Daniel understand the
vision; but at the
25
end of that chapter, Daniel says he was astonished at the vision, but none
understood it. Gabriel therefore did not complete his mission in chap.viii: the
charge still rested upon him, "Make this man to understand the vision."
2. The being who came to Daniel at the time of his supplication, was the very
same who had appeared to him in the vision at the beginning; namely, Gabriel.
And that he had now come to undeceive him concerning his application of the
time, is evident in that he says, I am now come forth to give thee skill and
understanding. Why did he not give him a full understanding of the vision at first?
Because, we answer, he revealed to him all that he was then able to bear; for he
fainted and was sick certain days.
3. Direct reference is made to the vision at the beginning; and if that is not the
vision of chap.viii, it is impossible to find it. And again, if Gabriel does not explain
in chap.ix, what he omitted in chap.viii, it is impossible for any man to show
wherein Gabriel fulfilled his commission to make this man understand the vision.
But a position which will lead to such a result, is utterly unallowable.
4. When Gabriel commenced his further explanation he did not explain the
symbol of the ram; for that he had already explained; he did not explain the goat;
for he had likewise explained that; neither did he commence about the little horn;
for he had made that plain also in chap.viii. What then did he explain? The very
point there omitted; namely, time: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy
people, etc. These facts are sufficient to show the connection of Dan.ix, with the
vision of chap.viii.
26
But how do the words of Gabriel, "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy
people,: etc., explain the period of the 2300 days? The answer is. The word
rendered determined, signifies literally, cut off. Gesenius in his Hebrew Lexicon
thus defines it: "Properly, to cut off; tropically, to divide, and so to determine, to
decree." The Englishman's Hebrew Concordance says, "Determined, literally,
divided."
From what period are the seventy weeks divided, or cut off? From the 2300
days; for there is no other period given from which they can be taken; and this is
placed beyond a doubt by the connection of the two chapters, which has already
been proved.
Having now ascertained that the 70 weeks of Dan.ix are the first 490 years of
the 2300 days, and that consequently the two periods commence together, we
further learn that this period of weeks dates from the going forth of a
commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. Dan.ix,25. If then we can
definitely locate this commandment, we have the starting-point for the great
period of the 2300 years. The Bible furnishes us with four tests by which to
determine when the true date is found: 1. From the time of the commandment, 49
years were to witness the completion of the street and wall of Jerusalem. Dan.ix,
25. 2. Three-score and two weeks from this time, or, in all, 69 weeks, 483 years,
were to extend to Messiah the Prince. Id. 3. Sixty-nine and a half weeks were to
extend to the crucifixion - the cessation of sacrifice and oblation in the midst of
the week. Verse 27. 4. The full period of 70 weeks was to witness the complete
confirmation of the covenant with Daniel's people. Id. In the 7th of Ezra we
27
find the decree for which we seek. It went forth in B.C.457. Much concerning this
decree, and the date of its promulgation, for brevity's sake we are compelled to
pass. Concerning it, we can only remark,
1. It contained all the elements necessary to constitute such a decree, and
when carried out, resulted in the thorough restoration of the Jewish state. It
answered the prophecy fully in this respect.
2. From the commencement of the work by Ezra, to the last act of reformation
by Nehemiah, were just forth-nine years, which is the exact period allowed in the
prophecy to this work.
3. As this decree went forth B.C.457, the 69 weeks or 483 years which were
to extend to the Messiah the Prince, reckoned from the commencement of the
work in the autumn of that year, bring us to the autumn of A.D.27, when our Lord
was baptized by John in Jordan, and went forth preaching "the time is fulfilled."
Mark i; Luke iii, 22, margin. Three and a half years from this, to the midst of the
seventieth week, bring us to the spring of A.D.81, where, according to Dr.Hales,
the Council of Caesarea A.D.196, the Alexandrian Chronicle, etc., the crucifixion
took place. Three and a half years more, the last half of the week, terminate the
70 weeks or 490 years in the autumn of A.D.34, where Hales, Usher, and
Pearson, place the martyrdom of Stephen, the first persecution, and the formal
rejection of the gospel by the Jewish Sanhedrin.
Here, then, we stand at the end of this great period which Gabriel in his
explanation of the 2300 days, told Daniel was cut off upon Jerusalem and the
Jews. There is this one grand fact yet to be
28
noticed: If the first 490 years terminated in the autumn of A.D.34, the whole
period ends in the autumn of A.D.1844. For 490 taken from 2300 leave 1810; and
1810 added to A.D.34, where the 490 terminate, make 1844.
A reference to the diagram will now show all these facts beautifully illustrated:
1. The upper line of the diagram represents the whole period of 2300 days. The
70 weeks, or 490 years, are shown cut off, leaving a remainder of 1810 years. 2.
The 70 weeks, shown cut off in the first line, are shown on an enlarged scale in
the second line, illustrating the division of that period as mentioned in the
prophecy, into seven weeks, three-score and two (sixty-two) weeks, and one
week: the first division of seven weeks, or 49 years, covering the period of the rebuilding
of Jerusalem, the 62 weeks reaching to the Messiah the Prince, and the
one week showing the time during which he should confirm the covenant, the first
half by his own personal ministry, and the last half of that period "by them that
heard him." Heb.ii,3. 3. The one week shown cut off at the end of the second line
of the diagram, is again represented on a larger scale in the third line, showing its
commencement, division, and termination. It commenced with the ministry three
and a half years, to the midst, or middle, of the week, where by the cross he
caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease, as represented. The remaining three
and a half years extend to A.D.34, where the 70 weeks, or first 490 years of the
2300, expire, as already shown. For a full application of this argument, and the
event to mark the termination of these days, see pamphlet on the sanctuary and
2300 days.
THE SANCTUARY
The beautiful illustration of Sanctuary, seen in the lower central portion of the
Chart, is, as the reader will at once understand, a floor view; though the furniture
is represented in perspective. At the left as we pass the entrance or door, stands
the golden candlestick with its seven lamps. Opposite that on the other side of
the building stands the table of shew-bread. Further on in the center of the Holy
Place, we see the golden alter of incense. Beyond that the second vail divides
the Holy from the Most Holy Place. Passing in through this vail, we behold as the
furniture of the second apartment the ark of God's testament, so called because
in it were deposited the tables of stone, on which were written the ten
commandments. The cover of the ark was called the mercy-seat. On either end
of the mercy-seat were two small cherubim of beaten work of solid gold. And
when the Sanctuary was incorporated into the temple of Solomon, large
cherubim, overlaid with pure gold, were placed on each side of the ark, as shown
in the illustration. A full description of the Sanctuary and its instruments, is found
in Ex.chapters xxv-xxxi. We present here only a brief synopsis of the arguments
and scriptures which show what constitutes the Sanctuary, and the important
place it occupies in the great plan of redemption.
1. Sanctuary is defined to be a holy or sacred place. (Cruden, Walker,
Webster.) It is a dwelling-place for the Most High. Ex.xxv,8.
2. It cannot therefore be the earth; for the earth will not bear one of the above
definitions; and of the 146 times of the occurrence of the word
30
sanctuary in the Bible, it is not once applied to the earth.
3. It is not the land of Canaan. Substitute "the land of Canaan"for "the earth,"
and read the above. See also Josh.xxiv,26. For an explanation of Ex.xv,17, see
Ps.lxxviii,53,54,69.
4. It is not the church; if it is, who are the "host" or worshipers, that are
invariably connected with it; Dan.viii,13. Compare Dan.ix,26, with Matt.xvi,18.
5. It was built by the children of Israel. Ex.xxv,8,9;xxxv-xl; 2 Chron.xx,8.
6. It had two apartments - the Holy Place and the most Holy Place. Ex.xxvi,
33,34; Lev.xvi,2. In the first apartment were the candlestick, the table of shewbread,
and the altar of incense. In the second, were the ark which contained the
tables of the covenant, and the cherubim. Heb.ix,1-5. That the covenant here
