The document provides an overview of Lesson 10 from a Bible study series. It begins by summarizing the relationship between Daniel 7 and 8 based on a chart. It then examines key aspects of Daniel 8, including symbols representing kingdoms and the "little horn" power representing Rome. The cleansing of the sanctuary mentioned in Daniel 8:14 is interpreted as God's answer to the challenges against His people and sanctuary. The document explores the meaning of the 2,300 day/year prophecy and its relationship to the 70 week prophecy in Daniel 9. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the heavenly sanctuary and investigative judgment for believers to occupy their proper position and be prepared for the final judgment.
2. KEY TEXT
“And he said unto me, Unto
two thousand and three
hundred days; then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed”
Daniel 8:14
3. For a better understanding of the sanctuary message, study this
chart, which shows how the great judgment scene of Daniel 7
(studied last week) is the same event as the cleansing of the
sanctuary in Daniel 8:14.
This week we will study Daniel 8. We will discover the real issue of
the conflict between the horn power and God, and we will see why
the cleansing of the sanctuary, beginning in a.d. 1844, is God’s
perfect answer to that challenge.
Daniel 7 Daniel 8 Interpretation
Lion — Babylon
Bear Ram Media-Persia
Leopard He-goat Greece
Fourth beast
Little horn Little horn Rome—pagan
Rome—papal
Pre-Advent Judgment Cleansing of the sanctuary Eschatological Day of Atonement
Transfer of kingdom to saints (Second Coming) Second Coming and beyond
4. The vision in Daniel 8:1-14 is closely related to the Heavenly Sanctuary.
◊ The animals that were usually sacrificed
are shown there:
∆ A ram that represented the Media
and Persia kingdom.
∆ A male goat that represented the
Greco-Macedonian kingdom.
◊ A little horn that comes out one of the
winds. It represents Rome (its papal
phase particularly) and fights against:
∆ The host of haven (Dn. 8:10)
∆ The sanctuary (Dn. 8:11)
∆ The continual sacrifice (Dn. 8:12)
5. “And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by
reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and
it practised, and prospered” (Daniel 8:12)
The “daily (or continual) sacrifice” is the
morning and evening sacrifices that were
carried out every day in the Sanctuary.
The little horn wants to replace Christ’s
mediation in the Heavenly Sanctuary by the
mediation of human priests, saints and
virgins.
So Christendom has been left defenseless for
a long time, not being able to know Jesus,
the true mediator.
6. “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?” (Daniel 8:13)
The heavenly beings are
indignant at Satan’s trick on
the human beings on Earth.
They long for God and His
people to be liberated, so
they cry, “How long?”
They are mourning the
constant anguish. They beg
for change and for a calling to
the divine judgments.
That’s an echo of the lament
of many believers that cried
out against sin and injustice,
longing for salvation (Ex.
10:3; Nm. 14:27; 1K. 18:21;
Ps. 94:3; Rev. 6:10)
7. “And he said unto me, unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall
the sanctuary be cleansed” (Daniel 8:14)
God answers the “How long?” cry. He explains when and how
would the saints finally get justice.
First, He explains when the judgment would begin. He uses the expression “evenings
and mornings”; that’s how He called the day during Creation (Genesis 1:5)
Secondly, the restoration of the “holy” (or “sanctuary”) in Daniel 8:14 encompasses
the solution to all the problems mentioned previously in the question. Not only will
judgment be rendered against the little horn power, but the sanctuary will be
cleansed, and God’s people and God’s sanctuary will be given their rightful state.
This finds a parallel in what happened on the Levitical Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:20,
30) when the Sanctuary was purified.
8. As in Zechariah 1:13, where Yahweh replied with “gracious
words, comforting words” (NASB), the answer to the
question in Daniel 8:13 comes right away: restoration will be
under way beginning with a period of “2,300 evenings and
mornings” (vs. 14, NASB).
9. Once we understand the human condition and the prophetic time in
which we live, we cannot remain silent. The cry “How long?” needs to
be put forth. As we look around at our world, how can we not plead for
the Lord to come and usher in a new world “in which righteousness
dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13, NKJV)? Although God is now at work, as
promised in Daniel 8:14, we want Him to end the reign of evil here and
return in the glory that He has promised time and again.
10. REFLEXION
In which situations have you
asked God the question
“How long?”
How do you maintain the
assurance that God is indeed
in control, however dismal your
immediate prospects might
seem and no matter
“how long”
it is taking to resolve the things
you want changed?
11. THE DEATH
OF THE
BEAST
When comparing the three visions, we
understand that the judgment in Daniel 7:9-10
and the 2,300 days point to the same event.
12. The Sanctuary was purified on the
Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), so
the Heavenly Sanctuary must also
be purified in the eschatological
Day of Atonement (in the End Time)
As God demonstrated on the Day of
Atonement that He is just in His
dealings and judgments by forgiving
the loyal and judging the disloyal
and rebellious, so the
eschatological Day of Atonement
will verify that God is just when He
saves and when He punishes.
13. According to the conversation with the
angel, the vision (“hâzôn” in Hebrew)
would last for 2,300 days.
That includes at least the Persian,
Greek and Roman empires and the
papal phase during the Middle Ages.
That part of history covers more than
2,300 literal days. So we must use the
prophetic day; that is, one day means
one year (Ez. 4:5-6; Nm. 14:34)
The vision that began in times of the
Persian Empire ended 2,300 years later.
Then, the Investigative Judgment began
and the Heavenly Sanctuary would be
purified by it.
We can find the exact beginning and
ending date of that prophecy in
Daniel 9.
14. hâzôn mar’ah
DANIEL 8 DANIEL 9
• In the third year of the reign
of king Belshazzar a vision
[hâzôn] appeared unto me,
even unto me Daniel, after
that which appeared unto
me at the first.
1
• And the vision *mar’ah+ of
the evening and the
morning which was told is
true: wherefore shut thou
up the vision [hâzôn]; for it
shall be for many days.
26
• 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 [mar’ah], but
none understood it.
27
• Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer,
even the man Gabriel, whom I had
seen in the vision [hâzôn] at the
beginning, being caused to fly
swiftly, touched me about the time
of the evening oblation.
21
• At the beginning of thy supplications
the commandment came forth, and I
am come to shew thee; for thou art
greatly beloved: therefore
understand the matter, and consider
the vision [mar’ah].
23
The word “vision” in Daniel 8 and 9 is the
translation of two Hebrew worlds: hâzôn and
mar’ah.
The word mar’ah is used for the vision of the
2,300 evenings and mornings (8:26). Daniel
didn’t understand it (8:27) and Gabriel explained
it (9:23) in Daniel 9:24-27.
15. 2.300 evenings and mornings
70 weeks
7 weeks 62 weeks 1 week
½ week ½ week
The decree
The rebuilding of
Jerusalem
Messiah,
the Prince
The death
of Jesus
The
martyrdom
of Stephen
The
purification of
the sanctuary
457 BC 408 BC
27 AD 31 AD 34 AD
1844 AD
“determined” [châthak] = “cut off”. The 70 weeks are cut off from the 2,300 years.
Both periods happened during the same time.
“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)
17. “Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour’s
mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their
duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The precious
hours, instead of being given to pleasure, to display, or to
gain seeking, should be devoted to an earnest, prayerful
study of the word of truth. The subject of the sanctuary
and the investigative judgment should be clearly
understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for
themselves of the position and work of their great High
Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise
the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the
position which God designs them to fill. Every individual
has a soul to save or to lose. Each has a case pending at the
bar of God. Each must meet the great Judge face to face.
How important, then, that every mind contemplate often
the solemn scene when the judgment shall sit and the books
shall be opened, when, with Daniel, every individual must
stand in his lot, at the end of the days”
E.G.W. (The Great Controversy, cp. 29, pg. 488)