Chapter X: Part VI: The Sure Word of Prophecy (2)

The decree of the emperor Justinian, issued in A.D. 533,
recognized the Pope as “head of all the holy churches.”
(Justinian’s Code, book 1, title 1. Baronius’s Annals, A.D. 533.)
The overwhelming defeat of the Ostrogoths in the siege of Rome,
five years later, A.D. 538, was a death-blow to the independence
of the Arian power then ruling Italy, and was therefore a notable
date in the development of papal supremacy. With the period
533-538, then, commences the twelve hundred and sixty years of
this prophecy, which would extend to the period 1793-1798. The
year 1793 was the year of the Reign of Terror in the French
Revolution, and the year when the Roman Catholic religion was set
aside in France and the worship of reason was established in its
stead. As a direct result of the revolt against papal authority in
the French Revolution, the French army, under Berthier, entered
Rome, and the Pope was taken prisoner Feb. 10, 1798, dying in
exile at Valence, France, the following year. This period,
1793-1798, during which this death-stroke was inflicted upon the
Papacy, fittingly and clearly marks the close of the long
prophetic period mentioned in this prophecy. Any standard history
of the time may be consulted in substantiation of the facts here
stated.

9. What will finally be done with the dominion exercised by the little horn?

“But the judgment shall sit, and they shall _take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end_.” Dan. 7:26.

10. To whom will the dominion finally be given?

“And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given _to the people of the saints of the Most High_, whose kingdom is _an everlasting kingdom_, and _all dominions_ shall serve and obey Him.” Verse 27.

NOTE.—Here, as in the second chapter of Daniel, the announcement
of the setting up of the everlasting kingdom of God in the earth
includes a brief outline of the history of this world; and the
prophecies of Daniel concerning the powers that would oppose the
purpose of God, furnish additional features of this outline. The
exact fulfilment of this outline in the history of the world since
the time of Nebuchadnezzar constitutes an unimpeachable testimony
to the inspiration of these prophecies, and furnishes a ground of
confidence that the unfulfilled portion of the prophecies will be
wrought out in the future with absolute certainty and in every
detail.

The Vicar Of Christ

St. Peter’s And The Vatican. "He as God sitteth in the temple of God." 2
Thess. 2:4.

1. What appeared unto Daniel in 538 B.C., the same year in which Babylon fell?

“In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a _vision_ appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.” Dan. 8:1.

2. Where was Daniel at this time?

“And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was _at Shushan_ in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.” Verse 2.

3. What first attracted the prophet’s attention?

“Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river _a ram_ which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.” Verse 3.

4. What power was represented by the ram having two horns?

“The ram which thou sawest having two horns are _the kings of Media and Persia_.” Verse 20.

5. How are the rise and work of this power described?

“I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and _became great_.” Verse 4.

6. What symbol was next introduced in the vision?

“And as I was considering, behold, _an he goat_ came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.” Verse 5.

7. What did the goat with the notable horn represent?

“And the rough goat is _the king of Grecia_: and the great horn that is between his eyes is _the first king_.” Verse 21.

8. How was the conquest of Medo-Persia by Grecia foretold in this symbolic prophecy?

“And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and _smote the ram, and brake his two horns_: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.” Verse 7.

9. When the he goat “was strong,” what occurred?

“Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, _the great horn was broken_; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.” Verse 8.

10. Who was represented by “the great horn,” and what followed when it was broken?

“And the rough goat is the king [kingdom] of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is _the first king_. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, _four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation_, but not in his power.” Verses 21, 22.

NOTES.—From the interpretation given, it is plain that the notable
“horn” upon the he goat represented Alexander the Great, who led
the Grecian forces in their conquest of Medo-Persia. Upon the
death of Alexander at Babylon, B.C. 323, there followed a brief
period of confusion in the struggle for the kingdom, but the
succession was definitely determined by the battle of Ipsus, B.C.
301. Alexander’s four leading generals—Cassander, Lysimachus,
Ptolemy, and Seleucus—became his successors.

“The vast empire created by Alexander’s unparalleled conquests was
distracted by the wranglings and wars of his successors, and
before the close of the fourth century before Christ, had become
broken up into many fragments. Besides minor states, four
well-defined and important monarchies rose out of the ruins....
Their rulers were Lysimachus, Cassander, Seleucus Nicator, and
Ptolemy, who had each assumed the title of king. The great horn
was broken; and instead of it came up four notable ones toward the
four winds of heaven.”—_Myers’s __“__History of Greece,__”__ page
457, edition 1902._

11. What came out of one of the four horns of the goat?

“And out of one of them came forth a _little horn_, which waxed _exceeding great_, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.” Verse 9.

12. What interpretation is given to this little horn?

“And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, _a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up_.” Verse 23.

13. What did this little horn do to the people of God?

“And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and _it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them_.” Verse 10.

14. In what literal language is this persecution of the people of God further described?

“And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.” Verse 24.

15. How was this little horn to exalt itself against Christ and His mediatorial work?

“Yea, it magnified itself, even to the Prince of the host, and _it took away from Him the continual burnt offering_, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.” Verse 11, R. V.

16. In the interpretation of the vision, how is this self-exaltation set forth?

“And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and _he shall magnify himself in his heart_, and by peace shall destroy many: _he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes_; but he shall be broken without hand.” Verse 25.

17. What similar language is used by the apostle Paul in describing the “mystery of iniquity,” or “man of sin”?

“That day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; _who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God_.” 2 Thess. 2:3, 4.

NOTE.—The last two scriptures evidently describe one and the same
power,—a power which, while religious and professedly Christian,
is anti-christian in spirit, and the very “man of sin” himself.
Possessed with the selfish ambition of Lucifer (Isa. 14:12-14;
Eze. 28:17), he assumes to occupy the very seat and place of Deity
in the temple of God. Professing to be Christ’s vicar, or personal
representative on earth, he magnifies himself against Christ, and
“stands up,” or reigns, in the place of, and “against,” the Prince
of princes.

18. What was given into the hands of the power represented by the little horn?

“And _the host_ was given over to it together with _the continual burnt offering_ through transgression.” Dan. 8:12, first clause, R. V.

19. What did this power do to the truth?

“And _it cast down truth to the ground_, and it did its pleasure and prospered.” Same verse, last clause, R. V.

NOTES.—The interpretation already given to this vision shows
plainly that the power represented by the little horn is the
successor of Medo-Persia and Grecia. In the vision of the seventh
chapter of Daniel, which is closely related to this vision, the
fourth beast represented the fourth kingdom, or Rome, in its
entirety, special attention, however, being given to the “little
horn” phase of its history. As shown by the work attributed to it,
this little horn, which arose among the ten kingdoms into which
Rome was divided, was to be a religio-political power, which was
to change the times and law of God, and persecute the people of
God. In the vision of the eighth chapter the ecclesiastical
features of this fourth world power are especially noticed and
emphasized, and hence the only symbol there used to represent it
is the “little horn” which waxed “exceeding great.”

The religion of all the four great monarchies mentioned in these
prophecies was paganism; but the paganism of ancient Babylon was
reproduced in pagan Rome, and then adapted and adopted by papal
Rome. The little horn of the eighth chapter represents Rome, both
pagan and papal, in its ecclesiastical aspect, with its union of
paganism, and later of apostate Christianity, with the secular
power; with its antichristian persecutions of the saints of God;
with its perversion of the priesthood of Christ; and with its
assertion of both temporal and spiritual power over all the world.
It is evident that pagan Rome is introduced into this prophecy
chiefly as a means of locating the place and work of papal Rome,
and the ecclesiastical features of pagan Rome as typical of the
same features accentuated in papal Rome, and that the emphasis is
to be placed upon the fulfilment of the prophecy in the work of
papal Rome. A careful comparison of Dan. 7:21, 25, with Dan.
8:10-12, R. V., and 2 Thess. 2:3, 4, will amply justify this
conclusion.

“The Romans could not forget—never did forget—that they had once
been masters and rulers of the world. Even after they had become
wholly unfit to rule themselves, let alone the ruling of others,
they still retained the temper and used the language of
masters.... In the absence of an emperor in the West the popes
rapidly gained influence and power, and soon built up an
ecclesiastical empire that in some respects took the place of the
old empire and carried on its civilizing work.”—_Myers’s
__“__Rome; Its Rise and Fall,__”__ Boston, 1900, pages 398, 399,
442, 443._

The host and the stars of Dan. 8:10 are the same as the saints of
the Most High of Dan. 7:25; and the Prince of the host of Dan.
8:11 is the Prince of princes, or Christ. When the same being
appeared to Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15, margin), He applies the same
expression to Himself.

In Dan. 8:11-13, in the Revised Version, the words “burnt
offering” have been supplied by the translators after the word
“continual,” but this rendering seems to place too restricted a
meaning upon the word “continual.” The fact that no word is
connected with “continual” in the original text, although in the
typical service of the sanctuary it is used with “burnt offering”
(Ex. 29:42), with “incense” (Ex. 30:8, here rendered perpetual),
and with “showbread” (Num. 4:7), indicates that that which is
continual represents the _continual service or mediation of Christ
in the heavenly sanctuary_, in which all that was continual in the
typical service found its antitype and fulfilment. See Heb. 6:19,
20; 7:1-3, 14-16, 23-25. The action which made the Pope the vicar
of God and the high priest of the apostasy, really took away from
Christ, as far as human intent and power were concerned, his place
and work as the only mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5),
and this took away from Him, as far as man could take it away, the
continual mediation, according to the prediction in this prophecy.

The prophecies of Daniel are cumulative and widening in their
view, each carrying matters farther than the preceding one, and
bringing out more explicitly and more in detail important features
down the stream of time. In Daniel 2, under the fourth universal
kingdom, the Papacy is not represented under any direct symbol or
figure at all,—simply Rome in its united and divided state; in
Daniel 7 Rome is symbolized by the “little horn” coming up among
the ten horns representing the divided state of Rome; while in
Daniel 8 the only figure used to represent the fourth world power
is the “little horn” which waxed “exceeding great.”

In each of these last two chapters the little horn is introduced
to tell especially of the workings of the same terrible power—Rome
papal. Both chapters deal with the same great apostasy. In the
seventh chapter, the little horn takes away _the law of God_. In
the eighth chapter, it takes away _the gospel_. Had it taken away
only the law, this would have vitiated the gospel; for, with the
law of God gone, even the _true_ gospel could not save, because
the law is needed to convict and give a knowledge of sin. And had
the Papacy taken away only the gospel, and left the law, salvation
through such a system would still have been impossible, for there
is no salvation for sinners through even the law of God itself
apart from Christ and the gospel. But to make apostasy doubly
sure, this power changes, vitiates, and takes away both the _law_
and the _gospel._

In changing the Sabbath, the Papacy struck directly at the very
heart and seal of the law of God, just as in substituting its own
mediatorial system for that of Christ’s it struck directly at the
heavenly sanctuary and its service, which, in his epistle to the
Hebrews, Paul shows to be the very heart and essence of the
gospel.

20. What question was asked in the hearing of the prophet?

“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 underfoot?” Dan. 8:13.

21. What answer was addressed to Daniel?

“And he said unto me, _Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed_.” Verse 14.

NOTE.—In verse 13, R. V., the vision is clearly defined. It is
“the vision concerning the continual burnt offering [or continual
mediation], and the transgression that maketh desolate,” which
results in giving both the sanctuary and the people of God to be
trodden underfoot. The time when the vision was to have its
special application is stated in verse 17 to be “at the time of
the end,” or in the last days. This is additional proof that this
prophecy was to find its complete fulfilment in papal Rome only,
as pagan Rome passed away many centuries ago. The sanctuary and
the twenty-three-hundred-day period here referred to are
considered at length in succeeding readings. See pages 230, 238.

22. What prophetic period begins at the time when the continual mediation of Christ was taken away by the Papacy?

“And from the time that the continual burnt offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be _a thousand two hundred and ninety days_.” Dan. 12:11, R. V.

NOTES.—Inasmuch as the taking away of the continual mediation of
Christ is made the beginning of a prophetic period, there must be
some definite act at some definite time which, in form and intent,
takes from Christ His priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary.
This act was the official decree of an ecclesiastical council held
at Rome in 503 A.D., by which it was declared “that the Pope was
judge as God’s vicar, and could himself be judged by no one.” See
Hardouin’s “Councils,” Vol. II, page 983; Labbe and Cossart’s
“Councils,” Vol. IV, col. 1364; and Bower’s “History of the Popes”
(three-volume edition), Vol. I, pages 304, 305. The work of
Clovis, king of the Franks, who earned for himself the title of
“the eldest son of the church” by his campaigns to subdue the
kingdoms hostile to the Papacy, contributed much toward putting
into practical effect this claim of the Papacy, which finally
resulted in establishing the Pope as the head of the Roman
priesthood which has usurped the priestly work of Christ, and has
established another system of mediation in its place. This work of
Clovis came to its climax in the period 503-508, and this period
therefore becomes the natural one from which to date the 1290
years of Dan. 12:11, which would accordingly end in the period
1793-98, at the same time as the 1260 years of Dan. 7:25. See
notes on page 223.

“With Rome would have fallen her bishop, had he not, as if by
anticipation of the crisis, reserved till this hour the
master-stroke of his policy. He now boldly cast himself upon an
element of much greater strength than that of which the political
convulsions of the time had deprived him; namely, that the bishop
of Rome is the successor of Peter, the prince of the apostles,
and, in virtue of being so, is Christ’s vicar on earth. In making
this claim, the Roman pontiffs vaulted at once over the throne of
kings to the seat of gods: Rome became once more the mistress of
the world, and her popes the rulers of the earth.”—_“__The
Papacy__”__ by J. A. Wylie, page 34._

23. What assurance was given to Daniel concerning the period of time mentioned in verse 14?

“And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told _is true_; wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.” Dan. 8:26.

NOTES.—By the expression “the vision of the evening and the
morning” reference is made to the vision concerning the
twenty-three hundred days, as may be seen by referring to the
marginal readings of Dan. 8:14.

The interpretation of the vision of chapter 8 closes without
making any explanation of the long period of time which was
mentioned to Daniel in the answer to the question, “How long shall
be the vision?” This important feature was left to be interpreted
later. See next reading.

A Great Prophetic Period. (The 2300 Days of Daniel 8.) Or The Time Of Restoration And Of Judgment

Artaxerxes Restoring The Vessels Of The Temple. "Unto two thousand and
three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Dan. 8:14.

1. Immediately after the vision of Daniel 8, what did Daniel learn from his study of the prophecy of Jeremiah?

“In the first year of Darius ... _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_.” Dan. 9:1, 2.

NOTE.—The first deportation to Babylon, when Daniel and his
companions were carried captive, was in B.C. 606, and the seventy
years of Jeremiah’s prophecy would therefore expire in B.C. 536.
The first year of Darius was B.C. 538, and the restoration period
was therefore only two years distant from that time.

2. What did this nearness of the time of restoration from captivity lead Daniel to do?

“And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” Verse 3.

3. What urgent petition of the prophet connects this prayer with the vision of the taking away of the continual mediation and the desolation of the sanctuary recorded in Daniel 8?

“Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of Thy servant, and his supplications, and _cause Thy face to shine upon Thy sanctuary that is desolate_, for the Lord’s sake.” Dan. 9:17.

4. At the conclusion of Daniel’s prayer, what assurance did Gabriel give him?

“And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, _O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding_.” Verse 22.

5. What previous instruction connected with the vision of Daniel 8 was thus being more fully carried out?

“And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, _Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision_.” Dan. 8:16.

6. Why was further instruction concerning this vision necessary?

“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_.” Verse 27.

7. To what did Gabriel now direct Daniel’s attention?

“At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee: for thou art greatly beloved: therefore _understand the matter_, and _consider the vision_.” Dan. 9:23.

NOTES.—There is abundant evidence that the instruction in the
ninth chapter of Daniel supplements and interprets the vision of
the eighth chapter. Note the following facts:—

(1) Daniel did not understand the vision concerning the treading
down of his people and the sanctuary, and therefore searched the
prophecies anew concerning the period of captivity.

(2) He evidently made a connection between the period of seventy
years mentioned by Jeremiah and the twenty-three hundred days of
the vision, and he at once began to pray earnestly for the
restoration of the city and the sanctuary.

(3) The angel Gabriel, who appeared to him at the first, and
interpreted all the vision with the exception of the twenty-three
hundred days, now appears, and again directs his attention to the
vision.

(4) The events of the vision begin with the kingdom of the Medes
and Persians, the era of the restoration of the Jews to their own
land. In the absence of any instruction to the contrary, this
would be the natural time in which to locate the beginning of the
period of twenty-three hundred days; and this is the very time
given for the beginning of the seventy weeks, which are clearly a
part of the twenty-three hundred days, and thus determine the time
of their commencement.

(5) The seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety years, extend
from the restoration of literal Jerusalem and the literal temple
to the preaching of the gospel to all the world. See Acts
15:14-17. This special preaching of the gospel was completed in
one generation, and was followed by the destruction of Jerusalem.

(6) The twenty-three hundred prophetic days, or twenty-three
hundred literal years, begin at the same time as the four hundred
and ninety years, or seventy weeks, or in B.C. 457, when the
commandment to restore and build Jerusalem went forth; and extend
from the restoration of literal Jerusalem and the typical temple
service after the captivity in ancient Babylon, in the time of the
Medes and Persians, to 1844 A.D., the time for the restoration of
spiritual Jerusalem and of the knowledge of the mediation of
Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, taken away by the little horn,
after the captivity in modern Babylon. This work of restoration is
to be accomplished in one generation by preaching the gospel to
all the world (Rev. 14:6-12), and this will be followed by the
destruction of the world, or fall of all nations, of which the
destruction of Jerusalem was a type.

The 2300 Days

The heavy line represents the full 2300 year-day period, the
longest prophetic period in the Bible. Beginning in B.C. 457 when
the decree was given to restore and build Jerusalem (Ezra 7:11-26;
Dan. 9:25), seven weeks (49 years) are measured off to indicate
the time occupied in this work of restoration. These, however, are
a part of the sixty-nine weeks (483 years) that were to reach to
Messiah, the Anointed One. Christ was anointed in 27 A.D., at His
baptism. Matt. 3:13-17; Acts 10:38. In the midst of the seventieth
week (31 A.D.), Christ was crucified, or “cut off,” which marked
the time when the sacrifices and oblations of the earthly
sanctuary were to cease. Dan. 9:26, 27. The remaining three and
one-half years of this week reach to 34 A.D., or to the stoning of
Stephen, and the great persecution of the church at Jerusalem
which followed. Acts 7:59; 8:1. This marked the close of the
seventy weeks, or 490 years, allotted to the Jewish people.

But the seventy weeks are a part of the 2300 days; and as they
(the seventy weeks) reach to 34 A.D., the remaining 1810 years of
the 2300-day period must reach to 1844, when the work of judgment,
or cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, was to begin. Rev. 14:6,
7. Then special light began to shine upon the whole sanctuary
subject, and Christ’s mediatorial or priestly work in it.

Four great events, therefore, are located by this great prophetic
period,—the first advent, the crucifixion, the rejection of the
Jewish people as a nation, and the beginning of the work of final
judgment.

8. What portion of the 2300 days (years) mentioned in the vision, was allotted to the Jews?

“_Seventy weeks_ are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city.” Verse 24, first clause.

NOTES.—“As both the 2300 years of chapter 8 and the ‘seventy
weeks’ of chapter 9 start from the Persian period of Jewish
history, in other words, as they both date from the _restoration
era_ which followed the Babylonian captivity, their
starting-points must be either identical or closely related
chronologically.”—_“__Light for the Last Days__”__ by H. Grattan
Guinness, London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1893, page 183._

“There is plainly a close correspondence between the two visions
of Daniel 8 and Daniel 9. The seventy weeks are said to be _cut
off_ for certain distinct objects; and this implies a longer
period from which they are separated, either the course of time in
general, or some period distinctly revealed. Now the previous date
(the 2300 days) includes two events,—the restoration of the
sacrifice, and the desolation. The first of these is identical in
character with the seventy weeks, which are a period of the
restored polity of Jerusalem; and hence the most natural of the
cutting off is that which refers it to the whole period of the
former vision.”—_“__First Elements of Sacred Prophecy__”__ by T.
R. Birks, London, 1843, pages 359, 360._

9. What was to be accomplished at the close of the seventy weeks?

“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.” Same verse, latter part.

NOTE.—For “the Most Holy,” the Douay version reads, “the Saint of
saints.”

10. What portion of this period was to reach to Christ, the Messiah, or Anointed One?

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be _seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks_.” Verse 25, first part.

NOTE.—The word Messiah means anointed, and Jesus was anointed with
the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38) at His baptism in 27 A.D. Matt. 3:16.

11. At the end of this time, what was to be done to Messiah?

“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be _cut off_.” Verse 26, first part.

Rebuilding Of Jerusalem. "And they builded, and finished it, according to
the commandment of the God of Israel." Ezra 6:14.

12. How was the destruction of Jerusalem and the sanctuary by the Romans then foretold?

“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.” Same verse, last part.

13. What was Messiah to do during the seventieth week?

“And He shall _confirm the covenant_ with many for one week.” Verse 27, first clause. See Matt. 26:26-28.

14. What was He to take away in the midst of this week?

“And in the midst of the week He shall cause the _sacrifice and the oblation to cease_.” Same verse, next clause.

NOTE.—Ancient Babylon took away the typical service by the
destruction of the temple at the capture of Jerusalem. This
service was restored at the rebuilding of Jerusalem, but was
perverted into mere formalism by the Jews, and was taken away by
Christ at the first advent, when He blotted out the handwriting of
ordinances, and “took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.”
Col. 2:14. He then became “a minister of the sanctuary, and of the
true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Heb. 8:2.
Thus He established the service in the heavenly sanctuary. The
little horn, the Papacy, as far as was within its power, took away
from the people the mediation of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary,
and substituted for it the Roman priesthood, with the Pope as
Pontifex Maximus, or high priest. Power over this truth of the
gospel and over the people of God was allowed to the Papacy
because of transgression (Dan. 8:12, R. V.), just as the people of
Jerusalem were given into the hand of the king of ancient Babylon
for the same reason. 1 Chron. 9:1. Thus has the Papacy “cast down
the truth to the ground,” and has trodden underfoot the sanctuary
and the people of God.

15. How are the judgments upon Jerusalem again foretold?

“And for the overspreading of abominations He shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Remainder of verse 27.

NOTE.—Seventy weeks would be four hundred and ninety days; and as
a day in prophecy represents a year (Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6), this
period would be four hundred and ninety years. The commandment to
restore and build Jerusalem was brought to its completion by
Artaxerxes Longimanus in the seventh year of his reign (Ezra 6:14;
7:7, 8), which, as already noted, was B.C. 457. From this date the
sixty-nine weeks, or four hundred and eighty-three years, would
extend to the baptism of Christ in 27 A.D., and the whole period
to 34 A.D., when the martyrdom of Stephen occurred, and the gospel
began to be preached to the Gentiles. Before the end of that
generation Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, 70 A.D. The
twenty-three hundred years would extend from B.C. 457 to 1844
A.D., when began the great second advent movement, which calls
upon all to come out of modern Babylon, and to prepare for the
next great event, the coming of Christ and the destruction of the
world by fire.

16. What question was asked in the vision of Daniel 8?

“Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one which spake, _How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt offering, and the transgression that maketh desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden underfoot_?” Dan. 8:13.

NOTES.—Literal Jerusalem was given into the hands of ancient
Babylon, and the typical service in the earthly sanctuary was thus
taken away. Dan. 1:1, 2. This was prophetic of the experience of
spiritual Jerusalem in modern Babylon, foretold in the prophecies
of Daniel and John, and of the taking away of the mediation of
Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. Dan. 7:25; 8:13. These two
visions expose the work of modern Babylon, the Papacy, and
determine the limit of its permitted power over the people of God,
and of its perversion of the gospel of Christ in substituting
another mediatorial system for the work of Christ in the heavenly
sanctuary.

The general theme upon which the book of Daniel treats is Babylon,
both ancient and modern. Chapters 1-6, inclusive, present certain
historical facts leading up to the fall of ancient Babylon, and an
attempt to destroy the prophet Daniel himself and the final
attempt to destroy the people of God,—a brief historical outline,
which is in itself a prophecy of modern Babylon. Chapters 7-12,
inclusive, contain prophecies relating especially to modern
Babylon, which supplement the historical prophecy of the previous
chapters, and which enable us to draw a very exact and striking
parallel between ancient and modern Babylon. A brief outline of
this parallel may be stated thus:—

(1) In the religion of ancient Babylon, image-worship found a
prominent place. The same is true of modern Babylon.

(2) Ancient Babylon affirmed that the gods (or God) dwelt not in
the flesh. By the dogma of the immaculate conception of the Virgin
Mary (that is, that she herself was born without the taint of
original sin), modern Babylon teaches that God, in the person of
His Son, did not take the same flesh with us; that is, sinful
flesh.

(3) Ancient Babylon persecuted those who refused to accept her
dogmas and worship according to her laws. Modern Babylon has done
the same.

(4) The king of ancient Babylon set himself above God, and
attempted to make his kingdom an everlasting kingdom. So does
modern Babylon.

(5) Ancient Babylon rejected the true gospel as taught to
Nebuchadnezzar, and the fall of Babylon came in consequence.
Modern Babylon has done the same in her rejection of the true
gospel as brought to her in the Reformation, and her fall is
inevitable and impending.

(6) The fall of ancient Babylon came just at the time when it was
giving expression to its contempt of all its enemies, and its
confidence in its own permanence. This experience will be repeated
in the history of modern Babylon.

17. What prophetic period, therefore, extends to the deliverance of God’s people from the captivity in modern Babylon, and the restoration to them of the mediation of Christ?

“And he said unto me, _Unto two thousand and three hundred days_; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Verse 14.

NOTE.—The earthly sanctuary was a type of the heavenly sanctuary
(Heb. 9:23, 24; Lev. 16:29, 30, 33); the cleansing of the earthly
sanctuary was typical of the cleansing in the heavenly sanctuary;
and this cleansing of the sanctuary accomplished on the great day
of atonement is the closing work of Christ in His mediation for
sin. And the commencement of the cleansing of the heavenly
sanctuary marks the beginning of a new era in the experience of
the people of God on earth; namely, the deliverance from the power
of modern Babylon, the restoration to them of the knowledge of the
mediation of Christ for them in the heavenly sanctuary, and a
cleansing from sin in preparation for the second advent of Christ.
The cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary involves the investigative
judgment, which will be followed by the plagues, and Christ’s
coming. This period, therefore, determines the time of restoration
and of judgment.

18. What is said of those who live to see the deliverance from modern Babylon, and the restoration of the true gospel?

“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” Dan. 12:12.

NOTE.—The 1335 days (years) of Dan. 12:12 are evidently a
continuation of the 1290 days (years) of the previous verse, which
commence with the taking away of the mediation of Christ, in the
period 503-508 A.D. See under question 22 in reading on “The Vicar
of Christ,” page 229. The 1335 days, or years, would therefore
extend to the period 1838-43, the time of the preaching of the
judgment-hour, in preparation for the cleansing of the sanctuary,
and the accompanying work at the end of the 2300 days, or years,
of Dan. 8:14. At that time special blessings were to come upon
those who were delivered from the errors and bondage of Rome, and
had their minds directed anew to the mediation of Christ as the
great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary.

GENERAL NOTE ON THE PROPHECIES OF DANIEL.—The second chapter of
Daniel presents in brief outline the divine program of history
leading up to the establishment of the everlasting kingdom of God.
The seventh chapter of Daniel presents somewhat more in detail the
history of those earthly kingdoms which were to precede the
establishment of the kingdom of God, the objective point of the
prophecy being the little horn and its effort to change the laws
and ordinances of God, and to destroy the subjects of the heavenly
kingdom. The period allotted to the supremacy of this power, the
Papacy (the 1260 years), is also indicated. The prophecy of the
eighth chapter of Daniel covers the period from the restoration
era in the time of the Persian kings and the establishment of the
people of God in their own land, to the restoration era just
preceding the second advent of Christ and the setting up of His
everlasting kingdom. In this chapter the leading theme is the
effort of the Papacy to substitute its own mediatorial system for
the mediatorial work of Christ, and the announcement of a
prophetic period (the 2300 years), at the end of which the
counterfeit system introduced by the Papacy was to be fully
exposed. The remaining chapters of Daniel supplement the
prophecies of the second, seventh, and eighth chapters, and show
that at the end of the first portion of the 2300-year period (the
70 weeks, or 490 years) Messiah was to appear and be cut off,
following which would come the destruction of Jerusalem. In the
closing chapter two new periods are introduced (the 1290 years and
the 1335 years), at the end of which, as with the 2300 years, was
to come the movement preparatory to the setting up of God’s
everlasting kingdom in the earth, in harmony with the prophecies
of the second and seventh chapters.

The Atonement In Type And Antitype

The Tabernacle In The Wilderness. "Which was a figure for the time then
present." Heb. 9:9.

1. What did God, through Moses, command Israel to make?

“And let them make Me _a sanctuary_; that I may dwell among them.” Ex. 25:8.

2. What was offered in this sanctuary?

“In which were offered _both gifts and sacrifices_.” Heb. 9:9.

3. Besides the court, how many parts had this sanctuary?

“And the veil shall divide unto you between the _holy place_ and the _most holy_.” Ex. 26:33.

4. What was in the first apartment, or holy place?

“For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the _candlestick_, and the _table_, and the _showbread_; which is called the sanctuary.” Heb. 9:2. “And he put _the golden altar_ in the tent of the congregation before the veil.” Ex. 40:26. See also Ex. 30:1-6.

5. What was contained in the second apartment?

“And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all; which had _the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant_ overlaid round about with gold, wherein was ... _the tables of the covenant_” Heb. 9:3, 4. See also Ex. 40:20, 21.

6. By what name was the cover of the ark known?

“And thou shalt put _the mercy-seat_ above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.” Ex. 25:21.

7. Where was God to meet with Israel?

“And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee _from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony_.” Verse 22.

8. What was in the ark, under the mercy-seat?

“And He wrote on _the tables_, according to the first writing, _the ten commandments_.... And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and _put the tables in the ark_ which I had made.” Deut. 10:4, 5.

9. When did the priest minister in the first apartment of the sanctuary?

“Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in _continually_ into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services.” Heb. 9:6, R. V.

10. Who alone went into the second apartment, how often, and for what purpose?

“But into the second went _the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people_.” Verse 7.

11. What were sinners desiring pardon instructed to do?

“And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord ... then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. And _he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and slay the sin-offering in the place of the burnt offering_.” Lev. 4:27-29.

NOTE.—According to this, if a man sinned in Israel, he violated
one of the ten commandments that were in the ark under the
mercy-seat. These commandments are the foundation of God’s
government. To violate them is to commit sin, and so become
subject to death. 1 John 3:4; Rom. 6:23. But there was a
mercy-seat reared above these holy and just commandments. In the
dispensation of His mercy, God grants the sinner the privilege of
confessing his sins, and bringing a substitute to meet the demands
of the law, and thus of obtaining mercy.

12. What was done with the blood of the offering?

“And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and _shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar_.” Verse 30.

NOTE.—After a person discovered his sin by the law which demanded
the death of the transgressor, he first brought his offering, then
he confessed his sin while laying his hands on the head of the
victim, thus, in figure, transferring his sin to the victim; the
victim was next slain in the court, or outer part of the
sanctuary, and its blood put on the horns of the altar and poured
at the foot of the altar. In this way sins were pardoned, and, in
the typical service, transferred to the sanctuary.

13. After the accumulation of the sins of the year in this way, what service took place on the tenth day of the seventh month of each year?

“And this shall be a statute forever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, ... for _on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord_.” Lev. 16:29, 30.

14. How was the sanctuary itself to be cleansed, and how were the sins of the people to be finally disposed of?

“And he [the high priest] shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin-offering.... And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats, one lot _for the Lord_, and the other lot _for the scapegoat_.” Verses 5-8.

NOTE.—The Hebrew word for scapegoat is Azazel. See margin of verse
8. It is used as a proper name, and, according to the opinion of
the most ancient Hebrews and Christians, refers to Satan, or the
angel who revolted and persisted in rebellion and sin.

15. What was done with the blood of the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell?

“Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, ... _and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat_, and before the mercy-seat.” Verse 15.

16. Why was it necessary to make this atonement?

“And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, _because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins_: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.” Verse 16.

NOTE.—Sins were conveyed into the sanctuary during the year by the
blood of the personal sin-offerings offered daily at the door of
the tabernacle. Here they remained until the day of atonement,
when the high priest went into the most holy place with the blood
of the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell; and, bearing the
accumulated sins of the year in before the mercy-seat, he there,
in type, atoned for them, and so cleansed the sanctuary.

17. After having made atonement for the people in the most holy place, what did the high priest next do?

“And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: and Aaron shall _lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness_.” Verses 20, 21.

NOTE.—The offering of the Lord’s goat cleansed the sanctuary. By
this offering the sins of the people, transferred there during the
year, were, in type, atoned for; but they were not by this
offering finally disposed of, or destroyed. The scapegoat,
symbolizing Satan, the great tempter and originator of sin, was
brought to the sanctuary, and upon his head were placed all these
sins which Satan had tempted God’s people to commit.

18. What final disposition was made of the sins of the people?

“And _the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited_: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.” Verse 22.

The Scapegoat. "And Aaron shall ... confess over him all the iniquities of
the children of Israel." Lev. 16:21.

19. What was this earthly sanctuary and its round of service?

“Which was _a figure_ for the time then present.” Heb. 9:9.

20. Of what sanctuary, or tabernacle, is Christ the minister?

“A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, _which the Lord pitched, and not man_.” Heb. 8:2.

21. Of what was the blood of all the sacrifices of the former dispensation only a type?

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but _by His own blood_ He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Heb. 9:12. See Eph. 5:2.

NOTE.—Through the sacrifices and offerings brought to the altar of
the earthly sanctuary, the penitent believer was to lay hold of
the merits of Christ, the Saviour to come. In this way, and in
this way only, was there any virtue connected with them.

22. At the death of Christ, what miraculous occurrence signified that the priestly work and services of the earthly sanctuary were finished?

“Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, _the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom_.” Matt. 27:50, 51.

NOTES.—Type had met antitype; the shadow had reached the
substance. Christ, the great sacrifice, had been slain, and was
about to enter upon His final work as our great high priest in the
sanctuary in heaven. The priestly work in the earthly sanctuary
was typical of the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. In
the earthly, the atonement was performed on the last day of the
ceremonial year. All who did not then have their sins atoned for
were “cut off,” and the camp was cleansed from sin. The atonement
day was virtually a day of judgment for Israel, and the people
whose sins had been atoned for were free from sin, and could enter
upon the services of the new year clean in the sight of God. This
work was kept up year after year. In the heavenly sanctuary, the
sacrifice is offered but once; and but one atonement, or cleansing
of the heavenly sanctuary, can be made, which must take place at
the time assigned of God for it. And when the great atonement, or
cleansing, of the heavenly sanctuary has been made, God’s people
will be forever free from sin, and the fate of all will be forever
sealed. See Rev. 22:11. This, as in the type, will be a day of
judgment.

The round of service in the earthly sanctuary was God’s service.
It had to do with the sins of the people; not that the blood of
the sacrifices offered there could in itself take away their sins,
for it is expressly said that it could not. Heb. 10:4. It could,
however, show their _faith_ in the efficacy of _Christ’s blood_
yet to be spilled, and to which the sanctuary work was intended
constantly to direct their minds. The work there was a type, or
shadow, of Christ’s atoning work, and, as such, carries with it a
significance that cannot be overestimated. Upon a correct
understanding of the type depends a correct understanding of the
antitype. The entire sanctuary service was an object-lesson of
most important and vital gospel truth,—that of man’s salvation and
the atonement of sin.

23. What relation does the earthly sanctuary sustain to the heavenly?

“Who serve unto the _example_ and _shadow_ of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the _pattern_ showed to thee in the mount.” Heb. 8:5.

24. By what comparison is it shown that the heavenly sanctuary will be cleansed?

“It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; _but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these_.” Heb. 9:23.

25. When Christ has finished His priestly mediatorial work in the heavenly sanctuary, what decree will go forth?

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Rev. 22:11.

26. What event is directly connected with the blotting out of sin and the final refreshing from God’s presence?

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and _He shall send Jesus Christ_, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19-21.

27. According to the view of the judgment presented to Daniel, what is to be given to Christ while still before the Father?

“I saw ... and, behold, one like the Son of man came ... to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him _dominion_, and _glory_, and _a kingdom_, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him.” Dan. 7:13, 14.

28. What will occur when the Lord descends from heaven?

“For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and _the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air_: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.

29. What statement immediately following the announcement mentioned in Rev. 22:11, indicates that a judgment work had been in progress before Christ comes?

“And, behold, I come quickly; and _My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be_.” Rev. 22:12.

NOTE.—The typical sanctuary service is fully met in the work of
Christ. As the atonement day of the former dispensation was really
a day of judgment, so the atonement work of Christ will include
the investigation of the cases of His people prior to His coming
the second time to receive them unto Himself.

30. Is there a specified time for the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary?