The 2300 Days of Daniel 8

The 2300 Days of Daniel 8:14 : 

The 2300 Days of Daniel 8:14 When Did It Begin?

Introduction : 

Introduction Reading the entire chapter of Daniel 8 you will notice that all of the vision was explained except verse 14. This is supported by the angel’s response in verse 26: “And the vision of the evening and morning which was told to you is true: wherefore shut up the vision, for it shall be for many days.”

Which portion of the vision was related to ‘evening and morning’? : 

Which portion of the vision was related to ‘evening and morning’? Answer: Verse 14 - “Unto 2300 days then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” Note: The word “day” used here means evening and morning. It takes an evening and a morning to make one day. See Genesis 1:5, 8, 12, 19, 23, 31.

Seeking Understanding : 

Seeking Understanding In chapter 9, Daniel - after studying Jeremiah - said that he understood that Jerusalem would be made desolate for 70 years. Daniel then started to intercede for himself and his people. No doubt, he figured that the sanctuary spoken of in the vision was the one at Jerusalem.

Gabriel Again : 

Gabriel Again 9:21 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. 9:22 And he informed [me], and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 9:23 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.

Why was Gabriel Sent? : 

Why was Gabriel Sent? To give Daniel skill and understanding. To help him to understand the vision. Note: The word ‘consider’ used in Daniel 9:23 means ‘understand’. So the last part of the verse could read “therefore understand the matter, and understand the vision.”

What is there to Understand? : 

What is there to Understand? The 2300 days. The sanctuary that was to be cleansed. These are the only portions that were not understood by Daniel.

Gabriel’s Explanation : 

Gabriel’s Explanation Daniel 9:24 “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.”

70 Weeks : 

70 Weeks 70 weeks = 70 x 7 = 490 days. We are dealing with time measurement, therefore, the 70 weeks/490 days can only be taken from the portion of the vision that dealt with time, that is the 2300 days. 2300 – 490 = 1810 days

Days or Years? : 

Days or Years? In prophecy, 1 day = 1 year (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6) Therefore the 2300 days and the 490 days are 2300 & 490 literal years. Reason: if these are reckoned as literal days the prophecy would fail. We will get back to this later.

The Starting Point for the Vision : 

The Starting Point for the Vision If you were to cut off 1 yard from 18 feet, you would start measuring the 1 yard at the beginning of the 18 feet. Therefore, the 70 weeks / 490 days [years] must have the same starting point as the 2300 days [years]

The Breakdown of the 70 Weeks : 

The Breakdown of the 70 Weeks Daniel 9:25 “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.”

Slide 13: 

vs. 26 – “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.”

Slide 14: 

vs. 27 - “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.”

Lets Add! : 

Lets Add! From the establishment of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem = 7 weeks [7 x7 = 49 days/years] From the command to Messiah = 7 weeks + 62 weeks [49 years + 434 years = 483 years]

Slide 16: 

The confirmation of covenant = 1 week [7days/7years] 483 + 7 = 490 years This was for the Jewish nation.

The Starting Point of the 70 Weeks : 

The Starting Point of the 70 Weeks Daniel 9:25 “Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem ….. .” The starting point is when the command was established to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.

When was this Command Made? : 

When was this Command Made? There are three such commands in the Bible: Cyrus’ command – Ezra 1:2-4 Darius’ command – Ezra 6:6-12 Artaxerxes’ command – Ezra 6:14 & 7:12-26

Which Command do we use? : 

Which Command do we use? Ezra 1:1 -2 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah.

Slide 20: 

6:1-3 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that [is] in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein [was] a record thus written: In the first year of Cyrus the king [the same] Cyrus the king made a decree [concerning] the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

Slide 21: 

6:11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. 6:12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter [and] to destroy this house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

ARTAXERXES : 

ARTAXERXES Ezra 7:11-13 “Now this [is] the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, [even] a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect [peace], and at such a time. I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and [of] his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

Slide 23: 

vs. 21 And I, [even] I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which [are] beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,

Slide 24: 

7:25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that [is] in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that [are] beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know [them] not. 7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether [it be] unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

ARTAXERXES’ DECREE : 

ARTAXERXES’ DECREE The two first decrees dealt with the building of the temple. The last one dealt with: Establishing a court of justice; Executing judgment;

Slide 26: 

3. Collecting of taxes; 4. Teaching of the law of God. This, therefore, is the decree that marked the beginning of the time prophecy.

WHEN WAS THIS COMMAND MADE EFFECTIVE? : 

WHEN WAS THIS COMMAND MADE EFFECTIVE? Ezra 7:8-9, "And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him."

At What Point in History Was This? : 

At What Point in History Was This? Xerxes The Great born c. 519 bc died 465, Persepolis Persian king (486–465 bc), the son and successor of Darius I. (Encarta online)

Slide 29: 

The king mentioned in Ezra 7:1, in the seventh year (B.C. 458) of whose reign Ezra led a second colony of Jews back to Jerusalem, was probably Longimanus, who reigned for forty years (B.C. 464-425); the grandson of Darius, who, fourteen years later, permitted Nehemiah to return and rebuild Jerusalem. Easton Bible Dictionary

Slide 30: 

ar-taks-urk'-sez (Artaxerxes) - is the Greek and Latin form of one, and perhaps of two or three kings of Persia mentioned in the OT. All are agreed that the Artaxerxes at whose court Ezra and Nehemiah were officials is Artaxerxes I, the son of Xerxes, commonly called Longimanus, who reigned from 465 to 424 BC. This Artaxerxes was the third son of Xerxes and was raised to the throne by Artabanus, the murderer of Xerxes. (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

Locating the Date : 

Locating the Date Xerxes died in 465 B.C., and Artaxerxes took the throne that year. In B.C., time is counted backward. To locate the date of the decree we must subtract 7 years and 5 months from 465 [465 -7 = 458] and some months or 457, depending on the month of the year that he took the throne.

457 or 458? : 

457 or 458? “After the conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians introduced their ………. calendar and reckoning of their regnal years from Nisanu 1[ about the time of the Spring Equinox]” “ ……… the Jews adopted the Babylonian's month name which they continue to use.”

Persian Calendar : 

Persian Calendar “……. the Persians kings made the Babylonian calendar standard through the Persian empire. …. similarly, the royal years were reckoned from Nisanu 1.” (Britannica)

How does this help? : 

How does this help? This means that regardless of the time that a king in Babylon or Persia took the throne the first year of his reign was counted from the Nisanu [ Jewish Nisan ] 1 the following new year. Therefore, the first year of Artaxerxes’ reign would not be 465 but 464. [464 – 7 = 457]

WORKING OUT THE YEARS : 

WORKING OUT THE YEARS If we count backwards 490 years from 457 BC we get to AD 33. Also if we go back 2300 years from 457 we get 1843 We [SDA] teaches that the 490 years ended in AD 34 and the 2300 years ended in 1844

EXPLANATION : 

EXPLANATION From 457 BC to 1 BC is 456 years. We have one remaining year, so because we do not have a zero year this remaining year begins AD1. Note if we add this one year to AD 33 we get AD 34 also if we add it to 1843 we get 1844.

Years not Days : 

Years not Days If days were used not one point of the prophecy could be fulfilled. Reason: 2300 days = 6.389 years using the 360 day year. It took more than that time from the restoration of Jerusalem to the birth of Christ. The year-day principle is the only logical solution.

SUMMARY CHART : 

SUMMARY CHART