Wednesday: The 2,300 Days of Daniel 8:14
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 15th of May 2024
William Miller observed that events predicted by the prophets were precisely fulfilled: the 400 years of the sojourn of Abraham’s descendants, Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the 70 years of Israel’s captivity, and Daniel’s 70 weeks allotted to Israel (Genesis 15:13, Numbers 14:34, Jeremiah 25:11, and Daniel 9:1-27:24).
Read Mark 1:15, Galatians 4:4, and Romans 5:6. What do these verses tell us about God’s timetable for the First Advent?
As Miller studied the prophecies, comparing scripture with scripture, he concluded that if God had a divine timetable throughout the Bible, God must have a divine timetable when it comes to our Lord’s second coming.
Read Daniel 8:14. What event was to occur at the end of the 2,300 days?
Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com
William Miller accepted the popular view that the “cleansing of the sanctuary” was the purification of the earth by fire. He diligently studied the Scriptures to understand an event of such stupendous importance. He discovered the linkage between Daniel 8:1-27 and Daniel 9:1-27. In Daniel 8:1-27, the angel was instructed to “make this man understand the vision” (Daniel 8:1-27) By the end of the chapter, the only portion of the entire vision of Daniel 8:1-27 left unexplained (see Daniel 8:1-27) was the part about the 2,300 days. Later the angel returned to Daniel and declared, “ ‘I have now come forth to give you skill to understand’ ” (Daniel 9:22, NKJV; see also Daniel 9:23,25-27). This was to help him understand about the 2,300 days.
We know this because, after bidding Daniel to “ ‘consider the matter, and understand the vision’ ” (Daniel 9:23, NKJV), the first words of the angel were: “ ‘Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city’ ” (Daniel 9:1-27:24, NKJV). The word translated “determined” literally means “cut off.” Seventy weeks, 490 years, are to be cut off. But from what? The vision of the 2,300 days, obviously—the only part of Daniel 8:1-27 that Daniel did not understand, and that the angel now came to explain.
And since the starting point of the 70 weeks was “ ‘from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem’ ” (Daniel 9:25, NKJV), Miller knew that if he had that date, he could know the beginning of the 70 weeks and the 2,300-day prophecy.
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I didn't write a comment yesterday because I had my annual retina check. This involves a trip to Sydney and dilating my eyes so the surgeon can see what is happening. And that puts an end to looking at computer screens for the rest of the day. My eyes are all good by the way.
There are a couple of comments that I want to make about William Miller, 1844, 2300 days, and so on. I don't want to reiterate the maths or the history as I think there are others who can do it better than I can. The issue is that most of us either take it for granted or completely ignore it. Either position is dangerous and as Seventh-day Adventists we should be true to our roots and test things for ourselves.
The really important thing to understand about William Miller is that he was a radical. He felt unhappy with what the Churches of his time were teaching and decided to search the scriptures for himself. He had about 15 different ways of calculating the "1840s" dates. Some of them were pretty esoteric and I know that his detractors make light of this. Of course, ultimately he was wrong in that the Second Coming did not occur. He did not join the embryonic Seventh-day Adventist group but rather, continued to calculate and set dates.
We need to return to the notion that the end of this prophecy provides a new insight into Christ's ministry for us. He is, in Jewish terms, our High Priest, or in modern terms, our advocate. In other words, he is on our side.
In my conversations with other Christians, I accept that sometimes we have been somewhat arrogant is saying, "We have got the prophecy right. The focus has been on us rather than on Christ.
Ellen White had this to say after the 1888 Conference Session:
Amen, good additional reads.
May God continually grant you the clearness of eyesight, physically and spiritually as He has obviously done for you in the past,according to His will and grace.
Thanks for the comment, Maurice . I was a bit worried yesterday, but it's good to know that you are doing okay.
I found the following statement in an article in "Ministry" Magazine" July 1929.
“Has not the hour come for greater modesty in prophesying the details by which the last great crisis will be effected? Of that general truth and fact there is absolute surety. On the details, thousands are destined to a terrific surprise. Conservatism here is a solemn obligation. Satan will not work in accordance with some well-meant prognostications”
Worth thinking about.
All prophecies point to the future. This prophecy about the 2300 days also pointed to the future but was understood much ahead. We are in a very open time when points such as these from the Bible are already clarified. The mystery is why some people accept and some don't. Convincement must come from the light of the Holy Spirit. May we all be open to Him today.
Only the 70 weeks propetic period has a definite starting point. The 2300 day one has none at all. Therefore, to me, we have to go by the symbolism of that prophecy for a starting point. In Leviticus 16:19,20. These verses here speak of the "Cleansing of the Sanctuary" that was done on the Seventh Month every year that symbolized what Jesus would do with His Own Body and Blood at Calvary for all sin of the entire world at Calvary. So then this prophecy symbolically ends at Calvary with Jesus spilled blood for all Humanity. So when we go back 2300 years from there we have the starting point of that prophecy with the institution of Jesus as King Melchizedek King of Salem and King of Peace, and who then also became a human to die for all sin at Calvary's Cross 2,000 plus or minus years ago and then rose to take back His life for All who will live by faith in this fact till He comes as a conquering King of Kings and Lord of Lords, soon and very soon.
Pete, I know that You promote the idea that Melchizedek was in fact Christ, but I think this is a very left-field interpretation of the evidence. Apart from the original Genesis references and another one in Psalms, all of the other references to Melchizedek come from the Epistle to the Hebrews. I can see the verses which you use to prove your point.
I think that when reading Hebrews, you should consider the context. This epistle was written to a group of Hebrew believers who struggled with the notion that Christ could be our high priest because he was not of Aaronic descent. The writer was pointing out that Aaronic descent was not a requirement and using Melchizedek as an example or as we would say in theological language, a "type" of Christ. The texts in Heb 7 refer to Christ being a priest "like" Melchizedek. If Melchizedek and Christ were the same person I would have expected stronger language than "like".
The argument in Hebrews was about the legitimacy and precedent for a non-Aaronic priest.
Well said..u gave me a lesson. Much understood and have shared with colleagues as well
The fact that Bible prophecies are fulfilled gives us the assurance that all that is said in the Bible is true including what many people don't believe in_eternal life .
Thank you Esther Pelletier for yesterday's response.Be blessed.
Asking for prayers for my husband who has been sick for 3 days now.Whenever you are praying remember to mention his name too so that God can heal him.His name is Andrew Okello now admitted at Defense Forces Memorial hospital in Nairobi.