Introduction:
Within the Scriptures the curtain is drawn aside and we are given some insights, not only into the history of our world, but of events that transpired before the dawn of human history. It is revealed that while sin is confined to this earth, it is an intruder for whose existence no explanation can be given, and that the problems it has caused are not limited to this earth, but are of cosmic proportions involving the entire universe.

In this cosmic conflict which had its beginning at the seat of the universe, Lucifer, the covering cherub (see Ezekiel 28:12-15), highest of all created beings, coveted the position of deity itself. His bid to grasp the power and position that belonged to God alone flared into open rebellion and war (see Revelation 12:7-9), leading to his expulsion from heaven.

Had this aberration in the universe, known as sin, been something that could have been overcome by force, then this war in heaven could have been the end of sin. Love, however, was the law of the universe, and love is incompatible with force. Love, cannot compel, only lead, and to have destroyed sin and sinners before the principles involved had become clearly developed would only have assured its re-emergence in the future. At this point not even Satan saw where sin would lead, and to have annihilated sin and all those who had been infected by its blight would have raised questions for which there would have been no answers.

Though defeated and cast out of heaven, Satan sought to enlist other created beings in this rebellion, instilling in them his incredible thirst for power. In following the suggestions of, as they thought, the serpent, Adam and Eve joined Satan in his rebellion and gained a knowledge of sin, making it a part of their very nature.

God's response to this was a display of love that was beyond the comprehension of any of His created beings. This demonstration was of such a magnitude that there could be no neutral onlookers. Every being in the universe, when brought face to face with the reality of this demonstration, must either be bound to God by ties of loyalty and love that nothing could ever break, or become so hardened in rebellion that nothing could move him. Once this demonstration was complete, the awful affliction of sin would never again find a place within the universe. See Nahum 1:9.

In this demonstration, the earth was to be the theater of the universe. Upon this state in space the ultimate demonstration of love would meet the principle of sin, exposing it for all to see and forever answering the validity of any questions that it raised regarding the government of God. As law is the basis of all government, the war to be fought, and around which all the issues revolve, is over the law of God.

In earlier studies of the book of Daniel we were introduced to an outline of world history from the time of Daniel until the close of the great controversy. In Daniel 8 we are looking at another outline from another perspective, revealing more details of this controversy between the two great opposing principles.

1. According to the prophecy, what period of time was to elapse before the sanctuary was to be cleansed?
Daniel 8:14____________________________________________________________________

2. What rule do we use for reckoning prophetic days?
Ezekiel 4:5, 6_________________________________________________________________
Note: "So Ezekiel 4:6, 'I have appointed thee day for a year,' where the prophet was symbolically to bear the iniquity for as many days as they had sinned in years. In this usage we find authority for interpreting days in prophecy as denoting years.'" George Bush, Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Literature in New York City University, Notes on Numbers 14:34.

3.What period of time did Gabriel tell Daniel was determined or decreed upon his people?
Daniel 9:24____________________________________________________________________
Note: Daniel had been considering the seventy years of Israel's captivity, wondering how to harmonize the prophecy of Jeremiah that foretold Israel's restoration to be accomplished at the end of 70 years, with a prophecy that indicated a very long period of 2300 days, or years, that were to elapse before the sanctuary was to be restored.

Gabriel began by speaking of a period of 490 years. (70 x 7, or 490 days or years) that were to be determined upon Israel. The word "determined" comes from the Hebrew word chathak.

The underlying word properly means to cut, divide, or amputate. In other words, the period of 490 years was to be cut off from, or amputated from a longer period of time. The only time to which this could refer is the longer time period already brought to view--the 2300 days, or years. In other words, of the 2300 years, 490 were to belong expecially to Israel.

4. When did the angel indicate that the 70 weeks were to begin?
Daniel 9:25____________________________________________________________________
Note: There were actually three decrees issued allowing the Jews to return. These three decrees culminated in the most complete one given by Artaxerxes in 457 B.C., restoring Jerusalem's political authority. See Exra 6:14.

As no starting point had been given for the 2300 days, and as the 70 week period formed a part of it, and was to be cut from it, we may know that the starting date given for the 70 weeks must also be the beginning of the 2300 days.

70 weeks is 490 years 457 B. C., time prophecy begins

7 weeks is 49 years

62 weeks is 434 years

1 week is 7 years

The Last Week of Seven Years

Christ anointed, A.D. 27 ~*~ 3 1/2 weeks Christ ministered ~*~ in the midst of the week Christ cut off, A.D. 31 ~*~ 3 1/2 weeks the Disciples witnessed to the Jews ~*~ Stephen stoned and the gospel went to the Gentiles, A.D. 34

5. How long was it to be from the issuing of the decree until Christ?
Daniel 9:25____________________________________________________________________
Note: The word Messiah means "the Anointed." Seven weeks plus three-score and two [62] weeks equal sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years. This leaves one week, or seven years of time remaining.

6. How was Christ anointed?
Acts 10:38_____________________________________________________________________

7. When did Jesus receive the special anointing of the Holy Spirit?
Luke 3:21-22___________________________________________________________________
Note: According to Luke 3:1, John the Baptist began preaching in the fifteenth year of Tiberius. Tiberius began to reign together with his father in A.D. 12, making A.D. 27 his fifteenth year.

8. What was to occur in the middle of the 70th week?
Daniel 9:27____________________________________________________________________
Note: Soon after His baptism, Jesus came to Galilee preaching, "The time is fulfilled." Mark 1:15. The time that was fulfilled was the 69 weeks of D

aniel 9.

Three and a half years later, in the spring of A.D. 31, He was crucified, thus bringing to an end the system of sacrifices. See Matthew 27:51.

9. What event signaled the beginning of persecution for the Christian church in Jerusalem, resulting in the believers being scattered and the gospel going to the Gentile world?
Acts 7:59-60; 8:1______________________________________________________________
Note: Although Israel had "mocked the messengers of God and despised His words, and misused His prophets" (2 Chronicles 36:16), He had still manifested Himself to them, as "the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth" (Exodus 34:6); notwithstanding repeated rejections, His mercy had continued its pleadings. When remonstrance, entreaty, and rebuke had failed, He sent His son to plead with the impenitent people.

When Christ hung upon the cross of Calvary, Israel's day as a nation favored and blessed of God was ended, and yet, for three and a half years, Christ continued to plead with them through His apostles. When, however, in spite of all the accumulated evidence, the Jewish people confirmed their rejection of Christ, in the person of His saints, the door was opened to take the gospel to the Gentile world.

"Unto 2,300 days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed"

70 weeks is 490 years "are determined upon Thy people" Begins 457 B.C. and ends A.D. 34

1810 years begins A.D. 34 and ends A.D. 1844

With the stoning of Stephen in A.D. 34, a persecution broke out in Jerusalem that scattered the believers. Wherever they went, they took with them the startling story of a crucified and risen Saviour. There yet remained 1810 years of the original 2300. Adding 1810 to 34, reaches to the fall of the year 1844 as the time appointed for the cleansing of the sanctuary.

If you have any questions or comments about this lesson, you can email me at: [email protected]