18 - The Sanctuary

"And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed" Daniel 8:14

1. To what time did the 2300-day prophecy point?

"The time of the end" Daniel 8:17

"Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be" Daniel 8:19

2. How long was the book of Daniel to be closed up?

"Till the time of the end" Daniel 12:9

3. Revelation pictures a mighty angel with what in his hand?

"A little book open" Revelation 10:1, 2

Comparing Revelation 10:5-7 with Daniel 12:5-7, we see in Revelation 10 an unmistakable reference to the open book of Daniel.

4. The mystery would soon be finished as God had declared to whom?

"The prophets" Revelation 10:7

5. Where were the angel’s feet?

"His right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth" Revelation 10:2

"And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas" Genesis 1:10

6. As a prophetic symbol, what do "waters" represent?

"The waters which thou sawest…are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues" Revelation 17:15

Thus the book of Daniel was to be opened upon the "sea" where there was a gathering together of many peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues, and also on the "earth" where those multitudes and nations were not crowded together.

It was in the early 1800's that the book of Daniel began to be studied in earnest throughout Europe, North America, and other parts of the world. Of special interest was the 2300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14.

In the United States, a Baptist preacher, William Miller, unleashed what has been called the greatest prophetic awakening in American history. By a thorough study of the prophecies, he and others from various denominations discovered that the 2300 days would expire on October 22, 1844.

7. When the book of Daniel was still in their mouths, what would it be like?

"Sweet as honey" Revelation 10:8-10

"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart" Jeremiah 15:16

"How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" Psalm 119:103

8. But after it was swallowed, what would happen?

"It shall make thy belly bitter" Revelation 10:9, 10

It was commonly believed that the earth was the sanctuary to be cleansed, and that Jesus would come at the end of the 2300-day period. Sweet! But when the date passed by and Jesus did not return, it was a most bitter disappointment.

9. Those who had experienced the bitter disappointment were told they must do what again?

"Prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings" Revelation 10:11

10. What was to be measured?

"The temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein" Revelation 11:1

11. Where was the temple of God opened?

"In heaven" Revelation 11:19

12. What does the apostle call the temple of God in heaven?

"The sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched" Hebrews 8:2

13. The earthly tabernacle, being true to its pattern, served as an example and shadow of what?

"Heavenly things" Hebrews 8:5

14. How is the heavenly tabernacle rated, compared to the earthly?

"Greater and more perfect" Hebrews 9:11

15. Who is the High Priest of the heavenly sanctuary?

"Jesus the Son of God" Hebrews 4:14

16. What two apartments of the earthly tabernacle did the veil divide?

"The holy place and the most holy" Exodus 26:33

17. What is another name for the most holy place?

"The Holiest of all" Hebrews 9:3

18. How often did the earthly high priest go into that apartment?

"Once every year" Hebrews 9:7

19. What was the purpose of the blood that he took in with him?

"Not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people" Hebrews 9:7

The Day of Atonement, which occurred "once every year," is described in Leviticus 16. It symbolized the work Jesus would begin in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844.

20. What were all the people to do on that day?

"Ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all" Leviticus 16:29

21. What would this atonement do for the people?

"To cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins" Leviticus 16:30

22. What would this make for the holy sanctuary and for the tabernacle?

"An atonement" Leviticus 16:33

23. Why did the sanctuary need an atonement?

"Because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel" Leviticus 16:16

24. It was necessary also that the patterns and heavenly things themselves should be what?

"Purified" Hebrews 9:23

25. In one word, what was to be done to the sanctuary at the end of the 2300 days?

"Cleansed" Daniel 8:14