The 2300 Years

Index to this page.
    In a Few Words—
    Two Groups of Timelines within the 2300 Years


In a Few Words—
      The 2300 day prophecy of chapter 8 is the longest of the timelines in Daniel. Daniel tells us at the end of the chapter that he “was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.” Vrs 27. But there are several facts that will give us some light on this matter. (No doubt, Daniel also realized these things.)
 
      1. It is a fact that 2300 literal days (6 years -4 months -20 days), would not cover the duration of a single prophetic power in prophetic history, much less extend over them all. Therefore, the days must be symbols, even as the beasts and horns are shown to be symbols.
      2. It is a fact that a symbolic day/prophetic day is equal to one solar year. See Eze. 4:5, 6 and Num. 14:34. Hence, the period is 2300 years which is called the day/year principle.
      3. Thus, the 2300 years must begin with “the vision” (Dan 8:26); consequently the vision commences in the height of the Medo-Persian power, —BC 457. (See FS on 457bc.)
      4. The angel has not yet explained the “manner of time,” or given its starting event (date) to the prophet Daniel. Gabriel did explain to Daniel at that time more than he could bear (verse 27), and at a later time he did make Daniel understand the vision. Dan 9:21-23. What is clear is the close connection between chapters 8 and 9, and thus the relationship between the 2300 days/years of chapter 8 and the 70 weeks (of years) of chapter 9.
      5. Daniel also knew that these prophecies were the promise of restoration, both for the sanctuary and for Israel, but that restoration was conditional upon Israel’s sincere repentance and the fulfillment of their part of the covenant. His prayer shows he understood this. Dan 9:2-19.
 
      During the 2300 years is portrayed a number of events which answers the question “How long,” —with beginning events, ending events, and a very specific ending event, —“then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,” set-right/restored.
      We see the fulfillment of the 2300 years as the answer to the same question asked twice in Daniel and once in Revelation, —How long? in Dan 8:13, How long? in Dan 12:6, and How long? in Rev 6:10. It also answers how long prophetic time is, —a day = a year, and that there was to be a specific event at the end. The prophetic chapters of Daniel (7-12) are made up of multiple visions given at different times in Daniel’s life. These visions complete two lines of prophecy and should not be separated. They explain the reason for symbolic time and literal time, and standing together they shine light on each other. To be more specific, the visions of chapters 7, 8, and 9, do not have their fulfillment ONLY in years, and the prophecies of Daniel chapters 11 and 12 do not have their fulfillment ONLY in literal days! All the prophecies of Daniel have a fulfillment in the years, as well as all of the prophecies of Daniel having a specific repeated fulfillment in literal days. (The reason I belabor this subject is because there are a number of interpretations that splitup these visions, prophecies, and timelines, not allowing them to work as a whole in prophetic history and in the repeated fulfillment.)
      Summary— The scripture above all others that was both the foundation and the central pillar of the Advent faith was the declaration: “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Daniel 8:14.
      We can all agree that there are many events which are foretold in Daniel 8 and 9. There are many more events to be found in the other chapters of Daniel (and Revelation) that fit into the 2300 time period, and which continue to fill in the picture. Fill in what picture? What is the most valuable teaching —the specific purpose— which we should learn from the 2300 day prophecy? It is all about Christ in the Sanctuary! It is all about the Plan of Salvation carried out through an understanding of the Sanctuary service! It is the prophetic time allotted to working out the plan of salvation in the earthy sanctuary, —and the prophetic time allotted to working out the plan of salvation in the Heavenly Sanctuary. The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men. It should concern every soul living today, for we are the ones who are to answer the most important question: What is the cleansing of the sanctuary?
   
Please note: What is the main subject of contention in Daniel 8 and 9? What are the actions taken against that issue and against those who teach the Sanctuary truths?  (For the next two groups of Scripture, only hover over the following links for pop-up explanations.) The following verses are from Daniel 8:10-14 and 15-19.
      10 And it [the evil horn] waxed great, even to the host of heaven [God’s saints]; and it cast down some of the host [God’s people teaching the Sanctuary message] and of the stars [the leaders of God's people] to the ground, and stamped [persecuted] upon them.
      11 Yea, he [the evil horn] magnified himself even to the prince [Christ] of the host [God’s people], and by him the daily [Christ free gift of salvation] sacrifice was taken away [hidden from the minds of men], and the place of his sanctuary [the Sanctuary of salvation] was cast down [made of none effect].
      12 And an host [evil people] was given him [the little horn] against the daily [Salvation through Christ as taught in the Sanctuary] sacrifice by reason of transgression [by sin living in the heart], and it [the evil horn directing evil men] cast down [make of none effect] the truth [the truth of salvation through Christ as taught in the sanctuary] to the ground; and it practised, and prospered [evil prevailed against the teaching of the Sanctuary].
      13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long [how long will evil prevail against the teaching of the Sanctuary] shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation [a single act which starts this evil and leads to total destruction], to give both the sanctuary [the Cleansing Truth] and the host [God’s people teaching the Sanctuary] to be trodden under foot [persecuted]?
      14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days [Days / Years]; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed [all sin taken from the Heavenly Sanctuary and placed on the scape goat, --Satan]. [Satan, the goat, is then led into the wilderness, never to trouble Israel again.]
 
      15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
      16 And I heard a man’s voice between [Christ, walking on the river!] the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
      17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
      18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
      19 And he said, Behold [Take note of this; I set you upright, LISTEN!], I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation [The very last-days of the Great Controversy.]: for at the time appointed [moed: solemn feasts--H4150--2Chron 8:13; In type, the Day of Atonement, Oct. 22, 1844.] the end shall be.
      (For Further Study notice the parallels in the events of Daniel 9:23-27 and 12:6-13.)
 
      Would we dare to think that the Sanctuary of Salvation has its only prophetic fulfillment during the 2300 years?

Two Groups of Timelines within the 2300 Years
      The 2300 years is the umbrella under which the other timelines of Daniel have their fulfillment. God’s great design in the plan of salvation is seen in the fulfilled prophetic history of the 2300 years and its all-inclusive timelines, —the 490 years; and the 1260 years, 1290 years, and 1335 years.
 
      These timelines are divided into two groups;
          —The Times of Israel (Believers in God) and the
          —Times of the Gentiles (Unbelievers)
 
      The 2300 years is not only the umbrella for all of these timelines, but both the times of Israel and the times of the Gentiles have their fulfillments attached to the beginning or the end. The times of Israel start with the beginning of the 2300 years, and the times of the Gentiles have their endings at the end of the 2300 years. (There would be some 474 years between the times of Israel (ending in 34 AD) and the times of the Gentiles (beginning in 508).)
 

    The first group of timelines, the times of Israel, have their fulfillment in the 70 weeks, or 490 years, which were given to Israel for the fulfillment of the coming Messiah, Christ on the cross, as the Lamb of God. The purpose of the prophecy was to prepare a people for the coming of the Messiah. But Satan had made his way into the church and had effectively displaced in the hearts of the people the real reason for the coming Messiah, which was to be the Lamb of God, the atonement for the repentant sinner.
      Seventy weeks were given (as a probation) upon Daniel’s people and Jerusalem (including the sanctuary), 1) to finish the transgression, 2) to make an end of sins, 3) to make reconciliation for iniquity, 4) to bring in everlasting righteousness, 5) to seal up the vision, 6) to seal up the prophecy, and 7) to anoint the most Holy. See Dan 9:24.
      It would be good to note that Luke tells us that the disciples understood the times of Israel had ended (at the stoning of Stephen) and the times of the Gentiles were yet to begin in the future. How much of the details the disciples knew may be debated, but even though they knew the times of the Gentiles were yet future of their time, they still preached the nearness of Christ’s return! See Luke 21:24.
 
      The 490 years is a much shorter time period than that of the times of the Gentiles; —which covers the 1260 years, 1290 years, and 1335 years, and all three timelines are found in Daniel 12. Not only are the Gentiles symbolic of unbelievers, but they are persecutors of those who believe in God. We might look at these times and not want to think that they are prophecies of persecution. We can be thankful that they were not fulfilled consecutively, one after the other, but rather parallel to one another. We, living in this time of prophetic history, might also be thankful that we did not have to live through those terrible times, called the Dark Ages, years after years of nearly continual persecution, millions of people losing their lives. (But we should be careful, for it might be well for us to keep in mind that these times, with their events and persecution, are going to be repeated (as literal days); even in a more direct and horrible fulfillment.  (Matt 24:21, 22.)  (FS- 1260; 1290; 1335)
      All three timelines are a prophecy that had their fulfillment in the Dark Ages of Papal supremacy, but the 1260 years is the central time period which marks the beginning and ending of Papal rule. 538 AD is the beginning date of the 1260 years. Three countries were hindering Papal supremacy and needed to be removed from power. The three horns plucked up by the roots represented the Heruli (493), the Vandals (534), and the Ostrogoths (538). (FS) With the conversion of Clovis (496), king of the Franks, the papacy found a strong army to champion its interests, and effective help in converting other barbarous tribes.
      The 1290 years precedes the 1260 years of Papal supremacy by 30 years beginning at 508 and ending in 1798. The 1335 years precedes the 1260 years by the same 30 years, starting at 508; but it also extends 45 years past the fall of the Papacy in 1798 to the year 1843. (Scripture says blessed is he that comes to the end of the 1335 years.)
      By 538, the papacy was completely formed and functioning in all significant aspects; but by 1798, 1260 years later, it had lost practically all the power it had accumulated over a period of centuries. Inspiration allotted 1260 years to the papacy for a demonstration of its principles, its policies, and its objectives. Accordingly, these dates should be considered as marking the beginning and the end of the historical prophetic periods of papal power.
      There are many evil things that are recorded in Daniel and Revelation which were fulfilled by the Papacy during the Dark Ages. The Papal Church within the last few years has “apologized” for the murderous actions it took during the Dark Ages. I personally believe and can prove from Scripture that the Catholic Church Organization, if given a chance, will do the same in the near future. (Let it be clear: I love the Catholic people and I expect to be neighbors with many, many in the New Jerusalem. BUT, if the last-day prophecies come to fulfillment, and I have no doubt they will, the Roman Catholic Organization will again use the right arm of the state to trample upon God’s law and His people!
      We will study these timelines and their evil events against God’s people in more detail in the study of the Mirror Chart sections; 1260 years, 1290 years, and 1335 years.


“For the time is come that judgment
must begin at the house of God:
and if it first begin at us,
what shall the end be of them
that obey not the gospel of God?”
1Peter 4:17.



Mirror Event:
      The 2300 Days


Further Study:
      Daniel and the Revelation by Uriah Smith —pages 162.2-185;  191.1
           See also pages 145.1;  146.4;   196.2-197;  200.1-chart;  202.3-205
           217.3-223;  229.3-4;  303.1-2;  332.3-333.1;  388.2;  528.1-5
           546.2-547;  634.1-635.4;  640.3-642.2;  666.2-4
      Bible Study — A Great Prophetic Period
      Selected Passages on the 2300 Years
 
      Chapters in Great Controversy related to 2300 years.
           Chap. 18 - An American Reformer
           Chap. 20 - A Great Religious Awakening
           Chap. 21 - A Warning Rejected
           Chap. 22 - Prophecies Fulfilled
           Chap. 23 - What is the Sanctuary?
           Chap. 24 - In the Holy of Holies
           Chap. 25 - God’s Law Immutable
           Chap. 26 - A Work of Reform


Related Topics:
      And then shall the Sanctuary be Cleansed
      Historical Event #1, Rebuild Jerusalem, BC 457
      Historical Event #7, Prophetic Time Ends; End of 2300 Years, October 22, 1844