Welcome to a Revelation of Jesus. In this video we are going to continue our study of Daniel 8 that we began in video 35 and see how will God put a permanent end to sin.
To summarize, we saw that Satan uses earthly oppressive powers, symbolized by a wicked horn, to not only persecute God’s faithful followers but also to attack Christ’s ministry to His people.
Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, which is a major theme in the book of Hebrews, is mentioned in Daniel 8:14: “For 2,300 evenings and mornings, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed or made right”.
When Hebrews talks about the heavenly sanctuary it is less about buildings and furniture and more about what God is doing for our salvation. This was symbolized by the rituals, services, and furnishings of the Old Testament sanctuary.
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These rituals were divided into two categories. The Tamid or daily services symbolized what God does for all who come to Him for forgiveness and cleansing. The daily included the twice-a-day sacrifice of lambs, lighting of lamps, and burning of incense as well as the continual presence of showbread and burnt offerings. These symbolize the ministry of Christ’s blood, His Spirit, His prayers, His Word, and His providential interventions.
They were “taken away” by the works-oriented system of theology, religious ceremonies, and human performance that were perfected by the medieval Christian Church. A part of the making right of the sanctuary is to expose these errors and to reveal “the truth [that] is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:21).
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The second category of the sanctuary services was the Day of Atonement, which symbolized what God is doing to bring sin to a complete and permanent end.
The Day of Atonement had three ceremonies. In the first ceremony, the priest offered a sacrifice for His own sin/sins and brought the blood before the throne of God in the Most Holy Place. This symbolized what Christ did when He returned to heaven after His crucifixion and resurrection. and presented His own blood to atone for the sins of the world which He took upon Himself.
The second ceremony of the Day of atonement was the sacrifice of the Lord’s goat “to make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, for all their sins” (Leviticus 16:16). In video 35 we explored the idea that although sinners had come to the sanctuary and confessed specific sin /sins, they had many other unconfessed sin/sins which they may not have even been aware of.
This ceremony involved a judgment, outlined in Leviticus 23, to determine which of the people had an attitude of humility, sorrow for their sinfulness, and a deep desire to serve God. For these people Christ’s sacrifice would be applied for all of their sinfulness, even if they hadn’t confessed some sin specifically.
It was this judgment that is prophesied in Daniel 8:14, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings, and then the sanctuary will be cleansed” (Daniel 8:14).
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In this video we will see when the judgment (and cleansing) begins, and how it correlates with other prophecies.
This vision occurred “in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar” (Daniel 8:1), the last king of the neo-Babylonian empire. The angel Gabriel came to Daniel with the command, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision”.
Daniel had seen a ram, a goat, and a great wicked horn. (Daniel 8:16). Gabriel explained that these represented more oppressive empires; the “kings of Media and Persia”, “the kingdom of Greece”, “four kingdoms [that] shall arise out of that nation” and finally “a king… having fierce features… who shall destroy the mighty and also the holy people” (Daniel 8:20-24). It was this last power that would “rise against the Prince of princes” and “take away the daily” (Daniel 8:25,13,14).
These explanations were clear. But concerning the cleansing of the sanctuary, Gabriel simply said, “The vision of the evenings and mornings which was told is true; therefore seal up the vision, for it refers to many days in the future” (Daniel 8:26).
Gabriel’s explanation was probably cut short by Daniel’s reaction; “I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days… I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it” (Daniel 8:27).
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We see here that Gabriel had been unable to fulfill his mission to “make [Daniel] understand the vision” (Daniel 8:16). And if we consider Daniel’s situation this is not surprising. He had been a captive for more than 75 years, and Jerusalem and the temple had been in ruins for almost 50 years.
His greatest hope was to go home and see his beloved temple and city restored. But now he was hearing that there would be at least 4 more oppressive kingdoms and 2,300 evenings and mornings that would extend for “many days in the future”.
His distress intensified when he “understood by the books the number of years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem” (Daniel 9:2).
The seventy years should have been nearly over, but in the vision, it seemed like there would be an endless future of oppression and desolation. Daniel “set [his] face toward the Lord God to make a request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” (Daniel 9:3).
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Obviously believing that the continuing sin of his people was prolonging the Lord’s punishment, Daniel confessed their sin of rebellion and disobedience and pleaded for mercy.
“While Daniel was confessing [his] sin and the sin of Israel” (Daniel 9:20) God again sent the angel Gabriel to tell him, “O Daniel, I have now come to give you skill to understand… therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision” (Daniel 9:21-23).
It is obvious from the context that Gabriel had been sent to help Daniel understand the vision of chapter 8, and specifically the 2,300 evenings and mornings that Gabriel had not explained.
Gabriel’s opening remarks make it clear that he had come to relieve Daniel’s anxiety about his people and his city. “Seventy weeks are determined/decreed for your people and for your holy city” (Daniel 9:24). As we noted in video 35, the use of an unusual time period indicates a symbolic or prophetic time in which one day symbolizes a year, so seventy weeks would symbolize 490 years.
During these years God’s chosen Jewish nation had a mission to accomplish: “To finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy” (Daniel 9:24).
Unfortunately, the Jews never accomplished their mission. Rather than finishing transgression (sin) and anointing the Most Holy, they multiplied transgression ( sin) by crucifying the Most Holy. And this is why only 490 of the 2,300 years apply to them.
During the remainder of the 2,300 years, the Christian Church has taken the Jews’ place as God’s chosen representatives.
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Gabriel continues, giving us a key to understanding. “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times” (Daniel 9:25).
With this passage we learn the starting point of the 490 years, as well as the 2,300 years. A command to restore and build Jerusalem would go forth, and from that point, there would be seven weeks plus sixty-two weeks for a total of 69 weeks or 483 years until the appearance of the Messiah.
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There are three decrees that could apply, all found in the book of Ezra.
Cyrus, the first Persian king to rule over the Jews, made a proclamation in 536 BC. He said, “The Lord God of heaven has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem… Who is among you of all His people? Let him go up to Jerusalem and build the house of the Lord God of Israel” (2Chronicles 36:23).
There are two problems with applying this decree to Daniel 9:25. First, it only mentions the building of the temple, and the prophecy specified the rebuilding of Jerusalem. More problematic, 536 BC plus 483 years takes us to 53 BC, well short of “the Messiah the Prince”.
The Jews under Zerubbabel returned to Jerusalem and began work on the temple, but before they could finish there was opposition. The governor of the province sent a letter to King Darius asking if it was legal for the Jews to be building a temple. Darius ordered an inquiry and found the decree of Cyrus.
In 520 BC he issued his own decree, recorded in Ezra 6:1-12, permitting the Jews to build the temple and providing financial support. But it did not include a provision for rebuilding Jerusalem. And adding 483 years to 520 BC only extends to 37 BC, still short of the Messiah.
The third decree by king Artaxerxes, recorded in Ezra 7:12-28, was issued around 457 BC.
It provided finances for finishing the temple, as well as permission to do “whatever seems good to you and your brethren with the rest of the silver and gold” (Ezra 7:18). This could include rebuilding the city and the walls.
And most telling, adding 483 years to 457 BC takes us to AD 27, which many scholars consider to be the date of Jesus’ baptism. Messiah means anointed, so the date of His baptism fits perfectly.
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The prophecy provides other remarkable details. “After the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself” (Daniel 9:26). After His 3 years of ministry Jesus was “cut off” with the crucifixion, not for Himself, but for all who will accept Him.
“He shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” (Daniel 9:27).
With His life without sin, Jesus confirmed the everlasting covenant that He made clear back in the Garden of Eden to crush the serpent’s head. And His sacrifice in 31 AD, “in the middle of the week”, brought an end to all other sacrifices and offerings because He accomplished in reality what the rituals did symbolically.
The last week designated “for [Daniel’s] people,” the Jews, to be God’s chosen representatives, ended in 34 AD as the Jews sealed their rejection of God with the stoning of Stephen. “At that time a great persecution arose against the church… and they were all scattered” (Acts 8:1). Wherever they went they shared the gospel, and God sent Peter a vision showing him that “God has also granted to the gentiles repentance to life” (Acts 11:18)
There is one final detail. “The people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary… and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate” (Daniel 9:26,27). This passage has been seriously misunderstood, but it is important enough that it will have to wait for another video.
Here is a timeline of the 490 years. This prophecy provides remarkable evidence of the reliability of the Bible. But keep in mind that the purpose of Gabriel’s explanation was to help Daniel, and us, understand the 2,300 evenings and mornings of Daniel 8:14. Gabriel told Daniel that 490 years were designated for his people the Jews. That left 1,810 years until the cleansing of the sanctuary.
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With the dates that we have used for the decree of Artaxerxes, the baptism of Jesus, the crucifixion, and the stoning of Stephen, we arrive at the year 1844.
Now I’ll be the first to admit that this seems like an arbitrary and unlikely date, but before you jump ship, let me say a few things about it.
First of all, the prophecy of Daniel 9 is unique in that it is tied to very specific dates, and dates often seem arbitrary. Take AD 31, for example. It seems like a totally arbitrary year, but it’s the year Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead.
Now some of you will tell me that the dates I am using are wrong, or that it’s the event, not the date that matters. But the point is that God’s timing is never arbitrary, even if it seems like it to us.
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But for some of you who have studied the history of American Christianity, the year 1844 may ring a bell.
In the 1830’s a Baptist lay preacher named William Miller studied the same prophecies that we have been studying and came up with the same dates. But he concluded that Daniel 8:14 “for two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary will be cleansed” meant that in 1844 Jesus would return.
Obviously, Jesus did not return, which was a great disappointment to the thousands of people who believed in the Millerite theory.
One of the problems with Miller’s interpretation was that he didn’t understand the relationship between the cleansing of the sanctuary and the Day of Atonement. As I outlined in video 35, Daniel 8:14 and the cleansing of the sanctuary correlates with the second ceremony of the Day of Atonement in which the priest, symbolizing Christ, “will make atonement for the Holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel… for all their sins” (Leviticus 16:16).
From this verse we see that the problem with the sanctuary is “all their sins”. This is not because of the sins they have confessed, which have been forgiven, but because of their continuing sinful nature and the things they didn’t even know needed confessing.
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The answer to this problem is judgment, which is the process to determine which people have a humble desire to follow God. For these people, Christ’s blood will be applied for the forgiveness of “all their sins”.
This concept is summarized in 1 John 1:7,8, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves… But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:8,7).
In this phase of the judgment, the angels have the opportunity to validate God’s decision to grant eternal life to people who have never proven that they can live a completely righteous life.
The result of this judgment is that the faithful are fully forgiven, God is vindicated, and the sanctuary is “cleansed, made right, and vindicated”.
Then Christ’s work in the sanctuary is finished; He will come again to rescue His own and banish Satan during the millennium, and finally bring sin to a complete end with the Great White throne judgment.
This is symbolized by the third ceremony of the Day of atonement. Here is a timeline of all of the ceremonies.
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Let’s look at how this time frame correlates with other prophecies we have already studied. If you have not been following this series, this next part may not make much sense, but If you are intrigued, please go back and watch all the videos, because a lot of the puzzle pieces we have looked at already are about to come together.
When we studied the Seven Churches in videos 6-12, we saw that they symbolize seven eras of the Christian Church from the time John wrote the letters to the time of the end. In the message to the church of Philadelphia, which is set in the 19th century, Jesus says, “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it” (Revelation 3:8).
We find the exact Greek wording for an open door in Revelation 4:1, and nowhere else in the Bible. Revelation 4:1 is the beginning of the Seven Seals, and this link shows that the Seven Seals began during the Philadelphia era of the 19th century.
Symbols and Old Testament links show that the Seven Seals portray the first phase of the final judgment, where the angels examine the lives of those written in the Book of Life to see if they have remained faithful. This is the same judgment that is symbolized by the cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14. Here is the timeline, and see videos 13-26 for detailed evidence.
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We find more supporting evidence in Daniel 7 which we analyzed in video 34. As in Daniel 8, a wicked horn is making war against the saints, for “a time and times and half a time,” symbolic of 1,260 years. (Daniel 7:25). We saw that this period extended from the 6th century until the 19th century, and after that “the court was seated and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:10) as the judgment began.
Here it is on the timeline.
In Daniel chapter 12, which we studied in video 31, we see the same time period; The brutal reign of the medieval King of the North would be for “a time, times, and half a time; and… all these things shall be finished… Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand… Those who turn many to righteousness shall shine like the stars forever… your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book (Daniel 12:6,7,10,1,3).
Here we see that the judgment is a time for God’s witnesses to become pure, wise, and effective in their witness for Jesus.
In Revelation 12 we see the same time period. The woman, symbolizing the Christian Church, is persecuted by the dragon with 7 heads and 10 horns, which symbolizes Satan, for a time and times and half a time, again symbolizing the 1,260 years of medieval oppression.
In chapter 13 we see how the dragon carries out his persecution. A beast, also having 7 heads and 10 horns, rises from the sea. It reigns for the same 1,260 years, this time symbolized by 42 months.
When we study this beast we will see that it is the same entity as the wicked horn of Daniel 7, in other words, the medieval union of church and state. At the end of the 1,260 years the beast suffers a deadly wound. From what we learned about Daniel 7 in Video 34, the deadly wound, coming at the end of the 1,260 years, is followed by the judgment.
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In Revelation chapter 13 we see that the beginning of the judgment doesn’t bring an immediate end to Satan’s oppressive initiatives.
The deadly wound is healed, and a new beast with two horns like a lamb emerges from the earth. It is this beast that will bring on the final crisis with the image, mark and number of the beast.
But we know from Daniel 7 and Revelation 14 that “the hour of God’s judgment will come” (Revelation 14:7), the beast will be defeated, and God’s followers will be delivered. Here is where this fits on the timeline.
You see that the judgment ties all of these prophecies together. It is what allows sin to be completely and permanently finished.
We have looked at a lot with this video, and I would encourage you to go back and watch all of the Revelation of Jesus videos, and then watch this one again so that you can grasp these important concepts.
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If you were blessed by this video please like it, share it with someone and subscribe to my YouTube channel, that really encourages me to keep on making more videos.
And to find out in advance where this is all going, you can order the book A Revelation of Jesus by David Lackey, available from online bookstores.
Order the book “A Revelation of Jesus”
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