“And it (the Roman horn or power) cast down the truth to the
ground, and it practiced and prospered.” It had great success (Vs.
12). Thus, this Roman power by overcoming the church, has
defiled God’s sanctuary. This is that of which Paul speaks,
concerning this same horn power, or “man of sin”: That he would
oppose and exalt himself above all that is called (after the name of)
God (God’s sons) so that he as God (the chief–instead of their
head–or as Christ’s vicar) sitteth in the temple (church–sanctuary)
showing himself that he is God (the ruler or head of the temple or
church). (2 Thess. 2:3)
Then Daniel heard one inquire of another how long this
abomination of error would continue to desolate and desecrate the
sanctuary–”the holy” and the host, the nominal church. And he
heard the answer: “Until 2300 days, then is the holy place declared
right.” (Vss. 13, 14, Young’s trans.)
Since we are interested in ascertaining when the Sanctuary will
be cleaned of defilement, we would count the number here given.
Daniel did not understand, and made the vision a subject of prayer,
in answer to which Gabriel is sent to give him a partial explanation
(for our sakes) which is recorded in chapter (: 22-27. Seventy
weeks (490 days) of this 2300 days would be of special interest to
Daniel, as that part of it measured Israel’s favor. Sixty-nine of
these weeks were to reach unto Messiah the Prince (Jesus’ baptism
and anointing), and one to follow.
These were not literal days or weeks, but were fulfilled as
symbolic time –each day a year: the 69 weeks reaching to the
anointing; the 70th week reaching 3-1/2 years beyond the cross,
October A.D. 36. Messiah was cut off–died–in the midst of the
70th week. All must be symbolic time, if a part was. If, then, 490
years of this 2300 years ended in A.D. 36, we can ascertain readily
where the whole number will end. Deducting from A.D. 36, which,
added, shows us that the 2300 days were full in October, 1846; and
there the Sanctuary or “holy” should be “cleansed” or “made
right,” or purified from the abominations and errors brought into it
by the influence of the Roman Empire (“horn”.)
But the inquiry comes: In what sense was this cleansing from
those errors accomplished in 1846? We look backward and see
how the sanctuary of truth was defiled. The church, as established
in the truth of God, was all wheat, but soon the enemy brought in
false doctrines developing tares. This evil, Paul said, already began
to foment and defile in his day, and would increase unto the more
ungodliness, ultimately resulting in the harlotry of the church–her