Read Daniel 9:23. What specific instruction does the angel give to Daniel? Why is this significant in understanding the meaning of the cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14?

The angel plainly instructed Daniel to “consider the matter, and understand the vision” (Daniel 9:23, NKJV). What matter, and what vision? Because there is no vision recorded in Daniel 9:1-27, the angel Gabriel must be speaking of the portion of the vision in Daniel 8:1-27 that the prophet did not understand — the vision of the 2,300 days (Daniel 8:27).

Gabriel continues in Daniel 9:24-27. What events in the life and ministry of Jesus is this talking about?

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The first portion of this prophecy relates to God’s people, the Jews. “Seventy weeks are determined for your people” — the Jewish nation (Daniel 9:24, NKJV). In Bible prophecy, one prophetic day equals one literal prophetic year (Ezekiel 4:6, Numbers 14:34). In Daniel and Revelation when you have symbolic imagery, you usually have a symbolic time prophecy, as well. One of the ways we can be certain that the day-year principle of prophecy applies here is that when we use it in Daniel’s prophecy, each event on the time line comes out perfectly (see tomorrow’s lesson). If we apply this principle, 70 weeks are composed of 490 days. Since one prophetic day equals one literal year, 490 days are 490 literal years.

Gabriel tells Daniel that 490 years are “cut off” (the literal meaning of the Hebrew word chathak, sometimes translated “determined”). Cut off from what? It could be the only other time prophecy alluded to here: the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14. These 490 years, a time prophecy, is directly linked back to the time prophecy of Daniel 8:14, the only part of the vision left unexplained in Daniel 8:1-27 and the only time prophecy in Daniel 8:1-27, as well. Thus, we can see that Gabriel with this prophecy is coming to help Daniel understand what he didn’t understand in the previous chapter: the 2,300 days.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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Read Daniel 8:17, Daniel 8:19, Daniel 8:26. What time period does the angel declare that the vision of Daniel 8:1-27 and the 2,300 days apply to, and why is that important to understand?

Some argue that the 2300 days are literal days.

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They also believe that this little horn of Daniel 8:1-27 applies to the Seleucid military leader Antiochus Epiphanes (216 B.C. – 164 B.C.), who attacked Jerusalem and defiled the Jewish temple, even though 2,300 days does not fit even his time frame. This interpretation, however, is contrary to the angel’s clear instruction that the vision applies to the “time of the end.” Antiochus certainly did not live at the time of the end.

In Daniel 8:1-27, Gabriel begins his explanation of the 2,300-day prophecy. He names the ram as representing Media-Persia and the male goat as representing Greece (Daniel 8:20-21). Though not named, as were the two powers before it, the next entity, the little horn, is obviously Rome (Daniel 8:9, Daniel 8:23-24). He then depicts a kind of religio-political phase of Rome, which would “cast down the truth to the ground” (Daniel 8:10-12, Daniel 8:25) and interfere with Christ’s heavenly ministry (Daniel 8:10-12). The cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14, the climax of the chapter, is God’s answer to the challenge of earthly and religious powers that have attempted to usurp the authority of God. It is part of God’s divine solution to the sin problem.

Gabriel is ready to explain the details in God’s prophetic timetable. At the end of Daniel 8:1-27, we can clearly see that Daniel did not understand the part of the vision about the 2300 days (Daniel 8:27). The earlier part about the ram, the goat, and the little horn had all been explained, even with the first two powers outright identified by name (Daniel 8:20-21). The cleansing of the sanctuary was, however, not explained.

The angel Gabriel, who appeared in Daniel 8:1-27, appears now in Daniel 9:1-27 and says to him: “At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision“ (Daniel 9:23, NKJV). What vision? As we will see tomorrow, the vision of the 2,300 days, the only part of the previous vision, in Daniel 8:1-27, that he hadn’t explained yet to Daniel.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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“Three Cosmic Messages” encourages us to 
Watch, Ye Saints – Hymn 598 as we near the end of this old world’s history to witness the Second Coming of our Lord, and Saviour, Jesus Christ. This is a wonderful hymn to give courage, dear people, and is our theme for this quarter.

 We will be noting at times throughout the quarter that “Tis Almost Time For The Lord To Come – Hymn 212 
and we should be proclaiming the message that 
Jesus Is Coming Again – Hymn 213.

Our Memory Verse this week tells us it is “time to awake out of sleep”: 
Hymn 611 – Awake My Soul and 
Hymn 210 – Awake, Awake For Night Is Flying knowing that we are safely 
Under His Wings – Hymn 529 because 
Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness – Hymn 177.

Revelation 14:7  says “The hour of His judgment has come” as does
Hymn 416 – The Judgment Has Set (Sunday).

 Monday and Tuesday remind us very clearly to 
Dare To Be A Daniel in our old hymnal (pre-1985) which is number 497, if you have this available. A wonderful hymn for all of this week’s study time.

Daniel 9:26 is all about “Calvary’s cross was for us, not for Himself” and we can sing this in 
Hymn 476 – Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary along with 
Hymn 159 – The Old Rugged Cross all because of 
Wondrous Love – Hymn 162.

We are encouraged to accept the grace of Jesus as in 
Hymn 109 – Marvelous Grace and then go and live obedient lives (Thursday): 
Hymn 590 – Trust and Obey. This is all because of 
Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness – Hymn 177 due to there being 
Power In The Blood – Hymn 294.

So, dear people, be encouraged to go forward and
“Lift up the trumpet and loud let it ring, Jesus IS coming again” – Hymn 213.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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As we have already seen, there must be a judgment before Christ comes. The angel announces in a loud voice that “the hour of His judgment has come” (Revelation 14:7, NKJV). The book of Daniel gives us the time when this judgment begins.

Read Daniel 8:14. What specific timetable does Daniel give us regarding the cleansing of the sanctuary?

Each Jew clearly understood the meaning of the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary. It occurred on the Day of Atonement, which was the day of judgment. Although Daniel understood the concept of the cleansing of the sanctuary and the judgment, he was confused about these 2300 days.

Read Daniel 8:27 and Daniel 9:21-22. What was Daniel’s response to the vision of the 2,300 days, and what was God’s response to him?

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At the end of Daniel 8:1-27, Daniel fainted and exclaimed, “I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it” (Daniel 8:27, NKJV). That is, the vision of the 2,300 days (the rest of the vision had been already explained; see Daniel 8:19-22). The next chapter, Daniel 9:1-27, records the angel Gabriel coming to explain to Daniel the 2,300-day prophecy. “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand“ (Daniel 9:22, NKJV).

Gabriel amazes Daniel as he reveals an answer to his prayer much broader than he ever imagined. The angel Gabriel took Daniel down the stream of time and revealed the truth about the coming Messiah, giving the exact dates of the beginning of His ministry and His cruel death, events that tied directly to the cleansing of the sanctuary, in Daniel 8:1-27. In other words, Christ’s death and the judgment are inseparably linked.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Daniel 8:1-27, Daniel 9:1-27, Ezra 7:1-28, Matthew 3:13-17, Romans 5:6-9, Mark 15:38, Leviticus 16:16.

Memory Text: “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand” (Romans 13:11-12, NKJV).

Several years ago, National Geographic magazine told about a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. After it ended, forest rangers trekked up a mountain to assess the damage. One ranger found a bird literally burned to ashes at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick.

When he struck it, three tiny baby birds scurried from under their dead mother’s wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. What a picture of the believer, who is safe in Christ!

The fires of God’s judgment burned themselves out on Him, at Calvary, and all who are in Christ are safe forever beneath His wings. At the cross, Christ was judged as a condemned sinner so that we could be judged as righteous citizens of the heavenly kingdom. He was judged as a criminal so that we could be set free from the destructive fires of eternal loss, both figuratively and, yes, literally, as well.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 6.

Sunday–>

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