9. From Contamination to Purification: Feb. 29, 2020
Our Sabbath School Lesson this week, entitled, "From Contamination to Purification". Inspirations says, "Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life. The impossibility lies in your own will. If you will not, then you can not overcome. The real difficulty arises from the corruption of an unsanctified heart, and an unwillingness to submit to the control of God. {COL 331.2} You can also see this site for a Question and Answer on Daniel 8 Study. https://sites.google.com/view/meatindueseason/20-the-truth-and-the-host-underfoot?authuser=1
Many whom God has qualified to do excellent work accomplish very little, because they attempt little. Thousands pass through life as if they had no definite object for which to live, no standard to reach. Such will obtain a reward proportionate to their works. {COL 331.3}".
Remember Phil. 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
This Lesson will be divided into four parts:
1. The Four Winds: Daniel 8:1-8, 15-22
In the third year of king Belshazzar Daniel had a dream:
A ram with two horns - one is higher than the other and it came last. (ram symbolizes - verse 20 Kings of Media and Persia. Persian became last as stronger than the Medes.
It is pushing westward, northward and southward, so that no beast must stand before him. And became great.
A he (rough) goat came from the west - touch not the ground (swiftness). and has a great horn between his eyes. (he goat symbolizes verse 21 - Grecia and the great horn represents Alexander the Great).
verse 8 - the great horn wax great - was broken up - death of Alexander the Great. The four stood up for it ( Lysimachus, Cassander, Ptolemy and Seleucus.
The angel giving the interpretation to Daniel says: "The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up." (Daniel 8:20-23.)
"And in the latter time of their kingdom [the four Grecian divisions], a king of fierce countenance... shall stand up." This Scripture is applicable to the Roman monarchy, for this king must stand at the end of the reign of the kings of Grecia. The Ptolemy's was the last of the four Grecian divisions to fall under the ascendancy of Rome. With the defeat of Anthony, and the death of Cleopatra about 27 B.C., the noted dynasty of the Ptolemy's came to its end, and Egypt became a province of the Roman state. He was to stand up "when the transgressors are come to the full." The Grecians have never been anything but transgressors; therefore, the reference can be applied only to the Jewish nation, at which time the once-favored people of God would have exceeded any previous record of both moral and Spiritual corruption. The Jewish nation reached that condition at the time of the ascendency of Rome, and the first advent of Christ. Therefore, this king of "fierce countenance" is the Roman monarchy, after the "transgressors" (Jews) had come to their "full." (2SR 126)
2. Out of One of Them: Daniel 8:9, 23
A little horn - first Pagan Rome then Papal Rome
As widely accepted, the fourth beast's two-phases -- one with ten horns, the other with seven horns along with the "little horn" (Dan. 7:7, 8) -- portray, first, Pagan Rome, and second, Ecclesiastical Rome, and the "little horn" (the horn-head), the power that then ruled, was religious-political.
Ptolemy came the last - the king of the south
Daniel 11:1-4 -
a. verse 1 - mentions the Medes, then
b. verse 2 Persians, bottom mentions the Grecian,
c. verse 3 - thy mighty king shall stand up his kingdom shall be broken (verse 8) and
d. verse 4 - divide into the four winds of the earth
Out one of them - the last empire of the Grecian Division - Ptolemy
e. verse 5 - Roman monarchy ascended from Ptolemy - the king of the south.
63 B.C.
Grecian power - the he goat that has a little horn exceedingly greater than the kingdom of Grecia.
3. The Sanctuary is Attacked: Daniel 8:10-12, 24-25
Dan. 8 verse 11 - Prince - Christ
It cast down the Host - followers of the prince - the Christian cast into the ground
Rev. 12:1 - woman clothed with the sun - God's church from the old and new testament the 12 stars symbolize the apostles.
476-508 A.D. - Rome is in the broken state
508-538 A.D. - the Ecclesiastical power came into existence - plucked out the 3 horns Visigoths, Vandals and Heruli.
The daily was taken away - abomination of desolation (pagan Sunday observance - Dan 7:25) was place into Mat. 24:15 - Dan. 11:31 - perpetual, Dan. 12:11 daily - 1290 days - EW 74
What does daily symbolize? Exo. 31:16-17 - perpetual, continue, everlasting, a sign forever - it's the sabbath.
The place of the sanctuary - Dan. 8:10 - place - Christ priestly ministry - pagan priesthood. Christ should be our mediator but Rome set up in place a human priestly mediator.
pollute the sanctuary of strength - bringing the unconverted to the Christian Church.
Pollutes the Sanctuary, Takes Away the Daily
"And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall Dan. 11:31.
That these three links of Truth (the polluting of the sanctuary, the taking away of the daily, and the placing of the abomination) in the prophetic chain of events, bring us several centuries into the Christian era, is conclusively confirmed by Christ's referring to them as in the future from the time He uttered the command:
"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains." Matt. 24:15, 16.
A heathen sanctuary is already unclean, and therefore cannot be polluted. Clearly, then, the sanctuary of strength (not the heathen) was polluted by bringing into it a pagan priesthood and unconverted heathen. The "sanctuary" is the Christian church, for during the period in which the pollution took place there was no sanctuary in Jerusalem. (Concerning the "daily," read Tract No. 3, The Judgment and the Harvest pp. 38, 39.)
This desolating power was, according to Daniel, to pollute by transgression the earthly sanctuary, or church. This was to be accomplished by casting down the Truth to the ground, by taking away the daily, and by bringing into the holy place "the abomination that maketh desolate," all of which was to be, said the angel, "unto two thousand and three hundred days;" and "then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."
Gradually assuming the ornaments of the sanctuary, he before long magnified himself against the Prince (Christ) of the host (the Christians). And disregarding "the god of his fathers," he ostensibly became Christianized, but at what cost to Christianity! -- Not only was the "daily" "taken away," but also "the place of His sanctuary was cast down." In other words, he "cast down" the Lord's "place" and there set up his own -- elevated himself to Christ's place.
The word "sacrifice" being supplied in connection with the word "daily," it manifestly does not belong to the text. Since, however, the English language does not have an exact equivalent of the Hebrew word "daily," which is variously rendered " continual ," "perpetual ," "everlasting, " and since none of these terms are synonymous, but carry individual connotations, it is consequently imperative to take them all together as a compound word, so as to arrive at the exact truth. In view, therefore, of this fact, also the fact that the Sabbath doctrine is the only Bible doctrine in the Christian era that can possibly be designated as "daily" (pertaining to worship in respect to a day), as well as "continual," "perpetual," and "everlasting," -- from time immemorial to time eternal, -- it is hence evident that all these various renderings can apply to no other doctrine than the Sabbath -- the eternal rest day. And in divine certification of its perpetuity, ring on through the centuries from Sinai the immutable words:
"Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed." Ex. 31:16, 17.
The horn's taking away the "daily," was therefore nothing other than his taking away from the Christian church the Lord's Sabbath and putting in its place Sunday worship, a pagan sabbath, -- "abomination that maketh desolate," -- a desecration which grieved away God's presence from the church. (3Tr. 31)
As the Sabbath (daily) was taken away, and the "abomination set up," then that which took the place of the Holy Sabbath, and the Sanctuary truth, is called "the abomination." Consequently Sunday observance and a counterfeit priesthood are the only things to which the term "abomination" can be applied, for the seventh-day was supplanted by the first day of the week, Sunday -- "the abomination that maketh desolate." That is, the Sabbath was lost sight of, or "cast to the ground," until 1844, together with the sanctuary truth. As the truth concerning the sanctuary service was "cast to the ground," (the truth of the priesthood of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary), the Pagan priesthood, or the Papal, as it is called now, was set up, thus taking away from the church the true mediatorial work of Christ. The truth of the sanctuary, jointly with the Sabbath, was brought to light in 1844, at which time the judgment (blotting out sin) began in the heavenly sanctuary, fulfilling the following prophecy:
"I beheld till thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened." (Daniel 7:9, 10.)
4. The Sanctuary is Purified: Daniel 8:13-14, 26-27
As Daniel was carefully watching the scene in the vision, he says: "Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." (Dan. 8:13, 14.)
The prophetic period of the 2300 days (years), a well-known Bible truth, was first taught by William Miller prior to 1844. Therefore, we shall not give its explanation here. It is sufficient to say that the long prophetic period ended in 1844. The question was asked by one saint, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily, the sanctuary, and the host? Then it is answered by another saint, "Unto two thousand three hundred days." It is only necessary to ascertain what two vital truths were brought to light in 1844, and we shall have the truth of what is meant by the "daily" and the "sanctuary." They are self-explanatory in both word and time -- the Sabbath and the Sanctuary truths, as they were jointly taught in 1844 A.D.
The Sabbath doctrine is the only Bible truth in the Christian dispensation that has to do with a definite day, hence, it is called "daily." The word "daily," in the Hebrew by Isaac Leeser is rendered "continual." Thus it clearly bears the evidence that the Sabbath (daily doctrine) is a continual and everlasting truth. (2SR 131)
To this question, "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?" came the answer, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." That is, within the 2300 days the daily shall be taken away, the transgression of desolation set up, the sanctuary and the host shall be trodden underfoot. After this the sanctuary is to be cleansed. "Every morning" (margin), denotes 24 hour days -- full measure of time. The word "sacrifice" does not belong in the text.
Dan. 8:16, 17 -- "And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. 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."
Gabriel's explanation that at the time of the end shall be the vision, shows that the paramount importance of the vision is the cleansing of the sanctuary, and that it takes place not in Daniel's time, and not before the time of the end, but after the 2300 days, in the time of the end.
Now since the 2300 days began somewhere in the fifth century before Christ (as seen in the following verses), and since the vision was to be for many days, for the time of the end, then obviously the 2300 days must be computed a day for a year as in Ezekiel 4:6. The 2300 days, therefore, are actually 2300 years, in the end of which the sanctuary is cleansed. What signs are to mark the time of the end?--
Dan. 12:4 -- "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."
The angel explained that at the time of the end many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. And the fact that men are now running to and fro and that knowledge has been increased in itself proves that we are now living in the time of the end, that the vision is now to be understood, and that the sanctuary is now to be cleansed.
Dan. 8:18-21 -- "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. And he said, 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. The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king."
Here you see where the prophetic history of this vision begins. It begins with the Medo-Persian empire, and carries us in time through the victories of Alexander the Great.
Dan. 8:23 -- "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up."
In the latter end of the Medes and the Greeks, when the transgressors, the Jews, are come to the full, another king or kingdom was to stand up. It was of course none other than Rome, the kingdom which overran the four Grecian divisions.
Dan. 8:26, 27 -- "And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it."
Daniel here confesses that the meager explanation which Gabriel gave concerning the vision was not sufficient. None could understand it.
Consequently, as time went on and as he still could not understand the vision although the set time for liberation had come, he graphically said:
Dan. 9:1-3, 22, 23 -- "In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans. In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:... And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision."
Because Gabriel was to begin where he left off (Dan. 8), he counselled Daniel first to consider the vision. Then said Gabriel:
Dan. 9:24 -- "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy."
Since Gabriel is here explaining the vision of chapter 8 -- the things that were to take place during the 2300 days -- the seventy weeks are therefore a part of the 2300 days. (2Tr. 33)
When was the "daily (Sabbath), the truth (sanctuary) were trodden down" be restored?
The sanctuary and Sabbath truths were restored to their proper place in 1844. But the question as to the time when these two holy doctrines were "cast to the ground," or "trodden under foot," remains to be answered. The angel, speaking to Daniel relative to the time, said: "And from the time that the daily shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days." (Dan. 12:11, 12.)
It will be noticed that there is no blessing pronounced at the termination of the 1290 prophetic days (years), but there is a special blessing promised to those who wait till the 1335 days (years) are fulfilled. Therefore, at the end of the 1335 years the "daily" (Sabbath) was to be restored, and the blessing is to those who shall live from that time on, if they understand and receive its truth.
To ascertain the prophetic time when the Seventh-day Sabbath ("daily"), and the "truth" ("sanctuary") were trodden underfoot, and Sunday observance with its Pagan priesthood set up in their stead, it would be necessary to subtract 1335 years from 1844, which would point back to 508 A.D., (dealing with the Hebrew calendar). In that year the "Daily" (Sabbath) and the "Sanctuary" truths were "cast to the ground," and the "Abomination" (Sunday) "set up."
In order to understand the truth of the 1290 years ("days"), add this figure to 508, which points forward to 1798 A.D. at which time the 1260 prophetic days of Daniel 7:25 terminated with the imprisonment of Pope Pius VI. Thus the prophetic treading of the "host" ended in 1798, but the "sanctuary" and the "daily" truths were not restored and placed in the church until after the fulfillment of the 1335 days (years) in 1844. This unquestionable evidence proves that the movement that arose in 1844 is God's true church, and divinely predicted. Hence it clears up the widespread confusion in Christendom, as to which denomination has the truth for the present time; it also weeds out all the rest as false, for it is the only movement that has the truth of the sanctuary.
As the truth of the two inseparable doctrines were thrown down in 508 A.D., preliminary to the setting up of the papacy, just so the imprisonment of the pope in 1798 was preparatory to the restoration of the jointly taught Bible truths, the Sabbath and the Sanctuary. The accountability that rests on the papacy is not the observance of the day, but rather, the desire to change the law of God, as shown in Daniel 7:25: "Think to change times and laws." The papacy thought to erase the Seventh-day Sabbath from the eternal law, and to inscribe the first day of the week in its place. (2SR 133)
Conclusion:
Now since the 2300-year period begins in 457 B.C., with the commandment to restore and to rebuild the city Jerusalem, the 2300 days consequently end in 1844, the time the 1335 days end, then the days of the blessings begin. It should now be remembered that this cleansing of the sanctuary includes the cleansing of both those who are to be resurrected and those who are to be living during the cleansing time. Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel of the cleansing among the living, the Lord says:
Ezek. 36:24-29 -- "For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you." (2TG 33)
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