At the death of Christ, the typical (ceremonial)

service ended. The "true tabernacle" in heaven, is the Sanctuary

preach the message of judgment, because the world is now
under the pre-advent (investigative) judgment. So they began 2300 DAYS PROPHECY
of the New Covenant. And as the prophecy of Daniel 8:14 is preaching that judgment had begun, and that obedience to
fulfilled in this dispensation, the sanctuary to which it refers God's law (including the ‘seventh day Sabbath’; because “And he [Gabriel] said unto me, ‘unto two thousand and three hundred
must be the Sanctuary of the New Covenant. At the whoever breaks one is guilty of all—James 2:10) is expected. days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed’” (Daniel 8:14). “The vision of
termination of the 2300 years in 1844AD, there had been no the evening and morning [days] which was told is true; wherefore, shut
sanctuary on earth for so many centuries. Thus, the prophecy, “And I saw an angel (symbolizing God’s end-time church) fly
up the vision, for it shall be for many days. And I Daniel fainted, and was
"Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto
sick certain days, afterward I rose up and did the King’s business, and I
cleansed", clearly points to the Sanctuary in heaven. them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kindred, and
was astonished at the vision and none understood it” (Daniel 8:26-27).
tongue and people, saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to
In the earthly sanctuary, cleansing took place on the Him (keep all His 10 Commandments—Ecclesiastes 12:13) for His In Bible prophecy, a day represents a year [Numbers
Day of Atonement. On that day, the high priest entered the judgment is come. And worship Him that made heaven and earth, and 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6]. Therefore, 2300 days would be counted as
most holy place of the sanctuary and performed the work of the sea, and the fountains of water” (Revelation 14:6-7). 2300 years. The Bible says that, after 2300 years the
cleansing the sanctuary of the sins of Israel that were sanctuary will be cleansed. What does this mean? First let us
transferred their throughout the year through the priest’s Furthermore, Christ has commanded His church to determine when this long period begins.
daily ministry in the holy place. Thus, in 1844, Jesus, in tell all who are in spiritual Babylon (false religious systems
heaven, the High Priest of the New Covenant, ceased His and churches) to come out and join His true last day remnant The Beginning of the 2300 Year Prophecy
priestly work in the holy place, and then moved to the most church. Those other churches or religions do not teach their
holy place to perform the high priestly work of Atonement. members to keep the whole law of God, which is the standard The 2300 years began the same time as the 70
of Christian living, so whoever remains in those churches after weeks of Daniel 9. How do we know it’s the same time?
Since the Day of Atonement was also a day of hearing this message, will be destroyed with them because he Because Gabriel in Daniel 9:22-23 says, “Daniel, I am now come forth
judgment, and the law is the standard of judgment (James is showing his allegiance to a power that is against God. to give thee skill and understanding... Therefore understand the matter
2:8-12), that small group of young believers understood the
and consider the vision”. What vision? The last vision Daniel had
importance of God's law (10 Commandments), and that we “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, received was the 2300 days prophecy in Daniel 8:14 and even
were about to be judged according to it. So while Christ is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine Daniel said he did not understand it. So Gabriel had now
cleanses the heavenly sanctuary of the sins that His people of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, come back to explain it.
have transferred there by faith in His blood, He expects His saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image,
people here on earth to keep His commandments. We are to
and receive his mark (Sun-day worship) in his forehead, or in his hand, Then Gabriel began by saying, ”seventy weeks (490
keep it, not to be saved, but because He has saved us.
the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out days/years) are "determined" (cut off/given) for you and your people”
without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be (Daniel 9:24). Cut off from what? From the only vision in
tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, question (2300 year prophecy). Meaning, the 70 weeks (490
and in the presence of the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:8-10). years) are a part of the 2300 years, and Gabriel gave a starting
point, "the going forth of the command to restore and build
The Sabbath will be the last day issue because the Jerusalem" (Daniel 9:25). Three different decrees have been
law of God is the standard of judgment. The Sabbath considered as the possible starting point:
commandment is the only commandment in the sacred law
that bears the characteristics of a seal [Name-Lord God, 1. Decree of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4) (536BC)
Position-Creator, Territory-Heaven and earth]. It is not a
matter of the day, but authority. Whoever keeps the Biblical "Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, the Lord God of heaven
That small group of 50 young people later grew to Saturday Sabbath, gives glory to the Creator God, but hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to
become the ‘Seventh-Day Adventist Church’. They still held on whoever keeps the Sun-day Sabbath, gives glory to a power build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among
to the advent message preached by Miller, but now they that is opposing God. The “Seventh Day Sabbath” will be the you of all His people? his God be with him, and let him go up to
knew that the second advent of Christ was not to be exactly seal of God, and the “Sun-day Sabbath” will be the mark of Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of
1844AD, but any time after that. In the mean time they are to the Beast. Jesus Christ is coming back soon. Israel (He is the God) which is in Jerusalem." (Ezra 1:1-3)
2. Decree of Darius I (Ezra 6:1-12) (520BC) The Babylonian year began in the spring. The Jewish Keep in mind that, the significant point in the
religious year began in the spring also, but their civil calendar, decree to rebuild Jerusalem was not when it was signed by
Several years later, due to complains from the which recorded the reigns of kings, began in the fall. Dates in Artaxerxes, but rather when it went into effect after Ezra
officials of that region, Darius (the new king) decreed the most nations were recorded by the year of the king's reign. arrived in Jerusalem. Until they and the governors east of the
following. "Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews river heard it, the decree had not fully "gone forth”. Therefore,
build this house of God in his place". Darius instructed his governor Another thing to note is what is called a king's we begin the 2300 year prophecy of Daniel 8:14 in the late
to supply the Jews with money or whatever else they needed, "accession year". This was the period between a new king's summer or early fall of the year 457BC.
that "the building of this house of God. . . be not hindered" (Ezra 6:7, 8). coronation and the end of that calendar year. The "first year"
of a king's reign was considered the first full calendar year, The End of the 2300 year Prophecy
3. Decree of Artaxerxes I (Longimanus) (Ezra 7) (457BC) not the first 12 months after his coronation. Whatever period
remained from the time he became king until that calendar If we count 2300 years from 457BC (add 1 if using
In 457BC, king ArterXerxes issued a decree. “I make a year ended, was considered his accession year. calculator cause there is no year 0), we will arrive at 1844AD.
decree that all they of the people of Israel… of their own free will to go In 1840, a group of people known as Advent Movement, from
A final thing to note is "inclusive reckoning." If any
up to Jerusalem…” After allowing the Israelites to rebuild the all Christian denominations, began studying the 2300 year
portion of a day/year was involved, that portion is referred to prophecy.
whole city, Artaxerxes commanded Ezra to "set magistrates and
as one day/year. We would consider July 1, 1998 to July 1,
judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all 2000 as two years. But reckoned inclusively, it is three years. This movement, led by Dr. William Miller, had
such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them calculated and realized that the 2300 year prophecy would
not. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the Since the Jews counted their civil year beginning in end in the year 1844. The prophecy said that, at the end of
king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto the fall, Artaxerxes' accession period extended until the fall of the 2300 years, the sanctuary will be cleansed. They thought
death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to 464BC, at which time his first year of reign began. His seventh that the sanctuary was the earth, and that the cleansing was
imprisonment" (Ezra 7:25, 26). year is thus determined as follows: the second coming of Jesus Christ to cleanse the earth by fire.
So they preached worldwide that Jesus was returning in 1844
Evaluating the Three Decrees Artaxerxes Reign Fall to Fall
to take His followers to heaven and to destroy the world by
First year 464 - 463 B.C fire. And when He did not return, there was great
We are looking for a command to "restore and to Second year 463 - 462 B.C disappointment, and many abandoned Christianity.
build Jerusalem”. The decree of Cyrus, gave instruction only for Third year 462 - 461 B.C
the rebuilding of the temple. It said nothing about restoring Fourth year 461 - 460 B.C But a small group of 50 young people met together
the whole city. The decree of Darius, which came later, was Fifth year 460 - 459 B.C and prayed earnestly to God to know where they went wrong.
simply his endorsement of the decree of Cyrus. But in the Sixth year 459 - 458 B.C They saw that the calculation of the 2300 year prophecy was
decree of Artaxerxes, Ezra 7, provision was made for the Seventh year 458 - 457 B.C correct, but they could not understand why Jesus did not
complete restoration of the entire Jewish state, including the come back. After nights of prayer and deep Bible study, God
right to appoint magistrates and judges, hold trials, and pass Therefore, the seventh year of Artaxerxes reign, revealed to them the answer. They finally saw that the
and execute sentence upon violators of their own national according to Jewish reckoning, was fall of 458 to fall of 457. sanctuary being cleansed was not the earth being destroyed
laws. We should therefore date the beginning of the prophecy by fire, but the cleansing of the Sanctuary in Heaven.
from the time of this third decree. Although the Jews began their civil calendar year in
the fall, and the reigns of kings were counted according to The sanctuary that Moses had built here on earth
Determining the Date of the Third Decree that calendar, the numbering of months was always in was the sanctuary of the first Covenant. But has the New
reference to the spring. Thus their civil year began in the Covenant no Sanctuary? Turning to the Bible, they found that
The dates for Artaxerxes' reign are well documented "seventh" month and ended in the "sixth" month. the existence of a Second or New Covenant Sanctuary was
in the ancient sources such as; Greek historians, Ptolemy's implied in the words: "The first covenant had ordinances of divine
Canon, the Babylonian business tablets, and the Elephantine With this understanding, we may now determine
service, and a worldly sanctuary" (Hebrews 9:1). They also read that:
papyri from Egypt. From these documents we know that quite closely the beginning of the prophecy. Ezra 7:9 tells us
"We have such a High Priest who is set on the right hand of the throne
Xerxes died December of 465BC, and then Artaxerxes began that Ezra left Babylon on the first day of the first month. Then
of the Majesty in the heavens; a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the
reigning. The decree to restore and build Jerusalem was he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month,
issued in the seventh year of Artaxerxes' reign (Ezra 7:7, 8). which would then be early August, 457BC. True Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man" (Hebrews 8:1, 2).