The Sanctuary | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 14, 1863

The Sanctuary.

"Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Dan. viii, 14.

Imbosomed in the very midst of a prophecy of momentous and thrilling interest, a prophecy which spans the active centuries of the world's history, and takes hold upon the eternal destinies of the race, a prophecy which is minute in its delineations, and which the pen of inspiration has taken care in great part to distinctly explain—stands the quotation given at the head of these lines.

These words purport to be a revelation. They are given to impart information to the inquiring mind on the subject to which they refer. They were spoken in answer to the question, put not by mortal man but by an angel himself, "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?" They are included in that Scripture which Paul told Timothy was all given for the instruction, correction, and profit of the man of God.

But to be a revelation they must be understood. The commencement and end of the period of time here given must be clearly ascertained, or its inscription upon the sacred page is to no profit. It would be a waste of time and space for even inspiration to write out a prophetic period, both ends of which should be enshrouded in impenetrable fog. Zero might be written against even a divine dissertation on the subject of the sanctuary, unless we can know what is meant by that object. So would every mention of the cleansing of the sanctuary be darker than the ancient pagan oracles, could we not understand the time and nature of that work. From the character of God, the wants of mankind, and the object of his revelation to them, we therefore reason, that all these points are to be fully understood, that what is necessary on our part to insure success in gaining the knowledge we desire, is but to bring to the investigation a humble mind, a teachable spirit, and a sincere desire, not to have truth on our side, but to be ourselves on the side of truth; to follow where she may lead the way, not to endeavor to compel her to follow us, in the insane and tortuous wanderings of our own wills.

The time was, when these words, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," were household words with every happy believer in the Lord's soon coming. They were emblazoned on the shields of every soldier in the Advent ranks. They were joyfully uttered from many lips as the watchword of their most ardent desires, and their brightest hopes. But the times in this respect are strangely altered. Over a great portion of the Advent body a mysterious silence now reigns concerning this positive and prominent promise. The lips which once were its joyful heralds seem now to be sealed to its utterance. It seems to be studiously ignored, avoided, and set aside. But ignored and set aside it cannot be. The glowing prophecy of which it forms so conspicuous a part, and which must enter into every Advent theory, forbids that it should be passed by unnoticed. There are some things in the regions of prophetic truth as well as in the political world, which are "irrepressible;" and this is one of them. Men may not think to avoid it by giving their attention to other themes and passing it by in silence. In every theory, deserving the name of theory, which professes to show the present age of the world, and the nearness of the great consummation, it imperatively demands a place, and an explanation. It is the embarrassing specter, which, with unvarying constancy, confronts every theory which would endeavor, with ill-concealed dread of its just claims, to turn aside from the strait path to avoid its presence. And it is well that it should be so; for it claims no more than it deserves, it presents no demand which the lover of truth ought not promptly and willingly to grant.

What, therefore, has been the cause of this change? Why are not these words dwelt upon as formerly, with frequency and pleasure? Answer: the expectations based upon them have once been disappointed; and in the different methods adopted to account for that disappointment, lies the explanation of the different views and treatment of the sanctuary and the 2300 days.

Previous to the autumn of 1844, the Advent people were a unit. Zealous in the great doctrine of the soon coming of their Redeemer, clothed with the blessing and power of God, devoted, harmonious, united, they presented a spectacle which made the saints rejoice and the world wonder. But since the tenth of the seventh month, Jewish time, of that year, dissension and division have been, to a mournful degree, inscribed upon their history, and the paths they have taken have been various and divergent. The cause of this division must be in some question involved, in some point at issue, in the events of that memorable day.

The expectation then entertained was, that at that point of time the Lord would come. Arguments had been produced, invulnerable to all the attacks of our enemies, and entirely satisfactory to all lovers of the Advent doctrine at that time, that the 2300 days would end in 1844. From this as a starting point, the argument then ran thus: The prophecy asserts that then the sanctuary shall be cleansed. The sanctuary is the earth or some part of the earth. Its cleansing is to be by fire; but the renovation of the earth by fire is to take place only at the second coming of the Lord; therefore the Lord will come at the termination of the 2300 days. But the time passed by and the Lord did not come—their hopes were not realized. The grievous disappointment many an honest heart full keenly felt; and that a mistake had somewhere been made, none were disposed to deny. What was that mistake? or, in other words, what was the cause of our disappointment? It is here that a difference of opinion begins. But before discussing this difference, let it be remembered that God cannot be the author of the confusion that has existed since that time in the Advent body. All the various theories that have since sprung up, cannot every one be true; and yet every Adventist will admit that the truth of God at the present day, must be found in connection with the Advent doctrine. Every Adventist will admit that if God designs, previous to the coming of the Lord, to warn the world of that event, the great Advent movement of 1840-1844, in so far as it tended to arouse a slumbering world to the fact that we are living in the time of the end, and to warn them of the nearness of the close of probation, and the great consummation of all things, was in the order and purpose of God. He must, therefore, still have a people on the earth, as the result of that movement; he must still have a truth bearing some relation to that great work; and there must be some correct explanation of the great disappointment in our past history.

To the question, Why were those who looked for the Lord in 1844 so grievously disappointed? but two essential answers can be given: The first is, that we were correct in our views of the sanctuary, but wrong in the application of the time. The other is that we were wrong in our views of the sanctuary, but correct in our application of the time. The first is, in other words, that it is still true that the earth, or some portion of the earth, is the sanctuary, but that the 2300 days did not then expire, to demand its cleansing. The other is that the 2300 days did then expire, but that neither the earth nor any part of the earth, was the sanctuary which was then to be cleansed.

These answers, it will be seen, are at perfect antipodes to each other; but they have both been offered as an explanation of the disappointment under consideration, and in our search for the true solution of that question, must, therefore, both be examined. To the consideration of the first, then, let us now address our attention. Is it true that we were wrong in the application of the time, and that the 2300 days did not end in 1844? Those who hold that they did not, arrive at this conclusion by two different methods: The one class claim that the seventy weeks of Dan. ix, are no part of the 2300 days of Dan. viii, and that consequently the date of the former does not determine the date of the latter.

They acknowledge that the date assigned by all Adventists previous to 1844, for the commencement of the seventy weeks, namely, b. c. 457, cannot be disproved; but as they are no part of the 2300 days, they furnish no clue to the commencement of that period. Where the 2300 days did commence, or what event marked their beginning they cannot tell. This much only, on this point, they profess to know; that they did not end in 1844, because the earth is the sanctuary, and the earth was not then burned. The other class acknowledge the infallibility of the arguments by which the seventy weeks are shown to be a part of the 2300 days, as held by all Adventists up to 1844, but deny that the date of their commencement was rightly placed in b. c. 457. Commencing at that point they would end in 1844; but this class, like the one first mentioned, contend that they could not then have ended, and for the very same reason, namely, because the earth is the sanctuary, and the earth was not then burned.

From this general survey of the subject one would be led to conclude that there was something all-potent in the theory that the earth is the sanctuary. From what it has done, we should suppose it had been able to intrench itself behind infallible evidence. It has led the great majority of those who were in the past Advent movement, while divided on many other points, to agree in this, that the 2300 days did not end in 1844. It has led them to make a full surrender of positions which were once acknowledged to be the ground and pillar of the Advent faith; positions which able men were led to take when their hearts were glowing with a newly-found and life-giving truth, and their intellects quickened by the outpouring of the Spirit and power of God; positions which passed unscathed through the most fiery ordeal of scrutiny and opposition to which, perhaps, it has ever been the lot of any truth to be subjected; positions which stood the test when the world was aroused to the subject of the Advent as never before nor since, when the opposition was called forth in all its strength, and worldly wisdom played its heaviest batteries against the unpopular but heaven-supported movement. The reasons which would lead men to abandon positions like these, should be infinitely weighty; but these have all been surrendered to the solitary view, which has thus been set up paramount to them all, that the earth is the sanctuary. Where is the mighty array of evidence by which this is sustained? For this it will be our province to inquire somewhat as we proceed.

But to return: Did the 2300 days end in 1844? This question involves the two others already noticed, viz., are the seventy weeks of Dan. ix a part of the 2300 days of Dan. viii? and are they rightly dated from b. c. 457?

1. Are the seventy weeks a part of the 2300 days? To determine this, the 8th and 9th chapters of Daniel must be considered in connection. In the 8th chapter Daniel tells us that he had a view of a ram, he-goat, and little horn. He saw the ram pushing his conquests in every direction, except toward the east. He was met by the he-goat from the west, who slew him, broke his horns, and trampled him in the dust. The notable horn of the goat was then broken, and immediately four rose up in its stead toward the four winds of heaven. From one of these there then came forth a horn, at first little, but afterward waxing exceeding great toward the east, the south, and the pleasant land. This horn waxed great, even to the host of heaven, practiced and prospered, and cast down the truth to the ground. A question of vital interest to the prophet, is now raised, respecting the duration of these oppressive and persecuting powers. The inquiry made is, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And the answer that comes back in response to this question is, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

To the wonderful vision of the restless, conflicting, and persecuting powers already brought before the mind of the prophet, another wonder is thus added, namely, that of the long period of 2300 days. Naturally enough, Daniel seeks for the meaning of all these things, and God, ever ready to grant all the lawful desires of his children, immediately ordains that his request shall be granted. A voice is heard, saying, "Make this man to understand the vision."

A divine command is thus given that Daniel shall receive a full explanation of all these matters. We may be assured that that command will be obeyed to the letter. The one to whom is intrusted this charge is no less a personage than the angel Gabriel, and we shall expect that he will fulfill his mission, and that Daniel will give us a record of his instructions. Gabriel immediately proceeds to give in plain and unmistakable language, an explanation of the symbols of the ram, he-goat, and little horn, explaining the two former to be the kingdoms of Persia and Grecia, and the little horn an exceeding great kingdom which should arise after them; which it is not necessary for us to stop here to argue, signifies the great power of Rome. Up to this point, it will be noticed, the angel has said nothing in explanation of the time or the period of 2300 days; but the view that has already been presented to Daniel of the rise and fall of three successive kingdoms of the earth, and the fact that during all this time the truth should be cast to the ground, and the people of God be held under the iron heel of persecution and oppression, is too much for the tender feelings and sensitive heart of the prophet, and he faints in view of it. Being sick certain days, Gabriel's mission of explaining the vision is necessarily suspended. When Daniel had sufficiently recovered to attend to his ordinary court duties, he expresses his sense of amazement and astonishment that still rested on his mind in view of the vision, but declares that Gabriel had not fulfilled his mission; for he did not yet understand it. Thus matters stand at the close of chapter viii. Now if Gabriel does not somewhere resume his charge, and complete the explanation of this vision, a portion of it remains forever unexplained, and he becomes a disobedient, or, which is the same thing, a fallen angel. But this cannot be; for we find him more than four hundred years after this, still in divine employ, and sent on sacred missions to Zecharias and to Mary. Luke i. Gabriel has therefore somewhere given Daniel further instruction on that part of his vision which remained unexplained, namely, the 2300 days. We are now prepared to look at the events of chapter ix.

(To be Continued.)