2300 Day Prophecy

See The Sanctuary Message for a great study to accompany this study.

The 2300 day prophecy in Daniel is the longest time prophecy in the Bible and is of vital importance to understand, and yet the truth of this important prophecy is rarely heard today. But on this page you will see this great prophecy come to light. Please prayerfully study this subject and ask God to guide you.

Daniel 8:13-14 ...'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 sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said, unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.'

So "the sanctuary" is to be cleansed at the end of this 2300 day time period. We know that there is no longer an earthly sanctuary which was used by the Levitical priesthood, so this sanctuary must be the original sanctuary in heaven where Jesus dwells and mediates for us (which Hebrews 8 and 9 confirms).

Let us confirm an important point first. The majority of other Christians believe that this prophecy relates to a literal 2300 DAYS, and that it will happen in the last days. But this cannot be right. If you read the vision in Daniel 8, you will see that it talks about a ram, a goat and a little horn. And Gabriel actually confirms who these animals represent. They represent Medo-Persia and Greece. Which means the horn that comes after them is Rome (more specifically, Papal Rome).

So what does this mean? Think about it. If the vision concerning the 2300 days includes Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, then that time frame of "2300 days" MUST be able to span those nations. Would 2300 literal days span those nations? No, but 2300 YEARS would! And this also means the 2300 "days" HAVE to start sometime during the reign of Medo-Persia, because that is the first kingdom in the vision (the ram).

This also lines up with the fact that the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel 9 is PART of the 2300 day vision, because at the end of Daniel 8 it says that no one understood the 2300 day vision. Then in Daniel 9, Gabriel says he has come to give Daniel understanding about THE VISION. What vision? The only one that is not understood is the 2300 "days". Gabriel then goes on to explain the 70 weeks prophecy, which everyone agrees is not 70 literal weeks (490 days), but 490 YEARS. So the 2300 prophetic "days" also HAVE to be YEARS.

And this all falls into line with the DAY FOR A YEAR principle in Bible prophecy.

Another reason why the 70 weeks prophecy has to be part of the 2300 "days" is that without the 70 weeks which Gabriel gives to help Daniel understand the 2300 "days", we would not have a starting point for the 2300 days, which would render that prophecy useless. But with the 70 weeks, we have a starting date.

So to get a complete picture of this "vision" and a true understanding of it, let's start in Daniel 8, which is where this 2300 day "vision" begins. Daniel 8:2 ...'And I saw in a vision' ... So Daniel is now in a vision.

(v3) ...'Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns.'

(v5) ...'And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.'

Notice that these two animals are animals that were used in the Old Testament "sanctuary" service. This is another point which shows that the 2300 "days" (years) which deals with the sanctuary are connected to Medo-Persia and Greece, and cannnot be placed in the last days. So just to confirm that the identity of these two animals are without any doubt, let us read what Gabriel says.

Daniel 8:20-21 ...'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.'

Then in verse 9 we have this little horn that comes out from one of the "four winds of heaven", which basically represents the four directions of the earth. Now what kingdom rose to power after Greece? Pagan Rome! Which later on became Papal Rome, with the Roman Catholic Church taking control. Now this little horn MUST be Papal Rome, because it is the same little horn power that is described in Daniel 7.

Daniel 8:9-12 ...'And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.'

1. This little horn has power, but not by his own power(v24) - The Papacy only had power because of the Roman Army and other nations that supported it. 2. The little horn destroyed the holy people(v24) - The Papacy had tens of millions of Christians persecuted and put to death. 3. The little horn shall magnify himself in his heart(v25) - The Papal church, lead by the pope magnified itself in place of God on earth. 4. The little horn took away the "daily" and cast the sanctuary to the ground(v11) - The "daily" represents the daily ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary and the Papacy cast that to the ground by replacing Christ's ministration for us with their own Roman Catholic ministration by the priests. Without doubt, this is the same antichrist little horn as in Daniel 7, which is the Papal Church of Rome.

Now in verse 13, Daniel asks for what length of time will the vision be, and the answer is 2300 days (years), and then the heavenly sanctuary will be cleansed. Now at this point we do not have a starting date for this 2300 day prophecy. So we need to continue on into chapter 9, because at the end of Chapter 8, Daniel says that he became sick from the vision and could not understand it. But we will see the angel Gabriel come back in chapter 9 to reveal the all important starting point of the 2300 days (years).

Daniel 9:21-23 ...'Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 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.'

So we know that whatever Gabriel is about to say, it is connected with the vision of the 2300 days (years) in chapter 8, because at the end of that vision Daniel says that it could not be understood, and there is no other vision that Daniel needs understanding about. So now Gabriel has come to give Daniel understanding.

Daniel 9:24-27 ...'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. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.'

Now this is what we needed to understand the 2300 "days". A starting date! There is no other starting date in Daniel for the 2300 day prophecy and as stated above, Gabriel had come to give Daniel understanding about the 2300 days (years) vision. So this 70 weeks prophecy HAS to be connected with the 2300 days. There is no doubt whatsoever that the decree to restore Jerusalem is the starting date. Now if you read the 70 weeks of Daniel study, you will see that the starting date for this decree is 457 B.C. Please prayerfully study Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy, because it is a powerful time prophecy and there is no doubt whatsoever that Daniel's 70 weeks and the 2300 days have the same starting date of 457 B.C. when Artaxerxes decreed that the rebuilding of Jerusalem could continue and be completed.

There are some who believe the 2300 "days" only refer to the time of this little horn power because of the way that the saint asks the question in Daniel 8:13. Well, for starters, this little horn power is the same power as in Daniel 7. And in Daniel 7 it confirms that the little horn continues for a "time, times and half a time", which is 1260 prophetic "days" (1260 years), not 2300.

Daniel 8:13 ...'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 sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?'

We can clearly see that the saint is referring to the time of the little horn which would cast down the sanctuary and trample upon the truth. But the saint is just asking "UNTIL WHEN" will the little horn be allowed to cast the truth to the ground? And the answer isn't specific to only the time of the little horn:

Daniel 8:14 ...'Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.'

The answer doesn't say that the little horn power spans the whole 2300 "days" (years). Basically, it's saying that something will happen AT ("unto") 2300 "days". And that something being the "cleansing of the sanctuary". And at that time the truth will be restored and the power of the little horn over the truth will be broken.

Now if you have done the study of the 70 weeks, you will see that Gabriel says in Daniel 9:24 that the 70 weeks, which are connected to the 2300 "days" are "determined" for Israel. And that word determined in the original language means "TO CUT OFF". But to cut off from what? To cut off from the 2300 "days" (years). So the first 490 years of this 2300 year prophecy is specifically for the nation of Israel.

And what does that show? It shows that the 2300 "days" cannot be placed into the end times, because the 70 "weeks" are PART OF the 2300 "day" time frame. And with the 70 weeks being 490 literal years, the 2300 also has to be years.

The 70 "weeks" start at the command to rebuild Jerusalem, which is 457BC. So the 2300 "days" HAVE to start at the same point, because there is no other starting point given for the 2300. And Gabriel confirmed that he had come to give Daniel understanding concerning the 2300 day vision. So the 70 weeks HAVE to be part of the 2300 and the starting date HAS to be the same for both.

So going from 457BC 2300 years we reach the date of when the sanctuary would be cleansed and when the truth would be restored. And that date is the year 1844.

After many years of Papal suppression of the truth known as the "dark ages", the people of the world were kept in darkness concerning the truth of God's Word and the ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary for us. But in the 1500's a great Protestant reformation began and over the next few hundred years the light of God's truth began to shine again.

Then at the start of the 19th century a man called William Miller (a baptist) came to the truth about the 2300 day prophecy, that it would come to an end in 1844. Now because the word "sanctuary" in this prophecy was widely accepted as meaning the earth, William Miller believed that the "cleansing of the sanctuary" meant the earth would be cleansed, meaning Christ would return then. So he started preaching this and many people came out of the different denominations to join this new "advent movement", expecting Christ to return in 1844.

When Christ didn't return in 1844 the believers went through a bitter disappointment, and although many left that movement, a "remnant" remained to re-study that prophecy, because they knew that they had the right year, 1844. After careful study of the prophecy and Hebrews 8 and 9, they realized that the sanctuary wasn't the earth, but rather the ORIGINAL sanctuary in heaven where Christ intercedes for us, and on which the earthly Old Testament sanctuary was a copy.

These believers then came to the truth that Jesus had moved into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to begin judging the world. Just as the earthly high priest would move into the most holy place on the day of atonement to "cleanse" the earthly sanctuary of the people's sins, Christ moved into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to begin cleansing it and to begin judgment. Hence the phrase "until two thousand three hundred days, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed." (you can read in Hebrews 8 and 9 about Christ's role as our High Priest).

Now because of this wrong application of the event in 1844, thinking that Christ would return. Many Christians today say that it shows the advent movement was a false one and not of God. Well, what they don't realise is that this event was actually prophesied to happen to God's people.

Revelation 10:1-11 ...'And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven ... And he had in his hand a little book open ... and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel ... And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.'

What "little book" could this be referring to? Well, there was only one that had been "closed and sealed", and that was the prophecy of Daniel. Specifically, the 2300 day vision (Daniel 8:26). And during the time of William Miller, this prophecy was "opened". And what happened when William Miller and his followers "ate" this prophecy? It was sweet in their mouths (coming of Christ in 1844), but bitter in their belly (Christ didn't return). Then they were to discover the truth and take that truth to the world through the new advent movement that was formed ("prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.")

Now when this group of Advent believers in 1844 came to the truth about the time of judgment beginning, they saw within the most holy place in heaven, the ark of God's covenant ... Revelation 11:19 ...'And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.' ... And what is inside God's ark of His testament (covenant)? The ten commandments!

Many lost truths at the hands of the Roman Catholic Church had been restored during the Protestant reformation, but now the truth of the ten commandments, God's great moral law of love had finally been restored, INCLUDING the sabbath day truth, and God now had an end time church with the FULL truth of the "everlasting gospel" which could now be proclaimed to the world before Jesus returns at the second coming. This "Advent" movement, in 1860 became known as the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

**We MUST follow Christ into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, because only then will we see that the great moral law of God, the ten commandments is STILL in effect and binding upon everyone. Only then will we see that the sabbath day of the 4th commandment is also STILL in effect and binding upon everyone.**

Now if you are faithful to the truth of God's Word and you study the 70 weeks of Daniel along with this study of the 2300 days, then there is ONLY ONE date that you can come to, and that is the date of 1844. And there is only one thing of note that happened in 1844, and that is the Advent movement. Which after the great disappointment of not seeing Christ return, came to the truth that Christ had entered into the most holy place to begin judgment, and that the law of God, the ten commandments (including the sabbath commandment) was still binding upon everyone.

Revelation 14:7 ...'Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come, and worship Him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of the waters.'

Daniel 7:9,10,13 ...'I beheld till the 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. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.'

This is the great scene of Christ Jesus moving into the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary, to begin judgment, and the Seventh Day Adventist Church is the only church preaching this end time truth. God now has His end time remnant church to proclaim the three angels message and the everlasting gospel to the world. Are you part of God's remnant church? Christ is pleading for us in the judgment. Are you giving your all for Him today? Come to the foot of the cross now and give your all for Jesus!

Please see The Sanctuary Message for a great study that shows the amazing plan of salvation through the sanctuary.