“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” (Daniel 8:14).

Jesus is speaking here. We presume that Gabriel already knows the answer to all the questions he just asked the “Whoever it may be.” Why? Jesus responds to Daniel: “He said unto me.”

Remember that the four questions asked in 8:13 were all in the context of “How long,” “Until when” or “When are all these things going to happen?” Jesus, in His great wisdom, chooses not to deal at first with the physical distress, persecution and hatred against His people. “Daniel, your people will be spiritually delivered.” We will have to wait until Daniel 12 for details related to the physical deliverance. We’ll begin to analyze that in chapter 13 of this book.

Before we go on, you might be aware that many Bible translations, including the KJV, have wording errors. Daniel 8 and 9 are no exception. That is one reason there are so many strong and conflicting opinions relative to this particular verse.

The word “days” is not in the original. Neither is “sanctuary cleansed.” The actual wording in Hebrew is: “Till evening–morning two thousand three hundred holy adjudicated.”

Let’s look step by step at these incredible words of Jesus.

Evening and morning is Ereb boqer – meaning dusk–morning – each being a time unit. But together they convey a very powerful message. The very first use of this sequence came in Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23 and 31. This is extremely important to grasp! – because many scholars try to make Daniel 8:14 represent only half days. In that Genesis account it means “there was an evening and there was a morning” delimiting the six days of divine creative activity. A Jewish day did begin with the morning and this was the ancient system for computing time. But there is a major exception in the Torah:

1.   For festivals and sacred appointed times, the day began the evening before – more specifically:

2.   The “night of the preceding day” became holy.

3.   Examples:

a.  The Passover began on the evening before the fourteenth day of the first month (Exodus 12:6, 18).

b.  The exact same application is made for the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:28-32). That is where this text becomes so important – it refers to a
solemn appointed time.

There is a “Sabbath of rest” built into this prophecy. What appointed evening–morning time or festival would tie to it? Since this chazown vision opened, the atonement ram of God’s people and the evil he-goat (scapegoat – Satan) have been presented. They are associated with “God’s dwelling place” or sanctuary imagery, which the little horn is trying to destroy (vs 11).

This chapter (Daniel 8) is referring to the final conflict right after Babylon falls. It is when God’s people become holy. It is couched in Day of Atonement language!

The message Jesus gives here states that the things regarding Gabriel’s questions will not occur until after 2300 atonement evenings and mornings are completed. Suddenly we know that it is 2300 years because the Day of Atonement was an annual feast! That is simply amazing information that has been tucked into that verse, waiting to be drawn out! Within the sacred appointed time setting, the “proof texts” that represent a day for a year or year for a day are not needed.

There is more. In this setting, a restoration message is being presented for a holy people. The little horn is out to thwart that from ever happening. The final controversy between good and evil is being described in ever-growing detail (which won’t end until the completion of the book of Revelation). The 2300 Yom Kippur’s, if you please, must pass before the final atonement or completion of judgment occurs. That’s what the Day of Atonement was all about. It was when all the congregation of Israel was divided into two groups – those who repented and those who did not. That means that sometime after the 2300 years a judgment will be made that will be irrevocable! – a judgment with an atonement for some, a restoration before the Lord (Leviticus 23:28), and an eternal curse for others.

Remember, this verse (8:14) is Jesus’ “general answer” to Gabriel’s questions. Gabriel wanted to know when all the horrible little-horn activity would occur. Jesus says after the 2300 years, but then immediately talks about His people – those who will vindicate His name. What is He trying to convey?

Simply this: Both the little horn’s abusive behavior and the judgment occur after the 2300 atonement evening and mornings are ended. We’ll learn more, far more, about the latter when we get to Daniel 9. But first, there is much more that Jesus put within that 8:14 context that we must concentrate on and understand.

Let’s look at it further.

The final phrase, “then will the sanctuary be cleansed,” is really made up of only two Hebrew words, qodesh tsadaq. Qodesh was used in the previous verse as “sanctuary,” but in a setting that meant everything holy – God, His church and His holy people. God’s people (church) and His name will become holy after the 2300 years. But He adds a very special word – tsadaq. What does that mean?

Tsadaq in this setting is a legal, ethical and theocratic expression denoting adjudication or vindication. The whole framework is couched in a Jubilee Day of Atonement (Leviticus 15, 25-26) setting where full restoration of holiness occurs. Taken together, qodesh tsadaq gives us a beautiful message of promise that after the 2300 years God’s name, His church and His people will be holy and adjudicated – God will be vindicated and, together, an eternal, holy union will exist. All legal issues will be resolved. This is moral restoration of the kingdom of God. It is the completion of the everlasting covenant. To accomplish this, the sins in the soul temple and the heavenly sanctuary will all be removed or cleansed away by a legal act often referred to as “judgment.”

Do you grasp what has been happening here in Daniel 8?

•    This chapter is about the time when spiritual Babylon falls.

•    The players in the conflict are God’s people (His host) and
Satan’s representatives (the papacy and her host)

•    God’s law, covenant and authority will be tarnished and His people persecuted after the 2300 evening–morning atonement years.

•    God’s people and His church will finally be adjudicated sometime after the 2300 evening–morning atonement years, thereby vindicating God.

•    They will be His eternal witnesses to His beautiful character. His righteousness will be seen in them. They will be holy. The 144,000 of Revelation are the living witnesses, bringing supreme honor to God.

Leviticus 19:2, 20 talks of God’s ideal for man. It is holiness. I Peter 1:15-16 carries this on in New Testament imagery. Ellen G. White noted, “Moral perfection is required of all.”[1] A condition will be reached of “sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression.”[2]

Daniel 8:14 unfolds an incredible promise stemming from very pointed questions by Gabriel. God has much more to say about His standards of righteousness (9:24) and “when” this is to occur. Not only will the little horn persecute, but during this same period, God’s people will become perfect – sealed – ready for translation. The exact “appointed time” for this is yet to be laid out at some period in time after the 2300 atonement evenings and mornings. We’ve alluded to it in the Preface. Even the three timing prophecies of Daniel 12 are all part of this amazing specific end-time message.

It is interesting to note that in Daniel 9, 490 years were given to ancient Israel to become holy. God knew before that vision was given that they would fail. That is why Daniel 8:14 was given before Daniel 9 – so we would know He knew! More on that later. This verse (8:14) is a remarkable message that He will someday still have a holy people – right at the end of time.

First, let’s revisit Gabriel’s follow-up to what Jesus just said. He uses words that will help us in the rest of our study.

Franklin S. Fowler Jr., M.D.; Prophecy Research Initiative © 2009