The Plain Truth
August, 1965
THE 2300 DAYS
In the 8th chapter of Daniel is an astounding prophecy. Some
believe it was fulfilled in 1844. Others say in 165 B.C. by
Antiochus Epiphanes. Daniel could not understand it! It was
sealed from human comprehension "until the time of the end" --
this 20th Century!
by Herman L. Hoeh
THE MOMENT has come to reveal an astonishing, yet little-known
prophecy for "the latter days" -- this 20th century! Few churches
ever speak of it. Most scholars admit they do not understand it.
But God's time has come to reveal it!
Sealed Until NOW
Did you know that the book of Daniel, in your Bible, was
closed to human understanding until these latter days?
Daniel was commanded: "... shut up the words, and seal the
book, even to the time of the end ...." Again we read: "For the
words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many
shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked
shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but
the wise shall understand" (Dan. 12:4, 9-10).
Now open your Bibles to Daniel 8. Here is a vital prophecy
for our time. Notice particularly verse 26. Daniel is commanded
to "shut up the vision; for it shall be for many days" -- far
into the future. Daniel "was astonished at the vision, but none
understood it" (verse 27, last part.)
This prophecy was not meant to be understood till the time
of the end. Today the wise shall understand. This is God's
promise.
Time Setting of the Prophecy
Notice the setting of the prophecy in Daniel 8. It is the
third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king of Babylon, about
550 B.C. Daniel is given a vision while at Shushan in the palace
in the province of Elam (Dan. 8:1-2). Here is what he sees in the
vision:
"Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold, there
stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two
horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the
higher came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward, and
northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before
him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand;
but he did according to his will, and became great" (verses 3 and
4).
Here is a mysterious "ram." What does this ram symbolize?
Notice God's explanation, revealed in verse 20! "The ram
which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and
Persia"!
This ram symbolized THE MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE. It destroyed
the Kingdom of Babylon in the autumn of 539 B.C. It ruled to 331
B.C.
But this is only the beginning of the prophecy. Now read
verse 5:
"And as I was considering, behold, a 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."
What is the Bible explanation of this mysterious symbol?
"And the rough goat IS THE KING OF GRECIA: and the great horn
that is between his eyes is THE FIRST KING" (verse 21).
This is not man's interpretation. This is the Bible's own
explanation of its symbols.
These symbols were revealed to Daniel. He was inspired to
write them in Scripture so that we today can understand the
important TIME SETTING of this end-time prophecy. Notice the
verse-by-verse movement of time. The ram -- the Medo-Persian
Empire -- came on the world scene in the autumn, 539 B.C. It
ruled until 331 B.C.
Then the Greco-Macedonian Empire came on the scene with its
first great king, Alexander the Great (verses 6 and 7). The final
conquest of the Medo-Persian Empire by Alexander the Great
occurred in 331 B.C.
Understand what this means. By the end of verse 7 we have
moved in history from 539 B.C. to the time of Alexander the
Great.
Continue, now, with verse 8. "... the he goat waxed very
great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for
it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven."
Remember, the great horn in the goat's head symbolized the
"first king" of the Greco-Macedonian Empire. That was Alexander
the Great. But this horn was suddenly "broken"! Alexander the
Great died suddenly of a fever in Babylon in 323 B.C., about
thirty-three years of age!
Then what followed in time sequence?
Continuing in verse 8: "For it {that is, "in its place after
Alexander's death" -- after 323 B.C.} came up four notable ones
{four other horns} toward the four winds of heaven" -- in more
modern English, in the four directions of the compass. The Bible
interpretation of this verse is found in verse 22:
"Now that being broken," -- Alexander the Great being dead
-- "whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up
out of the kingdom, but not in his power."
Alexander's Empire was divided among his generals after his
death. By 301 B.C. FOUR generals divided the Empire, fulfilling
this verse of the prophecy. In the South -- Egypt -- ruled
Ptolemy. Syria -- the North and East -- was held by Seleucus.
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PHOTO CAPTION: The Kingdom of the North, prophesied in Daniel 11,
was at first a Greek Empire with its capital in Syria.
-------------------
The Northwest -- Thrace -- was under the control of
Lysimachus. Macedonia, in the far West, was dominated by
Cassander.
Later, in 281 B.C. Seleucus overthrew Lysimachus and
completely controlled the North. Thereafter the two dominant
areas of the Empire were the Kingdom of the South, under the
Ptolemies, and the Kingdom of the North under the Seleucidae. The
struggles between these two kingdoms -- down to our day, this
20th Century! -- is made plain in the longest prophecy in the
Bible -- Daniel 11.
Consider again the vital time setting of this prophecy. It
commenced with the Medo-Persian Empire which lasted until 331
B.C. Then the Greco-Macedonian Empire came on the scene with its
first king, Alexander the Great. In 323 B.C. Alexander died at
the age of 33. Alexander's Empire was divided into four major
parts -- verse 22. None of these parts was as strong as the whole
kingdom had been under Alexander the Great. The time setting of
the four divisions of Alexander's Empire, foretold in this
prophecy, brings us to the date 301 B.C.!
The rest of the prophecy therefore CANNOT BEGIN BEFORE this
date!
Now notice what is to happen next on the world scene --
AFTER 301 B.C.
A Prophecy for the Latter Time!
Turn in your Bible to verse 9: "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."
Look at this verse again. Here a "little horn" appears
coming out of one of the four divisions of Alexander's Empire.
THIS "LITTLE HORN" THEREFORE CANNOT HAVE ARISEN BEFORE 301 B.C.
BECAUSE NOT UNTIL THEN WAS THE FOURFOLD DIVISION OF ALEXANDER'S
EMPIRE SETTLED!
Notice that again! "OUT OF ONE OF THEM CAME FORTH a little
horn"! Out of one of the four! -- the prophecy will later
disclose out of which one!
Whatever this mysterious horn symbolizes, whatever this
little horn does on the world scene, must occur AFTER the death
of Alexander the Great -- and after the division of his empire in
301 B.C. into four parts!
We come now to the climax of this astounding vision.
Daniel is told: "For AT THE TIME OF THE END shall be the
vision" (verse 17). The vision of the little horn" is for the
time of the end! The same time setting is recorded also in verse
23, "And IN THE LATTER TIME of their kingdom, when the
transgressors are come to the full."
WHO -- WHAT -- does this "little horn" symbolize?
The "Little Horn"
Some think Antiochus Epiphanes. Others think it is pagan or
papal Rome, or both. But what does the Bible say? What is the
Bible's own interpretation of its symbols?
Notice the Bible explanation!
"A king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark
sentences shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty ... and
he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace {the margin
says "prosperity"} shall destroy many; HE SHALL ALSO STAND UP
AGAINST THE PRINCE OF PRINCES; but he shall be broken without
hand" verses 23-25).
There is the answer! Could anything be more astounding!
Look at this prophecy again. It is a prophecy for the last
days. The little horn symbolizes "a king" -- a ruler -- who shall
arise "in the latter time of their kingdom" (verse 23). Not
immediately after the fourfold division of Alexander's empire --
but in the "latter time" of human misrule. This "little horn" --
this ruler -- this mortal man stands up AGAINST THE PRINCE OF
PRINCES -- that is Christ at His second coming!
Here is a great Gentile world ruler who stands up against
Christ and is supernaturally destroyed -- "without hand" -- not
by human hand but by divine intervention in human affairs.
The Bible interprets this "little horn" as A GREAT RULER WHO
SHALL EXIST AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST! He comes on the scene
when world transgression -- world sin -- has reached its climax
(Daniel 8:23).
This "little horn" is described again in Revelation 17:14.
There we read that he makes war with the Lamb (Jesus Christ) and
the Lamb shall overcome him and his allies. This "little horn"
does the same thing as the final "beast" of Revelation 17!
What the "Little Horn" Will Do
Continue with this amazing prophecy for the latter days!
"And it {the little horn} 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 HIS SANCTUARY WAS CAST DOWN" (Dan.
8:10-11).
The next verse -- 12 -- is not clearly translated in the
King James Version. It reads: "And a host was given him against
the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression" -- the margin
reads: "the host was given over for the transgression against the
daily sacrifice" -- "and it cast down the truth to the ground;
and it practised, and prospered."
A clearer rendering of verse 12 is found in the Jewish
translation: "And the host was given over to it [the little horn]
together with the continual burnt-offering through transgression
Many have attempted to interpret these mysterious symbols
out of their own human reasoning. They have tried to read into
the Bible meanings that are not there. Let THE BIBLE interpret
the Bible!
The explanation of verse 10 is revealed in verse 24: "And
his {the little horn's} power shall be mighty." That's the
explanation of the first part of verse 10: "it waxed great."
To continue with verse 24: "But not by his own power." This
king will not accomplish his great deeds by his own strength.
Revelation 17:17 reveals why. Ten lesser kings GIVE THEIR
MILITARY POWER AND STRENGTH "unto the Beast."
This little horn (Dan 8:24) "shall destroy wonderfully" --
shall have marvelous, frightening military powers "and shall
destroy the mighty and the holy people" (verse 24).
Here is a persecuting power, a union of church and state,
which destroys the hosts -- armies -- of the "mighty people" --
God's people Israel. That includes not only the Jews -- the House
of Judah, but the whole English-speaking world -- the House of
Israel, the so-called Lost Ten Tribes! Where ISRAEL is today is
made plain in our astounding booklet "The United States and the
British Commonwealth in Prophecy." Write for it.
The "little horn" also persecutes the true Church -- the
"holy people" who shall shine in the resurrection like the stars
of heaven (compare Dan. 8:10 and 24 with Dan. 12:3).
Verse 25 continues to explain verse 11, and so on.
But what about the "daily sacrifice" -- the "continual
burnt-offering" -- that is to be taken away? Where is the
"sanctuary" that is to be cast down? What do these symbolize?
What to they mean?
Two Common Opinions
One opinion -- found in most Bible commentaries on Daniel 8
-- is that Antiochus Epiphanes (died 163 B.C.) is the "little
horn." The "sanctuary" is assumed to be the Second Temple in
Jerusalem. The daily sacrifice the Levitical offerings.
Antiochus did indeed prohibit the daily sacrifice -- from
168-165 B.C. He defiled the Temple with an idol of Jupiter
Olympus, and offered swines' blood upon the altar. He burnt as
many scrolls of the Law as he could lay hands on. He attempted to
stamp out the truth. But he did NOT fulfill this prophecy of the
"little horn" -- except, perhaps, as a forerunner.
Antiochus Epiphanes died long ago -- in 163 B.C. The ruler
symbolized by the "little horn" is to be alive at the second
coming of Jesus Christ. He comes on the world scene in the
"latter days" when human transgression -- sin and suffering -- is
to reach its climax. He is to stand up and resist Christ at His
second coming! Antiochus Epiphanes came over two thousand years
too early to fulfill this prophecy! He is not the "little horn."
Another opinion has it that the "little horn" is pagan
and/or papal Rome. Those who hold this view believe the
"sanctuary" is not on earth, but in heaven -- that it is God's
throne. The daily sacrifice, according to this view, is the work
Christ has been performing in heaven as High Priest.
Is THIS the Bible explanation?
NOT Heavenly Sanctuary!
Turn to Daniel 8:11. See the BIBLE answer with your own
eyes: "Yea, he {the "little horn"} magnified himself even to the
Prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken
away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down."
The margin in the King James Version provides an alternative
rendering. Instead of "by him" -- meaning the "little horn" -- it
has "from him" -- meaning the Prince of the host. The original
inspired Hebrew can be translated both ways into English. Either
translation is correct.
But notice what this scripture says!
The daily sacrifice is to be taken away! The sanctuary is to
be cast down! Now consider: IF the daily sacrifice is, as some
believe, the daily work of Christ in heaven, then a mortal man --
the "little horn" -- would have power to intervene IN HEAVEN and
STOP THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST!
Further, IF the "sanctuary" were in heaven, he would have
the power to "cast down" the sanctuary -- the very throne of God
in heaven!
IMPOSSIBLE!
No man can stop Jesus Christ from performing His work in
heaven! No man -- no ruler -- not even the devil himself -- can
cast down the throne of God and profane His Holy Sanctuary!
Then what is the meaning of this astounding prophecy for our
day?
The Bible Answer
First read verses 13 and 14 of Daniel 8:
"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 me, 'Unto two thousand and three
hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.'"
Another enigma!
This answer to this mysterious time period was hidden from
Daniel's understanding -- was not to be revealed until the latter
days!
THIS IS A PROPHECY FOR OUR DAY -- this climactic 20th
Century!
Some have tried to explain this prophecy before God's time
came to reveal it! Those who assume the "sanctuary" is in heaven
claim that this vision of "2300 days" commenced in 457 B.C. and
ended in A.D. 1844. (They say that the "2300 days" represent 2300
years in fulfillment.) They further insist that the "sanctuary"
that was cast down -- the Holy of Holies in heaven itself --
God's very throne -- was to be "cleansed" beginning in 1844.
Is the date 457 B.C. the beginning date for the "2300 days"?
Notice the Bible answer from this 8th chapter of Daniel:
The Medo - Persian Empire -- the "ram" in this prophecy --
ruled the world until 331 B.C. Then Alexander came on the scene.
He died in 323 B.C., after which his empire in 301 B.C. was
divided into four parts. Out of one of the four divisions of
Alexander's Empire is to rise the little horn "IN THE LATTER
DAYS"! It is the little horn which takes away the daily sacrifice
and casts down the sanctuary! Whatever the little horn is to do
for "2300 days" cannot have begun UNTIL AFTER THE DIVISION OF
ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE INTO FOUR PARTS! But 457 B.C. is over a
century and a half too early! That date cannot be the
commencement of the "2300 days"!
The date 457 B.C. is the commencement of ANOTHER prophecy
altogether -- the "seventy weeks" prophecy in Daniel 9:25. The
year 457 B.C. marks the commencement of Daniel's prophecy of
"seventy weeks" which led to the first coming of Jesus Christ!
THAT PROPHECY HAS NOTHING DIRECTLY TO DO WITH THE PROPHECY
RECORDED HERE IN DANIEL 8!
The prophecy of Daniel 9 is not the explanation of the "2300
days." The prophecy in chapter 9 was EXPLAINED to Daniel (see
verse 23). The prophecy in chapter 8 was sealed from human
understanding until this "time of the end." Daniel did not
understand it (v. 27 of ch. 8).
But notice further. The little horn TAKES AWAY the daily
sacrifice for "2300 days." Was any daily sacrifice -- whether on
earth or in heaven -- taken away from 457 B.C. until 1844?
No!
Did a king -- or even a line of kings, the Roman Emperors or
the Popes for example -- for 2300 years prevent the daily
sacrifice from being offered? Did pagan or papal Rome for 2300
years -- from 457 B.C. to 1844 A.D. -- cast down the sanctuary of
God?
Of course not! THE JEWS WERE OFFERING THE DAILY SACRIFICE
ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY FROM THE DAYS OF EZRA AND NEHEMIAH UNTIL THE
JEWS WERE DRIVEN OUT OF JERUSALEM IN 70 A.D.
But, it is insisted, the sanctuary was not on earth but in
heaven!
Granted that the earthly sanctuary was a type of the
heavenly sanctuary, God's throne. But what king or power has ever
cast down God's throne in heaven for 2300 years?
First, notice the last part of Daniel 8:13. The "sanctuary"
is to be "trodden underfoot"! Has any kingdom, any power ever
trodden underfoot God's heavenly sanctuary for 2300 years?
Certainly not!
The Bible itself proves that this amazing prophecy has
nothing to do with a heavenly sanctuary. Nor was it fulfilled
from 457 B.C. to 1844!
Then what does the prophecy of the "2300 days" really mean?
A Common Misunderstanding
Notice Daniel 8:26: "And the vision of the evening and the
morning which was told is true ...." The vision of "2300 days" is
actually called in the Scripture "THE VISION OF THE EVENING AND
THE MORNING." Why?
Turn in your Bibles to verse 14 of chapter 8. In most Bibles
you will find a marginal note for the word "days." This note
reveals that the original Hebrew of the word "days" is "evening
morning." This prophecy is NOT referring to 24-hour days but to
evenings and mornings -- THE EVENING AND MORNING SACRIFICE!
According to verse 11 the little horn takes away the DAILY
SACRIFICE. The daily sacrifice was offered in the evening and in
the morning. See Lev. 6:9 and 12.
Verse 14 is a MISTRANSLATION in the text of the King James
Version, though it is correct in the margin. The Revised Standard
Version reads, "for two thousand three hundred evenings and
mornings."
In other words, here is a prophecy that two thousand three
hundred evening and morning sacrifices would cease to be offered.
Since the daily sacrifice was offered TWICE A DAY, this prophecy
is actually speaking of one thousand one hundred fifty (1150)
days. In 1150 days there would be exactly two thousand three
hundred sacrifices offered at evening and morning.
The Jewish "Soncino Commentary", by Dr. Judah J. Slotki,
comments on this verse: "... the numeral refers to the number of
times the offerings, normally brought twice daily, will be
omitted, giving a total period of 1,150 days... ."
At the end of this 1150-day period the sanctuary is to be
"cleansed" or "justified." This prophecy is yet to be fulfilled!
That's why it was shut up and sealed from human understanding
until our time. It was not for God's people or the world until
these latter days!
Some scholars have contended that this prophecy of the
taking away of the evening and morning sacrifice has already been
fulfilled by Antiochus Epiphanes. This is NOT TRUE!
Notice why: what happened to the daily sacrifice in the days
of Antiochus Epiphanes (168-165 B.C.) was ONLY A TYPE of what is
yet to occur! The wicked deeds of Antiochus Epiphanes are
recorded in Daniel 11:31. He polluted the ancient sanctuary. He
took away the daily sacrifice, BUT NOT FOR EXACTLY 1150 DAYS.
Daniel 11:31 is not referring to the same event described in
Daniel 8. Notice especially in Daniel 11 that the latter days do
not commence until verse 40. "And at the TIME OF THE END ..."
That's in this generation, almost two thousand years AFTER the
days of Antiochus Epiphanes.
Now consider WHO the "little horn" in this prophecy is.
The King of the North
The little horn in Daniel 8 is none other than the LAST KING
of one of the four divisions of Alexander's Empire. He is, in
fact, the final "King of the North" described in Daniel 11.
When Alexander's Empire was divided into four parts General
Seleucus obtained the area NORTH of Palestine. He made Syria,
which lies to the north of Palestine, the center of his kingdom
(see map on page 26). The story of that kingdom is not recorded
in Daniel 8. That prophecy skips all intervening time to our day.
But the missing centuries are recorded in Daniel 11.
Here is what happened. The "Kingdom of the North" was
originally Syria -- north of Palestine. BUT SYRIA WAS SOON
SWALLOWED UP BY ROME. (See map on page 29.) The Roman system of
government became the "Kingdom of the North." It has existed to
our time in Europe. In the Middle Ages it was called the Holy
Roman Empire. Its amazing history is described in Daniel
11:36-41. (The entire 11th chapter of Daniel is explained in the
article "Middle East in Prophecy.")
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PHOTO CAPTION: Rome swallowed up Syria and became the Kingdom of
the North of Daniel 11.
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In Daniel 11 the last King of the North is pictured as
occupying "the glorious land" Palestine (verse 41). This is the
same region that the "little horn" of Daniel 8 is yet to control
IN OUR DAY!
In Palestine the final King of the North "shall come to his
end, and none shall help him" (verse 45). The "little horn" of
Daniel 8 also comes to his end in Palestine when he stands up
against the "Prince of princes" (Dan. 8:25). Both these
prophecies refer to the same event!
That "little horn" -- the final "king of the north" -- is
about to manifest himself on the world scene!
The Final Fulfillment
This amazing prophecy of the 2300 evenings and mornings is
yet to be fulfilled in our day. A great crisis is yet to occur in
Palestine. After nearly 19 centuries a part of the tribe of Judah
-- the Jews -- has come back to Palestine. In their war of
independence in 1948 they gained possession of the new part of
Jerusalem, but the Arabs still control old Jerusalem. Not only
Jerusalem, but the whole land of Palestine is divided. It is an
armed camp likely to ignite at any moment!
Daniel 8 indicates that in the near future we shall
literally see fulfilled this mysterious prophesied event for
Palestine -- "the daily sacrifice" and "the sanctuary" restored
before our very eyes.
The Bible does not give the exact sequence of events -- only
the duration. We must watch world news to discover how and when
it will happen.
Then will come World War III and the occupation of Palestine
and half of Jerusalem.
A great European Church-State union will be in control of
Palestine and the whole Western World. It will prohibit the
truth. It will "cast down the truth to the ground." It will
practice and prosper!
It will persecute and martyr God's Holy people. It will be
allowed to tread Jerusalem underfoot and to prohibit "the daily
sacrifice" at the sanctuary for 1150 days. It will substitute its
own abominable, idolatrous rites in place of the evening and
morning sacrifice. Jesus referred to this same event in Matthew
24:15. "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 Judea flee into the mountains ... for then shall be great
tribulation ..." -- climaxing in the second coming of Christ
(verses 15-21).
The Gentiles will tread down Jerusalem for 1260 days (Rev.
11) -- a period which includes the 1150 days. It is the time of
the two witnesses who will prophesy in the streets of Jerusalem
for 1260 days, then be killed, and -- just IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE
RETURN OF CHRIST -- be raised from the dead in the sight of the
people!
God will suddenly intervene in human affairs. He will put an
end to this wicked idolatrous system. "The sanctuary SHALL BE
cleansed."
We are very near the fulfillment of these amazing
prophecies. It is time we wake up to world events and free
ourselves from fables and traditions begun more than a century
ago! It's time we believe the Bible and not false teachers! It's
time we asked God for wisdom and ask Him to lead us and to show
us HIS TRUTH!
