2006 Q 3

TheGospel,1844,
andJudgment
Introduction
Contents
Helps
Discussion Groups
INTRODUCTION
The Gospel, 1844, and Judgment
As Adventists, many of our "unique" doctrines are not, really, unique.
After all, other Christians (not many, admittedly) into greater focus. keep
the seventh-day Sabbath, as well. Though a majority of the Christian
world believes in the immortality of the soul, other Christians understand
that the dead sleep in the grave until the resurrection, either the first or
second. Various "Adventist" teachings, i.e., eternal destruction (as
opposed to eternal torment) or the nature of the millennium, can be found
elsewhere too. In fact, almost all our doctrines are scattered throughout
Christendom.
Except one: the 1844 pre-Advent judgment.
For some, this fact is worrisome; Why don't more Christians see it, as
well? For others, the uniqueness of the doctrine points even more
powerfully to the special calling of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It's
precisely because no one else teaches this judgment that we have been
raised to do so. From this doctrine, perhaps more than any other, our
distinct identity as Seventh-day Adventists arises.
This quarter we will study the 1844 pre-Advent judgment. But not in
isolation. As the title suggests, we're going to look at the judgment in the
1
context of the gospel, because judgment without the gospel is like law
without grace: It leads only to fear, condemnation, and death. On the
other hand, judgment with the gospel (like law with grace) leads to faith,
assurance, and hope.
Perhaps the clearest link between the gospel and judgment is the first
angel's message: "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach. . . . Saying with a loud voice, Fear
God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come" (Rev.
14:6, 7). As far as God is concerned, the "everlasting gospel" includes
judgment; how foolish for us to make it any less inclusive.
Our study this quarter will be divided into various parts. First, we'll let
Scripture fill in the background for the judgment and the whole plan of
salvation.
Next, in the bulk of the quarter, we'll establish the biblical basis for the
1844 judgment, seeing for ourselves just what a solid basis we have for
this teaching, rooted in the Cross. For those whose knowledge of the
doctrine began and ended with an evangelistic series, this study will help
firmly ground you in this key truth. For those who have already studied it
in depth, this quarter will reinforce what you already know and, perhaps,
help you understand it even better.
We'll then look at some questions the teaching faces, using them as a
vehicle to better grasp the biblical basis for the pre-Advent judgment.
Most important, we'll look at the judgment in the context of the gospel,
of Christ's death in our behalf, with the understanding that because of His
death we can have assurance in the judgment. "There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1). No condemnation now, and
especially in the judgment.
Finally, we seek to answer such questions as: What does a judgment
whose beginning was dated in the nineteenth century mean for us in the
twenty-first? 'What does it tell us about ourselves, our church, and, most
important, about the God who promises to return and take us home?
In the end, a proper understanding of the 1844 judgment will bring out
Christ's death for us in greater clarity and depth, especially as we await
2
the Second Coming. Perhaps that's why we, as Seventh-day Adventists,

have been called to preach it, because it does bring the Cross into greater
focus, and as we near the consummation of all things, how important that
the Cross be understood with all possible clarity. Thus, more than wanting
you to come away from these lessons with a better understanding of
charts, dates, and numbers, we want you to come away with a greater
understanding of Jesus, of the Cross, and of His ministry in heaven for us.
If so, then our work together this quarter will have beenthrough the
grace of Godrichly rewarded and more than worth the effort.
Contents:
No.
THIRD QUARTER 2006

Study
Date
Topic
1 July 1 "Principalities and Powers" (KJV) (NKJV)

2 July 8 Judgment Must Begin (KJV) (NKJV)
3 July 15 Daniel 2 (KJV) (NKJV)
6 Aug 5 Daniel 9 (KJV) (NKJV)
Aug
70 Weeks (KJV) (NKJV)
7 12
Aug
1844 Made Simple (KJV) (NKJV)
8 19
Aug
Day-Year Principle (KJV) (NKJV)
9 26
1
Sept 2 Rome and Antichus (KJV) (NKJV)
0
1
The Sanctuary and the Little
Sept 9
Horn (KJV) (NKJV)
1
1 Sept
2 16
Sept
13
23
Sept
14
30
The Pre-Advent Judgment (KJV) (NKJV)

The Gospel and Judgment (KJV) (NKJV)
The Meaning of the Judgment
Today (KJV) (NKJV)
Editorial Office: 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904.

Principal Contributors: Clifford R. Goldstein
Editor: Clifford R. Goldstein
Associate Editor: Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti
Publication Manager: Soraya Homayouni Parish
Editorial Assistant: Larie S. Gray
Pacific Press Coordinator: Paul A. Hey
Art and Design: Lars Justinen
Concept Design: Dever Design
Copyright 2006 by the Office of the Adult Bible Study Guide,
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist. All Rights Reserved.
LESSON1
"PrincipalitiesandPowers"
SABBATHAFTERNOON
ReadforThisWeek'sStudy:
Ps.51:14;Zech.3:14;Matt.22:11,12;Rom.3:4;Eph.3:10;Heb.
2:14;13:2;Rev.12:713.
MemoryText:
"Wehavebeenmadeaspectacletothewholeuniverse,toangelsaswellas
tomen"(1Corinthians4:9,NIV).
neofthemostamazingdiscoveriesofthepastcenturywas,literally,
astronomical:therealizationthatbillionsofgalaxiesexist,eachonecontaining
billionsofstars.Thoughnewgalaxiesarebeingdiscoveredeveryday,thelatest
estimatesareatabout125billion...andcounting.Whenoneconsidersthat
eachgalaxycontainsbillionsofstarsandthatthesestarscouldhaveplanets
revolvingaroundthem,it'snothardtounderstandwhysomepeoplebelievethat
lifemustexistelsewhereintheuniverse.
Thus,usingelaborateandsensitiveradiotelescopes,peopleareengagedina
searchforextraterrestriallife.Giventhesizeoftheuniverseandthenumberof
starsscatteredthroughit,surelywe'renotalone.
4
AsChristians,though,wedon'tneedradiotelescopestolearnaboutthe
existenceoflifebeyondourearthlyborders.ThroughtheBible(andtheSpiritof
Prophecy)weknownotonlythatotherbeingsexistbutthatthey'reinterestedin
what'shappeninghere,onearth.Infact,theentireuniverseisinvolvedinthe
greatcontroversybetweenChristandSatan,astrugglewithimplicationsthatgo
farbeyondourlittleplanet.
Thisweekwe'llgowherethegreatesttelescopescan't:intotheheartofthegreat
moralissuesfacingnotonlyhumanitybutallofGod'screation.
*Studythisweek'slessontoprepareforSabbath,July1.
SUNDAY
June25
"WhentheMorningStarsSang"
Scripturementionsinhabitantsfromotherworlds;thatis,theexistenceof
intelligententities,notofearthlyorigin,isattestedtoallthroughtheBible.Inthe
firstchapterofGenesis,inwhichGodHimselfcreatestheworldandinwhichHe
uttersthefamouswords,"Letusmakemaninourimage,inourlikeness"(Gen.
1:26,NIV),we'reshownimmediatelynotonlytheexistenceofsomethingelse
otherthanus,we'reshownitpredatingus,priortous.Weare,relativelyspeaking,
latecomers.
Andthough,ofcourse,weknowthattheGodheadhadtoprecedeusinorderto
createus,theBibletalksaboutothercosmicentities,aswell.
Readthefollowingtexts(Job1:6;38:7,8;Dan.9:21;Acts12:7;1Cor.
4:9;Eph.3:10;Heb.13:2).Whatdotheytellusaboutthesenonhuman
entities?
Assaidyesterday,whilescientistsarebusytryingtofindoutwhetherotherlife
evenexistselsewhere,theBibleshowsnotonlythatitdoesbutthatit'sinvolved
withushereonearth,sometimesinaratherintimateway.Someoftheabovetexts
showthesebeingsinteractingwithhumans,rescuingthem,givingthem
knowledge,etc.Thesetextsrevealjustasmallsamplingoftheintenseinteraction
betweenhumansandthesenonhumanbeingsfromanotherpartofthecreation.
Thatwecan'talwaysseethemmeansnothing,becauseweknowthatallsortsof
thingsexistthatwecan'tsee.
5
Thecrucialpointsinallthisaresimpleandyet,atthesametime,deep.First,we
arenotaloneintheuniverse;otherintelligentbeingsexist.Second,thesebeings
arenotisolatedfromus;instead,some,atleast,areinvolvedwithhumanshere.
Thus,Scriptureclearlypaintsapictureofrealitynotgenerallyacceptedbymodern
thinking:theexistenceofsupernaturalbeingswhoare,indeed,closelytiedwith
humanity.
WhataresomeofyourfavoriteangelstoriesfromtheBible?Ifyou'vehad
somepersonalencounterswithangels,bepreparedtoshareyourstorywith
theclass.Whatkindofcomfortdoestherealityofangelsgiveyou?
MONDAY
June26
TheDevil'sWrath
"Andtherewaswarinheaven:Michaelandhisangelsfoughtagainstthe
dragon;andthedragonfoughtandhisangels,andprevailednot;neitherwas
theirplacefoundanymoreinheaven.Andthegreatdragonwascastout,that
oldserpent,calledthedevil,andSatan,whichdeceiveththewholeworld:he
wascastoutintotheearth,andhisangelswerecastoutwithhim"(Rev.12:7
9;seealsovss.1013).
Aswesawyesterday,theBibleisclearontheexistenceofextraterrestriallife.As
weknow,though,notallofthislifeisfriendlytowardus.Onthecontrary.
BasedonRevelation12:713,answerthefollowingquestions:
Wheredoesthestrifebegin?
Wheredoesthisbattlewindupbeingfought?
Whatarethethreespecificthingsthedevilisdepictedasdoingagainst
us?
Thedevilisangrybecausehehas"butashorttime"(vs.12).Whatdoes
thatmean?SeeMatt.25:41.
HowdoGod'speopleovercometheattacksoftheenemy?
Thesetextsrevealthebackgroundandrealityofthegreatcontroversybetween
ChristandSatan.Thoughbeguninheaven,thebattleisnowunfoldinghereon
earth.What'smore,thesetextsshowthatweareinvolvedinthisbattle,inwhich
thedevil,unabletoprevailagainstMichaelandHisangelsinheaven(Rev.
12:8),isnowwagingwaronushere.
Inwhatwaysdoyouexperiencetherealityofthisgreatcontroversyevery
day?Howdoesyourunderstandingoftherealityofthiscontroversyhelpyou
copewithpersonaltrials?
TUESDAY
June27
"TheAccuserofOurBrethren"
YesterdaywelookedatthefoundationsofthegreatcontroversybetweenChrist
andSatanandhowwe,ashumanbeings,areinvolved.Wesaw,too,thatamong
thethingsthatSatandoesagainstus,heisalso"theaccuserofourbrethren...
whichaccusedthembeforeourGoddayandnight"(Rev.12:10).
Thoughthetextdoesn'tsayjustwhatitwasSatanaccusedthebrethrenof
doing,givenwhatweknowabouttheconditionofhumanity,what'sthelogical
answer?Whattextscanyoufindtobackupyouranswer?See,for
example,Rom.3:1019.
WhateverelseisgoingoninthegreatcontroversybetweenChristandSatan,we,
ashumanbeings,areinthemiddleofit.Satan,obviously,inhisattackonGodis
attackingus,aswell.ThisideaisbroughtoutinthebookofGenesis,wherethe
serpent,Satan(Rev.12:9),castoutofheaventoearth,broughtaboutthefallofour
earthlyparents(Gen.3:17),which,inturn,ledtothefallofthewholehuman
race,alongwithallitshorribleconsequences(Rom.5:12).It'sclear,too,thatSatan
isnowtakingadvantageofwhathappenedtous,andamongthethingshedoesis
toaccuseusregardingoursinsandfallencondition.Afterall,ifwewereperfect,
whatwouldSatanhavetoaccuseusof?It'sbecausewe'reflawedthathehasso
muchtosayagainstus.
ReadZechariah3:14.TheHebrewverbtranslatedinverse1as"resist"or
"oppose"or"accuse"(inthecontextofwhatSatanissayingdirectlyto
Joshua)comesfromthesamerootwordfor"Satan."Whatisgoingonhere,
7
andhowdoesthisfitinwithwhatweunderstandaboutthegreat
controversy?
ThoughwecanseehereinZechariahtheworkofSatanagainstus,wealsosee
theworkofGodforus.Whathopeandpromisecanyoufindfromtheseverses
thatGodisworkinginourbehalf,eventhoughwearesinners
WEDNESDAY
June28
"TheLordRebukeThee,OSatan"
Aswesawyesterday,thoughSatanaccusedJoshua,whohadbeendressedinfilthy
garments,itwasSatannotJoshuawhohadbeenrebuked.Howcouldthatbe?
It'sonlybecauseoftheplanofsalvation,inwhichChristdefeatsSatanandhis
accusations.ThelanguageofZechariahitself,withfilthygarmentsandchangeof
garments,isgospellanguage;thatis,it'spointingtotheplanofsalvationandwhat
ChristdoesforHisfallenpeople.
Readthefollowingtexts(Isa.61:10;Matt.22:11,12;Rev.3:18).Howdothey
helpusunderstandthegospelimageryinZechariah3?
Thoughfallenfromheaven,Satanhadbroughtthegreatcontroversytotheearth.
ThroughthefallofAdamandEve,Satanbroughtallhumanityintothefray;
throughtheplanofsalvation,notonlydoestheLordsaveusfromthefinal
consequencesofthatfall;HealsodefeatsSataninthewholegreatcontroversy.
ReadHebrews2:14.Howdoesithelpusunderstandtheinseparablelink
betweenwhatChristdidhereonearthandtheultimatedefeatofSatan?
Thoughthistextdoesn'tspecifywhy,thedeathofJesusisthemeansthrough
which,ultimately,Satan(andthushisrebellion)willbedefeated.Therearebigger
issuesintheplanofsalvationthanjustsavingusfromsin.Weneedtoremember
sindidn'tbeginhere;itbegansomewhereelseintheuniverse(Isa.14:12,Ezek.
28:15,Rev.12:7).Thoughweareinthemidstofthegreatcontroversy,theissues
initgobeyondus.Theyare,literally,universal.
Whataresomelocalissuesinyourcommunitythataresmallpartsofmuch
granderthemes?Howdotheserelationships(that,is,localissuescontrasted
againstthegranderthemesbehindthem)helpyouunderstandhowtheissues
inthegreatcontroversycouldgobeyondourpersonalsalvation?
8
THURSDAY
June29
The"Justification"ofGod
"Godpresentedhimasasacrificeofatonement,throughfaithinhisblood.He
didthistodemonstratehisjustice,becauseinhisforbearancehehadleftthe
sinscommittedbeforehandunpunishedhedidittodemonstratehisjustice
atthepresenttime,soastobejustandtheonewhojustifiesthosewhohave
faithinJesus"(Rom.3:25,26,NIV).
Ifyoureadcarefullytheaboveverses,theyrevealtheideathatwhateverelse
ChristaccomplishedattheCross,itwasalsoademonstrationofGod'sjustice."He
didthistodemonstratehisjustice,"thetextsays.
ThisleadstoafancytheologicaltermimportantforAdventiststounderstand.The
termistheodicy,anditmeans,basically,"thejustificationofGod."It'snot
justificationinthesensethathumansarejustified(pardonedfromsin)but
justificationinthesenseofvindication.TheodicyisthevindicationofGod's
goodnessandjustice,despitetheexistenceofevil.Hereisthefoundationofthe
greatcontroversy:God'sgoodnessandHisjusticewillberevealednotjustbefore
humanbeingsbutbeforealltheonlookinguniverse.
Besidesthetextsfortoday,howdotheseadditionaltextsbringouttheideaof
theodicy?Ps.51:14;Rom.3:4;Eph.3:10;Rev.19:1,2.
ThewholeideaofthegreatcontroversyandtheultimatevindicationofGodand
Hiswaysformsawonderfulbackgroundtotheplanofsalvation.Thoughitdoesn't
answereverything,ithelpsformatemplateinwhichmanyissues,suchas(1)Why
didJesushavetodie?(2)WhyarewestillheresolongaftertheCross?(3)Why
doesevilstillexist?canbeanswered.Theconceptoftheodicy,too,aswe'llsee
later,helpsusunderstandthebackgroundforthepreAdventjudgment;thatis,it
helpsusunderstandwhyGodevenhasthejudgment.
Inshort,wearenotaloneintheuniverse;otherbeingsexist,andit'sbeforethese
other"principalitiesandpowersinheavenlyplaces"(Eph.3:10)thatissuesinthe
greatcontroversywillberesolvedinawaysothat,asthepsalmistsaidofGod:
"Youareprovedrightwhenyouspeakandjustifiedwhenyoujudge"(Ps.51:4,
NIV).
FRIDAY
9
June30
FurtherStudy:
"TheGreatControversy"inHandbookofSeventhdayAdventistTheology(The
SDABibleCommentary,vol.12),pp.9801009;EllenG.White,TheGreat
Controversy,pp.498,499;TheDesireofAges,pp.22,116;Patriarchsand
Prophets,pp.68,69.
"Buttheplanofredemptionhadayetbroaderanddeeperpurposethanthe
salvationofman.ItwasnotforthisalonethatChristcametotheearth;itwas
notmerelythattheinhabitantsofthislittleworldmightregardthelawofGod
asitshouldberegarded;butitwastovindicatethecharacterofGodbeforethe
universe.TothisresultofHisgreatsacrificeitsinfluenceupontheintelligences
ofotherworlds,aswellasuponmantheSaviourlookedforwardwhenjust
beforeHiscrucifixionHesaid:'Nowisthejudgmentofthisworld:nowshall
theprinceofthisworldbecastout.AndI,ifIbeliftedupfromtheearth,will
drawalluntoMe.'John12:31,32.TheactofChristindyingforthesalvationof
manwouldnotonlymakeheavenaccessibletomen,butbeforealltheuniverse
itwouldjustifyGodandHisSonintheirdealingwiththerebellionofSatan.It
wouldestablishtheperpetuityofthelawofGodandwouldrevealthenature
andtheresultsofsin."EllenG.White,PatriarchsandProphets,pp.68,69.
DiscussionQuestions:
Talkabouttheministryofangelsinyourownexperience.
Formanypeople,theideaofaliteralbattlebetweenunseenforcesgoing
onaroundusisabithardtobelieve.Whatotherexamples,though,are
thereofunseenrealitiesaroundus(e.g.,germs,radiowaves)?Howcould
youusesomeofthesetohelpsomeonewhoisskepticalabouttherealityof
thegreatcontroversy?
Asaclass,talkabouttheideaoftheodicy,usingalsotheEllenWhite
quoteabove.Whyistheideasoimportant?Howdoesithelpusanswer
questionssuchas,WhyarewestillheresolongaftertheCross?
Doesanyoneintheclassknowsomeonewho'stakingabadbeatingin
thegreatcontroversyrightnow?Ifso,whatcanyoudoasagrouptobring
thatpersonsomecomfortandhope?
LESSON 2
10
JudgmentMustBegin
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Eccles.12:14;Dan.12:1,2;Matt.8:12;22:113;25:3133,46;John3:18;2
Cor.5:10.
MemoryText:
"InthedaywhenGodshalljudgethesecretsofmenbyJesusChrist
accordingtomygospel"(Romans2:16,NIV).
GraffitiwrittenonawallbyanItalianatheistreads:"ThereisnoGodand
MaryisHismother!"Howeverfunny,thepointisimportant:Ashumanbeings,
wearesubjectivecreatures.Howevermuchwemighttrytobeobjectivetolook
atthingshonestly,fairly,logically,withoutpreconceivednotionswe
inevitablybringourownideas,culture,moods,andexperiencesintowhatever
subjectweapproach.Eventheideaofnothavingapreconceivednotionabout
somethingis,indeed,tohaveapreconceivednotionaboutsomething.
Thisweek,whilerealizingourinherentlimitations,we'regoingtobeas
objectiveaswecanaswelookatwhattheBiblesaysaboutjudgment.Let's
forgetforthemomentabout1844,thepreAdventjudgment,EllenWhite,Hiram
Edsoninthecornfield,etc.Instead,let'sjustlettheBiblespeakforitselfonthis
importanttopic.And,asitdoes,let'sseewhatanswersitgivestothefollowing
questions:Howarejudgmentandthegospellinked?Whatarethefinalresultsof
judgment?AreChristiansjudged?Whatroledoworksplayinjudgment?When
isthejudgment?
Thoughnoneoftheanswerstothesequestionscontainsallthatweneedtoknow
onthesubject,woventogethertheyformanicetapestrythatwillenableusto
graspbettertheconceptofjudgment,regardlessofwhateverpreconceptionswe
alreadyhaveaboutit.
11
SUNDAY
July2
HourofHisJudgment
AsAdventistChristians,wesaythatthegospelofJesusChristis"goodnews."In
fact,theGreekwordtranslated"gospel"meansjustthat,"goodnews."
Butifit'sgoodnews,it'sgoodnewsaboutwhat?It'sthegoodnewsthatJesusdied
asourSubstitute(1Pet.2:24);thatattheCrossHepaidthepenaltyforour
sins(Isa.53:6);thatthroughfaithinHimwestandperfectinGodnowbecausewe
arecoveredwithperfectrighteousness(Rom.3:22);andthatbecauseofwhatHe
hasdoneforus,wehavethepromiseofeternallife(1John5:11,12).
So,thegoodnewsisthatwehaveeternallife,asopposedtowhat?
Readthefollowingtexts.What'stheoptionforthosewho,intheend,don't
haveeternallife?Dan.12:2,Matt.8:12,25:46,John3:18,2Thess.1:9,Rev.
14:11.
Lookatsomeoftheimagesandphrasesfromthesetexts:"everlasting
punishment,""smokeoftheirtorment,""condemned,""everlastingdestruction,"
"weepingandgnashingofteeth."Ifthisisn'ttalkingaboutjudgment,whatis?
Thus,thegoodnewsofthegospelisthatwearesparedcondemnationinjudgment.
Inotherwords,inherentinthegospelitselfisthepromisethatthosewhohave
acceptedJesusaren'tcondemnedasarethosewhohaverejectedHim.Thereis,
then,nosuchthingasthegospelwithoutjudgment,because"thegoodnews"ofthe
gospelisthatwearesparedcondemnation.Inshort,thegospelwithoutjudgmentis
likeacirclewithoutroundness:Byitsverydefinition,thegospelincludes
judgment.
ReadRomans2:16andRevelation14:68.Howdotheseversesshowthelink
betweenthegospelandjudgment?Howdoeswhatwe'vereadtodayhelpyou
tounderstandevenbetterwhatwehavetothanktheLordforbecauseofthe
sacrificeofJesus?
MONDAY
LifeorDamnation?
12
July3
Lookupthetextsbelow.Whoarethetwoultimateclassesofpeopledepicted
here?
Dan.12:2
Matt.12:37
John3:16
John5:29
Whateverelsejudgmentinvolves,itresultsinonlytwoclassesofpeople:those
whoaresavedeternallyandthosewhoarelosteternally.Thesetextsdon'tshow
anykindofhappymediumormiddleground.Intheend,theultimatefateofallof
usiseithereternallifeoreternaldestruction.
Thus,it'sclearfromeventhesetextsthatsomesortofjudgmentdividesthe
righteousfromthewicked.Afinalseparationoccurs,ajudgmentinwhichthefinal
fateofeveryoneis,forever,decided.
Readthefollowingtext:"WhentheSonofmanshallcomeinhisglory,and
alltheholyangelswithhim,thenshallhesituponthethroneofhisglory:and
beforehimshallbegatheredallnations:andheshallseparatethemonefrom
another,asashepherddividethhissheepfromthegoats:andheshallsetthe
sheeponhisrighthand,butthegoatsontheleft"(Matt.25:3133).Whatmore
dotheyteachusaboutthenatureofjudgment?
Anumberoffascinatingpointsarebroughtouthere.Firstofall,whoisbeing
judged?Itsaysthat"allnations"shallbegatheredbeforeHim.Thus,thisseemsto
besomesortofuniversaljudgment;allnationscomeunderscrutiny,whichmeans
thateveryonedoesbecause,afterall,isnottheLord"theJudgeofallthe
earth"(Gen.18:25)?
Here,too,wearefacedwiththesamecleardivision:thesheepandthegoats,the
savedandthelost,thosewhoshall,inChrist'sownwords,"goawayinto
everlastingpunishment:buttherighteousintolifeeternal"(Matt.25:46).
Itdoesn'tgetmuchplainerthanthat.
13
Dwellonthesoberimplicationsofthetextsfortoday'sstudy.Howmuchmore
earnestshouldyoubeincaringnotonlyforyourownsoulbutinworking
prayerfullyandfaithfullyforthesalvationofothers?
TUESDAY
July4
HouseofGod
Yesterday'sstudyrevealedtheideaofsomesortofuniversal,endtimejudgment
thatinvolvedallpeople.Butwhataboutthechurch?Whataboutthosewhohave
professedthenameofJesusand,fromalloutwardappearances,arelivingthe
Christianlifeinsincerityandfaithfulness?Arethey,too,judged?
AsChristians,weunderstandthatJesuswasjudgedandcondemnedattheCrossin
ourstead.Hefacedthecondemnationforsinthatwe,otherwise,wouldhaveto
faceourselves(seeIsa.53:46,Matt.20:28,Rom.5:8,2Cor.5:14,Eph.5:2,1
Thess.5:10).AsEllenWhiteexpressedit:"UponChristasoursubstituteand
suretywaslaidtheiniquityofusall.Hewascountedatransgressor,thatHemight
redeemusfromthecondemnationofthelaw.Theguiltofeverydescendantof
AdamwaspressinguponHisheart."TheDesireofAges,p.753.Doesthismean,
then,thatbecauseChristwascondemnedinourstead,Christiansdon'tface
judgment?
Lookupthefollowingtexts.HowdotheyanswerthequestionAreChristians
judged?
Matt.7:2123
Rom.14:10
Heb.10:30
1Pet.4:17
Thesefewtexts,alongwithmanyothers,makeitabundantlyclearthatGod's
people,Hischurch,dofacejudgment.WhenJesusinMatthewchidedthosewho
claimedthattheydidmanywonderfulthings"inthyname,"Hewasn'ttalkingto
atheists,Hindus,orWiccansbecausetheydon'tdothingsinHisname.Christians
14
do.Paul'swordsthat"weshallall"standbeforethejudgmentseatincludeshimself
inthosewhowillbejudged.
There'snoquestionthat,accordingtotheWordofGod,thosewhoprofesstobe
followersofChrist,thosewhoareindeed"hispeople"(Heb.10:30)willfacesome
sortofjudgmentattheendoftime.
Whenwasthelasttimeyouwerejudged,eitherrightfullyorwrongfully?
Whatdifferencedoesitmakeforyouknowingthat,intheend,Godwilljudge
bothwithmercyandwithjustice?Whydoyouwantmercymorethanjustice?
Whywillyouneedit?
WEDNESDAY
July5
"EverySecretThing"
"ForGodshallbringeveryworkintojudgment,witheverysecretthing,
whetheritbegood,orwhetheritbeevil"(Eccles.12:14).
SolomonwritesthewholebookofEcclesiastesandendswiththeabovetext,
whichisaboutasclearandunambiguousastatementonecouldfindinScripture
regardingnotonlytherealityofjudgmentbutthatjudgmentinvolvesourworks,
even"everysecretthing."
Ofcourse,Solomonwasn'ttheonlyonetotellusaboutajudgmentbyworks.Jesus
wasprettyexplicitinMatthew12:36,37whenHesaidthat"everyidlewordthat
menshallspeak,theyshallgiveaccountthereofinthedayofjudgment.Forbythy
wordsthoushaltbejustified,andbythywordsthoushaltbecondemned."Peter
makesitplainalso:"AndifyecallontheFather,whowithoutrespectofpersons
judgethaccordingtoeveryman'swork,passthetimeofyoursojourningherein
fear"(1Pet.1:17).Paul,too,understandstherealityofajudgmentbyworks:"For
wemustallappearbeforethejudgmentseatofChrist;thateveryonemayreceive
thethingsdoneinhisbody,accordingtothathehathdone,whetheritbegoodor
bad"(2Cor.5:10).John,inRevelation,writesalsoofajudgmentbyworks:"And
Isawthedead,smallandgreat,standbeforeGod;andthebookswereopened:and
anotherbookwasopened,whichisthebookoflife:andthedeadwerejudgedout
ofthosethingswhichwerewritteninthebooks,accordingtotheirworks"(Rev.
20:12).
WhatotherBibletextscanyoufind,suchasintheparables,thattalkvery
clearlyaboutajudgmentbyworks?
15
Whydoesitmakesensefortheretobeajudgmentbyworks?Whenyouthink
aboutalltheevilthathasbeendoneinthisworld,howcouldGodbejustif
thereweren'tsuchajudgment?Onthelinesbelowwriteoutwhyit's
important,especiallyinthecontextoftheodicy(seelastweek'slesson),for
theretobeajudgmentbyworks.Bepreparedtocompareyouranswersin
classonSabbath.
THURSDAY
July6
HisRewardIsWithHim
ReadMatthew22:113andthenanswerthefollowingquestions:
Whatistheweddingimageryallabout?SeealsoIsa.62:5,Hos.2:19,Matt.
9:15,Rev.21:2.
Whatsignificanceistheretothefactthatapersonwhohadacceptedthe
invitationfacedjudgment?
Whatwasthefateofthemanwho,afterscrutiny,wasfoundwithouta
garment?
Whatthisparablealsoteachesisthatthereissomesortofjudgmentpriorto
executionofthesentence.Afterall,eveninhumancourts,howoftenisasentence
executedbeforeaninquirythatleadstojudgment?Revelation22:12,inwhichthe
LordsaysthatwhenHereturns,His"rewardiswithme,"alsoimpliesaprior
judgment.(WhywouldtherewardalreadybewithHimiftherewerenot
somethingbeforehandthatdeterminedwhoshouldgetit?)SecondCorinthians
5:10impliesareckoningpriortoafinalrewardorpunishment,sothat"eachone
mayreceivewhatisduehimforthethingsdonewhileinthebody"(NIV).This
ideaisfoundalsoinDaniel12:1,wherethosefoundinthebookoflifeare
delivered.
Anykindofjudgmentaccordingtoworksimpliesareckoningofthose
worksbeforetheexecutionoftherewardorpunishmentthatthoseworkshave
deserved,bethatjudgmentahundredyearsorahundredsecondsbeforethe
punishmentorvindicationiscarriedout.Andbecause,accordingtomanyofthe
textswe'veseenthisweek,therewardorpunishmentcomesattheSecondComing,
theremustbesomesortofreckoningorjudgmentpriortothateventitself.
16
Howwouldyouliketobejudged,evenpunished,priortosomesortoffair
scrutinyofthefacts?Why,then,istheideaofapriorjudgmentsofairand
logical?Think,too,aboutthequestionoftheodicy,ofGodbeingvindicatedin
HiswholedealingwithSatan,sin,andevil.Howdoestheideaoftheodicyhelp
usunderstandtheneedforascrutinypriortoexecutionofasentence?
FRIDAY
July7
FurtherStudy:
"Judgmentdeservescarefulattention,sinceitisinvolvedintheissuesof(a)
divinejusticeinanunjustworld(theodicy),(b)retributionforwrongdone,(c)
thesufferingoftheinnocent,(d)theresolutionoftheconflictofgoodandevil,
and(e)theendofsinandsuffering.Butaboveall,finaljudgmentvindicatesthe
CreatorHischaracter,andgovernanceinthemindsofallcreated
intelligences,whetherloyalorlost,therebyobtainingeternalsecurityandpeace
fortheuniverse.JudgmentisthusportrayedinScriptureasanessentialpartof
the'eternalgospel'(Rev.14:6,7)."HandbookofSeventhdayAdventist
Theology,vol.12,p.815.
Thisweekwe'veseenthatScriptureteachesthefollowingpointsabout
judgment:(1)Judgmentandthegospelarelinked,eveninseparable;(2)thereis
somesortoffinaljudgmentneartheendoftime;(3)amongthosejudgedare
theprofessedfollowersofChrist;(4)worksareclearlypartofthisjudgment;
(5)onlytwofinaloutcomesarepresented,eternallifeoreternaldestruction;
and(6)somesortofjudgmenttakesplacepriortotheexecutionofthesentence.
Asaclass,gooveryouranswerstothequestionattheendof
Wednesday'sstudy.Whatcanyoulearnfromoneanother?How,
too,doesthequestionoftheodicyplayinwithyouranswers?
Goaroundtheclassandhaveeach,personwhoiswilling
answerthisquestion:Howdoyoufeelabouttheprospectofbeing
judgedbyyourworks?
Askdifferentpeopleintheclasswhethertheyhaveeverbeenin
apositioninwhichtheyhadtoexecutesomesortofjudgmentupon
anotherperson.Whatwastheprocesslike?Howimportantwasit
tobefair?Howseriouslydidtheytaketheirresponsibility?Why
17
wasitimportantto,getallthefactsbeforecomingtoaconclusion?
Whatcantheclasslearnfromwhatwassaidthatcouldhelpus
betterunderstandtheideaofGod'sjudgment?
Daniel
2
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Daniel2.
MemoryText:
"AndinthedaysofthesekingsshalltheGodofheavensetupakingdom,
whichshallneverbedestroyed:andthekingdomshallnotbelefttoother
people,butitshallbreakinpiecesandconsumeallthesekingdoms,andit
shallstandforever"(Daniel2:44,NIV).
Ayoungman,strugglingwithquestionsaboutGod,confrontedaChristian
andsaid,"I'llgiveyouanhourtoprovetomethatGodexists!"TheChristian,
withouthesitation,tookhimthroughDaniel2.Whenhewasfinished,theyoung
manconfessed,"NowIknowthereisaGodinheaven!"
ThosewhoknowDaniel2canunderstandwhathappened.Herewasthisbook,
writteninthesixthcenturyB.C.,layingoutthehistoryoftheworldfrom
Daniel'stimethroughours,andevenbeyond.It'shardtoseehowanyrational
person,afterstudyingDaniel2,couldcomeawayunimpressedbytheprophecy
andtheGodwhohasrevealedHimselfinit.Infact,sopowerfulisDaniel2(as
wellasotherpartsofthebook)asawitnessfortheChristianfaiththat,inearly
centuriesofthechurch,opponentsalreadyarguedthatDanielwaswritteninthe
middleofthesecondcenturyB.C.,aftertheeventsittalkedabout,aviewstill
heldbymanytoday.Thistheory,though,isnotonlyunsubstantiatedbutdoesn't
explainhowthechaptercouldpredicteventslongcenturiesbeyondthesupposed
secondcenturyB.C.dateofitscomposition.
18
Thisweekwe'lllookatthisfascinatingprophecy,whichhelpsformthe
foundationforourstudythisquarteronthejudgmentandthegospel.
SUNDAY
July9
TheBigPicture
ReadDaniel2:125andthenanswerthefollowingquestions:
Whydidtheking'sservantswanthimtotellthemthedream?
WhatweretheonlytwopossiblefatesallthewisemenofBabylonfaced
withtheking'sdecree?
HowdidDaniel'sactionsrevealtheutterhelplessnessofhissituationfrom
ahumanstandpointalone?
WhywasDanielsoconfident(vs.24)thathecouldrevealtothekingthis
secret?
Daniel'sprayerofthanksgivinginmanywaysrevealsthemainmessageofthe
wholebook:Despiteoutwardappearances,theLordisSovereign,eventothepoint
ofremovingorsettingupkings.Thoughwe,withourlimitedviewofthings(1
Cor13:12),mayfeeloverwhelmedbyevents,wecanhavetheassurancethatGod
isultimatelyincontrol.
Evenmoreimportant,whatthisfirstsectionofthechaptershowsisthatnotonlyis
Godincontrolofthebigpicture,He'sclosetousasindividuals.LookathowHe
cametoDanielina"nightvision"andrevealedtohimwhatheneededtoknow.
Talkaboutintimatecontact!ThoughDanielwasonlyaforeigncaptiveina
massiveworldempire,theLordofalltheearth(Josh.3:11),theCreatorofthe
heavensandtheearth(Gen.1:1),theOnewhoholdsthestarsintheirpaths(Job
38:31),manifestedHispowerandHiscaretothissimpleHebrewlad.
And,lestweforget,thisisthesameGodwhomweworshipandservetoday.
Whenwasthelasttimeyouwereina"hopeless"situation?Inwhatwaydid
theLordmanifestHispowerandcaretoyouatthattime?Ifwilling,share
youranswerwiththeclass.
19
MONDAY
July10
SecretRevealed
ReadDaniel2:2645andwriteoutasummaryofthedreamandthe
interpretation.Tothebestofyourknowledge,whatarethefourearthly
kingdomsrepresentedhere?
Here'sDaniel,sixcenturiesbeforethebirthofChrist,layingoutthehistoryofthe
world.Theheadofgold,ofcourse,isnamedasBabylon(vs.38).Thenext
kingdom,theonedepictedbythebreastandarmsofsilver(vss.32,39),wasthe
MedoPersianEmpire.Thenextone,symbolizedbythebellyandthighsofbrass
(vss.32,39),wasGreece;andthefourthkingdom,symbolizedbytheironinthe
legs(vss.33,40),wastheRomanEmpire,whicheventuallyledintothenationsof
modernEurope,symbolizedbythefeet,partofironandpartofclay(vss.33,41
43).
ThisisnotsomeAdventistscenario:JewishandChristianBiblestudentsformany
centurieshavelonginterpretedDaniel2inthismanner.
Howdoestheprophecyend?Whatkingdomisultimatelyestablished?And
whatdoesthatanswerrevealaboutthewholerangeandsweepof
thischapter?
Daniel2unfoldsasweepingpanoramaofhistory,anunbrokensuccessionofworld
powersbeginningmorethanfivecenturiesbeforeChristandendingsometimein
thefuture,whenGod'seternalkingdomwillbeestablishedafterChrist'sreturn.
Thus,Daniel2takesustotheendoftheworldaswenowknowit.Thosewho
limititanditspropheciestoeventsprioreventothefirstadventofChristare
severelymisinterpretingafoundationalteachingofthechapter,nottomention(as
we'llsee)theentirebook.Daniel,withoutquestion,isabookthatunfoldsevents
20
rightuptothesecondcomingofChrist,andbeyond.Ittrulyis,asitsaysinother
places,dealingwiththetimeof"theend"(Dan.8:17,19;12:4,9,13).
TUESDAY
July11
TheRomanEmpire
WhenyoureadDaniel2,you'llnoticesomething:
WhatmetalwasusedforBabylon?___________________Whatmetal
wasusedforMediaPersia?_________________Whatmetalwasused
forGreece?WhatmetalwasusedforRome?_________________
Babyloniscomparedtoametal,MediaPersiaiscomparedtoametal,andGreece
iscomparedtoametal.Incontrast,inverses33,34theironthatcomesupafter
Greece(representingRome)staysthereuntilthestonecutout"withouthands"(vs.
34)destroyseverything.TheironthatarisesafterGreeceremainsuntiltheend,
thoughinthefeetitbecomesmixedwithclay.Intheinterpretationofthatpartof
thevision,themetalrepresentingthefourthkingdom,iron,remainsuntiltheend,
aswell,thoughit'sdepictedasmixedwithmiryclay(vss.4044).Thepointis
unmistakable:Thefourthkingdom,thefourthpower,arisesafterGreeceand
remainsuntiltheend,eventhoughitismanifestedinadifferentform.InDaniel,
thefourthpower,thepowerrisingafterGreece,staysthesamepower(forit'siron
allthewaythrough,unlikethepreviouspowerswhosemetaldisappearedwhena
wholenewempirearose),thoughatsomepointitchangedform.Thus,it'sRome
fromthetimeofGreeceuntiltheendoftheworld.Amazinglyenough,Romestill
existstodayasaworldwidepower,thoughitsformisradicallydifferentfrom
whenitfirstaroseafterGreece.
Manycenturiesago,oneofEngland'sgreatestpoliticalthinkerswrote:"Ifa
manconsiderstheoriginofthisgreatecclesiasticaldominion,hewilleasily
perceivethatthepapacyisnootherthantheghostofthedeceasedRoman
empire,sittingcrownedonthegravethereof."Thomas
Hobbes,Leviathan.HowdoesthatquotehelpusunderstandwhatDaniel
2teachesabouttheRomanEmpire?
Thinkforafewmomentsabouthowamazingthisprophecyis,howsomany
centuriesagosuchanaccuratepredictioncouldbemade.Howshouldthisgive
youmoreconfidencetotrustintheBibleandthepromisesmadeinittous?
21
WEDNESDAY
July12
MultipleFulfillment?
InDaniel2,fivekingdomsaredepicted,thoughthechapteritselfspecifically
identifiesonlytwo:thefirst,Babylon(vss.37,38),andthelast,God's
kingdom(vs.44).However,aswe'llseeingreaterdetaillater,Daniel7
andDaniel
8covermuchofthesameground,onlyfromdifferentperspectives.Also,inthose
twochapters,twomoreofthefivekingdomsarenamed.
ReadDaniel8:20,21.Whattwokingdoms,alreadydiscussedinyesterday's
study,arespecificallynamed?
Ifweweretochartthekingdomsdepicted,andspecificallynamed,inDaniel,the
outlinewouldlooklikethis:
Babylon(Dan.2:37,38)
MediaPersia(Dan.8:20)
Greece(Dan.8:21)
Fourthkingdom
God'seternalkingdom(Dan.2:44)
ReadDaniel'sowninterpretationofthevision(Dan.2:3745).Doyousee
anythingthereindicatingthatthesepropheciescanhavedifferentmeaningsin
differenttimes?Defendyouranswer.
Thoughthefourthkingdomisnotnamed,onlyonepowercanpossiblyfit(moreon
thislater).However,ofthefivekingdomsdepicted,fourarenamed.Theprophecy
saysabsolutelynothingabouttheirhavingmultiplefulfillment;thatis,the
kingdomssymbolizingonethinginoneera,anotherthinginanother.Considering
what'snamedmassiveempiresimmovablyandimmutablyrootedinworld
historyitselftheideathatwecansomehowgivethesespecificpropheciesherein
Danieldifferentfulfillmentindifferenterascertainlydoesn'tarisefromanythingin
thetextsthemselves.Inshort,thereisabsolutelynojustificationfortheideathat
thisprophecyisopentodifferentfulfillmentindifferenttimesinhistory.
Weliveinaworldinwhichthingsare,inherently,unstable.Theground,inan
instant,cancrumblebeneathourfeet.Thepast,though,isunchangeable,
immovable.LookathowsolidafoundationGodhasgivenuswiththis
prophecy.Howcanyouusewhat'sbeendepictedheretostrengthenyourown
22
faith?
THURSDAY
July13
AntiquitytoEternity
Onepointshould,bynow,beveryclearregardingourstudyofDaniel2,andthat
isitis,inmanyways,ahistoricalstudy.Thoughsomeoftheprophecyleadsinto
ourtimeandbeyond,itsfoundationisbasedinhistory.
ReadagainDaniel2:3745.Summarize,onjusttwolines,thebasicmessageof
thistext.
Thisprophecybeginsinantiquityandfollowsacontinuoussweepofworldhistory
thatextendsunto"thetimeoftheend"(Dan.12:9);thatis,beyondusandintothe
futureworldofGod'seternalkingdom.
Morethananythingelse,theseversesreveal,too,themethodforhowweshould
interpretthepropheciesinDaniel.Daniel2:3744,byinterpretingthedream,
containsthekeytounderstandingtheprophecies,becausethetextsthemselves
interprettheprophecies.Thisprovesthatthehistoricistapproachtointerpretation
(ofwhichAdventistsremainalmostaloneinstilladheringto)iswhatthetext
demands.ThehistoricistapproachteacheswhatDaniel2teaches,thatthese
propheciesfollowthesweepofhumanhistoryfromantiquitytoeternityandthat
theyarenotfocusedsolelyoneventsinthefarpastorsolelyoneventsinthefuture
butcoverthescopeofworldhistoryfromthepastintothefuture.Thus,inthefirst
propheticsectionofDaniel,wearegiventhekeytounderstandingitsprophecies.
ReadDaniel2:34,35anditsinterpretationinverses44,45.Whatdotheytell
usaboutthenatureofthislastkingdomincontrasttothefateofallthe
kingdomsbeforeit?Whatdowefindinthesetextsthatprovesthiskingdom
hasnotyetbeenestablished?
Aswecansee,Danielwascorrectaboutallthekingdomshepredictedwould
riseandfall.HispredictionsaboutEuropehavecometruewithpainful
accuracy.Howmuchreason,then,doyouhavetotrusthimonthepromiseof
theestablishmentofGod'sfinalkingdom?
FRIDAY
FurtherStudy:
23
July14
"Somewilltakethetruthapplicabletotheirtime,andplaceitinthefuture.
Eventsinthetrainofprophecythathadtheirfulfillmentawayinthepastare
madefuture,andthusbythesetheoriesthefaithofsomeisundermined."
EllenG.White,SelectedMessages,vol.2,p.102.
Aswe'veseenthisweek,Daniel2presentsapowerfulcaseforourtrustinthe
inspirationoftheWord.HowsomeonesixcenturiesbeforeChristcouldhave
outlinedworldhistoryasaccuratelyashedidissomethingthatdefiesapurely
naturalexplanation.Thatpointissoobvious,infact,thatsomepeoplehave
claimedthattheprophecyisvaticiniumexeventu(prophecyaftertheevent),
thatthebookofDanielwaswritteninthesecondcenturybeforeChristandthat
itwasaboutonlypastevents,eventspriortoitbeingwritten.
Thisviewfallsapartonanumberofcounts.
Firstofall,Christ'swordsinMatthew24:15provethatJesusbelievedthat
someofDaniel'sprophecieswereyetfuture.
Second,evenifoneweretorejectDaniel'sownwordsaboutwhenhe
lived(Dan.1:1,2:1,7:1,9:1)anddatethebookinthesecondcenturybefore
Christ,howdoesthisexplaintheamazingaccuracywithwhichhepredictednot
onlytheworlddominionoftheRomanEmpire(whichhadn'thappenedyet)but
itsbreakupintowhatbecamethenationsofmodernEurope,whichinits
presentstateisexactlyasDanielhadwritten?Notbadforamanwriting
centuriesbeforesomeoftheseeventsunfolded.Inshort,thereisnoreason
whatsoeverthatweshouldacceptthesecondcenturyB.C.dateforDaniel,
especiallywhentheideawasoriginatedbypeoplewhowantedtodiscredit
Christianitytobeginwith.AsChristians,wemusttaketheWordforwhatit
says,asopposedtowhathumanssayinstead.
Asaclass,talkaboutyouranswerstoSunday'sfinalquestion.
InwhatwayscantheprophecyofDaniel2beapowerful
witnessingtool,especiallyforthosewhoareskepticalevenabout
theexistenceofGod?
Daniel
7
24
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Daniel7.
MemoryText:
"UntiltheAncientofDayscameandpronouncedjudgmentinfavorofthe
saintsoftheMostHigh,andthetimecamewhentheypossessedthe
kingdom"(Daniel7:22,NIV).
IfDaniel2providespowerful,rationalevidencenotonlyforGod'sexistence
butforHispowertocontrolthefuture,Daniel7providesevenmore.Daniel
7coversthesamegroundasdoesDaniel2,aswellasprovidesakeyelementnot
explicitlyexpressedinDaniel2:thegreatjudgmentinheaventhatleadsdirectly
tothesecondcomingofJesusandtheendofthisworldasweknowit.Inshort,
inDaniel7weareshownthepreAdventjudgment.
ThekeytounderstandingDaniel7isfoundinDaniel2."Infact,thetwovisions
[Daniel2and7]followaparalleldevelopment.Theycoverthesametimespan,
fromBabylontotheendofhumantime,andevokethesamefourkingdoms
representedsymbolicallybymetalsinchapter2,andbybeastsinchapter7.
Suchaparallelismorethanaunifyingfactoritisthekeytoourmethodof
interpretation.Wemustreadchapter7inthelightofchapter2."Jacques
Doukhan,SecretsofDaniel(Hagerstown,Md.:ReviewandHeraldPublishing
Assoc.,2000),p.100.
There'ssomuchinDaniel7(wewillreturntoitlater);fornow,wewillgeta
quickoverviewofthisamazingprophecy,withanemphasisonitsclimactic
scene:theheavenlyjudgment,whichleadstothereturnofChristandthe
fulfillmentofourgreathopesasbelieversinJesus.
SUNDAY
Daniel'sDream
25
July16
ReadDaniel7:114.Onthelinesbelow,summarizeinyourownwordsthe
essenceofDaniel'sdream.
Asyouread,you'veprobablynoticedafewparallelswithDaniel2,suchas(1)the
samenumberofdifferententitiesappear,(2)thereisemphasisonthelastentity
(inDaniel2itwastheiron),and(3)bothendwithGodestablishingHiseternal
kingdom.
Arethereanyotherparallels?
Inverses16and17,Danielisimmediatelygiventhebasicinterpretationofhis
dream.Whatistheinterpretation,andhowdoesitparallelDaniel2?
It'sobviousthatwhatwehaveinDaniel7isamoredetaileddepictionofwhatwas
revealedinDaniel2.Thoughmoredetailsaregivenaboutthesepowers,thefour
beastsinDaniel7representthesamefourkingdomsasinDaniel2.Scholarshave
longrecognizedthemasthefollowing:
Babylon(lion)
MediaPersia(bear)
Greece(leopard)
Rome(fourthbeast)
God'sfinalkingdom
Here,again,weareshownthatthefoundationofthepropheciesinDanielisbased
onhistory.Danielsweepsoverworldhistoryfromancienttimesrightthroughto
oursandbeyond.Ifthatpointwasn'tmadeclearenoughinDaniel2,it'srepeated
inDaniel7.
HowblessedwearetoknownotonlythatourGodisincontrolbutthat,regardless
ofwhathappenshereandnow,intheend,HewillsetupHiseternalkingdom.
TheestablishmentofGod'sfinalkingdomisassured.Whatassurancedoyou
havethatyouwillbetherewhenitis?Whatisyourassurancebasedon?
MONDAY
26
July17
TheFourthBeast
There'sanimportantparallelbetweenDaniel2andDaniel7thatwedon'twantto
miss.InDaniel2,theiron,thefourthpower,arisesafterGreece(vss.32,33,39
45),and,thoughtakinganotherform,itremainsuntiltheend.Itwasdestroyed
onlywhenGodsetupHiskingdom.
InDaniel7,withthefourthbeast,thefourthpower,thesamethinghappens.The
fourthbeast,whicharoseafterGreece(vss.6,7),remainsuntiltheendoftime
(thoughtakinganotherform),whenitisdestroyedattheestablishmentofGod's
eternalkingdom(vss.1927).
Thus,inbothDaniel2
andDaniel7,thefourthpower,theonearisingafterGreece,
remainsuntiltheendoftheworld.
ReadDaniel7:1927andthenanswerthefollowingquestions:
Whatparallelsdoyouseebetweenthedescriptionofthefourthbeast(Dan.
7:19)andthatofthefourthpowerinDaniel2(vs.40)?
Fromwheredoesthelittlehornarise?
WhatultimatelybringsaboutthedemiseofthelittlehornpowerinDaniel
7?
InDaniel7,moretimeisspentdealingwiththislittlehornpowerthanwithanyof
theotherpowers.Obviously,thislittlehorn,whicharoseoutofthefourthbeast,
andthusremainspartofit,isdeemedveryseriousbytheLord,forsomuchtimeis
spentonit.Thispower,thougharisingoutofthefourthbeast,existsuntiltheend
oftime,whenafterthejudgmentinheavenGodsetsupHisearthlykingdom.
Onlythenisitdestroyed.
PeoplehaveoftentalkedabouttryingtobuildakingdomofGodonearthhere
andnow.Inevitably,allthesehavefailed.Why?Whyisourultimatehopeonly
inGod'ssupernaturalinterventioninourbehalf,asdepictedinthischapter?
TUESDAY
TheLittleHorn
27
July18
Daniel7goesfromBabylon,MediaPersia,andGreecetopaganRome,thephase
ofRomethataroserightafterthedownfallofGreece.Then,whiledepictingthis
Romanpower,Daniel7describestheriseofthelittlehorn,whichisstillpartofthe
fourthbeast,thoughanotherphaseofit.Whoisthislittlehorn?TheProtestant
ReformersalmostunanimouslysawitaspapalRome.Indeed,evenbeforethe
Reformation,someJewishscholarsalsoidentifiedthelittlehornasthepapalphase
ofthefourthbeast.It'shardtoseehowitcouldbeanythingelse.Infact,itcan'tbe
anythingelse.YoumightneedfaithtobelieveintheSecondComingorthe
resurrectionofthedead,butyoudon'tneedmuchfaithtoseepapalRomeasthe
powerdepictedhere.
Belowaresometraitsofthelittlehorn.Givenhowevermuchyouknowabout
thepapacy,howdothesedescriptionsmatchit?
ThelittlehornarisesfrompaganRome(Dan.7:19,20).
Thelittlehornmakeswarwiththesaintsandprevailsagainstthem(Dan.
7:21,25).
Thelittlehornthinkstochange"timesandlaws"(Dan.7:25).
Thelittlehornpowerisblasphemous(Dan.7:25).
Alltheseattributeshavebeenpowerfullyandgraphicallyrecordedinhistory.
There'snoquestionhereregardingtheidentityofthislittlehornpower.
Thoughwehavetobediplomaticinhowwedealwiththesepropheciesand
seektoteachtheminawaythatdoesn'thurtotherpeople,wewouldbe
unfaithfultoourbiblicalmandate(seeRev.13:19,14:612)werewe,inthe
interestofpoliticalcorrectness,toabandonthispositioninfavorofsomething
lesscontroversial.
WEDNESDAY
Time,Times,andDividingofTime
28
July19
ReadDaniel7:25.Whatisthetimeprophecygiventhere?
EvennonAdventistshaverecognizedthatthetime,times,anddividingoftime
heremeansthreeandahalfyears.OnestudyBiblebyThomasNelsonsays:"A
time,timesandthedividingoftime...isanexpressionusedinDanielandin
Revelationtorefertothreeandahalfyears,or1,260days,or42
months(12:7;Rev11:2;12:6,14;13:5)."
Howdothetextsintheabovequotehelpyouunderstandwhythetime
prophecyinDaniel7:25isthesameas1,260days?
Asothershavedone,Adventistsapplythedayyearprincipletothisprophecy,
whichmeansit'sdealingwith1,260years,not1,260literaldays.Laterwewill
spendawholeweekonthedayyearprinciple.Fornow,wecanseethatDaniel7
is
fullofsymbols:alionwithwings,abeastwithironteeth,alittlehornthathas
eyes.Whywouldatimeprophecy,imbeddedamongthesesymbols,beanything
butsymbolicitself?
Thus,we'regivena1,260yearperioddelineatinganaspectofpapalRome,inthis
case,aperiodofpersecution.
IfwedatethebeginningofpapalRometothelatefifth,earlysixthcentury,1,260
yearslaterbringsustothelateeighteenth,orearlynineteenth,century.Again,
historybearsoutthatthelongperiodofpapalpoliticaldominion,whichincluded
massivepersecution,peteredoutintheeighteenthandnineteenthcenturies.
Whathappensintheprophecyafterthe1,260yearperiodisdepicted?Dan.
7:2527(seealsoDan.7:810,21,22).
Aftertheriseofthelittlehorn,whichcameafteralltheprecedingbeasts,the
prophecydepictsagreatjudgmentinheaventhatleadstotheSecondComing.
Thecrucialpointhereisthat,accordingtothisprophecy,thejudgmentinheaven
comesafterthe1,260daypropheticperiod,sometimeafterthatphaseof
persecutionthatendedinthelateeighteenth,orearlynineteenth,centuryyetbefore
theSecondComing.
Thus,withintheinterpretation,wearegivenhistoricalevidencetohelpus
understandthetimingofthisjudgment,whichleadstothedemiseofthelittlehorn
andtotheendofthisworld.
Onethousandtwohundredandsixtyyearsisalongtime.Whatmessageis
thereforus,whomightdiebeforeseeingallourhopesanddreamsrealizedin
29
thislife?
THURSDAY
July20
Horn,Judgment,Kingdom
YesterdaywesawthatDaniel7presentedaspecificsequenceofevents:Therewas
thelittlehornpower,followedbyajudgmentinheaven,whichendedinthe
establishmentofGod'skingdom.Thissequenceissoimportantit'sfoundthree
timesinthechapteritself.
ReadDaniel7:710,14.Howisthisspecificorderlittlehorn,judgment,
God'skingdomshownthere?
ReadDaniel7:1922.How,again,isthatsamesequencedepicted?
ReadDaniel7:2427.How,again,isthatsequencepresented?
ThreetimesinDanielwearegiventhissequence:
Littlehorn
Judgmentinheaven
God'skingdom
Obviously,thissequencemustbeofmajorimportance;otherwise,whywouldthe
Lordhavegivenitthreetimesintheprophecy?What'sfascinating,too,isthatwith
thelittlehorn,wearegivenourfirstapocalyptictimeprophecy
(apocalypticsimplymeansdealingwithendtimeevents),atimeprophecythat
helpsusunderstandthetimingofthisjudgment,whichoccursafterthe1,260years
andyetbeforeGod'seternalkingdomisestablished.
Thus,wecanexpresstheprophecylikethis:
Littlehorn(lateeighteenth,earlynineteenth,century)
Judgmentinheaven
God'seternalkingdom
What'scrucialtounderstandaboutthisjudgment,too,isthatthoughitresultsin
thedemiseofthelittlehornpower,italsoresultsintheendofthisworld.
30
AsDaniel2showed,everythingisgoingtobesweptawayandreplacedbyGod's
kingdom.
Danieldoesn'tdepicttheendoftheworldassomesortofcompromise:It
culminates,instead,inthetotalvictoryofgoodoverevil.Whatlessonisthere
forusinhowwedealwithevilinourownlivesonadaybydaybasis?Areyou
compromisingwithevilnow,inanyway?
FRIDAY
July21
FurtherStudy:
BelowisallofDaniel7,withthefirstapocalyptictimeprophecyimbeddedin
thesequence.Whatwe'veadded,too,aretheapproximatetimesthateachofthe
empirescollapsed.Thoughhistoriansoftenputspecificdatesontheseevents,
centeringoftenarounddecisivemilitarybattles,thecollapseofoneempireand
theriseofanotherusuallyoccursovermanyyears,notjustone(remember,too,
thatthefourthbeastandthelittlehornthatcomesoutofitaredepictedin
Scriptureasonepower):
Babylon
(EndsearlymidsixthcenturyB.c.)
MediaPersia
(FromearlymidsixthcenturytoearlymidfourthcenturyB.C.)
Greece
(FromearlymidfourthcenturytomidsecondcenturyB.C.)
PaganRome
(FrommidsecondcenturyB.C.tofifthsixthcenturyA.D.)
PapalRome
(PersecutionfromsixthcenturyA.D.toeighteenthnineteenthcenturyA.D.)
Judgmentinheaven
SecondComing
Sure,thepapacydidn'tendinthelateeighteenthorearlynineteenthcentury,
butthat'snotwhattheprophecysays.Instead,itsaysonlythatpersecution
wouldlastforthislengthoftime,oratleastthatphaseofthatpersecution
(Revelation13,ofcourse,talksaboutaresurgenceofpapalpersecution,but
that'sanotherissue).
31
Thus,what'sclearsofarfromDaniel7isthatthismassivejudgmentscenein
heavenleadstotheestablishmentofGod'skingdomandoccurs
sometimeafterthe1,260yearsofpapalpersecution,sometimeafterthelate
eighteenth,orearlynineteenth,centurybutbeforetheSecondComing.
Daniel7:22saysthatjudgmentwasgivenin"favorofthe
saints"(NIV).Asaclass,discusswhatthatmeans.Whatelse
inDaniel7showsusthatthejudgmentissuchgoodnews?
Reviewtheevidencethathelpsgiveusapositiveidentification
ofthelittlehorn.Howcanwepresentthisteachinginawaythat's
asleastoffensiveaspossibleandyet,atthesametime,doesn't
compromisewhattheScriptureteaches?
Daniel
8
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Daniel8.
MemoryText:
"Andhesaiduntome,Untotwothousandandthreehundreddays;then
shallthesanctuarybecleansed"(Daniel8:14,NIV).
aniel8,aswe'llsoonsee,coversmuchofthesamegroundasDaniel
2andDaniel7.Itshowsaflowofhistory,beginninginantiquityandgoingup
throughthe"timeoftheend"(Dan.8:17),thefirsttimethephraseappearsinthe
bookofDaniel(butnotthelast).Alongwiththeoverwhelmingevidencefrom
previouschaptersthatDanieldealswithendtimeevents,Daniel8comesright
outandsaysit,aproblemforthosewhowanttolimittheeventsofDaniel8toa
historicalperiodinIsraelitehistorythatendedinthesecondcenturybefore
32
Christaviewthatforthisreason(andothers)isuntenable.
Also,likeDaniel2and7,Daniel8isdividedintotwosections:adream/vision
andthenanexplanationofthatdream/vision.InDaniel8,thefirst14versesdeal
withhisvision,inwhichDanielseesaram,agoat,andalittlehorn,followedby
thecleansingofthesanctuary.Therestofthechapteristheexplanationgiven
himregardingtheram,thegoat,andthelittlehorn.Interestinglyenough,the
partaboutthesanctuarybeingcleansedisnotexplainedhere.And,aswe'llsee
thoughspecificallytoldthatthevisionofthesanctuarybeingcleansed"is
true"(vs.26)Danielsaysthathedoesn'tunderstandit(vs.27).That'sbecause
itwasn'texplained,asweretheotherelementsinthevision.Thispointbecomes
importantlater,whenwestudythenextchapter,inwhichanexplanationis
finallygiven.
SUNDAY
July23
Animals,Again
ReadDaniel8:114.Onthelinesbelow,giveasummaryofthevision.
ConcentrateespeciallyonthesequenceofeventsaspresentedtoDaniel.
AfterDanielisgiventhisvisionoftheram,thegoat,thelittlehorn,andthe
sanctuarybeingcleansed,noticewhathappensinverses15through18.Daniel
saysthathesoughtforthemeaningofwhatpassedbeforehiminvision.A"man's
voice"thencallsoutandtellstheangelGabrielto"makethismanunderstandthe
vision."GabrielthenapproachesDaniel.Notice,too,howtheangelprefaceshis
words.Twice(vss.17,19)hetellsDanielthatthevisiondealswith"theend."
Readtherestofthechapter.WhatinterpretationdoesGabrielgiveDaniel?
InreferencetobothDaniel2andDaniel7,wesaidthatMediaPersiaandGreece
weredepictedassomeofthegreatpowersthatwouldariseinworldhistory.Here,
now,there'snoguess:Gabrielcomesrightoutandnamesthem.(Unliketheother
twovisions,BabylonisnotdepictedhereinDaniel8;inalaterweekwewilllook
atonereasonwhy.)
AfternamingMediaPersiaandGreece(vss.20,21),hegivesanexplanationofthe
littlehornpowerthatarisesnext.Thoughwewilllookatitinmoredetail
33
tomorrow,noticehowthislittlehornpowerisdestroyed(vs.25)languagevery
similartohowDaniel2describedGod'ssupernaturalinterventionthatbringsthe
endoftheworld(vs.34).
Thus,theeventsofDaniel8couldbesummarizedlikethis:
MediaPersia
Greece
Littlehorn
Sanctuarycleansed
Daniel8isanotherplaceintheBiblethatshowsusthatGodultimatelyisin
control.Howdoesthisrealitygiveyousomehopeamidwhatevertrialsyouare
nowfacing?
MONDAY
July24
TheLittleHorn
InoursurveyofDaniel,we'veseenthatithasdealtwithfivekingdoms,fourof
whichhavebeennamedforus:Babylon(Dan.2:38),MediaPersia(Dan.
8:20),Greece(Dan.8:21),God'seternalkingdom(Dan.2:44;7:14,18,22,
27).Theonlyonenotspecificallynamedistheonethat,inallthreevisions,arises
afterGreeceandexistsuntilthetimeoftheend.Belowisachartwithallthe
earthlykingdomsdepicted,thosenamedandtheonenotnamed:
Daniel2
Daniel7
Daniel8
Babylon
MediaPersia
Greece
Nextkingdom
Supernaturaldestruction
atend
Babylon
MediaPersia
Greece
Nextkingdom
atend
MediaPersia
Greece
Nextkingdom
atend
Fromwhatyouhavestudiedsofar,whatistheidentityofthatlittlehorn
powerinDaniel8?Whatreasonscanyougiveforyourconclusion?
Theobviousanswer,ofcourse,isRome(bothpaganandpapal).Herearejusta
fewofmanyreasonswhy:
34
Lookingattheparallelsbetweenthevisions,onecanseeitwasRomeinDaniel2,
RomeinDaniel7;thus,obviously,it'sRomeinDaniel8.
ThelittlehornpowercomesupafterGreeceandextendstothetimeoftheend,
whenitissupernaturallydestroyed.Whatpower,risingafterGreece,stillexists
today?
Notice,too,thatMediaPersiaisdepictedas"great"(vs.4)andthatGreeceis
depictedas"verygreat"(vs.8).Incontrast,thelittlehornpowerisdepictedas
"exceedinggreat"(vs.9).Thoughpeoplecanargueoverwhether"exceeding"great
ismorethan"very"great,"exceedinggreat"iscertainlymorethanjust"great."
Thus,thislittlehornpoweris,atleast,greaterthantheMedoPersianEmpire.
Again,whatpower,comingupafterGreece,existinguntiltheend,couldbe
depictedasgreaterthanMediaPersiaotherthanRome?
WesawlastweekhowthatlittlehornpowerinDaniel7
was,clearly,papalRome.
WehaveherethesamesymbolinDaniel8.Both,too,aredescribedaspersecuting
powers,aswell.
Studysomeoftheattributesofthelittlehorn.Inwhatwayscanwe,as
individuals,manifestthesamespiritasthelittlehorn?
TUESDAY
July25
TheLittleHorn(Cont.)
Theevidencewe'veseensofarisoverwhelmingthatthelittlehornpowerarising
afterGreeceinDaniel8isthesamepowerthatarisesafterGreeceinbothDaniel
2andDaniel7,andthat'sRome,beginningaspaganRomeandthenchanginginto
papalRome.
Thetwophasesareseenintheimageryofallthreechapters.InDaniel2,aswe
saw,theironthatarisesafterGreece(thebrass)extendstotheend,thoughthe
formchangesinthefeet,whenitbecomesmixedwithclay.Whiletheemphasis
hereispoliticalmorethanreligiousandthefocusisonthevariousnations
themselves,thischangeinRomecoincidedwiththeriseofthepapacy,bothin
timeandlocation.Ifnothingelse,inDaniel2weseetheideaofRomechanging
formatsomepointinhistory.
InDaniel7,aswesaw,thefourthbeastcamefirst,followedbythelittlehorn,
anotherphaseofthesamepower.
35
ReviewthedetailsofthelittlehorninDaniel8.Whatarethereligious
elementsthatarerevealedthereinthisphaseofRome?
Inverse8,afterdescribingthebreakupofGreeceintovariouskingdoms,thelittle
hornisdepictedascomingupfromoneof"'thefourwindsofheaven'"(vs.8,
NIV),itsimmediateantecedent.Rightafterthis,thetwophasesofthelittlehorn's
activityarerevealed,aswell.
WhatisthedirectionalactivityofthelittlehornasdepictedinDaniel8:9?
Contrastthatdirectionalactivitywithwhatthelittlehorndoesinverses10
12.Whatdifferencedoyousee?
Inverse9,thelittlehornmoveshorizontallyacrossthefaceoftheearth,depicting
militaryorpoliticalexpansion(comparewithDan.8:4).Inthenextfewverses,the
activityisdepictedasvertical,heavenward,inanattackonthe"hostofheaven,"
onthe"Princeofthehost,"evenagainstthesanctuaryitself.Though,obviously,
thelittlehorndoesnotreachliterallyintoheavenitself,whatthisdoesdepictisthe
religiousnatureofitsattack.Thus,hereinDaniel8,aswell,wearegiventwo
phasesofthesamepower:firstthepaganphasethenthedistinctlyreligious
activityofthepapalphase.
WEDNESDAY
July26
SanctuaryCleansed
Inreview,whatwehavestudiedinDaniel8,sofar,couldbesummarizedlikethis:
MediaPersia
Greece
Rome
Sanctuarycleansed
Asshownearlier,everythinginDaniel8hadbeeninterpretedbyGabrielexcept
forthecleansingofthesanctuary.Thoughnospecificexplanationwasgiven,a
powerfulhintisfoundinthechapter.
ThevisionofDaniel8:14endswiththesanctuarybeingcleansedaftera
depictionofthelittlehorn'sactivityinacertainhistoricalperiod;afterthe
depictionofthelittlehorn(vss.2225),theexplanationendswithaspecific
36
event(vs.25,finalclause).Whatisthatevent,andhowdoesithelpuscometo
someunderstandingaboutwhatthecleansingofthesanctuaryinvolves?
IfweweretoparallelthevisionofDaniel8withitsexplanation,itwouldlooklike
this:
Vision
Explanation
Ram
Goat
Littlehorn
Sanctuarycleansed
MediaPersia
Greece
Rome
Supernaturaldemiseoflittlehorn
Whateverelsethecleansingofthesanctuaryinvolves,itresultsinthesupernatural
destructionofthislastearthlyempire,whichiswhathappenedinbothDaniel
2and7,whenGodsetsupHiseternalkingdom.Thus,theideathatlimitsthe
cleansingofthesanctuarytosomemerehumanevent,suchastheremovingof
enemiesfromthetempleprecinctsinthesecondcenturyB.C.,fallsapart.It's
obviousfromthecontext,especiallywhenviewedinparalleltoDaniel
2andDaniel7,thatthiscleansingofthesanctuaryisaneventofmajorimportance.
Indeed,themerefactthatit'slinkedwiththeriseandfallofthreeofwhattheBible
depictsasmajorworldpowersinandofitselftestifiestotheimportanceofthe
cleansingofthesanctuary.
Whatthingsinyourownlifeneedtobecleansed?What'stheonlywaythat
canhappen?
THURSDAY
July27
JudgmentinHeaven
Belowisachartsummarizingwhatwehavelookedatsofarinthepastfewweeks.
Whatdoesthistellusthatthecleansingofthesanctuaryis?
Daniel2
Daniel7
Babylon
MediaPersia
Greece
PaganRome
PapalRome
Babylon
MediaPersia
Greece
PaganRome
PapalRome
____________
SecondComing
37
Judgmentinheaven
SecondComing
Daniel8
_____________
MediaPersia
Greece
PaganRome
PapalRome
Cleansingofsanctuary
___________________
Asweseeallthewaythroughhere,thereareparallelsbetweenthechapters.And
notonlyarethenationsdepictedinparalleltooneanother,thejudgmentscene
inDaniel7whichtranspiresafteradistincttimeperiodregardingRome(the
1,260years)directlyparallelsthecleansingofthesanctuary,whichinDaniel
8occursafterRome,aswell.Inshort,thisheavenlyjudgmentinDaniel7the
judgmentthatleadstotheendoftheworldisthesamethingasthecleansingof
thesanctuaryinDaniel8.Wearegivenheretwodifferentdepictionsofthesame
thing:thejudgment,alsoknownasthecleansingofthesanctuaryinDaniel8.
Accordingtothischart,whereisthisjudgment,timewise,inrelationshipto
theSecondComing?
ThecrucialpointistheparallelbetweenthismassivejudgmentsceneinDaniel
7andthecleansingofthesanctuaryinDaniel8.ThejudgmentsceneinDaniel7is
simplyanotherwayofexpressingthecleansingofthesanctuaryinDaniel8,justas
thedepictionofthebearinDaniel7isanotherwayofexpressingtheraminDaniel
8.Eachdepictionaddstotheother,elaboratingoneachother,togethergivingusa
lotofinformationaboutthespecificevent.What'sundeniablyclearisthatitisa
preAdventevent;thatis,thisisajudgmentthatoccursbeforetheSecondComing.
Indeed,it'sthisjudgmentitselfthatleadsdirectlytotheSecondComing.
WhatthingsinyourlifecanbesolvedonlybythesecondcomingofJesus;
whatthingscanbesolvedhereandnow?Whyisitsoimportanttoknowthe
differencebetweenthetwo?
FRIDAY
July28
FurtherStudy:
LookattheparallelsherebetweenDaniel7and8(SetLayouttoColumns),this
timewiththeapproximatedatesfortheeventsdepictedinthetwochapters:
Daniel7
Babylon
Daniel8
_____________________
(EndsearlymidsixthcenturyB.C.)
MediaPersia
MediaPersia
(FromearlymidsixthcenturytoearlymidfourthcenturyB.C.)
Greece
Greece
(FromearlymidfourthcenturytomidsecondcenturyB.C.)
PaganRome
PaganRome
(FrommidsecondcenturyB.C.tofifthsixthcenturyA.D.)
PapalRome
PapalRome
(Phaseofdepictedpersecution:FromsixthcenturyA.D.toeighteenthnineteenth
centuryA.D.)
38
Judgmentinheaven
SecondComing
Cleansingofsanctuary
Destroyedwithouthands
What'sclearfromthechartisthatbecausethejudgmentinDaniel7,which
occurredafterthe1,260years,isthesameasthecleansingofthesanctuaryin
Daniel8,thenthecleansingofthesanctuaryinDaniel8occurredafterthe
1,260years,aswell.Thisfact,then,putsthecleansingofthesanctuary
sometimeafterthelateeighteenthtoearlynineteenthcentury,yetbeforethe
secondcomingofChrist.Thoughthesepointshelpnarrowdownthetimeofthe
preAdventjudgment,theystilldon'tgiveusanexactdate.Moreinformationis
needed;that'swhy,aswe'llsee,moreinformationisgiven.
Asaclass,gooverthemainpointsofthisweek'slesson.Be
sureeveryoneunderstandstheparallelsbetweenthechapters.Try
toanswerwhateverquestionsthatariseasbestasyouareable.
ThelastverseofDaniel8teachesthatcertainaspectsofthe
visionwereunknowntoDaniel.Whatlessonisthereforus
regardingtheneedtopressonaheadinfaithdespitetherebeing
thingswedon'tyetunderstand?
Daniel
9
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Daniel9:123.
MemoryText:
"Wehavesinned,andhavecommittediniquity,andhavedonewickedly,
andhaverebelled,evenbydepartingfromthypreceptsandfromthy
judgments"(Daniel9:5).
39
Beforecontinuinghere,makesureyouunderstandthechartswe'velookedat
thepastfewweeks.Theyformanimmovablefoundationforwherewearegoing
next.Thecrucialpointthatshouldbeunderstoodnowisthatthejudgmentscene
inDaniel7andthecleansingofthesanctuaryinDaniel8arethesameeventand
thatthiseventtakesplacesometimeafterthe1,260yearperiodthatdepicteda
phaseofpapalpersecutionofthesaints.
Meanwhile,consideringthetimeframeforthisevent,thelateeighteenthorearly
nineteenthcentury,what'stheonlypossiblesanctuarythat'sbeingcleansedhere,
theoneonearthortheoneinheaven(seeMatt.24:2;Luke21:6;Heb.8:1,
2)?Theanswerisobvious.
Finally,lookatwhattheLordhasusedtoframetheimportantteachingofthe
cleansingofthesanctuaryandthat'smassiveworldempires,thingsas
immovable,unchangeable,andverifiableasarepossibleinthisworld.TheLord
isn'taskingustobaseourfaithonsketchy,shadowythings;instead,He's
framingthesegreattruthsaroundworldhistory,asfirmafoundationaspossible.
God,obviously,wantsustobelievethesetruths;that'swhyHemakesiteasyfor
ustodojustthat.
ThisweekwenowmovetoDaniel9,thefinallinkinthisamazingsequenceof
prophecyandhistory.
*Studythisweek'slessontoprepareforSabbath,August5.
SUNDAY
July30
UnfinishedBusiness
ReadDaniel9:1.Whatmajordifferenceappearshereincontrasttothethree
previouschapterswehavestudiedsofar?
Theanswer,tosomedegree,alsohelpsexplainwhatwenoticedinDaniel8:that
unliketheprevioustwochapters,Babylonwasnotdepicted.Danielbegan,instead,
withMediaPersia.Itseemsthatalready,inDaniel8,theLordwaspointingtoward
thefuture,towardthenextkingdomthatwouldarise,whichwasMediaPersia.
It'salsoimportanttonoticesomethingaboutthepreviouschapters.Aswe
saw,Daniel2wasadream/visionandanexplanationofthatdream/vision.
Everythingwasexplained.
40
InDaniel7,thesamething:adream/visionandanexplanationofeverythingthat
hewasshown.
InDaniel8,however,adifferencearises:Therewasadream/visionandan
explanation.However,aswesaw,noteverythingwasexplained.
ReviewDaniel8.Again,whatwastheonethingnotexplainedtoDaniel
inchapter8?
Unlikethesistervisionsthatprecededit,Daniel8endswithDanielsayingthathe
didn'tunderstandthe"vision."Whatvision?Obviously,itwasthepartofthe
visionthatdealtwiththe2,300eveningsandmorningsofverse14.Afterall,
everythingelsewasexplained;insomecasessomeofthepowersdepicted
inDaniel8
wereevennamed(vss.20,21).Innoneofthepreviousvisionsdid
Danielcomeawaysayingthathedidn'tunderstandsomething,eventhoughin
somecasestheexplanationsweren'taspreciseasinpartsofDaniel8.Only
inDaniel8doeshesaytherewassomethingthathedidn'tunderstand,andthat's
obviouslythe"vision"ofthe2,300days,theonlypartofthechapternot
specificallyexplained.
Thus,weleaveDaniel8
andenterDaniel9,withonlyonethingnotcleartoDaniel
atthispoint:thevisionofthe2,300daysinDaniel8:14.
Aprophetnotunderstandingeverythinggiveninapropheticdreamorvision?
Doesthisteachusanythingthatcouldhelpusbetterunderstandthenatureof
EllenG.White'spropheticgift?
MONDAY
July31
TheExileoftheJews
Aswesee,DanielisnowunderthereignoftheMedesandthePersians,adirect
fulfillmentoftheearlierpropheciesofDaniel2,7,and8.
Thereis,however,agreatproblemforDaniel.Hispeoplearestillincaptivity,the
templeisstillinruins,andhisnationhasnotbeenrestored.
ReadDaniel9:2.WhatpromiseandprophecyisDanielgettingsomehope
from?
Despiteallthehopesofnationalgreatness,theJewishnationwastakeninto
captivitybyapaganpower.Fromalogicalperspective,itshouldhavebeentheend
41
oftheJews,andJudah,forever.However,theLordwasn'tthroughwithHis
people.Thoughtheprophetswarnedaboutjudgment,doom,anddestruction,they
alsogavetheJewsthegreathopeofredemptionandrestoration.
ReadJeremiah29:1012.WhathopedoyoubelieveDanielderivesfromthis
prophecy?SeealsoJer.25:11,12.
AccordingtoHispromise,theLorddid,indeed,restoreHispeopletotheland
whenHesaidHewould.Thisisrecordedmostclearlyin2Chronicles36:1823.
ReadthoseversesinChronicles.WhatdotheytellusaboutGodandHis
promises?
Thefulfillmentofthosepromiseswasstillafewyearsoffwhentheevents
ofDaniel9happened.The70years,beginningin605B.C.withtheconquestof
JerusalemandtheexileofDanielandoftheothercaptives,almostwere
completed.Yet,nothingwashappening.Hispeoplewerestillexiled,Jerusalem
wasstillinruins,andthetemplewasnotevenclosetobeingrebuilt.Though
DanielwitnessedtheriseoftheMedoPersians,aspredicted,moreneededto
happen,greateventsthatfromahumanperspectivewouldseemimpossible.Inthis
context,wecanunderstandbettertheprayerthatfollows.
DanielwasderivinghopefromapromiseofGod.WhichpromisesofGodare
themostmeaningfultoyou?Howdoesprayersustainyouasyouwaitfor
thesepromisestobefulfilled?
TUESDAY
August1
"WeHaveSinned"
ReadDaniel'sprayerinDaniel9:319.Onthelinesbelow,summarizethe
essenceofwhatDanielwasprayingfor.
NumerouspointsjumpoutfromDaniel'sprayer:
Danielacknowledgesthesinsofhispeople;therewasnoexcuseonhispart
tojustifytheiractions.Whatcanwelearnfromthisforourselves?
Danielmakesitclearthathispeople'ssininvolvedturningawayfrom
God'sWord.Whatlessonishereforus,aswell?
42
Evenamidallthepunishment,sorrow,andjudgment,allofwhichwas
deserved,DanielappealstoGodformercy,grace,andrestoration.Whathope
doesthisofferusregardingourownmistakes?
IfyoureadDaniel'sprayer,you'llnoticethatonethingisnotthere.You'llnotice
thatDanielisn'taskingtheLordonesimplequestion:Whydidallthishappento
us?Andthat'sbecauseheknowswhyallthishappened:Thepeopledisobeyedthe
Lord.Danielaskednoquestionsinhisprayer.Heisnotseekingforlight,wisdom,
orunderstanding.Inthecontextofwhatheistalkingabout,heunderstandsthe
issues:Israelsinned,waspunished,andnowhepleadsforthepromised
restoration.
ThepointisthatnowhereinthisprayerisDanielseekingforunderstanding.The
lasttime,atleastasrecordedinScripture,thatDanielneededunderstandingwasin
regardtothe2,300dayprophecyofDaniel8:14,whathespecificallysaidhedidn't
understandattheendofthelastchapter(Dan.8:27).
What,ifanything,standsoutinDaniel'sprayerthathasspecialsignificance
foryouinyourownwalkwiththeLord?
WEDNESDAY
August2
"SkillandUnderstanding"
ReadDaniel9:2022andlookatwhathappens.AfterDanielprayed,theangel
Gabrielappearedtohim.This,however,wasn'tGabriel'sfirstappearanceto
Daniel.
WhenwasthelasttimeGabrielwasseeninthebookofDaniel?SeeDan.
8:16.
Remember,too,thatinDaniel8GabrielwascommandedtomakeDaniel
understandwhathehadseeninvision.And,aswesaw,hedidjustthat,withthe
exceptionofthevisionofthe2,300days.
Now,however,GabrielappearsagaintoDaniel,whoreferstohimastheonehe
hadseen"inthevisionatthebeginning"(vs.21).Thoughhedoesn'tsaywhich
specificvisionthatwas,theonlyothertimeGabrielappearsinDanielisinchapter
8,soit'scertainlylogicaltoassumethat'sthevisionDanielisreferringto.
43
InDaniel9:2023,whatdoesGabrielsaytoDanielthathecametodo?
Aswesawyesterday,nowhereinDaniel'sprayerdidheaskfor"understanding."
Thelasttimeheneededunderstandingwasaboutthe2,300days.Now,thesame
angelinterpreterappearsandspecificallysaysthathehascometogivehim
"understanding."Understandingaboutwhat?The2,300daysobviously,thelast
timeDanielneededanyunderstanding.
Infact,theHebrewrootverb(bin),translated"understood"(Dan.8:27),isthe
samerootwordthatappearsinDaniel9:22,whereinGabrielsaysthathecameto
givehimskilland"understanding"(frombin).Thus,GabrielcomestoDanieland
giveshimthe"understanding"(bin)thathedidn'thaveattheendofDaniel8!
Also,noticewhatkindofprophecyDaniel8:14was;itwasatimeprophecy.Right
afterGabrielcomestoDanielandofferstogivehimunderstanding,whatkindof
prophecydoeshegivehim(seeDan.9:24)?Ofcourse,atimeprophecy.Clearly,
thevisionofDaniel9islinkedtopartofthevisioninDaniel8,the2,300days.
WhileDaniel2and7hadavisionandcompleteexplanation,Daniel8hadavision
andapartialexplanation.InDaniel9,therewasnovisionbutonlyanexplanation
anexplanationofwhatwasn'texplainedinDaniel8.
THURSDAY
August3
"UnderstandtheVision"
Asiftheinformationfromthepreviousfewdaysweren'tenoughtolinkDaniel
9:2427withDaniel8:14,theLordhasgivenusevenmoreevidencetomakethat
link.
InDaniel8:1,2,Danielthreetimesmakesreferencetothe"vision"ofthechapter;
eachtimeitcomesfromthesameHebrewword,hazon:"Inthethirdyearofthe
reignofkingBelshazzaravision[hazon]appeareduntome,evenuntomeDaniel,
afterthatwhichappeareduntomeatthefirst.AndIsawinavision[hazon];andit
cametopass,whenIsaw,thatIwasatShushaninthepalace,whichisinthe
provinceofElam;andIsawinavision[hazon],andIwasbytheriverof
Ulai"(Dan.8:1,2).
Danielthendescribeswhatheseesinthehazon:theram,thegoat,thelittlehorn,
andsoforth.Hazon,therefore,referstothegeneralvisionofchapter8.
44
Incontrast,whenhetalksspecificallyaboutthe2,300days,Danielusesadifferent
wordforvision,mareh."Andthevision[mareh]oftheeveningandthemorning
whichwastoldistrue....AndIDanielfainted,andwassickcertaindays;
afterwardIroseup,anddidtheking'sbusiness;andIwasastonishedatthe
vision[mareh],butnoneunderstoodit"(Dan.8:26,27).
Thus,wehavetwowordsfor"vision"inDaniel8:hazonforthewholevision,
marehforDaniel8:14,thevisionaboutthe2,300daysandthesanctuarybeing
cleansed,thepartthatDanieldidn'tunderstand(Dan.8:27).
Nowthesetwowordsappearagain,inDaniel9,whenGabrielappearstoDaniel.
"Yea,whilesIwasspeakinginprayer,eventhemanGabriel,whomIhadseenin
thevision[hazon]atthebeginning...touchedme....Atthebeginningofthy
supplicationsthecommandmentcameforth,andIamcometoshewthee;forthou
artgreatlybeloved:thereforeunderstandthematter,andconsiderthe
vision[mareh]"(Dan.9:2123).
Considerwhatmareh?There'sonlyone:themarehofthe2,300daysthatDaniel
specificallysaidhedidn'tunderstand.Infact,thewordtranslated"consider"comes
frombin,whichalsolinksthistothemarehofDaniel8:26,whichDanielneeded
understanding(bin)about.
Clearly,theexplanationofDaniel9:2427islinkedtothe2,300daysofthe
previouschapter.GabrielcametogiveDanielunderstandingaboutthemarehof
the2,300days!
ReviewthelinksbetweenDaniel8andDaniel9.Beabletodefendtheposition
thatthesetwochaptersareindeedtiedtogetherwitheachother.
FRIDAY
August4
FurtherStudy:
EllenG.White,TheGreatControversy,pp.345347;ProphetsandKings,pp.
553556.
Daniel8endswiththemarehofthe2,300daysnotexplained.Gabriel,thesame
angelinterpreterinDaniel8,appearsinDaniel9andtellshimtounderstand
themareh.TheonlymarehDanieldidn'tunderstandwas
themarehof8:14and8:26,whichwasatimeprophecy.Then,immediately
aftertellinghimtounderstandthemareh,atimeprophecy,whatdoesGabriel
giveDaniel?Anothertimeprophecy.
45
NowonderAdventistsseeapowerfullinkbetweenthetwochaptersandtwo
prophecies.We'renotaloneeither.Thefollowingquotecomesfroman
OrthodoxJewishcommentaryonthebookofDaniel.Belowistheextracton
thephrase"considerthemareh"inDaniel9:23,thoughthiscommentary
translatesit"gainunderstandingofthevision."WhatdotheseJewsdowiththe
70weekprophecy?
"ThisreferstoDaniel'svisioninchapter8inwhichthepartwhichdisturbed
himso(v.14)ischaracterizedinvs.1626asamareh."Daniel,ArtScroll
TanachSeries(Brooklyn,NewYork:MesorahPublications,Ltd.,1988),p.
258.
Thus,theseOrthodoxJewsdowiththe70weekprophecyexactlywhatwedo:
thatis,theylinkittothe2,300daysofDaniel8:14.
Asaclass,reviewthematerialstudiedthisweek.Makesurethat
everyoneunderstandsthelinksbetweenthetwochapters.
IfyoureadDaniel'sprayer,you'llnoticethattimeandagainheprays
inthefirstpersonplural,"we"havedonethis,"we"havedonethat.Why
doyouthinkDaniel,whoisdepictedinScriptureassuchafaithful,holy
character,includeshimselfasoneofthosewhobroughtthiscalamityupon
hisownpeople?Whatmessageisthereforus,aswell?
LESSON 7
70Weeks
SABBATHAFTERNOON
46
Dan.9:2427;Ezra4:716;7:6,7,1117.
MemoryText:
"Seventyweeksaredetermineduponthypeopleanduponthyholycity,to
finishthetransgression,andtomakeanendofsins,andtomake
reconciliationforiniquity,andtobringineverlastingrighteousness,andto
sealupthevisionandprophecy,andtoanointthemostHoly"(Daniel9:24).
Sofar,thesefewpointsshouldbeclear:ThejudgmentinDaniel7and
cleansingofthesanctuaryinDaniel8arethesameevent,anditoccursafterthe
1,260years.Second,Daniel8endedwiththevisionofthe2,300daysnot
explained.Daniel9picksupwiththeendofDaniel8:GabrieloffersDanielthe
explanationhelackedinthepreviouschapter.Thus,Daniel8andDaniel9are
one:avisionandapartialexplanation(Daniel8)andthentherestofthe
explanation(Daniel9).
ThisweekwecontinuewithDaniel9,focusingontheamazing70week
prophecy,whichprovidespowerfulevidencenotonlyfortheinspirationof
ScripturebutforthemessiahshipofJesus,"theMessiahthePrince"(Dan.
9:25),whoasthecenteroftheprophecy,formsthefoundationforthe2,300
dayprophecy,aswell.
SUNDAY
August6
70Weeks
Aswesawlastweek,thevisionofDaniel8:14wasatimeprophecy,the2,300
days.Now,inDaniel9,Gabrielreturnsandgiveshimanothertimeprophecy,this
timeof70weeks(Dan.9:24).
Doalittlemath.Whichprophecyislonger,2,300daysor70weeks?
Wearepresentedwithtwotimepropheciesjuxtaposedwitheachother,the2,300
daysandthe70weeks,the70weeksbeingthesmallerofthetwo.
70weeks
___________
2,300days
________________________________________________________
47
ReadthebeginningofDaniel9:24.HowdoesGabrielfirstintroducethe70
weeks?Whatverbdoesheuse?
Thoughvarioustranslationsareusedfortheverb(rootischatchak),suchas
"determined,"or"decreed,"thebasicmeaningisthatof"cutoff,"whichishow
mostHebrewlexiconsdefineit(unfortunately,theworddoesn'tappearanywhere
elseintheBible,sowecan'tseehowitisusedelsewhereinScripture).InUgaritic,
alanguagesimilartoHebrew,scholarshavenotedthattheparallelwordinthat
languageforchatchakmeans"cutoff,"aswell.Thus,thebasicrenderingofthe
textis"70weeksarecutoff."
Cutofffromwhat?Whatelseotherthanfromanothertimeprophecy?Whatother
timeprophecy?Obviously,themareh,the2,300daysofDaniel8:14,thelongerof
thetwoprophecies.
Thus,wearegiventwotimeprophecies:2,300daysand70weeks,andthe70
weeksistobe"cutoff"fromthe2,300days.
SupposeyoumentiontoaneighborthatyouhavefivefreehoursonSunday.
OnSundaytheneighbor,aftermakingadirectreferencetoyourfivefree
hours,saysthatheneedssomehelptopaintaroom."Itwilltakeonlyan
hour,"headds.What'stheimmediateimplication,andhowdoesthathelpus
understandthelinkbetweenthetwotimepropheciesofDaniel8:14and9:24?
MONDAY
August7
TheMessiahthePrince
ReadcarefullyandprayerfullyDaniel9:25.Whattwospecificeventsare
directlyrelatedtothetimeelementgiventhere?Ofthosetwoevents,which
comesatthebeginningofthattimeelement,andwhichcomesattheend?
Here,inthisoneverse,69ofthe70weeksareaccountedfor.Theprophecybegins
withthecommandtorestoreandrebuildJerusalem,and69weekslateritendswith
"theMessiahthePrince."Thus,wehavetwohistoricaleventstoworkwith:the
commandtorestoreandrebuildJerusalem(whichwouldhavebeenofobvious
importtoDaniel)and"theMessiahthePrince."
48
WhenyouunderstandthattheHebrewwordfor"Messiah"istranslatedin
Greekas"Christos,"orChrist,towhomthenisthisprophecy
referring?SeeMatt.1:1,16;16:16;Acts3:1315,18;5:30,31.
Thus,wecanseehereacrucialpoint:ThisprophecyiscenteredonJesus.Thefirst
69weeksoftheprophecyareusedtobringustoJesus,"theMessiahthePrince."
Wecansay,then,thattheprophecyhasitsfoundationinChristHimself.Tothe
degree,then,thatwecanhaveconfidenceinthemessiahshipofJesusisthedegree
thatwecantrusttheprophecyitself.
What'scrucialtoremember,too,isthatSeventhdayAdventistshardlyarealonein
seeingthisasaprophecyofChrist.Christiansofmanydenominationshavelong
understoodthisprophecyasbeingoneofthemostpowerfulevidencesforthe
messiahshipofJesusChrist.Afterall,wehaveDaniel,living500yearsbefore
Christ,givingusatimeprophecyconcerningChrist.
ReviewotherOldTestamentpropheciesthatpointtoChrist.Howshouldthese
strengthenyour,faithinHimandwhatHehasdoneforus?Puttogethera
studyonthosepropheciestosharewithanunbelievingneighbororfriend.
TUESDAY
August8
TheDecree
Daniel9:25beginswiththecommandtorestoreandtorebuildJerusalemandends
withtheMessiah,69weekslater.Andthoughpeoplemightdisagreeonexact
dates,weknowforsurethatthecommandtorestoreandtorebuildJerusalemwas
inthesixthorfifthcenturyB.C.andthatJesuslivedanddiedinthefirstcentury
A.D.
CommandtorebuildJerusalem
JesustheMessiah
fifthsixthcenturyB.C.
firstcentury
_________________________________________________________________________
69weeks
Whatimmediateevidencedoyouseehereforthedayyearprinciple?Why
canthe69weeksnotbetakenasliteraltime?
Thecrucialissuefacingusnowis,Whatisthatstartingdate,thedateofthe
commandtorestoreandtorebuildJerusalem?Fortunately,aslongaswebelieve
thatthe69weeksendwithJesus,wecannarrowdowntheknowndecreestoonly
49
one,theonegivenin457B.C.,whichwasthecommandbyArtaxerxesinthe
seventhyearofhisreign(seefollowingdailysections).
Lookupthesetexts(Matt.2:1,1922;27:1,2;Luke2:17;3:13;23:17).Notice
allthehistoricalfigurestiedinwitheventssurroundingJesus;throughthese
(andothers)wecanreconstructthedatesofChrist'slifeandministry.
Withthisinmind,let'slookatsomeofthecommondatesusedforthedecree
inDaniel9:25.
Take,forexample,538B.C.Applyingthedayyearprincipletothe69weeks(483
years)wouldbring"theMessiahthePrince,"Jesus,to55B.C.,animpossibledate
forJesus.
Thesamewithanothercommondate,520B.C.Thatstartingdatewouldbring
Jesustoabout37B.C.,animpossibleconclusion.
Finally,theonlyothercommondateis444B.C.,which,ifused,wouldplacethe
beginningofJesus'ministryaboutA.D.39or40andHisdeathsometimeinthe
earlyA.D.40s.Andthoughthat'smuchcloserthantheothertwooptions,New
Testamentscholarsknowthatthosedatesdon'tworkforJesus.
WEDNESDAY
August9
"BuildingtheRebelliousandBadCity"
Daniel9givesusaprophecyof"theMessiahthePrince,"whoweknowisJesus.
Yet,ittiesthisimportantprophecywithaspecifichistoricaldate:thecommandto
restoreandtorebuildJerusalem.WouldScripturegiveussuchanimportant
prophecywithoutalsoprovidingthekeytounderstandingit?Obviouslynot.
ReadEzra4:716,whichdealswitheventsaftertheendoftheBabylonian
exileoftheHebrewnation.Asyouread,askyourselfthesequestions:
Towhomistheletterbeingaddressed?
WhatisthespecificcomplaintagainsttheJews?
50
Accordingtotheletter,whosent,orallowed,theJewstoreturnto
Jerusaleminordertodowhattheyweredoing?
Lookatwhat'shappening.SometimeaftertheJewsreturnedtoJerusalem,agroup
ofPersianofficerswrotetoKingArtaxerxes,complainingabouttheJews
rebuildingJerusalem.Inthelettertheystatedtwoimportantpoints:(1)thatthecity
wasbeingrebuilt(Ezra4:12)and(2)thattheJewswhowererebuildinghadcome
therebecauseoftheking.Saidtheletter,"Beitknownuntotheking,thattheJews
whichcameupfromtheetousarecomeuntoJerusalem,buildingtherebellious
andthebadcity,andhavesetupthewallsthereof,andjoinedthefoundations"(vs.
12,emphasissupplied).Inotherwords,theJewswhowererebuildingthecityhad
cometherebecauseofKingArtaxerxes.Hemusthaveissuedthedecreethat
allowedthemtorebuildtheircity.Thequestionis,Whatdecreewasthat?
Despiterebellionandapostasy,GodgrantedmercyandgracetotheHebrew
nation,thoughfromahumanperspectiveallseemedlost.Whatshouldthistell
usaboutnevergivinguponanyone,nomatterhowfarheorshehasfallen
(includingourselves)?
THURSDAY
August10
457B.C.
YesterdaywesawthattheJewswhohadreturnedtoJerusalemwererebuildingit.
Wesaw,too,thatitwasbecauseofKingArtaxerxesthattheyhadreturnedtothe
city.Hemusthavebeentheonewhoissuedthedecree"torestoreandtobuild
Jerusalem"(Dan.9:25),forthat'sexactlywhattheyweredoing.
Interestinglyenough,theBiblementionsonlyonedecreeissuedbyArtaxerxesthat
couldfitthesespecifications,andthat'sintheseventhyearofhisreign,whichcan
bedatedfirmlyto457B.C.
ReadEzra7:6,7,1117.Whatisgoingonhereinthisdecreeissuedby
ArtaxerxesinregardtowhattheJewsaredoinginJerusalem?
ThebookofEzraisnotinchronologicalorder,sotheeventsinEzra4camelater
thanwhatwasinchapter7.Andthoughnothinginthisdecreespecificallytalks
aboutrebuildingthecity,itwasobviouslyunderstoodtoentailthat,because,
accordingtowhatwereadyesterday,that'sexactlywhattheJewsweredoing.Both
51
theyandtheirenemiesunderstoodthatthedecree,issuedbyArtaxerxesinhis
seventhyear,bywhichtheJews"whichcameupfromtheetous"(Ezra
4:12),musthaveincludedthecommand"torestoreandtobuildJerusalem."Thisis
evenmoreobviousbecausenothingintheirletterexpressedanyideathat
rebuildingofthecitybytheJewswassomehowincontradictionwiththedecreeof
theking.
Thus,takentogether,Ezra4and7makeitclearthatthedecree,datedinthe
seventhyearofthereignofArtaxerxes(Ezra7:7,8)isindeedthe"commandment
torestoreandtobuildJerusalem"(Dan.9:25).
This,too,canbefirmlydatedat457B.C.(andthoughsomearguefor458,the
differenceentailsonlyasixmonthdiscrepancy).
Also,ifonebelievedthatJesuswere"theMessiahthePrince,"thisdatewould
workperfectly.Inotherwords,JesusisourSuretyinregardtothisprophecy.
WhyshouldJesusbeourSuretyineverythingregardingourfaith?
FRIDAY
August11
FurtherStudy:
LookatthisquotefromafamousbiographyofscientistIsaacNewton,afervent
studentofthebookofDaniel:"WhocareswhetherNewtonwascorrectin
maintainingthattheprophecyoftheseventyweeksintheBookofDaniel
referredtotheintervalof490yearsafterEzra'sleadingtheJewsfromBabylon
backtoJerusalem(457BCtotheCrucifixioninAD33/34?"A.Rupert
Hall,IsaacNewton:AdventurerinThought(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversity
Press,1992),p.372.
"Itwouldseem,therefore,thattherebuildingactivityofthecityofJerusalem
proper(Ezra4:12)whichoccurredinthewakeofthesefavors,suggeststhatthe
royalconsentwasimpliedinthisdecreetopermitJudahtohaveavisiblecenter
fromwhichthenewlygrantedcivilandjudicialprivilegesofthestatecouldbe
administered.Consequently,Artaxerxes'`word'ordecreeof457B.C.provides
thebestcommencementdateforDaniel's70weeksprophecyandthelonger
timespanofthe2300dayyears(Dan89)."TheSeventyWeeks,Leviticus,
andtheNatureofProphecy,FrankB.Holbrook,editor(Washington,D.C.:
BiblicalResearchInstitute,1986),p.74.
SeealsoLeRoyE.Froom,ThePropheticFaithofOurFathers,forscoresof
quotesfromscholars,usingthe457B.C.startingdate.Forwhywechoose457
52
over458,seeSiegfriedH.HornandLynnH.Wood'sTheChronologyofEzra
7.
Asaclass,revieweverythingthatwe'vestudiedso
faruntileveryoneintheclassunderstandsthematerial.
Havepeopleintheclasstalkabouthowthis70
weekprophecy,oranyotherprophecy,hasmadea
significantimpactintheirlives.Whatcanwelearn
fromwhattheysayonhowGodcanuseprophecyto
reachus?Howmuchofaroledoyouthinkprophecy
shouldplayinourwitnessingefforts?Isitpossibleto
puttoomuchemphasisonprophecy?
1844
MadeSimple
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Lev7:27;17:10;Luke3:122;Rom.5:8;Gal.3:13;1Thess.5:9,10;1Pet.
2:24.
MemoryText:
"And,behold,theveilofthetemplewasrentintwainfromthetoptothe
bottom;andtheearthdidquake,andtherocksrent"(Matthew27:51).
ofar,we'veseenthatDaniel8endedwithDanielneedingmoreexplanation
aboutthe2,300days.Daniel9providesthatexplanation.Gabriel,thesameangel
interpreterinDaniel8,pointshimdirectlybacktothemarehofDaniel8,theonly
partofthevisionthathedidn'tunderstand.Gabrielimmediatelygiveshim
53
anothertimeprophecy,the70weeks,whichis"cutoff,"obviouslyfromthelarger
timeprophecyofthe2,300days.
Unlikethe2,300days,whichdoesn'tmentionaspecificstartingpoint,Daniel
9doeshaveone:the"commandmenttorestoreandbuildJerusalem,"whichwe
sawlastweekwasissuedin457B.C.
Meanwhile,69ofthe70weeksofthisprophecyreachto"theMessiahthe
Prince,"Jesus.Thus,JesusHimselfformsthecenterofthisprophecy;He'sthe
foundation,thefocalpointofthe70weeks.ItallrestsonJesus,"thechiefcorner
stone"(Eph.2:20).
Sofar,then,the70weekslooklikethis:
SUNDAY
August13
DoingtheMath
Lastweekwesawthatthe"commandmenttorestoreandbuildJerusalem"
occurredinthereignofthePersianKingArtaxerxes.Thatis,itwasissuednot
duringthetimeofBabylonbutafter,inthenextkingdomofMediaPersia.
WhatkingdomdidtheprophecyofDaniel8startwith?Howdoesthatanswer
provideanotherlinkbetweenDaniel8and9?
Daniel9givesustheexactstartingpointofthe70weekprophecy,457B.C.It
thensaysthatfromthatpoint,therewillbe69weeksuntil"theMessiahthe
Prince."Sixtynineweekscomesto483days;applying,then,thedayyear
principlemeansthat,fromthecommandtorestoreandrebuildJerusalemuntothe
MessiahthePrince,483yearswouldpass.
Dothemath,counting483yearsfrom457B.C.Whatdatedoyouget?
54
Togetatthedate,youneedtosubtract457from483.Thatcomesto26,which
wouldmeanA.D.26.However,wearedealingwithacalenderhereandnota
straightnumberline,whichgoeslikethis:210123.Thecalendar,ofcourse,
doesn'thaveaslotforzero(there'snozeroyear).Thecalendar,instead,goeslike
this:2,1,1,2,or,morespecifically,2B.C.,1B.C.,A.D.1,A.D.2.Thus,with
thezeroyearmissingonthecalendar,483yearswouldextendonemoreyearon
thecalendar,comingtoA.D.27insteadof26.
ReadLuke3:122.Whatmajoreventisportrayedhere,andhowdoesthis
helpusunderstandthemeaningoftheprophecyofDaniel9?
Theprophecydoesn'ttalkaboutthebirthofJesus;instead,ittalksaboutHimas
the"Messiah,"the"Anointed,"theChrist;thatis,JesusinHisofficialcapacity.
LukeputsJohn'sministryinthefifteenthyearofthereignofTiberius,whichcan
bedatedtoA.D.27.SeeingthatJohnbaptizedJesusshortlyafterJohn'sown
ministrybegan,wehavethisincredibleprophecy,givenmorethanfivehundred
yearsearlier,pointingtotheministryofJesus.
WhatdoesthebaptismofJesussaytoyouabouthowcloselyChristrelatesto
humanity?WhathopedoesHisclosetietousofferusinourdailystruggles?
MONDAY
August14
MessiahCutOff
Sofar,inourstudyofthe70weekprophecy(490years),we'vecovered69weeks
(or483ofthose490years).We'vealsolookedattwodistincthistoricaleventsthat
canbeaccuratelydated.Seethechartbelow:
Studytheabovechartuntiltheeventsdepictedonitarecleartoyou.
55
ReadDaniel9:26.Itsaysthatafterthe62weekstheMessiahwillbe"cutoff";
that'sthe62weeksthatcomeafterthefirst7(seevs.25),whichmeansthatafter
this69thweek(A.D.27)theMessiahwillbecutoff,but"notforhimself."
Lookupthesefollowingtexts(Isa.53:5;Rom.5:8;Gal.3:13;1Thess.5:9,
10;1Pet.2:24).Howdotheyhelpusunderstandwhatthisprophecyistalking
about?
Upuntilnow,theprophecycoveredthefirst69weeks.Verse26nowintroduces
thelastweek,thefinalsevenyearsoftheprophecyanditdoessowithanimage
ofChrist'satoningdeath.NotonlywasHe"cutoff"(adifferentverbfromthat
usedin9:24),butHewascutoff"notforhimself,"givingtheideathatHisdeath
wasinbehalfofothers.WeseeherethesubstitutionaryaspectofChrist'ssacrifice:
Hisdeathwasn'tforHimself;itwasforus.
It'sinteresting,too,thattheverb(krt)usedfor"cutoff"isdirectlylinkedwiththe
Leviticalsacrificialsystem,withthosewhoviolatedthecovenantbeing"cutoff"
fromthepeople.(SeeLev.7:27;17:10,14;20:6,17.)InDaniel9:26weseean
imageoftheinnocentJesusbeing"cutoff"forthesinsofothers.
Whatdoesitmeanthatnomatterwhatyouhaveeverdone,nomatterhow
badyouhavebeen,thepenaltyforthoseactionshasbeenpaidbytheOnewho
was"cutoff,"notforHimselfbutforyou?
TUESDAY
August15
IntheMidstoftheWeek
ReadDaniel9:27.Twiceittalksaboutthe"week."Whatweekisitreferring
to?
Sofar,weknowthattheprophecyistalkingaboutJesus,andthat69thweek
broughtustoHisbaptisminA.D.27.Wesaw,too,adirectreferenceinverse26to
Hisatoningdeath.Afterall,thatwasthereasonHecame(Mark10:45,John3:14).
Allthat'sleftofthe70weekprophecyisthefinalweek,the70th,thelast7years.
Whathappensinthemiddleofthelastweek?Whattimeperiodisittalking
about?
56
Thoughverse26talkedaboutJesus'deathsomewhatdirectly,verse27talksabout
itinthesenseofwhatitaccomplished:theendoftheearthlysacrificialsystem,at
leastinthesensethattheywereofnomorevalue(afterall,somepeopletodaystill
offersacrifices).ThispointwasmadeclearinMark15:3439,withtheveilofthe
sanctuaryrentinhalf,signalingtheendoftheearthlysanctuaryserviceasa
legitimatesymboloftheministryofChrist.Therealsacrificewas,finally,offered;
theoldsystemhadtogivewayforanewandbetterone.Allthatwasequatedwith
theoldsystemthesacrifice,thepriesthood,andthesanctuaryhavebeen
replaced(seeHeb.9:115).
Thisoccurredinthe"midstoftheweek."Thatwouldbethreeandahalfyears
(halfofseven).ThroughcountingPassoversinJohn,wecanshowthatitwasthree
andahalfyearslater,inthespringofA.D.31,thatJesuswascrucified.Thus,our
chartnowlookslikethis:
WhatapowerfulprophecyforthemessiahshipofJesus!Takewhatevertime
youneeduntilyouunderstandwhatthisprophecyisteaching.Howisthis
amazingprophecyanotherrevelationofGod'slovetous?Howdoesithelp
strengthenyourfaith?
WEDNESDAY
August16
The70thWeek
Thelastthingweneedtolookatinthe70weekprophecyisfoundagaininDaniel
9:27:"Heshallconfirmthecovenantwithmanyforoneweek."Whatweekisthat?
Obviously,it'sthe70thweek,thelastoneintheprophecy.Ifwebeginwith457
B.C.,then490yearslaterbringtheendofthe70weekprophecytoA.D.34.Thus,
thelastweek,the70thweek,endsatthatdate.
Daniel9:27talksaboutthe"covenant."Whatcovenantcouldthatbe
referringto?Exod.19:5,34:10,Lev.26:45,1Kings19:10,Isa.59:21,Jer.50:5.
57
Thus,the70weekprophecytalksaboutanaffirmationofthecovenantthatGod
madewithIsrael.Hewill"confirmthecovenantwithmany"duringthatspecific
period,obviouslyreferringspecificallytotheJewswhoacceptedJesusatthattime.
Thoughtheprophecyitselfdoesn'tgiveaspecificeventforthatlastyear,A.D.34,
manybelieveitwastheyearthattheapostlePaulacceptedthegospelandbecame
thegreatpreachertotheGentiles(Acts9).Inotherwords,Israel'sexclusivitycame
toaclose,andanewerainsalvationhistorywasinauguratedattheendofthe490
yearsasthegospelwenttoalltheworld.
Reviewtheabovechartuntilyouunderstanditwellenoughtoexplainitto
others.
Howeverfascinatingtheaboveprophecy,wemustrememberthatit'sjustpartofa
largerprophecy,the2,300days.Thatis,this70thweekwas,aswesaw,"cutoff"
fromthelargermarehofDaniel8.Thus,wehaveheretwotimeprophecies,the
2,300days,whichdidn'thaveaspecifiedstartingpoint,andthe70weekswhich
did.Wehave,therefore,thefollowingtwotimeperiods:
THURSDAY
1844MadeSimple
58
August17
Aswe'veseen,thegroundingofthe70weekprophecyisinJesus,andbecausethe
70weekprophecyisjustpartofthe2,300dayprophecy,thatprophecyis
groundedinJesus,aswell.Thenextstepisobvious.The70weeks,whichhavea
definitestartingpoint,are"cutoff"fromthe2,300days(seetomorrowonwhyit
hastobe"cutoff"atthebeginningasopposedtotheendofthe2,300days).
Dothemath.Ifyouusethe70weeksasthestartingpointofthe2,300years,
whatdatedoyoucometo?
Ifyoucount2,300yearsfrom457B.C.(rememberingtodeletethenonexistent
zeroyear),youget1844;or,ifyoucounttheremaining1810yearsfromA.D.34
(2,300minusthefirst490years),youcometo1844,aswell.Thus,thecleansingof
thesanctuaryinDaniel8:14canbeshowntostartin1844.
Gobacktoweek5,Friday'sstudy.WesawfromtheparallelsbetweenDaniel
7andDaniel8thatthecleansingofthesanctuary(thesameeventasthe
judgmentsceneinDaniel7)hadtooccurafterthe1,260yearperiodinDaniel
7andyetbeforetheSecondComing.Howdoesthecalculationdonetodayfit
inwiththatstudy?
What'ssocrucial,too,aboutthe2,300dayprophecyisthat,beingundeniably
linkedtothe70weekprophecy,itisinseparablytiedinwithJesus.Again,one
can'ttamperwiththosedatesinanysubstantialwaywithouttamperingwiththe
datesofJesus.JesusHimselfistheSuretyofthisprophecy.Obviously,then,the
Lorddeemedthe2,300dayprophecyimportantenoughto,inaveryrealsense,
baseitonJesus,onthegreatestandmostpreciseprophecyconcerningHisearthly
mission,the70weekprophecyofDaniel9.
59
Reviewwhatwe'vestudiedthisweek.Bepreparedtotalkaboutitinclasson
Sabbath.
FRIDAY
August18
FurtherStudy:
EllenG.White,TheGreatControversy,pp.409432[chapter23andchapter
24].
Howeverclearitisthatthe70weeksarecutofffromthe2,300days,whydo
wecutthemofffromthebeginningandnottheend?Theanswerisbecause
that'stheonlywayitworkslogically.Ifwecutthe70weeksoffattheend,the
2,300dayswouldterminateinA.D.34,animpossibleconclusion,giventhe
contextofDaniel8,whichparalleltoDaniel7linksthe2,300daystothe
timeoftheend,andthathardlyhappenedinA.D.34.Plus,too,ifyoucutthem
offfromtheend,thebeginningoftheprophecywouldstartaboutsixteen
hundredyearsbeforeBabylon,thefirstkingdomdepictedintheseprophecies.
Inotherwords,cuttingthemofffromtheenddoesn'tworkatall,giventhe
contextinwhichtheyappear.Meanwhile,cuttingthemoffatthebeginning
placesthestartoftheprophecyinthereignofMediaPersia,whichfitsthe
contextofthevision(Daniel8beganwithMediaPersia)andplacestheirend
afterthe1,260yearsyetbeforetheSecondComing,whichalsofitsperfectly
withthecontextofthevision.
Asaclass,gooverwhathasbeenstudiedinthepast
fewweeks.Makesure,asmuchaspossible,thateveryone
understandswhathasbeencovered.
Whydoesthedate1844forDaniel8:14showwhythe
sanctuarybeingcleansedistheheavenlyone,notthe
earthly?
Whydoyouthinkisitimportantforus,as
Adventists,tounderstandthisprophecy,consideringthat
theeventdepictedinit,thecleansingofthesanctuary,
occurredsolongago?Whatdoesitmeantousasa
churchtoday?
Asaclass,talkabouttheimplicationsofthephrase,
60
hewas"cutoffbutnotforhimself."Whathopedoesthat
offertous?ForwhomwasHecutoff,why,andwhat
doesthatmean?Talkaboutthistoo:The70week
prophecy,aprophecyofthegospel,islinkedwiththe
2,300dayprophecy.Whatdoesthattellusaboutwhythe
gospelshouldformthefoundationofourunderstanding
ofthemeaningofthe2,300dayprophecy?
Day
YearPrinciple
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Exod.34:22;Lev.12:5;Num.14:34;Deut.16:10;Ezek.4:5,6;Dan.8:17,19,
26;10:2,3.
MemoryText:
"Andwhenthouhastaccomplishedthem,lieagainonthyrightside,and
thoushaltbeartheiniquityofthehouseofJudahfortydays:Ihave
appointedtheeeachdayforayear"(Ezekiel4:6).
Aswesaw,theparallelbetweenDaniel2,7,and8showshowthejudgment
inDaniel7,whichleadstothesecondcomingofChrist,isthesameeventasthe
cleansingofthesanctuary(obviously,theheavenlyone)inDaniel8:14.Also,
thiseventoccurssometimeafterthe1,260yearperiodofpersecution(late
eighteenthtoearlynineteenthcentury)yetbeforetheSecondComing.
Wesaw,too,thatthe2,300dayprophecyofDaniel8wastheonlypartofthe
visionnotexplainedandthatGabrielcametoDanielinchapter9withthat
explanation,the70weekprophecy,whichwas"cutoff"from2,300days.This
70weekprophecy,rootedinJesus,formedthebasisforthe2,300dayprophecy;
italsoprovidedthestartingdateforthe2,300days,whichbroughtthatprophecy
to1844,adatethatfitsperfectlywithwhatwewereshowninDaniel7and8.
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Thus,wehavetheessenceofthe1844prophecy,firmlyrootednotonlyin
massiveworldhistoricalempiresbutintheCross.
Forthenextfewweekswe'lllookmorecloselyatsomeofthetopicsweonly
touchedonregarding1844;aswedo,we'llseektoanswerthemostobvious
questionsthatcouldariseaswestudythisprophecysocrucialtoSeventhday
Adventists.
SUNDAY
August20
PropheticTime
Overthepastfewweeks,welookedatthreetimeprophecies:the"time,times,and
thedividingoftime"(Dan.7:25);the"twothousandandthreehundred
days"(Dan.8:14);andthe"seventyweeks"(Dan.9:24).Wehaveworkedonthe
premisethatthesewerenottobetakenasliteraltimebutasprophetictimeandthat
ineachofthesecasesthedaysweretobeinterpretedasyears.
Thusweweredealingwithperiodsofhundreds,eventhousands,ofyearsrather
thanjustperiodsofafewyearsiftheywereunderstoodasliteraltime.
Thequestionis,Whatjustificationdowehaveinmakingthisassumptionthat
thesewerenotliteralbutprophetictimesandthatweshouldusethedayyear
principlewhileinterpretingthem?
InDaniel8:17,19,26,Danielistoldinonewayoranotherthattheprophetic
visionhewasgivenwasforthe"end."Infact,hewasspecificallytoldthatthe
visionconcerning"theeveningandthemorning"(the2,300days)wouldbe
"formanydays"(Dan.8:26).Whydothesefactshelpprovethatthetime
prophecyinDaniel8isn'tliteral?.
ReadDaniel7:2427.Thelittlehornpower,whicharisesfrompaganRome(a
powerthatendedmorethanfifteenhundredyearsago),willexistuntilthe
endofthefinaljudgmentthatbringstheendoftheworld.Whatevidencedo
wehaveherethatthetimeprophecyinverse25
shouldnotbetakenliterally,
aswell?
ClearlywithinbothDaniel7andDaniel8themselves,giventhecontextinwhich
theyoperate(massiveworldempiresthat,beginninginantiquityandculminating
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intheendoftheworld,coverthousandsofyearsofhistory),ithardlymakessense
thatthemajortimepropheciesinthemwouldbeliteral;thatis,inthecase
ofDaniel7coveringonlythreeandahalfyearsandinDaniel8aboutsixyearsand
threemonths(or2,300literaldays).Thesetimeframeshardlydojusticetothe
magnitudeoftheeventsdepictedinthevisions.
Once,though,thedayyearprincipleisapplied,thetimepropheciesmakemore
sense,fittinginmuchbetterwiththescaleofeventsinwhichtheyaredepicted.
Whatevidencedoyouseethatwearelivingin"theend"thatDanieltalked
about?Howshouldthisrealizationimpacthowwelive?Whatinourlives,if
anything,revealsthatwetrulybelievewearelivinginthe"end"?
MONDAY
August21
Daniel9andPropheticTime
Reviewthe70weekprophecyofDaniel9:2427.Whatinternalevidencedo
wehavethatthiscan'tbetakenasliteraltime?
Aswesawinanearlierlesson,regardlessofthedatesoneusedforthecommandto
restoreandtorebuildJerusalemandfortheministryofJesus,therewereclearly
morethanseventyliteralweeksbetweenthetwoevents.Takenliterally,the
prophecybecomesmeaningless.Howinteresting,however,thatifthedayyear
principleisapplied,theprophecyworksperfectly,bringingusrighttoJesus.Thus,
inarealsense,theministryofJesus,asrevealedinDaniel9,provesthevalidityof
thedayyearprinciple.
Somepeople,however,arguethatthewordfor"weeks"inDaniel9:24means
"weeksofyears,"thuseachofthoseweeksaresevenyears.Therefore,wehave70
"weeksofyears,"whichcomesto490years.
Theonlyproblem,however,isthatthewordtranslated"weeks"inDaniel
9:24neverappearsanywhereelseintheBibleotherthanas"weeks."Itnever
means"weeksofyears."
LookupExodus34:22;Leviticus12:5;Deuteronomy16:10;andDaniel10:2,
3,afewplacesintheBiblewherethatbasicwordtranslated"weeks"appears.
Whatevidencewithinthetextsthemselvesshowsthataweek,orweeks,was
meant,asopposedto"weeksofyears"?
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InDaniel10:2,3thesamewordappearsasinDaniel9:24,anditobviouslydoesn't
mean"weeksofyears."(Danielfasted3weeksofyears,or21years?)Also,evenif
oneacceptedtheerrorthatthewordinDaniel9:24means"weeksofyears,"a
weekofyearsisstillsevenyears,thesamenumberofyearsasifyouusedtheday
yearprinciple.Thus,thedayyearprincipleissoingrainedintheprophecythata
scholarlyconcoctiondevisedtogetridoftheprincipleonlyaffirmsitinstead!
Noticehowlongthetimeperiodswe'redealingwithare:490years,1,260
years,2,300years.Howshouldtheselongtimeperiodshelpusunderstand
whatpatiencemeansandhowweneedtotrustGodwhenthingsdon'thappen
asquicklyaswewouldlike?
TUESDAY
August22
SeventyWeeksand2,300Days
Aswe'veseen,the70weekprophecymakesnosenseiftakenliterally.Oncethe
dayyearprincipleisapplied,itbringsusrighttoJesus.Thus,theprophecyitself
demandsthedayyearprinciple.
Daniel9:2427demandsthedayyearprinciple.Now,becausethisprophecy
was"cutoff"fromthe2,300dayprophecy,whatdoesthattellusaboutthe
dayyearprincipleandthe2,300days?
The70weekprophecycomesto490years.The2,300days,ifliteral,cometoa
littlemorethansixyears.Could490yearsbe"cutoff"fromalittlemorethansix
years?Ofcoursenot.From2,300years?Ofcourse.Hencehere'smoreevidence
thatthedayyearprinciplemustbeappliedtothe2,300dayprophecy,aswell.It
makesnosensetoapplytheprincipletothe70weeks,whichisonlypartofthe
2,300days,andnotapplyittothe2,300days,aswell.
NowonderAdventistshaven'tbeentheonlyonestousethedayyearprinciplefor
the2,300days.OneofthegreatestJewishscholars,Rashi(A.D.10401105),
translatedDaniel8:14as,"Andhesaiduntome,Unto2,300years...."Notonlyis
thisideanotanAdventistinnovation,ithasbeenusedbyotherscholarsonthese
sameprophecieslongbeforeus.
LookupNumbers14:34andEzekiel4:5,6.Thoughinandofthemselvesnot
provingthedayyearprinciple,whatevidencedotheygiveforit?
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Lookupthesetexts,allfoundearlyintheBible(Gen.5:14,5:23,9:29).What
linkdotheyshowbetweendaysandyearsintheBible?
Aswelookatallthesetimeprophecies,greatpropheticperiodsthathaveall
comeandgone,whatshouldthistellusabouthowweusethefewprecious
momentsallottedtousinlife?Whatchangesmightyouneedtomakeinyour
ownuseoftime?
WEDNESDAY
August23
MoreProof
ReadthequestioninDaniel8:13again.Whenyoudo,yourealizethatthe
wordconcerningdoesnotappearintheHebrew,nordoesHebrewgrammarallow
forit.Thus,thequestionisn'tjustabouttheactivityofthelittlehorn.Instead,the
questionisabouteverythingdepictedinthechapter,whichincludesthevision
abouttheramandthegoat(MediaPersiaandGreece),aswellastheactivityofthe
littlehorn(paganandpapalRome).Aliteraltranslationwouldread,"Howlongthe
vision,thedaily,andthetransgressionofdesolationtogivethesanctuaryandthe
hostatrampling."Inotherwords,thequestionlistseverythingthathappenedinthe
vision.Infact,thewordfor"vision"inverse13ishazon,which,aswesawearlier,
dealswiththeramandthegoatandthelittlehorn;thatis,MediaPersia,Greece,
andRome.
Thequestion,then,couldbeparaphrasedlikethis:Howlongwillallthesethings,
fromtheriseofMediaPersia,theriseofGreece,andfinallytoRome'sattackon
Christ'sheavenlyministry,beallowedtogoon?
Readtheliteraltranslationofthetextgivenabove.Whydoesthisshowthat
the2,300dayscannotbetakenasliteraltime?Ifliteral,howcoulditcoverall
theeventsdepictedinthequestion?
Thepointshouldbeobvious:The2,300daysmustcoveralltheeventsdepictedin
thevisionofDaniel8;thatis,MediaPersia,Greece,Rome,andthesanctuary
cleansed.Aliteral2,300dayperiodoftimedoesnotevenbegintocoveroneof
thosekingdoms,muchlessall.Ontheotherhand,withthedayyearprinciple,the
problemisinstantlysolved.Twentythreehundredyears,ratherthanalittlemore
thansix,covertheeventsinquestion.
IfyoureadagainthequestioninDaniel8,itdealswithlongperiodsofhistory
thatinvolvepersecution,apostasy,suffering,allwithinalongtime
65
frame(seevss.2325).Intheend,though,whathappens?Andnotonlyarewe
toldwhathappens,throughtheseprophecieswearetoldwhentheywill
happen.Whyshouldthesetextsgiveusthehopethatregardlessofpresent
circumstances,GodwillenditallandbringallthingstoHisglory?How
shouldthisrealizationgiveyoustrengthandcouragetoremainfaithful
regardlessofyourcircumstances?
THURSDAY
August24
DayYearPrinciple
SkimoverthevisionandtheinterpretationinDaniel7.Whydoallthose
symbolshelpusunderstandwhythetimeelementinthevisionshouldbe
symbolic,aswell?
Daniel7isachapterfilledwithallsortsofsymbols,orimages,thatarenottobe
takenliterally.Thus,whyshouldwetaketheprophetictimegiveninitasliteral,
whenalmosteverythingelseissymbolic?
ReadDaniel8.Inthesameveinasthelastquestion,whatevidencedowehave
thatthetimeperiodhereshouldbeviewedassymbolic,notliteral,aswell?
Daniel8isnomoreaboutflyinggoats(vs.5)thanDaniel7wasaboutbeastswith
ironteeth(vs.7).Instead,theseweresymbolic;inthesameway,thetimeperiods
givenweresymbolic,aswell.
Infact,ofthethreetimeperiodswe'vebeenlookingatthe"time,times,andthe
dividingoftime"(Dan.7:25);the"twothousandandthreehundreddays"(Dan.
8:14);andthe"seventyweeks"(Dan.9:24)noneiswritteninthecommonway
thattimeisexpressed.Forexample,insteadofsaying2,300days,whydidn't
Gabrielsaythatthesanctuarywouldbecleansedin"sixyears,threemonths,and
twentydays"?In2Samuel5:5,thetextsaysthattheking"reignedoverJudah
sevenyearsandsixmonths"asopposedto2,700days.It'sthesamewiththetwo
othertimeprophecies:Noneisexpressedinthecommonwaythattimeis
expressed.
ReadLuke4:25andJames5:17.ComparethemwithDaniel7:25.Whichones
weredealingwithliteraltime,andhowwasthatliteraltimeexpressedin
contrastwiththeoneexpressingprophetictime?
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Givenwhatwe'vestudied,whyisthedayyearprinciplesoimportanttousas
Adventists?Whatwouldhappentoourwholepropheticfoundationwerethis
principlethrownout?
FRIDAY
August25
FurtherStudy:
Scholarsalsohaveshownevidenceforthelinkbetweendaysandyearsin
Hebrewpoetry,wheredaysareusedinparalleltoyears,showingasemantic
linkbetweenthetwotimeperiods:
"Arethydaysasthedaysofman?
Arethyyearsasman'sdays."Job10:5
"Daysshouldspeak,andmultitudeofyears
shouldteachwisdom."Job32:7
"Ihaveconsideredthedaysofold,
theyearsofancienttimes."Psalm77:5
Ineachofthesecases,daysandyearsweresayingbasicallythesamething;that
is,theyweredifferentwordsusedtoconveythesameidea.Thoughthese
parallelsdon'tprove,inandofthemselves,thedayyearprinciple,theydoshow
thatintheHebrewmind,daysandyearswerelinked.
Asaclass,gooverthisweek'slessonuntileveryone
isgroundedinthevalidityofthedayyearprinciple.
Asaclass,answerthisquestion:Whydoesthe
Bibleemploysomanysymbols?Whatmightbethe
reasonfortheuseofsymbols?
WhatotherevidencecanonefindintheBiblefor
thedayyearprinciple?
Thinkaboutthis:Wehavebeenherealmosttwo
thousandyearssincethedeathofChrist.Howdothese
timeprophecies,asunderstoodthroughthedayyear
principle,helpusrealizethatweareindeedlivingnear
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theendandthatweshouldn'texpectanothertwo
thousandyearstopassbeforeChristreturns?Thatis,
howdotheseprophecieshelpusunderstandwherewe
areinthehistoryoftheworldandwhyweshouldknow
thatChrist'scomingisnear?
RomeandAntiochus
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Isa.55:11;Matt.13:1013;Luke2:1;Luke21:20,21;John11:48;John
16:12;2Pet.1:19.
MemoryText:
"Anditcametopassinthosedays,thattherewentoutadecreefrom
CaesarAugustus,thatalltheworldshouldbetaxed"(Luke2:1).
Thesubjectofthesanctuarywasthekeythatunlockedthemysteryofthe
disappointmentof1844.Itopenedtoviewacompletesystemoftruth,connected
andharmonious,showingthatGod'shandhaddirectedthegreatadvent
movementandrevealingpresentdutyasitbroughttolightthepositionandwork
ofHispeople.AsthedisciplesofJesusaftertheterriblenightoftheiranguish
anddisappointmentwere'gladwhentheysawtheLord,'sodidthosenow
rejoicewhohadlookedinfaithforHissecondcoming."EllenG.White,The
GreatControversy,p.423.
Indeed,the1844preAdventjudgmentisacrucialdoctrineoftheAdventist
Church;notonlydoesitexplainthedisappointmentof1844,ithelpsus
understandwhowearetodayandwhyweexistasamovement.Withsomuchat
stake,ourenemyisconstantlyatworktoundermineus,andifhecanundoour
beliefin1844,hewillgreatlysucceed.Thus,itisimportantthatweas
Adventistsbefirmlyrootedinthisteaching,aswellasbepreparedtoanswer
challengesagainstit.
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Thisweekwe'llcontinuetolookatmoreBibletextsthatwillhelpsolidifyusin
ourunderstandingofthiskeyteaching,which,whenproperlyunderstood,
revealstousingranderlightthewonderfulsavinggraceofourLordJesus
ChristinviewofwhatHehasdoneforusattheCrossandisdoingforusnowin
heaven.
*Studythisweek'slessontoprepareforSabbath,September2.
SUNDAY
August27
RomeintheNewTestament
Sofar,we'vebeendealingwithaspanofempires,beginningwithBabylonand
endingwithGod'skingdom.Wenoticedthatofthefivekingdomsrevealed,four
werenamed.TheonlyonenotnamedwasRome,bothinitspaganandpapal
stages,eventhoughinmostofthepropheciesmoretimewasspentdescribing
Romethananyotherkingdom.
ThoughRomeitselfmightnothavebeenmentionedbynameintheOld
Testament,itsexistenceandpowerdominatedtheNew.TheGospels,thebookof
Acts,andtheEpistlesallunfoldinaRomanenvironment.Danielmentionsby
nameBabylon,MediaPersia,Greece,andGod'sfinalkingdom,whiletheNew
TestamentopenlynamesRome,thepowerthatarisesafterGreeceanddominates
theworldduringthetimeofChristandafterward.
Lookupthesetexts(Matt.22:17,Luke2:1,Luke3:1,John11:48,Acts
25:21).Whichempireisclearlydepictedasthedominantpower?
NoticeinLuke2:1that"alltheworld"shouldbetaxed.Onlyaworldpowercould
taxalltheworld.Howinteresting,too,thatDaniel7:23saysthatthefourthbeast
will"devourthewholeearth";thatis,thefourthbeastisobviouslyaworldempire,
suchasRome.
ReadMatthew24:15andLuke21:20,21.WhateventisJesustalkingabout
here?
InthecontextofthedestructionofJerusalem,bytheRomans,Jesuslinkedthe
RomanEmpiretothebookofDaniel.Jesus,therefore,notonlypointstoRomebut
placesitwithinDanielitself.Phrasinglinkedto"theabominationofdesolation"
spokenofbyJesus,inreferencetoDaniel,occursthreetimesinDaniel(Dan.
9:27,11:31,12:11).Thus,JesuslinkstheRomanEmpiretoDaniel,makingiteven
69
moreobviousthatRomeisthatgreatpowerthatarisesinDaniel2,7,and8,after
Greeceandextendsto"theend."
ThoughDanieldoesn'tnameRome,theNewTestamentdoes.Thus,followingthe
ProtestantformulaoftheBiblebeingitsowninterpreter,wefindallfourempires
depictedinDanielnamedintheBible.
Lookathowclearandunambiguousthesepropheciesare.HowcouldtheLord
havemadeitanyeasierforustobelieve?Andyet,wesooftenstrugglewith
faith.Whyisthatso,andwhatthingscanyoudoonadailybasistohelpkeep
awaydoubt?
MONDAY
August28
TheTwoLittleHorns
InbothDaniel7andDaniel8,alittlehornpowerfiguresprominently.A
comparisonoftheircharacteristicsnotonlyshowsthattheyarethesamepowerbut
helpsfortifyourpositiononjustwhatthatpoweris.Alotofinformationisgiven
abouttheselittlehorns,moredetailsaboutthemthananyoftheothermajor
kingdomsdepicted.Thisshouldtellustwothings:(1)Theselittlehornsobviously
symbolizeanimportantpowerintheprophetichistoryoftheworld,and(2)the
Lordwantsustoknowforsurejustwhatpowertheserepresent.
Belowwewilllookatsimilaritiesbetweenthetwolittlehorns.Asyoustudy
thesecharacteristicsandsimilarities,thinkabouthowthesecharacteristics
helpaffirmusinourinterpretationofthispower:
1.Botharedepictedbythesamesymbol,ahorn(Dan.7:8,20;8:9).
2.Botharepersecutingpowers(Dan.7:21,25;8:10,24).
3.Bothareselfexaltingandblasphemous(Dan.7:8,20,25;8:10,11,25).
4.BothtargetGod'speople(Dan.7:25,8:24).
5.Bothhaveaspectsoftheiractivitydelineatedbyprophetictime(Dan.
7:25;8:13,14).
6.Bothextenduntilthetimeoftheend(Dan.7:25,26;8:17,19).
7.Bothwillbesupernaturallydestroyed(Dan.7:11,26;8:25).
70
Whenyouhavetwopowersrepresentedbythesamepropheticsymbolandwho
carryoutthesamebasicactionsinthesametimeslotintheflowofvisions,it
seemsmorethanobviousthatwearetalkingaboutthesamepower.Also,
consideringthedescriptionsofthispower,theburdenofproofliesheavilyon
thosewhointerpretthispowerasanythingotherthanRome.
WhatBibleprophecieshavebeenespeciallyhelpfulinestablishingyourfaith?
Whynotreviewthemagain?Themoreyougothroughthem,themorethey
willencourageyou.Whynotsharethemwithsomeonewhomightneedsome
encouragementnow?
TUESDAY
August29
TheRomeFactor
Howeverobvioustheidentificationofthatfinalearthlypower,thequestionarises,
Whywasn'titnamed?Howmucheasieritwouldbeandhowmuchfutileandfalse
speculationwouldhavebeensavedhaditsimplybeennamedaswereBabylon,
MediaPersia,Greece,andGod'sfinalkingdom.Asmentionedearlier(seelesson
3),someclaimthatRomewasn'tnamedbecauseDanielsimplyrecountedhistory
thatalreadyhappenedasopposedtopredictingitbeforeitunfolded.Inother
words,theaccountsofthelions'den,thefieryfurnace,andthedreamsandvisions
werefables.Aswe'vealreadyseen,that'safalseandbankruptidea.
Readthefollowingtexts(Dan.12:4,9;Matt.13:1013;Luke10:24;John
16:12;2Pet.1:19).Whatideaisconveyedhereaboutthetiminginwhichthe
LordrevealscertaintruthstoHispeople?
Astheabovetextsshow,Goddoesn'trevealalltruthtoallpeopleatonce.Lightis
oftengiveninaprogressivemanner;moreandmoretruthunfoldsinaccordance
withGod'sperfecttimetable.
Maybe,then,Romeisn'tdirectlynamednotbecauseDanielwasn'tabletotellthe
futurebutbecausetheLordknewthatRomewouldbeinsolecontrolofthe
ScripturesforcenturiesandthathadtheleadersinRomeseentheempiredistinctly
named,particularlyinsuchabadlight,theycouldhavedestroyedtheScriptures
orthebookofDaniel.Asitwas,notsurewhatitwastalkingabout,theycould
givethetextidentitiesotherthanitself.Meanwhile,theLordkeptthatidentity
hidden,knowingthatHewouldattherighttimeraiseuppeople,theProtestant
Reformers,whowoulddiscoverthetrueidentityofthelittlehornpower.(Daniel
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doessaythathiswordswouldbe"closedupandsealedtillthetimeofthe
end"[Dan.12:9].)ManyoftheReformersdid,indeed,seeRomeinthatrole!
Infact,JewswholivedduringthetimeoftheRomanEmpirewouldofteninterpret
thesesameprophecieslikethis:Babylon,MediaPersia,Greece,andEdom.Why
Edom?Because,afraidoftheRomans,theJewshidtheinterpretation,something
thattheLordinHisdivineprovidenceandforesightdidhundredsofyearsearlier
inDanielitself.
Whatlessonscanwelearnhereabouthowweneedtodealdelicatelywith
people?Inourzealtobehonest,howcanwealsobeprudentandnotsay
things,thoughperhapstrue,thatothersmightnotyetbereadytohear?
WEDNESDAY
August30
TheDateofDaniel
InthethirdyearofthereignofkingBelshazzaravisionappeareduntome,
evenuntomeDaniel,afterthatwhichappeareduntomeatthefirst"(Dan.
8:1).
Accordingtotheabovetext,atwhattimeinhistorydidtheprophetDaniel
live?
Aswe'veseen,thepropheciesinDanielprovidepowerfulevidencenotonlyforthe
existenceofGodbutforthevalidityoftheScripturesasGod'sWord.Thus,from
theearliestdaysoftheChristianchurch,opponentshavesoughttoundermine,
evendestroy,confidenceintheScriptures,especiallytheprophecies.Aswesaid
earlier,oneattemptwastoclaimthatDanielwasnotwritteninthetimeframein
whichitplacesitselfbutmanycenturieslater,apositionweasSeventhday
Adventistsemphaticallyreject.Unfortunately,weareamongasmallnumberof
Christianswhodoso.
Readthefollowingtexts:Daniel1:1,2:1,7:1,8:1,9:1.Inwhattimeframe
doesthebookofDanieldateitself?Whatconclusioncanonedrawaboutthe
positionofthosewho,despitethiscleartestimony,neverthelessinsistthatthe
bookofDanielwaswrittenmanycenturieslater?SeealsoIsa.55:11,Mark
15:28[NotinNIV],John17:17,Acts1:16.
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DirectlytiedwiththisattempttodatethebookofDanielcenturiesafteritdates
itselfistheattempttolinktheidentityofthelittlehorninDaniel8withanancient
GreekrulernamedAntiochusEpiphanes.Moststudentstodayacceptthis
interpretation;almostanymoderncommentarywillusethatinterpretation.Aswe'll
see,itcannotpossiblybecorrect.Manywhoacceptthisinterpretationdosonot
realizingtherationalebehindit,whichisthatDanielwasnotwrittenwhenitsays
itwasbutmuchlater.Eitherway,becausethisviewisprevalent,weneedtolook
atit.
WhatareotherwaysinwhichourfaithintheScripturescanbeundermined,
eitherovertlyorsubtly?Moreimportant,whatstepscanyoutaketodefend
yourselfagainstanythingthatcan,bitbybit,weakenyourtrustintheveracity
andinspirationoftheBible?
THURSDAY
August31
Antiochus
ReadDaniel8:58,thevisionofthehegoat,andthenDaniel8:21,22,
Gabriel'sinterpretationofthehegoat.Accordingtotheprophecy,whatwas
thefateofthehegoat?
Historybearstestimonytotheamazingaccuracyofthisprophecy.Thehegoat,of
course,wasancientGreece,andafterthedeathofAlexandertheGreat,theempire
splitapart,foratime,into"fourkingdoms"(Dan.8:22)underfourgenerals.One
ofthekingdomswastheSeleucid,whichlastedfromabout301B.C.untilabout
146B.C.Amongthesekings,onewasnamedAntiochusEpiphanes.Hewasthe
eighthSeleucidking(175164B.C.);twentymorefollowedafterhim.Throughthe
conquestsofhispredecessors,he,forashortwhileattainedcontrolofJudea,
defiledthetempleinJerusalemforaboutthreeyears,andpersecutedtheJews.He
died,apparentlyfromnaturalcauses,inalatercampaign(164B.C.)afterbeing
drivenoutofJerusalem.Heistheonewhomostinterpretersbelieveisthelittle
horn.
1.TheMedoPersianrambecame"great"(vs.4);theGreciangoat"very
great"(vs.8);thelittlehornbecame"exceedinggreat"(vs.9).Howdoesthis
descriptionandcomparisonofempiresautomaticallydisqualifyAntiochusas
thelittlehorn?
73
2.AccordingtoDaniel8:17,19,26,theprophecydealtwithendtimethings,
andthelittlehornwasthelastpowerpresentedinthevision.Becausehedied
in164B.C.,whycanAntiochusnotbethelittlehorn?
3.AccordingtoDaniel8:25,thelittlehornwouldbe"brokenwithouthand,"
aphrasewesawearlierthatthroughparallelismwithDaniel2:34,45
depictedasupernatural,cataclysmicdestruction.Why,givenwhat'swritten
aboveabouthisdemise,doesAntiochusnotfitagain?
Despitetheevidence(andthere'smore)againstAntiochus,Adventistsare
almostaloneintheChristianworldinourpositionopposedtothat
interpretation.Whatdoesthistellusaboutourneedtostandfirminour
beliefs,despiteamajorityofvoicesagainstourposition?Inwhatotherways
doyouhavetostandfirmforapositionthatisnotpopular?
FRIDAY
September1
FurtherStudy:
AnotherattempttomaketheimpossiblefitofAntiochuscentersaroundthe
argumentconcerningtheoriginofthelittlehorninDaniel8:8,9."Thereforethe
hegoatwaxedverygreat:andwhenhewasstrong,thegreathornwasbroken;
andforitcameupfournotableonestowardthefourwindsofheaven.Andout
ofoneofthemcameforthalittlehorn,whichwaxedexceedinggreat,toward
thesouth,andtowardtheeast,andtowardthepleasantland."Arguingfor
Antiochus,somesaythatthelittlehornarosefromoneofthe"fournotable
ones,"meaningthenationsthataroseafterthedeathofAlexandertheGreat.
Thatwouldbe,theyclaim,Antiochus,notRome.
Theargumentfallsapartonafewgrounds.First,thewordtheminthelast
phraseofverse8refersnotto"fournotableones"but"fourwindsofheaven."
Immediatelyafter,thetextsaysthatoutof"oneofthem"cameforthalittle
horn.Oneofwhat?Theclosestphraseis"thefourwindsofheaven,"the
obviouschoice.(Somearguethathornsgrowoutofhorns,notwinds,though
whenwasthelasttimeanyoneeversawahorngrowoutofanotherhorn?)
Second,Hebrewgrammar,withfeminineandmasculinenouns,worksvery
welllinkingthe"oneofthem"withthe"fourwindsofheaven";itdoesn'twork
atalllinkingitwiththe"notableones."
74
Finally,evenifthatargumentaboutoriginshadsomevalidity,theotherfactors
wouldshowtheimpossibilityoftheAntiochusinterpretation.
Whyaretheseissuessoimportant?Whatdifferencedoesitmake?Asa
class,discussthispoint:If,forinstance,thelittlehornpowerwere
Antiochus,thenthewholeprophecyofDaniel8wouldhavebeenfulfilled
andcompletedaboutonehundredfiftyyearsbeforeChrist.Ifso,what
wouldthatmeanforus,asSeventhdayAdventists?Whydoyouthinkthat
thevastmajorityoftheChristianworldtodayholdstosuchanerroneous
viewofthelittlehorn?
Discussasaclasstheissueofwhatitmeanstoholddoctrinesthatmost
otherChristiansdon'taccept.Shouldthisbotherus?Discussyour
answers.
LESSON 11
TheSanctuaryandthe
LittleHorn
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Exod.27:20;29:42;Num.4:7;28:6;Rom.8:34;Heb.7:2427;8:15;9:114,
24.
MemoryText:
"Nowofthethingswhichwehavespokenthisisthesum:Wehavesuchan
highpriest,whoissetontherighthandofthethroneoftheMajestyinthe
heavens;aministerofthesanctuary,andofthetruetabernacle,whichthe
Lordpitched,andnotman"(Hebrews8:1,2).
75
Inthepastfewweeks,wehaveseentheemphasisthatDaniel8hasplacedon
thelittlehorn.Obviously,it'sanissueofgreatimportance,consideringthe
prominencegivennotonlytoitsdescriptionbutalsotoitsexplanationlaterin
thechapter.
Thisweekwe'regoingtolookevenmorecloselyatthelittlehorn,focusing
specificallyonitsattackagainstthe"princeofthehost,"the"daily,"and"the
placeofhissanctuary."
We'regoingtosee,too,howcentraltheideaoftheheavenlysanctuaryistothe
chapter,forit'sonlyinthecontextoftheheavenlysanctuaryanditsservicesthat
wecangetabetterunderstandingofthelittlehorn'sassault.
Thisweek'sstudyalsowillhelpsetthefoundationforwhatwillcomelater:a
deeperlookattheroleofthesanctuary,andparticularlyitscleansing,inthe
contextofthegospelandtheentireplanofsalvation,which,ofcourse,leads
intothegreathopeforallChristianseverywhere:thesecondcomingofJesus.
SUNDAY
September3
"EventothePrinceoftheHost"
ReadDaniel8:912,whichfocusesontheactivityofthelittlehorn.Whatare
thespecificthings,accordingtothetext,thatthelittlehornpowerdoes?
Inanearlierlesson(week5),wenoticedhowthedirectionofthelittlehorn's
activityhadshifted,firstfromahorizontaldirection(vs.9),whichdepicteda
militaryorpoliticalexpansion,toaverticalone(vss.1012),whichrevealeda
religiousdimension.This,wesaid,showedthetwophasesofRome,firstpagan,
thenpapal.
Lookagainatthedescriptionofthelittlehorn'sactivitiesinverses1012.
Theseactions,obviously,aren'ttobetakenliterallybutsymbolically.Without
attemptingtounderstandeachsymbol,whatkindofactionisbeingportrayed
here?Whatkindofattackisthelittlehornlaunching?
76
Lookatsomeofthekeywordsseeninthisattack:"host"(Neh.9:6,Luke
2:13);"heaven"(Matt.6:1,Heb.9:24);"prince"(Isa.9:6,Dan.12:1,Acts
3:15,5:31);"daily"(Num.4:16,28:24,29:6);"sanctuary"(Exod.25:8;Heb.8:1,
2);"truth"(Job9:2,John14:6,1Tim.2:4,James5:19).Allthesewords,filled
withreligiousandspiritualmeaning,arewhatcomeunderattackbythelittlehorn.
Thus,morethananythingelse,it'sthereligiousattackbythelittlehornthatplays
greatprominencehere,andthat'sthefocusofthevision.TheLordwantsustosee
thereligiousdimensionofthelittlehornandthatitsactivitiesareinareligious
sphere.ThisactivityisseenagainintheexplanationinDaniel8:2325,inwhich
thelittlehornspecificallyissaidtopersecute"themightyandtheholypeople,"as
wellastostandupagainst"thePrinceofprinces."
Inyourownexperience,whatarethewaysthatyourfaithandbeliefshave
comeunderattack?Whichhasbeenthegreatestchallengetoyou?Whathas
beenyourmosteffectivemeansofdefense?
MONDAY
September4
TheSanctuary
ComparethekindofbeastsymbolsfoundinDaniel7andinDaniel8.What
greatdifferencedoyouseebetweenthem?
NotonlyarethebeastsinDaniel8sanctuaryanimals,theyareamongtheanimals
usedontheDayofAtonement(Leviticus16).Thisprovidesthefirstlinktothe
bookofLeviticus,whichspendsmoretimedealingwiththesanctuaryservicethan
anyotherbookintheOldTestament.
ReadagainDaniel8:1012(seealsovss.13,14).Whatisthecenterofthelittle
horn'sattack?
It'sclearthatthesanctuaryisunderattack.
First,thelittlehorntakesawaythe"daily."TheHebrewwordtranslated
"daily"(tamid)alsomeans"continual"or"perpetual,"anditisusednumerous
timesindirectreferencetothedaybydayministryofthepriestsinthefirst
apartmentoftheearthlysanctuaryservice.This,then,isanunmistakablereference,
notonlytothesanctuaryservicebuttothedailyministryinthatservice(seeExod.
27:20,29:42,Num.4:7,28:6).
InDaniel8:11,itsaidthatthe"place"orthe"foundation"ofHissanctuarywas
castdown.Thatwordplaceisfoundinnumeroustexts,allinreferencetothe
77
sanctuary,ortoGod'sdwellingplace,whichalsohasalinktothesanctuary(Exod.
15:17,1Kings8:13,2Chron.6:2,Isa.18:4).
Thenthereare,ofcourse,thereferencestothe"sanctuary"itself,foundnotonly
inverse11butalsoinverses13and14.Theseversesaloneshowclearlyhowthe
sanctuary,whichwastheearthlymodeloftheplanofsalvation,wasunderattack.
Giventhetimeframeofthisphaseofthelittlehorn,whicharosearoundthe
fifthcenturyA.D.,whycanthisnotbeanattackontheearthlysanctuary?
BecausetheearthlysanctuaryhadbeendestroyedinA.D.70,thiswasanattackon
theheavenlysanctuary.Thelittlehorn,ofcourse,wouldnotgetintoheaven,so
this,instead,wouldhavebeenanattackonallthatwassymbolizedbythe
sanctuary,whichistheplanofsalvation.Thus,thelittlehornattacksnotonly
God'speoplebuttheplanofsalvation,aswell.
TUESDAY
September5
TheAttack
Daniel,morethanfivehundredyearsbeforeChrist,isshowninvisiontheessence
ofRome'slaterattackon"thetruth,"whichitcast"totheground"(Dan.
8:12).Amongotherthings,thelittlehornwaxesgreat,evenagainstthe"Princeof
thehost,"Jesus.
AtthetimeofRome'sattack,wherewasChrist,andwhatwasHe
doing?Rom.8:34;Heb.7:2427;8:15;9:1114,24.
Thelittlehorn,aswesaw,waxedgreat,eventothe"Princeofthehost,"whois
obviouslyChrist.Itsattack,too,centeredagainstnotjustthepeopleofGodbut
againstthesanctuaryanditsfoundationandservices,inthiscase,specifically,the
"daily"service.
It'sveryimportanttokeepinmindthatChrist,"thePrinceofthehost,"isnow
ministeringforusintheheavenlysanctuary,whichisunderattackbythelittle
horn.Again,thelanguagewassymbolic;thelittlehorndidn'tactuallygetinto
heaven,anymorethanitphysicallycastthe"truth"orthe"placeofhissanctuary"
totheground.
78
Thus,thisattackbythelittlehornwasalsoanattackontheplanofsalvation,
whichbeganwiththedeathofChrist(symbolizedbythedeathoftheanimalsin
thesanctuaryservice),andwhichwasfollowedbyChrist'shighpriestlyministry
(symbolizedbytheministryofthepriesthoodintheearthlyservice).Everything
symbolizedbythatsanctuaryhascomeunderattackbythelittlehorn.
Howdiditdothis?
ChristisnowourHighPriest,intercedingforusintheheavenlysanctuary.A
carefulstudyoftheRomansystemshowshowtheentirestructureofthechurch,
withitspriesthood,mediation,andmass,usurpseverythingthatChristhasdonefor
usorisdoingforusnow.Everythingthatweasbelieverswouldattributedirectly
toGodandChristhasbeencommandeeredbytheRomanChurchitself,which
accordingtothetext"magnifieditself"(Dan.8:11,RSV),eventoChristHimself
(seeFriday'slesson).
Whatistheroleoftheorganizedchurchintheplanofsalvation?Howcanyou
beanactiveparticipantinhelpingthechurchfulfillitsrole?Atthesametime,
whatarethelimitsofwhatthechurchcandoforyouinyourwalkwiththe
Lord?
WEDNESDAY
September6
The"Daily":Part1
Asyoureadaboutthelittlehorn'sattackinDaniel8:1012
onthesanctuary,itsays
specificallythatthelittlehorntookaway"thedaily."Thoughmanytranslationsin
Englishsupplytheword"sacrifice"or"burntofferings,"thetextdoesnotsaythat.
Thoughthisadditionshowsthattranslatorswereabletoseetheclearlinkwiththe
sanctuary,theaddedwordisnotwarranted.Theword"daily"(seeMonday's
lesson)dealtnotjustwiththedailysacrificesbutwiththeentiredailyoperationsof
theearthlysanctuary.
Whatpartofthe"daily"service(translatedas"always,""continual,"
"perpetual")isdepictedineachofthesetexts?Also,inwhatpartofthe
sanctuaryaremostoftheseactivitiestakingplace?
Exod.25:30
Exod.27:20
79
Exod.30:8
Lev.6:13
Inthesetexts,thewordtamid(translated"daily"or"thedaily"inDaniel8:11)
modifiedeachoftheseactivities.Thus,thoughthetamidincludedthesacrifices,it
includedthedaybydayministrationsofthepriesthood,which,accordingtothe
bookofHebrews,wasjustan"exampleandshadowofheavenlythings"(Heb.
8:5).Thoseheavenlythings,ofcourse,werethespiritualrealitiesofChrist'shigh
priestlyministry;alltheseearthlyactivities,theseshadows,weresimplysymbols
ofChristministeringintheheavenlysanctuaryinourbehalf.Again,thisiswhat
hascomeunderattackbythelittlehorn.
Alsonotice,too,thattheseactivitiescenteredaroundthefirstapartmentofthe
earthlysanctuary.Thebread,thelampstand,andtheincensewereallinthefirst
apartment;thesacrifice,ofcourse,wasatthealtaroutsideit.
Theimportantpoint,whichwillbeseenlater,isthatnoneoftheactivitieshad
anythingtodowiththeMostHolyPlace,thesecondaparnnent,whichthehigh
priestenteredonlyonceayear,whenthesanctuarywascleansed.
Whatkindof"daily,"or"continual,"activitiesaresoimportantforyourown
spiritualgrowth?Whyisthefactthattheyaredone"daily"soimportantfor
thatgrowth?
THURSDAY
September7
"TheDaily":Part2
Theearthlysanctuaryservicewasamodeloftheheavenly;thesacrificesandthe
ministryofthepriesthoodweretypes,figures,miniprophecies,asitwere,ofthe
deathandhighpriestlyministryofJesus.
WhatdoesHebrews9:114teachabouttherelationshipbetweentheearthly
serviceandtheheavenlyone?
Studentsofthesanctuaryserviceknowthatbesidesthedailyministrationinthe
firstapartment,onceayearthehighpriestenteredintotheMostHolyPlaceto
performthe"cleansingofthesanctuary"(seeLeviticus16).Becausethishappened
onlyonceayear,it'softencalled"theyearly,"tocontrastitwith"thedaily."
Hence,theentiresanctuaryservicecouldbeplacedbroadlyintwocategories:the
80
daily,firstapartmentministry,andtheyearly,secondapartmentministry,during
whichthesanctuarywascleansed.
We'veseen,too,thatthelittlehornattackstheheavenlysanctuary,whichwasan
attackontheplanofsalvationitself.This,webelieve,referstotheentireRoman
Catholicsystem,whichhasusurpedtheroleandprerogativesofGodandChristin
theplanofsalvation(seeFriday'slesson).
Now,animportantquestion:Whywasjustthedailyservice,thetamid,specifiedas
theobjectofthelittlehorn'sattack?Whydidthevisionemphasizeonlyoneaspect
ofthesanctuaryservice,asopposedtoboth?
ReadDaniel8:14.Howdoesthistexthelpanswertheabovequestions?
Thelittlehornwasabletoattackonlythe"daily"becausethe"yearly,"thesecond
apartmentministry,whichoccurredwhenthesanctuarywascleansed,wasn'tin
operationthen.Notuntiltheendofthe2,300years,1844,wasthesanctuarytobe
cleansedandthe"yearly"began.
Thus,inDaniel8,bothphasesofChrist'shighpriestlyministryappear:"thedaily,"
whichcomesunderattackbythelittlehorn,and"theyearly,"whichcommencesat
theendofthe2,300days.Botharebroughttoviewinthischapter.
Imagineifeverytimeyousinned,youhadtosacrificeaninnocentanimal.
Whatkindoflessonswouldthatteachyouaboutsin?Contrastthedeathofa
goattothedeathoftheSonofGod.WhatdoesHisdeathtellusaboutthecost
ofsin?Howseriouslydoyoutakesininyourownlife?
FRIDAY
September8
FurtherStudy:
Belowarequotes,alltakenfromtheCatechismoftheCatholicChurch(New
York:Doubleday,1995).Asyouread,keepinmindDaniel8:11,12andthe
littlehorn'susurpationofwhatbelongedonlytoGodandChrist.
"Thepowerto'bindandloose'connotestheauthoritytoabsolvesins....Jesus
entrustedthisauthoritytotheChurchthroughtheministryoftheapostles."
No.553.
"Assacrament,theChurchisChrist'sinstrument.'Sheistakenupbyhimalso
astheinstrumentforthesalvationofall,'`theuniversalsacramentofsalvation.'
"No.776.
81
"ItisintheChurchthat'thefullnessofthemeansofsalvation'hasbeen
deposited."No.824.
"BasingitselfonScriptureandTradition,theCouncilteachesthattheChurch,a
pilgrimnowonearth,isnecessaryforsalvation."No.846.
"TheChurchiscatholic:sheproclaimsthefullnessofthefaith.Shebearsin
herselfandadministersthetotalityofthemeansofsalvation."No.868.
"Thereisnooffense,howeverserious,thattheChurchcannotforgive."No.
982.
"WeretherenoforgivenessofsinsintheChurch,therewouldbenohopeoflife
tocomeoreternalliberation.LetusthankGodwhohasgivenhisChurchsuch
agift."No.983.
"ByChrist'swill,theChurchpossessesthepowertoforgivethesinsofthe
baptized."No.986.
"ThroughtheliturgyChrist,ourredeemerandhighpriest,continuesthework
ofourredemptionin,with,andthroughHisChurch."No.1069.
"BaptismisbirthintothenewlifeinChrist.InaccordancewiththeLord'swill,
itisnecessaryforsalvation,asistheChurchherself,whichweenterby
Baptism."No.1277.
Howdothesequoteshelpusbetter
understandthelittlehorn'susurpationofwhat
belongsonlytoGod?
Asaclass,discussthequestionattheend
ofTuesday'slesson.Whatistheroleofthe
churchintheplanofsalvation;whatarethe
limitsinwhatitcandoforus?Whyisthechurch
ameanstoanendbutnotanendinitself?
ThePre
AdventJudgment
82
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Deut.25:1,1Kings8:32,Ps.51:14,Matt.22:113,Heb.9:2224,Rev.
20:12,22:12.
MemoryText:
"Andbehold,Icomequickly;andmyrewardiswithme,togiveeveryman
accordingashisworkshallbe"(Revelation22:12).
LastweekwelookedatthepreAdventjudgmentmostlyinDaniel8;this
weekwe'lllookatitagainbutfromtheperspectiveofDaniel7
andsomeofthe
fascinatinginsightsgiventousthere.AswiththeGospels,wearegivenhere
morethanjustonerendering;bothchapterscontaincrucialtruthsthatneedtobe
understoodtogether.Eachone,howeverenlightening,needswhattheotherhas
and,takentogether,theyrevealtousmuchaboutthisjudgment.
What'simportanttorememberisthatthesechaptersarenotjustdeeptheologyor
prophecyorhistory;instead,theytogethersendamessagetous,amessageof
hope,amessageofpromise.Togethertheytellusthatnomatterhowbadthings
are,theyaren'tgoingtolast;thatdespiteappearances,theGodwhooutlinesfor
usthehistoryoftheworldfromDaniel'stimeuntiloursandintothefuturewill
bringaboutawonderfulendinwhichevilwillbepunishedandthejustshallbe
saved.Howimportant,amidourstudyofchartsandgraphsandhistoricalevents,
nottolosesightofthiscrucialpoint.Howimportant,too,thataswesharewith
theworldthesetruths,wealwayskeepbeforethepeoplenotjustbeastsandlittle
hornsbutthewonderfulpromiseofeternallifeinGod'skingdomthat'sbeen
assuredtousthroughthebloodofJesusandHisdeathinourbehalf.
SUNDAY
September10
"UntiltheAncientofDaysCame"
Onepointthatwetouchedonearlierthisquarterwastheimportanceofthe
cleansingofthesanctuaryinDaniel8.Wesaw(seeweek5)foureventsdepicted
83
inthevision(MediaPersia,Greece,Rome,sanctuarycleansed);withthefirstthree
ofobviousmajorimportance,andwiththevisionclimaxingwiththecleansingof
thesanctuary,it'smorethanobviousthatwhateverthecleansingofthesanctuary
was,ithadtobeofmajorimportance,aswell.
Thus,thequestionis,Whatisthiscleansingofthesanctuarythatwasofsuch
importancethatitwouldbelinkedwiththegreatempiresthatScriptureusesto
depictthehistoryoftheworld?
Daniel8itselfdoesn'tyieldmuch,inandofitself,ontheanswer;fortunately,the
Lorddidn'tgiveusjustDaniel8.WehavetheobviousparallelwithDaniel7,
which,inagreatway,helpsunfoldthemysteriesofDaniel8.
WeearliersawtheparallelbetweenthejudgmentinDaniel7andthe
cleansingofthesanctuaryinDaniel8.ReadDaniel7:9,10,13,14,18,21,22,
26,27.Whatdoesthisjudgment(thesameasthecleansingofthesanctuary)
leadto?Whatistheresultofthisjudgment?Whatonespecificpointis
emphasizedoverandover?
Noticeathemereiteratedintheseverses:ThesaintswillbegivenGod'skingdom,
aneverlastingkingdomthatwillnotpassawayasdidalltheonesbeforeit.Over
andover,afterthedepictionofvariouskingdoms,especiallytheblasphemousand
persecutinglittlehorn,thefinalvictoryofGodandHissaintsisshown.Inother
words,nomatterhowbadthingsgetorhowlongthingstake,intheend,asaresult
ofthisheavenlyjudgment/cleansingofthesanctuary,evilwillbeeradicated,and
God'seternalkingdomwillbeestablished.
Inthiscontext,howmucheasiernowtounderstandwhythecleansingofthe
sanctuaryinDaniel8climaxesthevisionoftheseearthlypowers.Nowonder,too,
it'sshowntobesoimportant!
Alltheotherkingdomscameandwentorfinallywillbedestroyed.Incontrast,
thesaintswill"possess"(vs.18)God'seternalkingdom.Whatdoesthat
promisemeantoyou?What'sthefirstthingyouwanttodowhenyouget
there?
MONDAY
JudgmentandtheLittleHorn
84
September11
AsAdventists,weunderstandthecleansingofthesanctuaryasajudgmentthat
involvesthosewhohaveprofessedtobefollowersofChrist(seeMatt.22:1
13).Weseethisespeciallybecauseintheearthlytypeofthecleansingofthe
sanctuary,theDayofAtonement(seeLeviticus16),thejudgmentcenteredaround
God'speople.
Nevertheless,thequestionarises,WhyinbothDaniel7andinDaniel8isthe
judgment/sanctuarycleansingdepictedinthecontextofthelittlehorn,atleastthe
phaseofthelittlehornshowninthevision?Whatdoesthelittlehornhavetodo
withthepreAdventjudgment?
Readagainthetextslookedatyesterday.Whatisthedifferenceinthefateof
thelittlehornandthefateofthe"saintsofthemosthigh"?SeeespeciallyDan.
7:22.
It'sveryclear:Thelittlehornispunished,condemned,whilethesaintsare
vindicated,exonerated.ThisistypicaloftheHebrewconceptofjusticeand
judgment:Itinvolvednotjustthepunishmentoftheguiltyorthevindicationofthe
righteousbutboth.BotharecrucialelementsofjusticeinHebrewthinking,and
bothareseenhereinthisdepictionofthepreAdventjudgment.
ReadDeuteronomy25:1and1Kings8:32.Howdothesetwoversesrevealthe
principlesseeninDaniel7andDaniel8together?
Ofcourse,thejudgmentinDaniel7resultsintheendofthelittlehorn,butthat's
onlybecausethejudgmentresultsintheSecondComing,whichbringsaboutthe
endofthewholeworldanyway(atleastasweknowitnow).Thepointisthatthe
judgment,thoughexpressedhereinthecontextofthelittlehorn,asymbolofevil,
involvedmorethanjustthelittlehorn.Whatweseeherearetwoelements:evil
punished,thesaintsvindicated.Ithardlywouldseemlikejusticeifitwereany
otherway.
Therighteousvindicated,evilpunished.That'sGod'spromise.Howshould
thatpromisehelpyouthroughtimeswhen,sooften,itseemsonlytheopposite
happens?
TUESDAY
Theodicy,Again
85
September12
Inthefirstweekofthisquarterwelookedataterm,theodicy,whichmeantthe
vindicationofGodinthefaceofevil.It'stheideathatdespitealltheevilinthe
world,wecantrustthatGodisgoodandrighteousandjust.
Wesaw,too,thatsinandevilbeganinanotherpartoftheuniverseandthatsinand
thequestionsitraisedweren'tlimitedonlytoearth.Onthecontrary,theearthis
merelytheplacewheretheyarebeingplayedout.Wealsolookedatthefactthat
otherintelligencesintheuniversealsoareinvolved,andinterested,inthequestion
raisedaboutsinandrebellion.
ReadDaniel7:9,10andthenanswerthefollowingquestions:
Whateventistakingplacehere?
Whereisittakingplace?
Beforewhom?
Notonlydowehaveaheavenlyjudgmentscenehere,ajudgmentthatleadstothe
destructionofthelittlehornandtheestablishmentofGod'skingdom,this
judgmenttakesplacebeforeamultitudeofheavenlybeings."Tenthousandtimes
tenthousand"isawayofdepictinganuncountablemultitude.Thus,whatwesee
hereistheonlookinguniversewatchingGodexecutethejudgmentthatleadstothe
establishmentofHiseternalkingdom.
KeepinginmindthisjudgmentsceneinDaniel7,readPsalm51:1
4andRomans3:4.Howdothesetextsfitinwiththejudgmentasrevealed
inDaniel7?
ThecrucialpointtorememberhereisthatGodisjudgingHispeopleinanopen
waybeforetheonlookinguniverse.AndHe'sgoingtodoitinamannerthat,when
it'sover,itwillbesaidthat"youareprovedrightwhenyouspeakandjustified
whenyoujudge"(Ps.51:4,NIV).
Howopenandtransparentareyouinallyourdealingsandjudgmentswith
others?Ifyou'renot,whynot,andwhatdoesyouranswertellyouaboutthe
qualityofthosedealings?Whatmightyouneedtochange?
86
WEDNESDAY
September13
PreAdventJudgment
ReadDaniel12:1,Matthew16:27,andRevelation20:12.Each,initsownway,
talksaboutjudgment.Whatevidencecanyoufindinthesetextsthatshows
whythisjudgmentisbeforetheSecondComing;thatis,apreAdvent
judgment?
If,attheSecondComing,thesaintsreceivethekingdomandthelittlehornis
destroyed,theremusthavebeensomesortofreckoningbeforetheexecutionofthe
sentence.Afterall,evencorruptearthlycourtsdoasmuch!Howfairwoulditbeto
sentencesomeoneandthen,onlyafterthesentence,haveatrialandinvestigatethe
facts?
If,whenChristreturns,"myrewardiswithme,togiveeverymanashisworkshall
be"(Rev.22:12)andweallaretobejudgedbyourworks(Eccles.12:13,14;1
Cor.3:13;1Pet.1:17;Rev.20:12),thenit'sfairlyobviousthattheremustbea
judgmentpriortotheSecondComing.Or,asAdventistsphraseitapreAdvent,
orinvestigative,judgment.(Afterall,whatkindofjudgmentpriortoasentence
doesn'tentailaninvestigationofsomekind?)
Readcarefully,again,thejudgmentsceneasdepictedinDaniel7(ifneedbe,
lookatsomeofthepreviouschartsthatparallelthechapters).Puttingaside
anyofthenumbersanddates,whyisthissoclearlyapreAdventjudgment?
Infact,whatevidencedoyoufindinthetextsthathintatan
investigation?SeealsoPs.56:8,69:28,Dan.12:1,Rev.13:8,20:12.
Wecansee,then,fromDaniel7thatthereis,indeed,amassivepreAdvent
judgment,ajudgmentthatleadsnotonlytothedemiseofthelittlehornbuttothe
endofthisworldandtheinaugurationofthenext,inwhichthesaintsliveforever
inGod'seternalkingdom.What'sdepictedhereis,obviously,aneventof
tremendousimportance,aneventinwhichtheeternaldestinyofuntoldnumbersis
involved.Nowonderwedeemthejudgmenthourmessageascrucialtowhatwe
believeasAdventists.
THURSDAY
87
September14
TheHeavensPurified
ReadHebrews9:2224andthenanswerthefollowingquestions:
1.Whattwosanctuariesarebeingtalkedabouthere?
2.Whatparallelisbeingdrawnbetweenthem;thatis,whatistheauthor
sayingthatmusthappentobothsanctuaries?
ThesetextshavebafflednonAdventistscholarsbecauseoftheclearreferenceto
theideathattheheavenlysanctuaryitselfneededtobecleansed."Onemight
concludethattheearthlysanctuarywascleansedbecauseitsheavenlycounterpart
alsowastobecleansed."CraigKoester,Hebrews,AnchorBibleSeries(New
York:Doubleday,2001),p.427.
Infact,theGreekwordinHebrews9:23for"purified"or"cleansed"comesfrom
thesameGreekwordusedinanancientGreektranslationofDaniel8:14.Thus,
thoseancientGreekswho,beforethetimeofChrist,translatedtheOldTestament
understoodtheHebrewinDaniel8:14tomeanthatthesanctuarywastobe
cleansed;yearslater,theauthorofHebrewshadthesameidea,howeverdifferent
theimmediatecontext:Justastheearthlysanctuarywascleansed,somustthe
heavenly.Indeed,thewholepointoftheearthlycleansingwastopointtothe
greaterone,therealoneintheheavenlysanctuary.
LookagainatDaniel8:14.Consideringthetimeframeofthisprophecy,why
mustthiscleansingofthesanctuarybethesamecleansingthattheauthorof
Hebrewsreferredto?
InJewishthought,theDayofAtonement,whenthesanctuarywascleansed,was
alsothegreatdayofjudgment,thetimewhenpeoplehadtheirlastchanceto
repentbeforefacingjudgment.Infact,ontheDayofAtonementJewsstill
sometimessaythisblessingtooneanother:"Mayyoubesealedinthebookoflife
forever."
WhyisChrist'srighteousnesscoveringyou,byfaith,youronlyassurancethat,
indeed,inthedayofjudgmentyouwillbesealedinthebookoflifeforever?
FRIDAY
88
September15
FurtherStudy:
InJewishthought,whathappensontheDayofAtonement,whenthesanctuary
istobecleansed?ComparethequotesbelowwithhowEllenWhitedescribes
thepreAdventjudgmentinTheGreatControversy,aswellastheimagesthat
areseeninthejudgmentsceneofDaniel7.
"God,seatedonHisthronetojudgetheworld,atthesametimeJudge,Pleader,
Expert,andWitness,openeththeBookofRecords;itisread,evenman's
signature[name]beingfoundtherein.Thegreattrumpetissounded;astill
smallvoiceisheard;angelsshudder,saying,thisisthedayofjudgment....On
theDayofAtonement,itissealedwhoshallliveandwhoshalldie.""The
DayofAtonement,"quotedintheJewishEncyclopedia.
SomeprayersutteredontheDayofAtonementreadlikethis:"Justifymeinthe
judgment....Osilencetheaccuser,andsuffertheadvocatetotakehis
place...andinconsequenceofhispleading,declare,Ihavepardoned....O
blotoutthetransgressionofthepeoplethathavebeensaved....He,the
AncientofDays,sitsasJudge....Inthebookoflife...maywebesealedby
Thee."
ThinkaboutallthatGodalreadyhasdonefor
us,especiallyinthePersonofJesus.Yet,despiteall
this,inordertoensurethatalltheuniversesees
Hisjusticeandfairnessindealingwithsinand
rebellion,HeallowsHimselftobejudgedonhow
Hejudges.Whatdoesthattellusaboutthe
characterofGodandwhyHeissoworthyofour
praise,worship,andfealty?
Ifyoubelievedthatfolksgoimmediatelyto
heavenorhellatdeath,whywouldallthistalkofa
preAdventjudgment,oranykindoffuture
judgment,soundsilly?Whatdoesthistellusabout
howinterlockedmanyofourbeliefsare?
Doyouknowpeoplewhoarestrugglingwith
ourunderstandingofpreAdventjudgment?Why
not,asaclass,planahousemeetinginwhich,after
prayerandfellowshipandfood,youcanshare
89
someofthethingsyouhavebeenlearning?
The
GospelandJudgment
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Leviticus16;Rom.8:1,34;Heb.6:20;7:25;9:24;1Pet.1:2,18,19.
MemoryText:
"Mylittlechildren,thesethingswriteIuntoyou,thatyesinnot.Andif
anymansin,wehaveanadvocatewiththeFather,JesusChristthe
righteous"(1John2:1).
AsAdventists,webelievethatsince1844wehavebeenlivinginthe
antitypicaldayofatonement.Thismeansthattheearthlydayofatonementwas
simplyamodel,atype,ofthistruedayofatonement.Inthesamewaythatthe
animalsacrificesweresymbolsoftheCross,theearthlyDayofAtonementwas
asymboloftherealone,theoneinauguratedin1844byChrist'sworkof
judgmentintheheavenlysanctuary.
This,ofcourse,isgoodnews.Afterall,whatisatonementotherthanthework
ofGodsavingusthroughChrist'sblood?Thelawcan'tatone;obediencecan't
atone;charactercan'tatone.Atonementcomesonlyoneway,throughtheCross.
If,then,wearelivinginthedayofatonement,shouldn'tthatbegoodnews?
Shouldn'tany"day"dedicatedtoatonement,toGod'sworkofsavingus,be
somethingweshouldbethankfulfor?Shouldn'tweberejoicinginthehopeof
livinginthedayofatonement?
Ofcourse.Thejudgmentisgoodnewsbecauseitformsaninseparablepartof
"thegoodnews";itistheclimacticapplicationoftheCrossinourbehalf.This
weekwe'lllookatthegospelandthejudgment,becauseit'sonlythroughthe
lensofthegospelthatwecanfullyseejustwhatthejudgmentmeansforus.
90
SUNDAY
September17
WeMustAllStand
Aswesawinweek2,theBibleisclearthatthereisajudgmentandthatthisisa
judgmentbyworks,ajudgmentwhereourworkscomeunderscrutiny.(Afterall,
whatisajudgmentwithoutsuchascrutiny?)Remember,Jesussaidthatweshall
giveanaccountof"everyidleword"(Matt.12:36).Everyidleword?Andisthis
notthesameLordwhosaidthatthe"hairsofyourheadareallnumbered"(Matt.
10:30),whoknowswhenasparrowfallstotheground(Matt.10:29),andwhosaid
inHisWordthatHeshallbring"everyworkintojudgment,witheverysecret
thing"(Eccles.12:14)?Everywork?Everysecretthing?Thus,thewholeideaofa
scrutinyofworks,aninvestigationinjudgment,isbiblical.
Butmoreimportantisthequestion,Howcouldanysinnerstandwhen
everyidleword,everysecretthing,comesintojudgment?It'saprettyfrightening
thought,standingbeforeGodinajudgmentwheneverythingyouhaveeverdone
comesunderreview,especiallybeforeaGodwho,inHisholiness,isa"consuming
fire"(Deut.4:24).Whatperson,nomatterhowobedient,righteous,orfaithful,has
thekindofrecordthatcouldputhimorheringoodsteadwithsuchaGod?
ReadRomans8:34,Hebrews6:20,7:25,9:24,and1John2:1.Howdothey
answertheabovequestion?
ThegoodnewsofthejudgmentisthatJesus,inHisrighteousness,getsusthrough
thejudgmentbecauseHestandsthereinourplace.ThisiswhatHisintercession,
Hishighpriestlyministry,isallabout.Otherwise,allofuswouldbelostbecause
noneofus,nomatterourworks,hasenoughrighteousnesstostandbeforeaHoly
God.Unlessweareclothedinaperfectrighteousnessthatnoneofuspossessor
couldeverearn,wewouldhavetostandinourownworks,ourownrighteousness;
andbecauseweareallsinners,wewouldallbecondemned.
"Mancannotmeetthesechargeshimself.Inhissinstainedgarments,
confessinghisguilt,hestandsbeforeGod.ButJesusourAdvocatepresentsan
effectualpleainbehalfofallwhobyrepentanceandfaithhavecommittedthe
keepingoftheirsoulstoHim.Hepleadstheircauseandvanquishestheir
accuserbythemightyargumentsofCalvary."EllenG.
White,TestimoniesfortheChurch,vol.5,p.471.Howdoesthisquotefrom
91
EllenWhitehelpyoubetterunderstandyouronlyhopeinthejudgment?
MONDAY
September18
BloodandJudgment
CentraltoourtheologyasSeventhdayAdventistsisthesanctuary,boththeearthly
asamodeloftheplanofsalvationandtheheavenlyastheplacewhereJesusis
nowministeringinourbehalfthemeritsofHisatoningdeath.WeasAdventists
believebasedon(1)theearthlysanctuarymodel,(2)thebookofHebrews,and
(3)thepropheciesinDanielthatsince1844JesushasbeenintheMostHoly
Place,wherethejudgment,clearlyseeninDaniel7,isnowtakingplace.
MuchofourunderstandingforthiscomesfromtheearthlyDayofAtonement,in
whichonceayearthehighpriestenteredtheMostHolyPlaceoftheearthly
sanctuary.ThisisfoundmostclearlyinLeviticus16.
ReadLeviticus16.Howmanytimesisthewordbloodmentioned?Whatdoes
thebloodsymbolize?SeealsoHeb.9:1214.
CentraltotheDayofAtonementritualwasblood,asymbolforthebloodofJesus,
shedinourbehalfattheCross.Also,becausetheDayofAtonementisthedayof
judgment,thenjudgmentandatonementarecloselylinked.And,because
atonementis,indeed,goodnews,judgmentshouldbe,aswell.Anditis,butonly
becauseoftheblood,whichrepresentsthelifeanddeathofJesusinourbehalf.
ReadLeviticus17:11;Luke22:20;Romans5:9;Hebrews
10:19;12:24;13:20;1Peter1:2,18,19.Whatdotheytellusaboutthecentral
roleofbloodintheplanofsalvation?
Bloodisasymboloflife;shedbloodmeansdeath.Allthiswasasymbolof
Christ'slifeanddeathforus.Andbecausebloodwasshedandthenministeredon
theDayofAtonement,thistellsusthat,centraltotheDayofAtonement,arethe
lifeanddeathofJesusinourbehalf!That'swhythejudgment,forChristians,is
goodnews.WehaveaSubstitutewhostandsinthepresenceofGod"forus"(Heb.
9:24),nowandespeciallyinthejudgment.
ImagineyourcasebeforeGodonJudgmentDaywithoutaSubstitute!What
hopewouldyouhave?Why,then,mustyouhaveaSubstitutestandinyour
steadinthejudgment?
92
TUESDAY
September19
TheGarment
Earlyinthequarter(week2)welookedattheweddingparableinMatthew22as
evidenceforapreAdventjudgment.Yet,there'smoretothisparablethanjustthe
timing;instead,it'sapowerfulrevelationofwhatitmeanstobecoveredbythe
righteousnessofChristinthejudgmentandwhatitmeansnottobecovered.
Readtheparable(Matt.22:113).Whatultimatelymadethedifference
betweenwhetherthemanstayedorleft?
Whatdoesthegarmentsymbolize?SeeIsa.61:10,Zech.3:15.
Inthisparableweseeaclearexampleofsomeonewhoheededtheinvitationtothe
weddingbutnottheconditions.Herefusedtoacceptwhattheownerofferedhim:
therobeofChrist'sperfectrighteousnessand,thus,uponinvestigation,wasfound
wanting.
Notice,theparablesaidthatboththegoodandthebadcame.Itdidn'tsaywhether
themanwithoutthegarmentwasgoodorbad.Inonesenseitmadenodifference:
BeforeGodinjudgment,weall"good"or"bad"withoutagarmentstand
condemned.Whattheguestneededattheweddingisthesamethingthatweneed
inthejudgment,somethingcoveringus;otherwise,wewillbecastoutwherethere
isweepingandgnashingofteeth.Thatcovering,symbolizedbythegarmentinthe
parable,istherighteousnessofJesus,creditedtoHisfollowersbyfaithanditis
theironlyhopenowandinthejudgment.
Whetherthroughtheimageryoftheblood,orthegarment,thepointisthesame:
Weneedsomethingotherthanourselvestogetusthroughthejudgment.Andthe
goodnewsisthat,throughthesacrificeofJesus,wehaveallthatweneed:the
righteousnessofGodHimself(seeRom.3:21,22;10:3;2Pet.1:1)creditedtous
byfaith.
Ponderthisquestioncarefully:Haveyouacceptedtheinvitationtothe
weddingbutnottheconditions?Whatarethoseconditions?Bepreparedto
talkabouttheseconditionsinclassonSabbath.
WEDNESDAY
93
September20
NoCondemnation
ReadRomans8:1.Whatmessageisfoundinthistextthatisespecially
importantforus,whofacejudgment?
Thegoodnewsofthejudgmentisthatwedon'thavetostandinourown
righteousness.WecanstandintherighteousnessofJesus.Thatwearejudgedby
worksdoesn'tmeanthatwearesavedbythem;wearesaved,instead,onlythrough
therighteousnessofJesus,whichiscreditedtousbyfaith,afaiththatisalways
manifestedbyworks.Thisrighteousnesscoversusthemomentwe,througha
completesurrenderofourselvestoChrist,claimitforourselves,anditstayswith
us(thoughnotunconditionally)rightthroughthejudgment.Afterall,whatgood
wouldbeingcoveredbythatrighteousnessdoanyofusifwedidnothaveitwhen
weneededitthemost,whichwouldbeinthejudgment?
HowdoesJames2helpusunderstandtheroleofworksinthejudgment?
ButhowdoIknowthatIwillhaveenoughworkstoshowthatIhavefaith?That'sa
logical,butwronglypremised,question.Itreflectsthatattitudeofthosewhosaid,
"Lord,Lord,havewenotprophesiedinthyname?andinthynamehavecastout
devils?andinthynamedonemanywonderfulworks?"(Matt.7:22),orofthe
Phariseewhosaid,"God,Ithankthee,thatIamnotasothermenare,extortioners,
unjust,adulterers,orevenasthispublican.Ifasttwiceintheweek,Igivetithesof
allthatIpossess"(Luke18:11,12).
Instead,ourattitudeshouldbethatofthepublican,whosmotehisbreastsaying,
"God,bemercifultomeasinner"(Luke18:13).Thosewhohaveeverglimpsedthe
righteousnessofChristknowthattheymustthrowthemselvesonthemercyand
graceofGodandthattheirworkswhatevertheyare,howevermuchdoneoutof
apureandlovingheartareneverenough.Thisiswhytheyhavetolivebyfaith,
trustinginGod'spromisesthatHewillsavethembecauseofJesusandJesusalone.
It'stherealizationoftheinadequacyofourworksthatdrivesustofaithandtothe
promisesofsalvationthroughChrist.Andit'sthatfaiththefaiththatbelieves
God'spromisesthattransformsthelife,atransformationrevealedinworks.
THURSDAY
JudgedbyWorks;SavedbyFaith
94
September21
Followthetrainofthoughtbelow,lookingupthevarioustexts.Howdoesthis
helpyouunderstandwhatajudgmentbyworksmeansforuswhoaresaved
byfaith?
Aprofessedfollower'slifecomesupbeforeGod:Everywork,everysecretthing,
everyidlewordcomesintoreview(Ps.135:14,Eccles.12:14,Matt.12:36,Rom.
14:1012,2Cor.5:10,Heb.10:30).Whocouldstandbeforesuchascrutiny?No
one(Rom.3:23,Gal.3:22,1Tim.1:15,Rom.3:10).However,forthetrue
followersofChrist,JesusstandsastheirAdvocate,theirRepresentative,their
Intercessorinheaven(Rom.8:34,Heb.6:20,7:25,9:24,1John2:1).Andthough
theyhavenothinginandofthemselvestogivethemmeritbeforeGod,thoughthey
havenoworksthataregoodenoughtojustifythembeforetheLord,theirlives
howeverfaulty,howeverdefectiveneverthelessrevealtheirtruerepentanceand
faith(Matt.7:2427,John14:15,James2:1420,1John4:20,5:3).Howthey
treatedothers,thepoor,theneedy,prisoners,howtheyforgaveastheywere
forgiven,thewordstheyspoke,thedeedstheydid(Matt.7:2;12:36,37;18:23
35;25:3146)whilethesethingsnevercouldjustifythembeforeGod,whilethey
nevercouldanswerthedemandsofabrokenlaw,theyrevealthosewhohave
acceptedChristastheirSubstituteandHisrighteousnessalone,whichcovers
themlikeagarment,getsthemthroughthejudgment(Leviticus16;Zech.3:1
5;Matt.22:114;Rom.8:1,34;Heb.9:24;1John2:1).
Or,asEllenWhitesoclearlyexpressedit:"Butwhileweshouldrealizeoursinful
condition,wearetorelyuponChristasourrighteousness,oursanctification,and
ourredemption.WecannotanswerthechargesofSatanagainstus.Christalone
canmakeaneffectualpleainourbehalf.Heisabletosilencetheaccuserwith
argumentsfoundednotuponourmerits,butonHisown."Testimoniesforthe
Church,vol.5,p.472.Thefutilityofourworksforsalvationshouldcauseusto
leantotallyonthemercyandmeritsofChrist.Then,outofloveandthankfulness
fortheassuranceofsalvationthat'soursthroughChrist,weserveHimwithallour
heart,soul,mind,andbody,aservicethat'sexpressedinworks.Howelsecouldit
be?
Howwelldoyourworksreflectyourfaith?Or,isthattheproblem:Your
worksonlytoowellreflectyourfaith?Whatthingsdoyouneedtorepentof
andchangeinordertoreflectmorefullytherighteousnessofJesus,whichis
yoursbyfaith?
FRIDAY
FurtherStudy:
95
September22
EllenG.White,TestimoniesfortheChurch,"JoshuaandtheAngel,"vol.5,pp.
467476.
Inthecontextofthesaintsinjudgment,EllenWhitewrites:"Theironlyhopeis
inthemercyofGod;theironlydefensewillbeprayer.AsJoshuawaspleading
beforetheAngel,sotheremnantchurch,withbrokennessofheartandearnest
faith,willpleadforpardonanddeliverancethroughJesustheirAdvocate.They
arefullyconsciousofthesinfulnessoftheirlives,theyseetheirweaknessand
unworthiness,andastheylookuponthemselvestheyarereadytodespair.The
tempterstandsbytoaccusethem,ashestoodbytoresistJoshua.Hepointsto
theirfilthygarments,theirdefectivecharacters.Hepresentstheirweaknessand
folly,theirsinsofingratitude,theirunlikenesstoChrist,whichhasdishonored
theirRedeemer."EllenG.White,TestimoniesfortheChurch,vol.5,p.473.
Again,inthesamecontext:"Nowhe[Satan]pointstotherecordoftheirlives,
tothedefectsofcharacter,theunlikenesstoChrist,whichhasdishonoredtheir
Redeemer,toallthesinsthathehastemptedthemtocommit,andbecauseof
theseheclaimsthemashissubjects.
"Jesusdoesnotexcusetheirsins,butshowstheirpenitenceandfaith,and,
claimingforthemforgiveness,HeliftsHiswoundedhandsbeforetheFather
andtheholyangels,saying:'Iknowthembyname.Ihavegraventhemonthe
palmsofMyhands.'"EllenG.White,TheGreatControversy,p.484.
Asaclass,talkaboutyouranswerstothequestion
attheendofTuesday'slesson.
Whydoyouthinkthatforsomanypeopleinthe
churchthepreAdventjudgmenthasbeenacauseof
muchfearandconcern?WhymustwekeeptheCross
atthecenterofourunderstandingofthejudgment?
Whatcanyoudoasaclasstohelpallthemembers
ofyourlocalchurchbetterunderstandthegoodnews
ofthejudgment?
Whatcouldyoudoforsomeonewhoisvery
discouragedabouthisorherwalkwiththeLord?
Howcanyouusewhatwe'vestudiedthisweektogive
thatpersonencouragementnottogiveup?
96
TheMeaningofthe
Judgment
Today
SABBATHAFTERNOON
Job1:711;Ps.73:117;Matt.5:16;John14:2;Acts1:11;1Cor.4:5,9;Eph.
2:810;3:10;1Thess.4:1418;Rev.22:12.
MemoryText:
"FearGod,andgiveglorytohim;forthehourofhisjudgmentiscome:
andworshiphimthatmadeheaven,andearth,andthesea,andthe
fountainsofwaters"(Revelation14:7).
Sofar,we'vecoveredalotofgroundinourstudyofthe1844preAdvent
judgment.Wehave,webelieve,firmlyestablishedthebiblicalbasisforthis
judgment.Usingeverythingfromtheearthlysanctuarymodeltotheprophecies
ofDanieltothelifeanddeathofJesusandtothebookofHebrews,we'veseen
that,asAdventists,weareonsolidbiblicalgroundwithourteachingonthe
1844judgment.
Thatbeingsaid,anotherquestionarisesSowhat?Hereweare,inthetwenty
firstcentury;whatdoesajudgmentthatbeganin1844meanforustoday?What
doesitsaytousasSeventhdayAdventistsnow?Whyisitimportantforusto
knowandbelievethisteaching?WhatdoesitrevealaboutGodandaboutthe
salvationHeoffers?
Sure,withourpioneers,the1844judgmenthelpedanswerthequestionofthe
GreatDisappointment;ithelpedthemunderstandwhathadjusthappenedin
regardtotheMilleriteprophecies.Butthatwasthen;thisisnow.Howdowe,
today,relatetothisprophecy,whichbeganitsfulfillmentinatimewhenmostof
ourgreatgrandparentsweren'tevenbornyet?This,ourfinalweek,looksat
someofthesequestions.
97
SUNDAY
September24
JudgmentandJustice
Ourworldreeksofinjustice;ineveryland,ineverygovernment,ineverycity,
town,andvillageunfairness,inequity,andinjustice,timeandagain,reartheirugly
andevilheads.Probablynohumanbeingalivehasn'tbeenstareddownbythe
horrificvisagesofinjusticeandunfairness.Toliveinthissinfulworldistoface
injustice;otherwise,itwouldn'tbeasinfulworld.
Ofcourse,thegreatestinjusticeoccurredattheCross:Jesus,thesinlessOne,faced
thepunishmentdueallsinners.Thus,whateverinjusticeswesuffer,wehavethe
assurancethatGod,inthepersonofChrist,facedevenworse.
ReadPsalm73:117.What'sthepointbeingmade,andhowdoesitrelateto
ourunderstandingofthesanctuaryandjudgment?
Perhapsoneofthemostimportantpointsofthe1844sanctuarydoctrineisits
teachingthattherewillbeajudgment,ajustjudgmentinwhichevilwillbe
condemnedandrighteousnessvindicated.Ourjudgmenthourmessagenotonly
tellsusaboutthisjudgmentbuttellsuswhenittakesplace.Inotherwords,what
the1844messagesaysisthatGod'sjusticewillnotdelayforever.Hehaspromised
tobringjudgment,and"thehourofhisjudgmentiscome"(Rev.14:7).The1844
judgmentispartofourmessagetotheworldthatGod'sjusticeiscoming;thatwe
cantrustHimandthatevilwillberecompensedandgoodnessvindicated,no
matterhowharditisforustoseeitnow.Infact,themessagetellstheworldthat
thisjudgmentalreadyhasbegunandthatonedaywewillseethefinalresults.For
now,wejusthavetolivebyfaith,awaitingthedayoffinaljusticeandvindication.
Haveyoulatelytreatedsomeoneunfairly?Ifso,whatcanyoudotomake
amends?Whyshouldyoumakeamends?
MONDAY
September25
VindicationandGod
Wehave,throughthecourseofthisquarter,touchedonacrucialthemetied
directlytothegreatcontroversy:thevindicationofGodinthefaceofevil.We
evenlearnedafancytheologicaltermforthisidea:theodicy.
98
Inthiscontextthejudgmentissoimportant,becauseittellsussomuchaboutthe
characterofGod.IttellsusthatGodiswillingtoworkopenlyinHisdealingwith
sin,rebellion,andapostasy.WecantrustGodevenwhenthingsseemreallybad;
thatnomatterhowterribletheworldis,ourGodcanbetrusted,forallHisworks
anddealingswillbeopentothescrutinyofalltheuniverse.Westudiedthisin
particularinweek12,fortherewesawthewholeideaofthejudgmenttakingplace
beforetheonlookinguniverse.It'sathemeworthyofmorestudy,forinmanyways
ithelpsexplainsomuch.
Lookupthefollowingtexts.Howdothey,intheirownway,teachtheideaof
thevindicationofGod?
Ps.19:9
Rom.3:26
1Cor.4:5
1Cor.13:12
WhatthepreAdventjudgmenttellsusisthat,evennow,theLordisworking
openlybeforetheonlookinguniverse.They,rightnow,areseeingthe
righteousnessandfairnessofGod'sjudgment.InAdventisttheology,we
understandthatourdaywillcome,too,whenweshall"knowevenasalsoIam
known"(1Cor.13:12).Weare,afterall,toldthat"weshalljudgeangels"(1Cor.
6:3);thus,theideaisthatallthingswillbeopentous,toourscrutiny,aswell.In
short,whatthepreAdventjudgmenttellsusisthatthisprocesshasalreadybegun
andthatonedayjustliketheonlookinguniversenowwewillhaveallour
questionsanswered,allissuesaboutpain,suffering,andsinresolved,andsowe,
too,alongwithallGod'screatures,willseethejusticeandrighteousnessofGodin
allHisdealingwithsin,evil,andrebellion.
WhataresomeofthequestionsthatyouwanttoaskGod?Whataresome
thingsthatyou,rightnow,justcan'tunderstand?Whatdoesthepromise
meantoyouthatonedaythesewillbeansweredandinawaythatwillcause
ustopraisetherighteousnessandgoodnessofGod?
TUESDAY
99
September26
TheSecondComing
ReviewthejudgmentsceneinDaniel7.Noticesomethingimportant:Thispre
Adventjudgmentisportrayedasthelasteventinsalvationhistorybeforethe
secondcomingofChrist.Itis,accordingtothetext,theeventitselfthatushersin
theSecondComing.Theresultofthisjudgmentleadstothesecondcomingof
Jesus.
Whatdothesetextshaveincommon?Whateventaretheyalltalking
about?John14:2,Acts1:11,1Thess.4:1418,Rev.22:12.
Whatothertextscanyoufindthattalkaboutthesameevent?
JesusHimself,whileonearth,talkedaboutHissecondcomingoverandover
again.TheearlychurchlivedwiththeexpectationofHissoonreturn.Sincethen,
throughlongandpainfulcenturies,ChristianshaveawaitedthereturnofJesus.
Eachgenerationliveswiththehopeandexpectationthattheirsmightbetheoneto
bealiveattheSecondAdvent.
We'restillhere,though,andwitheachpassingyearithasbeeneasierandeasierfor
peopletolosethehopeofHisreturn.
Here'swherethe1844judgmentcomesin,forit'sapowerfulindicatorofthetimes
wearelivingin.It'samessagefromGod,tous,sayingbasically,Trustme,Iam
comingasIhavesaid.Itcan'tbetoofaroff.
The1844preAdventjudgmentis,webelieve,thatlastprophetictimeelement
giventotheworld.It'sGod'swayoftellingusthatfinaleventsarehere,andHis
comingwillbesoon.Aswesawinanearlierstudy,allthekingdomspredictedby
Danielcameandwent,justaspredicted.HeprovedthatwecantrustHim
regardingfutureevents;thus,wecantrustHimnowthatthispreAdventjudgment
will,indeed,leadtotheSecondComing,andbecauseweknowwhenthis
judgmentbegan,wecanknowthattheSecondComingisnear.
Asaclass,talkaboutthesignsofthetimesthatwearelivingin.Howdothey
portendthesecondcomingofJesus?Atthesametime,whyistherevelationof
thejudgmentthemoststable,unchanging,andcertainsignthatheraldsHis
return?
WEDNESDAY
100
September27
TheAssuranceofSalvation
Perhapsthegreatestandmostimportantpointaboutthe1844preAdventjudgment
isthatitisamessageofassurance.It'sthepromisethataslongasweremain
faithfultotheLordlivinginhumblefaith,repentance,andobediencetoHimand
HiscommandswehaveafaithfulHighPriestministeringinourbehalf,afaithful
HighPriestwho,indeed,standsasourSubstituteinjudgment(seelastweek's
lesson).Thoughwearesinners,thoughwehaveviolatedGod'slaw,thoughwe
deservedeath,wehavetheassurancethatwewillbevindicatedinjudgment
becausewehaveJesusstandingthereinourplace.Thisisthemostimportant
messageofthe1844preAdventjudgment.
SomeChristianshavenoconceptofapreAdventjudgmentbecausethey
believein"oncesaved,alwayssaved,"theideathatoncetheyhaveaccepted
JesusasSavior,thentheyaresaved,regardlessoftheotherchoicestheymake
inlife,evencompletelyturningawayfromJesusuntoalifeofsin.Lookupthe
followingtexts.Howdotheyrefutethisfalseanddangerousdoctrine?Ezek.
18:24,Matt.24:13,Luke8:515,Rom.11:1621,1Cor.9:27.
AsAdventists,we(alongwithmanyotherChristians)rejecttheideaofoncesaved,
alwayssaved.It'sobviousthatfollowersofChristcan,throughtheirownchoice,
fallaway.Andit'sinthiscontextthatwecanunderstandbetterthemeaningofthe
preAdventjudgment,foritishereinthejudgmentthatonceandforallour
decisionsfororagainstChristarefinalized.ThejudgmentisnotatimewhenGod
decidestoacceptorrejectus;it'sthetimewhenGodfinalizesourchoiceasto
whetherornotwehaveacceptedorrejectedHim,achoicethatalwaysismade
manifestbyourworks.Thegoodnewsofthejudgmentisthatwehavethe
assurancethatifwestayfaithfultoJesus,ifweclaimHisrighteousnessfor
ourselves,Hestandsinourstead,andwhenournamecomesupinjudgment,we
aresealedforeverinthesalvationthatHefreelyhasofferedus.Thus,andonlyin
thissenseoncetheirnamescomeupinjudgment,trueChristiansare,indeed,
oncesaved,alwayssaved.
Ifsomeoneweretoaskyou,Howdoyouknowyouaresaved?whatwouldyou
respond,andwhy?ShareyouranswersinclassonSabbath.
THURSDAY
JudgedbyWorks
101
September28
AscertainastheBibleisthatwearesavedbyfaithandnotbyworks(Rom.
3:28),it'sjustascertainthatwearejudgedbyourworks(Eccles.3:17,12:14,2
Cor.5:10,1Pet.1:17).Indeed,it'stherealizationthatwearenowlivinginthe
timewhenthoseworksarebeingjudgedthatChristiansshouldbemotivatedto
greaterworks,notinordertobesaved(that'simpossible)butbecausetheirworks
areavisibledemonstrationtotheworldandtheuniverseoftherealityofChrist's
salvationintheirlives.
ReadEphesians2:810.Howistheroleoffaithandworkspresentedhereina
balancedmanner?
inlastweek'slesson,ourworks,whiletheycan'tsaveus,revealthatwearesaved,
revealthatwehaveindeedgivenourlivestoChrist.Atthesametime,ourworks
alsodomore:They,too,arepartofthewholepackageregardingthequestionof
theodicyandissuessurroundingthenatureandcharacterofGod.
ReadJob1:711,Matthew5:16,1Corinthians4:9,andEphesians3:10.From
whatyoucanpiecetogetherfromthesetexts,whatdotheytellusaboutthe
roleofourgoodworks?
Intheend,whatthejudgmenttellsusisthat,inaspecialway,ourworksare
comingunderscrutinybeforetheonlookinguniverse.IfweloveGod,ifweare
rejoicinginthesalvationHehasgivenus,wewillwanttosendamessagetothe
worldandtotheuniversethat,indeed,weloveandservetheLordwhohasdoneso
muchforus.GoodworkstestifytotherealityofthefaiththatwehaveinChrist;
andthoughtheydon'tsaveusinthejudgment,goodworksrevealthat,thoughwe
aresinners,Christhasdonetherightthinginbringingusinto"hiskingdomthat...
shallnotbedestroyed"(Dan.7:14).
Whatkindofmessagedoyourworkssendtoanyonewhomightbewatching
them?Whatchangesdoyouneedtomakeinordertosendabettermessage?
FRIDAY
September29
FurtherStudy:
EllenG.White,TheGreatControversy,"God'sLawImmutable,"pp.433450.
Anotherimportantpointabout1844relatestotheAdventistChurchitself.As
Adventists,ourfoundationwaserectedontheunderstandingthat,whileour
spiritualforefathers,theMillerites,gottheeventwrong,theygotthedate,1844,
102
right.Thus,notjustourheritagebutthebiblicalfoundationuponwhichour
earlypioneersworkedstemmedfromthe1844foundation.Hence,it'simportant
forus,asapeople,tounderstandthebiblicalreasoningthatleadsto1844.That
wehavegrownsincetheearlydaysinourunderstandingofthismessageis
unmistakable;thatwehaveabettergraspofwhatitmeansisunmistakable,as
well.Atthesametime,however,bybeingfirmlyrootedinthebiblicalbasisof
1844,wehavetheassurancethatthepropheticfoundationuponwhichour
churchwasfoundedis,indeed,afoundationrootedintheWordofGoditself.
Inshort,it'simportantforustobegroundedinthe1844teachingbecauseit
affirmsthebiblicalbasisuponwhichwe,asachurch,withourdistinctive
message,exist.
WhatdotheanswerstoWednesday'sfinalquestiontellusabouthow
wellweunderstandtheplanofsalvation?
Thoughthe1844judgmenthelpsustounderstandwherewearein
prophetictime,wearenowinthetwentyfirstcentury.Theyear1844was
alongtimeago,andwitheachpassingyearthatdategetsfartheraway.
Howshouldwedealwiththisevergrowingpassageoftime?Asyouthink
aboutyouranswer,considersomeprevioustimeprophecies:the1,260
years,the2,300years,the490years,andsoforth.Howdotheseverylong
timeperiodshelpuskeepthingsinperspective?Thatis,though1844wasa
longtimeago,wasitthatlongago,atleastincontrasttootherprophetic
timesinwhichGod'speoplehadtowait?
Asaclass,takewhatyouhavelearnedthisquarterandputtogethera
seminarforthewholechurch,inordertohelpeveryoneunderstandthe
solidbiblicalfoundationofour1844messageandwhatitmeansforthe
churchtoday.
2006 Third Quarter - The Gospel, 1844, and Judgment
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TheGospel,1844,

the Second Coming. Perhaps that's why we, as Seventh-day Adventists,

THIRD QUARTER 2006

1 July 1 "Principalities and Powers" (KJV) (NKJV)

The Pre-Advent Judgment (KJV) (NKJV)

Editorial Office: 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904.

2006 Third Quarter - The Gospel, 1844, and Judgment

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