It was indeed an annual day of judgment in Israel. And all this was an "example and shadow of heavenly things." Heb. 8:5.

Christ's Closing Work in Heaven

Therefore the last phase of Christ's ministry as our high priest in the sanctuary of God above, must be a work of judgment, a review of the heavenly record, corresponding to the

final ministry in the second apartment of the earthly tabernacle, when that sanctuary was cleansed.

Daniel the prophet was shown in vision this change in the ministry of our High Priest, namely, from the first to the second apartment of the heavenly temple. He describes the wondrous scene, as God's living throne, with its wheels flaming with glory, moved into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, for the closing work of Christ's ministry:

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down ["placed," R. V.], and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7:9, 10.

This scene, as the next verse shows, opens while still on earth the apostasy is exalting itself. But during this same time a solemn judgment work is going forward in heaven above, the finishing of which will give God's answer to the apostasy, and bring the second coming of Christ in glory to end the reign of sin. It is the cleansing of the sanctuary,— the time when in reality and not in type every case registered in the sanctuary comes in final review before God. When that work closes, according to the type, whosoever is not found right with God will be cut off from having any part with His redeemed people.

Then the priestly ministry of Christ will close, and the destiny of every soul will be fixed for all eternity. To that time must apply the words spoken by Jesus:

"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: . . . and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly." Rev. 22: 11, 12.

But now the Saviour, from His place of ministry on high, speaks to all the encouraging exhortation and assurance:

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." Rev. 3:5.

To let men on earth know when this judgment work, the cleansing of the sanctuary, began in heaven, the prophetic period of 2300 years was given. It is of most solemn importance that we know when that period begins and ends.

THE 2300 YEARS OF DANIEL 8:14

The commission to the angel Gabriel was, "Make this man to understand the vision" (Dan. 8: 16); therefore in the angel's explanation of the vision of Daniel 8, we must assuredly find the interpretation of the prophetic period of 2300 years, the close of which marks the opening of the judgment work in heaven, or the cleansing of the sanctuary.

The eighth chapter closes, however, with no reference to the beginning of this period of time, a most important measuring line of prophecy. The angel had explained the symbols representing Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, and had dwelt upon the antichristian work of the apostasy that was to develop; but he left the time of the prophetic period unexplained, save to say that it was "true," and that it would be "for many days"- far in the future. Here the angel stopped, for Daniel fainted. In spirit the prophet had been gazing upon the warfare of the great apostasy against God's

7 weeks,or 3 score and 2 (62) weeks, or Iweek,or 49 years

434 years

7 years

34

THE 2300 DAYS

1,810 years

A.D.
1844

The heavy line represents the full 2300 year-day period, the longest prophetic period in the Bible. Beginning in B. c. 457
when the decree was given to restore and build Jerusalem (Ezra 7: 11-26; Dan. 9:25), seven weeks (49 years) are measured off
to indicate the time occupied in this work of restoration. These, however, are a part of the sixty-nine weeks (483 years) that
were to reach to Messiah, the Anointed One. Christ was anointed in 27 A. D., at His baptism. Matt. 3: 13-17; Acts 10: 38.
In the midst of the seventieth week (31 a. d.), Christ was crucified, or "cut off," which marked the time when the sacrifices and
oblations of the earthly sanctuary were to cease. Dan. 9:26, 27. The remaining three and one-half years of this week reach
to 34 A. D., or to the stoning of Stephen, and the great persecution of the church at Jerusalem which followed. Acts 7:59;
8:1. This marked the close of the seventy weeks, or 490 years, allotted to the Jewish people.

But the seventy weeks are a part of the 2300 days; and as they (the seventy weeks) reach to 34 A. D., the remaining
1810 years of the 2300-day period must reach to 1844, when the work of judgment, or cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary,
was to begin. Rev. 14:6, 7. Then special light began to shine upon the whole sanctuary subject, and Christ's mediatorial
or priestly work in it.

Four great events, therefore, are located by this great prophetic period, the first advent, the crucifixion, the rejection of the Jewish people as a nation, and the beginning of the work of final judgment.

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