August 13: THE TWENTY-THREE HUNDRED DAYS (part 4)

Gabriel continues: “The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.” Daniel 8:20-22

Gabriel gives Daniel a brief review of the two earthly powers that follow Babylon, confirming the patterns laid out in chapters 2 and 7. Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian indeed came together and established a great empire in the place of Babylon which lasted 208 years (359-331BC). At the time of Daniel’s vision in chapter 8, Belshazzar, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, was still on the Babylonian throne; Babylon had yet to fall. This detail is extremely pertinent, as it is a clue to Christians in our day that we can be fully informed beforehand—if we care to be—regarding the horrendous, worldwide tumble and crash just ahead for spiritual Babylon.

The prediction of the rise of Greece was quite far-fetched, as such a nation was unheard-of at the time. There were only various fragments of tribes carrying on petty wars in the territory to the west of Asia Minor. Philip of Macedon managed to unite them under his leadership, through an intense system of military training for very young boys. The result was a war machine never before seen. Philip was assassinated, and his ambitious son Alexander stepped up to lead. It was others who called the general area Grecia, in light of the most common language among them, Greek. But they called themselves Hellenes, after a mythical ancestor Hellen. After Alexander, the first king, died (his remarkable military career lasted only eight years, from 331-323BC), Grecia fragmented into four. Divided Greece limped along until 168BC when they were forcefully taken over by Rome, who, in one form or another, will remain in power until Jesus comes.

With Jesus having moved into the Most Holy Place for His priestly work at the end of the twenty-three hundred days, let us look at some things happening on the earth in 1844: Samuel F.B. Morse sends the first long-distance telegraph message across the airwaves: “What hath God wrought!” (Numbers 23:23). Charles Darwin completes the first major manuscript on his theory of evolution. Karl Marx writes the foundation for The Communist Manifesto. Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher who would teach “God is dead”, is born. The Bahai faith is formed, its main center being located on Mount Carmel in Israel. Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism, is killed. John Nelson Darby introduces futurism and dispensationalism which includes the wildly popular “secret rapture theory” before the return of Jesus. A group of Bible students from various denominations experience a great disappointment, because they expected Jesus to return in 1844. It was broadly assumed that the earth itself was the “sanctuary” that would be cleansed. But only the outer court of the earthly sanctuary model represents the earth, where Jesus was crucified. The building proper, with its two compartments, the holy place and the most holy place, is representative of the heavenly sanctuary, and that which is being cleansed is the record, in the Savior’s own blood, of all confessed sins of repentant sinners. Beyond the forgiveness provided is empowerment to overcome Satan’s temptations as we continue our walk toward that Day!

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7