An issue with Daniel 8:11 and 11:31

J_____ and M_____, I’ve copy/pasted Daniel 8:10-14 and 23-26 for your convenience to analyze. I want to look at Daniel 8:11 for 1) whether the “sanctuary” was a refuge for pagan Rome or for the Christian’s faith and hope, and 2) whether the “daily” was the continual Gentile persecution (specifically pagan Rome) or the “daily” was as the King James translators called it, the “daily sacrifice”, i.e. referring to the propitiation of Christ at the cross and then in the heavenly sanctuary before His Father. Then, based on “sanctuary” defined as a spiritual refuge for the Christian, and “daily” defined as papal corruption of Christ’s propitiation and of His church, we will go on to give some ideas on the king of the north in Daniel 11.

Daniel 8:10-14 with and without Strong’s numbers.

“And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily [sacrifice] was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

And an host was given him against the daily [sacrifice] by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily [sacrifice], and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” (Dan. 8:10-14).

“And it waxed great,^H1431 even to^H5704 the host^H6635 of heaven;^H8064 and it cast down^H5307 some of^H4480 the host^H6635 and of^H4480 the stars^H3556 to the ground,^H776 and stamped upon^H7429 them.

Yea, he magnified^H1431 himself even to^H5704 the prince^H8269 of the host,^H6635 and by^H4480 him the daily^H8548 [sacrifice] was taken away,^H7311 and the place^H4349 of his sanctuary^H4720 was cast down.^H7993

And an host^H6635 was given^H5414 him against^H5921 the daily^H8548 [sacrifice] by reason of transgression,^H6588 and it cast down^H7993 the truth^H571 to the ground;^H776 and it practised,^H6213 and prospered.^H6743

Then I heard^H8085 one^H259 saint^H6918 speaking,^H1696 and another^H259 saint^H6918 said^H559 unto that certain^H6422 saint which spake,^H1696 How long^{H5704 H4970} shall be the vision^H2377 concerning the daily^H8548 [sacrifice], and the transgression^H6588 of desolation,^H8074 to give^H5414 both the sanctuary^H6944 and the host^H6635 to be trodden under foot?^H4823

And he said^H559 unto^H413 me, Unto^H5704 two thousand^H505 and three^H7969 hundred^H3967 days;^{H6153 H1242} then shall the sanctuary^H6944 be cleansed.^H6663” (Dan. 8:10-14).

Daniel 8:23-26 with and without Strong’s numbers.

“And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.” (Dan. 8:23-26).

“And in the latter time^H319 of their kingdom,^H4438 when the transgressors^H6586 are come to the full,^H8552 a king^H4428 of fierce^H5794 countenance,^H6440 and understanding^H995 dark sentences,^H2420 shall stand up.^H5975 

And his power^H3581 shall be mighty,^H6105 but not^H3808 by his own power:^H3581 and he shall destroy^H7843 wonderfully,^H6381 and shall prosper,^H6743 and practise,^H6213 and shall destroy^H7843 the mighty^H6099 and the holy^H6918 people.^H5971

And through^H5921 his policy^H7922 also he shall cause craft^H4820 to prosper^H6743 in his hand;^H3027 and he shall magnify^H1431 himself in his heart,^H3824 and by peace^H7962 shall destroy^H7843 many:^H7227 he shall also stand up^H5975 against^H5921 the Prince^H8269 of princes;^H8269 but he shall be broken^H7665 without^H657 hand.^H3027

And the visionH⁴⁷⁵⁸ of the evening^H6153 and the morning^H1242 which^H834 was told^H559 is true:^H571 wherefore shut thou up^{H859 H5640} the vision;^H2377 for^H3588 it shall be for many^H7227 days.^H3117” (Dan. 8:23-26).

[I’m using e-Sword for its concordance and definitions of Hebrew and Greek. e-Sword has been accurate the many years I’ve used it.]

“And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary^H4720 was cast down.

And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary^H6944 and the host to be trodden under foot?

And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary^H6944 be cleansed.” (Dan. 8:10-14).

In Daniel 8:11 “sanctuary” is Strong’s H4720, while in Daniel 8:13, 14 “sanctuary” is Strong’s H6944.

“H4720 miqdâsh From H6942; a consecrated thing or place, especially a palace, sanctuary (whether of Jehovah or of idols) or asylum: - chapel, hallowed part, holy place, sanctuary.

H6944 qôdesh From H6842; a sacred place or thing; rarely abstractly sanctity: -consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, (X most) holy (X day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary.” Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries.

I looked at the references for “sanctuary” that use H4720 miqdâsh and H6944 qôdesh and found that “sanctuary” is not the most common translation of miqdâsh and qôdesh. Can we say then that the question from the angel in verse 14 is the focus of the previous vision of the little horn? Therefore, we should let the angel’s question indicate the meaning of the previous context, verses 9-12. As we said the other night, Daniel 8:9 must represent pagan Rome at the start of the little horn symbolism, even though that is not explicit. Nevertheless, verse 9 is not the main focus of this vision. Rather, verses 10-14 are the focus that concerns the little horn’s work to cast down Christ and “the mighty and the holy people” (vs. 24).

What we see is the great controversy played out in the new covenant church, with ancient Israel as the model. The northern kingdom’s hearts had been won over to the destroyer’s appeal to the flesh and then they were marched out of Jehovah’s holy land, much to the distress of the Jews. The Jews would never again see their brethren, the other half of their people. Daniel was still mourning it in Daniel 9:7, 11, and 15. Many other Jews, who also were spiritual, saw a great loss of power for sanctifying the Gentiles. And now the Jews themselves had fallen to the temptations of the destroyer and were in what seemed a perpetual Babylonian captivity, forgotten of God, without the voice of His prophets, and without hope.

Maybe Daniel didn’t understand that a new covenant Gentile church would be the fulfillment and receive the warfare of his chapter 8 vision. Rather, in the vision he only saw his people Israel having a very long, arduous, and dangerous path to tread—without a temple resting place for the Lord to dwell among them. Regardless of Daniel’s fears, the vision’s holy people and daily sacrifice were the church and the new redemption offered to the world through the church. By letting the angel’s question indicate the meaning of verses 9-12, we see that the overriding issue here is the distressing news of a destroyed heavenly temple of the Most High and Christ’s work in it. The major theme concerning the temple in Daniel 8 compares with Revelation 11 and 12.

Since the Daniel 8 vision is about Satan’s subtle war against Lord’s power to save our souls, we should question bringing into the vision secular, worldly events (such as the fall of the Roman Empire and other barbarian military campaigns) which would diminish the true central concern, especially since they will happen during Christ’s new dispensation era, when the focus needs to be the heavenly work of sending the Spirit of His Father for our salvation and for a freedom from Satan that is greater than anyone could have had in the old covenant.

Hebrews chapters 7-9 describe this new, better salvation. And all the denominations claim to have it. But, they don’t really have it because it was trampled by the little horn/king of the north/beast power of the Dark Ages. The apostolic better salvation has yet to be restored to the church of Christ, which won’t fully return until the Latter Rain.

So, it’s clear to me that Daniel 8:11 reveals the papal subjugation of Christianity, which would begin to be cleansed in the church of Christ at the end of the 2300 day prophecy. Is there a problem to interpret Daniel 8:11 that way, to include in the heavenly sanctuary message a cleansing of it due to the ravaging papal/satanic influence? Adventism has said that Daniel 8:14 is about the great controversy Day of Atonement heavenly sanctuary’s cleansing of all sin. We’ve said that its cleansing prepares God’s sealed people to stand through Jacob’s trouble when “the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.” (Rev. 15:8). And that interpretation is correct. But, Ellen White included a second facet of the sanctuary cleansing:

While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon earth. The Great Controversy, p. 425.

The [Millerite] people were not yet ready to meet their Lord. There was still a work of preparation to be accomplished for them. Light was to be given, directing their minds to the temple of God in heaven; and as they should by faith follow their High Priest in His ministration there, new duties would be revealed. Ibid, p. 424.

Based on the above statements, I don’t see a problem connecting the Daniel 8:14 cleansing to both 1) ridding the church on earth of the ravages of the little horn papal falsehoods and usurpation, as well as 2) a heavenly Day of Atonement cleansing the heavenly sanctuary of our sins. I have heard of Adventists who Desmond Ford made to worry about our Adventist founding fathers’ interpretations of Daniel 8:14, the founders using Daniel 8:14 only for the heavenly sanctuary cleansing. Dr. Ford convinced them by his Evangelical/anti-Adventist attempt to force an Antiochus Epiphanes construct into the issues of the Daniel 8 little horn pollutions. Dr. Ford made some Adventists really fear of an interpretation mistake by our Adventist fathers. Many Adventists must have not looked at the context of Daniel 8:14. But, Dr. Ford’s controversy was actually a blessing in disguise.

The fact that there is no controversy or agitation among God’s people, should not be regarded as conclusive evidence that they are holding fast to sound doctrine. There is reason to fear that they may not be clearly discriminating between truth and error. When no new questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures, when no difference of opinion arises which will set men to searching the Bible for themselves, to make sure that they have the truth, there will be many now, as in ancient times, who will hold to tradition, and worship they know not what Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 39.

The cleansing of sins from the heavenly sanctuary is not the only issue of Daniel 8:14. As we know, by 1844 many idolatrous corruptions and falsehoods, which were brought into Christ’s church by the little horn, were still rooted in the minds of Protestantism. Doctrinal errors were a second result of the little horn casting down the Prince and His sanctuary. It was these errors that caused the apostolic church to apostatize into pagan sacraments and to fall under that subjugation into transgression. Christ ceased to be a Saviour from sin. Satan allowed Christ to be a Saviour in the minds of the church, so long as the church didn’t know Him personally, and His plan and power to vanquish Satan and sin from their hearts. Our first distinctive doctrines cleared some of the falsehoods, and Ellen White’s continuous exhortations also helped clear up God’s expectations of His people. 1888 General Conference revelations cleared up more. And there is more clearing up to come. “This scripture [Revelation 18:1,2,4] points forward to a time when the announcement of the fall of Babylon, as made by the second angel of Revelation 14 (verse 8), is to be repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the various organizations that constitute Babylon, since that message was first given, in the summer of 1844.” Great Controversy, p. 603. Therefore, the idolatrous imposter, Christ look-alike Azazel has, throughout the time of the end, been slowly growing more distinct from the sacrificed Goat.

What I wrote in the above paragraph is surely not new to you. But, it says that the issues of Daniel 8:10-14 were of a heavenly nature and should not involve the fall of pagan Rome. It says that the usurpation of Christ’s propitiation for us is the central event of Daniel 8 and the real event of Daniel 8:11’s “daily [sacrifice]” and “sanctuary”. Notice, too, that the vision couples the daily and the sanctuary together, as it also couples them in the angel’s question. But, in the angel’s question, the sanctuary is certainly the heavenly. So why then should not the daily also be of a heavenly character? Such a literary structure must leave us calling both prophetic items heavenly and spiritual events. And if they are both heavenly/spiritual in verse 13, then they are both heavenly/spiritual in verse 11.

Also, the symbolic “daily sacrifice…taken away, and the place of his sanctuary…cast down” throw so much light on the machinations of the great deceiver against Christ, His sacrifice, and His gift of the Spirit of God, since the falling away of the apostolic church. Without the insight from Daniel 8:11 and 11:31 our protest against Rome would be founded upon an assumption. But, instead of human rationale we have this vision for guidance. Where else in scripture, except the visions of Daniel, do such details of this major blasphemy show up? Without Daniel 8:11 and 11:31 all we would be left with are the testimonies of the Reformers. But, even though they were eye-witnesses of the little horn’s corruptions, the spiritual authority from the word of God is the only thing that can make effective war against the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.

In Daniel 8:9-14, as a whole, we see a work of stamping the truth into the ground, as we also saw in Daniel 7:7-13. In that vision, the same little horn in Daniel 7:8 did a work of destruction worse than did the 4th beast as pagan Rome in verse 7. In the little horn’s judgment scene we saw in Daniel 7:11 that its blasphemy was judged; its trampling and wearing out the saints did not come up for judgment then. Daniel 7 prepares the prophecy student for the vision of chapter 8. Satan’s warfare against the angelic saints in heaven (and against the faith of the Lord’s earthly children who sat in heavenly places by faith) constituted the highest insult to God. We also see this in Revelation 11:1,2.

 “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” (Rev. 11:1,2). To measure is to judge, to examine. What was judged? The heavenly temple and heavenly saints (angelic and redeemed earthly).

Also, there is no reason to interpret Daniel 8 or 11 as Antiochus Epiphanes. He doesn’t fit without forcing him in like a misplaced puzzle piece. Therefore, to revisit the “daily” for re-interpretation need not be worrisome in the respect of Antiochus Epiphanes. To call the “daily” the papacy may make some people worry about Antiochus Epiphanes, but for Adventists who look closely at scripture and history, there is no danger of getting derailed by the Antiochus error. To me the Antiochus Epiphanes concern is unnecessary and a non-issue.

I am sold on the concept of the “daily” being the papacy. The Church of Rome has always been the focus of Daniel and Revelation. Since the days of the apostles, she has always been the mother of abominations, and the real danger to the Messiah’s salvation. Satan has always used the one true religion in which to hide during the old covenant era; and he has hidden better in the new covenant of better promises than the old covenant promises. The efforts by Uriah Smith to call the king of the north the Turks (or Muslims) received a strong rebuke from the Whites, who told him that we had always seen Rome as the last day enemy of God. Elder Smith was losing his hold on the truth because he didn’t have the constant witness of the Spirit. His heart’s real loyalty was exposed in 1888, and now at the end he could not abide in the truth. Likewise, his placing the fall of pagan Rome into the little horn vision was also a distraction from the real focus, the Church versus Christ’s atonement. Many Adventists revered Uriah Smith, and Sr. White realized the church’s strong attachments to him. Therefore, she followed the biblical counsel to “rebuke not an elder” publicly. She promoted his book, Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation, but remained deathly silent on his perpetuation of William Miller’s 7 trumpets interpretation. She also promoted the Millerite charts yet remained silent on the 2520 aspect of the charts. She didn’t believe in the 2520 misinterpretation of scripture, but she saw that the illustrative use of charts was an excellent idea for rapid spreading of the three angels’ messages. She saw the same in Uriah Smith’s Daniel and Revelation, but that shouldn’t assume that she agreed with everything in it.

Saturday night I said that Daniel 8 and 11 overlay each other using 3 main points to help orient Daniel 11. 1) The Prince (who is also “the Messiah the Prince” from Daniel 9:25); 2) the placing of the abomination of desolation; and, 3) destroying by peace.

In Daniel 8:9-14 point 1 reads: “the prince of the host” (8:11). Point 2 reads, “he magnified himself even to the prince” (8:11). Point 3 reads, “it practised, and prospered” (8:11). Point 3 isn’t readily apparent in this introductory vision, “it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered” (8:12), unless it is understood by Gabriel’s later explanation, as in verse 25: “he shall cause craft^H4820 to prosper”.

“H4820 mirmâh From H7411 in the sense of deceiving; fraud; -craft, deceit (-ful, -fully), false, feigned, guile, subtilly, treachery.)” Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries.

In Daniel 8:23-25 point 1 reads: “the Prince of princes” (8:25). Point 2 reads, “he shall magnify himself in his heart…he shall also stand up against the Prince” (8:25). Point 3 reads, “he shall destroy wonderfully” (8:24), “by peace [he] shall destroy many” (8:25).

And—as I see it—in Daniel 11:20-45 point 1 reads: “the prince of the covenant” (vs. 22). Point 2 reads, “they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.” (11:31). Point 3 reads, “After the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches….” (11:23,24). “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries.” (11:32).

By overlaying these three common components of the two visions, plus Gabriel’s explanation at the end of Daniel 8, we can understand Daniel 11 better. The “vile” king of the north that appeared after the “raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom” is who we need to keep our eye on, beginning in Daniel 11:21. He was not Tiberius in verse 21 as everyone believes, but the little Christian movement with its carnal leadership who would work quietly obtaining the empire by flatteries until they could assume all the pagan human philosophy and pagan lusted for worldliness, and surprise everyone by overthrowing the pagan control of the people and the empire. The blending of the world and Christianity brought learned and ambitious men to the top leadership for all their “wisdom” which God called foolishness. “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer…that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish.” (Isa. 44:24,25). “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?... Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1Cor. 1:20,25). The vile church lusting after the prince of this world was repeating Israel’s vile, abhorrent departure, as the Lord described it.

“Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke Me to anger.

Behold, therefore I have stretched out My hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way.

Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied.

Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.

How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman.” (Eze. 16:25-30).

A fourth point to overlay could also be “the host”. That is, the host that joined the papacy. The “host” in Daniel 8 is described in Daniel 11 as “arms”, as in a regular army. But, look at how the “arms” join the papacy, as described in Daniel 8. “…an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression” (8:12). Doesn’t “was given him” sound like Paul’s words? “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves…. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature…. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” (Rom. 1: 24,26,28). (In this I believe Paul was referring to the Gentile world generally, and to the ten tribes of Israel specifically.)

This may change your mind about what the “daily” was. Daniel 8:12 appears to mean that the “host” or “arms” (military hosts) were actually God’s church when it was apostatizing. It was a repeat of Baalpeor. “Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.” (Num. 25:1-3).

In Daniel 11, again the Baalpeor apostasy can be seen as the “vile” king of the north “happy” [asherah] Ashtoreth wooed God’s people away from His Law by her antinomian, promiscuous niceties and non-convicting flattery of their conscience. “…he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.” (Dan. 8:24). It was the great falling away of the apostolic church. The once “chosen generation,…royal priesthood,…holy nation” that had conquered the gates of hell became the backsliding army that defected to persecute for Christian gnosticism and Baal. They had lost their first love and forsook “the holy covenant.” (Dan. 11:30). “And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice.” (Dan. 11:31). Over time, the hosts worshiped a “God” (John 16:2) who wasn’t the only true God, and transformed into “they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations” (Rev. 11:9), “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Rev. 17:15), “many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (Rev. 10:11), “all the world” (Rev. 13:3).

“Sanctuary of strength^H4581” (Dan. 11:31), “from H5810; a fortified place; figuratively a defence: - force, fort (tress), rock, strength (-en), (X most) strong (hold). Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries.

The polluting of this “sanctuary” easily falls into the Daniel 8:11-14 scenario of the heavenly sanctuary, if you agreed with me when I covered that above. It refers to a strong sanctuary because it was foreseen and provided for by God, dedicated by Christ’s sacrifice, and run by Christ and not by man.

“We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” (Heb. 8:1,2). “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man… whose heart departeth from the LORD…. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” (Jer. 17:5,7).

The heavenly throne is our rock, as God is our Rock.

“The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;

Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion.” (Ps. 20:1,2).

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power.” (Ps. 150:1).

“Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established.” (Ex. 15:17).

“O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

To see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.

Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee.” (Ps. 63:1).

“And He brought them to the border of His sanctuary, even to this mountain, which His right hand had purchased.” (Ps. 78:54).

 “They have seen Thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.” (Ps. 68:24).

“Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?” (Ps. 77:13).

 “For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth.” (Ps. 102:19).

“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.

The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.” (Ps. 134:2,3).

 “A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.” (Jer. 17:12).

“Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.” (Isa. 27:5).

 “Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.” (Ps. 22:21).

“And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.” (1Ki. 1:50).

In eternity the power of God will be seen from the sanctuary. “The Strength of Israel” will be the temple.

“One reminder alone remains: Our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head, upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought. Says the prophet, beholding Christ in His glory: ‘He had bright beams coming out of His side: and there was the hiding of His power.’ Habakkuk 3:4, margin. That pierced side whence flowed the crimson stream that reconciled man to God—there is the Saviour’s glory, there ‘the hiding of His power.’ ‘Mighty to save,’ through the sacrifice of redemption, He was therefore strong to execute justice upon them that despised God’s mercy. And the tokens of His humiliation are His highest honor; through the eternal ages the wounds of Calvary will show forth His praise and declare His power. 

“‘O Tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto Thee shall it come, even the first dominion.’” Great Controversy, p. 674.

Is not our High Priest Jesus and His sanctuary the source of His Spirit and His righteousness and His power to save? The throne of God has been the very center of operations for the plan of redemption. It is the one and only sanctuary of strength, and our one and only hope.

“Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 6:17-20).

“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2Cor. 10:4,5).

Let’s also be careful how we treat the interpretations of William Miller. Some of his understanding came, or was derived, from earlier Protestant Bible prophecy students. Truth is always unfolding and being developed by human minds. God meant His word to perpetually unfold, for our blessing. But, we are part of that train of prophecy students, and His blessing upon us will enable us to look deeply into the truths hidden in God’s word and understand it for ourselves. This doesn’t mean to blanket sweep away previous interpretations, but it does mean that we should approach the word of God as an unsearchable mine of gems, and that if we do then new truth will continually be revealed to all who will keep studying. NASA’s Hubble Ultra-Deep Field astronomical photograph teaches us the same lesson. For decades a dark spot in the heavens was overlooked by normal telescope photography. But, one day NASA astronomers decided to point the Hubble at that spot for a million seconds, and the longer the lens exposed the darkness, the more truth came out of the darkness. Every source of light in that picture, with exception of the one star that has the X effect at the lower right, are all galaxies. Thousands of galaxies, like a treasure trove of beautiful gems behind and before and next to each other, deeply set in space.

Hubble Ultra-Deep Field

Let’s remember that we are Adventists, not Millerites, and not bound to everything taught in Millerite prophetic interpretation. William Miller created the foundation for Adventism, but not the whole structure. I learned this lesson when I was studying Revelation and got to chapter 8 and its 7 trumpets. I thought I would go find Uriah Smith’s book on that subject. But the Lord told me, “No. Let Revelation speak for itself.” As I continued reading I saw that the first 4 trumpets represented the falling away and cutting off of the apostate Protestant churches, and the fifth trumpet to be a long prophecy representing the sealing and marking of the Adventists and Protestants. The fifth trumpet also sheds much light on the 3rd angel’s message, as the language of the 3rd angel’s message comes from the fifth and sixth trumpets.

In other words, the trumpets are not about pagan military campaigns that have little to do with giving the everlasting gospel and warning us against the mark of the beast. They don’t warn us away from Satan’s strong delusions and spiritualism, his Christian spiritualism through the Mass and the Eucharist, and his Protestant spiritualism through Spiritual Formation (including the Adventist variant).

Historical military events have their place in sacred and secular history, but only as markers to give veracity and reputability to the Lord’s spiritual events in the world. It’s true that big changes always take place from wars and conquests, which the spiritual forces for heaven and hell make use of for their advantages. We do need to know that both spiritual forces use earthly wars to facilitate their rapid movements against each other, and for the ownership of the soul of man. But, after we have noted the verity of scripture through common chronology, “let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of” (Heb. 6:1) secular history. The spiritual event must supersede the secular event. Let us go further investigating the things of God in the great spiritual events.

Because some Adventists cling to only the past events of Adventism, misconceptions are coming into Adventism. For example, some are following the 2520 year prophecy because it was on the Millerite chart and on the earliest Adventist chart also. Another example of clinging to the past is keeping the feast days. But, because Jesus accepted a practice or idea in the past doesn’t mean He calls it present truth today. A constant weighing and putting into practice the truth that we’ve been given will keep us abreast of present truth and open up to more truth as the Lord’s timing unveils it to us by His Spirit.

J_____ and M_____, I hope I was convincing enough on the daily and sanctuary of Daniel 8:11 and 11:31 to help you better see the work of Jesus and of the devil. Take care and maybe we can study this together soon.