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The Sanctuary of Daniel 8Lect. univ. drd. Florin LăiuInstitutul Teologic Adventist Cernica-Bucureşti, Roma�nia, 2013The comforting announcement regarding the time of the sanctuary vindication or cleansing trumpeted in Dan. 8:14, became the magnet issue of the Advent people after 1800. To grasp its true intent, one must first discover the identity of the sanctuary in Daniel 8. Historically theologians identified this sanctuary with various earthly realities. Even William Miller focused on Church and Earth which he thought it was the sanctuary to be cleansed (by fire) at the Second Advent. Let’s examine the main proposals.The Sanctuary Identity

The ancient Jewish temple?Daniel’s prophecy forecasts the tribulations of the sanctuary in the succeeding times. The Jewish temple has been often profaned or desolated by various Judean and foreign kings, and subsequently purified or rebuilt and reconsecrated.1 The most suspected fulfillment of Daniel’s time prophecy in the Maccabean episode is however a hopeless count. Daniel predicted the 1260/1290/1335 days (see 7:25; 12:7-12), the 2300, or to some exegetes 1150 days (see 8:14), and the 490 days (see 9:24-27), but the historical periods in the Maccabean sources (e. g. 1105/1095/1900 days), though often specific to month and day, do not match Daniel’s.2 This observation is as more perplexing as there are a fair number of details in Maccabees, indicating the authors’ belief that the Maccabean scenario fulfilled the prophecy of Daniel. But these sources make no allusion to any time period of Daniel. We should honestly observe that the beginning of the 2300 “days” is not disclosed in Daniel 8. The question in verse 13 is not, How long since the horn began his actions?, but simply, Until when…?, meaning, When will these troubles end?3 The cryptic time, literally “until evening, morning 2300”, could start with the moment of speaking, orrather from another point that had to be revealed later.4 Thus one should not confuse the 2300 “days” with the total time of desecration of the sanctuary. From the time where “the Captain of the army” is deprived of His regular offering, and His sanctuary is profaned by the desolating sin installed in its place, are counted only 1290-1335 “days” (Da 12:11-12). These “days” cover roughly the 3 ½ 1 E. g. 2Ch 29:1-7; 1Mac 4:36-43.2 E. g. 1Mac 1:57, 62; 4:52-59; 7:43-49; 8-9; 2Mac 1:18; 10:1-8; 12:21, 33;14:1; 15:36 37.

3 Similar use in Da 12:6; Pr 6:9; Ne 2:6 etc. 4 See also Dan. 12:6-7, where there is no mention of the starting point of the 3 ½ “times”, and no contextual clue of the time is possible. While apparently one should count the 3 ½ “years” from the moment of speaking, the true solution is to go back to Da 7:25 (the first occurrence of this period of the little horn of the Christian-Roman beast), in order to applythe same starting point: after the raising of the 10 horns.

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times of Da 12:7. Since this tribulation, frequently mentioned in the Book of Revelation,5 had to occur in the Christian era, one must seriously consider the sanctuary of Daniel 8 to be different from the Maccabean temple. Inasmuch as this prophecy extends to “the (appointed) time of the end” (Da 8:17, 19 NIV),6 the extension of the 2300 “days” over the Christian era implicitly requires a reading of the apocalyptic times as cryptic terms, at a standard scale, nothing else but the Biblical and historical code “day for a year”.7 An Israeli temple?With the Roman desolation (70 CE), the Jewish temple was ruined and finally replaced by a masjid (Dome of the Rock). No wonder that some Jews and Christians readDaniel 8 to find hopes of future restoration, identifying the sanctuary with “the third temple”. Yet there is no Jewish theological consensus on this topic.8 Besides, Christians who read soberly their Bible do not find any basis for the resuming of temple system.9 The old covenant system is forever gone, and replaced by a better one, universal and eternal, having its own sanctuary.10

5 See Rv 11:2-3; 12:6, 14; 13:5, a period prefigured by Elijah’s drought (Lk 4:25; Jm 5:17).

6 G Pfandl (The Time of the End in the Book of Daniel, ATSDS 1, Berrien Springs, MI 1992: 266-268) argues definitely for the absolute end of this world in Da 8:17, 19, which is the time of victory and resurrection (Da 12:12-12-13, see also J J Collins, Daniel, Fortress Press, 1993:401).

7 This decoding method is first suggested by analogies of appointed times in the Law: Sabbath day and sabbatical year (Ex 16:26; Lv 25:3; Dt 5:15; 15:12), seven weeks to Pentecost and seven septennates to Jubilee (Lv 23:15-16; 25:8-13). Further, there are explicite historical-prophetic, though not apocalyptic, precedents (Nu 14:33-34; Ez 4:56). Finally the year-day correspondence is firmly established by recognizable intra-apocalyptic occurrences: e. g. 70 weeks – septennates (Da 9:24-27); 3 ½ years – 3 ½ days (Rev 11:2-3, 9-11). Based on this hermeneutic key, Drue Cressener (The Judgments of God upon the Roman-Catholick Church, Londin: MDCLXXXIX [1689]: 309; available on the web) anticipated by 109 years, the blow received by the Papacy in 1798, at the end of 1260 years. See also For thehistorical application of the chrono-messianic prophecy, see B Owusu-Antwi(The Chronology of Daniel 9:24-27, ATSDS 2, Berrien Springs, MI 1995).

8 See, for example, “Third Temple” (En.Wikipedia). 9 The restoration prophecies have been made in or before the Babylonian exile and they meant the second temple (Is 44:28; Ez 43:7-12), in an ideal, conditional scenario (Ez 37:21-28; 47:12, 22-23; see this principlein Jr 18:7-10), though the historical realization was modest (Hag 2:3, 9).

10 When Jesus predicted the temple’s destruction, did not offer any hope of restoration (Mat 23:38—24:2). See also Heb 8:7, 13. The Book of Revelationdoes not reveal any Jewish temple restoration. All references lead to visionary descriptions of the heavenly temple (Rev 3:12; 7:15; 11:1-2, 19;14:15; 15:5; 16:1). In Dan. 9:24-27 is predicted both the end of Jerusalem sanctuary (qódesh), and the annointment of a Most Holy place (qódesh qodashim, v. 24), related to Messiah’s death and to His strong covenant.

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The human being?While it is true that one may quote scriptures where the human being or body is metaphorically called God’s temple,11 there is no light in the doctrine that the true sanctuary to be “cleansed” at the end of the 2300 “days” is the human being.12 Spiritual cleansing has been available for ages.13 Thus any fine cleansing that would have been kept special for the last days is kind of a dispensationalist cheap toy. The Church?Apparently a more suitable suggestion is that the sanctuary to be cleansed or restored is the Church.14 In Daniel 8, however, the spiritual house of God is symbolized by the host of stars, related to the sanctuary of God, but not the same thing. Notably, in Hebrews, true handbook of sanctuary typology, the “the house (=family) of God” on earth is distinct from the sanctuary of God, which is placed in heaven.15 Holy things?The term qodesh of Dan. 8:14 is most frequently used throughout the Hebrew Bible to mean anything holy, or holiness, especially adjectival (holy). Thus the idea that here it must have a broad meaning (holy things, people etc.) is attractive. However, the contextually parallel use of miqdash and qodesh with the meaning of “sanctuary” in the book of Daniel and in other places,16 dictates that in Daniel 8 they must be synonyms. Since qodesh is vindicated in Dan. 8:14, it includes, by metonymy, all its belongings or associated realities, affected by the actions of the wicked horn: the holypeople, the regular offering and the truth itself. The Heavenly Sanctum of God The sanctuary of Daniel 8, identified as the true, real and heavenly temple of God, so often mentioned in the Bible,17 as new covenant archetypic sanctum, where Christ ministers as true Supreme Pontiff (Heb 8:1-2), is a specific Adventist belief.18

11 Jn 2:21; 1Co 6:19-20.12 This was the teaching of J H Kellogg and E J Waggoner after their deflection (cf. D P. McMahon, Ellet Joseph Waggoner, Verdict: Fallbrook CA, 1979: 147-184). R Brinsmead (Present Truth No 10, Denver, Colorado, 1969:25), R Wieland (The Knocking at the Door, Pacific Book and Printing, 1983, ch. V) and others came close to the same idea.

13 Thorough spiritual cleansing was for long time available (Ps 51:2, 6-7; Ja 4:8; 1Jn 1:7-9). See saints ready for rapture in Heb 11:5; 2K 2:11.

14 See for example, D S Warner and H M Riggle, The Cleansing of the Sanctuary, Guthrie, OK: Faith Publishing, 1903:435. Scriptures like Eph 2:19-22; 2Th 2:4; 1Ti 3:15; 1Pt 2:5; 4:17, may have encouraged this identification.

15 Heb 3:2, 5-6; 8:2; 9:12, 23-24; 10:19, 21.16 See Dan 9:17 (miqdash), 26 (qódesh); Dan. 8:10-11 (miqdash + tsaba’), 13 (qódesh + tsaba’); cf. Lev. 16 2-27 (qódesh), 33 (miqdash); Ezek. 45:2 (qódesh), 3 (miqdash); Num. 3: 28, 32 (mishméret ha-qódesh), 38 (mishméret ha-miqdash). In Dan. 8:13 qódesh is distinct from other holy things: the regular offering and the heavenly host.

17 E. g. Ps 11:4; 18:6-9; 33:13-14; 102:19; 1K 8:27, 30; 2Ch 6:18, 21; 30:26-27; Mi 1:2-3. Brasil de Souza (The Heavenly Sanctuary…, ATSDS, Andrews University, 2005) found above thirty OT references.

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In the Millerite movement, Josiah Litch nicely anticipated between 1841-1844 some of the Seventh-day Adventist views about Judgment and sanctuary. 19 The new theological scenario was drafted by O R L Crosier in 1846, recommended by Ellen White in 1847,20 and further developped by Adventist theologians to this day. Critics usually interpret this new identification of the sanctuary in Dan. 8:14, as a “psychological, face-saving phenomenon”21 to explain the Disappointment. But the Seventh-day Adventist pioneers had no need to invent a face-saving device. This was notthe easiest way to explain their fiasco, when the great majority of their brethren admitted their mistake and abandon so quickly any interest for the time prophecy of Daniel 8:14.The image of the self-exalting horn, echoeing Lucifer, the king of Babylon, who threatened God’s heavenly home (Is 14:12-14), much like the dragon of Rev. 12:4, 7-10, is an indirect confirmation of the celestial identity of the sanctuary in Daniel 8. Daniel 8 uses three terms for God’s heavenly sanctuary: makon “place”, miqdash “sanctuary” (v. 11), and qodesh “holy place” (v. 13-14). “The place of His sanctuary” in v. 11, connecting makon and miqdash, is a key to the identity of the sanctuary in Daniel 8. In the Hebrew Bible, makon is repeatedly used for God’s Holy See in heaven,22 but the connection of makon and miqdash occurs in a single case elsewhere: the Song of Moses, where the two synonyms so transparently refer to God’s celestial home:23 You'll bring and plant them on Your proper mountain,– A dwelling place, which You have made, Yah-hweh', – A sanctum, which Your hands erected, Lord,Yah-hweh' will reign for evermore and ever.24Yah-hweh' will reign forever and for ay.Moses hardly could have referred here to some earthly mountain or temple. His song shouts for joy about Israel’s ultimate destination. The only God-made sanctuary is the heavenly one (Heb. 8:2; 9:24); not one that people would build for God (1K. 8:27; Is. 66:1), but the very Father’s house, which God Himself built for His people. Moses taught Israel the truth about God’s sanctuary (Dt. 26:15), so that they knew that God’s heavenly “mountain” is the highest harbour of the saints.25 18 J N Andrews (The Sanctuary and 2300 Days, Steam Press, Battle Creek, MI, 1872: 76).

19 J Litch, Prophetic Expositions… (Boston, 1842), 1:53, 117-118, 121, 126, 134; “Where Are We?” Advent Herald (Boston), April 17, 1844, p. 87;

20 O R L Crozier, “The Law of Moses”, The Day-Star Extra, Feb 7, 1846; E G White,A Word to the Little Flock, New York City, April 21, 1847, p. 11.

21 D G Barnhouse, ed., Eternity 7:67 (September 1956), pp. 6–7, 43–45.22 For makon as God’s dwelling place see Ps 33:14; 1K 8:39, 43; 2Ch 6:30, 33, 39. The ancient Versions translated it as “place”, “prepared place”, “settled location”; “dwelling place”. The Targum for Is. 4:5 rendered it maqdash “sanctuary”. In Da 8:11 makon forms an epexegetic construct (cf. similar cases in Is. 60:13; Jr 17:12; Ps 26:8; 2Ch 36:17; 1Ki 16:18 etc). The Talmud conserves the notion of heavenly Jerusalem, with temple and altar, beyond the Raqi’a (the astral heaven), and calls the sixth heaven Makon. Talmud Babli, Tractate Hagiga, ch. II.

23 The celestial makon of Ex 15:17 is anticipated by the term naweh in the expression “Your holy naweh (abode, meadow)” in v. 13 (cf. Jr. 31:23).

24 Our translation; but any other translation is relevant in this case. 25 See Ps 15:1; 23:6; 24:3.

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The sanctuary configuration

The true substance of the word “sanctuary” is the concept of holiness (cf. lat. sanctus, holy, sacred). The sanctuary of Yahweh was a sacred place, because God was virtually dwelling therein. Since God was worshipped as Heavenly King, supreme and universal, His residence – either tent or house – was called hekal (royal palace),26 thoughit was translated as “temple”. Wor[th]ship derives spiritually from God’s kingship.By far, the most frequent and significant reference to the temple was “the House (of God)”.27 Jesus Himself used to call the temple by this name.28 Actually Jesus’ original designation of the earthly dwelling of God was “My Father’s House” (Lk 2:49; Jn 2:16-17), the same designation that He used for the heavenly home (Jn 14:2), which He was toprepare for His people. This holy palace of God in heaven is further described as God’s tabernacle (Rev 13:6; 21:3), which is so transparently the Most Holy place of the whole universe, a perfect isometric polis (Rev 21:16; 1K 6:20), adorned with the twelve precious stones of the high priest (Rev 21:19-20; Ex 39:10-14). “My Father’s House” is the warmest possible designation of God’s temple, not only because it calls God our Father, but because its use in the Hebrew culture denotes more than an edifice, however it looks like; it is a home, family, or kindred (Gen 31:30; 50:2). The Church itself is called “God’s House”,29 since its earthly host forms one body with the heavenly host (Rev 12:10), and the heavenly sanctuary-city is its legitimate center (Gal. 4:26; Heb 11:16; 13:14). As the saved ones are priests and kings at the same time, reflecting the status of the new Melchizedek (Heb. 7:2-3; Rev. 1:6), so the heavenly realm may not distinguish between sanctum and polity. Consequently an attempt to identify worship and kingdom, sanctuary and city, is appealing at least. No wonder that some Adventist pioneers have been fascinated with the idea.30

Sanctuary shadows in heaven While the sandbox language of the earthly sanctuary – “the patterns of things in heavens” – is often necessary, in order to teach the spiritual “good things to come”, there26 See 1S 1:9; 3:3; Ps 45:16; 144:12; Pr 30:28; 1K 21:1; 2K 20:18; Is 13:22;39:7; Na 2:7; Da 1:4; Jl 4:5.

27 While equivalents to “palace” or “temple” occur approx. 120 times throughout the whole Bible, and equivalents to “sanctuary” (miqdash, qódesh; hieron, hagion/hagia, hagiasma) occur more than 200 times; there are more than 450 references to the temple as “the House [of God (or Yahweh)]”.

28 Cf. Mt 12:4; 21:13; Mk 2:26; 11:17; 6:4; 11:52; 13:35; Lk 19;46.29 Cf. Eph. 2:19; 1Tim. 3:15; Heb. 3:2, 5-6; 10:21; 1Pet. 4:17.30 The identification of the “sanctuary” with the NT heavenly city was suggested by Miller in 1834 (W. Miller, Evidences From Scripture and History…., TEACH Services, NY, 2005, p. 34), repeated by J Litch, Prophetic Expositions… (Boston, 1842), 1:53, 117-118), mentioned by Hale (Apollos Hale, “Has the Bridegroom Come?”, March 5, 1845, p. 27), and by O R L Crosier (“The Law of Moses”, in The Day-Star Extra, Feb 7, 1846), but most emphasized by Joseph Bates, who was very enthusiastic with it (J Bates, The Opening Heavens, May 8,1846: pp. 15, 20-21, 28).

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is no light in a shadow sanctuary in heaven, with a shadow structure and furniture. However bliss and scale are added to shadows, their place is not heaven. Prophets do not see in vision the real matter, but only “shadows”. Their visions are not real space travels; rather they have been supernaturally scrolled through their mind while sleeping or in exctatic condition (Dan 4:13; 7:15). Visions are for spiritual purposes only, not exactly to inform us of the physical reality in the highest. There are plenty of rooms in the sanctuary-city (Jn. 14:2), there is plenty of light to make suns hidein the sky (Rev 21:23), and probably no curtain hangs there to conceal God’s Majesty from angels and saved (Lk. 23:45; Heb. 10:19-20). As regards the real contents of the heavenly sanctuary, the prophetic visions are instructive, for theological purposes only, not to convey exact, physical information. In Rev. 4-5 God’s throne is revealed, but no separating veil is seen between God, the seven candles and the twenty four elders. In Rev. 8:3-4, incence is offered on the golden altar, to help the prayers ascend to God. No veil bewteen the altar and God. The heavenly altar is quite unusual, since it cries out God’s judgments (Rev 9:13; 14:18; 16:7). In Rev 11:1-2, the two courts of God’s temple, including worshippers and an altar,hardly fit for a heavenly court. Beneath this altar of offerings, the souls of the martyrs “restlessly” rest. In Rev. 11:19 and 15:5, the heavenly temple opens again and the Ark of the Covenant is seen. No cherubim are mentioned, no Shekinah, no veil. Angels are seen coming out of the heavenly temple with large vessels filled with the wrath of God (Rev. 15:6-8). Highly symbolical.Though somehow secondary to the Bible, the visions of Ellen White are likewise theologically instructive. But they are not more informative in the physical realm when one compares them to the visions of John. The heavenly sanctuary is described in the typologic language of the earthly, or in the language of Biblical visions. In one vision, there is nothing seen in this temple, but stone tables engraved with the names of the 144.000 (2SG 54-55). In other vision, human worshipers are seen in the Holy Place; the divine chariot-throne moves to the Holiest; a veil hangs there to divide the two apartments, while the devil himself finally establishes his throne in the Holy (DS March 14, 1846). In another vision (EW 32-34) the sanctuary above looks like the tabernacle. Every “shadow” is there, including the shew-bread, the golden cherubim, and even some additional items. It has two veils, indicating two apartments. But aside from the seer-visitor and Jesus Himself as museum’s guide, no person was noted therein. In another vision (1SG 159), Ellen White watches Jesus entering the Most Holy in a flaming chariot; attired in pontifical apparel, bearing the preastplate engraved with thenames of His people; with the holy diadem on His head; having bells at the bottom of His robe. In the Holy Place the seer notes: the candlestick, the table of the shew-bread, the altar, the censer, and a multicolored separating veil, embroidered with sufficient golden angels – to make us understand that the veil is not more real than the bells or the loaves of bread. In another vision (DS Jan. 24, 1846), the sanctuary shown to Ellen White is the dwelling of the faithful men of old; it has a veil with margins of silver and gold. Within the veil is the golden ark, with its two angels spreading their wings, faces turned to the ark. Besides the manna and the Aaron’s rod kept in the ark in the Most Holy, there are golden rods and silver wires with Canaan grapes, whereby Jesus marvelously provisions the supper table. To discover in visions the “geographic” place of the heavenly temple is futile. Johndid not see any temple in the City (Rev 21:22), so maybe we should look for the Mount

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Zion (Rev. 14:1)? But according to Hebrews (12:22-24), the Mount Zion, the heavenly city and the temple overlap. Ellen White saw the heavenly sanctuary here outside the City (on the Mount Zion ),31 there within the City,32 now high above the City,33 then much like the City itself, a space where God abides with His billions of angels.34 Readers are expected to understand that everything of this kind is shadow and ainigma (riddle, 1Cor. 13:12), unintended to convey us the reality as it is. Nobody has real informations on the physical configuration of the heavenly home that we call Sanctuary, City, our Father’s House and Heaven. Certainly, the reality must be material, since anything created is ultimately material. But that reality is incomparably more fascinating than any temple or city shown in whatever vision (1Cor. 2:9; 2Cor 12:4).

Outraged and vindicated

The foolishness of playing God led the self-important horn of Daniel 8 to commit outraging crimes: invading the sacred domain, to persecute and murder the people of God (v. 10b); taking away from the Heavenly Pontiff His inalienable rights over His perpetual sacrifice, by idolatrous inovations (v. 11-12); disregarding the heavenly location of the new covenant sanctuary (v. 11, 13); setting hosts of earthly priests and temple-churches, in order to take care of the earthly cult (v. 12a); disregarding the Scriptural truth, and using deceit (v. 12b NIV). To express the need of repairing the gross injustices made to the sanctuary and its affiliates, the Holy One in verse 14 anounces that finally the sanctuary shall be nitsdaq– “justified”, “vindicated”35 – equivalent to being “exonerated”36, “given judgment in favor” (Dan. 7:22, 10; 12:1), “redeemed by judgment… by saving justice” (Is. 1:27), “victorious through judgment” (Rom. 3:4; Ps. 51:6). The parallel passage in Rev. 6:10-11 answers the same question (“until when”?), interpreting this vindication as a double verdict: a favorable judgment that begins with 31 2SG 54; Present Truth, August 1, 1849; EW 1882:14-20.32 EW 1882: 32-34.33 Day Star, January 24, 1846.34 PP 1890:357.35 Traditionally, nitsdaq has been translated “cleansed”, which Rashi (see

Miqraot Gedolot for Da 8:14) understood as yekuppar “shall be made atonement for”. Linking this notion of atonement, with the sanctuary language of Daniel 8 (ram, goat, sin, sacrifice, etc.), Adventist have naturally related Dan 8:14 to Leviticus 16, where the Yom Kippur ritual is described. Since typologically this was a judgment confirmating the already received forgiveness, and because Jews today still consider Yom Kippur as a day of verdict sealing, Adventists identified the sanctuary cleansing in Dan. 8:14, with a pre-Advent judgment. Thus they have reachedthe same terminal by a long detour, some would say, too long. But on the way they got deeper insights in the plan of salvation, by learning the sanctuary typology. Crosier (op. cit.) interpreted this cleansing as a purification of the heavenly sanctuary (Heb 9:23), a reconciliation between the earthly and the heavenly “things” (Col 1:19-20), and the preparation of a place for the believers (Jn 14:2-3).

36 A Rosenberg, Daniel, The Complete Jewish Bible with Rashi Commentary, www.chabad.org; see also JPS Bible (The Jewish Publication Society of America), 1917.

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“white garments” for the righteous dead, and followed by the day of revenge (Rev. 11:18-19). Thus the end of the 2300 “days” is the final prophetic time (Rev. 10:6; Dan. 12:7-12), bringing out the hour of God’s pre-Advent judgment, the old good news at its zenith (Rev. 14:6-7).37

37 A judgment for the saints, before their resurrection, and before the judgment of the world, was noted and commented by a few evangelical theologians: Thomas Robinson (Daniel, Homiletical Commentary, vol. 19; NY, Funk and Wagnalls, 1892:139); Samuel Prideaux-Tregelles (Remarks on the Propetic Visions in the Book of Daniel, 8th ed., Chelmsford: Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony, n. d.: pp. 36-38); Joseph A. Seiss (The Apocalypse, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1973:136); Helmuth Lamparter (Die Hoffnung der Christen, Quell, Stuttgart, 1967:161; or Aussaat-Verlag, Metzingen: Franz, Wuppertal, 1977). This concept was independently discovered and published in US by Josiah Litch (Prophetic Exposition, vool. 1; Boston, MA: Joshua V. Himes, 1842:49), before the existence of the Seventh-day Adventist movement.