LESSONS FOR BIBLE CLASSES.
By G. H. Bell
LESSON XVI.—THE 2300 DAYS.
1. What are we trying to learn in our present investigations? 2. What part of the subject has been considered? 3. What must next claim our attention? 4. What do we learn in reading from Dan. 8:15 onward? 5. What did Gabriel accordingly do? 6. How long did he continue his explanations? 7. Under what circumstances did Gabriel again appear to Daniel? Dan. 9:20, 21. 8. What did he say to him? Verses 22, 23. 9. What did he request him to do? 10. What part of the vision had Gabriel explained in his former visit? Dan. 8:20–26. 11. What point had he reached when Daniel fainted? 12. Where did he begin his explanation in this second interview? 13. What were his first words? 14. What is the literal meaning of the word here rendered determined? 15. What authorities can you give? 16. What must the angel mean by the expression “Seventy weeks are determined”? 17. How do we know that they were to be cut off from the 2300 days? 18. Of what must the seventy weeks be a part? 19. To what, then, is the statement of the angel equivalent? 20. What does the angel then go on to tell? 21. What was the first thing mentioned? 22. What do we understand this to mean? 23. What scriptures throw light upon this subject? 24. What was the second point mentioned? 25. What does this probably mean? 26. What scriptures seem to refer to the same thing? 27. What was the third point enumerated? 28. What is meant by this “everlasting righteousness”? 29. What was the fourth point? 30. What must be the meaning of “to seal” in this expression? 31. Explain its application in this passage. 32. What was the fifth point? 33. To what is this anointing supposed to refer? It must be remembered that we are trying to learn what is meant by the statement made in Dan. 8:14. We have briefly considered the sanctuary, and next we are to consider the time,—the two thousand and three hundred days. By reading from the fifteenth verse onward, we see that the angel Gabriel was commissioned to make Daniel understand the vision. Accordingly, Gabriel went on to explain the vision, taking up each part in order, till Daniel fainted. Some time after this, as Daniel was praying, and confessing his sins and the sins of his people, Gabriel appeared to him again, saying, “I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding;” “I am come to show thee, . . . therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.” Dan. 9:20–23. Daniel was requested to consider the vision; that is, to recall both the vision and the explanations that had been given him. In his former visit, Gabriel had explained every part of the vision except that pertaining to the sanctuary and the 2300 days. He had just reached this point when Daniel fainted, so in this second interview he begins just where he left off in the first. His first words are these:— “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,” etc. Verse 24. The literal meaning of the word here rendered determined, is cut off, as will be seen by consulting the Englishman’s Hebrew Concordance, or Gesenius in Hebrew Lexicon. Whiting, in his translation, renders it cut off. The angel must mean that the seventy weeks were cut off from the 2300 days, for there is nothing else given in the vision from which weeks of time could be taken. The seventy weeks must, therefore, be a part of the 2300 days, and the statement of the angel is equivalent to saying, that the first seventy weeks of the 2300 days were to be given in an especial manner to the Jewish people. The angel then goes on to tell what should be accomplished during the seventy weeks. 1. The transgression was to be finished. This we understand to mean that, “The Jewish people were to fill up the measure of their iniquity by rejecting and crucifying the Messiah, and were no longer to be his people, or host.” Read Matt. 21:38–43; 23:32–38; 27:25. 2. Next we find the expression, to make an end of sin. This probably means to make an end of sin-offerings, which were to be abolished by the death of Christ. See Dan. 9:27 (cause sacrifice and oblation to cease); read also Heb. 9:10. 3. Everlasting righteousness was to be brought in; that is, the righteousness of Christ. 4. The vision and the prophecy were to be sealed up. To seal sometimes means to fulfill, to establish; see Webster. During the seventy weeks, a part of the vision was exactly fulfilled, and this establishes and makes sure the fulfillment of the whole. 5. The most holy was to be anointed. This is supposed to refer to the anointing of the heavenly sanctuary, preparatory to the commencement of the services there.