1. The following extract from Litch's Prophetic Expositions, will meet the leading points in the first question:
"It is obvious, from the last verse of the eighth chapter, that Daniel felt the most intense anxiety in respect to the vision, and yet had no light. But, according to the ninth chapter, he learned, immediately after the death of Belshazzar, [see Dan. v, 26, and onward,] in the first year of Darius the Mede, that Jeremiah had foretold 70 years captivity of the Jews in Babylon, and the same period of desolation of the land by the hand of the king of Babylon. From the beginning of Daniel's captivity, in the third year of Jehoiakim, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar, there had been seventy years accomplished. Daniel, knowing this fact, and also misunderstanding the real import of Jeremiah's prophecy, as well as his own vision, supposed the time for cleansing or justifying the sanctuary had arrived. But the prediction of Jeremiah [chap. xxv, 9-11] was, that God would bring Nebuchadnezzar against that land and nation, and 'utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and 'PERPETUAL DESOLATIONS.' 'This whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon 70 years. The Babylonian captivity was to be 70 years, but the land was to be 'perpetual desolations.' 'And it shall come to pass when 70 years are accomplished,'—not that the desolation of the holy land and oppression and bondage of the church cease, but—'I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.' The 70 years ended, and God sent the hand-writing on the palace wall of Babylon, 'Mene,' 'GOD HATH NUMBERED THY KINGDOM AND FINISHED IT.' That night Belshazzar was slain, and Darius took the kingdom.—But the desolations, both of Judea and Chaldea, yet continue."
We think that these remarks present the subject in the true light. It is not predicted that the desolation of Judea should terminate with the 70 years, but that the Babylonian servitude should continue that number of years. Jer. xxv, 9-11. The event which marks the termination of the 70 years is the punishment of the king of Babylon. Compare verse 12 with chap. xxvii, 7; Dan. v. 25-31. About two years after the punishment of the king of Babylon, God visited his people in that city, by stirring up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, to cause them to return to their own land. Jer. xxix, 10; Ezra i, 1-3.
The commandment, which Gabriel says came forth at the beginning of Daniel's supplication, was, doubtless, the divine mandate to Gabriel requiring him to visit and explain to Daniel those things which he had omitted to explain in chapter viii. For he says, "At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee." Dan. ix, 23. It was in obedience to that commandment, that Gabriel had then come.
It is certain that the decree from which the 70 weeks are dated [Dan. ix, 25] could not have gone forth at the end of the 70 years of Babylonian servitude, which was more than 530 years before Christ. For in that case the entire period of 70 weeks or 490 prophetic days, would not reach even to the birth of Christ, by a space of more than 40 years! Whereas 69 of the 70 weeks were to extend to the Messiah the Prince. But the decree of the seventh year of Artaxerxes answers all the conditions of the prophecy; and, reckoning from that decree, the 70 weeks were exactly fulfilled in all particulars. The seventh of Artaxerxes was B. C. 457. At the end of 69 weeks or 483 prophetic days from that point the Messiah began to preach in A. D. 27, saying "The time is fulfilled." Mark i, 14, 15.
It is true that Gabriel in this interview with Daniel predicted the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; but he does not state that the 70 weeks extend to that event. He testifies that 69 of them extend only to Messiah the Prince. It is certain, therefore, that the remaining week, or period of 7 years, could not be extended to the destruction of Jerusalem, as that event did not occur for almost 40 years. And if the 70 weeks began with the termination of the Babylonian captivity they could not extend to the destruction of Jerusalem by a period of almost 120 years.
2. The evidence is perfectly conclusive that the Sanctuary of the Bible is the tabernacle of God, and not the earth, the land of Palestine, or the church. Ex. xxv, 8; Heb. ix, 1-5. The fact is clearly stated in the Scriptures that the earthly Sanctuary, or tabernacle, was made as a pattern or a representation of the true Sanctuary or tabernacle in heaven. Ex. xxv, 8, 40; Heb. viii, 1-5. It is plainly stated, in Heb. ix that the earthly Sanctuary was a figure of the true tabernacle, designed for the time then present, that is, for that dispensation, and that since the Lord Jesus became an High Priest, the greater and more perfect tabernacle has taken the place of that "figure," "example" or "pattern." The ninth chapter of Daniel, which is the inspired commentary on the vision of the Sanctuary and 2300 days in the eighth chapter, shows how large a portion of the 2300 days belongs to the earthly Sanctuary. "Seventy weeks [490 days] are determined [literally cut off] upon thy people and upon thy holy city." Verse 24. This shows that the whole period of 2300 days does not belong to Jerusalem and the Jews. It is an important fact, that this period of 70 weeks terminates at the time where the New Testament places the transfer from the earthly Sanctuary to the real one in heaven. And it is to be noticed that Gabriel introduces the heavenly Sanctuary to the view of Daniel. For the last event in the 70 weeks, as given by him, is the anointing of the "most holy," literally, as rendered by Clark and other eminent scholars, the "Holy of holies." This can refer to nothing else than the true tabernacle in which our High Priest was to minister for us. The act of anointing the earthly tabernacle, preceded the ministration of the Levitical priests; and the anointing of the heavenly Sanctuary precedes our Lord's ministration therein.
These facts, we think, are conclusive proof that the heavenly Sanctuary is the subject of that part of Daniel's vision that relates to the gospel dispensation. The cleansing of the earthly Sanctuary is distinctly stated in Lev. xvi. This was a part of the shadow of good things to come; of which good things, Christ is a minister in the greater and more perfect tabernacle. And the fact that the heavenly Sanctuary is to be cleansed for the same reason that the earthly was cleansed, is plainly stated in Heb. ix, 22-24.
3. The fulfillment of the prophetic periods in the symbolic prophecy, has ever been a day for a year. But the fulfillment of the types has never been thus marked. We understand that the Saviour ministered in the first apartment until the end of the 2300 days, and that the termination of that period marked the commencement of his ministration in the holies of all. If the ministration of the Saviour in the first apartment had been on the principle of a day in the type answering to a year in the antitype, then it would have occupied only 364 years instead of more than 1800. We know of no means of marking the precise length of Christ's ministration in the most holy place; but regard it as the brief period which will terminate human probation, and end in the pouring out of God's wrath in the seven last plagues.