SYNOPSIS OF THE PRESENT TRUTH
By Uriah Smith
THE 70 WEEKS AND 2300 DAYS (CONTINUED). WE have now examined the four grants made by the kings of Persia in favor of the Jews, which are the only events to which we can look as the decree to restore and to build Jerusalem. We have seen that the first, second and fourth do not contain the essential features necessary to constitute that decree; but that the third, the decree to Ezra, fulfills the conditions of the prophecy in every particular:— 1. It contained all the elements necessary to constitute such a decree, and when carried out, resulted in the thorough restoration of the Jewish state. It answered to the prophecy fully in this respect. 2. From the commencement of the work by Ezra, to the last act of reformation by Nehemiah were just forty-nine years, which is the exact period allowed in the prophecy to this work. 3. As this decree went forth B. C. 457, the sixty-nine weeks or 483 years which were to extend to the Messiah the Prince, reckoned from the commencement of the work in the autumn of that year, bring us to the autumn of A. D. 27, when our Lord was baptized by John in Jordan and went forth preaching “the time is fulfilled.” Mark 1. Three and a half years from this, to the midst of the seventieth week, bring us to the spring of A. D. 31, where it has been demonstrated that the crucifixion took place. Three and a half years more, the last half of the week, terminate the 70 weeks or 490 years in the autumn of A. D. 34. Here then we stand at the end of this great period which Gabriel in his explanation of the 2300 days, told Daniel was cut off upon Jerusalem and the Jews. There is this one grand fact yet to be noticed: If the first 490 years terminated in the autumn of A. D. 34, the whole period ended in the autumn of A. D. 1844. For 490 taken from 2300, leave 1810; and 1810 added to A. D. 34, where the 490 terminate, make 1844. Previous to 1843 the light concerning the going forth of the decree in B. C. 457, had been clearly set forth. The end of the 2300 days was therefore confidently expected in 1843; for 457 years before Christ, and 1843 after, make just 2300 years. But the fact was overlooked that it takes 457 full years and 1843 full years to make 2300; and that, consequently, if the period had commenced with the very first day of 457, B. C., it would not end till the very last day of 1843, A. D., and that therefore, if a portion of the year B. C. 457 had elapsed before the 2300 days commenced, these days would cover, before they terminated, a corresponding portion of the year 1844. And when it was taken into consideration that the midst of the seventieth week was marked by the crucifixion, which was in the first Jewish month in the spring of 31, and that the 70 weeks would therefore end in the seventh month, autumn of 34, it was at once seen that the days began not with the starting of Ezra from Babylon in the spring, but with the commencement of the work at Jerusalem, which it is not probable could be earlier than the seventh month, autumn, of 457; and commencing at that point they must extend to a corresponding point in the year following 1843, and consequently end in the seventh month, Hebrew reckoning, in the autumn of 1844. Such was the chronological argument upon which the preaching of the Advent doctrine of 1844 was based. It was good then; it is good now. Notwithstanding all the efforts that have been made to remove the dates, Honesty is at last compelled to let them stand as they were then placed. There are no Sampsons in the land who can pluck away these pillars of the temple of truth. With the great fact before us that the 2300 days would end in the autumn of 1844, we reasoned as follows: 1. The Sanctuary, according to the prophecy, is then to be cleansed. 2. The earth, or the land of Palestine, is the Sanctuary. 3. Its cleansing is to be by fire at the revelation of the Lord Jesus. 4. In the “example and shadow of heavenly things,” the high priest on the tenth day of the seventh month, entered the holies of the earthly sanctuary, to make an atonement and came forth to bless the people. We therefore confidently expected that our great High Priest would descend from heaven in flaming fire and bring deliverance to his people, on the tenth day of the seventh month of that year in which the 2300 days should end. We need not mention how painful was the disappointment, or how the hopes of God’s expectant people were as effectually crucified as were those of the early disciples when they beheld their Master bleeding upon the cross. There had been a mistake somewhere. Where was it? could the mystery be solved? Not a few made a precipitous retreat into the world again; and some flew off on a tangent into the most extravagant fancies. But independent of these, three general divisions have arisen from the body of believers as it then existed, each claiming to give reason why we did not at that time realize our hope. 1. The reason offered by the first class is that the seventy weeks are no part of the 2300 days; that the two periods have different starting points; and that the former affords no key to the explanation of the latter. It requires but a glance to see that this view sets aside entirely the important period of the 2300 days; for if the seventy weeks do not mark its commencement, we challenge the world to tell us where it does commence, or of what possible use it can be on the sacred page. So much then of revelation, yet remains unrevealed. 2. The second class have attempted to re-adjust the 2300 days by tearing up the original dates, astronomy and history to the contrary notwithstanding, and so arranging them as to make the point for the cleansing of Palestine or the burning of the earth fall in the future, as it is quite evident that neither of these events has taken place in the past. 3. The third class take the position that the conceptions at first entertained concerning the Sanctuary and its cleansing were incorrect. The positions held by these various classes, we will next briefly notice.