Days of Noah

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”

Daniel 8:13-14

Before diving into the complexity of Daniel’s vision in chapter 9 concerning the 70 weeks, I need to back up and drill down on some important details provided in Daniel 8. Although it is easy to get lost in the proverbial “weeds” of this vision, there are several key details that can be identified and rightly interpreted concerning the last days and what Jesus calls the “abomination of desolation.”

For time’s sake, I will acknowledge that the historical archetype of the Antichrist is most prominently portrayed in the person of Seleucid Tyrant, Antiochus Epiphanes, about which you can read here. While Antiochus provides a type and shadow of the coming son of destruction, he is nothing compared to the last days Antichrist.

Daniel 8 must be interpreted with Antiochus in the forefront of the vision — partially fulfilling the prophecy in history — but also by seeing the Antichrist in full view during the future appointed time of the end. The little horn described in Daniel 8 is the coming man of sin, and this chapter provides key clues about his campaign in the Holy Land of Israel.

“Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel.”

Daniel 8:9 — NLT

Antichrist will Cause the Daily Sacrifice to Cease

In A.D. 70, hoards from the Roman legions in the Middle East laid siege to Jerusalem and turned it into rubble. Although Roman General Titus commanded his soldiers to preserve the Jewish Temple, the enlisted Syrian and Arabic soldiers defiantly set fire to the Temple, burning it to the ground. Once Titus realized that the Temple complex was lost, he ordered his troops to cast down the massive stones in order to salvage as much gold as possible.

Jesus had predicted this very thing some 40 years earlier.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Matthew 23:37-39, 24:1-2

The Roman siege of A.D. was devastating, leaving the city of Jerusalem and the holy Temple desolate. The Jews were slaughtered, carried into captivity, and dispersed as a people for over 1,850 years. The Levitical priesthood was abolished, the ceremonial rituals ended, and the daily sacrifices ceased. To this very day — despite the miracle of the rebirth of Israel in 1948 — there is no Temple in Jerusalem, which means there is no sacrificial system.

So the obvious line of logic is … without a Temple in Jerusalem, there is no sacrificial system, and without a sacrificial system, then how will the “little horn” cause the sacrifices to stop?

The simple and logical answer is that the Jews will be permitted to rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem and resume their ceremonial system of worship, according to the law of Moses. A third Temple in Jerusalem is not just possible, it’s not merely probable, it is prophetically promised. The stage is already set for the reconstruction of the Temple, it will only take the right political players and conditions to give the green light.

Jesus Himself said the sign of the end of the age would be the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel. He said that when we see the Antichrist standing in the holy place — the inner sanctuary of the Temple — then we know the clock for the great tribulation has begun.

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”

Matthew 24:15-16

Now consider how the Scripture connects the activity of the Antichrist with the prohibition of the sacrifices in the Temple. Once the Temple is rebuilt and the regular burnt offerings are permitted again in Jerusalem, the Antichrist will eventually put an stop to it and defile the sanctuary with his abominations.

“It (the little horn) became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.”

Daniel 8:11-12

“And he (Antichrist) shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

Daniel 9:27

“Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.”

Daniel 11:31

“And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.” 

Daniel 12:11

So from the time that the regular burn offerings begin to the end is 2,300 days, and the time from when they are cut off and taken away is 1,290 days. These give us some parameters for the tribulation period.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”

Daniel 8:13-14