Presenting the 2300 Days Clearly
By Harold E. Snide
One of the most difficult prophecies to make clear at the first presentation, is doubtless that of the 2300 days. Yet this prophecy is second to none in importance. It is possible for one to know every date, event, and Scripture reference connected with this prophecy, and still present the well-known material in such a way that it will be unconvincing or even unintelligible to those who have not studied it before.
This vagueness is most often caused by faulty arrangement. If an explanation is made before it is needed, the coherence is broken; and, likely enough, the explanation will be forgotten before needed. Likewise, the omission of a necessary explanation may darken all the rest of the study.
For example, a too common mistake is to use the expressions "2300 days" and "2300 years" interchangeably before the "year for a day" principle has been clearly established. Of course such language, while perfectly plain to those who are already familiar with the prophecy, is extremely confusing to those who are not. It is better to speak only of "days" until it becomes necessary to show that these "days" are years; and then never to call them "days" again, but to use only the newly established meaning of "years." This course avoids confusion.
In teaching this prophecy to Bible classes, with the aim of enabling the students to explain the prophecy clearly, I found that this matter of arrangement was their chief difficulty. To overcome this, a list was made of twenty-one points in logical order, to be used by the students in their presentation. Perspicuous explanations then became the rule instead of the exception. The method may easily be criticized as rigid and artificial, but the students appreciated it, and I believe that the results justified it. In case others might find it helpful, I give here the outline of twenty-one points:
1. The ram.
2. The goat.
3. The horn, "exceeding great." The prophecy of these three points, and the fulfillment. Dan. 8:1-12, 15-25.
4. The 2300 days-mentioned but not explained in the interpretation, and why not explained then. Dan. 8:13, 14, 26, 27.
5. Gabriel must logically return at some later time to explain the 2300 days.
6. He did return for that very purpose. Dan. 9:20-23.
7. Draw a line representing the 2300 days.
8. Cut off the 70 weeks (in days) from it.
9. Show what would happen during the seventy weeks, especially that the Messiah would come. Dan. 9:24.
10. Show where in the 70 weeks Messiah should come (69 weeks). Dan. 9:25.
11. Fix the beginning date for the 69 weeks.
12. These "days" represent years.
13. Show when the 483 years would end.
14. This reaches to Christ's anointing.
15. This was exactly fulfilled. Mark 1.
16. This was preached by Jesus Himself. Mark 1:14, 15.
17. Explain Daniel 9:26, 27.
18. Show when the 490 years would end.
19. Show with what events they ended. Acts 7, 8.
20. Show how much of the 2300-year period remained after 34 A. D. 21, Show when the 2300 years ended.
The number of points might be greatly increased by subdivision, but this was found unnecessary in practice. For the purpose of the outline, the fewer points the better, so long as coherence is attained.
Washington, D. C.
Righteousness by Faith
BY J. H. BEHRENS
1. The experience of accepting the righteousness of Christ by faith, in its fullest sense, embraces-
a. His imputed righteousness.
b. His imparted righteousness.
2. The message and experience of righteousness by faith is the only way to lead to an intelligent comprehension of sin, and a genuine, victorious life.
3. When the "soul temple" is cleansed of "every defilement," then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples at Pentecost.
4. The experience of the latter rain, in fact, is the loud cry of the message in all its fullness.
5. At the close of the work of the loud cry, the saints are sealed.
6. When the saints are sealed, probation closes.
7. When probation closes the plagues will fall.
8. At the close of the falling of the plagues, Jesus comes.
Los Angeles, Calif.
