Further Thought: Read Clifford Goldstein, 1844 Made Simple (Boise, Idaho: Pacific Press, 1988) as one place, of many, to find more material on the 2,300-day prophecy. See also 1844madesimple.org.
Study this chart below:
| Daniel 7 | Daniel 8 | ||
| Babylon (lion) | ———————— |
| Media-Persia (bear) | Media-Persia (ram) | ||
| Greece (leopard) | Greece (he-goat) |
| Pagan Rome (fourth beast) | Pagan Rome (horn moves horizontally) | ||
| Papal Rome (little horn) | Papal Rome (horn moves vertically) |
| Judgment in heaven | Cleansing of heavenly sanctuary | ||
The crucial point to see here is that the judgment scene in Daniel 7, which occurs after 1,260 years of persecution (Dan. 7:25), is the same thing as the cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14. And this judgment scene in heaven is what leads, ultimately, to the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom at the end of this fallen earth’s sad history. Hence, we have powerful biblical evidence for the great importance that Scripture places on Daniel 8:14 and the event it signifies.
Discussion Questions:
Go back and review Daniel 2. See how clearly the historicist method is revealed here: an unbroken sequence of world empires, starting in antiquity and ending with the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom. God gives us the key to interpreting these prophecies.
What does it say, though, about the state of the Christian world that very few Christians today employ the historicism method anymore? Why does this fact help establish even more the pertinence of the Adventist message for the world at this time?
How well do you understand the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14? If you don’t understand it, why not take the time to learn it and to share it with your class? You might be surprised at how solidly grounded our interpretation of that prophecy really is.
Read Daniel 7:18, 21, 22, 25, 27. Notice the focus on what happens to the saints. What does the little-horn power do to them? In contrast, what does the Lord do for them? What is the good news for the saints in regard to the judgment? What does the judgment ultimately give to them?
Inside Story
Running for God
By Marian Kazmierczak
Running brought me to church in Poland. As a young man, I started bodybuilding because the doctor cautioned me to take measures to improve my health. Then I got into long-distance running. I loved it! I ran marathons, 62-mile (100-kilometer) races, and even a 24-hour run over 126 miles (203 kilometers). I joined a group of runners who trained together several times a week.
After a while, I noticed that Piotr, a runner in our group, missed our training sessions every Saturday. I couldn’t understand why, and I finally asked him. “I’ve been thinking about the meaning of life,” Piotr replied. “I’ve been reading the Bible, and I’ve been going to several churches to find one that follows the Bible. Now I’ve found such a church. Would you like to study the Bible with us?”
The Bible studies, led by a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, confused me. I considered myself to be a devout Christian, and I belonged to another denomination.
One day while we were running, Piotr shocked me with a question. “Did you know that your clergy aren’t telling you the truth?” he said.
“Now you have gone too far!” I exclaimed. “You’re mixed up.”
“The next time we meet, I’ll bring a Bible,” Piotr said. “You bring your church’s book of doctrines. We’ll see where the truth lies.”
The proposal seemed good to me. I had always tried to live a truthful life and to follow the truth that I knew. At our next meeting, Piotr and I compared the two books. I was stunned to realize that my book didn’t match the teachings of the Bible. Several months later, I was baptized. I was 45.
It felt good to join a church whose members cared about their health. Soon I noticed that several church members didn’t eat meat. I researched the plant-based diet and also quit eating meat. Before, I saw my body as my own and exploited it for my own desires. Now I understand that my body is not my own. I try not to damage it. It is God’s temple.
Today I am 71, and running remains a major part of my life, although I have stopped training and competing on Sabbath. Running is an ideal way to spread the gospel. After a marathon, everyone feels good about their accomplishments, and it is easy to talk about God. I share who gives me strength to run at my age.
I run at least three times a week, six miles (10 kilometers) each time. It takes me about 55 minutes. I run in forests and in nature. I think about my life and think about God. I hum hymns and remember Bible verses. I pray for God to bring someone into my path so I can talk about Him. He brings people to me.Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in 2017 that helped build a television studio for Hope Channel in Poland, broadcasting the gospel to the Polish-speaking world.
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