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CHAPTER IINTRODUCTION
The prophecy of the “2,300 evenings and mornings” of Daniel 8:14, in con-nection with the prophecy of the “70 weeks” of Daniel 9:24-27, had an importantrole in the Adventist Movement of the 1840´s, and in the rise of the Seventh-dayAdventist Church after October 22/23, 1844. They form the “base, foundation,central pillar, platform, watchword” of the distinctive SDA belief about the cleansingof the heavenly sanctuary, which was the “key” which unlocked the m
y
stery of thedisappointment, confirming the principles of interpretation in the study of theprophecies. (See
The Great Controversy
, pages 410-411; 345, 351, 401, 409, 411,424, 457; 423, 652; 405-406). The importance of the prophecies of Daniel is madeclear in the prophetic sermon of Christ in Matthew 24:15, and in the identificationof the high points of the seventieth week in Acts 10:34-48.This doctrine in its entirety, or in some of its aspects, has from its beginninguntil the present time suffered attacks by theologians and members of other de-nominations, as well as by some theologians and members of our own faith.Unfortunately, internal problems have weakened the defense. I hope the leadersof the Seventh-day Adventist Church understand these problems and realize that itis of the utmost importance to correct the errors and mistakes pointed out.
Definition of the Problem
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the dates traditionally held bythe SDA Church as the fulfillment of the prophetic periods of Daniel 8:14 and 9:24-27 (457 B.C. – A.D. 31 – A.D. 1844) have biblical, typological, historical, chro-nological, astronomical and mathematical support, provided we consider that theseperiods start precisely in the autumn of 457 B.C., on the tenth day of the seventhJewish month in 457 B.C. (Tishri 10 = October 28/29, Julian), the middle of theseventieth week coincides with the fifteenth of the first Jewish month in A.D. 31(Nisan 15 = April 26/27, Julian), and the whole period ends on the tenth day of the
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seventh Jewish month in 1844 (Tishri 10 = October 22/23, Gregorian), sunset tosunset, Jerusalem time. The problem is that consistency and precision havebeen overlooked.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the present study is, on one hand, to call the attention of prophecy students to the precise biblical, typological, historical, chronological, as-tronomical and mathematical aspects of the prophetic periods of Daniel 8:14 andDaniel 9:24-27 and, on the other hand, to call attention to some inconsistent anddetrimental statements made regarding these periods in some articles published bywriters on this subject, provide the solutions and suggest corrections (Read G.C. 354,carefully).The study deals with some problems concerning the beginning of the pro-phetic period (a Julian date has not been duly assigned or set), with problemsrelated to the middle of the seventieth week (the Friday on which Christ wascrucified must be a Nisan 15, not a Nisan 14), and with problems in thecorrespondence of Tishri 10 in 1844 (the correspondence made in 1844 by theMillerites, Tishri 10 = October 22/23, Jerusalem time, is correct, but thecorrespondence made by Froom, Tishri 10 = October 21/22, Boston time, in
TheProphetic Faith of Our Fathers,
Volume IV, pages 790 and 792, published by theReview and Herald, Washington, D.C. in 1954, is incorrect).These problems, if not duly dealt with, present inconsistencies which weakenthe SDA doctrine of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary beginning in 1844,leaving it open to attacks, such as those which have been leveled against it in the1950’s and especially in the last two decades. The sad consequences are spelledout in
The Great Controversy
, page 457.
Scope and Delimitations of the Study
In the present study summary, no attempt will be made to demonstrate thelinguistic and thematic correlation between the prophetic periods of Daniel 8 andDaniel 9, since others, such as Doukhan, Shea, Hasel and Brempong, have dealtwith this aspect in the past, to a considerable depth. (See Brempong, pages 146-158.) This subject is, however, discussed in a specific file belonging to a full study,which is available upon request.
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CHAPTER IIPROBLEMS RELATED TO THE BEGINNING OFTHE PROPHETIC PERIODS
There are three main problems related to the beginning of the prophetic peri-ods: (i) the impossibility of proving conclusively the date 457 B.C. as the year forEzra’s trip; (ii) the problem involved in incorrectly placing the tenth day of theseventh month in 457 B.C. in September, and not in October, as required; (iii) thelack of a specific Julian date for the beginning.
1- Problems Related to the Year 457 B.C.Artaxerxes’ Accession, His 7th Year and Ezra’s Trip
By adopting the chronological statements in Ezra, chapters 7 to 10 andNehemiah, chapters 8: 1, 2, 9; 12: 26, 36, there is no doubt that Ezra traveled ineither 458 B.C. or 457 B.C., and not in 428 B.C. or 398 B.C., as some theologiansdefend. However, the choice of Ezra’s trip in either 458 or 457 B.C. depends, onboth sides, on several assumptions, as becomes evident by reading the quotationsgiven below.Frank Moore Cross, from Harvard University, is usually quoted as havingdemonstrated conclusively the correctness of the traditional order of Ezra-Nehemiahin the
 Journal of Biblical Literature
, 94 (1975) pp 5 - 18. A. F. R. (See alsoBrempong, pages 327-328).
Egyptian Dating
1st yearThoth 1, 284 to Thoth 1, 285 N. E.Dec. 17, 465 to Dec. 17, 464 B. C....7th yearThoth 1, 290 to Thoth 1, 291 N. E.Dec. 16, 459 to Dec. 16, 458 B. C.
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