What exactly is the 2,300 Days prophesied in Daniel 8:14? When should the countdown begin, and when should it end? What is the significance of this number to the prophecy student’s understanding of Biblical revelation, and how does it fit into future Bible prophecy chronology? Can we know for certain anything about these 2,300 Days?
These are some of the questions we seek to answer in this study.
“And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.” – Daniel 8:10
“Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.” – Daniel 8:11-12
We covered Daniel 8:10 in Daniel 8: Antiochus or Antichrist? But in Daniel 8:11-12, we have what amounts to the Abomination of Desolation by the Antichrist in the rebuilt Third Tribulation Temple when it is noted that, “… the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down.”
Next, we are given an intriguing dialogue between two Saints:
“Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” – Daniel 8:13-14
The Hebrew word for “saint” is 6918 קָדוֹשׁ “qadosh,” an adjective, and describes someone or something that is sacred and/or holy one, saint. Qadosh {kaw-doshe’}; from qadash; sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a sanctuary — holy (One), saint.
Whoever these “Saints” were, they were certainly holy and sacred!
Fascinatingly enough, the Hebrew word for “sanctuary” is 6944 קֹדֶשׁ “qodesh,” a masculine noun, and means consecrated thing, dedicated thing, hallowed thing, holiness, most holy day, portion, thing, saint. From qadash; a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity — consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, (X most) holy (X day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary.
The Tribulation Temple will be a Holy Sanctuary?
Some may ask why then, if God did not ask Israel to build a Temple as there are no more sacrifices needed for sin because of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice, is the Tribulation Temple considered a holy sanctuary?
The answer, I believe, is not in the fact that Israel has rejected her Messiah – and they have, and they do, and they will until after the Abomination of Desolation – as much as Israel will be building the Temple to the God of Israel in a true desire to please Him. Additionally, they will have made, and have made, all the necessary provisions for this Temple in accordance with the divine instructions given to Moses by the LORD.
If this seems perplexing to the reader, then we should really consider Paul’s words that speak of Antichrist’s Abomination within this Third Tribulation Temple:
“Who [Antichrist] opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:4
Did you catch it? Even Paul calls the Tribulation Temple “the temple of God.”
So, even though God did not ask for this Temple to be built – and certainly does not desire animal sacrifices within this Temple when it is built – it is still a Temple that will be built for His holy Name in the holy city where the LORD put His Name there.
It should be noted here that certain animal sacrifices will be reinstated during the Messianic Kingdom in the Millennial Temple.
The Abomination of Desolation
In our passage, the Abomination of Desolation is referred to as “the transgression of desolation,” and we would do well to look at the original Hebrew of this phrase and the three other phrases found in Daniel.
Daniel 8:13 – The Transgression of Desolation
The Hebrew word for “transgression” is 6588 פֶשַׁע “pesha,” a masculine noun, and means rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.
The Hebrew word “desolation” is 8074 שָׁמֵם “shamem,” a verb, and means to be desolated or appalled, make amazed, be astonished, be an astonishment, be, bring into, unto, lay, lie. A primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e., Devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense) — make amazed, be astonied, (be an) astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make) desolate (-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay, lie, make) waste, wonder.
Daniel 9:27 – Abominations He Shall Make It Desolate
The Hebrew for “abominations” is 8251 שִׁקּוּץ “shiqquts,” a masculine noun, and means abominable, filth, idol, detestable thing. From shaqats; disgusting, i.e. Filthy; especially idolatrous or (concretely) an idol — abominable filth (idol, -ation), detestable (thing).
The Hebrew word for “desolate” is 8074 שָׁמֵם “shamem,” the same word in Daniel 8:13.
Daniel 11:31 – Abomination That Maketh Desolate
The Hebrew word for “abomination” is 8251 שִׁקּוּץ “shiqquts,” and is the same word in Daniel 9:27.
The Hebrew word for “desolate” is 8074 שָׁמֵם “shamem,” the same word in Daniel 8:13 and 9:27.
In the case of Daniel 11:31, this event is speaking of the Abomination of Desolation that Antiochus Epiphanes IV committed when he put the idol of Zeus in the Temple about one and a half centuries before Christ, yet we may see a prophetic tie-in of Antiochus’ Abomination with the Abomination of Antichrist as the one illustrates and introduces the other.
Antichrist’s detailed prophecy in Daniel 11, though, really begins at Daniel 11:36. Please see Daniel 11:36-45 – Antichrist’s Last Adversary.
Daniel 12:11 – Abomination That Maketh Desolate
The Hebrew word for “abomination” is 8251 שִׁקּוּץ “shiqquts,” and is the same word in Daniel 9:27 and 11:31.
The Hebrew word “desolate” is 8074 שָׁמֵם “shamem,” the same word in Daniel 8:13, 9:27, and 11:31.
In all, we do see a connection – or a picture – of what Antiochus did and what Antichrist will do. In Antichrist’s case, willingly overt sin, or transgression, along with an idol or image placed in the sanctuary or holy place, will utterly desolate the rebuilt Third Tribulation Temple, just as Antiochus did in Israel’s past.
Messiah Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, said…
“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet…” – Matthew 24:15a
The Greek word for “abomination” is 946 βδέλυγμα “bdelugma,” a neuter noun, and means a foul thing, a detestable thing, and an abomination in regard to an idol or image, something that is a stench to God (as when people refuse to hear or obey God’s voice).
The Greek word for “desolation” is 2050 ἐρήμωσις “erémósis,” a feminine noun, and means to lay waste, make desolate, barren, desolation.
A fascinating item I would like to briefly point out is when Christ spoke of Jerusalem, He said:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
“Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” – Matthew 23:37-39
“Desolate” is the Greek word 2048 ἔρημος “erémos,” an adjective similar to the feminine noun “erémósis” for the Abomination of Desolation.
Intriguingly, this word means solitary, lonely, desolate, uninhabited. “2048 (érēmos) in the strict sense expresses a lack of population (not merely “sparse vegetation”).” Jerusalem will indeed be uninhabited with her Israeli citizenry when Israel is killed and driven out of her land immediately after the Abomination of Desolation!
Now let us return to the text we are studying.
“Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” – Daniel 8:13-14
As noted earlier, in Daniel 8:13-14 we have a very interesting conversation between two Saints, with one asking a question and the other giving an answer.
The one Saint asks, “How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?” In essence, “When will Israel begin offering animal sacrifices again in the rebuilt Third Temple, along with the ensuing Abomination of Desolation by the Antichrist, and how long will the sanctuary and the host be trodden under foot by the Antichrist?”
The other Saint replies, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days (2,300 days),” but then adds a very important concluding line that answers a question not asked by the first Saint, “then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
In order to try and calculate these 2,300 days – because of the question and the very interesting answer – we really have no choice but to speculate. Why?
Because we do not know when the Tribulation Temple will be built and begin offering animal sacrifices, and, even more mysterious, we do not know exactly what is implied by “the sanctuary being cleansed.”
If we do, however, come to a conclusion – or possible scenarios – of when the sanctuary will be cleansed, then we should be able to calculate when the Tribulation Temple will begin her operations.
When Will the Sanctuary Be Cleansed?
The Hebrew word for “cleansed” is 6663 צָדַק “tsadeq or tsadoq,” a verb, and means to be just or righteous, cleanse, clear self, be, do justice be turn to righteousness. A primitive root; to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense) — cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness).
In essence, this word can really be signifying an act that will make this horrendous wrong of the Abomination of Desolation into a right.
So, what will be the agent of the cleansing the sanctuary or of making the sanctuary right?
When Messiah Yeshua comes back at His Second Coming and plants His feet on the Mount of Olives, with the Mount of Olives splitting in two, no doubt the Third Tribulation Temple should be destroyed in the process.
“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” – Zechariah 14:4
When this happens, and the Third Tribulation Temple is destroyed, does this event signify that the sanctuary has been cleansed or made right again? Or could it be the clean-up and removal of the debris that renders the destroyed sanctuary cleansed or made right? Or could it be when the Messianic Temple is built (presumably by the Messiah Himself) and is ready for use when the Millennial Kingdom begins?
These are the three possibilities that we will examine below.
The 2,300 Days
Now, with our first supplication that the cleansing, or the making right of the sanctuary, could occur at Christ’s Second Coming, and we know that the Tribulation itself will be for 2,520 days, then we just need to do some very basic math.
2,520 days (Tribulation duration) – 2,300 days (Daniel 8:13-14) = 220 days.
That is, according to this scenario, the Third Tribulation Temple should be up and running 220 days following the signing of the covenant between Antichrist, Israel, and the many found in Daniel 9:27. This is essentially seven 30-day months and 10 days for Israel to build the Temple, furnish the Temple, consecrate and dedicate the Temple and Priests, and begin to offer animal sacrifices on the altar of the Temple.
This would equate to Israel offering sacrifices in their Tribulation Temple for 1,040 days before the Antichrist commits the Abomination of Desolation. This would essentially be 34 30-day months and 20 days.
The reader, at this point, may be asking themselves, “Why so long?”
I would just remind the reader of what some of the events in those Tribulation days should look like:
- The Muslims, though under the covenant, will surely not make things easy for Israel.
- The 144,000 Israeli evangelists will be on the world’s stage, many of which will surely be in Jerusalem warning Israel of what they are undertaking.
- The Two Witnesses will be preaching in the streets of Jerusalem, voicing God’s disapproval of their endeavor.
- Supernatural and natural events will be taking place, among a host of other considerations.
Daniel 12:11 – 1,290 Days
We also have the following passage in Daniel 12 to consider for our second possibility.
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” – Daniel 12:11
1,290 days.
We know that Israel will be in the wilderness/mountains for 1,260 days after the Abomination of Desolation (Revelation 12:6, 14) in the middle of the Tribulation and will end at Christ’s return, so what transpires during this extra 30 days is somewhat speculative.
Here are three events that I believe those 30 days will entail:
- The gathering together of Israel (Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27) and her mourning for the Messiah (Zechariah 12:10-14).
- The gathering of the people of the nations to be judged at the Separation of the Sheep and the Goats Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46).
- The clean-up of the Abomination of Desolation and the sanctuary.
Now, as we see from Daniel 12:11, if the destroyed image of the Abomination of Desolation in the destroyed sanctuary is not cleansed or made right until 30 days after the Second Coming of Christ – in which those 30 extra days may very well entail the gathering and mourning of Israel, the gathering of the people of the nations, and the clean-up of the image of the Abomination of Desolation and the sanctuary – then we just need to add another 30 days to our equation.
2,520 days (Tribulation duration) + 30 days (The gathering and mourning for Israel, the gathering of the people of the nations, and the clean-up of the image of the Abomination of Desolation and the sanctuary) – 2,300 days (Daniel 8:13-14) = 250 days.
Therefore, if this is what the Saint had in mind for the cleansing or making right, the Tribulation Temple should be up and running 250 days after the signing of the covenant between Antichrist, Israel, and the many, which would equate to eight 30-day months and 10 days to build the Tribulation Temple.
This would leave 1,010 days that Israel will be offering sacrifices until the Abomination of Desolation occurs. This would essentially be 33 30-day months and 20 days.
Daniel 12:12 – 1,335 Days
Lastly, we have the following passage, also in Daniel 12, to consider for our third possibility.
“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” – Daniel 12:12
This would be forty-five days after the extra 30 days of Daniel 12:11, for a total of 75 days after the Second Coming.
Because the people who are around to see this particular day are called “blessed,” there is every indication that this will include the Separation of the Sheep and the Goat Judgment.
Afterward, our Lord will regenerate the heavens and the earth along with every human being (the Sheep) who will enter the Messianic Kingdom, set up and get in order the people of their own nations who enter the Messianic Kingdom, and the Millennial Temple built and its sanctuary will be in full operating order.
If this is the intended meaning of the sanctuary being cleansed or made right, then the numbers would be as follows:
2,520 days (Tribulation duration) + 30 days (Daniel 12:11 – The gathering and mourning for Israel, the gathering of the people of the nations, and the clean-up of the image of the Abomination of Desolation and the sanctuary) + 45 days (Daniel 12:12 – The Separation of the Sheep and the Goat Judgment, the regeneration and preparation for the Messianic Kingdom, and the Millennial Temple built and ready to be used in service) – 2,300 days (Daniel 8:13-14) = 295 days.
Therefore, if this is what the Saint had in mind for the cleansing or making right, the Tribulation Temple should be up and running 295 days after the signing of the covenant between Antichrist, Israel, and the many, which would be just shy of 10 30-day months, or 9 30-day months and 25 days to build the Tribulation Temple.
This would leave 965 days that Israel will be offering sacrifices until the Abomination of Desolation occurs. This would essentially be 32 30-day months and 5 days or approximately 2 and 2/3 years.
These are the three scenarios available to us when it comes to Daniel’s 2,300 Days prophecy. Any one of them, in my opinion, could be what the Saint had in mind regarding the cleansing or making right of the sanctuary. It is difficult to know for certain.
Conclusion
As with much of future prophecy, we are always wise to admit that we are just doing our best to figure things out. And, with this study, I will say just as much.
I know that others have their own theories regarding the numbers presented in Daniel – and they may or may not be right. But in the long run, these numbers and how they are interpreted should not be that far off from each other because we are looking at the same exact numbers and the exact same prophetic events!
Regardless, we have a very good idea of how the Tribulation will ultimately play out. Thankfully, to our amazing Lord Jesus Christ, we will not be here to witness the horrid events that will transpire on a God-hating, Christ-rejecting world. But one thing we do know is that during this time period, there will be the greatest revival the world has ever known – as brutal and as devastating as it will be.
Our responsibility in all of this is to keep leaving Christian material – Bibles, gospel tracts, books, booklets, articles, etc. (all from respected and Christ-honoring writers and teachers, of course) – that those who will encounter these materials during the Tribulation will have excellent resources to guide them in their walk with the Lord after they come to Him by grace through faith.
These same materials that we are leaving behind should be the same materials we are giving to others today so that they can have the opportunity to get saved now and be gathered together with us at the resurrection/rapture of the church!
May we all keep Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”
Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!
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