We feature the following short response because the issues are crucial to the Gospel fulfillment proclaimed in the New Testament. The response was written to address central issues on Daniel 8:14 raised in an editorial column in the Adventist Review (24 October 2002) by Clifford Goldstein. The main text of the document as it reads below (except for the added usage of Holies(t) inclusive as the best translation for the plural ta 'agia and also some added Scripture references and links and notes) was first shared with Cliff, a friend and a fellow Seventh-day Adventist Christian. Many of the themes below are developed more fully in other documents on this website.

This short response was composed with the generous input of members of the Jesus Institute Forum.

Hebrew concept of justice. We embrace the Hebrew (covenantal) concept of justice and judgment. A just Covenant judgment entailed both vindication and retribution. The judicial atonement-covering (kaphair, n. kopher) included not only substitutionary sacrifices accepted in place of God’s repentant Covenant people (Lev. 1-17), but also Covenant retribution against his enemies (Prov. 21:18; Deut. 32; Isa. 43:3-4; Num. 25; I Sam. 21). In Daniel 8-9, God’s archenemy is the “little horn” or “desolator.” Atonement is accomplished by substitution and retribution (Lev. 16).

Context – a few thoughts. The question of Daniel 8:13¹, “Until when the vision, the daily and the desolating abomination [hapesha] to give both sanctuary and host to be trampled?” is answered in Daniel 8:14, “Until 2300 evenings-mornings, then shall (the) sanctuary be vindicated [nitzdaq].” Does the questioner (v. 13) ask about the vision in general or about the duration of a specific process in the vision (8:10-12), namely the “little horn’s” trampling of sanctuary and host? A closer look indicates that the question is specifically about the duration of the trampling of sanctuary and host beginning with “the taking / lifting away of the daily” from “the Prince [sar] of the host.” Throughout the OT, the Hebrew adverbial construct of “Until when [adma’atiy]…?” in its context always infers (1) a starting point, (2) a specific process, (3) a duration, and (4) an end point. Daniel 8:13-14 is no exception. The end point (4) is “the vindication of the sanctuary.” The duration (3) is “2300 evenings-mornings.” The specific process (2) is “the trampling of sanctuary and host.” And the starting point (1) is when the trampling begins, that is, from “the taking away of the daily.” That is why the duration (3) is explicitly expressed in terms of “evenings-mornings.” The phrase “evenings-mornings” organically links the nature of the starting point (taking away of the daily), the specific process (trampling of His sanctuary), and the Prince. In “the daily” sanctuary services the only role apparently unique to the high priest (also called a ‘prince’ sar) was always reckoned “from evening to morning” (cf. tamid in Ex. 27:21; Lev. 24:3). The attack of the “little horn” was a personal assault upon the Prince [sar] of the host – the real High Priest Himself. And yes, the whole vision also comes to an end when the specific duration comes to an end.

All the key Covenant features of the vision (8:1-14) are given explicit divine explanation in Daniel 9:23-27 including “the taking away of the daily,” “the desolating abomination,” and “the vindication of the sanctuary.” In context, the only starting point of the 2300 evening-mornings is “the taking away of the daily.” That ‘taking away’ is explained explicitly as the causing of “sacrifice and offering to cease” in the middle of the 70th week (Dan. 9:27) – that is, at Calvary when the Prince was assaulted and He conquered (Rev. 12:5)!

In the context of Messiah’s sacrifice, “the vindication [Niphal, v. nitzdaq] of the sanctuary” is explained fully within the setting of ‘70 weeks’ (cf. Lev. 16; 25-26; II Chron. 36). The “vindication of the sanctuary” is in fact: (1) Finishing the abomination [hapesha]. (2) Sealing an end to sins. (3) Atoning for iniquity. (4) Bringing in everlasting righteousness [n. tzedeq]. (5) Sealing an end to vision and prophecy. (6) Anointing a Most Holy (Person or place; cf. in NT, John 2:18-22; 10:22-23; etc.). (7) Bringing a Sabbath end [Hiphil, v. shabat; Gen. 2:3] to sacrifice and offering (rubric for whole tamid, I Sam. 2:29; Ps. 40:7), and (8) finally the pouring out of what has been decreed upon “the desolator” or “little horn” (Dan. 9:24, 27; cf. Lev. 16:1-22, etc.). It embraces both Calvary and Advent (cf. Lev. 16).

Pre-Advent judgment. Yes, we embrace it because it is Biblical. The pre-Advent judgment convened at Calvary² and extends to Advent (Ps. 110; John 12:31-33; 16:11; Rom. 3-4; Rev. 4-5; 6-7; 11; 12-14; Hebrews 4:11-16; 9-10; 12:22-24; I Pet. 4:17; I Tim. 5:24, etc.). In its heavenly verdict we are justified by faith alone in Christ above (Rom. 3-4; 8:31-39). As a result, we are sealed here below by the Holy Spirit until the promised redemption (Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30; II Cor. 1:21-22). As the ancient high priest approached God with clouds of incense (Lev. 16:12-13), so the Son of man / Man Child ascended before the Ancient of Days with the clouds of heaven to receive His kingdom and throw the adversary out of court (Dan. 7; Rev. 4-5; 12; Acts 1; Ps. 110; Matt. 26:64=Luke 22:69 ‘from now’ [ap arti, apo tou nun]). Instead of entering the Holies(t) [ta ‘agia] every year like the earthly high priest, Christ “entered once for all into the Holies(t) [ta ‘agia] having secured eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:12, 25) and so “passed through the heavens” (4:14; just as the ancient high priest passed through the sanctuary into the Holiest) “within the innermost [side] of the veil” (6:19-20). [See the updated "Added note on ta 'agia – best translated as 'the Holies(t)' inclusive" below]. He “consecrated for us, a new and living way through the veil – this is His flesh” (10:19-20; cf. torn veil, Mark 15:37-38 = Matthew 27:50-52 = Luke 23:44-45) and so He did “cleanse the heavenly places” by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb. 1:3; 9:23-26, cit. Daniel 8:14 LXX). The seventh day Sabbath commemorates rest from His completed work in creation and redemption (Gen. 2:1-3; Heb. 4:9, 11-16): “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (10:14). In the pre-Advent judgment since Calvary, we also may enter before God as Judge and Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, where all who died in faith before Christ (without receiving the promise) have already been declared perfect (Heb. 11:39-40; 12:22-24). In Romans we find that free verdict in Jesus Christ, the publicly displayed Mercy Seat (3:25)! In Hebrews we find unfettered access ‘through the veil’ (His flesh) to that Mercy Seat (Heb. 4:12-16; 6:18-20; 10:19-20)! When His Gospel is preached for a witness to all nations (Matt. 24:14) the Son of man will personally return again in the clouds (Heb. 9:27-28; Acts 1:9-11; Mark 13:26; Rev. 1:7). Then will occur the judgment of glory when rewards will be given (Mark 8:38; 13:26-27; Matt. 16:27; 19:28; 25:31; Luke 9:26; Heb. 9:27-28; Rev. 11:18-19; 15:14-20).

As Seventh-day Adventist Christians we are committed to a personal Second Advent, God’s eternal Covenant Law and holy Sabbath, the Three Angels’ messages, the non-immortality of the soul, and the vindication of the sanctuary. But we must be committed ultimately and only to all that Scripture says about these truths in context. Only the Gospel unites them.

Lee Greer III
Loma Linda, CA

¹Most Scripture quotations are adapted from either Green’s Hebrew-English Interlinear or Marshall’s Greek-English Interlinear.
²In antitype, one could suggest from John 3:14-21 and Heb. 10:1-22 that the pre-Advent judgment commenced with the Incarnation (Lev. 16:4-8; Rev. 5:4-5).