Dan 9:25

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” Dan.9:25

 

When did the prophecy begin?

There were three kings who issued this decree- Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. It was the third king whose decree went in place and he sent Ezra to rebuild Jerusalem. Artaxerxes’ decree went into effect in the fall of the year 457 B.C.       

“In the seventh chapter of Ezra the decree is found. Verses 12-26. In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, 457 B.C. But in Ezra 6:14 the house of the Lord at Jerusalem is said to have been built “according to the commandment ["decree," margin] of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.” These three kings, in originating, reaffirming, and completing the decree, brought it to the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the beginning of the 2300 years.”  {GC 326.3}

“And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was the seventh year of the king.”  {Ezra 7:8} 

“According to the Jewish reckoning the fifth month of the seventh year of Artaxerxes’ reign was from July 23 to August 21, 457 B.C. After Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem in the autumn of the year, the decree of the king went into effect.  Appendix note on pages 327, 329.”

The sanctuary was cleansed after 2300 days. This prophecy started in 457 B.C. as well. If you subtract 2300-457=1843.But because the Jewish calendar starts in the spring of our year it would be the fall of 1844.

THE YEAR 1843 WAS, HOWEVER, REGARDED AS EXTENDING TO THE SPRING OF 1844. THE REASON FOR THIS, BRIEFLY STATED, IS AS FOLLOWS: ANCIENTLY THE YEAR DID NOT COMMENCE IN MIDWINTER, AS NOW, BUT AT THE FIRST NEW MOON AFTER THE VERNAL EQUINOX. THEREFORE, AS THE PERIOD OF 2300 DAYS WAS BEGUN IN A YEAR RECKONED BY THE ANCIENT METHOD, IT WAS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO CONFORM TO THAT METHOD TO ITS CLOSE. HENCE, 1843 WAS COUNTED AS ENDING IN THE SPRING, AND NOT IN THE WINTER.  {GC88 681.4}

 BUT THE 2300 DAYS CANNOT BE RECKONED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR 457 B.C.; FOR THE DECREE OF ARTAXERXES–WHICH IS THE STARTING-POINT–DID NOT GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL THE AUTUMN OF THAT YEAR. CONSEQUENTLY THE 2300 DAYS, BEGINNING IN THE AUTUMN OF 457 B.C., MUST EXTEND TO THE AUTUMN OF 1844 A.D. (SEE SMALL DIAGRAM ON PLATE OPPOSITE PAGE 328.)  {GC88 681.5}

The cleansing of the earthly sanctuary in the Jewish calendar fell on the 10^th day of the seventh month. This fell upon October 22 in 1844. So therefore the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary which was to happen at the end of the 2300 days happened on Oct. 22, 1844.

“Under the Mosaic system the cleansing of the sanctuary, or the great Day of Atonement, occurred on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month (Leviticus 16:29-34)…  The tenth day of the seventh month, the great Day of Atonement, the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary, which in the year 1844 fell upon the twenty-second of October, was regarded as the time of the Lord’s coming. This was in harmony with the proofs already presented that the 2300 days would terminate in the autumn, and the conclusion seemed irresistible.”  {GC 399.4}