It's time to begin this week's study on The Sanctuary and the Little Horn located at the following link:

http://www.ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/06c/less11.html

This one should also be an interesting study and discussion.

The Sabbath Afternoon introductory section is so important in the introduction of this week's study, I am going to quote it here:

-----beginning of quote-----

Memory Text: "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man" (Hebrews 8:1, 2).

In the past few weeks, we have seen the emphasis that Daniel 8 has placed on the little horn. Obviously, it's an issue of great importance, considering the prominence given not only to its description but also to its explanation later in the chapter.

This week we're going to look even more closely at the little horn, focusing specifically on its attack against the "prince of the host," the "daily," and "the place of his sanctuary."

We're going to see, too, how central the idea of the heavenly sanctuary is to the chapter, for it's only in the context of the heavenly sanctuary and its services that we can get a better understanding of the little horn's assault.

This week's study also will help set the foundation for what will come later: a deeper look at the role of the sanctuary, and particularly its cleansing, in the context of the gospel and the entire plan of salvation, which, of course, leads into the great hope for all Christians everywhere: the second coming of Jesus.

-----end of quote-----

Daniel 8:9-12 (King James Version) says:

9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

10And 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.

11Yea, 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.

12And 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.

What are the specific things, according to the above text, that the little-horn power does?

The little horn, as I understand it:

1 - Conquered and became a world power.
2 - Conquered and became a world religious power.
3 - Took away the daily sacrifice by taking upon himself the daily functions of Christ as the heavenly High Priest of the first apartment of the Heavenly Sanctuary. It obviously wasn't the earthly one, as it no longer existed after the destruction of the earthly temple in 70 AD.
4 - Replaced the truth with a lie.
5 - Was a persecuting power against God's true and faithful people.

As Monday's study states, "It's clear that the sanctuary is under attack."

Monday's study further states, "Because the earthly sanctuary had been destroyed in A.D. 70, this was an attack on the heavenly sanctuary. The little horn, of course, would not get into heaven, so this, instead, would have been an attack on all that was symbolized by the sanctuary, which is the plan of salvation. Thus, the little horn attacks not only God's people but the plan of salvation, as well."

Tuesday's study is called The Attack.

What did the Little Horn attack, and how did they do it?

How is it that paganism has been turned into the heavenly sanctuary?
Uriah Smith and the pioneers correctly understood that the word "sacrifice" in Daniel 8:11 was supplied erroneously. "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein." Jeremiah 6:16. The old paths are what we must base our understanding of these verses in Daniel 8. In no way is the daily representing a work in the sanctuary in these verses in Daniel 8. Let us start a discussion and begin to understand how the pioneers of Adventism understood.

Maybe we should ask -- how did the heavenly sanctuary message become "paganism"?


William Miller made an important discovery -- that the word "sacrifices" was not in Daniel 8. It was a TREMEDOUS leap forward. Indeed it knocked Epiphanes right out of the picture.
But Miller and the Pre-Disappointment Adventists did not realize that this prophecy in Daniel 8 had anything to do with the heavenly sanctuary. For them the "cleansing of the sanctuary" in Daniel 8:14 meant the cleansing of the earth by fire at Christ's second coming.

These Millerites didn't see the heavenly sanctuary message in Daniel--
So they taught that the daily was paganism, etc. because it made good sense, after all at the end of the 2300 years, Christ was coming to cleanse the earth of the all the defilment the little horn etc. had wrought.


It helped them to escape from the "Epiphanes" deception which had locked the true understanding of Daniel 8 in B.C. times for centuries.

But does that mean we must continue to believe the "daily" is "paganism" any more than that the "cleansing of the sanctuary" was "this earth" to be cleansed by fire at the end of the 2300 years?

Did you know that Crosier and his fellow Bible students, immediately after the great disappointment opened the Bible and realized what the DAILY actually was -- and how it led to the day of atonement?

They discovered in scripture that the sanctuary (which was patterned after the heavenly sanctuary) has TWO apartments.

There are NO sacrifices EVER performed INSIDE either of these apartments. It is AFTER the sacrifice is complete that the priests enter the first apartment DAILY to minister.
Then at the end of the year -- the priest enters the second apartment.

Thus Christ, having completed the sacrifice upon the cross, ascended to heaven and entered the heavenly sanctuary, with His own blood to perform the DAILY.

So --
Christ was preforming the DAILY MINISTRY from 34 A.D. to 1844.
And it was during this time that the HORN took upon itself the ministration of Christ's DAILY, and rejected the true.


By the way Crosier's study was THE study to open the eyes of the disappointed Adventist to realize Daniel 8 is about Christ and the HEAVENLY SANCTUARY.
They just were somewhat slow in letting go of all their former ideas.

-----------
Some quotes from EGW stating the same in the context of Daniel 8- if you want to go and read the whole (pages 409,417-421 GC)

After his ascension, our Saviour began his work as our high priest. Says Paul, "Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." [HEB. 9:24.]

The ministration of the priest throughout the year in the first apartment of the sanctuary, "within the veil" which formed the door and separated the holy place from the outer court, represents the work of ministration upon which Christ entered at his ascension. It was the work of the priest in the daily ministration to present before God the blood of the sin-offering, also the incense which ascended with the prayers of Israel. So did Christ plead his blood before the Father in behalf of sinners, and present before him also, with the precious fragrance of his own righteousness, the prayers of penitent believers. Such was the work of ministration in the first apartment of the sanctuary in Heaven. {GC88 420.3}

For eighteen centuries this work of ministration continued in the first apartment of the sanctuary. The blood of Christ, pleaded in behalf of penitent believers, secured their pardon and acceptance with the Father, yet their sins still remained upon the books of record. As in the typical service there was a work of atonement at the close of the year, so before Christ's work for the redemption of men is completed, there is a work of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary. This is the service which began when the 2300 days ended. At that time, as foretold by Daniel the prophet, our High Priest entered the most holy, to perform the last division of his solemn work,--to cleanse the sanctuary. {GC88 421.2}


This puts Daniel 8:14 in it's proper contextual setting.
As there could be no YOM KIPPUR with the HATAMID. One must precede the other.

Next I want to ask

WHEN DID THE 2300 begin?

What marked it's beginning?

Why wasn't Babylon mentioned?

Why only two "temple" creatures to represent the first two kingdoms (MediaPersia,Greece) and NO "temple" creature to represent Rome?

When did the 2300 years begin?

We must look to Daniel 9 for that --

The 2300 years began with a command for the PLACE of God's sanctuary to be rebuilt.

Interesting!

You see the PLACE of God's sanctuary prior to Christ's incarnation, death, resurrection and ascension, was in Jerusalem!

When Daniel received this vision, the PLACE of the sanctuary, as well as the sanctuary itself was in RUINS.

The 2300 years BEGIN when the earthly sanctuary was restored!