Satan's hidden sanctuary within daniel 8

Satan's hidden sanctuarywithin daniel 8

As Seventh-day Adventists, we should have a basic understanding of the Jewish sanctuary. In a previous article, we introduced the sanctuary and the components used in its service. If you are familiar with Daniel 8, you know that this chapter chronicles many of the kingdoms Satan uses to attack God's people. What you may not have realized is that this chapter also reveals that Satan has a hidden sanctuary utilizing these kingdoms!

The Ram and the Goat

In Daniel's vision, he reveals to us that God showed him a ram. However, the ram was then destroyed by a he-goat. 


As students of prophecy, we know that this ram represented the Medo-Persian Empire, and we also know that the goat represented Alexander the Great and the Greek Empire. However, did you know that both of these animals were part of the Jewish sanctuary service?


Regarding the Ram, Exodus 29:18 says, "And thou shalt burn the whole RAM upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD."


Regarding the Goat, Leviticus 16:15 says, "Then shall he kill the GOAT of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat."


Here we can see that both the Ram and the Goat were sacrificial offerings in the service of the sanctuary. We also understand that the Ram was used for burnt offerings during the daily ministration, and the goat was used as the sin offering during the yearly service also known as the Day of Atonement.


Now we can see that the kingdoms Satan used in Daniel 8 were also sanctuary animals used in the Jewish sanctuary.

The Sanctuary from East to West

The earthly sanctuary was always positioned from east to west. Thus when one entered the court, they would enter on the east side, and in order to move into the holy places, he would have to travel westward. We can also see these cardinal directions in clear view when we read the book of Ezekiel:


And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Ezekiel 8:16


Here, we can see that when their backs were turned against the temple or the sanctuary, they were facing east. Thus we understand the position of the sanctuary was east to west.


Satan's kingdoms from East to West

Daniel 8 begins with the Medo Persian Empire, then goes from Greece to Rome. Mapping these kingdoms out, we can see that these kingdoms began in the east, and then went towards the west—just like the sanctuary.


Four horns of the sanctuary

Regarding the Altar of Burnt Offering, the Bible says, "And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners  thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass." Exodus 27:2


Regarding the Altar of Incense, the Bible says, "...I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God." Revelation 9:13


The Four Horns of the divided Greek Empire

Just as both the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Altar of Incense had four horns, the divided Greek Empire was symbolized as four horns. 


Hopefully, you are starting to see the correlation between the sanctuary and the kingdoms used by Satan to persecute God's people.


An Angel on the North and an Angel on the South

And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. Exodus 25:21-22


According to Exodus 25:21-22, within the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary is where the presence of God resided. This reference also reveals to us that residing in the Most Holy Place was a piece of furniture called the Ark of the Testimony. Notice it's described as having two cherubims on top of it. However, what the text doesn't reveal is that those two angels were positioned north and south on the ark.


Kings of the North and South

After Greece divided amongst the four winds, these territories continued to consolidate through war and conquest. After decades of fighting, we learn the Greek Empire was reduced to the Seleucid Empire and the Ptolemaic Empire. According to Daniel 11, these two empires were known as the King of the North and the King of the South. In other words, just like you had two angels that stood on the north and south of the of Most Holy Place, the Greek Empire had two kings that resided north and south of the Empire.


A Little Horn

Finally, we see the last kingdom in Daniel 8; the kingdom that is farthest to the west, symbolized as a Little Horn. In my studies of this chapter, I have come to the conclusion that the Little Horn represents both phases of Rome depending on the context of the verse. Thus I believe the Little Horn can be Pagan Rome or Papal Rome.


Christ and the Father also called Horns

Staying with our sanctuary correlation, we can see that the Bible refers to God and Christ as a horn as well.


"The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation..." 2Samuel 22:3


"And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David." Luke 1:69


Now we can see that the components in Daniel 8 not only chronicles the kingdoms Satan will use to persecute God's people, but it also reveals that Satan will utilize the Little Horn "so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." 2Thessalonians 2:4


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