ON THE VANGUARD

ON DAY 2300...
“He said to me, ‘It will take 2300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconstructed.’”
Daniel 8:14

Because of the uprising of the Maccabees who had had enough, Syria retreated. The enemy who had been prophesied to come by Daniel, had also been prophesied as being firmly stood against. With God on their side, the army of a few hundred defeated the army of thousands. So then, with the Temple recaptured, the clean up and rebuilding process was under way.
The people of Israel began replacing the stone Altar of Burnt Offering with stones which had not been defiled by the pagan practices of the Syrians. In addition to the Altar of Burnt Offerings, the Incense Altar was reconstructed. The Incense Altar had been stripped of its gold plating during the years in which the Syrians defiled it. This altar was to have been continually burning as a symbol of the prayers and intercession being lifted to God by His people. The table for Showbread, representing God’s providence, was also rebuilt. Set up once again with twelve loaves of bread to symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel, the people once again were able to see God as their provider and their Bread of Life. Complete with a renewed interior of the Temple, consecrated courts, and holy vessels, they decorated the Temple with golden crowns and ornamental shields. Perhaps the main portion of the Chanukah story that many are familiar with, however, is the repair made to the Menorah, and the fact that it blazed on with such little oil.
Once the Temple was restored and rededicated, an eight days festival was established. But let us go back again to the time of Daniel and find another piece to our puzzle.

“Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, ‘How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled – the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?’ He said to me, ‘It will take 2300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconstructed.’”
Daniel 8:13-14

As we have already seen, the daily sacrifice ordained by God of sheep, goats, pigeons and other animals termed as ‘clean’ was overridden by Antiochus Epiphanes. It was he who declared that only pigs were to be sacrificed on the altar, therefore causing the abomination that causes desolation. However, as we have also already seen, the Syrians were trampled underfoot by the hammering actions of God and the Maccabees. From start to finish, from the first date in which Antiochus Epiphanes began to persecute the Jewish people in 171 BC, until the date the temple was restored in 165 BC, was a total of 6 years and 3.5 months. This length totals 2300 evenings and mornings from desecration to dedication.
In every piece of the Chanukah story we can learn a lesson. What God has been placing on my heart today as I have been writing is simply this - God will always keep His word. To the prophet Daniel he spoke the words of what were to come. These words came true. The Syrians did come and did attack the Jews. Jewish Law was threatened by Greek thought. However, the Jews fought back and 2300 days later, the temple was rededicated. So this causes me to think about what has been spoken by God over me. If God kept His word back in 165 BC, then will He not keep His word now? What is it that God has spoken to you? Hold on to it; hold on to the promise. Dedicate yourself again to Him. For who knows, today may be your day number 2300.