Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The famous enemy of Christ (the antichrist), whose slimy trail weaves in and out through Christian history, has almost succeeded in eclipsing Christ's priestly ministry. Daniel foresaw this monstrous imposture in the vision he described in the eighth chapter of his book. His "little horn" is the same as John's "Enemy of Christ" (1 John 2:18, Contemporary English Version) the historical antichrist that "cast truth down to the ground" and "prospered" (vs. 12).
This has been Satan's supreme achievement--corrupting the gospel message from within. For Daniel's benefit an angel inquired, "How long ... the vision, ... the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the [heavenly] sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?" (vs. 13). The answer came in the famous 2300 day-year prophecy--"Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed [vindicated, justified, put right]" (vs. 14, King James Version).
In other words, then shall the full truth of the gospel be set free to accomplish its God-intended work in preparing a people for the coming of Christ, a work to be done on earth which is parallel to and consistent with Christ's high-priestly ministry in heaven.
The heavenly sanctuary is the great nerve center, or military headquarters, where Christ directs His final battle against Satan to its ultimate victory. It is impossible to sense the meaning of life today except in the light of that sanctuary ministry. It is vital to a correct understanding of righteousness by faith. And it is the only way to distinguish between the enemy's extremely clever counterfeit of the gospel and the truth concerning it. The sanctuary is the stage where the final great conflict of the ages will be decided and God's government vindicated.
--Robert J. Wieland
From: Gold Tried in the Fire, 1993.
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