In Daniel 8:13 it is said: “Then I heard one saint speaking,
and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be
the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation,
to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said
unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be
cleansed”, until it says: “at the time of the end shall be the vision”. That is
to say, how long shall this misfortune, this ruin, this abasement and
degradation endure? Or, when will the morn of Revelation dawn? Then he said,
“two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed”.
Briefly, the point is that he fixes a period of 2,300 years, for according to
the text of the Torah each day is one year. Therefore, from the date of the
edict of Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem until the day of the birth of Christ
there are 456 years, and from the birth of Christ until the day of the advent
of the Báb there are 1,844 years, and if 456 years are added to this number it
makes 2,300 years. That is to say, the fulfilment of the vision of Daniel took
place in A.D. 1844, and this is the year of the advent of the Báb. Examine the
text of the Book of Daniel and observe how clearly he fixes the year of His
advent! There could indeed be no clearer prophecy for a Manifestation than
this.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some
Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Center)
