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For Baha'is, these Christian beliefs and calculations have a special significance because 1844, as noted previously, is the year that marks the beginning of the Baha'i era. We will now examine how this date appears to be clearly set forth in the Book of Daniel. (74:1) Daniel's Prophecies Concerning the Second Advent-- In order to understand the prophecies of Daniel's vision, we will again begin by first examining the actual words of the vision and then studying 'Abdu'l-Baha's explanation. The Book of Daniel states: (74:2) Then I [Daniel] heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, 'How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?' And he said to me, 'For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed'. (Dan. 8:13-14, clarification added) (74:3) The Book of Daniel then relates that the angel Gabriel explains that 'the vision refers to the time of the end' (Dan. 8:17). This is one of the reasons many Christian commentators were convinced that the 'two thousand three hundred days' is the duration of time until 'the time of the end'. 'Abdu'l-Baha states: (74:4) Briefly, the purport of this passage is that he appoints two thousand three hundred years, for in the text of the Bible each day is a year. Then from the date of the issuing 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 manifestation of the Bab there are 1844 years. When you add 456 years to this number it makes 2,300 years. That is to say, the fulfilment of the vision of Daniel took place in the year AD 1844, and this is the year of the Bab's manifestation according to the actual text of the Book of Daniel. Consider how clearly he determines the year of manifestation; there could be no clearer prophecy for a manifestation than this. (Some Answered Questions 42)
(74:5)
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