The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

IV. Astronomical Evidence Sustains 2300-Year Contention

In his On the Jubilean Chronology of the Seventh Trumpet of the Apocalypse, Cuninghame brought to the fore a unique line of evidence in continuation of the year-day principle. The background was this: Nearly a century before, the Swiss astronomer M. Jean Philippe Loys de Chcseaux-correspondent of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris, foreign associate of the Academy at Gottingen, and author of various astronomical and mathematical works and tables-had been engaged in chronological research. And in order to fix the certainty of the date of the crucifixion, he was led to examine the book of Daniel. PFF3 381.6

M. de Cheseaux had been pondering a possible relationship between the prophetic periods of the 1260 and 2300 years, as the duration of certain predicted epochs, and the facts of astronomy -that is, the cyclical periods measuring the planetary revolutions in the heavens. To his amazement and delight he discovered that these periods comprise lunisolar cycles of remarkable perfection and accuracy, whose existence had been unknown to astronomers. He found that they are of one and the same character. He found, moreover, that the difference between these two periods, which is 1040 years-and which he called the “Daniel Cycle”-is the most accurate lunisolar cycle thus far discovered, harmonizing the revolutions of sun and moon. This he wrote out in “Remarqnes historiqnes, chronologiques, et astronomiques, sin quelques endroits du livre de Daniel” (Historical, Chronological, and Astronomical Remarks on Certain Parts of the Book of Daniel, ¹⁰⁵ which was edited and published by his sons in 1754. PFF3 383.1

M. de Cheseaux here explains four kinds of cycles. Those- PFF3 383.2

1. Harmonizing the solar day and solar year. PFF3 383.3

2. Harmonizing the solar year and lunar month. PFF3 383.4

3. Harmonizing the solar day and lunar month. PFF3 383.5

4. Harmonizing all three-day, month, and year. PFF3 383.6

It had been almost impossible to find a cycle for this fourth class. But the 1260 years is such a cycle, with a remarkably small error. Then he had found that the 2300 years is even more perfect.-the kind of cycle that had long been unsuccessfully sought by astronomers, a cycle “thirty times longer than’ the Period of Calippus,” and having only “a seventeenth part of the error of that” ancient cycle, which error was “8h 12’.” ¹⁰⁶ J The exact similarity of the slight error of these two cycles made de Cheseaux conclude that the difference between them-1040 years-ought to be a perfect cycle, free from error; and all the more remarkable as uniting all three kinds of cycles and “furnishing consequently a cycle of that fourth kind so long sought in vain.” It proved to be even so. Then he says: PFF3 383.7

“This period of 1040 years, indicated indirectly by the Holy Ghost, is a cycle at once solar, lunar, and diurnal or terrestrial of the most perfect accuracy. I subsequently discovered two singular confirmations of this [act, which I will explain presently, when I have adduced all my purely astronomic proofs; may I in the meantime be permitted to give to this new cycle, the name of the DANIEL CYCLE.” ¹⁰⁷ PFF3 384.1

When de Cheseaux discovered the astronomical nature of this period, he regarded it as unmistakable proof of the inspiration of the book of Daniel. Such a cycle would never have been chosen by accident. And since it was not accidental, it must have been chosen by Him who timed the movements of the sun and moon in their orbits. ¹⁰⁸ PFF3 384.2

M. de Cheseaux makes this further impressive statement: PFF3 384.3

“For several ages [centuries] the book of Daniel, and especially these passages of it, have been quoted and commented on by numerous and varied authors, so that it is impossible for a moment to call in question their antiquity. Who can have taught their author the marvellous relation of the periods he selected with soli-lunar revolutions? Is it possible, considering all these points, to fail to recognize in the author of the book of Daniel the Creator of the heavens and of their hosts, of the earth and the things that are therein?” ¹⁰⁹ PFF3 384.4

Back in 1811 Cuninghame had noticed a reference to de Cheseaux’s discoveries and had published the facts in a current Christian Observer. Then, in 1833, he wrote to the Investigator, Further describing the (hiding!’ (he original work, which he had sought without success for twenty-two years. This fuller statement was then published as the Jubilean Chronology. Professor Birks, of Cambridge, became much interested and wrote on it in 1843. And toward the end of the century H. Grattan Guinness made the fullest examination of all, Guinness’ work being checked by Professor Adams of Cambridge. ¹¹⁰ PFF3 384.5

To Cuninghame these discoveries appeared as conclusive evidence that these prophetic numbers in Daniel are not literal days but prophetic days signifying literal years. Further, be believed that the 1260 years are a component part of the 2300 years. He felt that, in order to impress the church with their importance in measuring the epochs of the enemies of the church, they were not only announced to the church and confirmed by Gabriel with an oath, in the name of Him that liveth forever and ever (Daniel 12:7), but are engraved on the very system of the material universe, being “measures of the great revolutions of the diurnal, and lunar and solar periods of the heavens, these two numbers being, according to M. de Cheseaux, the only round numbers that are cyclical, and their difference 10-10, a perfect cycle.” ¹¹¹ This was an impressive argument. PFF3 385.1