On the basis of the year-day principle, these 2300 prophetic days represent as many literal years. According to Dan. 8:9–14, this was a period at whose close the sanctuary was to be “cleansed.” Seventh-day Adventists understand that the 70 weeks (490 literal years) of Dan. 9:24–27 were to be cut off from the 2300 years, and that the two periods of time were to begin simultaneously with “the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem” (v. 25). Three such decrees were issued by