| Recent
Adventist scholarship has concluded that “daily” is associated with
the high priestly ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary.40
The pioneers of Seventh-day Adventism until 1900 identified hattamid
interchangeably as paganism or pagan Rome which evoked virtually no
controversy. For example, U. Smith identifies “the daily” in Daniel
8:11 as pagan Rome,41
but in Daniel 8:13 and 11:31 he identifies “the daily” as paganism.42
Similarly, William Miller linked “the daily” of Daniel 8:11 with “the
restrainer” in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 identifying both as paganism which
was interchangeable with pagan Rome.43
However,
a clear distinction must be maintained between the term “pagan Rome”
and “paganism.” Pagan Rome is a national power or the exceedingly
dreadful beast with teeth of iron (Dn. 7:7, 19). On the other hand,
paganism is an “activity” or false religious system in rebellion
against God manifested by character attributes of self-exaltation against
God. Succinctly stated, “the daily” is a rebellious activity
manifesting self-exalting character attributes.
If
pagan Rome is represented by the masculine pronoun in the prepositional
phrase, “from him (mimmennu) the daily was lifted up,” in verse
11, then “the daily” cannot represent the entity or power of pagan
Rome. It is a non sequitur to suggest that pagan Rome is lifted up from
pagan Rome. It is suggested that “the daily” must be carefully defined
as a principle, namely the self exalting character of paganism, inherent
in mankind, of which Arianism became integrated. The “abomination
(transgression) which desolates” in Daniel 8, 11 and 12, which
supersedes and replaces “the daily,” may be defined as the self
exalting character of nominal Christianity of which the papacy became the
fountain head. The essence of “the daily” is “the mystery of
iniquity” which seeks to become like God (Is. 14:12-14; 2 Thess. 2:3-7).
The point of commonality between “the daily” and the “abomination
which desolates” is the “mystery of iniquity.” This character
attribute was lifted up by the papal Rome from pagan Rome with the result
that the false religious systems (paganism) were replaced or superseded
(taken away or turned aside) by nominal Christianity, a new false
religious system professing Christ, uncreated, in contrast to Arianism’s
created christ. This process commenced in AD 508 when Arian powers under
Theodoric made peace with Clovis and the resistance of the Arian powers
began to come to an end.44
The
conclusion stated above that “the daily” is represented by the
principle of self exaltation manifested in the character of paganism and
inherent in mankind, and the conclusion concerning “the abomination
which desolates” will be confirmed as the explication of Daniel 8
proceeds.
5.2.2.4
Tamid and Paganism in the Old Testament |