| The
expression, tamid, occurs 103 times in the OT and is used regularly
and without exception either as an adverb or adjective meaning “continually”
or “continual” respectively. Only in Dn. 8:11, 12, 13; 11:31 and 12:11
does the word tamid occur as an isolated substantive without
adjectival designation, hattamid, meaning “the continuance”. Of
the 103 occurrences in the OT tamid is used 30 times in connection
with several different types of activity of the priests in the sanctuary
(Ex. 25:30; 27:20; 29:38; 30:8; etc.). Shea45
as well as Rodriguez46
and Hasel47 all agree
that hattamid in Daniel refers to the Hebrew cultus of the
sanctuary service. This exegesis will confirm that “the daily” is a
Hebrew cultic term in a later section, but only in a counterfeit cultic
sense in the book of Daniel. Consequently, hattamid should be
understood in its broadest possible sense including its use in a pagan
context.
The connection of hattamid
with “gadal” (to become great) and rum (lift up) in Dn.
8:11 has its closest parallel in Ps. 74:23, “Do not forget the voice of
Your enemies; the tumult of those who rise up against You increases
continually (tamid)”. The Hebrew word for rise up is `alah
which has the root meaning of “lifted up”, “elevated”, “exalted”
or “offer” which is nearly identical to the root meaning of rum and
similar to gadal in Dn. 8:11. The continual (tamid) activity of the
Lord’s foes (paganism) is to rise up or exalt themselves against Him in
Ps. 74:23. The parallel to Dn. 8:11 is extremely close.
Other uses of tamid in a
pagan context include Is. 52:4-5 wherein the past oppression of Israel by
Egypt and Assyria and Israel’s future captivity is evident and the Lord
says “those who rule over them make them wail and My name is blasphemed
every day continually (tamid). Again there is an implicit
connection of tamid with exalting against God (blaspheming) similar
to Dn. 8:11 and Ps. 74:23. In Obadiah 15-16 there is a clear allusion to
the “continual” exalting against God by Edom and other pagan nations
on God’s holy mountain. The continual (tamid) wickedness of
Assyria in opposition to and rebellion against God is evident in Nahum
3:18-19 (cf. 1:2).
The self-exalting, rejoicing
behavior of Babylon by virtue of their world-conquering prowess is decried
by Habakkuk in chapter 3:15. The pagan nation ascribes his power to his
god (1:11) and worships in a counterfeit cultic setting (1:6) while
sacrificing to his net and burning incense to his fishnet. In 1:17 tamid
is connected with the false cultic worship in self-exalting rebellion
against God: “shall he therefore empty his net, and shall he not spare
to continually (tamid) slay nations?”
Finally the counterfeit cultic
application of tamid by rebellious Israel, exalting against God, is
seen in Is. 65:2-3 in which “a people provoke Me to anger continually (tamid)
who sacrifice in gardens and burn incense on altars of brick”. The
continual (tamid) exalting against God, associated with pagan
nations, has been lifted up and incorporated by God’s professed people
of Israel. The parallel to Dn. 8:11 is again unmistakable in which even
unto God, pagan Rome magnifies itself and from him hattamid
(continual self-exalting) is lifted up by papal Rome.
The Biblical evidence clearly
reveals counterfeit cultic applications of the Hebrew term “tamid”
with the connotation of self-exalting behavior against God. Based on the
foregoing discussion, it is suggested that the substantive hattamid
represents neither the continual heavenly ministry of Christ nor the
nation or power of pagan Rome, but represents the “continual”
self-exalting character of paganism inherent within fallen man and which
has been manifested in the false religious systems of every pagan nation
throughout history. Daniel explicitly attributes this tamid-gadal
behavior to Media-Persia, Greece, and Pagan Rome from whom it was “lifted
up” (rum) by papal Rome.
5.2.3
The Place of his Sanctuary |