| The
“transgression” does not represent the unrighteous rebellion against
God led by the horn and his host of an earthly priesthood as suggested by
Shea.67 The giving of
host to the horn would be done so “by”, “in”, “through”, or
“with” transgression (bepasha`). Shea acknowledges that the “precise
sense of the preposition (be) is difficult to capture”.68
Hasel attempts to minimize this difficulty with the preposition by
transforming a simple prepositional phrase into a causative participle,
“causing transgression” and applying it to the papal priesthood which
causes its adherents to transgress. Hasel also admits that the first
clause of v. 12 is “probably the most difficult in verses 9-14 for
understanding its meaning” thus rendering the phrase “obscure”.69
This obscurity is, in part, a direct result of attempting to identify the
“daily” with the heavenly priestly ministry of Christ.
It is suggested that the “sense”
of the prepositional phrase, bepasha` (by transgression) is neither
“difficult to capture” within the context of the passage nor is its
meaning “obscure”. The transgression is represented by the outward
demonstration of religious zealotry against pagan worship by a religious
power of pagan origins. This self-magnifying behavior of the apostate
Christian church attracts multitudes. More specifically, the transgression
is represented by the “giving process” of the host or army of the
Franks led by Clovis in support of Papal Rome. Thus, the “transgression”
is manifested in the union of church and state claiming to be acting in
behalf of God and doing His will. This transgression, or unrepentant
rebellion against God, remains unconfessed and requires no cleansing of
the sanctuary in terms of confessed sins. However, this transgression does
result in the trampling of the sanctuary (qodesh) in verse 13 due
to the exploits of a counterfeit priesthood of the horn. The trampling of
the sanctuary by the horn (papal Rome) requires the sanctuary “to be put
right” (nisdaq) in v.14. The “trampling-nisdaq”
concept will be examined in Section 8.0 on “The Audition about the
Sanctuary.”
The transgression in verse 12
resulting in the union of church and state is the same transgression that
will be repeated at the end of time with the enforcement of the mark of
beast. Therefore the sense and meaning of the first phrase of verse 12
becomes explicitly clear. “It (papal Rome) was given a host (support of
Clovis and Franks) against the daily (self-exalting activity of pagan and
Arian forces) by transgression (by union of church and state claiming to
act in behalf of God).”
5.3.3
Truth Cast to the Ground |