A
Scriptural Exposition of H-T-Mid,
The Daily, Daniel 8:11-13
To
the aged seer in Babylon was given a vision from God. This vision is
recorded in the eighth chapter of the book of Daniel. The following
outstanding features were revealed to the Seer in that vision:
First.
A Ram. Verse 3.
Second.
A He Goat, with a notable horn between his eyes. Verse 5.
Third.
Four Horns. Verse 8.
Fourth.
A Little Horn. Verse 9.
Fifth.
Two thousand and three hundred days. Verses 13,14.
After
he had received this revelation, Daniel did not understand the vision.
So he sought for its meaning. The prophet then heard a voice which said,
"Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision." Verses 15,
16. According to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1:19, Gabriel is the angel
who stands in the presence of God. The authority to interpret this
vision is committed to the mighty messenger who basks in the presence of
Omnipotence.
Gabriel
proceeds to explain to Daniel that the Ram is Media and Persia. Verse
20. The rough or the he goat is the king or kingdom of Grecia, and the
notable horn between his eyes is the first king. Verse 21.
The
four horns are the four kingdoms which stand up in the place of the
first king of Grecia which was broken. Verse 22.
The
little horn is a king of fierce countenance which stands up in the
latter time of the four-part divided kingdom which has mighty power.
Destroys and prospers, destroying the mighty and the holy people. Causes
craft to prosper through its policy. Magnified itself in its heart.
Stands up against the Prince of Princes, but is broken without hands.
Verses 23-25.
Who
is the Prince of Princes against whom this little horn stands up? Says
the Scripture:
"And
from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten
of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth." Revelation
1:5. The Prince of Princes is Jesus Christ.
What
power stood up against Jesus Christ? Says the apostle Peter: The kings
of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together, against
the Lord, and against his Christ.
"For
of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both
Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel,
were gathered together.
"For
to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be
done." Acts 4:26-28.
Herod,
Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were the ones
who stood up and were gathered together against the Lord Jesus Christ.
Herod
ruled Judea under Julius and Augustus Caesar, Emperors of Rome, at the
time of the birth of Christ. Matthew
2:1-3.
He
stood up against the holy child by issuing a decree to destroy all the
infants in his jurisdiction under two years of age shortly after Jesus
was born. Matthew 2:16.
Pontius
Pilate was Roman Governor of Judea in the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
Emperor of Rome. Luke 3:1. He stood up against the Lord's Christ
by pronouncing the sentence which put the Saviour to death.
The
Gentiles, the officers and the soldiers of the Roman army stood up
against the Messiah in taking part in the last trial of the Saviour.
They put into execution the death sentence ordered by Pontius Pilot.
The
people of Israel, through its ecclesiastical leadership, the Sanhedrin,
demanded that Christ should die because He said He was the Son of God.
The Jewish hierarchy professed that by His making such a claim Jesus had
blasphemed, and their law declared that a man should die for blasphemy.
They had not the authority at that time to put the death penalty into
execution, so they demanded of Pilate that he should give the death
sentence. And Pontius Pilate delivered him therefore to be crucified. John
19:6, 7, 16. The power which stood up against Christ and put Him to
death is the Roman Power.
Continued
the angel Gabriel: The vision of the evening and morning, namely, the
two thousand and three hundred days is true; but he told the prophet
this part of the vision would be shut up for many days. So the prophet
was given no further interpretation of the vision at that time. Daniel
8:26. According to Daniel 8:27, Daniel fainted, and was unable to
receive further explanation of the vision by the angel Gabriel.
In
light of the interpretation of the little horn expounded by the angel
Gabriel, let us examine the language of the vision of verses 9-12 of
Daniel 8.
"And
out of one of them came forth a little horn (Rome) which waxed great
toward the South, and toward the East and toward the pleasant land.
"And
he (Rome) waxed great, even to the host of heaven, and he (Rome) cast
down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon
them.
"Yea
he (Rome) magnified himself even to the prince of the host (Jesus
Christ) and "by him" the daily was taken away, and the place
of his sanctuary was cast down.
"And
an host was given against the daily by reason of transgression, and he
cast down the truth to the ground, and he practiced and prospered."
You
will notice the writer uses the word "he" in verse 10 in place
of the word "it". This he does because the Hebrew text in the
several scriptures referring to Rome conveys this idea in describing the
power of Rome. In verse 11 the Scripture says: "He magnified
himself even to the prince of the host." There is general agreement
in the acceptance of this application of Scripture from verse 8 till we
reach the middle of the 11th verse of this eighth chapter of Daniel.
From this point on, however, there exists a difference of understanding
of the latter part of verses 11, 12 of this same chapter. To the writer
the difficulty really centers in two expressions in verse 11, namely—"By
him the Daily was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast
down."
In
the marginal reading of verse 11, in place of the words of the text by
him, we find the words, FROM HIM. This marginal rendering is a more
accurate translation of the Hebrew text. The Hebrew word "oo-me-men-oo"
has two prefixes. The first is the Hebrew letter "Vau", the
conjunction, and, the second, is the letter "Men" a
preposition, from. Hence the word oo-me-mem-oo, translated in our text,
and by him is more appropriately translated, and FROM HIM.
So
verse 11, Daniel 8, would more accurately read:
"Yea,
he (Rome) magnified himself even to the Prince of the host (Jesus
Christ) and from him the daily was taken away, and the place of his
sanctuary was cast down."
Our
investigation of this scripture now leads us to inquire: What is taught
in verses 11, 12, and 13, by Ha-ta-mid, and daily: the Hebrew word,
Tamid, translated Daily, in these three verses is contained in the Old
Testament Scriptures upwards of a hundred times, and is translated in
various ways. However, with very few exceptions the Hebrew word Tamid
has one or more precedents, and its meaning is clarified by its context.
For instance:
In
Exodus 27:20, the word, Tamid, is preceded by the word Na-err, and the
translation of the two words, Na-err Tamid is to burn always. the word
Tamid here is rendered, Always.
In
Exodus 29:38, Tamid is associated with La-Youm, and LaYoum Tamid are
translated—day by day continually. Tamid in this verse is translated,
continually.
In
Exodus 29:42, the word Guylas precedes Ta-mid, and the translation of
Guylas Tamid is continual burnt offering. Ta-mid here is translated
continual.
In
Numbers 4:7, Ha Ta-mid is preceded by Ve-Le-chem, the translation of
Ve-Le-chem Ha-Ta-mid is the continual bread. Tamid here again is
translated, continual.
In
Numbers 9:16, Tamid is preceded by two Hebrew words, Kane Ye-ha-yay, and
Kane Ye-ha-yay Tamid is translated, it was alway. Tamid here is
translated, alway.
In
Psalm 25:15, Tamid is preceded with Aa-nay; and Aa-nay Tamid is
translated, Mine eyes are ever. Tamid in this verse is translated, ever.
In
Ezekiel 39:14, the word Aan-shay precedes Tamid and Aan-shay Tamid is
translated, Men of Continuance, margin.
So
we have Tamid rendered alway, always, continual, continually, ever,
continuance, etc.
Aside
from Tamid, continual, found in Numbers 4:7, this Hebrew word is
expressed without a prefix, and the context makes clear the meaning of
the word. But in every instance that Tamid is used in Daniel 8:11, 12,
13, it is prefigured by the definite article, the Hebrew letter Hay,
fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In fact, the word Tamid—Daily—used
in Daniel 11:31, and in Daniel 12:11 also has the prefix, Hay. That is
to say, there is no place in the book of Daniel where Tamid—Daily is
used that the word is without the Hebrew Prefix. For this reason the
definite article "The" precedes Daily in every place where
found in the book of Daniel. Ha-Ta-mid stands alone in the texts of the
book of Daniel. Please bear in mind. Almost everywhere in the Hebrew
Scriptures where the word Tamid is used it has a precedent but no
prefix: in the book of Daniel in every place the word Tamid is found it
has no precedent but it does have a prefix. This indicates that Ha-ta-mid,
the Daily is the outstanding and not the modifying word.
Almost
every translation of the book of Daniel has one or more supplied words
associated with Ha-ta-mid, the Daily, but according to the text there is
no such need. Whatever argument may be furnished to supply an apparent
ellipsis in the text, there is no warrant in Scripture for such a
necessity. Any word or expression added to the text lacks divine
authorization.
While
the angel Gabriel did not supply the prophet Daniel with any particular
interpretation of this particular term, Daily, Ha-ta-mid, we are happy
that the vision angel has not left the remnant church to devise an
interpretation of its own, nor is it at all necessary to add to nor
detract from what is in the original Scripture. Many years ago when this
world-wide movement of the Third Angel's Message was launched and God
had restored to the church the Gift of Prophecy, the chosen messenger of
the Lord received the following instruction from the angel:
"Then
I saw in relation to the 'Daily' of Daniel 8:12, that the word
'sacrifice' was supplied by man's wisdom, and does not belong to the
text." Early Writings, page 74.
So
we have divine authority that the word sacrifice does not belong to the
text. The text needs no addition of word or of words. Since the gift of
prophecy has declared that the word "Sacrifice" is a supplied
word and does not belong to the text but did not suggest any other word
or words to be inserted in the text, it is evident that the text as
originally given to the prophet Daniel is all sufficient, and whatever
word or words might be supplied are inserted by human wisdom. No
additions belong to the text.
Continuing
our Scriptural study of Daniel 8:11 we find that Rome magnified himself
against Christ, and from him the "Daily," Ha-ta-mid, was taken
away. From whom was the Ha-ta-mid, Daily, taken away? Inasmuch as
Gabriel said that the little horn is Rome, and the angel's
interpretation of the little horn deals with conditions brought about by
the Roman Power, we might be justified in concluding that this
"Daily" was taken away from Rome. For, said the angel—Rome's
power is to be mighty; Rome is to destroy wonderfully; Rome is to
practice and to prosper; Rome is to stand up against the Prince of
princes. We must not however reach a decision based on a possible
inference. Let us further compare Scripture with Scripture, and pray for
clear illumination.
Diverting
temporarily from the 11th verse, we proceed to verse 12 of this same
chapter of Daniel. The angel said:
"And
an host was given against the Daily by reason of transgression, and it
cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced and prospered."
You
will observe that the word "him" is omitted, for it does not
belong to the text. The Scripture reads: "And a host was given
against the Daily by reason of transgression." But the word
translated "by reason of transgression" in this 12th verse is
Ba-Faw-sha, to finish the transgression. The word Faw-sha in the 12th
verse has the prefix, Ba. This Hebrew letter, Ba, is the second letter
of the Hebrew alphabet, and is the introductory letter to the first word
of the first verse of the first chapter of Genesis. It is the
preposition, in. The first word of Genesis is B-re-shith, In the
beginning, the word B-Faw-sha should more properly be translated
"in transgression." The twelfth verse should then read:
"And
a host was given against the Daily in transgression." Gesenius
in his Hebrew lexicon makes the following observation on the word,
Faw-shaw, transgression. "Defection, rebellion."
"A
trespass, fault . . .. Especially transgression, sin against God. It
would seem to be stronger than Chatos" (Sin offering). Hebrew
Lexicon, Edition CEE2.
Based
on Deuteronomy 13:2, among the Jewish people illegitimacy is recognized
as a very great evil. Its progeny is called Fa-sha Yisriol, a vile
transgressor in Israel.
The
angel says that this Daily is an evil power, a sinful force. It is in
transgression.
Let
us revert to the 11th verse of this eighth chapter of Daniel. "Yea,
he (Rome) magnified himself even to the Prince of the host (Jesus
Christ), and from him the Daily was taken away, and the place of his
sanctuary was cast down."
We
now find ourselves confronted with the vital question. From whom was the
daily taken away: From the little horn Rome? Or from the Prince of the
Host, Jesus Christ? to us it seems right here is the pivot on which
revolves this entire question of the Daily. Here we must discover the
solution of the difficulty.
Ha-ta-mid,
the Daily, we have learned is in transgression. Was Ha-ta-mid, the
"Daily" in transgression taken away from the Prince of the
host, the Lord Jesus? What evil power, we may well ask, can be
associated with the Prince of the Host which needed to be taken away? Is
there or can there be any evil identified with Jesus Christ the Prince
of Princes? The angel said that the little horn, Rome, stood up against
the Prince of Princes. True it is that Christ who knew no sin was
voluntarily made sin for us in order that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him. But there was no sin or transgression in or
with the Lord Jesus which needed to be taken away.
Since
there was no transgression taken away from the Prince of Princes, we are
forced to an only conclusion in regard to this phase of the text,
namely, Ha-ta-mid, the Daily in transgression, was taken away from
the little horn, Rome.
What
is this evil power, the Daily in transgression ,which was taken away
from Rome?
The
student of prophecy recognizes that in the Scripture Rome is presented
under two aspects, Rome Pagan, and Rome Papal. The writer does not deem
it necessary at this time to enter into a discussion of this phase of
Scripture teaching. When we discuss either form of the Roman question we
are forced to consider the religious as well as the political aspect. As
a denomination we should be well grounded in this familiar line of
information. Rome cannot be separated from Religion. Religion cannot be
separated from Rome.
Paganism
represented a system where the State controlled the religion. The Papacy
represents a system where the religion controls the State. The visible
head of the first was the Emperor of Rome; the visible head of the
latter is the Pope. The worship of paganism centered in its temples.
These were its center of worship in its cloisters, with its images, and
its retreats. The worship of Paganism was the worship of heathenism; the
worship of the Papacy is the worship of a Christianized Paganism.
The
center of both Paganism and papacy was the city of Rome. Paganism had in
that city its chief temple or sanctuary; to this day the Papacy has its
seat in the Vatican City of Rome where is the cloister of Saint Peter's.
The little horn, Rome, took away Paganism, and the place of its
sanctuary was cast down, to make way for the setting up of the Papacy.
Daniel 7:7, 8, 19-26; Revelation 12:3-5; 13:2, 3.
An
additional suggestion touching this very point is given by the angel
Gabriel to the prophet Daniel. In Daniel 11:31, we read:
"And
arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of
strength, and shall take away the Daily, and they shall place the
abomination that maketh desolate." May the writer be permitted to
make the following observation of the latter part of this 31st verse
based on the Hebrew Scripture, which reads as follows:
"And
they shall remove the Daily, and give or make place for the abomination
which maketh desolate."
Still
further does the angel follow up the purposes and accomplishments of
Rome to remove Paganism and to set up the Papacy; for we find it
written:
"And
from the time that the 'Daily' shall be taken away and the abomination
that maketh desolate set up," etc. Daniel 12:11.
The
Hebrew Scripture of the forepart of this verse is but a repetition of
the statement made of Verse 31, chapter 11.
"And
from the time of the removal or taking away of the Daily and to give or
make place for the abomination that maketh desolate shall be," etc.
The angel plainly declares that the Daily, Paganism, makes way for the
Abomination of Desolation, the Papacy.
Doubtless
for the benefit of the prophet Daniel and for God's people in the last
days, the question found in Daniel 8:13, "How long the vision, —
The Daily and the transgression of desolation to give both the sanctuary
and the host to be trodden under foot," was raised.
In
this 13th verse of Daniel 8, the Daily and the transgression of
desolation, two evil powers, are expressed by the angel. We have learned
from Daniel 8:12, the Daily is in transgression. In the 13th verse of
Daniel 8 Gabriel adds another evil force, the transgression of
desolation. In the light of what has been stated, together with the many
Scriptures found in other portions of Daniel and the Revelation, it must
be evident that the heavenly messenger was describing to the aged
prophet the two forms of the Roman power made possible through the
little horn, Rome. The Daily in transgression that maketh desolate, the
Papacy. The former, the Daily, Paganism, was taken away to make room for
or to give place to the transgression that maketh desolate, the Papacy.
When
the Daily was taken away, the place of his sanctuary was cast down. The
city of Rome, the capital of Pagan Rome, lost its Pagan influence with
the passing of the Pagan system of religion.
The
following statement was made by Elder C. T. Everson.
"LaBanca,
professor of history at the University of Rome; says that to the
succession of the Caesars came the succession of the Pontiffs in Rome. I
suppose you know that when Constantine moved out of Rome he gave his
seat to the pontiff.
"If
you were to go to Rome tonight, you would find, right in the Vatican
itself, a large painting, possibly about seventy-five feet across,
depicting Sylvester I, one-time Pope of Rome, receiving a little figure—
a statue of a warrior. Constantine is passing this little figure of a
warrior into the hands of the Pope just as he is getting ready to leave
Rome. And underneath the picture is written, 'The Donation of Rome from
Constantine to the Pope'." C. T. Everson, Bible Lectures,
pp. 91, 92.
As
we find confession of Rome to fulfillment of other prophecies forecast
in the Scripture, so we here clearly note Rome's confession depicted in
painting that Pagan Rome gave her seat, her power, her authority, and
the place of her sanctuary, to the Papacy.
The
Scripture exposition considered in the foregoing is in perfect keeping
with the view of the "Daily" held by the fathers of this great
movement. For says Elder Uriah Smith, in his most excellent work,
"Daniel and Revelation":
"This
little horn must be understood to symbolize Rome in it entire history,
including its two phases, pagan and papal. These two phases are
elsewhere spoken of as the 'Daily' (sacrifice is a supplied word) and
the 'transgression of desolation,' the papal . . . Pagan Rome was
remodeled into Papal Rome. And the place of his sanctuary, or worship,
the city of Rome was cast down. The seat of government was removed . . .
to Constantinople. this same transaction is brought to view in Rev.
13:2, where it is said that the dragon, pagan Rome, gave to the beast,
papal Rome, 'His seat, the city of Rome'."
"A
host was given . . . against the daily. The barbarians that subverted
the Roman empire in the changes, attritions, and transformation of those
times, became converts to the Catholic faith, and the instruments of the
dethronement of their former religion. Though conquering Rome
politically, they were themselves vanquished religiously by the theology
of Rome and became the perpetuators of the same empire in another
phase." It may be of value to this study to consider further verse
13 and also verse 14 of the eighth chapter of Daniel in view of the
question raised by the angel in regard to Ha-ta-mid, the Daily.
Two
heavenly personages are mentioned in verse 13. One of these is the
speaker, Palmoni, the other is the angel Gabriel. Palmoni means
wonderful numberer, see margin of verse 13, and doubtless is the Christ.
Gabriel asks Palmoni a question:
"How
long shall be the vision concerning the daily (sacrifice), and the
transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to
be trodden under foot?"
We
find nothing in the Hebrew scriptures to warrant the words, "shall
be, concerning, and sacrifice," found in our English translation.
These are supplied. The original text should read:
"How
long the vision— the daily and the transgression of desolation, to
give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?"
The
question the angel asks the speaker, Palmoni, is in regard to Ha-Tamid,
the daily, V-Ha-pey-sha-shou-maim, and the transgression of desolation,
to give the Sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? It would
appear that Palmoni in his answer to the question directs the attention
of the prophet to what will take place when the Daily and the
abomination of desolation have done their destructive work
Daniel
states that when Palmoni answered the question he turned to him and
said:
"Unto
two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be
cleansed."
Christ's
statement indicates that the question raised by Gabriel would be
clarified at the end of the time period mentioned by Palmoni. Then shall
the sanctuary be cleansed, is the solution to the problem.
The
word cleansed noted in Daniel 8:14 is a translation of the Hebrew word,
Nits-dak. This Hebrew word, Nits-dak, has its origin in the root Tsa-dik,
which means right, righteous, just, justified, etc, this root word,
Tsa-dik, and its various forms, is found in the Old Testament Scriptures
about half a thousand times. The writer is reasonably certain that the
translation of the word nits-dak, cleansed, found in Daniel 8:14, is the
only place in the Old Testament where this form of the word is so
rendered. It usually is translated, right, righteous, just, justified,
etc. He recognizes that the translation of the word, cleansed, is
justifiable and allowable, but he also understands that this word Nits-dak
as rendered in the text comprehends vastly more than merely the thought
of cleansing the sanctuary.
To
understand Nits-dak, cleansed, in it broader application let us study
the source of information of the sanctuary. the light on the sanctuary
truth originally was given to Moses while in the mount with God. On two
occasions the prophet was with the Lord forty days. During these weeks
and months there was unfolded to him by vision and revelation the object
and purpose of the sanctuary. Moses repeatedly states that what he gave
Israel in regard to the sanctuary and its services was what was given
him by inspiration while closeted with the Lord, was given by the hand
of God upon him. "All this," said David, "the Lord made
me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this
pattern." 1 Chronicles 28:19. The source of light of the sanctuary
service is inspiration and revelation; not study nor human
investigation.
To
the prophet Ezekiel was given detailed light for the erection of a
temple for Israel which never was constructed. But the plans,
specifications, services and ministries were revealed to the prophet.
See Ezekiel 40:1-4.
When
the Jewish people perverted the service of the sanctuary and lost the
significance of its ministry, to the apostle Paul was revealed by
inspiration the purposeful object and import of the earthly sanctuary,
the figure, and it prototype, the heavenly sanctuary. Hence the church
received the light of the sanctuary as delivered by revelation to the
chief of the apostles. 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4, 8.
Following
the departure of the truth by ancient Israel there developed two
professedly Christian apostasies— that of the Papacy and of
Protestantism. These two systems of avowed Christianity set aside the
real purpose of the ministry of Christ in heaven, and again the truth
was cast down to the ground.
But
the hour arrived when the advocacy of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary
must be understood in it clear light and in its proper setting. Jesus
had fulfilled His priestly service in the first apartment of the
heavenly sanctuary and this now must give way to the closing efforts for
the salvation of the human race in the antitypical day of atonement.
This final chapter of the Saviour's ministry commenced at the end of the
2,300 days. The advent movement of 1844 reached its climax when the
believers in the return of their Lord expected to see Him whom they
loved on October 22 of that memorable year. These earnest God-fearing
sincere waiting saints made no provision for any time in this world
following the day they expected to be translated from earth to heaven.
They looked for no future on this mundane sphere subsequent to this
foreseen day.
After
their keen and bitter disappointment in not seeing their Lord, all of
which had been forecast in the Scripture (see Rev. 10), confusion
entered the ranks of the Adventist band. While a ray of heavenly light
here and there pierced the gloom and darkness which shrouded these
waiting ones, not till the gift of prophecy was restored to God's people
by a call from the Lord, of Sister Ellen White (Harmon) to exercise the
special heavenly endowment in visions and dreams, did the loyal and
faithful remnant have clear leading of divine guidance.
Elder
James White declares that from the latter part of the year 1844 when
Sister Harmon was given her first vision to the year 1868, a period of
23 years, she had received between one and two hundred visions. Not very
long after her visitations by the angel she received heavenly
illumination of the work of our great High Priest in heaven. See Early
Writings, page 32, (1847). the streams of holy light were pouring
forth from the heavenly sanctuary to the people of God.
Of
later visions which came to the servant of God in regard to the ministry
of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, Sister White thus speaks of what
was revealed to her on Sabbath, March 24, 1849.
"Then
I was shown that the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus
Christ relating to the shut door, could not be separated, and that the
time for the commandments of God to shine out with all their
importance, and for God's people to be tried on the Sabbath truth, was
when the door was opened in the most holy place in the heavenly
sanctuary, where the ark is, in which are contained the ten
commandments. This door was not opened until the mediation of Jesus
was finished in the holy place, and opened the door into the most
holy, and passed within the second vail, where he now stands by the
ark, and where the faith of Israel now reaches."
"I
saw that Jesus had shut the door of the holy place, and no man can
open it: and that He had opened the door into the Most Holy, and no
man can shut it. (Rev. 3:7, 8). Early Writings, p. 42.
In
a supplementary note found on page 86 of Early Writings, we find
the following statement made by Sister White in regard to the foregoing
paragraph:
"The
view of the 'Open and Shut Door', on pages 42-45, was given in 1849.
The application of Revelation 3:7, 8, to the heavenly sanctuary and
Christ's ministry was entirely new to me. I had never heard the idea
advanced by any one. Now as the subject of the sanctuary is being
clearly understood, the application is seen in its force and
beauty."
Christ
once more gave to the church a revealed knowledge of the sanctuary. This
divine illumination came at the close of the 2,300 days. How that the
sanctuary is understood in all its bearings it is made clear to the
remnant church of Christ. In now comprehending the purpose of Christ's
ministry for a doomed world, we have a vivid knowledge of the efforts of
"Ha-ta-mid," the Daily, and Ha-pey-sha-shou-maim, the
transgression of desolation. We are instructed and informed of the
efforts of these two evil forces. We now understand what their purposes
were, and the future which awaits them. The Sanctuary has been righted.
Hence the word, Nits-dak, translated cleansed, may now be understood in
its larger sense. Palmoni told Daniel at the end of the 2,300 days
Vnits-dak ko-desh, the sanctuary would be straightened out. We now
understand how much is comprehended in the heavenly ministry of our
Lord; what is involved in the antitypical work of the great High Priest
in the cleansing of the sanctuary; what has transpired in heaven for
mankind since Jesus passed from the holy place in the heavenly sanctuary
into the most holy place. Palmoni's statement is fulfilled. Revelation
again is restored. The sanctuary has been righted. The purpose of Ha-ta-mid,
the Daily, and the transgression of desolation is well understood. the
evil and nefarious work which these power have accomplished has been
made clear at the end of the 2,300 days. What need is there to supply
any word or words to the text?
In
view of the foregoing statements, what significance must be attached to
the following counsel from the Spirit of Prophecy:
"Many
of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith
has been laid. My husband, Elder Joseph Bates, Father Pierce, Elder
Edson, and others . . . were among those who after the passing of the
time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met
with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly. Often we remained
together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night,
praying for light, and studying the word . . ..When they came to the
point in their study where they said, 'We can do nothing more,' the
Spirit of the Lord would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision,
and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be
given me, with instruction as to how we were to labor and teach
effectively. Thus light was given that helped us to understand the
Scriptures in regard to Christ, His mission, and His priesthood. A
line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter
the city of God, was made plain to me, and I gave to others the
instruction the Lord had given me.
"Light
seemed to shine all through the house, and an angel's hand was laid on
my head. From that time to this I have been able to understand the
word of God." Series B, No. 2, Testimonies for the Church.
It
has been mentioned by the Spirit of Prophecy that the word
"sacrifice" does not belong to the text of Daniel 8:12. The
word inserted was supplied by man's wisdom. Is man sufficiently wise or
able to insert any word or words into the text where the angel Gabriel
did not offer any?
The
fathers of this great movement based their view of the Daily upon the
Scriptures. We find today that the position they advanced is Biblical,
in perfect accord with Revelation. Any position advanced or accepted
contrary to this Scriptural one is based upon supplied words added to
the text by men who originally developed the synagogue rabbinical
system, which system led to the rejection of the Prince of princes. Can
any erroneous position honor our Lord? Shall we do evil that good may
come?
As a people who
have absolute faith in the Bible, the word of God, in the Spirit of
Prophecy as God's mouthpiece to His church in these last days, shall we
accept, advance, or advocate as scriptural any view or position which is
based upon man's wisdom and is not found in the Sacred text?
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