In these verses Daniel's attention is directed to a conversation between two holy beings in the heavenly realms. "They speak about the vision, particularly about the horn's attack upon the sanctuary" (both earthly and heavenly) "and God's people." A brief exegetical synopsis will be presented on verse 13 which will be followed by an explanation of the audition in the context of the cultic language used throughout the vision. The exposition will conclude with the "thesis-antithesis" arrangement of verses 13 and 14 related to the trampling and the cleansing or "putting right" (sadaq) the sanctuary.
8.1 Verse 13: The Daily and the Transgression
The time element of the vision (chazon) encompasses the entire vision beginning in 8:1-3 with the historical period of the ram representing Media-Persia (v. 20) including the goat or Greece, the 4-horn powers and the career of the horn from littleness (both phases). The vision extends to end of the 2300 years at time of the end (Dn. 8:17).
8.1.1 The Daily
Although Hasel acknowledges the duration of the vision, he stresses that the phrase, "until when", places emphasis not on the duration (how long) but on termination of the vision. Since Hasel's interpretation of the "daily" (Christ's high priestly ministry) cannot encompass the entire length of the vision, the emphasis on the terminus of the vision becomes a natural consequence. However, it should be recognized that the emphasis on duration in 8:13 comes from the phrase describing the on-going activity in the vision, namely, "making" (to give) both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled." This clearly implies duration, not termination. It is acknowledged that `ad (until) designates termination but only in the context of terminating the 2300 years (duration) of the trampling activity.
Hasel correctly points out that the construction of Hebrew noun chazon (vision) precludes a literal genitival relationship such as "the vision of the daily and....". However, Shea suggests that the syntactical relationship should be one of apposition giving the question the significance of "how long the vision, that is the vision in which the four following works of the little horn are seen?" Moreover, it is suggested that the four nouns ("the daily", "the transgression", "the sanctuary" and "the host") following the phrase: "until when the vision" circumscribe the entire length of the vision which is also inherently implied in the question itself. More importantly the exegesis has demonstrated that the "daily" (hattamid) is not represented by Christ's priestly ministry but by the self-exalting character of the pagan nations.
In the vision of Daniel 8, this self-magnifying behavior (gadal) begins with the ram (Media-Persia) and continues with each successive world power concluding with Rome.
8.1.2 The Transgression
"The transgression" refers back to the transgression in verse 12 whereby, as was demonstrated earlier, papal Rome united with the converted pagan forces of Clovis against the pagan and Arian forces which opposed the papacy. This joint activity resulted in a union of church and state claiming to act in behalf of God. Thus, it is see that "the daily" and "the transgression" span the entire length of the vision. Together they form a compound subject in verse 13 representing the identical behavioral characteristic of two phases, pagan and papal, of a single entity exalting against God.
8.1.3 Causing Desolation
"The daily and the transgression", a compound subject, represents a singular behavior pattern which causes desolation. The Hebrew participle, shomem, means "causing desolation" or "which desolates" and is in the singular construction and modifies, in an attributive manner, the entire compound subject. The desolating activity of each successive world power is clearly portrayed in the vision of Daniel 8. This is manifested first in "the continual" self-exalting character of pagan nations and second in "the transgression" (union of church and state claiming to act in behalf of God) throughout history. Evidence of both pagan and papal behavior causing desolation is found in Dn. 9:26 where "desolations (plural) are determined until an end of war". This phrase will be discussed further under Section 9.0: "External Evidence of Daniel 9."
Hasel argues, based solely on the Greek Theodotian and Mt. 24:15, that there is no parallel linkage of "the transgression which desolates" in 8:13 with the "the abomination which desolates" in 11:31 and 12:11. The "abomination which desolates" is generally accepted among Adventist theologians as representing the character of papal Rome. This is in harmony with our exegesis of 8:9-14 which demonstrates a direct, parallel linkage of "the transgression which desolates" in 8:13 with the accepted view of "the abomination which desolates" in 11:31 and 12:11.
8.1.4 Qodesh
The nature of the desolating activity involves "making" or "giving" the sanctuary (qodesh) and the host to be trampled. Qodesh always connotes the sense of holiness and may either apply to God's earthly or heavenly sanctuary as was previously discussed. It is suggested that qodesh in verse 13 applies both to the earthly and the heavenly sanctuary. The vision (chazon) in v. 13 refers to the entire vision extending from Media-Persia to both phases of Rome.
The sanctuary (qodesh) at the commencement of the vision in the third year of Belshazzar (BC 553-552) lay in ruins following the conquest of Nebuchadnezzar. Thus, the question, "until when the vision: the daily...making both the sanctuary.... to be trampled" includes the "continual" exalting behavior activity ("the daily") associated with pagan power resulting in the trampling of God's earthly sanctuary. The earthly sanctuary (qodesh) was again trampled in AD 70 following the anointing of the heavenly sanctuary (qodesh) in AD 31 (Dn. 9:24).
Any attempt to suggest that hattamid ("the daily") is trampled in verse 13 and restored in verse 14 would require, by the Hebrew syntactical relation, that the "the transgression which desolates" must be also be trampled and restored in the answer of verse 14; however, this is a non sequitur. The sanctuary and the host are trampled in v. 13 and "the daily" (hattamid) and "the transgression desolating" cause (tet is the infinitive construct, "giving" or "making," of natan, "to give" or "to make") the trampling of the sanctuary and the host. The infinitive construct, tet (making) requires both a receiver of the action, namely the sanctuary and the host, and an initiator of the action, namely hattamid and the transgression which desolates. The vision (chazon) cannot be responsible for initiating or "making" the sanctuary to be trampled. If "the daily" and "the transgression which desolates" are responsible for "making...the sanctuary...to be trampled" as the syntax would suggest, then hattamid of Daniel 8 must be of counterfeit origin which is exactly what the context of 8:1-14 suggests. The sanctuary cultic terminology related to the ram, the goat, and the horn are all counterfeit symbols pointing to a counterfeit hattamid which was demonstrated in Sections 6.0 & 7.0.
While the trampling of the qodesh includes the earthly sanctuary, the primary application and emphasis is on the terminus of the vision and concerns the trampling of the heavenly sanctuary. The trampling of the heavenly sanctuary is directly associated with the casting down of truth by papal Rome in v. 12. The trampling of the host or saints in v. 13 is also alluded to in v. 10 and is carried out by the feminine or papal phase of the horn from littleness as discussed earlier. The 2300-year trampling of the sanctuary will be examined in greater depth in the cultic context of the 2300 Evening-Morning in the following Section.
8.2 2300 Evening-Morning: Cultic Significance
Even among Seventh-day Adventist scholars disagreement exists concerning the cultic significance of the expression "evening-morning" in Dn. 8:14, "until 2300 evening-morning, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." For example, S. J. Schwantes contends that the expression `ereb-boqer (evening-morning) is not derived from the language of cultic worship wherein he asserts "the order 'morning-evening' is the standard one at all times." Schwantes concludes that `ereb-boqer was most likely a time unit modeled after the phraseology of Genesis 1. In contrast W. H. Shea contends that "aside from the specifically chronological use of the evening and the morning to demarcate the days of the creation week in Genesis, the evening and the morning" time unit was exceptional and "it must have been chosen for a special reason" because it "had a special connection with sanctuary." Shea here links the expression "evening-morning" with the Hebrew Cultus. However, rather than directly connecting it with the "daily burnt offering" on the altar in the court where two lambs were offered, one in the morning and the other in the evening (Ex. 29:39; Num. 28:4), Shea sees a more direct connection of the expression, "evening-morning" in Dn. 8:14, with the lighting of the lamps in the holy place of the sanctuary in the evening and the trimming of the lamps in the morning. These functions were to take place "continually" (tamid) "from evening until morning" (Ex. 27:20-21; Lev. 24:2-3). At the same time the priest was to burn incense on the golden altar in the holy place. This was also a "continual" practice (Ex. 30:6-7). Here is seen the linkage of the expression "from evening until morning" with both the "continual" tending of the lamps (Ex. 27:20-21; Lev. 24:2-4) and the "continual incense" (Ex. 30:7-8).
8.2.1 The Daily Burnt Offering
Shea, Schwantes and Hasel find difficulty in linking the "evening-morning" (`ereb-boqer) of Dn. 8:14 with the daily burnt offering associated with the sanctuary service in Leviticus and Numbers. They seem to agree that "the biblical references to that practice always refer to it as taking place in the morning and the evening, never in the evening and the morning." The following discussion will demonstrate that the specific "evening-morning" sequence, not a morning-evening sequence, applies to "the continual (hattamid) burnt offering."
The biblical evidence is clear that the "daily burnt offering" consisted of two male lambs, one to be offered in the morning and the other lamp to be offered "between the evenings" or twilight (Ex. 29:39; Num. 28:4). The phraseology employed always mentions the morning before the evening offering. A cursory survey of the pertinent texts concerning the daily burnt offering appear to suggest that the morning offering preceded the evening offering ("one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer between the evenings; Num. 29:39). However it should be observed that the singular nature of the expression in Dn. 8:14, "evening-morning," contravenes the key texts describing the "law of the burnt offering" in Ex. 29:38-46 and Num. 28:1-8 in which boqer (morning) is singular but `ereb is in the dual state (ha`arbayim), the evenings. The linguistic analogy to `ereb-boqer in Dn. 8:14 is not exact.
Moreover, as Shea has correctly observed, the singular and unique expression "evening-morning" in Dn. 8:14 exhibits a near perfect analogy to Jehovah's command to tend the lampstand "from evening to morning" continually (tamid) in Ex. 27:21 and Lev. 24:3-4. The unique expression "from evening until morning" (me`ereb `ad-boqer) strongly suggests a complete worship cycle or sequence which commenced at evening and continued until morning through the day. For example, Aaron was instructed to set up or initiate (`ala) the lamps and burn incense on the golden altar at evening and every morning he again was to burn incense on the altar while he tended the lamps (Ex. 30:7-8). Thus, worship was continuous, commencing at evening, continuing through the rest of the night with the burning lamps, and it was reinvigorated by tending the lamps and burning incense in the morning for the remainder of the day until evening when it commenced again with the lighting of the golden lampstand.
Furthermore, this same evening-morning sequence or cycle of worship is also exhibited with "the daily burnt offering." The very first instruction of the law of the burnt offering Jehovah gave to Moses specifically directed that the burnt offering, a male lamb, was to be on the hearth or consuming fire "all night until the morning" (kal-halaylah `ad-habboqer) and the fire was to be kept burning (Lev. 6:9). The phrase, "all night until morning" is essentially equivalent to the phrase "from evening until morning" in terms of a cyclic sequence with a definitive initiation point. Thus, a clear signal is given at the beginning of the instructions in Lev. 6:9 concerning the law of the burnt offering that the daily burnt offering cycle commenced at evening with the offering of the first of the two lambs (one in the morning and another lamb in between the evenings as stated in Ex. 29:39 and Num. 28:4). The relation of the commencement (evening) and re-initiation (morning) sequence to the "evening-morning" sequence is reinforced in the subsequent instructions of the law of the burnt offering. Thus in the morning (boqer) the priest was to was to lift up the ashes of the burnt offering which the fire consumed and place them beside the altar and then carry them outside the camp (6:10-11). The priest was to keep the fire burning by adding wood on the altar morning by morning which was followed by laying the second male lamb on it in the morning to burn as incense with the fat of the peace offering during the day (6:12). A continual (tamid) fire burned on the altar yielding a sweet aroma during the worship cycle ("evening-morning") of the daily burnt offering.
Shea, Hasel and Schwantes seemingly overlook the "evening-morning" commencement/ re-initiation sequence of the daily burnt offering articulated in Lev. 6:8-13 and focus on the two offerings, one in the morning and the other lamb in the evening. "The universal preference for the formula day and night reflects" as Schwantes quotes J. B. Segal's remarks "`the ordinary course of human behavior. It is at dawn that man begins the active work of the day, and, for that reason, a phrase current in man's mouth is day and night.'" The "natural" listing of the two sacrifices (morning and evening) which is in harmony with natural human daily behavior is misinterpreted as an explanation of the biblical worship cycle of commencement and re-initiation (evening-morning) repeatedly stated in Leviticus and Numbers. It should be noted that the same apparent anomaly exists with the lighting of the lampstand. The "evening-morning" cyclic sequence is specified in Ex. 27:31 & Lev. 24:1-4, but the common behavioral language of "morning and evening" is used in Ex. 30:7-8.
The preceding discussion clearly establishes the linkage of the expression "evening-morning" with the Hebrew cultus of the daily burnt offering and in particular with hattamid in Dn. 8:14 both of which are linked with a "sweet aroma" to Jehovah. The daily burnt offering is described repeatedly in the cultic worship setting of Leviticus and Numbers. Since the activity of the 2300 year vision including hattamid of Dn. 8:13 is of counterfeit origin ("until when the vision: the daily and the transgression which desolates to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled"), it may be concluded that the answer in Dn. 8:14 encompassing the 2300 "evening-morning" is likewise of a counterfeit nature. Therefore, the 2300 "evening-morning" constitute 2300 prophetic days of counterfeit worship cycles resulting in a continuous counterfeit sweet aroma to Jehovah.
8.2.2 The Continually Burning Lamps
The expression "evening-morning" is directly connected with the cultic sanctuary activity or worship as the previous discussion confirms. Shea has specifically connected the expression "evening-morning" with the sanctuary service in which the priest lights the lamps in the holy place at evening and trims the lamps in the morning (Ex. 27:20-21; 30:7-8; Lev. 24:1-4). At the same time the priest was to burn incense on the golden altar when the lamps were set up in the morning and trimmed in the evening.
The expression "from evening until morning" (evening-morning) consistently refers to the worship cycle and all its aspects in the cultic sanctuary setting of Leviticus and Numbers. The various aspects of the "evening-morning" worship cycle include the daily burnt offering, the daily grain offering (both for a sweet aroma), the lighting of the lamps filled with oil to give light within the holy place (Ex. 25:37) illuminating the shewbread which typified the Word of God (Jn. 6:51, 63). The light from the burning oil in the lamps thus represented the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit (Zech. 4:4, 6).
The counterfeit cultic "evening-morning" expression in Dn. 8:14 would thereby encompass not only a counterfeit worship associated with the daily burnt offering (sweet aroma) but also counterfeit light from the lampstand associated with a counterfeit holy spirit. Since the burning of incense on the golden altar is integral to the "evening-morning" cultic worship sequence of lighting the lamps in Ex. 30:7-8, the counterfeit "evening-morning" sequence in Dn. 8:14 also implies a counterfeit incense aroma to Jehovah which was previously established from independent factors based on the cultic language in Dn. 8:11 and cultic parallels in Leviticus.
8.2.3 The Continual Cloud
The "evening-morning" sequence is also specifically linked with the continual pillar of cloud above the wilderness tabernacle (Num. 9:15-16, 21). "On the day the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of testimony; and at evening there was above the tabernacle the appearance of fire until morning. So it was continually; the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night" (Num. 9:15-16). The description commences with the pillar of fire at night "from evening till morning it was above the tabernacle" like fire (9:15) and concludes with the cloud by day (9:16). Quoting W. H. Shea, "during the wilderness wandering the time to carry out the various sanctuary activities of the "evening-morning" sequence was marked off by God Himself. At evening the cloud turned to a pillar of fire. In the morning the fire turned into a pillar of cloud (Num. 9:15-16, 21). This language in the Pentateuch sounds very much like the background for these "sanctuary days" in Daniel 8:14." The sanctuary day or "evening-morning" cycle was superintended by Jehovah Himself, symbolized by the cloud during the day and changing to the appearance of fire at night (1 Cor. 10:1-4). The counterfeit cultic "evening-morning" expression in Dn. 8:14 would thus include a counterfeit christ.
The horn from littleness in its papal form counterfeits all aspects of true worship by setting before the saints 1) a false worship system associated with the self exalting character of a counterfeit hattamid or sweet aroma; 2) a false Holy Spirit with counterfeit light and truth and 3) a false christ, a savior who is not nigh at hand to help in every time of need but who is replaced by a counterfeit human priest. A summary of the genuine and counterfeit elements of the "evening-morning" worship cycle is illustrated in the following table.
Evening-Morning Worship Elements
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Genuine Text Counterfeit 2300
Evening-Morning
-------------------------- --------------- --------------------
1. Hattamid Burnt Offering Lv. 6:8-13 Counterfeit Hattamid
Sweet Aroma (Ex.29:38-46) Repugnant Aroma
True Worship Num. 28-29 False Worship
2. Continual Light Ex. 27:20-21 Counterfeit Light
True Holy Spirit Lv. 24:1-4 False holy spirit
Truth Error
3. Incense Ex. 30:7-8 Counterfeit Incense
Sweet Aroma Repugnant Aroma
Contrite Spirit Self Righteous
4. Pillar of Cloud Num.9:15-16, 21 Counterfeit Cloud
Jehovah Christ False christ
8.3 Sanctuary Trampled 2300 Evening-Morning & Cleansed: Thesis-Antithesis
2300 EVENING-MORNING EFFECT ON THE SANCTUARY
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2300 Year Duration (8:13) 2300 Year Conclusion (8:14)
------------------------- ---------------------------
(Trampled Down) (Put Right)
mirmas (root: ramas) nisdaq (root: sadaq)
1. Basic Meaning: 1. Basic Meaning:
- Tread down - Put right
- Stamp down - Be straight
- Trample down - Justify
- Walk over - Vindicate
- Make upright
2. Result: 2. Result:
- Downward crushing - Upward restoration
Although this exposition has established that hattamid (the daily) is the negative, self-exalting character of paganism and not the positive, beneficial high priestly ministry of Christ, the question in 8:13 confirms this conclusion. The question deals exclusively with negative consequences resulting from the activity of the ram, the goat and horn to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled down. Both "hattamid (the daily)" and "the transgression which desolates," which appositionally modifies "the vision" in 8:13, are set forth in the context of negative consequences which permeate the entire vision. The interpretation that "the daily" is the positive, beneficial high priestly of Christ contravenes the context and leads to a oxymoron. That "the daily" is indeed associated with both paganism and the trampling of the sanctuary will be demonstrated in the following discussion.
2300 YEAR TRAMPLING OF THE SANCTUARY
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Symbol Agent Dates Qodesh Activity
------ ---------- ----------- -------- -----------------
Ram M/P 538-331BC Earthly Pagan Wives
of priesthood
Goat Greece 331-168BC Earthly Pagan influences
on worship
Horn Rome 168BC-AD476 Earthly Destroy sanctuary
pontifex maximus
Horn Papal Rome AD300-1844 Heavenly Priestcraft
8.3.2 "The Daily" & the Integrity of the 2300 Evening-Morning
Theses-Antithesis Daniel 8
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Counterfeit Genuine
--------------------------------- ---------------------------------
A. Thesis Dn. 8:11 A. Thesis Dn. 8:13
Heavenly ministry removed Sanctuary trampled
1. daily taken away 1. by "the daily"
2. sanctuary found. cast down 2. by trangr. desol.
B. Antithesis Dn. 8:14 B. Antithesis Dn. 8:14
Sanctuary put right after 2300 Sanctuary put right after 2300
years years
C. Effect on 2300 Eve-Morn C. Effect 2300 Eve-Morn
1. Commencement AD 300 1. Commence 457 BC
2. Conclusion AD 2600 2. Conclude AD 1844
3. Result: 1844 3. Result: 1844
- destroyed - integrity
- anomalous - self-consistent
8.3.3 The Termination of the 2300 Evening-Morning