Introduction
The pioneer reformer of the "Great Advent Awakening," William Miller interpreted the time prophecies of Dn. 8:14 and Dn. 12:11 by connecting the "daily" (or the continuance) of Daniel with the restrainer in Paul's second epistle to the Thessalonians. He identified the man of lawlessness as papal Rome, while the restraining power in the development of the papacy was interpreted as paganism. Through analogous reasoning Miller concluded that the "daily" also signified paganism which gave way to papal Rome. "The daily" was interpreted as the "daily abomination" or the first abomination and was represented as paganism in general, or Rome more specifically. The "abomination that makes desolate" was identified as papal Rome. Thus in Dn. 12:11 the Roman empire would be taken away and papal Rome would be set up.
Historically, "the daily" has been identified interchangeably as paganism or pagan Rome. U. Smith identified "the daily" in Daniel 8:11 as pagan Rome, but in Daniel 8:13 and 11:31 he identified "the daily" as paganism. Similarly, William Miller linked "the daily" of Daniel 8:11 with "the restrainer" in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7, identifying both as paganism which was interchangeable with pagan Rome.
The Man of Sin
Some Bible expositors have taken the view that the man of sin is a contemporary figure appearing in an eschatological setting just prior to the second coming, thus ignoring the papacy. Some of these expositors equate the man of sin to: 1) the antichrist referred to in the first and second epistles of John; 2) the little horn of Daniel 7 and 8; 3) the beast of Revelation 13 (but these expositors such as Ryrie ignore the papacy and also place the occurrence in an eschatological setting). Both G. Kittel and S. S. Smalley associate Paul's man of lawlessness with the antichrist. Moreover, F. F. Bruce cites evidence that the man of lawlessness would begin to appear after the fall of Rome which also identifies the restraining power preventing the appearance as pagan Rome. He also cites evidence that the antichrist, the man of lawlessness and beast of Rev. 13 are all linked as one.
While Bible expositors may disagree with one another, the Bible alone interprets itself. Paul's man of lawlessness who opposes and exalts himself above God, making himself equal with God, is parallel with both the description of the little horn in Dn. 7:8, 25; 8:11 who opposes God and changes times and laws, and also with the picture of the beast in Rev. 13 who with a "mouth" speaks great pompous words and "blasphemies" (Rev. 13:5). The evidence is unequivocal that the beast, the little horn and the man of sin, all refer to the papacy. Seventh-day Adventist expositors have taken this view consistently as well as the early Protestant reformers.
The Restrainer and the Daily
Paul reminded the Thessalonians that he had told them earlier about both the man of sin and the one who was restraining the appearance of the man of sin (2 Thess. 2:5,6). The man of sin was to be revealed only when the "one restraining" was taken out of the way. Divergent views are taken by different expositors concerning the "restrainer". The fundamentalists identify the restrainer as God holding the man of lawlessness. But God Himself is not the restrainer, for the restrainer is to be taken out of the way. Some commentators hold that the restrainer is any institution of authority or government maintaining law and order. The view that the restrainer represents pagan Rome holding back the appearance of the antichrist or the man of sin was held by Tertullian: "What is this but the Roman state, whose removal when it has been divided among ten kings will bring on antichrist". Chrysostrom's view was nearly identical.
It is commonly acknowledged by many Bible expositors that Rome, the fourth beast of Daniel 7, consists of two phases: pagan and papal Rome. The view that pagan Rome restrained the appearance of papal Rome until pagan Rome was taken out of the way will be examined in the following exposition.