August 8: THE DAILY (part 2)

Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth to the ground. He did all this and prospered. Daniel 8:12

Again, the word sacrifices has been added by translators. Daniel saw the little horn of Rome gaining political power as his religious influence steadily swelled. It is important to understand the nuances of the word transgression. Plainly, it is the overstepping of a boundary set by law. But there is a relational aspect implied here that makes the breaching of boundaries very personal to God. When He gave His Ten Commandment Law to the people, they fully agreed with it (Deuteronomy 5:27-28). Implied by the word transgression is a voluntary opposition to a boundary that is known and understood, perhaps even agreed with. Such overstepping constitutes outright rebellion, and the shadow of Satan’s influence (for he knows every word of God’s law) is behind the horn in his rebellion—all under a pretense of true religion.

It is well-known that the horn did not have his own army. But after the implosion and breakup of pagan Rome, he wielded tremendous power by promising “forgiveness of all sins” to those who volunteered to serve in an army tasked with the assignment of stamping out “heresy”.

In the complex transformations that changed pagan Rome into its papal version, the various barbarian groups that had subverted the Roman Empire became converts to Catholicism. Ironically, in the belief that they had become Christians, they became the instruments of destruction of the true Christians. The Roman government had been flooded with nominal Christians following Constantine’s Edict of Milan in 313. The political conquest by this severely compromised version of Christianity signified that they themselves were conquered by the theology of Rome. This deceptive change made them perpetrators—to aid in carrying out—the transgression of cast[ing] truth to the ground.  

Accompanying all this were the ostentatious practices of pretentious and hypocritical ceremonies in the church; practices that are not ordained in the Word of God. The idea took root that, “for their own good”, those who did not participate should be, uhhh, “strongly encouraged” to take part. Such conditioning became the iron reinforcement for bringing the masses into alignment with the teachings of the church. Those who desired to live in harmony with Biblical teachings, and teach the same to their children, became the enemy of the state.

For centuries, he did all this and prospered. In fact, he has made a comeback (Revelation 13:3), and will appear to prosper until the close of this fallen world (see Daniel 7:11). Nevertheless, God has His faithful people who, daily, choose to live for Him—sustained by the nourishment of the bread of life (John 6:35,48,51).

The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. Revelation 12:14 (see also Daniel 7:25)

Note: In prophecy, a woman is a symbol for a church. For further study, compare the two women of Proverbs 9 – be sure to notice how the second tries to sound like the first…