An altar is always a place of sacrifice, and the Mass is that sacrifice. “The Mass is no mere resemblance or memorial of Calvary; it actually renews, in the separate consecration of the bread and wine, the death of the Lord, and the separation of His body.” My Catholic Faith. Louis Laravoire Morrow, Bishop of Krishnacar. p286.
“The Mass is the sacrifice of Christ Himself. It is the renewal of the sacrifice of Calvary. In it Jesus Christ offers Himself in an unbloody manner, through the hands of the priest, as He did in a bloody manner on the altar.” Rays of Catholic Truth p21.
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A host was given him… by reason of transgression. (Daniel 8:11) The Catholic Church has many helpers – Societies, such as the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Opus Dei, Knights of Malta, Religious Orders, made up of monks and nuns. Even the Catholic people assist the church by their votes in government elections. But the priests and their bishops do the greatest work.
“Priesthood is the highest dignity on earth. The dignity of priests surpasses that of emperors and even of angels. No angel can convert bread into the Body of Christ by the mere power of his word, nor can any angel forgive sins. Saint Frances of Assisi said that if he met an angel and a priest at the same time, he should salute the priest first.” Ibid p352.
Just as an altar is a place of sacrifice, so the priest is one who sacrifices.
At the Mass, the priests “exercise their power by changing bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ by repeating at the consecration of the Mass the words of Christ. ‘This is my body… This is my blood.” Ibid p278. (The words are Hoc est enim corpus meum -- This is My Body and Hic est enim calix sanguinis mei –For this is the chalice of My Blood. Ibid)
This action is called Transubstantiation. “At Mass, at the words of consecration, transubstantiation takes place; that is, the entire substance of the bread and wine is changed into our Lord’s Body and Blood… After the words of consecration, there is no longer any bread or wine on the altar… the appearances remain…. It looks like bread, it tastes like bread, and feels like bread, but it is not bread, for the entire substance was changed into Christ’s Body and Blood.” Ibid p278. (Another name for the Mass is the Holy Eucharist. Many Protestants have begun to use the term Eucharist for their Communion services. They make a serious mistake in doing this, as their service is not Transubstantiation. A Catholic is forbidden to partake of Protestant Communion services, and the Mass is forbidden to Protestants)
It cast the truth to the ground, and it_practised and prospered. (Daniel 8:12)
During the early part of the first century, Paul said, “the mystery of iniquity doth already work”. 2 Thessalonians 2:7. He was referring to the enemies of God who were working in the Christian Church at Rome. He knew by inspiration that it would develop into the “man of sin”, referred to as the little horn in the book of Daniel. 2 Thess 2:3.4.
By AD 100, the bishops in Rome were speaking with authority over the other Christian churches. Progressively, the embryo of the Catholic Church replaced truth with apostate dogmas, until it became what it is today.
In the fourth century, God’s holy Law -- the Ten Commandment decalogue -- was altered.
(a) The first commandment was changed by way of inference from the one God of the Bible, to the consubstantial Trinity God. This was officially voted at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325.
(The debate over the identity of the Son of God had waged for many years. The strongest voice in the fourth century was Arius, who clearly identified the Son as truly begotten of the Father. The council determined to put an end to the Arian ‘heresy’ by banishing its leaders from the realm. But this did not solve the problem. As a final measure, Rome used its soldier-priest to invade the Arian countries to eradicate them through war. The last nation destroyed was the Ostragoth nation in AD 538. If you would like to read an indepth book on Nicaea, go to www.Nicaeaandtheworld.com)
(b) The fourth commandment was changed by way of inference to mean the first day of the week instead of the seventh day Sabbath.
In AD 321, Constantine passed a Sunday law, making it a civil command that was punishable by the law of the land. Subsequent acts were passed making it more stringent.
Prior to this Sunday law, the Sabbath was kept holy according to the fourth commandment, by the faithful all around the world. (Exodus 20:8-11) In Rome there was a gradual moving away from the seventh day Sabbath to the first day of the week. The Roman Church began to refer to it as ‘the Lord’s day’, whereas in his Sunday law, Constantine called it by its heathen name “sol invictus”. (It was the day honoured by the religion of Mithra throughout Rome)
Gradually the Sabbath was made to appear inferior to Sunday, especially when fasting was recommended for the Sabbath, and feasting encouraged for Sunday. Eventually it had the desired effect. Finally, after Constantine’s law, it became a sin (to the Church) and a civil crime (to the State) to keep the seventh day Sabbath. Those who did were accused of ‘Judaizing’.
On the last day of the Council of Trent, the bishop of Reggio gave the council’s final decision for its stand against Protestantism by saying that the very fact that the Catholic Church changed the seventh-day Sabbath to the first day Sunday, was proof that the Catholic Church and Tradition had authority over the Scriptures.
(c) The second commandment was omitted from God’s Law forbidding idols and graven images, because the Catholic Church had introduced statues of Jesus and the saints into their churches. (AD 375)
By taking one commandment from the Law meant that the third became the second, the fourth became the third, and so on. To retain ten commandments, the tenth was divided into two. Thus the commandments shown in the Catholic Catechism are different from God’s Ten Commandments in the Bible.
Remember that it was prophesied in Daniel 7:25 that he will “think to change times and laws”.
As we studied in the previous booklet, the Ten Commandments are sacred, being kept in the most holy place of Israel’s encampment. No one could change this Law, not even God Himself. Instead He sent His Son who volunteered to take the penalty. In this way, God would remain just, while at the same time showing mercy towards the sinner. Only the King of the universe could fulfil both criteria at the same time. (David, in dealing with his wayward son Absalom, could not fulfil both the role of king and father, and was rebuked for mourning his dead son, who attempted to usurp his father’s throne)
God had said through the Psalmist, “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” Psalm 89:34.
Daniel 8 tells us clearly that the little horn, especially in its papal phase, would cast the covenant truth to the ground. The Bible does not give the details of this transgression, except to call it, “the transgression of desolation” and “the abomination that maketh desolate.” Daniel 8:13; 11:31.
It is only when we examine Rome’s teachings ourselves that we see how abominable they are, and we can do this only if we accept God’s Word as our authority.
The Catholic Church is the only denomination that believes Christ’s sacrifice is repeated every day on Catholic altars. This alone should keep true Christians away from Rome, for the Bible is very clear that Christ’s sacrifice is not offered again and again.
Scripture says, “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many…. We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God…. for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Hebrews 9:28. 10:10.12.14.
- We do need a sacrifice for sin, but it must be the shedding of blood. Christ’s sacrifice alone is sufficient.
- We do need to confess our sins to a priest. Christ alone is our priest, and He will hear our penitent words of confession.
- We do need a priest to offer shed blood on our behalf. Christ is our high priest in heaven, and He offers His blood before His holy Law in the presence of the Father.
The Catholic Church has turned all eyes from Christ -- His once-and-for-all sacrifice, His high priestly ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, the Ten Commandments, and true forgiveness for sin. Instead, men and women have looked to the blasphemous sacrifice of the Mass, and have relied on the priest for confession and a false absolution.
During the Dark Ages, when the Papal Church ruled the world, it was not easy to stand for truth. Millions of martyrs perished for insisting that transubstantiation was idolatry.
“In the days when the ‘Corpus Christi’ procession was a most imposing and dazzling ceremony, when friars and monks, and priests, and prebends, and canons, and bishops, and archbishops, in varied and splendid costumes attended the bread-god through the streets of crowded cities, amid the clang of bells, bands of military music, choral hymns, and clouds of incense, it was no easy matter for a heretic to escape detection. From the moment the Host came in sight, until it had passed right out of the range of vision, the multitudes were commanded to bow in profound adoration! And woe to the man who dared to do otherwise; the Inquisition speedily became his home, and the auto da fe his portion.” The Approaching End of the Age. H Grattan Guinness p154. (The auto da fe was the ‘celebration’ of burning heretics at the stake, in the same way it was the ‘celebration of the Mass’ or the ‘celebration of holy matrimony’)
Processions may be different today, but just as idolatrous. One took place in Melbourne Australia, where I personally saw a statue of Mary, and a number of Marian banners, being carried in a parade from St Patrick’s Catholic cathedral to St Paul’s Anglican cathedral, with the faithful following. (At the conclusion of this procession in St Paul’s cathedral, a small section was dedicated to Rome, so Catholic worshippers could place their candles in the appropriate receptacle, as they do in their own churches)
Through the centuries, faithful men and women have protested against the many false doctrines of the Catholic Church, and paid for it with their lives. Thousands, tens of thousands, even tens of millions have been martyred for their faith.
In Daniel 8, the question is asked – “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?” Daniel 8:13.
How long will the Papacy be permitted to teach its abominable dogmas unchecked? The answer: “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Daniel 8:14.
The Hebrew word for cleansed is tsadaq, which means ‘justified, counted righteous, put in its rightful place’, cleansed. Obviously the end of the 2300 years would be a very important time for the sanctuary.
A number of meanings are implied in the answer given by the angel.
1. It would be 2300 years (a day for a year) before the truth of the sanctuary would be put in its rightful place. Then men and women would have the opportunity to see that the papal system was totally false, and even though the Catholic Church would continue its unholy work, the truth would be available to all who wished to understand and study it.
2. It would be 2300 years before Christ would be vindicated in the eyes of the world in relation to His work in the heavenly sanctuary.
There is no question, the end of the 2300 years would be a wonderful time for God’s people, and a time of rejoicing to see the truth of Christ and His true ministration for the sins of the world.
Daniel realised from the vision that there would be a shocking time of apostasy and persecution, but he did not understand the identity of the fierce king called the little horn. All he could see was that the sanctuary – the holy sanctuary still in ruins in Jerusalem – would somehow be destroyed a second time.
The truth was far worse than the prophet imagined.
He had no idea that his people and his beloved nation, would be completely cut off from favour with God, and the sanctuary invalidated. In spite of having taken part in the sacrificial system for many years, Daniel did not understand that the Messiah would be rejected and crucified.
He had no idea that a counterfeit church would rise claiming to have the truth of Scripture. Neither could he see that this church would have dominion for over a thousand years! Nor could he see that this counterfeit system would persecute God’s people again, just before the return of Christ.
Even with his limited understanding, Daniel was afraid.
Gabriel returned and said, “I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.” Daniel 8:19.
The conquering of Medo-Persia by Grecia was not difficult to comprehend, or that Greece would be overcome by another power. But the work of the little horn and the time period was still a mystery. Daniel 8:20-25. At least this great persecuting power would be “broken without hand”. Daniel 8:25.
The last words of the angel were, “And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.” Daniel 8:26.
In other words – ‘Daniel, I have told you the truth about the 2300 days, but it will not be fulfilled for many days (actually years), so close the book.’
It was too much for Daniel and he fainted. Daniel 8:27.
God had revealed all that was necessary for his servant to know, and it was in love He did not give a full answer. God allows a partial understanding at the time of the prophecy; the rest remains obscure until the time of fulfilment.
This allows the faithful Bible student to study with longing and wonder, comparing Scripture with Scripture, and praying for light. Over the centuries there have been faithful men who have seen what no other had seen, but until the time God has chosen for it to be revealed, their works remain in obscurity. Then suddenly, the light of God’s illuminating Spirit shines in the darkness, for the time has arrived.
Now we must discuss the third meaning to the word tsadaq, the understanding of the sanctuary being ‘cleansed’. This relates directly to the previous booklet, repeated now to assist in understanding.
3. The sanctuary in heaven must be cleansed from the record of sins, from Adam to the last repentant person before probation closes. This is the judgment of the saints.
You will remember that the last question asked in the previous study was – When will the anti-typical Day of Atonement take place? First, a number of points to rehearse.
(a) The earthly sanctuary and ministration of the Levitical priesthood was a type of the heavenly sanctuary, a miniature picture of the work of Christ in His heavenly ministration.
(b) Just as the earthly sanctuary needed cleansing from the sins confessed and forsaken during the year, so the heavenly sanctuary must be cleansed from the sins confessed during earth’s history.
(c) The earthly cleansing on the Day of Atonement, was a day of judgment for those who had their sins in the sanctuary. So the anti-typical Day of Atonement will be a judgment of those who have confessed their sins to Christ and laid them upon Him in the heavenly sanctuary. (Anti-typical is the reality, the opposite of the typical or type)
(d) When the typical Day of Atonement was over, the people were blessed and could begin their preparations for the final feast of rejoicing. So when the anti-typical judgment is over, Christ will return to reward His people with eternal life that they might begin their joyous life with Him for eternity.
The answer in Daniel 8:14 of the sanctuary being cleansed at the close of the 2300 days, is mentioned at no other time in the Scriptures, without which we cannot know of the heavenly fulfilment.
Based on a diligent study of the earthly sanctuary and its services, we can confidently say that it is at the end of the 2300 years the anti-typical Day of Atonement (judgment of the saints), will begin its cleansing work.
Unlike the earthly Day of Atonement, Christ as our high priest must investigate the records of His people, for their lives are judged out of heaven’s record. They are either asleep in death at the time, or alive on the earth. Depending on the verdict, their record of sin will either be blotted out or retained. (There will be some who once made a genuine decision for Christ and their names placed in the Book of Life, but as they did not remain submitted to their Saviour, their sins were not transferred to the sanctuary, and the record of their lives will remain unforgiven. Their names will be blotted from the Book of Life. Compare Psalm 69:28 and Revelation 20:15)
You will recall that Daniel 7 referred to a judgment scene in which the “judgment was set and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:10. In this investigative judgment “one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days (God the Father), and they brought him near before him.” Daniel 7:13.
The ‘clouds of heaven’ are the angels who act as chariots for the Son of God, and the “ten thousand times ten thousand” who stand before God, are angelic witnesses. Psalm 68:17. Revelation 5:11. Jesus is brought before the Father to take His place as Advocate and Judge of the human race. 1 John 2:1. John 5:22.
Every man, woman and child who has ever lived “must (all) stand before the judgment seat of Christ”, but not a single person will be present to plead their own case. (Romans 14:10) However, if Christ is our Friend and Saviour, we need not be fearful, for He will plead for us. (The word ‘plead’ is a legal term. It does not mean the Father needs convincing, but in its legal sense means to ‘address the court as advocate’ and ‘make earnest appeal’)
When our name comes up, if we have been faithful unto death, the record of our lives will show that our sins have been forgiven. Jesus will step forward and say, ‘Father, My blood is sufficient’. Our sins will be struck off the books, and our names retained in the Book of Life. (Revelation 3:5)
On the earthly Day of Atonement, the people were commanded to “afflict their souls” while waiting for the high priest to complete his work in the most holy place.
Although we can trust our Saviour to plead His blood on our behalf, we must remain in a penitential attitude every day, lest we forget the importance of the ‘day’ in which we live. It is all too easy to follow the world and forget that a judgment is in progress, for at any time, our name could be announced. If we were at that moment frolicking with sinners, what then?
In the earthly services, the Day of Atonement only took one day, but in the anti-typical judgment it will take much longer, for all whose names are in the Book of life are to be judged.
It is not that God and Christ need a long period of time, or even a judgment per se, but according to the Bible, there will be an investigation of the lives of all men, and the verdict given for eternal life or eternal damnation.
Later, in the book of Revelation, we will study the judgment of the lost. Notice the wording of the Scriptures on that occasion. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God… and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Revelation 20:11.12.
This shows clearly that the lost will be judged out of the books, and as we have already stated, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10.
God knows the fate of every individual, but for the stability of His creation -- that none can ever question Him -- the all-wise God opens the case of every righteous person before ten thousand times ten thousand angelic witnesses. The case of every lost person will be opened before those same witnesses, plus millions redeemed from the earth.
After it is all over, no one will question the justice and love of God and His Son. They will stand totally vindicated before the universe.
Dear Reader, are you ready for your name to come up in the judgment?
It is not that we can be ‘good enough’. Our title to heaven is Jesus. He lived a spotless life on our behalf, and He died an innocent sacrifice, albeit laden with our sins. Accepting His life by faith, we are justified and en-titled to heaven -- a gift from God through His Son.
But we must also be prepared for heaven.
Our lives are sinful, even though we are forgiven. We need to be changed into the image of Jesus. This is accomplished by sanctification, a process whereby we are changed - by faith - to be like Jesus. But in this, we must co-operate.
We have many defects of character and through these Satan seeks to control our minds. When God reveals a blemish, we must seek His grace to overcome. If we regard defects as incurable, there will be no victory. But if we submit to God, He will give His grace and power to overcome.
If we have surrendered to Jesus, the “Spirit of the living God” has written His Law on our hearts, but we need deep searching of heart and diligent study of the Word for the Spirit to reveal where we fall short. 2 Corinthians 3:3.
Paul says, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 2 Corinthians 13:5.
As you would realise, we have not answered the question as to when the sanctuary will be cleansed – when the anti-typical judgment will begin in heaven.
The reason is because there is nothing in Daniel 8 that gives this information. We are now able to understand more clearly the judgment mentioned in Daniel 7, but as to the time, it is something we are yet to learn.
It is hoped you are beginning to see that each chapter adds details to the previous chapters, but sometimes we must be patient and wait until God reveals important points.
As we progress you will see that fulfilments get closer and closer to our day.
No.6.
Now that you have read of the sacrificial service in the Old Covenant and have seen that the sanctuary on earth was a type of the heavenly sanctuary, we can continue our study of Daniel 8.
It has clearly been shown in Daniel 8, Part 1, that the little horn of both Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 is Rome. The latter chapter shows that old Rome portrayed the mindset of papal Rome, but it was only a type. The main thrust of the chapter is to reveal the Papacy’s hatred for the truth of the sanctuary.
Let us read some of the key verses again. “Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
And an host was given him, against (concerning) the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.” Daniel 8:11.12.
We will consider each one separately.
He magnified himself to the Prince of the host, literally elevating his own person above Christ. (Daniel 8:11)
The following are the words of John Paul II. “I would like to recall the words of Christ together with my first words in St Peter’s Square: ‘Be not afraid’. Have no fear when people call me the ‘Vicar of Christ’, when they say to me ‘Holy Father’, or ‘Your Holiness’, or use titles similar to these, which seem inimical (hostile, harmful) to the Gospel.
Christ himself declared: ‘Call no one on earth your father; you have but one father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Messiah.” Matthew 23:9.10. (As reads in quote)
These expressions never-the-less, have evolved out of long tradition, becoming part of common usage. One must not be afraid of these words either.” Crossing the Threshold of Hope John Paul II p6. 1994.
“By him the daily sacrifice was taken away” (Daniel 8:11)
(a) This verse can be translated ‘because of him (little horn) the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his (Christ) sanctuary was cast down’, linking the last two phrases as both referring to the same subject. This is in harmony with the Hebrew and the context of the chapter.
(b) The word for ‘sacrifice’ is in italics, meaning it is not in the Hebrew. The word for ‘daily’ is tamid, which means ‘continual, constant, regular, repeated’. The question asked by the translators would have been – ‘The daily what?’ As its major use is in relation to the sanctuary, it was natural for the King James translators to add the word ‘sacrifice’ to make grammatical sense. But adding the extra word prompts an interpretation.
Instead of allowing tamid to be identified according to the context of the chapter, it is limited to the sacrificial services of the Old Covenant. This is one reason why Antiochus Epiphanes is seen to be the little horn, for he certainly did pollute the ‘daily sacrifice’ for a short period of time.
However, if the little horn extends beyond pagan Rome, the word ‘sacrifice’ becomes misleading. Jerusalem was destroyed (AD70), completely preventing the tamid sacrifices.
If the word tamid (or daily) was alone in the verse, we would certainly be obliged to study the Old Covenant services, but then in the New Testament setting would realise that from AD31 Christ would be officiating in the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary as our high priest. Instead of limiting our study to the sacrifices of the earthly sanctuary, our minds will be lifted up to the work of Christ for our salvation today, and we will see the truth of the prophecy.
The place of his sanctuary was cast down (Daniel 8:11) Where is the place of Christ’s sanctuary? Heaven. The Hebrew for place of means ‘a base, a fixed place, foundation’, clearly identifying the “true tabernacle”.
Of course, it is impossible for any man to cast anything from heaven, but by elevating papal error, it most certainly was cast to the ground.
How did Rome achieve this?
The Roman Catholic system of worship is one of sacrifice. Its church structure and furnishings are a broad replica of the Biblical sanctuary on earth, albeit with Egyptian and Babylonian rites.
Catholic churches were once built in the shape of a cross, facing the east. The stem of the cross was called the nave (where the congregation sat), and the upper part of the cross, called the sanctuary, where the clergy officiated. The two were separated by the communion rail. (Modern churches may not follow this rule)
In the sanctuary of the Catholic Church there is an altar. It can be made of stone, marble or wood. If made of wood, an altar stone is set in the centre, which is consecrated by the bishop. Mass is always offered on this stone. Below the altar stone holy relics of the saints are cemented. If the altar is made of stone or marble, portion is cut out for the relics to be inserted.
Contents Daniel 8 Part 2 Next Study
On the altar is the Tabernacle, a cabinet (or safe) where the Sacrament is reserved under lock and key. Another place for the Sacrament is in a Monstrance, often made of gold and set with precious stones. It has a glass door for the faithful to view the host (wafer), which is placed on a luna (or lunette) in the Monstrance.