p. 6 | An Enemy of Truth by E. J. Hibbard

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 13, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 40.

An Enemy of Truth

By E. J. Hibbard

“The Continual” and “The Transgression of Desolation”

By E. J. Hibbard

That antichrist should “think to change times and the law” of the Most High, as revealed in Dan. 7:25, is quite commonly known.

But that the same power should pervert the entire Gospel, as outlined in Dan. 8:9-12, is not so generally known. It therefore seems fitting that this subject receive its share of attention.

But before we begin the consideration of the verses above mentioned, let us note briefly what precedes, and then we shall know how and where to apply the prophecy.

Verses one to eight narrate a vision which appeared to the prophet Daniel, in which he beheld a ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no beast could stand before it. But presently he beholds a he goat coming from the west, and so rapidly that he seems not to touch the earth. The goat had a notable horn between his eyes. This goat smote the ram and stamped him under his feet. Then the goat became greater than the ram had been; and in the height of his power, the great horn was broken, and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. And out of one of these came forth a “little horn;” and this is the symbol with which we have to deal.

Now verse 16 states that the angel Gabriel was commissioned to “make this man to understand the vision.” And Gabriel proceeded to say: “The ram which thou sawest, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough he goat is the king of Greece; and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. And as for that which was broken, in the place whereof four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.” And this is the power we seek.

Alexander, called “great,” being the first king of Greece, and the one who conquered Persia, is the king symbolized by the “notable horn” between the eyes of the goat. After his death, the many contended for the kingdom, yet it was divided between just four, as Gabriel had stated. This divided kingdom was then allowed to run its course, until “the transgressors” were “come to the full,” which is the signal for the collapse of any and every nation; and then followed—Rome.

And here is the prophecy concerning Rome: “And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land.” Verse 9, A.R.V. This was the exact way in which Rome, the nation, pushed her conquest. As the ram, Medo-Persia, pushed westward, northward, and southward; the goat, Alexander and his bands, came from the west and proceeded eastward; so Rome conquered Carthage and absorbed Egypt, to her south; absorbed the little territory of original Greece, and conquered Macedonia and Asia Minor, to her east; and then absorbed the “glorious land.”

“And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled upon them. Yea, it magnified itself, even to the Prince of the host; and it took away FROM HIM the continual burnt offering, and the place of HIS SANCTUARY was cast down. And [margin] a host was given to it against the continual burnt offering through transgression; and it CAST DOWN TRUTH TO THE GROUND, and it did its pleasure and prospered.” Verses 10-12, A.R.V.

Here we have described the invasion of a new domain. Not content, as were the powers before it, with the subjection of the nations of earth, he invades the host of heaven, conquers them, physically, and treads them under foot. He magnifies himself to the Prince of the host of heaven, even the Lord Jesus Christ, and takes away from Him the “continual” (“burnt offering” is a supplied word, and does not express all that the text implies), and the place of His (Christ’s) sanctuary is cast down.

But it was ecclesiastical, and not civil Rome which did all this. But the policy, the spirit, and the genius of both are so nearly the same that inspiration considers them together. Note this in the interpretation given by the angel:

“And in the latter time of their [the Grecians’] kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy [corrupt, margin] the mighty ones and the holy people [Hebrew people or the saints]. And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up [reign] against the Prince of Princes; but—he—shall—be—broken—without—hand.” Thank the Lord.

All who have read the entire prophecy of Daniel, will remember that in chapter 2, verses 34, 44, and 45, a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image of four parts, and broke it in pieces. This the verses declare to be the kingdom of God, which smites all earthly kingdoms and breaks them in pieces, while it shall stand forever. But if anything were lacking to show that this power will meet its end at the time and by the Power just referred to, that is abundantly found in Dan. 7:21, 22, and 2 Thess. 2:8. The former states that this power continues and persecutes the saints until the time comes that the saints possess the kingdom, while the latter text declares that “the Lord Jesus shall slay [him] with the breath of His mouth, and bring [him] to naught by the manifestation of His coming.” This is ecclesiastical Rome, “broken without hand.”

THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY, THE SHADOW OF THE HEAVENLY

Has this “system” cast “some of the host [of heaven] and of the stars to the ground, and trampled upon them”?—We think so. “And he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.” This is “the host of heaven” referred to—the people on earth who belong in heaven. Phil. 3:20, 21; Eph. 3:14, 15.

He magnified himself even to the Prince of the Host; stood up, or reigned, against the Prince of Princes. His whole reign being against Christ, he can be nothing short of antichrist, for that is what the word means.

But putting to death the saints, and reigning against Christ, is not all. For “through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; . . . and in their security shall he corrupt [margin] many.” “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries; but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” Dan. 11:32. And besides all this, “It cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.” Dan. 8:12.

And all this corrupting influence, I believe, is comprehended in the fact that “it took away from Him [from the Prince of the host of heaven] the continual, and the place of His [Christ’s] sanctuary was cast down.”

Both the “way” of the Lord, and the “end” of the wicked, David found revealed in the sanctuary. Ps. 77:13; 73:1-17.

But there are two sanctuaries revealed in the Scriptures, an earthly and a heavenly; the former, with all its services, a type or figure of the latter; and the latter the “pattern” of the former. This is plainly read in Ex. 25:9, 40; and Heb. 8:1-5.

Before the first advent of our Lord, there was nothing, after the establishment of the “sanctuary” in the wilderness—nothing pertaining to sin and its cleansing—which did not meet its solution in and through the “sanctuary.” To accomplish this, its services were “continual.” In chapters 28 and 29 of the book of Numbers, the morning and evening sacrifices, which were offered for the entire congregation every day of the year, and never omitted in consequence of any other offerings, is about sixteen times called, “the continual burnt offering.” But that was not all. The showbread was likewise “continual.” Num. 4:7; 2 Chron. 2:4. Then the lamps were to burn “continually” (Lev. 24:2); the incense was “perpetual,” which is the same as “continual;” and the high priest, “Aaron,” said the Lord, “shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.” Ex. 28:30. Thus we see that the “continual” under consideration in Daniel 8, comprehended the entire service of the earthly sanctuary, as ordained of God; and this in turn being but a figure, in all its appointments and services, of the heavenly sanctuary, the term “continual” applies with equal force to the sanctuary above. And indeed, the entire force of the prophecy applies there; because the earthly sanctuary, with its priesthood, had ended its operations, and time therefor, before this power under consideration had begun its operations.

But how, you say, could this “man of sin,” as Paul calls him, take away from Christ the “continual” service of the heavenly sanctuary?—Easily enough; and that is exactly what was done.

In Hebrews seven and eight, we repeatedly

read that “perfection” did not come through the Levitical priesthood and service; that because of this, another Priest had to arise, and that Priest was Christ. The priesthood was therefore changed (Heb. 7:12); and they who had never served except as an example and shadow of the heavenly service, now gave way to Christ, the real Priest, “after the order of Melchizedek.” David predicted this priesthood of Christ in Ps. 110:1, 4; and Paul records its fulfilment in Heb. 2:17; 3:1; 4:14-16; 5:5, 6; 6:19, 20; 7:1-28; 8:1-5; 9:1-28; 10:1-22, and so on.

The principal reason for this change was because “perfection” did not come by the Levitical priesthood (Heb. 7:11), while Christ, “by one offering . . . hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Heb. 10:14. It is also true that the Levitical priesthood and offerings were never intended to perfect any one, but were “shadows of good things to come.” But from this, it does not follow that no sin was forgiven, nor iniquity washed away, during the years that the Levitical priesthood continued; for Christ is the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Through faith, the ancients grasped the promise of the “Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.”

Now when this priesthood changed, it changed from the Levitical order to that of Melchizedek. It changed from “many priests” who were subject to death, to one Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us. Heb. 7:23-25. It also changed its base of operations, from the sanctuary on earth, to the one in heaven; so that now, if even Christ were on earth, He should not be a priest. Heb. 8:4. And if Christ Himself could not be a priest if He were now on earth, and He is declared to be THE High Priest since the day He ascended, pray who could be a priest on earth since Christ ascended on high?

But in the face of this, and during the early stages of that apostasy mentioned by Paul, the “mystery of iniquity” did insinuate and ordain an earthly priesthood, and made the claim that it was by right the legitimate and proper succession of the Levitical order.

“The bishops now [the latter part of the second century] wished to be thought to correspond with the high priest of the Jews; the presbyters were said to come in place of the priests; and the deacons were made parallel with the Levites. In like manner the comparison of the Christian OBLATIONS with the Jewish VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES produced many unnecessary rites, and by degrees corrupted the very doctrine of the holy supper; which was converted, sooner, in fact, than one would think, into a SACRIFICE.”—“Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History, Cent. II, part II, par. 4; chap. IV, par. 4.

From this beginning, grew the entire priesthood and ceremonial of the apostate church; and this priesthood and ceremonial did so completely eclipse and shut away from men the sanctuary and service of Christ in heaven, that the priesthood and ministry of Christ was “taken away” from the knowledge of men, and the very “place of His sanctuary was cast down.” And so fully was this done, that, at the expiration of a certain definite prophecy in A.D. 1844, having sole reference to the sanctuary in heaven, the most enlightened Christians on earth were unaware of any such sanctuary or of its services. This shows how completely this matter had been hidden, when three centuries of Gospel light, after the rise of Protestantism, had failed to reveal the least thing in reference thereto.

Christ’s priesthood and service to the end of probation is in the “temple of God” (Rev. 11:19; 15:8); and when an earthly priesthood claiming to have succeeded the Levitical, usurped His place, it is easy to understand Paul’s words describing the “man of sin” as sitting “in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.” 2 Thess. 2:4, A.R.V.

But the judgment was to sit, and this dominion of the antichrist was to be taken away, “to consume and to destroy unto the end.” Dan. 7:26. And this truth concerning the sanctuary and work of Christ, has already come out, and that at the time specified. And with this truth all the sophistries of that most crafty system are being exposed, and will continue to be exposed to the end of the Gospel race.

The Scriptures reveal a brief return of the civil dominion of this “mystery of iniquity,” but his day for obscuring the Gospel is past. The many will not heed it, yet the Gospel message will close in power, the entire earth being lightened with its glory. Rev. 18:1.