Estimated book page count (based on word count): 230 text pages / 240 total pages

Deeper
Settled on the Prophecies

Eugene Prewitt

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 Copyright © 2009
Eugene Prewitt

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All emphasis in quotations added by the author unless otherwise indicated.

All scriptures are quoted from the KJV (King James Version) unless otherwise indicated. Those
attributed to the YLT are quoted from Young’s Literal Translation.

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 Table of Contents

Please note: I will refine the appearance of the Table of Contents after we flow it into
InDesign.

Back-page Blurb...................................................................................................................4
Introduction...........................................................................................................................5
Section I........................................................................................................................7
Questions from Those Within...............................................................................................7
Chapter One................................................................................................................10
The Judgment......................................................................................................................10
Chapter Two...............................................................................................................18
Laodicea..............................................................................................................................18
Chapter Three.............................................................................................................32
Hebrews Problems and Ballenger.......................................................................................32
Chapter Four...............................................................................................................39
An Invisible Remnant.........................................................................................................39
Section II....................................................................................................................51
Questions from Those that are Without..............................................................................51
Chapter Five...............................................................................................................53
The Day of Cleansing.........................................................................................................53
Chapter Six.................................................................................................................62
More on the Mark and Much on the Seal...........................................................................62
Chapter Seven.............................................................................................................88
Conditional Prophecy and Predestination...........................................................................88
Chapter Eight..............................................................................................................96
Brief Thoughts on Michael in Scripture.............................................................................96
Chapter Nine.............................................................................................................101
Satan Burns “For Ever and Ever”?...................................................................................101
Section III.................................................................................................................108
Questions Regarding the Time.........................................................................................108
Chapter Ten..............................................................................................................110
The 1290- and 1335-Day Prophecies...............................................................................110
Chapter Eleven.........................................................................................................120
The Seven Times or the 2520-Year Prophecy..................................................................120
Chapter Twelve........................................................................................................137
Reapplications and Multiple Fulfillments and the Story Line..........................................137
Section IV.................................................................................................................151
Testimony Tidbits.............................................................................................................151
Indexes..............................................................................................................................169

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 Back-page Blurb

Why does Revelation say that Satan will burn in the lake of fire “for ever and ever?” Why does
the Old Testament teach that atonement was made on the Passover? What is the point of the
1290- and 1335-day prophecies? And what about the 2520-day prophecy? Why haven’t we heard
about it before this?
Does the “remnant” of Revelation 12 include not-yet-converted Seventh-day Adventists?
Why did scores of Bible students follow Ballenger out of the Adventist church when they did a
Bible study on “within the veil”?
What is present truth for Adventists? And must it be so that our prophecy lectures on the
mark of the beast quote largely from Catholic sources? Could we prove our point from the Bible
alone?
And how do we know which prophecies are conditional and which are unconditional? And
how can we say that Michael, “one of the chief princes,” is divine? And if, according to
Raymond Cottrell, the leading scholars of Adventism were unable to defend the doctrine of the
investigative judgment, how can it be defended? Could it be established without a reference to
Daniel 8:14?
These are unsettling questions. And the purpose of this book is to settle them and many like
them.

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 Introduction

William Miller, after the Great Disappointment, reminisced about the opposition he received
while preaching the Advent near. Doctors of divinity and scholars had assailed him. Books had
been written against him.
How often, you might ask, was William Miller confronted with an argument that
confounded him momentarily? How often did a new line of Bible reasoning catch him off guard
or cause him some embarrassment?
To me, that has happened often.
But William Miller testified that never once did anyone bring an argument against his
position that he had not studied and laid to rest already. How could that be so? He wrote:

Various difficulties and objections would arise in my mind, from time to

time; certain texts would occur to me, which seemed to weigh against my
conclusions; and I would not present a view to others, while any difficulty
appeared to militate against it. I therefore continued the study of the Bible, to see
if I could sustain any of these objections. My object was not merely to remove
them, but I wished to see if they were valid. . . . In this way I was occupied for
five years, from 1818 to 1823, in weighing the various objections which were
being presented to my mind. (William Miller, William Miller’s Apology and
Defense, pp. 13, 15) [*** check ***]

What was the result of five years of such study, conducted while Miller was yet employed
full time in secular occupations? Twenty-two years after those five years of study, even after the
Great Disappointment, Miller answered that question in a way that still seems incredible to me.

During that time, more objections arose in my mind, than have been
advanced by my opponents since; and I know of no objection that has been since
advanced, which did not then occur to me. (Ibid., p. 15)

But it is not likely that you or I could honestly say the same, not likely that no objection
against our Adventist faith has ever arisen but such as we had previously put to rest for
ourselves.
This book is the first in a short series that is intended to move us closer, as a people, to an
experience like that of our pioneers. We want to be settled. And in this book we want to be
settled on questions related to the prophetic.
The shaking is ruthless. May we “step fast” and forward.

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 Probably the two most important chapters in this book are those on the judgment and on the
final test over the mark and the seal. Do you know your Bible well enough to persuade a seeking
neighbor that Sunday observance will be the mark of the beast? If that question is to test the
world, don’t you think we ought to know that topic well?
These chapters are progress reports. No month goes by but some Bible thought opens up to
me like it never has before. Will you find a new line of evidence that affirms the precious truths
for our time? Tell me about it. I want to hear. I want to learn.
Other books will follow this one. They will touch more directly on the gospel and on the
practical life of persons seeking Christ’s righteousness. Those books will seek the blessing
mentioned in this passage:

A minister, after preaching a Bible discourse which brought deep conviction

to one of his hearers, was accosted with the question, “Do you really believe what
you have preached?”
“Certainly,” he answered.
“But is it really so?” asked the anxious questioner.
“Certainly,” said the minister, as he reached for his Bible.
Then the man broke out, “O, if this is the truth, what shall we do?”
“What shall we do?” thought the minister—“we”? What could the man
mean? But the question forced its way to his soul. He went away to plead with
God to tell him what to do. And as he prayed, there came to him with
overwhelming force the thought that he had the solemn realities of eternity to
present to a dying world. For three weeks his place in the desk was vacant. He
was seeking an answer to the question, “What shall we do?”
The minister returned to his charge with an unction from the Holy One. He
realized that his past preaching had made little impression on his hearers. Now he
felt upon him the terrible weight of souls. As he came to his desk, he was not
alone. There was a great work to be done, but he knew that God would not fail
him. Before his hearers he exalted the Saviour and His matchless love. There was
a revelation of the Son of God, and a revival began that spread through the
churches of the surrounding districts. (Gospel Workers, p. 33–34)

But for now, in this book, this is the blessing I am seeking for the readers:

Let us give more time to the study of the Bible. We do not understand the
word as we should. The book of Revelation opens with an injunction to us to
understand the instruction that it contains. “Blessed is he that readeth, and they
that hear the words of this prophecy,” God declares, “and keep those things which
are written therein: for the time is at hand.” When we as a people understand what
this book means to us, there will be seen among us a great revival. We do not
understand fully the lessons that it teaches, notwithstanding the injunction given
us to search and study it. (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 113)

—Eugene Prewitt, July 24, 2009

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 Section I
Questions from Those Within

Adventist generally are aware of a shaking that is to take place among God’s people. Those that
can be shaken will be shaken. Those who, on the contrary, are settled into the truth intellectually
and spiritually so that they cannot be moved, will remain with the truth.
I have, in my brief lifetime, received many studies, books, and articles that asserted that my
salvation would hinge on whether or not I accepted the propositions set forth in them. Many of
them were charitable enough to say that God would wink at the times of my ignorance. But
precious few of the authors seemed to believe that an honest searcher for truth, led by the Holy
Spirit, could read the documents and be unconvinced.
If I were only to take into consideration those studies that met the following guidelines,
there would still be more than you might guess:
1. The author is a firm believer in the Spirit of Prophecy as manifest in Ellen White;
2. The author is very knowledgeable;
3. The author has carefully examined the arguments urged against his views;
4. The author has prayerfully and humbly pleaded for guidance from heaven;
5. The author has a disdain for sin, avoids display, advocates helpful reforms;
6. The author has a very significant list of statements from Inspiration proving his/her
position;
7. The author has a theory that makes many otherwise difficult passages easy to
harmonize with each other; and
8. The author has more than one passage from Inspiration that indicates that one’s
salvation may hinge on how one receives the message being presented. And these are
buttressed by other statements that we should be ready to receive new light.

Yet, if I were to believe only the studies that meet these qualifications, I would at the same
time believe that our God is three persons and two. I would believe that we should keep the
feasts and that we should not. I would believe that we should stay in the Seventh-day Adventist
Church, join the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement, leave both, and start a third. I would
believe that modern prophets that rejected each other were both true. I would pronounce God’s
name only in Hebrew. I would also believe that the movement to pronounce that name aright is
the fourth angel of Revelation 18. I would also believe that the Shepherd’s Rod is that fourth
angel. I would also believe the literature work of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is that
angel. I would also believe that the call to leave the Seventh-day Adventist denomination for
non-denominational Sabbath-keeping is that angel. I would also believe that the Reform

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Movement is that angel. And I would believe more things than can be well recounted about
Daniel 7 through 11.
With that said, I propose that we acknowledge that having these eight identifying marks is
not sufficient evidence that a matter is true. Consequently, I would suggest that if I conclude
from my study that “I don’t believe that matter,” I am not necessarily accusing the document of
lacking any of these eight evidences.
This introduction nearly states the direction this book is going, and for that I am not
ashamed. We will have to give account in the judgment for the use of our time and energies. That
is reason enough to motivate me to “take heed how [I] hear.” (See Luke 8:18.)

Charity in Judging
I fear men, not because they are a member of one group or another, but because they are
men. Men, the best and most honest of them, are erring and contradictory. They make mistakes
and retract them or defend them to the bitter end. The evangelist Bunyan, breathing the very
atmosphere of heaven, wrote with ability against the Seventh-day Sabbath. Luther and Carlstadt
attacked each other. On nearly every point of difference, Luther was in the wrong. A few of our
pioneers opposed Andrew’s opinion that Sabbath begins at sundown. And nearly all early
Adventists kept it wrong in that respect for several years.
We ought, then, to be charitable in judging. Men may be sincerely wrong, and while we
must strenuously oppose the worst of their errors, we may count the erring men as better than
ourselves.
But there is a class with whom we cannot be as charitable, in the social sense of the word, as
with others. That class is made up of prophets, true and false. A person that speaks for God is His
servant or His enemy. His ministry is not a harmless mistake; it is of the devil or of God. Most
prophets acknowledge this.
Victor Houteff (the founder of the Shepherd’s Rod movement, known often today as the
Branch Davidians) falls into this last category. Speaking of his own material, Houteff wrote “It
cannot be anything else but some wonderful, plain, clear-cutting Bible truth which could not be
contradicted.” (Shepherd’s Rod, p. 95.) A man that claims to be a prophet (see page 196 of his
book) makes a statement about inspiration, and thus about the Bible. If he is mistaken in detail,
then the Bible may be also. If he can change his written views over time, then portions of
Scripture may also be outdated. The Bible has no kind words for false prophets.
Yet false prophets may repent and be converted. Two young ladies in Ellen White’s day
were self-deceived until instructed by her. They both returned to their position as learners in the
school of Christ. I would rather have their position in the judgment than that of many persons
who have left the truth never to return.
In a future book I intend to address many questions that faithful Adventists may meet from
strong believers in the Testimonies.
But not in this one. Here we will address prophetic questions from a different class.
Many Adventists are losing confidence in the fundamental teachings that define us. They are
shocked and disappointed to discover many sensible and Biblical arguments against things they
have long believed.
The 1844 judgment, for example, has been attacked as fictitious by many able writers and
with many scriptural reasons. The first chapter addresses this question Biblically.
The second chapter addresses the first prophecy in Revelation intended specifically for the
Christians in our own day. And the truths in this chapter about love and truth have the potential
of solving the heart problems that make faulty arguments so deceptive.

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 One Adventist evangelist, Albion Ballenger, turned against our church over what he
perceived as a proof in the book of Hebrews that the sanctuary message of the church was
fundamentally flawed. I read an editorial when I was a young man that said that no one had ever
written a sensible Bible study that countered the Biblical arguments of Ballenger. The third
chapter in this section is just such a study.
The last chapter in this section is a critique of the Adventist doctrine of the “remnant.” Who
are part of that remnant that seems to raise the ire of the beast? Does the remnant include persons
in your baptismal study that have not yet been baptized?
It is by addressing these questions that I hope to make a contribution to the edifice of truth
that was built by so many before me.

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 Chapter One
The Judgment

Adventists alone teach the doctrine that we have named the “investigative judgment.” Our
neighbors in the Baptist or Catholic communions have ideas about death that make such a
judgment unthinkable.
What are the defining characteristics of this Adventist doctrine?
First, there is timing. We teach that the judgment began in 1844. That means a great deal. It
means, for example, that the judgment didn’t happen at the cross. And it means that the judgment
won’t happen at Christ’s second coming. And it precludes a judgment at the moment of death.
In place of all of these options, it places the judgment that decides the destinies of
Christians, near the end of time, yet beginning prior to many of the final events.
Second, our doctrine is related to the long-standing controversy between Christ and Satan.
We teach that the judgment is not for the purpose of informing the Father so that He may make a
right decision. No, the judgment is for the angels and other unfallen beings. They are the ones
who witness the cases being decided. And they are the ones who testify that God’s judgments are
“just.”
Third, our doctrine is related to the gospel and to how men live their lives on the earth today.
We teach that the judgment compares the lives of men to the Ten Commandments. Destinies are
decided on the question, “has this man been an overcomer? Has he loved and obeyed?”
The judgment does not ask, “What were his opinions?” but, “What evidence does his
conduct give regarding whether or not the law was written in his heart? Was the Spirit a resident
there?” The cleansing blood of Jesus stands able to wash away the record of a man’s sin, and it
will if there is evidence that the man gave Jesus opportunity to clean up his life while on earth.
These three characteristics combined—a pre-Advent judgment for the benefit of the angels
that determines destinies by comparing the lives of men to the Ten Commandments—make our
doctrine unique.
And it is hated.
So here is a little history from the perspective of our enemies:

Unambiguous Evidence?
Raymond Cottrell wrote a paper on the investigative judgment called “Liability or Asset?”
In that paper he indicates that there is no unambiguous Bible evidence for the Adventist doctrine
of the judgment. The thesis of his paper is that the doctrine is built on an erroneous
understanding of Daniel 8:14. In the paper he writes:

In 1958 . . . I determined to try once more to find a way to be absolutely

faithful to both Daniel and the traditional Adventist interpretation of 8:14, but
again found it impossible. I then formulated six questions regarding the Hebrew
text of the passage and its context, which I submitted to every college teacher

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 versed in Hebrew and every head of the religion department in all of our North
American colleges—all personal friends of mine. Without exception they replied
that there is no linguistic or contextual basis for the traditional Adventist
interpretation of Daniel 8:14.

Again, you would think, from reading the article and other attacks on this doctrine, that the
Adventist doctrine is based on a misunderstanding of Daniel 8:14. And, more than this, that if
Daniel 8:14 is explained correctly that the doctrine of the investigative judgment evaporates.
So we are about to look at Bible evidence for the Adventist doctrine. And when we are done,
look back over the passages that we have quoted and you will find not one reference to Daniel
8:14. There is unambiguous evidence for the Adventist’s investigative judgment. And we will
get to Daniel 8:14 in the chapters on Ballenger and on the Atonement.

Yes, Unambiguous Evidence

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I

will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name
before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5)

The Bible refers, in a number of passages, to a judgment. These passages do not all speak of
the same event. The question raised by the scholars mentioned above (in a remarkable fulfillment
of Daniel 12:10’s “none”) is whether any of these passages amount to solid evidence for the
doctrine of the investigative judgment.
Here are some simple Bible observations from three chapters—Daniel 7, Revelation 14, and
Revelation 6. Each of these chapters has a prophetic story line that gives us an ability to locate
the timing of the judgment in relation to end-time events.
1. What do we find in Daniel 7? After the rise and fall of Babylon, Persia, Greece and
Rome; after the rise of proto-European tribes, and then after the papacy rises with its blasphemy
and persecution, we find a judgment opened in heaven that utilizes “the books.”

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit,
whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure
wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A
fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands
ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him:
the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (Daniel 7:9–10)

After this judgment we find the papacy being destroyed by fire at the same time that its
dominion comes to an end. The other nations, by way of contrast, continued to exist as non-
superpower nations after their fall from world greatness. (Behold Iraq, Iran, and Greece in
existence even today.)
Then we see again, in heaven, a transaction between the Father and the Son. The Son
receives the kingdom of the whole earth “which kingdom shall never be destroyed.”
In point of time, this judgment looks like the one pointed out by Adventists. It is late in
earth’s history, yet ends before the final climatic scenes.

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 2. What do we find in Revelation 14? While probation still continues, before the gospel has
been preached to every nation and people, an announcement about the arrival of the time of the
judgment is made.

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every
nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear
God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and
worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of
waters. (Revelation 14:6–7)

This is followed by two other warnings related to the mark of the beast and papal
corruptions. God’s commandment-keeping people are pictured as faithfully enduring
persecution. Next in Revelation 14 comes the Second Coming under the symbol of two ripe-
related harvests—first of the righteous, then of the wicked for destruction.
In point of time, this Revelation 14 announcement that “the hour of His judgment is come”
is united with the final campaign to evangelize the world and precedes the most climatic events
that, themselves, precede the Second Coming. In timing, this looks like the judgment Adventists
teach about.
3. What do we find in Revelation 6? While probation lasts, and after some period of serious
persecution of God’s people, the blood of the saints cries out for vengeance. The lives of the
martyrs are represented as being “under the altar” in heaven. When they cry for vengeance, they
are told that they must rest a little longer until another wave of persecution should bring another
wave of martyrs.
But, in the meantime, they are given white robes.

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and
true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the
earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said
unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their
fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were,
should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:10–11)

Their cry for vengeance is followed by the signs in the sun, moon, and stars and then by the
personal appearance of Jesus Christ.
In point of time, the giving of the white robes to the faithful martyrs follows the persecution
of the dark ages and precedes both the persecution of the last age and the Second Coming. They
receive their white robes neither at death nor at their resurrection. They are at “rest” while
awaiting vengeance against their murderers.
This pre-Advent declaration of their destiny looks, in point of time, like the one Adventists
teach.

Common and Uncommon Elements

These three passages share two common elements. They each picture a Divine judgment
following papal activity and preceding the earth’s final events.

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 They each indicate that the judgment is an other-worldly event. In Daniel 7, it occurs before
angels in heaven. In Revelation 6, the souls being vindicated refer to those that dwell “on the
earth.” as you might refer to someone who lives in a different land than your self.
Finally, in Revelation 14, the need for an announcement presupposes that the beginning of
the judgment is not readily apparent to those on earth.
In addition, each passage offers its own clues as to how this judgment ties in with the
broader picture of Scripture.
Daniel 7, for example, ties the judgment to the idea of the heavenly books. The student of
Scripture finds, after a study of these books, that names can be “written,” and names can be
removed. See Exodus 32:31–34; Deuteronomy 29:19–20; Revelation 22:19; Luke 10:20.
Jesus elsewhere connects the blotting out of names with a scene very similar to the judgment
scene in Daniel 7. And more than this, He connects that judgment scene with the granting of
white robes. This statement of Jesus, in this respect, reminds us of Revelation 6. It brings
together two of our three time line passages.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I

will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name
before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5)

And this passage from the fifth church age, directing the church of that time to the future,
reminds us of the name of the last church. Laodicea means “a people judged.”
Another passage that speaks of “blotting out” something from the books used in the
judgment is found in Peter’s post-Pentecostal sermon. There, in point of time, the blotting out is
future and coincides with an end-time pouring out of the Spirit’s power. This power, used to
lighten the world with Christ’s glory, must precede the close of human probation. And it
immediately precedes the sending of Jesus back to earth.

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,
when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and
he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you. (Acts 3:19–
20)

This is the second passage that has connected the judgment with a set time. The other was
Revelation 14:7. This brings us to the question of the Adventist Great Disappointment.

Prophecies of the Great Disappointment

Many detractors from the doctrine of the investigative judgment suggest that this doctrine
was created by Adventists to cover their embarrassment about the non-appearance of Christ in
1844. But Habakkuk 1–2, Hebrews 10, Malachi 3, and Revelation 10 all refer, prophetically, to
that time of trial and misunderstanding. According to these four passages, the fulfillment of
prophecy would appear to tarry, but it would not tarry, and men were still to keep waiting for
Christ’s return. They would be seeking to see Him in the clouds, but He would instead come to
His temple.
They would need patience to inherit His coming kingdom and would be tempted to throw
away their confidence. They would preach His coming with great enthusiasm but then would
cease. Finally, they would be bidden to take up the work again. It would be like they loved the

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sweetness of their message until they understood it thoroughly, then it would be a bitter
disappointment.
Each of these four passages throws additional light on the topic of the judgment in heaven.
There are also a number of parables that illustrate the truth. Solomon concludes his words of
wisdom with a reference to that event.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his
commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every
work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether
it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14)

Paul preached that there was a day for this judgment. He connected it with the future
justifying of those that were currently obeying the commandments.

As many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: . . .
(for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law
shall be justified . . .) in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by
Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:12–16)

Who will be blotted out of the book? Those that “sin” against the Lord. See Exodus 32:34.
But doesn’t that include us all? Yes, human cases would be hopeless if the overcomers were not
offered a “white robe,” a blotting out of their sins, prior to the final decision of their cases. This
gift of a white robe is the future “shall be justified” of the current “doers of the Law.”
In both of these passages—Ecclesiastes 12 and Romans 2—the judgment is made a motive
for commandment- keeping. This is also the case in the three angels’ messages. We glorify God
by keeping the law that is a transcript of His character. Compare Ecclesiastes 12 and Revelation
14. They differ primarily in that Solomon places the judgment future while earth’s last warning
places the judgment at present.

Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is
come: . . . here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of
Jesus. (Revelation 14:7, 12)

Fear God, and keep his commandments: . . . For God shall bring every
work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether
it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14)

The Cleansing of the Sanctuary

We have observed already that, from the books of heaven, names may be removed and sins
may be blotted out. Both of these processes cleanse the heavenly books in the heavenly sanctuary
from the record of sin. As each case is decided, either sins are blotted out and a white robe is
given, or a name (and its record) is removed from the book of life.
In the antitypical day of atonement there was one more step in processing the sin problem
after the cleansing of the sanctuary. There is one who has tempted and prodded, cajoled and
trapped, bringing men into his ranks of sin slaves. He is, in this way, guilty for all the sins he has
caused men to commit.

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 He is not guilty in their stead. Only the innocent Jesus could bear their sins as a substitute.
But this wicked one is guilty in his own stead for his part in their falls. In the symbols, this
Azazel is blamed for the sins he has caused. He has injured Jesus through Christ’s saints, and
now justice returns the pain into his own bosom. He is led into the wilderness.
If we call Azazel a “scapegoat,” we must clarify that Azazel is not an underling blamed in
order to take the heat off from a superior. A more backward description of the relation of sin to
Satan could hardly be imagined. Satan is the ultimately guilty one rather than the unfortunate last
stop for the passing of the “buck.”
If we ask, “How is this blaming of Satan related to the judgment in heaven?” we need only
note the observers of the judgment.

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit,
whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure
wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A
fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands
ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him:
the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (Daniel 7:9–10)

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I

will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name
before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5)

Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall
the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8)

The prominent place given to the angels, one-hundred million strong, reveals that the
judgment scene is for them. God knows those that are His. The investigative judgment is for the
information of the holy angels. It is they who have an interest in the blame that belongs to their
once-honored Lucifer.
The relation of the angels to the judgment was woven into the sanctuary. Not only were two
angels sculpted there in a position of reverence and interest in the law and mercy, but the entire
fabric of the inner curtains was woven with cherubim. (See Exodus 26:31; 36:35)

The Relation of the Investigative Judgment to the Great White Throne Judgment
There is a judgment in the book of Revelation that seems, in some ways, similar to the one
in Daniel 7. It is, however, different in a few other significant details: timing, location, and
purpose.

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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and
death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were
judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast

15
 into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found
written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11–15)

When does this judgment happen? Very apparently it is finished after the 1000 years
mentioned in the verses just before it. We can tell this by the statement that the consequences
meted out by this judgment are referred to as “the second death.” It is also apparent by the fact
that the lake of fire happens after the 1000 years as God breathes down fire on the armies that
surround the Holy City. (See Revelation 20:1–10)
Also, notice that in this judgment there is no intercession by Jesus. And who are the
witnesses of this judgment? Rather than the angels, this judgment serves those that are judged.
They are resurrected to hear their cases decided and to be convinced of their wickedness.1
During the 1000 years just ended, there was a special judgment for the benefit of the saints.
This millennial investigation is the judgment alluded to by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:3 and by John
in Revelation 20:11.
Then, after the 1000 years are over, the great white throne judgment scene is finally
fulfilled. There the dead are convinced that the judgments against them are just. Just as the
wicked at Christ’s second coming are accused by Jesus for their wrongdoing, so will be the
resurrected wicked after the thousand years.

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,
Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute
judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all
their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their
hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14–15)

These two instances when Christ sits on His throne and judges resurrected persons happen,
naturally, in conjunction with the two resurrections. Both the judgment that precedes the 1000
years and the judgment after the 1000 years are a fulfillment of

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy
brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is
written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every
tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of
himself to God. (Romans 14:10–12)

Not all these knees bow simultaneously, however. These two resurrections are those
mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:23–25. The saints, the wicked survivors of the plagues, and
special rebels will meet their destiny first. The wicked dead will meet it later. As it is written, all
will share the same experience of giving account of themselves before God.
1
It is a fact that Ellen White applies both Revelation 20:11–15 and Jude 14–15 to Christ’s second
coming. And this is accurate in much the same way that Peter’s application of Joel 2 to the day of
Pentecost is accurate. At Christ’s second coming, all living nations are gathered before Him. He accuses
the wicked of their neglect of the needy and of their lawlessness. Matthew 7:23; 25:40. He comes
bringing all the “holy angels” with him. Matthew 25:31. All elements of Jude 14–15 fit the Second
Coming perfectly well. But in a more thorough sense they apply to the post-millennium judgment where
“all that are ungodly” are judged and where Christ executes “judgment upon all.” Ellen White also plainly
applies Revelation 20:11–15 to the post-millennium execution of the wicked in The Great Controversy.
See p. 666.

16
 Some may wonder why we call attention to the judgment in heaven when our own turn at
the bar of God is yet future. The answer is that men ought to learn of the judgment going on now
while there is time to set their lives in order. To learn of the judgment then will be to learn of it
far too late.
In conclusion, there is plenty of unambiguous evidence for a multi-phased judgment of the
human race. The books of record are intimately related to every phase of that judgment. Their
contents are examined in heaven during the judgment for the angels. There sins and names are
blotted out as destinies are forever fixed. Then the books are brought forth to convince the
wicked inhabitants of earth of their lawlessness. Then the books are examined by the saints
during the 1000 years. Finally, the wicked dead are resurrected to face the books. Then those
whose names are not in the book of life are destroyed in the lack of fire.
Only the first phase of this judgment is coincident (happens at the same time) with human
probation. Only that current phase is announced as a warning to the last generation to ready
themselves for Christ’s coming. We ought to spread that warning while the cases of past
generations are still being decided.

Conclusion
So what about the doctrine of the investigative judgment? Biblically, it is a judgment that
happens in heaven for the benefit of the angels. Biblically, it happens near the end of earth’s
history but prior to Christ’s coming. Biblically, its timing is announced, and this shows that its
timing has been prophesied. Biblically, the Ten Commandments are the standard in the
judgment; therefore, men are called to keep them in view of their pending cases. Biblically, the
judgment reverses the decisions of human tribunals that have killed the saints, thus condemning
the papacy while cleansing the books of record from the sins of the overcomers.
Biblically the doctrine stands. Unambiguously.

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 Chapter Two
Laodicea

There have always been messages that were more timely than others. Truth seems to come alive
when its time has come. At its appointed moment, the currents of thought and politics in the
world work together to make it most relevant. Or its revelations may describe so perfectly the
condition of God’s people that the student’s mind finds itself flooded with a sense of its
truthfulness.
Some messages have always been timely.

We must keep Jesus our pattern ever before us. This is and ever will be
present truth. It was by beholding Jesus and appreciating the virtues of His
character that John became one with his Master in spirit. With spiritual vision he
saw Christ’s glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth; and he was changed from glory to glory into His likeness. (The Ellen
G. White 1888 Materials, p. 135)

Today, the message to the Laodiceans (Revelation 3:14–21) is speaking to men again, to a
greater number of them, and with greater force. 2
Laodicea converses each weekend regarding salvation, assurance, and the gifts of grace.
These topics are broached in Sabbath school with characteristic boldness. We, as members of the
church, are looking forward to Christ’s coming. But we don’t understand these topics. We
wouldn’t expect a prophet to say to us:

Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD!3 to what end is it for you?
the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a
lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the
wall, and a serpent bit him. (Amos 5:18–19)

Amos uses metaphors familiar to us—the serpent, the lion, the comfort of getting home after
danger. Perhaps we are not as mindful of the bear, that animal called by God to punish the
mocking of His special messenger. Amos indicates that Adventists, waiting and hoping to go
home to heaven, anxious to escape the roaring lion on their track, will find at last that they have
been deceived by the serpent and that their treatment of Heaven’s prophet has not endeared them
to Heaven.

2
This chapter is adapted and abbreviated from a longer study by the same title available at
www.bibledoc.org.
3
“You that desire the day of the Lord” is a phrase that, in our day, has been abbreviated into a single word:
“Adventist.”

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 We are represented by Amos as expecting great things from the coming of Jesus. Our riches,
whether or not they include material prosperity, include an assurance that all will be well with us
in the end. Laodicea knows, in a superficial way, that her destiny depends on her love and her
faith. She is aware that those with a faith/love relationship are the ones that are justified. But
rather than being a source of worry, this thought comforts her from day to day. She is confident
enough of her standing with God to speak of it.

“I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing”

There are certain conditions upon which we may expect that God will hear
and answer our prayers. One of the first of these is that we feel our need of help
from Him. He has promised, “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and
floods upon the dry ground.” Isaiah 44:3. Those who hunger and thirst after
righteousness, who long after God, may be sure that they will be filled. The heart
must be open to the Spirit’s influence, or God’s blessing cannot be received.
Our great need is itself an argument and pleads most eloquently in our behalf.
But the Lord is to be sought unto to do these things for us. (Steps to Christ, p. 95)

Laodicea might be more conscious of her need if she understood the nature of faith and love.
These, according to James and Paul, are the riches of the gospel. But James speaks of men who
“say” they have faith, yet do not. (See James 2:14–20) And John speaks of men who “say” they
have love, but have it not. (See 1 John 4:20)
It is interesting, in this context, to notice that faith in God’s truth and selfless love were the
two significant virtues missing from the Laodicean church in Paul’s time.

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for
them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that
their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all
riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the
mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. (Colossians 2:1–2)

James speaks of those that are “rich in faith” 4 and identifies them as the same class as those
that “love” God.

Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this
world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them
that love him? (James 2:5)

Our God Himself is spoken of as being “rich in mercy.” This is shown by the “great love
wherewith he loved us.” Ephesians 2:4. Faith and love are combined in a number of other
passages. A working faith can never be separated from love, for “faith works by love.” Galatians
5:6. It would be appropriate for Laodicea to take a moment to probe the meaning of these golden
values. An understanding of faith and love might wake her to a hungering and thirsting after
righteousness.

The Nature of Faith

4
See 1 Peter 1:7–8 for another correlation of “faith” with “gold.”

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 The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17)

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out
of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

(Romans 10:17)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. (Colossians 3:16)

Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your
souls. (James 1:21)

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will,
and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

Without taking further pains to prove it, let me state that faith is living by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God. Faith is a relationship with the Word. Faith submits to the
Word. It lives and acts as if the Word itself has power to do the thing it promised.
What does faith look like? That depends on the nature of the Word that faith is resting on at
the moment. When faith comes to a warning, faith looks like preparation and “taking heed.”
When faith comes to a rebuke, faith looks like confession and repentance. Faith lets the principle
of the Word become the ruling power in the life. When faith comes to inspired history, it looks to
the world to be akin to naiveté.
It takes the Word at face value. Faith recognizes the creative power in the Word of God.
When faith comes to Calvary and lets the glory of that story move the will, faith looks like tears,
penitence, humility, courage, and selfless love. When faith comes to a promise, it looks like
hope. When it comes to a command, it looks like obedience. When confronted with counsel, it
looks very much like a desire to please God. When considering an inspired hymn, faith may even
look like music.5
This could be partially expressed in a chart:

The Nature of the Word........................................................The Appearance of Faith

A Warning Preparation
A RebukeConfession and Repentance
History Belief
A Promise Hope
A Command Obedience
Counsel A Desire to Please
The Story of Calvary............................................Tears, Penitence, Humility, Courage, Selfless Love
A Spiritual HymnSpiritual Music

When the Bible asserts that we are saved “by hope” and justified by “works” and excused by
our “thoughts” and condemned by “idle words” (see Romans 8:24; James 2:24; Romans 2:15;
Matthew 12:36), the Book makes no contradiction with those statements that faith alone can save
us. The repeated statements that we are judged according to our works and even the statement

5
Colossians 3:16—“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

20
that we are justified by our “words” are only a development of the theme that man “shall live by
every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
The Word “every” must be allowed to have its meaning. Unbelief is selective. It may
incorporate portions of the Word, the promises and stories, while spurning the counsels and
commands. It may acknowledge the laws and regulations while slighting the Sacrifice. Unbelief
has never saved a soul and never will. So James says that a man may try to show his faith
without works, but then James says, I will “show my faith by my works.”
Just as Laodicea has falsely supposed she had a great deal of faith, she has been
misinformed regarding love and does not recognize her dearth of the treasure.

The Nature of Love

Love is a fruit of the Spirit. (See Galatians 5:22) Unspiritual people do not love. “He that
loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8) And those with Jesus in their hearts
most certainly do exercise love. “Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”
(1 John 4:7) “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded
in love, may . . . know the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:17–19) Love is so rare that its possession
attracts the attention of the world. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another.” (John 13:35)
This is not to say that unconverted mothers do not love their children. Neither can we justly
deny that an unconverted man may truly love his converted wife. But sentimental, selective love
is a mere reflection of the virtue itself. Jesus made this contrast in Matthew 5. He suggested to
His audience that the love they showed their families and friends did not prove any relationship
to their “Father in heaven.” If they would be His children, they must love their enemies.
Loving our enemies does not change the fact that they are our enemies. Love is not an
ecumenical cover-up of differences. Love is, on the contrary, selfless service. Service to others,
at the expense of one’s own interests and comfort, will be an identifying mark of God’s last-day
people.

Love in the Last Days

The Bible makes a number of statements regarding the significance of love to end-time
events. We observed earlier that the first-century church of Laodicea (see Colossians 2:1–3) had
a crying need to be “knit together in love.” This need, a characteristic also of the last-day church,
is signified in the term “lukewarm.” What is spiritual heat in this end-time context?

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But
he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Matthew 24:12–
13)

Enduring love characterizes the finally saved. The cooling of this selfless principle
characterizes the church in its Laodicean condition. But prophecy foretells more than a love that
survives. Paul speaks of end-time love as one that thrives.

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward
another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end he may
stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians
3:12–13)

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 Our love, if we are to be found blameless at Christ’s coming, must be growing for our
leaders, our fellow members, and for those that are “without.” If it is not growing, it will be
dying.

Visit your neighbors in a friendly way, and become acquainted with them. . . .
Those who do not take up this work, those who act with the indifference that
some have manifested, will soon lose their first love, and will begin to censure,
criticize, and condemn their own brethren. (Christian Service, p. 115)

What does love look like? That depends on the need of the one that is brought into our
sphere of influence. In the home, love looks like a father cheerfully doing the dishes day after
day. Love looks like disciplining oneself to keep tracts on hand to give away at gas stations and
supermarkets. Putting the needs of others first, true love may look like taking fewer pictures and
giving a larger offering for Mission Extension.
When a brother is found doing wrong, love looks like patience and correction. When a
brother is in danger, love looks like a solemn warning and a helping hand. If your brother has
done you wrong, love looks rather like faithful rebuke and attempted reconciliation than like
gossip. Lest we miss this last point, Jesus used it as example of what His own love means. He
wrote to Laodicea, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.”

Hot or Cold
Somewhat selfless Christians make the universe confusing. The Lord of glory, with
sympathy for those whose destinies will be decided by the vacillating witness of the church, says
that He is repulsed by half measures in self-denial.
His promise to “spew out” those that continued on with their mixture of self-interest and
God-pleasing ought to lead our church to remember Jerusalem.

Do Not Resist Him

Do not resist Him

When He is calling
The peace we now have
May not always be
The Holy City—
God’s own chosen—
In His favor
Thought she’d always be
When the walls were burning and
Lighting a million tear-stained
face
And the cedars that were there
Were making mountains glow
All the soldiers had been told
“Do not destroy that place”
But the God of heaven said
“It must be brought low”
And when Jesus tried to tell
The people of their danger
They reminded Him of what
it seemed had slipped His mind
But He said that to the faith
of Abram they were strangers
And it would not help them if
their blood was from his line
Do not resist Him
When He is calling
The peace you now have
May not always be
The Holy City
God’s own chosen
In His favor
Thought she’d always be
Like a mother hen, He said
That he would have gathered them
If they would have come to Him
When the prophets called
But they all went their own way
To their chosen problems
And they left God no way
To save them from them all
Do not resist Him
When He is calling
The peace you now have
May not always be
The Holy City
God’s own chosen
In His favor
Thought she’d always be

Jesus, John the Baptist, and Jeremiah all argued against the smug “we are the
people” mentality.
To this point we have discussed Laodicea’s opinion of herself. She has thought, we
have thought, that she was rich. Her misunderstanding of love and faith has led to this
delusion. She has been lukewarm and cooling in her selflessness. This, in the face of a

22
call to a growing and enduring love and a warning of dire consequences otherwise, has
endangered her position as the chosen of God. She would rather not acknowledge this
danger; therefore, the True Witness finds other ways to “tell her.”

Wretched, Miserable, Poor, Blind, and Naked

The Greek word talaheeporos, translated “wretched,” is found in only one other
passage in the Scriptures. There, in Romans 7, Paul describes the experience of a man
that is in bondage to the law of sin and death, a man that wants to do right, but who finds
another law bringing him “into captivity” to the law of sin. (See Romans 7:23–24)
This man, like all those that have not yet been set “free from the law of sin and
death” (Romans 8:2), cries out, “who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
(Romans 7:24) Wretched Laodicea does not know Jesus. She wants to do right but is
unable.
Eleeinos, “miserable” in Revelation 3, is also found in just one other passage of
Scripture. Paul, in arguing the reality of a physical resurrection, describes the condition
that we would all be in if there were no rising from the dead.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most
miserable. (1 Corinthians 15:19)

In other words, if there was to be no resurrection, our Christian hope would be a

delusion. The hope of most Laodiceans is just such a delusion. Wretched and miserable,
wanting to do right and hoping for heaven while captive to sin and doomed to death—this
is our general condition.
The gold of Revelation 3, the gold of Scripture, is faith that works by love and
purifies the soul. Laodicea is poor in the same sense that she is lukewarm.
Luke’s gospel presents “the poor” as the recipients of Heaven’s choicest blessings.
There Jesus came to preach the gospel to “the poor.” He called “His disciples” “ye poor”
and blessed them saying “yours is the kingdom of heaven.” The poor are to be invited to
Christian feasts before friends and relatives. And when, in this gospel, the invitation to
the heavenly feast is refused by others, the command is to “go quickly” into the highways
and call, among others, “the poor.” (See Luke 4:18; 7:22; 6:20; 14:13, 21)
The rich ruler is invited to sell all he has and give to the poor. Sadly spurning the
offer, his crown went to another. In the next chapter, the wealthy Zacchaeus is invited by
the Spirit to do the same and volunteers his willingness to do it. Finally, it is the “poor
widow” that out-gives the wealthy in the book of Luke. (See Luke 18:22; 19:8; 21:2–3)
But our church is not “poor in Spirit” in the beatitudal sense that would bring the
blessings of which Luke wrote. She is “proud, knowing nothing” of her condition,
arguing “about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil
surmisings,” 1 Timothy 6:4. Her contentions do not tend to increase her affection and
selfless disposition.
So, as we have compared the Bible writers’ use of different terms, we have learned
that “wretched” means “captive to sin”; “miserable” means having a deluded assurance of
salvation; “poor” means having little of the riches of James 2:5, faith and love. More than
these, Laodicea is both “blind” and “naked.”
The Pharisees were “blind leaders of the blind.” They were offended at Christ’s
instruction in Matthew 15. When the disciples tried to apprise their master of how these

23
leaders felt, Jesus said “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And . . . both
shall fall into the ditch.” (Verse 14)
They were making of none effect the testimony of the law of God (v. 6) and were
shutting out the very light that might have saved them.
Jesus spoke with great plainness to these men. He said, “Ye blind guides”; “fools and
blind”; “fools and blind”; “blind guides”; “blind Pharisee.” Matthew 23:16, 17, 19, 24,
26. They missed the idea of true spirituality. Their religion was superficial. It was
focused on the largeness of the institutional offerings and ignorant of the smallness of
institutional piety. But when certain Pharisees asked Jesus, “are we blind also?” He
answered almost cryptically:

If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see;

therefore your sin remaineth. (John 9:41)

It was not Jesus who denied their blindness. They denied it in their own hearts while
asking about it with their lips, and Jesus quoted to them their hearts’ answer. This is
precisely Laodicea’s problem. She may even come to Jesus and ask “am I blind?” But her
question is unbelief. Jesus has already told her that she cannot see and offered to heal her
eyes. The question is a denial of the illness.
What a tragedy it is, for wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked persons are the
very ones the gospel has been custom made to help. It was, in fact, the call of the apostle
Paul to open spiritual eyes to the light that they might receive “forgiveness of sins.”

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and
from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness
of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that
is in me. (Acts 26:18)

The four words we have studied thus far are all code for “unconverted.” Jesus has
said to Laodicea, “you are unconverted, unconverted, unconverted, unconverted.” And
He says it again with the word “naked.”
We are familiar with the idiom of wearing Christ’s righteousness. We think we are
clothed. How embarrassing to find that we are not! Our confusion stems from our
ignorance of Christ’s righteousness and of how to put it on. Jesus offers us “white
raiment,” and we will study that offer after considering His first proffered gift—gold.

I Counsel Thee to Buy

The heavenly Merchantman has presented His wares in the Old Testament as well.
There we learn how one as poor as Laodicea may “buy” riches as Christ offers here.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for
that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth
not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good. . . .
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live. . . .
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is

24
 near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy
upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah
55:1–7)

Isaiah does not say that listening carefully to God and forsaking our evil way is the
cost of God’s blessings. His mercy is “without money and without price.” But these
willful actions are nonetheless the condition upon which we may “buy” and satisfy our
soul hunger.
What can we pay in our poverty? We can pay attention. We can “hearken” and
“incline our ear” and “hear” when God says “Ho!” Is that how we get the gold? “So then
faith cometh by hearing,” by hearing “the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
Isaiah 55 is too much for many persons. They cannot see consistency in having
conditions attached to a free gift. “If we have to buy it, it is not free. If it is free, we don’t
have to buy it.” Let them argue with Jesus in Isaiah and Revelation. We only want to
believe the marvelous offer and to seek the Lord “while He may be found.”

Thou Mayest Be Rich . . . Be Clothed . . . and See

Pause here and drink in the glory of the promise. From the wretched state we are in,
we are told in the plainest language, “there is hope!”
So we come to Jesus for the gold of faith and love. How do we buy them? By an
ongoing act of the will. Faith and love are fundamentally the very same thing. They are a
choice on our part to let God’s creative Word live through us. Then we can choose to live
by each portion of the Word that we find, to put the needs of even those we have never
met before our own conveniences.
Everything here depends on the right action of the will. If we will “let the Word of
Christ dwell in [us] richly” and “let love be without” falseness, God will work in us “both
to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (See Colossians 3:16; Romans 12:9; Philippians
2:13) These heavenly plants—faith and love—grow prodigiously when cared for by the
constant exercise of the will. Our decisions to help others incline our wills even more in
that same direction. Our choice to deny our desires so that we may live by a God-
breathed principle makes us more like Him that spoke the principle.

And White Raiment

Perhaps the clothing that Christians wear is one of the least understood aspects of
righteousness by faith. In the minds of many, this spiritual robe is about equivalent to
having “pardon” written by our names in heaven. But this is not the way Paul and John
present it.
In Revelation 3 we are given two reasons to buy and wear the garment. The first is to
avoid nakedness itself. The second is to prevent the shame of that nakedness from being
witnessed. This last point hints that this robe is more than forgiveness. The world can see
when we are “naked,” and though we are unconscious of our exposure, it is shameful
nonetheless.
Paul speaks of what it means to put on the robe. He does not speak of covering filthy
garments with clean ones, but of removing the first to make room for the second.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off
the works of darkness . . . But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and

25
 make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Romans
13:12–14)

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man,
which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in
the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting
away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are
members one of another. . . .
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil
speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one
to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. . . .
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in
love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an
offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (Ephesians
4:22–25, 31–32; 5:1–2)

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to
another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and
have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the
image of him that created him: . . . Put on therefore, as the elect of God,
holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one
another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ
forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity,
which is the bond of perfectness. (Colossians 3:8–14)

This “true holiness,” as it is called in Ephesians 4, stands very distinct from the sham
righteousness that is called “Christ’s” by those who know Him not. What a light
Laodicea would be in the world if she were stripped of her filthy rags and covered with
Christ’s robe of lovely living!
The man in Matthew 22 that accepted the invitation to the wedding but failed to put
on the wedding garment typifies Laodicea. He thought that accepting the invitation was
all that was required.

There are many who are represented by this man. They have accepted
the invitation to the marriage supper, but have failed to comply with the
conditions for entrance to the feast. They will not lay aside the garments of
their own self-righteousness, and put on the robe prepared for them at an
infinite price. They have accepted the theory of the truth, but they do not
possess and cultivate the faith that works by love and purifies the soul.
They do not appropriate the truth to their individual needs, and become
partakers of the divine nature. They are not willing to have the earthliness
removed from their character, in order that the heavenly graces may be
imparted. They will be speechless before the King when he comes in to

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 examine the guests, and asks them why they have not put on the
righteousness of Christ. (The Youth’s Instructor, October 28, 1897)

And Eyesalve that thou Mayest See

We have observed already that “blindness” is a lack of spiritual understanding. Paul
expresses this thought in Ephesians in such a way as to make it clear that the eyesalve is
the work of the Holy Spirit.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may
give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of
him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may
know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory
of his inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:17–18)

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to

be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ
may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded
in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth,
and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of
God. (Ephesians 3:16–19)

Our need of the Holy Spirit and the ability of that Spirit to bring us all that we need
—these were the favorite themes of Jesus. A thorough study of the promise of the Spirit
would dwarf our study of Revelation 3. We will notice here only a few important points.
First, a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit is promised to the church at the very
time that Laodicea is counseled to receive it. The conditions of receiving that gift are few
and simple.
• Our faith, working by love, must bring obedience (Acts 5:32)
• We are to be asking for the gift (Luke 11:13; Zechariah 10:1)
• We must move forward to know God more and more (Hosea 6:1–3)
• We must turn from our sins (Joel 2:12–23; Proverbs 1:23)

As Many as I Love I Rebuke

The love of Jesus would not be appreciated by many. Those that perceive revulsion
in rebuke and condemnation in correction could not bear the searching love of our Sin-
bearer. The church age that is warned of its lack of true love is given an illustration of the
nature of that love in the love-inspired rebuke of the True Witness. Indeed, to refrain
from giving needed instruction is a type of hatred.

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any
wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. (Leviticus
19:17)

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 This is not to say that all rebuke is produced by selfless service. If some “preach
Christ of contention” there can be no doubt that some rebuke “for strife and debate and to
smite with the fist of wickedness.” (See Philippians 1:16; Isaiah 58:4) But all the false-
hearted instruction ever given will never make true-hearted instruction less needed.

Reproofs of instruction are the way of life. (Proverbs 6:23)

Not only does Jesus reprove, He also “chastens.” “Despise not the chastening of the
Lord.” Proverbs 3:11; see also Job 5:17; Hebrews 12:5. This thrice-repeated maxim
reflects the deep-seated antipathy of men for having their wrong course pointed out. One
of the most self-deceiving ways of despising reproof is to simply avoid hearing it. “For
every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should
be reproved.” John 3:20. That this is a danger for Laodicea is apparent in the Spirit’s
admonition to “hear.” Revelation 3:22.

Be Zealous and Repent

This passage is evidence enough that zeal and repentance are also functions of the
will. We choose what we dzaylohoe (Greek for “earnestly desire”). This is the sense of
“be zealous.” And we choose from what and to whom we will turn. This is repentance.
But it is manifest in this message that some source of information must inform the soul of
just what it is that he is to zealously repent of. Misguided zeal and undirected repentance
cannot be intended.

They zealously affect you, but not well. . . . But it is good to be

zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am
present with you. (Galatians 4:17–18)

The question, “Repent of what?” is answered by the implications in the next verse.

Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock

This is the last of the code phrases for “unconverted.” Jesus wants to dwell “in [our]
hearts by faith.” (Ephesians 3:17) Yet, for unbelieving Laodicea, He patiently waits at the
door. The Prince of Peace is outside; therefore, peace itself cannot be inside.

The Saviour says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man
hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with
him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20. He is not repulsed by scorn or
turned aside by threatening, but continually seeks the lost ones, saying,
“How shall I give thee up?” Hosea 11:8. Although His love is driven back
by the stubborn heart, He returns to plead with greater force, “Behold, I
stand at the door, and knock.” The winning power of His love compels
souls to come in. And to Christ they say, “Thy gentleness hath made me
great.” Psalm 18:35. (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 235)

Two Conditions to Christ’s Entrance

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 If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Hearing His voice: This is the first condition. Deaf persons today often have
doorbells that trigger lights in their house to blink on and off. Unless they are sleeping,
this signal will alert them to the presence of a guest. Jesus presents the case to Laodicea
as if it is not a matter to be assumed that she will “hear” His voice. If she does not hear
His voice, she will not think to open the door.
What is Jesus saying at the door? He is saying, “Repent.” Repent of what?

Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the
prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways,
and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law
which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my
servants the prophets. (2 Kings 17:13)

We read that “the Lord testified . . . by all the prophets. . . .” “The testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10) Prophets have always called the people to
obey the various counsels and commandments of God. But those who will not read the
testimony of the prophets will not hear the voice of Jesus. The last-day church not only
keeps the commandments but has “the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 12:17) Prophetic
counsels have come to her as the voice of Jesus calling her to repent, to open the door of
the heart by turning from her evil ways.
Those who will not read the Spirit of Prophecy have neglected the first of the two
conditions for special fellowship with Jesus in our day. For them the command to repent
in verse 19 is a vague call, perhaps for someone else. They would rather excuse their
wrong on the basis of their fallen nature and are not keen on reading testimonies that
would make them feel the accountability that accompanies their depravity.
Open the door: Here is the second condition. This is the only reasonable response to
hearing the voice. But those who are unfamiliar with Jesus may not be comfortable
opening a door to Someone who demands so much. If they have not learned to recognize
the love in His life-giving reproofs of instruction, they will rise up against them. Rather
than let the Guest in, they will confound Him with an enemy and treat Him spitefully.

If the professed people of God find their hearts opposed to this

straight work, it should convince them that they have a work to do to
overcome, if they would not be spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. Said
the angel: “God will bring His work closer and closer to test and prove
every one of His people.” Some are willing to receive one point; but when
God brings them to another testing point, they shrink from it and stand
back, because they find that it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Here
they have opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus.
They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are not
prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length of
time to see if they will sacrifice their idols and heed the counsel of the
True Witness. If any will not be purified through obeying the truth, and
overcome their selfishness, their pride, and evil passions, the angels of

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 God have the charge: “They are joined to their idols, let them alone,” and
they pass on to their work, leaving these with their sinful traits unsubdued,
to the control of evil angels. Those who come up to every point, and stand
every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the
counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus
be fitted for translation. (Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 187)

I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown that it
would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of
the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the
heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth
the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise
up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among God’s people.
I saw that the testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded.
The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has
been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must
work deep repentance; all who truly receive it will obey it and be purified.
(Early Writings, p. 270)

This, then, is the end result of the message. It will purify some and harden the rest.
Now some have been frightened, almost as if the shaking will cause weak Christians
to lose their way. But it is not weak Christians that refuse the voice of Jesus. It is false
ones. Not the small grains of wheat, but the chaff will be blown away. What a precious
promise is found in the promise of the shaking!

For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among
all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain
fall upon the earth. (Amos 9:9)

I Will Come In and Eat with Him

The “food” that Jesus offers is His truth. Truth is food? Prophets are represented as
eating scrolls. (See Ezekiel 2; Revelation 10) Jeremiah wrote, “Thy words were found,
and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.”
Jeremiah 15:16.
On the surface it might seem that all have access to this feast, but it is not so. They
may eat the words alone, but if they would eat them with Jesus, they must open the door.
And the words, without Jesus’ indwelling, will not be of true profit.

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but
the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in
them that heard it. (Hebrews 4:2)

Does Revelation speak of any special meal of truth being made available to Christ’s
followers? Any special Word from Him? Certainly. The testimony of Jesus, as given to
the remnant church, not only invites the church to open her door but proffers a true
abundance of good things for those that do invite Christ to enter.

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To Sit with Me on My Throne
“This honor have all his saints.” Psalm 149:9. We then, a kingdom of priests here,
will reign also as kings and priest above. (The twenty-four elders already reign this way.
See Revelation 5:10) Already we are a “royal priesthood.” 1 Peter 2:9.
Our royal destiny, to sit on an eternal throne, makes certain behaviors unacceptable.
This is why Adventists must not drink alcoholic drinks.

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; . . .

lest they drink, and forget the law. (Proverbs 31:4–5)

And regarding priests,

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee,
when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall
be a statute for ever throughout your generations: and that ye may
put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and
clean. (Leviticus 10:9–10)

Our calling to being judges in the future sets us apart as tea-totaling priests even
today.

Even as I also Overcame

This study opened with a statement on one unchanging element of present truth.
Beholding Jesus ever has been and ever will be current theology. In closing His message
to the Laodiceans, Jesus presents His own life of self-denial and service as a model for
those who would be overcomers. The most notable overcoming on Christ’s part was the
defeat of His own inclination to escape the cross. “If it be possible,” He prayed in human
weakness, “let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
(Matthew 26:39)
Not my will. That is the way that Christ overcame. “Even as I also” did, He invites,
“you may also.”

Long afterward, when John had been brought into sympathy with
Christ through the fellowship of His sufferings, the Lord Jesus revealed to
him what is the condition of nearness to His kingdom. “To him that
overcometh,” Christ said, “will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even
as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.”
Revelation 3:21. The one who stands nearest to Christ will be he who has
drunk most deeply of His spirit of self-sacrificing love—love that
“vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, . . . seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked, thinketh no evil” (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5)—love that moves the
disciple, as it moved our Lord, to give all, to live and labor and sacrifice
even unto death, for the saving of humanity. (The Acts of the Apostles, p.
543)

Amen.

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 Chapter Three
Hebrews Problems and Ballenger

Brief Idea: Adventism has nothing to be ashamed of regarding its position on Daniel
8:14. From tsdaq to the relation of the little horn to the sanctuary’s defilement, from
Hebrews 6 to Hebrews 9, we stand on solid ground.

Many persons have left Adventism over various objections to our doctrine. And one
objection that rises periodically is that our belief in the “sanctuary message” is founded
on a faulty translation of Daniel 8:14. The sanctuary was to be justified, not cleansed. So
the argument runs.

Arguments About Words

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before

the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the
subverting of the hearers. (2 Timothy 2:14)

When we ask, “What does that verse mean?” we may search for an answer in other
verses. But when we ask, “What does that word mean?” we may find men challenging
our position by referring to sources beyond our ability to evaluate. We, the average
readers, are not able to compare the merit of various lexicons and of various authorities in
the field of Biblical languages.
Neither can we take the word of the man speaking to us. Nor can we discount it. So,
in essence, Paul said, “Don’t let Bible discussions degenerate to this level. Keep them on
the level of comparing scripture with scripture, or your hearers will suffer.”
This is particularly important when studying Daniel 8:14. We have enough scholars
on our side to confidently move forward in the business of comparing scripture with
scripture.

Eight Translations
The primary translators of eight Bible versions validate the rendering of tsadq as
“cleansed”:

And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred
evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.—
American Standard Version

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 And he said to him, For two thousand, three hundred evenings
and mornings; then the holy place will be made clean.—Bible in Basic
English

And he said unto me, Until two thousand and three hundred
evenings and mornings: then shall the sanctuary be vindicated.—
Darby’s Translation

And he said to him: Unto evening and morning two thousand

three hundred days: and the sanctuary shall be cleansed.—Douay
Version

And he said to him, Evening and morning there shall be two

thousand and four hundred days; and then the sanctuary shall be
cleansed.—English Translation of the Septuagint (from the Online Bible
CD-ROM)

And he said to him, “For two thousand and three hundred

evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be restored to its
rightful state.”—Revised Standard Version

And he said to me, Until two thousand and three hundred days;
then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.—Webster Translation

And he said unto him, Until two thousand and three hundred
evening-mornings,—then shall the sanctuary, be vindicated.—
Rotherham’s Translation

What I haven’t pasted here are translations like the New King James; King James
Twenty-First Century; and Revised Webster. These three agree with the translations
“cleansed” but seem, from their titles, to be less original translation work than the eight
above.
But there is an easier way to get to the conclusion that the sanctuary is cleansed in
Daniel 8:14. The sanctuary is defiled in Daniel 8. Then this is resolved. The opposite of
defiled is cleansed.
And there is another way to get there. Daniel 7 discusses a judgment that takes place
in God’s presence. God is in His sanctuary on His throne. (See Isaiah 6) In that judgment,
books are cleansed of names and sins (as we have noted in the study of the judgment.)
This judgment is parallel in Daniel 7 (following Persia, Greece, Rome) to the tsadaq of
the sanctuary in Daniel 8 (following the same nations). That leads us near to the word
“cleansed,” even if we didn’t know the meaning of the word.

Ballenger and Hebrews 9

Ballenger challenged the Adventist church’s position on the sanctuary by sharing a
word study on the meaning of “within the veil” in Hebrews 6. What he found is that the
phrase “within the veil” and its equivalent renderings always refer to the most holy place.

33
And as Hebrews teaches that Jesus entered “within the veil,” Ballenger concluded that
Jesus entered that apartment at His ascension.
His study failed to note three key points that overthrow the foundations of his claims:
1. Many Old-Testament prophecies of New Testament events are written in
present tense. His quoting of Old-Testament prophesies of Christ’s intercession
as proving that Christ was in the holy place prior to His incarnation fail on this
account. It can be shown that they are prophesies of future events. (See, for
example, the tenses in Isaiah 53; Psalm 22.)
2. Christ’s throne, and that of the Father, are mobile according to Daniel and
Ezekiel. To show that Jesus went to the throne in AD 31 and then reason that
He must have gone to the most holy place misses this simple fact altogether.
3. The “veil” in Hebrews 6 is parallel rather to “hanging” and “door” in the Old
Testament than to “vail” there. There were two “hangings” in the Old
Testament, and there are two katapetasma, “veils,” in the book of Hebrews.
(See Hebrews 6:19; 9:3)

More than this, when the tenses of the verbs are given literally, Hebrews 9 teaches
that the way into the most holy place was not yet revealed in Paul’s day. And Paul says
that he cannot “now” speak particularly of the most holy place services.
This harmonizes precisely with what Seventh-day Adventists would expect after
Daniel’s prophecy of the cleansing of the most holy place was “sealed” till the time of the
end. The passage below quotes Young’s Literal Translation from verse seven.

And over it [the Ark of the Covenant] the cherubims of glory

shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always
into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. (Hebrews
9:5–6, KJV)

And into the second, once in the year, only the chief priest, not
apart from blood, which he doth offer for himself and the errors of
the people, the Holy Spirit this evidencing that not yet hath been
manifested the way of the holy places hagion, the first tabernacle having
yet a standing; which is a simile in regard to the present time, in which
both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which are not able, in regard to
conscience, to make perfect him who is serving. (Hebrews 9:7–9, YLT)

The passage in Hebrews 9 uses the term “second veil.” This, by simple implication,
defines the veil of Hebrews 6 as the first veil—the entrance curtain to the sanctuary.
And the phrase “into the holiest of all” in Hebrews 10:19, which comes from two
Greek words, should have been rendered “holy places.” The same holds true in Hebrews
9:8. There, “of the holy places” is preferable to “into the holiest of all.”
With these observations, the force of Ballenger’s argument falls flat.

Some Details
Old-Testament Forgiveness:

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 Ballenger reasoned that if Christ’s intercession is indispensable to salvation, then the
sanctuary must have been active in the Old Testament with Christ ministering there.
Paul briefly addresses the issue of Old-Testament forgiveness in Romans 3. How
could God forgive men and grant them righteousness prior to the cross?

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is

in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation [mercy
seat, margin] through faith in his blood, [YLT6] for the shewing forth
of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the bygone sins in
the forbearance of God—for the shewing forth of His righteousness in
the present time, for His being righteous, and declaring him righteous
who is of the faith of Jesus. (Romans 3:24–26)

Though Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, all forgiveness
that antedated Calvary was apparent injustice to those not knowing the future. It was a
forbearance that might mar God’s reputation for righteousness. The cross showed, in the
present time of Paul, that the passing over of past sins had been, indeed, righteous.
The perspective that Christ had to be ministering in the heavenly sanctuary during
the Old-Testament period is not divine. God inhabits eternity. The Father and the Son
understood the nature of the sacrifice to be made and treated men, such as Abraham, with
the same quality of righteousness that is granted to us today. Nevertheless, this
“everlasting righteousness” was not brought in until the cross. (See Daniel 9:24)
The pre-cross application of this righteousness is the salvational meaning of
Revelation 13:8. The term “before the foundation of the world” is used by Peter, Paul,
Matthew, and John to refer to God’s ordained plan for saving men.
This did not make the cross superfluous when the time came for the sacrifice. Nor
did it make Christ’s intercession superfluous when the time came for His mediation to
begin. Nor does God’s plan make the judgment superfluous now that the books have been
opened.

Within the Veil: Ballenger’s technical mistake was that of equating the New
Testament “veil” (a covering) with the Old-Testament “vail” (poreketh, or curtain.) When
he found an Old-Testament passage that spoke of “within the vail,” the passage would
point quite consistently to the most holy place. So when Hebrews spoke of “within the
veil,” he concluded that, biblically, it must mean that Jesus entered the most holy place at
His ascension.
What was wrong with that line of reasoning?
The Old-Testament passages regarding the entrances to the holy and most holy
places use three words with which Adventists should familiarize themselves. They are
“door,” “hanging” and “vail.” Their derivation is briefly outlined below:
“door” (Hbr: pethack) — Strong’s: “opening, doorway, entrance.”
“hanging” (Hbr: macak) — Strong’s: “hanging” from a root meaning “to cover”
“vail” (Hbr: poreketh) — Strong’s: “curtain” from a root meaning “to separate”

6
YLT (Young’s Literal Translation) quoted from this point to the end of the passage.

35
 The summary of the data is that
there are two hangings (macak) that
are called “door” and “vail”
respectively. These names relate to
the purpose of the two curtains. The
first (“door”) forms the entrance to
the sanctuary. (See Exodus 26:36;
35:15, 17; 36:37; 39:38; 40:5, 28;
Numbers 3:25, 26; 4:25, 26) The second (“vail”) separates the apartments. (See Exodus
35:12; 39:34; 40:21; Numbers 4:5)
Priests could find an “entering in” to the tabernacle at the “door” (Exodus 35:15) and
a “vail” that would “divide” between the “holy place and the most holy.” (Exodus 26:33)
What is the purpose of the first hanging? It is an entrance. What is the purpose of the
second? It is a separation.
In Hebrews 6, 9, and 10 these three words all find their parallels. Jesus has “entered”
the sanctuary ahead of our hope that “entereth” there within the door hanging, the first
macak.

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and

stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the
forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for
ever. . . . (Hebrews 6:19–20)

The ark of the covenant is “after the second veil” that separates between the holy and
most holy described in Hebrews 9.

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the
candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the
sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the
Holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the
covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot
that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the
covenant. (Hebrews 9:2–4)

The short of all this is that “vail” in the Old Testament is the name for the second
curtain. When we read, therefore, of “within” and “without” the “vail” we are referring to
the most holy place and holy place respectively. This was an accurate observation on the
part of Ballenger. “Within the separating curtain” would sensibly be understood this way.
But the New-Testament “veil” corresponds to the Old-Testament “hanging” where
the first is an entrance and the second is a separation. Hebrews 6:19–20 is clearly a
reference to the entrance veil; Hebrews 9:2–4 to the separation veil. And so Adventism
shines, and Ballenger’s view loses luster.
Yet it was not a technical fault that fell that evangelist. God gave the church the gifts
of the Spirit to prevent us from falling prey to our own mistaken views. And to the extent
that Ballenger despised the counsel of Ellen White and of those brethren gifted as
evangelists and pastor-teachers, to just that extent Ballenger rejected the very means
chosen by God to save him from winds of doctrine. (See Ephesians 4:11–14)

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At the Father’s Right Hand
The summary of another one of Ballenger’s argument regarding the sanctuary is,
1. Jesus went to the right hand of God at His ascension; and
2. The right hand of God is in the most holy place.

He proves by abundant scriptural evidence point 1. But before progressing to this

data, he proposes a questeion: “To which apartment did Jesus go at His ascension?” In
answer, he presents the evidence that He went to the right hand of God.
We have noted already that the throne of God is mobile (cf. Daniel 7:13, Ezekiel 10).
Does “at the right hand of God” mean most holy place? Apparently the answer to that
varies if God can and does move from place to place as pictured in Daniel 7.
What if Jesus is at the “right hand of power” even when coming in the clouds of
heaven (Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62)? What if the throne of Revelation 5:1 is in the
room with the seven lamps of fire (Revelation 4:5)? What if the prophecy of things “soon
to come” (the book of Revelation) includes Christ’s ministration at the altar of incense
(Revelation 8:2–5)?
These passages all testify that our Lord Jesus is the second in command in this
universe wherever He is. Even when returning in the clouds, He is at the right hand of
power. And so point two of the two-step argument withers into no point at all.

Conclusion
Ballenger attacked the present and precious truth. He fell prey to seductive
arguments and refused the help that was offered him.
He thought God’s “right hand” was a location in the most holy place when in reality
God’s throne moves from place to place. He thought that Hebrews 6 teaches that Jesus
went into the most holy place when it really teaches that Jesus entered the sanctuary. And
the entrance was a curtain into the holy place. And Ballenger thought that Old-Testament
forgiveness was evidence of Christ doing priestly work before the cross. But in reality,
Old-Testament sins were forgiven by the “forbearance” of God until they could justly be
atoned for at the cross, after which Jesus became a high priest by virtue of His own
sacrifice.
And what about Ballenger’s other argument? He argued that the book of Hebrews
says nothing of the Adventist idea of Christ’s entering into a judgment phase of ministry
near the end of time. If that doctrine were true and important, Ballenger reasoned, it
would be noted in the New-Testament book on the sanctuary service.
In answering this final argument, let us return to the passage in Hebrews that
mentions the most holy place:

And over it [the ark of the covenant] the cherubims of glory

shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always
into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. [YLT7]
And into the second, once in the year, only the chief priest, not apart
from blood, which he doth offer for himself and the errors of the
people, the Holy Spirit this evidencing that not yet hath been

7
YLT (Young’s Literal Translation) quoted from this point to the end of the passage.

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 manifested the way of the holy places hagion, the first tabernacle having
yet a standing; which is a simile in regard to the present time, in which
both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which are not able, in regard to
conscience, to make perfect him who is serving. (Hebrews 9:5–9)

We reply to Ballenger that Paul could not in his own day explain the most holy place
ministry. It was sealed by the order of Jesus in Daniel 12. And, in fact, this is precisely
why there were two apartments. What was the Holy Spirit thus “evidencing”?
Namely that the meaning and purpose of the most holy place would not be revealed
while Christ was still officiating in the holy place, while the “first tabernacle” yet was a
symbol of the present.
So Hebrews teaches exactly what Adventists expect it ought to teach about the most
holy place.
And that is simply true.

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 Chapter Four
An Invisible Remnant

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant

according to the election of grace. (Romans 11:5)

I am part, I believe, of the remnant. There are Adventists who do not believe that we are
the remnant church, but most of them don’t believe a lot of other true things either.
But I think that many of my faithful friends would be surprised if they knew what I
think the Bible teaches about the remnant church of Revelation 12. I don’t believe that an
unconsecrated Seventh-day Adventist is part of the remnant.
In other words, I don’t believe that the remnant is the “visible church.”8 And why do
I, typically an enemy of dissident movements, have such a view? “The Bible tells me so.”
But this chapter is much more than an answer to the question, “Is the remnant visible
or not?”
Indeed, this chapter is an introduction to a system of metaphors that governs much of
how Old-Testament prophecies should be understood in our time.

The Remnant and Captivity

Even in ancient times God planned to reach the nations of the world despite the
apostasy of His people. A plan to reach the world through the faithfulness of His people
would never have materialized. The Lord said “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man.”
(Jeremiah 17:5)
God’s model of international evangelism harmonizes with this precept.
His method of reaching the world involved international dispersions. When His
people became like the nations, He would punish them by national captivity. He would
scatter them among all nations.
A minority of the scattered ones would recognize in their lot God’s chastisement.
These would revive and reform their lives. God would show Himself mighty to bless this
“remnant” and would gather faithful persons back to their nation.
The various empires that ruled the known world—Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia,
Greece, and Rome—all became keenly aware of God’s power on behalf of His faithful
people. An obscure defeated nation testified, by its apostasy and its remnant’s repentance,

8
By the term “visible church” men refer to the organized body of believers the members of which include
both wheat and tares, faithful and unfaithful persons.
By “invisible church,” I mean the “wheat”— truly consecrated persons. .Since man does not read the heart,
man can not say with any certainty who are and who are not the members of this church.

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to the immensity of the heathen world. Jehovah’s power and forgiveness became
internationally proverbial.
As one step in this process, God promised to scatter His people among the heathen
when they would fail to keep His commands. (See Leviticus 26:14–33; Deuteronomy
4:23–37; 28:15–68)
Scattering was appropriate. The first scattering afflicted the first Babel. (See Genesis
11:9) When God’s people would imitate the stubborn spirit and confused state of the
Babel builders, they would be treated in the same way. In other words, when God’s
nation appeared like Babylon, it would be scattered by the descendants of the Babel
builders.
These cycles of scattering and remnant gathering characterize the history of God’s
chosen nation. The last of the Biblical scattering episodes, the Babylonian captivity and
Persian gathering, is the local setting for the larger portion of Old-Testament
eschatological (end-time) material.

The Spiritual Remnant and Spiritual Babylon

In other words, the Lord Jesus made use of the scattering by Nebuchadnezzar and
remnant gathering under Cyrus to picture the history and end of the Christian age. In the
New Testament, the major players from these two Old-Testament periods—Babylon,
Persia, Jerusalem, remnant—are all spiritualized into end-time metaphors. (See
Revelation 18:10; 16:12; 3:12; 12:17)
They become illustrations that unlock much of the Old-Testament information
regarding the end of the world. These symbols often answer the troubling question, “How
did an end-time verse or prophecy end up in the context of an ancient conquest or
disaster?” If you have never asked such a question, you have probably not spent much
time trying to understand the minor prophets.
The summary of the story line in the Babylon-Persian remnant story is this: God’s
special people are unfaithful to their trust and, largely, turn away from His covenant of
ten commandments. As a judgment, God uses Babylonian errors (“wine” in the type) to
confuse and scatter their power. Then many, even of God’s faithful people, are captive in
Babylon (like “Daniel” in the type). They witness there to the leading men of the world.
After a time, a small, faithful remnant are called back to join God’s organized
people, Jerusalem in the type. They restore there the damage done by the earlier assaults
of Babylon. Then wave after growing wave of remnant people return from their
dispersion to thicken the ranks of God’s people under the protection of the Kings of the
East, symbols of the Godhead. (See Revelation 16:12)

The Remnant and Prophets

God’s spokesmen focus on the remnant. In Bible history, when God’s people are
about to be taken captive, He sends prophets to tell them how to behave in Babylon.
And as the time approaches for their gathering from captivity, prophets arise to guide
the formation of the remnant. They even assist them with their reconstruction. (Jeremiah
25:1; 51:64; Ezra 5:2)
Here is an interesting truth: The prophets that served the gathering remnant were
given prophetic warnings for Egypt, Tyre, Chaldea, Moab, Assyria and many other
nations that were not even aware that the prophet existed, much less that he had received
a message addressed to them.

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 The nations were unwittingly dependant on members of the remnant to communicate
to them their heaven-sent instructions. Only occasionally, as in the case of Jonah, did the
prophet himself give the message.
When the remnant appears in Revelation 12, the Spirit of Prophecy aids the returning
remnant much as other prophets did in ancient times.
False prophets also proliferated during the periods of God’s special work. Jeremiah
and Ezekiel opposed them during the captivity. And Nehemiah met false prophets while
forwarding the reconstruction. (See Nehemiah 6:14) In Revelation, these false prophets
find their parallel in the miracle-working power overtly supporting Babylon. (See
Revelation 13:14; 16:13–14; 19:20; 20:10)
In short, God’s work of regathering brings a resurgence of prophetic activity—both
true and false.

The Elect Remnant

I wrote that the elect remnant correspond to the members of the “invisible church.”
Elijah could not perceive their existence and so felt all alone. (See Romans 11:2–3) They,
rather than the visible church, are the ones that experience 2 Timothy 3:12—

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution.

The woman of Revelation 12 is, in fact, the invisible church. She is clothed with the
sun, dressed in pure white. (See verses 1–2) In other words, she is righteous. That can’t
be said of Laodicea, the visible church. She is “naked” near the end of time while the
Revelation 12 woman is beautifully adorned.
And in Revelation the church is one woman, though she exists through both the
Jewish and Christian age, through the time of the Waldenses, the Reformers, and then of
the Advent movement.
The remnant is that “seed of the woman” that is at enmity with the “seed” of the
serpent. (See Genesis 3:15) That enmity is played out in the wrath of Revelation 12:17.
The Devil is angry, not at his servants and dupes, but at those who, like Abel, will not
surrender their faithfulness.
In a time of gathering, the elect and invisible remnant begins to approximate the
visible church. During a time of scattering that approximation vanishes.
Where are we, as a Seventh-day Adventist denomination? Are a large portion of the
remnant scattered? When will they be gathered? Are the world’s Daniels in Babylon
today? Will the world’s Ezras and Nehemiahs be coming to Jerusalem soon? Will the
wall be rebuilt in troublous times?
Much of the Old-Testament story information testifies that the answer is, Yes, the
large portion of the remnant is scattered, but they will soon return to “Jerusalem”—and it
will be in troublous times.
Then is it accurate to say that we, the Seventh-day Adventists, are the remnant
church?
In one important sense, it is very accurate. We are the Jerusalem to which the
remnant is being gathered slowly. The portion of the remnant that has been gathered
already is in the Seventh-day Adventist church. More precisely, the remnant that keep the
commandments of God and that have the testimony of Jesus have been gathered to form
the Seventh-day Adventist church.

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 And while we seem to be in a time of scattering, there will be another gathering.
Like Daniel, we must be faithful until that time. And like him, may we live to see
Babylon overthrown and the way of the Kings of the East prepared.

The Remnant in Type and Antitype

Three times, Scripture tells the first story of a remnant being blessed. Good King
Hezekiah had led a national revival in Judah. He burned idols and desecrated their
shrines.
His father had bought peace with Assyria by using gold from the temple. Hezekiah,
zealous for God’s glory, rebelled against the Assyrians, which had already carried the
idolatrous neighbor kingdom of Israel captive. But Hezekiah expected God to favor the
reforming nation of Judah.
Then Assyria took several of the fenced cities of Judah. The king wavered. Assyria
had demanded submission guaranteed by a rich present. Hezekiah did like his father. The
temple pillars that he had covered with silver, he stripped. This, with other precious
metal, was forwarded to the waiting king.
But the God who had blessed Hezekiah’s faithfulness did not bless his weakness.
The gift failed to repel the invaders, and the Assyrians besieged Jerusalem. The extremity
seemed to bring Hezekiah back to his senses. Meanwhile, outside the city gate, the
Assyrian general blasphemed the God of heaven.
Then Hezekiah appealed to the prophet Isaiah. He also spent personal time on his
knees acknowledging the victory of Assyria over false gods but claiming the victory of
the only true God over the proud oppressor. God answered the personal praise and prayer
session with prophecy:

The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee [the King of
Assyria], and laughed thee to scorn. . . . Whom hast thou reproached
and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and
lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. By
thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With
the multitude of my chariots I am come up. . . . With the sole of my
feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places. Hast thou not
heard long ago how I have . . . [given power to kings like you over
other nations]? Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they
were dismayed and confounded. . . . But I know . . . thy rage against
me. Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine
ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose . . . and I will turn thee
back by the way by which thou camest. (2 Kings 19:21–28; see also
Isaiah 37:22–29)

Assyria and Babylon prefigure the great apostasy featured in the Bible’s apocalypse.
In this prophecy of Isaiah, God’s newly reformed nation of Judah is represented as
speaking by its “virgin” daughter. (See Jeremiah 31:4 for a similar usage.) Think of it.
The nation under Hezekiah so recently in apostasy now called a “virgin.” This is a gospel
prophecy of how God looks at His struggling people.
And this usage informs our understanding of Revelation 14, where the 144,000 are
found to be virgins that are the “seed” of the woman (Revelation 12:17) that have
despised the power of Babylon.

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 God’s enemy blasphemes God by putting Him on a level with other deities and
exalting himself above them all. By political power, the enemy expects to overwhelm
God’s city. She does not realize that her national clout grew only as God permitted it.
Now she rages against the very God that put her on the throne. He will remove her power
and repulse her campaign against the holy people.
This was just the kind of prophecy Hezekiah longed for. But a practical problem
loomed ahead. The Assyrians, even if they should leave as prophesied, had already
reaped the harvest of the nation’s fields for that year. God turned the prophecy towards
meeting this disaster with a promise of supernatural blessing.
He would cause the ground to bring forth sufficient provisions in uncultivated areas
to feed the nation. The next year, a Sabbatical year (when sowing was forbidden), He
would do the same. This provision would be a sign that God supported the rebellion of
Judah from under the hand of Babylon.

And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such
things as grow of themselves. . . . and in the third year sow ye, . . . and
eat the fruits thereof. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of
Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape
out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this. . . . For I
will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant
David’s sake. (2 Kings 19:29–34; see also Isaiah 37:30–35)

Who are blessed in this oracle? The remnant who have escaped from Assyrian
captivity. They will prosper and be fruitful. Though the king’s call for reform was
laughed to scorn (see verse 10), a few responded to the reform.
God ordained that the scattering of the bulk of His people would be followed by the
gathering and conversion of only a few. Hezekiah depended on the gathering promised
and used the promise to encourage revival. (See 2 Chronicles 30:9) Moses had long
before outlined the process:

And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon
thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou
shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy
God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and
shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day,
thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; that
then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion
upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations,
whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be
driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the
LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: and the
LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers
possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and
multiply thee above thy fathers. And the LORD thy God will circumcise
thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And the

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 LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on
them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. And thou shalt return and
obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I
command thee this day. (Deuteronomy 30:1–8)

The prosperity of the remnant, under Hezekiah, hinged on their repentance and a
revival of obedience to God. The Bible notes that participation in the sanctuary service
was the mainspring of that revival. (See 2 Chronicles 30)
The king, on his part, revived the sanctuary services. God, on His part, revived the
hearts of the remnant as prophesied in the words, “the Lord thy God will circumcise thine
heart . . . to love the Lord thy God will all thine heart, and with all thine soul, that thou
mayest live.”
Hezekiah’s efforts to restore the temple were accomplished by the “remnant” under
his grandson. (See 2 Chronicles 34:9) Further apostasy reversed the gathering back to a
prophesied scattering of those that remained. (See 2 Kings 21:14–15) This prophecy was
soon fulfilled. (See 2 Kings 25:11)
Judah was nearly annihilated as a national body. So general was the captivity under
Assyria that Isaiah wrote:

Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant,
we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto
Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:9)

Besides the very few left behind, a “remnant” would return from captivity:

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel,
and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again
stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy
One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of
Jacob, unto the mighty God. For though thy people Israel be as the
sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return. (Isaiah 10:20–22)

This “return” from captivity is salvation in the Septuagint and in Paul’s use of this
passage in the New Testament. There, in Romans 9:27, the process of captivity and
remnant’s return is spiritualized. Following Paul’s use of Isaiah 10 to its logical
conclusion, Assyria becomes, with Babylon, a type of institutionalized error.
This false system captures “nations” by making them “drink” of her wine. Some
escape. Men who are converted from the “error” of their ways are souls “saved” from
death. James 5:19–20. They are the remnant elected by grace.
In other words, the “elect” remnant are those who have been “chosen” by God’s
foreknowledge for their submission to the Spirit’s work of sanctification and for their
belief in the truth. (See 2 Thessalonians 2:13)
God has not “cast away His people.” He “foreknew” a remnant chosen by His grace
for their faith. Though unknown to each other, they are known to Him. From Elijah’s day
to ours, this remnant has existed. It was stronger in his day than he expected by a factor
of 7,000. It is, accordingly, stronger in ours. (See Romans 11:1–5)

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 When a man is saved by faith, he is part of the “remnant” that is to be gathered. He is
part of the “Israel” that “obtained” the sought-for prize. (See verses 6–7)

The Remnant Responds to Jesus

Beginning with these prophecies in Isaiah 1 and 10, the Bible’s use of “remnant”
enters into prophecies that are shown by New-Testament writers to speak of the Christian
age.
The Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 11–12 foretells the work of Jesus under the figures
of a rod, a branch, and a root of Jesse. There Jesus is filled with the Spirit (11:2) and is
equipped to judge hearts (11:3). He executes the wicked with the breath of His mouth
(11:4) while justifying the defenseless. He is clothed for war with righteousness and
faithfulness (11:5).
He will reorder creation so that animals of prey become harmless vegetarians (11:6–
8) in His “holy mountain.” This is the result of “the earth” being “full of the knowledge
of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (11:9). In nine verses the entire period from
Christ’s baptism to the restoration of Eden-like scenes is captured.
“And in that day”—in the day when Jesus was anointed to begin His work—He
became an “ensign” offering “glorious” “rest” to trusting “Gentiles” (11:10). This is the
passage that Paul quotes as evidence that Christianity should embrace non-Jews. (See
Romans 15:12)
And it is a passage that establishes the spiritual nature of the second gathering of the
remnant. The “ensign” that Jesus becomes is a beacon for recovering the remnant that
have been scattered to the great nations of the world. As the “outcasts” pour in from “the
nations” in the four quarters of the earth, old rivalries within the church vanish with their
causes.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his
hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people,
which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros,
and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath,
and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the
nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together
the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy
also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be
cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex
Ephraim. (Isaiah 11:11–13)

God’s people unite in a sweeping campaign that subjects their enemies (11:14). God
blesses their efforts to such an extent that the Egyptian language becomes extinct (11:15).
A supernatural highway is established for those leaving Assyrian captivity to join the
“remnant.” They will break forth in songs of deliverance that have become familiar to
many already.

And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people,

which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day
that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though
thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou

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 comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be
afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is
become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of
the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD,
call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make
mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done
excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou
inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of
thee. (Isaiah 11:16–12:6)

In summary, the remnant people are the invisible church. They are the few members
of the visible church that are “saved.” Bible prophecies describe our time under the figure
of a scattering and subsequent gathering.

Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the

children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
for he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a
short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said
before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as
Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. (Romans 9:27–29)

The Scattering of the False Shepherds and Gathering Around Jesus

If a timeline were to be labeled with the phases of the final scattering-gathering
process, the gathering of the faithful would follow the scattering of the false shepherds
that have themselves been scattering the flock. These are removed and replaced by
faithful pastors prior to God’s promised effort to gather the faithful.
This truth is revealed in the first passage to use the word “remnant” in a clearly
apocalyptic setting, Jeremiah 23. There God promises to bring the scattered believers
back into the true fold. With this is His promise to hire faithful shepherds and to remove
hirelings. In its wording the promise is very similar to the thrice-recorded prophecy to
Hezekiah.

Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my
pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel
against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock,
and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit
upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the
remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them,
and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and
increase. (Jeremiah 23:1–3)

The raising of true shepherds (verse 4) precedes the conclusion of the gathering.
Then the wicked are destroyed and God is glorified for a gathering far more significant
than the gathering of the Israelites from Egypt. (verses 5–8). Jesus leads this gathering as
the Good Shepherd, breaking a way through obstacles that inhibit the sheep. (See Micah
2:10–13) The weak and suffering people will be formed by God into a “remnant” for

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Himself. To these our lovely Lord will restore the “first dominion.” The kingdom “under
the whole heaven” is “given to the people of the saints of the most High.” Micah 4:7–8;
Daniel 7:27.
What is it that arouses true shepherds to take their positions? In the chapter that
introduces the new covenant, Jeremiah 31, we find the answer. The gathering movement
begins with “watchmen” who respond to God’s love. God’s love is an ensign that gathers
men.

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved
thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I
drawn thee. (Jeremiah 31:3)

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
(John 12:32)

The aroused watchmen intercede with God, saying, “Save thy people, the remnant.”
Jeremiah 31:7. The intercession is followed by God’s action. He moves the scattered
remnant to begin to assemble as a collection of weak souls that make a “great company.”
Jeremiah 31:8.
In God’s providence, that spiritual “birthright” blessing of the patriarchs followed
consecration rather than birth order. It passed from Abraham to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and
Ephraim (Jeremiah 31:9), without ever once following the prescribed pattern of first-
born, bypassing Ishmael, Esau, Judah, and Manasseh. Any child could, if he would, be
associated by faith with the only begotten Son of God and be spared accordingly.

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I
make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own
son that serveth him. (Malachi 3:17)

God, like no other, pardons iniquity and passes by the remnant’s transgression. He
delights in mercy; He will “turn again” from retaining His anger. He “will subdue our
iniquities” and cast away our sins. He will fulfill His ancient promises of truth and mercy
to Jacob and Abraham. (See Micah 7:18–20) Then it is that their spiritual descendants
inherit the land of promise.
Micah explains that the captivity would not be gathered until after the cross. The
Messiah there became “the peace.” “Then the remnant of his brethren shall return” to
Israel from their scattered positions. (See Micah 5:2–5)
The preciousness of these promises that God will spare us as His own son, that He
pardons iniquity like no other, that He will subdue our iniquities, that Jesus will be our
peace, does not excel that hidden promise in the phrase “his brethren.” (Malachi 3; Micah
7, 5) The gathered ones are claimed by Jesus as His family.
Though scattered in location they are gathered in spirit and are a victorious body.
(Micah 5:2–8) Especially will Jesus be a defense when the Babylonian power “treads”
within our border. (Micah 5:6) The meaning of this passage must be related to
2 Thessalonians 2:4; Daniel 11:45; Ezekiel 8.

Gathering to Build

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 When God undertook to gather His faithful from the Babylonian captivity, He
gathered them by giving them a mission. They were to build up the walls and restore the
worship services of the broken city of Jerusalem. Building up the waste places became an
illustration of the work entrusted to God’s people in the last-day gathering.
They are to “build the old waste places” and “raise up the foundations of many
generations,” and those who obey will be called, “The repairer of the breach, The restorer
of paths to dwell in.” (Isaiah 58:12) The restoration of the Sabbath is identified as one of
the restoration projects to be undertaken. (See Isaiah 58:13)
In the story, God promised the builders that, as they had begun to build with
strength, He would change His relation to them from inciting differences to prospering
their work and reputation. This would be no great difficulty for Him. (See Zechariah 8:4–
15) The implications for us and for the resolution to our internal differences are profound.
The gathering to build the temple suffered a setback of discouragement. In the last
day of the last feast of the Jewish year, the day that prefigured our arrival into heaven, a
message came to the church that had gathered to help rebuild the temple. Those who had
returned were the “residue” (remnant) of the people. The eldest of them had seen the
splendor of Solomon’s temple. (See Haggai 2:2–9.)
It seemed to these older people that the work of God was regressing even while it
was progressing. The ambitions of the current architects did not even equal the
achievements of the past, much less enlarge on them.
God sent a message of comfort to these men. The temple under construction would
receive the Messiah. They were to build with confidence, for “I am with you, saith the
Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:4)
The story of the rebuilding parallels the work of the church today, especially for
those workers who realize the extent to which we have fallen as a people. These might be
surprised at the up-beat message. And is the passage not an end-time passage? God
promises to “shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land” prior to the
coming of the Messiah and to fill the temple now under construction with “glory.” (See
verses 6–7) While it was literally so in the temple they were literally building, the
“shaking” in this passage reminds us of that in the very end in Hebrews 12.
The building up of Jerusalem could have given way to a tragic scattering. It did not
happen in Ezra’s day, but he did not presume that it could not happen.

Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity

with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry
with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no
remnant nor escaping? (Ezra 9:14)

The graciousness of God to the “remnant” is presented as being granted on

conditions, especially to those that claim it as a certainty for themselves. This is the
message to Adventists today, those “who desire the Day of the Lord.” See Amos 5:10–
20.

The Remnant Doubts the Prophet and Seeks Affinity with Egypt
Almost one eighth of the uses of “remnant” in Scripture are found in the story of
Gedaliah and Johanan. (See Jeremiah 39:9–44:28) The “remnant” was taken captive to
Babylon by a general, except for a free “remnant” that was left in Judah under Gedaliah.
The captive remnant included Daniel. The free remnant included Jeremiah.

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 In the story of these five chapters, Johanan discovered a threat on Gedaliah’s life and
offered to privately execute the primary conspirator. Johanan felt that if Gedaliah was
murdered by the conspirator, the remaining ones would be scattered, and “the remnant in
Judah” would perish. (See Jeremiah 39:9; 40:11; 40:15)
Gedaliah refused Johanan’s offer and so was later slain by the conspirator (Ishmael).
Then Johanan went into action. His plan to save the remnant involved three steps,
namely: (1) win the allegiance of Jews now following the assassin Ishmael; (2) win the
support of the prophet Jeremiah; and (3) win the support of Egypt as an ally against
Babylon.
The first point was successful. The second appeared pious. Johanan’s group came to
Jeremiah to request guidance and prayer. (See Jeremiah 41:16; 42:2) The remnant
promised solemnly to do whatever God would show through Jeremiah. (See Jeremiah
42:3–6) Ten days later Jeremiah had a message.
God promised to build and plant the remnant right where they were—on condition
that they would stay there, trust Him, and not fear the king of Babylon. God promised to
give them mercy in the king’s sight and, in this way, to deliver them from him. But the
prophecy also warned that seeking Egypt’s friendship would be a lethal mistake.
The first step to Egypt, Jeremiah explained, would be a step of rebellion against
God’s counsel. They would die in Egypt, for God’s fierce anger would be poured out
there. (See Jeremiah 42:7–17) As Jeremiah closed his plea against the proposed trip of
the “remnant,” God revealed to Jeremiah that their promise to “obey” whatever God
would say was dishonest.
Thus failed the second of Johanan’s points. When the prophet could not be
influenced, Johanan leveled the charge of influence against the prophet. He ascribed the
content of Jeremiah’s message to Jeremiah’s secretary, Baruch. He took “all the remnant
of Judah” that had returned “from all nations” and made plans to travel. (See Jeremiah
43:1–5)
The story, told in uncharacteristic detail in the Scripture, seems uncannily parallel to
our time. The church, situated between Babylonian error and Egyptian worldliness, has
its Johannans. These are gifted men, professedly going for wisdom to the Spirit of
Prophecy but leveling a charge of influence against the testimonies that rebuke their
ways. The fate of these and their followers is ominous in the type.
Their trip to Egypt well represented the results of the shaking that is currently
underway.

The Shaking of the Remnant in Ezekiel 9–14

The familiar and fateful sealing-slaughtering scene of Ezekiel 9, which will follow
the sealing, will be fearful for these church members. The prophet that saw the scene fell
on his face and “cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel
in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?” (Ezekiel 9:8)
In the fascinating prophecy of Ezekiel 11–12, the prophet mourns the death of
Pelatiah as an omen of the destruction, the “full end” of the remnant. (See Ezekiel 11:13)
This question, “Will you destroy all?” was asked again and answered later in the
negative.

Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought

forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto
you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be

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 comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem,
even concerning all that I have brought upon it. (Ezekiel 14:22)

Few passages so clearly show as do these chapters of Ezekiel that character

determines destiny and that the remnant will be reduced to a pure and faithful body by the
bloody phase of the shaking, the phase in which “all the sinners of my people” who have
a false assurance will be killed. The comfort in these passages is that the shaking will not
remove even the “least grain” from the church. The shaking removes false Christians, not
weak ones. (See Amos 9:9–13)

Summary
So many passages throw light on end-time events. When we understand the Biblical
theme of scattering and regathering, Old-Testament stories and passages come alive with
meaning.
We should know what is written there. Since 1844 we have already been through at
least one cycle of gathering and scattering. The evidence is that we need another
gathering. Let us do our part to bring it about.

The Lord showed me that He had stretched out His hand the
second time to recover the remnant of His people, and that efforts
must be redoubled in this gathering time. In the scattering, Israel was
smitten and torn, but now in the gathering time God will heal and
bind up His people. In the scattering, efforts made to spread the truth
had but little effect, accomplished but little or nothing; but in the
gathering, when God has set His hand to gather His people, efforts to
spread the truth will have their designed effect. All should be united
and zealous in the work. I saw that it was wrong for any to refer to the
scattering for examples to govern us now in the gathering; for if God
should do no more for us now than He did then, Israel would never be
gathered. . . .
The view that the Lord “had stretched out His hand the second
time to recover the remnant of His people,” on page 74, refers only to
the union and strength once existing among those looking for Christ,
and to the fact that He had begun to unite and to raise up His people
again. (Early Writings, pp. 74, 86)

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 Section II
Questions from Those that are Without

I am often invited to teach church history as a guest lecturer. But I will let you in on what
is not much of a secret: I don’t know much about church history.
Not that I have no interest. I suppose I have read more than 15,000 pages on the
topic. And I have repeatedly interviewed several persons that seem like veritable
treasure-stores of knowledge on how things have come to be the way they are.
Yet the field of history is far too broad to be mastered by someone like me. I won’t
give it my full attention. I won’t stop teaching Bible to take it up uniquely even for a
year.
And my memory isn’t very accurate for stories. The more I tell them, the more useful
they seem to become, and I am afraid that they might be morphing as I tell them.
So I prefer to teach Bible and to answer Bible questions.
And there is another reason that I prefer to answer those questions. I concluded when
I was but a teenager that, statistically, the chances were slim that I had been raised in the
church that had the most truth.
Since that I time I have been asking myself the same kinds of questions that non-
believers and other believers would ask. I am searching as they are searching. And this
section is a collection of answers that I have found in my own search.
Many “outside” fault our church over the things we write and say about
“atonement.” We, they think, belittle Christ’s sacrifice by saying that atonement is going
on today. And frankly, I can see where they are coming from. The first chapter shows
how right they are but without undermining how right we have been.
But the next chapter is not less important. The “mark of the beast” is the inanimate
villain of four entire chapters (13–16) of Revelation. And the “seal of God” is the mark
that characterizes God’s servants in Revelation 7.
In the primary story line in that prophetic book, the mark and the seal separate the
lost from the saved, and in Revelation 13 the mark is made a test of the entire world.
Could you explain this Bible topic to your neighbors? Could they verify what you shared
with them without wearing out the library secretary that handles inter-library loans?
This chapter presents more Bible data on this topic than any document that I have
ever found—enough, I think, to settle the issue from the Bible alone.
I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I am writing this sentence while listening to a
young person preach an evangelistic sermon on the gift of prophecy. She has just told a
large audience that true prophets are always right except when they give “conditional
prophecies.” I won’t raise my hand and trouble her.
But if no one was present but her and myself, I would first invite my wife into the
room, and then I would ask her, “How do we know which prophecies are conditional and

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which are not?” And how can we test a prophet if we say that all his failed predictions
were only conditional?
I address this question in conjunction with another one. Have you ever been
perplexed by Romans 9? That is the chapter that goes on and on about predestination and
that is full of Old-Testament illustrations of the doctrine. My aim is that after you read
my chapter that discusses Romans 9, it will trouble you no longer, and you will have a
reliable method for telling a conditional prophecy from one that is not at all conditional.
To learn how to answer questions from those that are without is to discover whether
or not you are in the church that has the most truth.

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 Chapter Five
The Day of Cleansing

I realized more than a month ago that though I had been using the word “atonement” for
twenty years, I would be at a loss if I was asked to give a concise definition. Was
atonement forgiveness? Is atonement the same as sacrifice? Is mediation the same as
atonement?
We live in the Day of Atonement. What does that mean? Is atonement the same as
judgment?
While searching Scriptures, I learned much about truth and duty. And now I know
what “atonement” means for those living in the Day of Atonement.
First, many Adventists have entered into argument about the timing of the
atonement. Did it occur at the cross? Is it going on now? And the latter question, if
answered in the affirmative, seems to imply that the cross was somehow incomplete.
Hence the strong feelings on this topic.
So we will start with the issue of timing in our study of atonement.

Timing: Atonement Happened Year Round

The Jewish year was a prophecy of redemption history. Early in the year, the
Passover was killed, representing the death of Jesus. Pentecost occurred fifty days later as
a figure of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In the seventh month, representing the end
of time, there was a feast of trumpets that represented a warning of coming judgment.
Then came the Day of Atonement.
But atonement was made long before the Day of Atonement. It occurred, for
example, on both the Passover and the Feast of Trumpets. (See Numbers 28:22; 29:5)
At the cross, Jesus made “reconciliation for iniquity.” The word “reconciliation” in
Daniel 9:27 is the same translated “atonement” elsewhere in the Old Testament. And it is
this atonement to which Romans 5:11 refers. Atonement was made at the cross. And as
Romans 5:11 is the only New-Testament verse to use the word “atonement,” a New-
Testament atonement was made by the sacrifice of the life of Jesus. That sacrifice was
complete and lacked nothing.
But let us get back to the Old Testament, where atonement is the subject of many
prophetic statements.

Who Needed Atonement, and When?

Atonement was made for sins whenever men confessed them and offered a sin
offering. Leviticus 4 and 5 emphasize that even unknown sins require an atonement.
When men became aware of their past wrongs, they were, and are still, to confess and
repent.

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 And atonement was made for persons in connection with their cleansing from
defilement. Lepers needed atonement. Persons with an open wound needed an atonement.
Even buildings corrupted by fungal infections needed an atonement in connection with
their cleansing.
But though atonement occurred all through the Jewish year, there was a focal point
of atonement in the seventh month. The Day of Atonement differed markedly from the
daily atonement business in three ways:
1. Atonement was made on the Day of Atonement for unknown sins that had never
been discovered—and hence, that had never been confessed, had never been
objects of repentance;
2. Atonement was made for the altar and for the sanctuary itself; and
3. A non-sacrificial atonement was made with the scapegoat.

When we have established the meaning of “atonement,” we will return to these three
elements and to their meaning in our time.

Agents of Atonement
Atonement, in the Bible, is made with blood. That is, in fact, part of the reason given
by God for the prohibition against eating blood:

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you
upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood
that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11)

Atonement may be made sacrificially with the gift of blood mentioned in Leviticus
17:11.
It may also be made by the death of the sinner for his own guilt.
Such non-sacrificial atonement is mentioned in Scripture. Phinehas executed willful
sinners, leading out in a purging of the camp, and this zeal for God “made an atonement
for the children of Israel.”

And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of
an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and
made an atonement for the children of Israel. (Numbers 25:13)

But the most solemn reference to this kind of “atonement” is yet future. The Hebrew
word kaphar (“atone”) is rendered as “cleansed” in Numbers 35:33 and as “purged” in
Isaiah 22:14. The latter passage shows that the final death of the wicked will be a kind of
“atonement.”

. . . The land cannot be cleansed [kaphar] of the blood that is shed

therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. (Numbers 35:33)

And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this
iniquity shall not be purged [kaphar] from you till ye die, saith the Lord
GOD of hosts. (Isaiah 22:14)

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Day of Cleansing
This latter atonement will be made when the wicked are destroyed. The two verses
just quoted give us a hint at the definition of “atonement.” It is a cleansing process,
removing weaknesses and imperfections. It comes from the idea of using pitch to make a
vessel seaworthy.
Its connection with cleansing can be shown from the two verses above. But it is even
easier to simply observe the connection of atonement with cleansing. Consider Leviticus
14 alone, where lepers and infected homes receive “atonement”:

. . . he shall pour [oil] upon the head of him that is to be cleansed:

and the priest shall make an atonement for him. . . . (Verse 18)

And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement
for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; . . . (Verse 19)

. . . and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall
be clean. (Verse 20)

. . . he shall put [oil] upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to

make an atonement for him before the LORD. (Verse 29)

. . . the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be

cleansed . . . (Verse 31)

But he shall . . . make an atonement for the house: and it shall be

clean. (Verse 53)

And in relation to the altar we find the same idea—that atonement is a cleansing
process:

And thou shalt offer . . . a sin offering for atonement: and thou
shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and
thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. (Exodus 29:36)

And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four
horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border
round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge [Literally, make atonement for] it.
(Ezekiel 43:20)

And on the great Day of Atonement we find that the people were to be “cleansed” so
that they might be “clean” before the Lord.

For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to
cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
(Leviticus 16:30)

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 And as if this evidence were not sufficient, you could arrive at the meaning of
atonement by thinking about the needs of the sanctuary. Does the sanctuary need to be
forgiven? Is it guilty? Obviously the answer is, “No.” But it is defiled. And what does it
need? It needs to be “cleansed.” (See Daniel 8:14)
So if we put together the thoughts which we have found thus far, we get the
following:
The cross was an act of cleansing sinners. It was an atonement. Since that time,
whenever men would confess and forsake their sins, Jesus would be faithful to forgive
and cleanse them. He has been making atonement.
But in the end time in which we are living, Jesus is doing a special work of
cleansing. Many unknown sins are being forgiven during this time, sins that were never
confessed because never known.

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year,
not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the
errors [ignorant acts] of the people. (Hebrews 9:7)

And the sanctuary is being “cleansed” from its defilement.

End-Time Cleansing
When are deceased men forgiven for their unknown sins? Manifestly, this happens
when their names come up in the judgment. This is when Jesus confesses them before the
Father and before the angels. This is when their sins are blotted from the books of record.
This is when they are given “white robes.” (See Revelation 3:5)9
During this same time period of the judgment, there is another work of cleansing that
Hebrews calls the cleansing (purging) of the conscience. (See Hebrews 9:9; 9:14; 10:2;
10:22) According to the logic of chapter 10, the yearly process of sacrifices that finished
with the Day of Atonement was a figure of cleansing the character and life of the people.
The idea is that if the symbols had been as effective as the reality would be, the
process would only have been completed once. After that, the worshippers would have
had no more “conscience of sins.” (See Hebrews 10:2)
But as the symbols were just symbols, every year was another repetition of the
ceremonies.
There will not, however, be another repetition of this world’s history. And we would
do well to ask what kind of cleansing is going on during the end of the earth’s history.
Jesus is doing the work. And just as there was an atonement made for the priestly
families on the Day of Atonement, so in the end of the earth’s history there is a special
cleansing of the same body:

And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall

purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they
may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. (Malachi 3:3)

9
The metaphor of a robe is used more than one way in the New Testament. In the earlier chapter on Laodicea
we observed that church members should today be wearing “white raiment.” That robe represents the character of
Christ that should adorn believers. In Revelation 3:5 and other similar passages the metaphor of a robe is used to
illustrate the final blotting out of sins. This double-use of a metaphor is common scripture. Lions, salt, water, leaven,
wine, and other common items are used to illustrate more than one idea in the Bible.

56
 It is apparent that the object of this cleansing process is holiness in the lives of the
priests. This kind of object requires some level of cooperation on the part of the people.
And this was also prefigured in the Day of Atonement.
The people were to have an “holy convocation,” “afflict” their souls, make offerings,
and do no work because it was a day of “of atonement, to make an atonement for you
before the Lord your God.” 23:27–28.10
The people were to fast as outlined in Isaiah 58. They were to break every yoke and
to put away besetting sins, such as “speaking vanity” and accusing others. Isaiah 58:9.
They were to deny themselves for the good of others. And they were to give the Sabbath
its proper honor.

Cleansing By Blood
This purification of their lives was the cleansing of the conscience. Someone might
ask, “In what sense is this kind of cleansing accomplished by blood?”
There are several true answers to this question. But first, let’s establish that Christ’s
blood does indeed cleanse from sin.
Jesus uses His own blood. What does He do with it?

. . . Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his
Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
(Revelation 1:5–6)

And we are to use His blood. What are we to do with it?

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These
are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation
7:14)

From what does the blood wash us? Not only from guilt, but also from our bad
behavior.

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with

corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation [behavior] received by tradition from your fathers; but with
the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot. (1 Peter 1:18–19)

In summary, our minds are cleaned. This cleaning of our minds is a cooperative
work. Jesus sits as a purifier. We wash our robes in His blood. This same idea—that the
blood cleans us when we cooperate with the process—is the subject of 1 John 1:7, 9.

10
Additionally, in the year of Jubilee a trumpet was to be sounded on the Day of Atonement throughout the
land. The Jubilee began, as a service, on the Day of Atonement. Everyone was set free and regained the land of their
fathers. (See Leviticus 25:9-10)

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 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us
from all sin. . . . If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The cleaning of our minds is not uniquely an end-time process. Men have been
cleansed at all times of earth’s history. But the end of time is a special time for the church
to focus on this work. It is the time when, according to the logic of Hebrews 10, the work
will be finished.
What kind of cleansing could benefit the holy precincts of the heavenly temple?
There, we learn from the types, is a record of sin. There, we learn from New Testament
revelations, are books of record. It is these books that are cleansed.
And this cleansing of the books is also the atonement for unknown sins. When the
judgment reveals that a man has been faithful, he is forgiven for the unknown sins that
never plagued his conscience. These sins of ignorance, with those sins he has confessed,
are blotted from the record.
This leaves only one step in the cleansing of the universe from sin. The righteous
have been cleansed. Their records have been cleared. Remaining in the universe are
impenitent men and angels.
These receive the non-sacrificial cleansing. They are purged from their sins by their
burning in the lake of fire. Satan, who burns there longer than others, is represented by
the scapegoat. The end of his existence is the last step in the eradication of sin from the
universe and marks the end of the great day of cleansing.

The Timing and Completeness of Atonement

Words often change in meaning over time. This has happened with “atonement.”
Now it is used by religious persons as a synonym for reconciliation or sacrificial
payment. And this may have come to be because this is how it is used in its one New-
Testament occurrence, Romans 5:11.
But atonement is an Old-Testament idea. It occurs 65 times in Leviticus, Exodus,
and Numbers and five times elsewhere in the Bible.
When one realizes that atonement is a restoring/cleansing process, it becomes
apparent that it cannot be fixed at a point in time. When we say, for example, that Friday
is a special day of cleaning, we do not mean to preclude dishwashing on Monday. Nor do
we mean to belittle the purchase of cleaning supplies on Sunday.
When are men cleansed? Their cleansing is a two-part process. One part was
completed at the cross. This part invites their participation in a two-way transaction.
Jesus bore our sins to make it possible for us to have His righteousness.
Not everyone accepts part two of the transaction.
For them, God’s grace is received in “vain.” The gift at Calvary long ago fails to
move them in their “day of salvation”—the here and “now.”

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye
receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee
in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:

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 behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
(2 Corinthians 5:21–6:2)

The grace showered on us has, as an object, our restoration. It is intended to make us

active temples through which God can live and move. Where it fails of achieving this
object it is “in vain.”

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was
bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly
than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
(1 Corinthians 15:10)

What Adventists discovered was that the time when the books “were opened” in
Daniel 7 was the judgment where sins were blotted from the record. The books are
purged in the judgment. Names of defeated persons11 are blotted from the book of life.
And sins are blotted from the records of the vindicated ones as Jesus confesses their
names before the Father and the elect angels. They receive “white robes”—a symbol of
the fact that they have indeed been “made the righteousness of God” in relation to Jesus.
Those who have already died depending on Christ are represented as being “under
the altar” of incense. (See Revelation 6:9) There Christ has interceded for them, mixing
His holiness with their petitions. (See Revelation 8:3) (We recall that when Aaron
interceded for sinners, his intercession was an “atonement.” See Numbers 16:46–47.)
And while this purging process proceeds on high, saints on earth are washing their robes
in the blood of the Lamb. They are cleaning up their lives in view of the ongoing
judgment and soon-coming end.
So if a man says that the atonement was completed at the cross, we don’t need to
argue with him. He means, by atonement, a sacrificial payment. This was completed at
the cross.
But neither does he have the Old-Testament idea of atonement in mind. And we
should. We live in the Day of Cleansing. In our day Isaiah 6:7 will be fulfilled. Our
“iniquity” will be “taken away” and our “sin purged kaphar.”
Blood is the agent of this purging, as we have already seen. Christ’s sacrifice shows
God’s mercy. It moves men to repentance. This mercy is the beginning of the cleansing
process and also the means of it.

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged kaphar: and by the fear of the
LORD men depart from evil. (Proverbs 16:6)

. . . the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4)

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and
deliver us, and purge away kaphar our sins, for thy name’s sake. (Psalm
79:9; see also Psalm 65:3)

11
The antithesis of “overcomers.”

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 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged kaphar; and
this is all the fruit to take away his sin. . . . 12 (Isaiah 27:9)

The Septuagint uses a version of hilaskomai (see Strong’s Greek #2433) for
“atonement.” This word is used only twice in the New Testament. The publican that beats
his breast also prays saying, “God be merciful 2433 hilaskomai to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
Jesus said about him that he went down to his home “justified.” In other words, the sinner
asked for the equivalent to an Old-Testament atonement, and he received a New-
Testament justification.
The second use refers to Christ’s ministry as our priest. He was made like me so that
he could be a “merciful and faithful high priest” “to make reconciliation hilaskomai2433 for the
sins of the people.” As He became a priest at His ascension, as it is from there that “he is
able to succor them that are tempted,” we know that this atonement is made from heaven.

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on
him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to
be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and
faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being
tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:16–
18)

The Day of Cleansing Revisited

The three rites that were unique to the Day of Atonement were atonement for yet-
unknown sin, the cleansing of the temple, and the scapegoat atonement.
The altar was cleansed by a “sin offering.” (Exodus 30:10) This shows, as can be
seen several other ways, that the sanctuary is being cleansed from the sins of the people.
(See Leviticus 16:16, 20, 33) The symbol well represents the fact that when sins are
blotted from the record in our day, it is by virtue of the sacrifice made long before our
day.
The cleansing for unknown sins shows how persons can be admitted into heaven
despite unconfessed sins on their record—if those sins had never come to their attention.
And the atonement made by Phinehas that cleansed the camp by killing the rebels
shows how the end of the scapegoat rites can be called an atonement. The camp is
cleansed when the guilty goat is no longer there.
While justice is served by blaming the devil for the sins which tortured Jesus, the
justice is not the atonement. It is nearly a coincidence that the same devil-death that
satisfies justice also cleans up the universe by bringing an end to sin’s existence. In the
Day of Atonement the sending away of the scapegoat did not occur until the completion
of the atonement for the sanctuary. (See Leviticus 16:20, 24)
Perhaps a fourth unique element was the completeness of the atonement made on the
Day of Atonement. Atonement was made for “all their sins once a year.” (Leviticus
16:34)

Conclusion

12
Currently I don’t understand the context of this passage well. Hence the partial quote of the verse.

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 Now is our special time of cleansing. Now, as the blood is cleansing me, it is also
making me into a priest. And Jesus is cleansing the Levites at this very time. I live in the
time of earth’s history set aside for cleansing. Then to me, more than to my ancient
ancestors, the following applies:

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your
hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. (James
4:8)

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 Yes, the sidebars are
approximately where I want them.
Thank you for asking.

Chapter Six
More on the Mark and Much on the Seal

In our little church plant in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, we had a collection of regular

attendees. They were not Adventists. But they had heard most of what Adventists teach,
were glad they were learning, and wanted to know more.
We thought the time was ripe to hold an evangelistic campaign. Our contacts
attended well.
But we lost them over the mark of the beast.
No, they didn’t stop attending. In fact, they came back each night after that. But we
lost them in terms of attitude. The contrast between the other studies and the one on the
mark was plain: The other studies were Bible studies. This one had been a history lecture
with several quotes from Catholic sources that made the point that the change of Sabbath
to Sunday was the mark of their authority. The Scripture passages used, if taken alone,
would not have proved anything like that to anyone.
But quoting history is not a foolproof way to make a point. Consistency is a jewel,
and if we were to be thoroughly consistent, we would have to admit that the Catholic
church claims to have changed, not only the Sabbath, but also the various Jewish feasts.
And authoritative Catholic writers have opined that the doctrine of the Trinity is the basis
of all Catholic teaching.
Though in this chapter I do not intend to address either feast-day keeping or anti-
trinitarian movements, I do intend to make a point: history is limited in its usefulness.
Now here is the good news: God does not make major tests for the world over issues
that are obscure in the Scriptures. If the world will be tested over the mark of the beast,
then common fourth-grade students ought to be able to understand the arguments
involved.
And those arguments ought to be Biblical.
I think they are.
The following is a Bible study in the form of a dialogue between two men.
It will be most useful to the reader who does not treat it as a story but rather as an
intense fact-filled lecture to an inquiring student. The conversation may move too fast for
you. Don’t just hold on and keep reading. No, stop, go back, use your Bible. When you
can follow understandingly, go forward.
I am using this form as the closest to how I imagine these arguments would sound if
challenged by a sincere searcher for truth.
That is who we want to teach.
After the dialogue, there are two short additional sections. The first is a summary
added to a consideration of the contribution Ezekiel 8–10 makes to the topic.

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 The second is a short memory aid to help you master the arguments in this paper for
future use. Copy that page any way you want to. I grant you full permission. Use it.
Distribute it.
The world needs to know this topic well.

—————

Roger: “I’m worried, Matt, about receiving

The Mark of the Beast
Those with the Mark:
Worship the beast [13:15]
(so don’t honor God as
Creator)
(so don’t keep
commandments)
(don’t receive the seal)
Those Who Obey God:
Worship God as Creator
[14:6]
Keep Commandments [14:12]
Receive the seal [7:1-3]
Concluded: Those with the
mark are persons that break the law
of God and neglect to honor Him as
Creator.
together, and that is how you know that the mark of the beast is breaking the
commandments. But what about the fact that it goes in the forehead or in the
hand? And what about the beast behind the mark? I think you haven’t really
settled the issue.”
the mark of the beast. What do you think it
represents?”
Matt: “One thing I know: there isn’t any
verse that begins, ‘The mark of the beast
is . . .’ But I think I have found enough
clues to know with certainty.”
Roger: “Now, Matt, I don’t want to have to
trust you. ‘Clues’ aren’t exactly what I am
looking for. How about evidence? What
does the Bible say?”
Matt: “Okay, let’s begin with a few
observations from Revelation. Those with
the mark also worship the beast. That is
point one and is found in Revelation 13:15.
Those who obey God worship him as
Creator. That is the second point, and is
from Revelation 14:7. That latter class, you
see a few verses later (v. 12), keep the
commandments.”
R: “So you are saying that, by way of
contrast, the men with the mark must be
those who are neglecting to honor God as
Creator and neglecting to keep the
commandments?”
M: “Yes, and there is more. God’s
servants at the end of time are those who
receive the seal of God according to
Revelation 7:1–3. So everyone eventually
receives either the seal or the mark.”
R: “So you put these four passages

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 M: “Did I say I was done? And I never said that the
mark was breaking the commandments, only that those The Worship Law
with the mark break them. But you asked about the
Those with the Mark submit to a
beast. That is the Roman Catholic Church State.” national worship law [13:16].
R: “State? You don’t see the initials RCCS anywhere. Those that are sealed by God
Why do you say ‘state’?” resist the pressure of the national
M: “That church doesn’t show up in prophecy until it worship law [15:2]
becomes a state. Beasts represent nations, not churches. Concluded: There will come a
This is why the Little Horn in Daniel 7 rises after the worship law that requires persons to
other horns. The church rose before the tribes descended disobey the Law of God.
into Europe. But it became a state after they descended. This happened anciently in the
“And this is why Daniel and Revelation can both stories of Daniel 3 and 6.
pinpoint the length of its first existence at 1260 years. It
The persons with the mark, in
is very hard to pinpoint the year that a church comes Matthew 7:21-23, sincerely
into being or the year that it ceases to exist. Two or believe they worship Jesus, but
three persons can be a church. But it is easy to date the they are condemned for not
rise of the Catholic church to statehood when she was knowing Him and for not obeying
given the rule of part of Rome. And it is easy to date the the Law.
end of her statehood at 1798 when Rome was made What , then, were they
again to be a republic. worshipping?
“So in Revelation 13, when Rome becomes a state
again (and it is a small state today), it is honored by
laws enforcing the mark of the beast. Those that receive
the mark are those that submit to the pressure (see
Revelation 13:16), and those that are sealed are those
that resist the pressure. (See Revelation 15:2)”
R: “So you think there will be a law that
pressures people to disobey the law of
The Beast God?”
A beast in prophecy is a nation. M: “I think we have evidence of that just
(See Daniel 7:17, 23) So the Roman
Church doesn’t show up as a beast
by remembering the stories in Daniel. The
in Revelation until she becomes three friends were threatened with death if
sovereign over Rome in 538 AD. they would not bow to the image, and to
the law that demanded the bowing. Isn’t
And the beast “dies” when she
loses her civil power over Rome in that where we find the same metaphors as
1798. are used in Revelation 13? An image to the
Babylonian power? Forced worship?
Babylonian fire?
“Then in the story of the lion’s den you
find Persia making another law that forces
worship contrary to the Ten
Commandments. Daniel is threatened with
death. If those two stories were written ‘for our admonition, upon whom the
ends of the world are come’ (1 Corinthians 10:11), then I have good reason to
expect just such a forced-worship law in the future.”

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R: “That is deep, Matt. I will have to spend some time thinking about it before I
respond.”
M: “May I share more?”
R: “Please, go ahead.”
M: “Those that are lost, at Christ’s coming, are described in the Sermon on the
Mount. Let’s read Matthew 7:21–23 from the New King James version: ‘Not
everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but
he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day,
“Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your
name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And then I will declare to them,
“I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” ’ (Matthew
7:21–23, NKJV)
“Can you see, Roger, that these must be the same persons that worship the
beast? But they sincerely think they have been worshipping Jesus! And they
haven’t been pew-warmers in a dead church. They
have been active missionaries experiencing miracles by End-Time Issues: Worship,
the power of Jesus’ name. Neither have they been Law
hypocrites, for they approach Jesus boldly, saying, Those with the Mark submit to a
‘Lord, Lord.’ ” national worship law [13:16]. They
R: “That gives me the creeps. How do I know I won’t are sincere and think they worship
Jesus. But they do not submit to His
be one of them?” Law. [Mt 7:21-23]
M: “The issue, Roger, hinges on the commandments. Those that are sealed by God
Jesus says, ‘. . . You who practice lawlessness.’ Now resist the pressure of the national
put all these ideas together: The marked persons will worship law [15:2]
submit to legal pressure to disobey God’s law, but they Those that are sealed keep
will think they are serving Jesus. The sealed persons God’s law [14:12]. They honor God
will resist the legal pressure. They will honor and as Creator. [14:6]
worship God as Creator.
Concluded: The Sabbath
“You know, Roger, I think that it is already pretty Command will be the test. It is the
clear which commandment will be at issue. There is command that:
only one commandment that is about worship, that
honors God as Creator, and that men can break while Honors God as Creator
still sincerely thinking that they are working for Jesus.” Is opposed by Laws
R: “The Sabbath. So this is how you get to that? We Is opposed by many miracle-
haven’t even read a single verse about the Sabbath. Am working Christians
I missing something?”
M: “Roger, we have just started. The Bible has a lot to
say on this topic. Are you with me thus far?”
R: “I can see that worship and the law of God are the
two issues in the end of time and that one class obeys
human laws and the other God’s laws, and both claim to serve Jesus.”
M: “Good. Now, you asked earlier about the mark being in the forehead or the
hand. You can see that it goes there in Revelation 14:9. And the seal of God, in

65
 the passage we already referred to (Revelation 7:1–3) is placed in the foreheads
The Seal of God
The Law of God was to be like a
sign in the forehead and the hand.
De 6:5-8.
It is to be written in our hearts
in the New Covenant. Heb 8:10.
This is the sealing. Is. 8:16.
The Mark of the Beast
The Law of God is attacked by
the beast, especially the Law in
regard to “times.” Dan 7:25
The New Covenant is attacked
by the beast. Dan. 11:28, 30, 32.
This is how the Bible has
“marked” the beast when it was
first introduced in scripture in
Daniel 7.
Two Commands have been
changed in the Roman Chatachism:
The Second and the Fourth.
The second was the issue with
the worship laws in Daniel 3 and 6.
The fourth will be the issue of
the worship law in Revelation 13-15.
comes to Revelation. It is the core of the new covenant.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into
of God’s true servants.”
R: “So that is why people are always talking
about bar codes and under-skin computer chips and
laser readers?”
M: “Yes, but they didn’t get any idea like that
from Scripture. In fact, the Bible is quite explicit
about the kind of sign that is like a mark between
the eyes and like a mark on the hand of God’s
servants. When we read it, you will see how nicely
it fits into the picture. It looks like Satan has tried
to copy God’s sign with one of his own making.
Let’s read Deuteronomy 6:5–8.
And thou shalt love the LORD
thy God with all thine heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy
might. And these words, [the Ten
Commandments, see Deut. 5] which
I command thee this day, shall be in
thine heart: . . . And thou shalt bind
them for a sign upon thine hand,
and they shall be as frontlets
between thine eyes.
“We could also read Deuteronomy 11:18 or
Exodus 13:9, 16 to get the same idea. The Ten
Commandments were to be bound on the hand and
to be like a seal between the eyes. Do you know
where we find these two words again? Bind and
seal? Turn to Isaiah 8:16:
Bind up the testimony, seal the
law among my disciples.
R: “Wow. I never even knew that there were verses
that so clearly spelled out the seal of God in the
forehead!”
M: “God hasn’t left these questions to perplex us. In
fact, the idea of the law being written in the
forehead is a theme of Scripture long before one
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 their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to
them a God, and they shall be to me a people. (Hebrews 8:10)

R: “Okay, so what you have shown me so far is that the idea of writing the law
into the heart and mind like a seal is an illustration as old as Exodus. And you
have shown me that when the Roman church uses its power to make worship
laws, then men will have to choose between obeying God’s laws or man’s. But,
Matt, why is the coming worship law called the ‘mark of the beast?’ ”
M: “First, Roger, have you ever noticed how solemnly the warning about the
mark is worded? Here it is:

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud

voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive
his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink
of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without
mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be
tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy
angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of
their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no
rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and
whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:9–
11)

“The beast, the civil power of the Roman Papacy, is marked, or

characterized, as attacking God’s law. In Daniel 7:25, the papacy is accused of
thinking, in this connection, to change ‘times.’
“The law of God includes a commandment that honors God as Creator,
establishes His authority on earth, and identifies Him as the Sovereign of the
universe. It is the fourth, the command related to ‘times.’

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt

thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the
sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work,
thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy
maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy
gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore
the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus
20:8–11)

“You know that Jesus clearly indicated that this commandment would
extend beyond His death and that it was kept by the apostles and even by
Gentile believers. (See Matthew 24:20; Acts 13; 17; 18)
“So, Roger, we should ‘remember’ the command that begins with
‘remember.’ Doesn’t that make sense? And isn’t it sensible that Satan would

67
 work to lead men to forget a command that began with that word? Maybe
tomorrow we can study more about this topic, what do you think?”
R: “I am just glad that you don’t want to do it now. I need time to think these
things through. But, yes, I want to study whatever more you know about this
topic.”

Take time here to make sure you understand Matthew’s points. Tomorrow’s
conversation will assume you have done so.

The Next Day

R: “Matthew, I reviewed yesterday’s study. I am surprised that so much of a
book titled ‘The Revelation of Jesus’ is about the beast power. Any ideas on this
point?”
M: “Yes. First, many of God’s people are found in mystical Babylon just before
Babylon is destroyed. Babylon is a Roman Church that controls the Roman
state. That is why she is pictured as a woman that rides a beast. And God’s
people are called out of her in Revelation 18. If they knew her history, they
would be in a hurry to get out.”
R: “I hope you aren’t about to give a history lecture. I’ve heard that you do
that.”
M: “Roger, I won’t force it on you. But the Bible summarizes the history
precisely. In Daniel 7:7, 19 the Roman power crushed ‘the residue [remnant]
with its feet.’ Then, in verse 21, it ‘made war with the saints, and prevailed
against them.’ Then, in verse 25, it spoke ‘great words against the most High,
and . . . [wore] out the saints of the most High, . . . and they . . . [were] given
into his hand.’
“This is the story line of Daniel 7. The papacy fights God’s people, and God
responds by judging her (‘him’ in the verse) and vindicating the saints in the
heavenly judgment. Notice what the judgment does to the papacy’s authority:

But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his
dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the
kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the
saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Hitherto
is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much
troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept
the matter in my heart. (Daniel 7:26–28)

“And, Roger, the same story fills Daniel 8. There the Roman power ‘waxed
great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the
stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.’ (Daniel 8:10) His power is
‘mighty’ to ‘destroy the mighty and the holy people.’ (Daniel 8:24)

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 “An angel asks how long the Roman power will be permitted to oppress the
‘hosts.’ The answer is, until the ‘cleansing of the sanctuary.’ (Daniel 8:13–14)
Maybe I can take time to prove this to you later, but that is just another way of
saying ‘until the judgment of Daniel 7.’ ”
R: “Wait up, Matthew. Let me process. So the papacy destroys the saints and
then is judged and destroyed herself. Is that what you are saying?”
M: “That is what the Scriptures are saying. The next prophecy in Daniel makes
a distinction between those that ‘understand’ and others among God’s people.
The understanding persons are the ones that the Roman power hates
particularly.

And they that understand among the people shall instruct

many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by
captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall,
they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to
them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall
fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to
the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
(Daniel 11:33–35)

R: “So where is the judgment of the papacy in this prophecy?”

M: “In Daniel 12:1:

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince
which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall
be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation
even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be
delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
(Daniel 12:1)

“The time of trouble is the execution of the judgment. Can you see in the
verse who is delivered from the trouble?”
R: “Umm, those found in the book?”
M: “Yes, it is these who are vindicated in the judgment. They must be the same
class that responded well to the message, ‘Fear God, . . . for the hour of his
judgment is come. . . .’ ”
R: “Okay, Matt, but I asked you about the book of Revelation ten minutes ago,
and you gave me a Daniel study.”
M: “Patience, Roger, patience. Revelation 12–16 presents the same picture, but
even in greater detail. The saints suffer under the oppression of the papal power
for 1260 years. (Revelation 11:2–3, 12:6, 14; 13:5). Then they are relieved by
an announcement of the arrival of the hour of judgment.
“And in those passages we see that soon the beast will suffer the verdict
imposed by the judgment. The world is warned against honoring the soon-to-be-

69
 destroyed power. Nevertheless, in Revelation many honor that power to their
own everlasting shame.
“This is the connection between the first angels’ message and the latter two.
The judgment that favors the saints also pronounces against the beast. The first
angel announces the judgment. The second states both the charge and the guilty
verdict for the beast. The third announces the sentence. Here the messages are
abbreviated:

[1] . . . the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him

that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of
waters.
[2] Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she
made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication. . . .
[3] If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive
his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of
the wine of the wrath of God; . . . and he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and
in the presence of the Lamb: . . . and they have no rest day nor
night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever
receiveth the mark of his name. (Revelation
14:7–11) End-Time Conflict: Beast vs.
God’s Commandment Keepers
R: “I thought the judgment was just a judgment of Daniel 7
those whose names were in the book of life?”
Beast vs. those who “serve
M: “Those are the only names that Jesus confesses or and obey” God.
denies. They are the names that are vindicated or Daniel 8
sentenced. But the papacy is not a person. While her
members each have their own day before the great Beast vs. “the mighty and
white throne, the papacy herself is destroyed by holy people.”
Christ’s coming. Her judgments must be meted out Daniel 11
before that time. The judgment sees to it that she does
Beast vs. “those that
not go unpunished for her work.” understand among the people.”
R: “So are we still studying the mark of the beast and Revelation 12-16
the seal of God? It doesn’t seem like it.”
Beast vs. those who “keep
M: “We are studying the beast that enforces the mark the commandments.” [12:17;
and the saints that receive the seal. Bear with me. 14:12]
“All four lines of prophecy (Daniel 7; 8; 10–12;
Concluded: Final conflict
Revelation 12–16) present the same picture in ever- will be between Roman Church
increasing magnification. The judgment relieves the and Commandment Keepers
saints, pronounces against the beast, and proceeds at
once to the execution of the sentence. This is followed
by the establishment of God’s kingdom.
“Who are these saints? Daniel 7:27 says that those
that enter God’s kingdom will ‘serve and obey Him.’
In Daniel 8:24, they are ‘the mighty and the holy

70
 people.’ In Daniel 11 they are ‘those that understand among the people.’ In
Daniel 12 they are those found ‘in the book.’ In Revelation 12 they are those
‘that keep the commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus.’ In
Revelation 14 they are those that endure persecution and who ‘keep the
commandments of God.’
“Do you see it, Matthew? Taken together, these four lines of prophecy teach
that the final scenes on earth will feature the beast warring against
commandment-keepers.”
R: “I see. So the issues will be worship and the law. God requires honor as
Creator. Is this related to the pope’s recent statements in favor of evolution—
that it is more than just a ‘theory’?”
M: “Yes, the Bible story ends as it began, with a command of God being
slighted by the Devil speaking through a medium. In Genesis, the medium was a
snake, and now it is the Roman Church. But this time there are some who refuse
to join the woman that fell, despite her affectionate encouragement to take a
bite.”
R: “Deep, man, Very deep.”
M: “Does that mean you would rather take up the study tomorrow and have
more time now to, as you say, ‘process’?”
R: “Yes. Precisely.”

Take time here to make sure you understand Matthew’s points. Tomorrow’s
conversation will assume you have done so.

The Third Day

R: “Can I begin with a few questions, Matt? Or should I just listen?”
M: “Let me get started and then I will take your questions. Maybe I will answer
them before you ask.”
R: “Okay, so what is next?”
M: “Today, we are going to look at the relation of the beast to the covenant.
You might remember that Daniel prays to God who keeps ‘the covenant and
mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments.’
Daniel 9:4.”
R: “Is that the old covenant or the new one or some other?”
M: “Hold that question. Look later in the chapter at verse 27. Jesus is to
‘confirm the covenant with many’ during His ministry here on earth.”
R: “Okay.”
M: “Then, when Jesus is crucified in Daniel 11:22, he is styled ‘the prince of
the covenant.’ And it is only a few verses later that we find the Roman power
first having a ‘heart’ ‘against the holy covenant’ and then becoming indignant
‘against the holy covenant.’ Then he has conspiracy ‘with them that forsake
the holy covenant.’ Finally we find him flattering those who ‘do wickedly

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 against the covenant’ and corrupting them by his flatteries. (See verses 28, 30,
32.)”
R: “I heard that many are leaving the Adventist church after they study the
covenants. But I don’t ever recall hearing about the Roman power being against
the covenant.”
M: “Yes, the covenants are a big issue in Daniel and Revelation. And to answer
your question, all these passages are about the new covenant. That is the one
Jesus confirmed while here on earth, the one He died to ratify, the everlasting
one that depends on His blood and mediation. (Hebrews 12:24; 13:20)
“It is that covenant where the law of God is written in the heart.”
R: “Oh, yeah. So now we are back to our topic?”
M: “We never left it. The papacy is going to be destroyed for casting “truth”
(Daniel 8:12) down to the ground, for confusing people regarding the covenants,
for daring the change God’s law, and for persecuting those that keep the law.
This is the idea behind the prophecy of the mark of the beast.
“You asked that I refrain from giving a history lecture. If you take it back I
will give you one.”
R: “I don’t take it back. Let’s stick to the Bible.”
M: “Okay, there are two stories there that are good illustrations of the issue of
the mark of the beast. Stories are a normal way for the Bible to explain things.
Do you remember the story of Uzziah?”
R: “No. What does it have to do with the mark of the beast?”
M: “Uzziah was given a plague-spot of leprosy in his forehead. It was a mark in
his forehead that doomed him to death.”
R: “What did he do to deserve that?”
M: “Uzziah started as a good king. That is the ironic part of the story. ‘But
when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction.’ (2 Chronicles
26:16) He eventually decided to try to be both a priest and a king, to unite the
state to the work of the church. He entered the temple to offer sacrifice, and
when he was rebuked he was enraged. Then the ‘leprosy even rose up in his
forehead.’ (Verse 19) That is what God thinks of trying to unite church and
state.”
R: “What is the other story?”
M: “The Passover was when the people of Israel were led from Egypt. God
looked for a special sign. Those that had it were spared from suffering the last
plague. In Revelation, those that have the seal of God are spared from suffering
the last plagues.”
R: “That is interesting, but does the story actually teach you anything helpful
about the seal of God?”
M: “Listen and see. The sign involved killing a lamb, bringing everyone in the
household into the home, and painting the outside of the door with blood by

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 means of hyssop. Inside, everyone was to be dressed to go and to eat the lamb
with bitter herbs. The sealed persons were living in preparation for the Exodus.
The story is in Exodus 12.
“The angel passing by was not to enter homes covered with the symbol of
Christ’s atonement. All others received the worst plague, the death of their first
born. By this it was shown, even in the plague, that their sin had caused the
death of God’s only Son. Those not availing themselves of the offered mercy,
who counted the blood of the covenant as an unholy thing, were thought worthy
of the ‘grievous sore.’ (See Revelation 16:2)
“With these stories in mind we are ready to address the issue of worship.
R: “Everybody is talking about worship these days. The issue is dividing
churches.”
M: “And according to Revelation, that should be no surprise. Wrong worship is
part of the mark of the beast. About one third of the New-Testament references
to worship are in Revelation.”
R: “So this isn’t just a distracting issue—it is a real one?”
M: “In fact, Roger, the third angel speaks twice of those who ‘worship the
beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand.’
(Revelation 14:9; see also verse 11) And the first plague rests ‘upon the men
which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his
image.’ And when the beast is finally destroyed, it will be with “deceived” ones
“that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his
image.” (Revelation 16:2; 19:20)
R: “So those that receive the mark also worship the beast or his image. That
sounds a lot like the stories you shared two days ago about the three friends and
about Daniel with the lions. Those that submitted to those laws also worshipped
the civil power. But how can the marked persons worship the beast when they
think they are worshipping Jesus? That doesn’t make any sense at all.”
M: “That is a good question. But before we answer it, notice one more thing in
the three stories. The seal of God, in the Exodus illustration, was read by an
angel. But the mark of the beast in the figures of Daniel 3 and 6 was noticed by
the persecuting governments. The same is true in Revelation. God gives a seal
that He can read. The world government gives a mark that it can read. And this
is what we should expect:

For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on
the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
(1 Samuel 16:7)

M: “Roger, that is a fundamental principle of worship. Have you ever noted

who receives the seal of God in Ezekiel 9? It is those that ‘sigh and cry for the
abominations’ around them. God is looking for persons who, in their hearts, are
saddened by sin.

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God and Satan on Worship
God looks on the heart.
God refuses outward worship
of persons with hearts far from him.
Mt. 15:8
Those that worship God must
do so in “spirit and in truth.” Jn
4:23-24.
Satan gladly accepts, even
desperately seeks for, outward
worship.
He tried to bribe Jesus to
worship him contrary to the Law! He
doesn’t care if your heart is in it. Mt
4:9.
Satan even accepts inadvertent
worship. If one bows to an idol, or
bows to the papacy, Satan accepts
that as worship to himself! Rev
13:4.
Satan uses miracles and food to
bribe or cajole people into honoring
him above God’s law. 13:16-17.
Sincerity is not essential in order to
honor the devil.
This is why the Seal must be in
the Heart; but the Mark may be
either in the heart or in the hand.
“Now contrast that with Nebuchadnezzar. If the
three worthies, for example, had in fear bowed to the
image, Nebuchadnezzar would have been
unconcerned with the insincerity of their worship of
the image. Conformity was all that he was seeking.
“Man accepts, and God utterly refuses, heartless
worship. Look at Matthew 15:8:
This people draweth nigh unto me
with their mouth, and honoureth me
with their lips; but their heart is far
from me.
R: “So you said that worship was a theme of the book
of Revelation. Now you are saying that the beast will
gladly accept heartless worship?”
M: “That is right. Satan has never been so particular as
to require true devotion. In Revelation he is contented
to receive even third-party worship. Those that honor
the beast worship ‘the dragon which gave power unto
the beast.’ (Revelation 13:4)
“Satan’s willingness to accept whatever kind of
service he can get was showcased in the temptation of
Jesus. The devil stooped to bribe Jesus to worship
him.
And saith unto him, All these things
will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and
worship me. (Matthew 4:9)

R: “I never thought of things that way. So the devil is

kind of desperate for worship, isn’t he! That is
pathetic.”
M: “Sure is. And Satan does the same in the case of the mark of the beast.
Hungry men are offered the things that money can buy if they will only bow.
(See Revelation 13:16–17) By bribe, by hunger, by superstition-inducing
miracles, the devil in Revelation draws inadvertent ‘worship’ to himself.
“The Creator, on the other hand, accepts only willful worship without
competitors. Listen to Jesus:

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only
shalt thou serve. (Matthew 4:10)

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father

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 seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John
4:23–24)

R: “So is this the reason that the seal of God must be placed in the forehead,
while the mark of the beast will be received by some only in the hand?”
M: “You got it. Where Satan is willing to accept the ignorant worship of idols
as directed to himself (See Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:36–37), God cannot.
How does He relate to ignorant devotion? In kindness, He overlooks it as long
as possible. He cannot accept it.

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an

altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom
therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God
that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is
Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with
hands; . . . seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all
things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to
dwell on all the face of the earth. . . . For in him we live, and
move, and have our being. . . . We ought not to think that the
Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and
man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at;
but now commandeth all men every where to repent. (Acts
17:23–30)

R: “You can move on. You have made this point several times. God only
accepts loving obedience. The beast accepts fearful conformity.”
M: “One more point, Roger. We cannot say that God always overlooks
ignorant worship. When light is presented, Paul teaches, God now commands
all men everywhere to repent. When the Jews, centuries before Jesus, sank
down into idolatry, their worship was not winked at. Their opportunities to
know better prevented their ignorance from winning them grace. See Jeremiah
44:18–25.”
R: “I am not sure I can summarize all that you have shared with me today. But
let me try. Satan hates the saving covenant. Through the papacy he has sought
to change its terms. He has sought to modify the law that is to be written in the
heart.”
M: “Good. And what about worship?”
R: “Worship of God must be true heart worship by obedient persons. That is
all that God can accept. He winks at other sincere worship, but He cannot accept
it. Satan, however, craves whatever kind of honor he can get. If he can bribe or
threaten you into ‘worship,’ that is what he will do.”
M: “Right. And how does this relate to the seal and the mark?”

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R: “Satan will accept coerced and insincere bowing to his worship law. He
always has been willing to do that. So the mark may be received either in the
hand or in the mind. God’s seal must be written in the mind. God is looking at
the heart. Men may not even be able to see if you have the seal.”
M: “So, Roger, tomorrow we may finish. We need to look at the relation of
worship to the Sabbath and of the Sabbath to the sealing. And many
evangelicals believe that the Holy Spirit is the seal. They have good reason for
thinking that way. We will look at that, too.”
R: “In one day? Looking forward to it.”

Fourth Day
M: “Yesterday we talked about Matthew 15:8, where Jesus speaks of
worshippers who use praise lyrics but whose hearts were far from Him. The
very next verse shows that distant hearts and vain worship come from doctrines
that enforce men’s commandments. Let’s read it.:

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the

commandments of men. (Matthew 15:9)

R: “So doctrine can make worship vain? I thought worship was the element
that transcends doctrine. Can’t all men worship together even if they don’t see
eye-to-eye?”
M: “That is a tricky question. Men don’t need to see everything eye-to-eye to
worship together, or even to work together. But heart obedience is the type of
worship God is looking for. And when men are infected with human commands,
their ‘worship’ is obedience to man—and God can’t accept that. Worship is a
heart-acceptance of God’s will and way. When men don’t know either, they are
incapable of heart-acceptance of either.”
R: “You said we would study the relation of Sabbath to worship. So what is the
relation?”
M: “God seeks worship based on two of His attributes: He is Creator, and He is
Redeemer.
“Angels herald Him as worthy of worship because ‘thou hast created all
things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.’ (See Revelation 4:10–
11) And the elders add, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive . . .
honour, and glory’ because He has ‘redeemed’ them. (See Revelation 5:9, 12,
14)
“These attributes are written into the second and fourth commandments.
Jehovah shows us mercy in the second, and He reminds us that He is our
Creator in the fourth. It is the latter command that is alluded to in the worship
command that announces the judgment.

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 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him;
for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that
made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of
waters. (Revelation 14:7)

R: “So the Sabbath is a command to worship God as Creator. That is the

relation between worship and the Sabbath?”
M: “Can you see, Roger, why Satan brought Sunday laws to the United States
just as the doctrine of evolution was becoming popular?”
R: “Bible, Matt, Bible. Verifying what you say about history is too difficult.”
M: “So here is some future history: God will avenge His saints by destroying
the beast and its human-law worshippers. Their judgment hints at their crime.

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and

ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the
beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his
name. (Revelation 14:11)

R: “So you think that Satan had a purpose in the timing of the doctrine of
theistic evolution that many mainline churches, including Catholicism, have
adopted?”
M: “Did you know that God predicted the rise of that doctrine in the end of
time? The six-day creation and the literal flood would be denied by the same
persons who doubt that judgments are soon to fall. These same persons would
scoff at the fundamental idea of Adventism.”
R: “Where do you find a prophecy like that?”
M: “Turn to 2 Peter 3:

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days
scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the
promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For
this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and
in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed
with water, perished. (2 Peter 3:3–6)

This kind of scoffing is honor enough for Satan. These scoffers are
“ungodly” in verse 7. The Greek for “ungodly” is asebaes, which means to be
without due reverence, worshipless. What have they been scoffing at? Very
apparently, the First Angel’s Message. They refuse both to acknowledge that the
‘hour of His judgment’ is come and to ‘worship Him’ as Creator.”

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R: “So you mean that when some Adventists scientists and theologians give
the nod to theistic evolution, they are fulfilling a prophecy about scoffing at the
Adventist message?”
M: “You said it, not me.”
R: “Okay, so when God looks at the heart, what is He looking for? The
Sabbath? Faith? What?”
M: “You may remember from Revelation 7, Roger, that men are God’s servants
before they are sealed. God’s judgments wait for His servants to be sealed. So
while God looks for faith and love to know who is His servant, He is looking for
something more when looking for the seal.”
R: “So you mean that there are two sets of conditions? Men last year go to
heaven by having faith and next year by having the special seal?”
M: “No, not at all. Let me explain. In the day that He will judge the secrets of
men, Judge Jesus will be looking for the works of the law to be written there.
Our thoughts and actions will bear witness whether the law has been written
into the heart.

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by

nature the things contained in the law, these . . . shew the work
of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else
excusing [each of them] in the day when God shall judge the
secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
(Romans 2:14–16)

R: “Does this passage teach that heathen persons can be saved?”

M: “Indeed, Roger, it does. While most men will never submit to the Spirit’s
work in their lives until they are touched by the power of the gospel story, there
are men who have submitted. Their lives show that they have an indwelling
Savior, even if they do not know His name.
“But in our day the heathen will hear the gospel. And in the context of the
close of human probation, Revelation 22:14 blesses those that “keep” the
commandments of God. God brings them to the world’s attention. Two
passages, Revelation 11:19 and 15:5, indicate that God will reveal that the
heavenly sanctuary houses the law of God.
“Have you ever considered that the announcement of the hour of the
judgment plays a part in bringing the Ten Commandments to the attention of
all?”
R: “I heard that preached in our Revelation Seminar. They showed that in the
judgment men’s works are compared to the Ten Commandments. They used
James 2:8–12 to show that God’s ‘royal law’ is the Ten Commandments.”
M: “So let’s review a thought from a few days ago. What commandments
would it be that professed followers of God could break and still dare to say
‘Lord, Lord’ to Jesus at His coming?”

78
R: “I see. The Sabbath seems most likely. But they might be breaking lots of
them in a spiritual sense, don’t you think? That is how it seems to go in my
life.”
M: “Yes, and that is the point of having a simple test of loyalty.
“Circumcision was a sign and a seal of Abraham’s faith. It separated him
from other basically “good” heathen neighbors. It showed that he respected
God’s word and would do it with precision even at the cost of considerable pain
and loss to himself.
“And of the commandments, the Sabbath seems most like the sign/seal of
circumcision. It is the commandment that does not appeal to unaided moral
senses any more than the command to avoid the tree of knowledge of good and
evil. Some authors have rejected it particularly on this ground—that they could
not see the morality in it.”
R: “Then why use it as a test?”
M: “Like the tree of knowledge, it settles the question of faith. Do we take God
at His word when our senses and society and personal interest all say that it
must not be God who is being so particular?”
The Sabbath has been set apart as a special sign of the work of
sanctification, of living our lives as if “the Lord God [were] in [our] hearts.”

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready

always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason
of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. (1 Peter 3:15)

R: “Umm, what is ‘Sanctification?’ ”

M: “I think of it as the new-covenant process of writing the law in the heart.
God made the Sabbath holy; He sanctified it. He makes me holy; He sanctifies
me. Maybe that will help you understand why He chose the Sabbath as a sign of
sanctification. Let’s read a few verses:

Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to

observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a
perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of
Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth,
and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (Exodus
31:16–17)

Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign

between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD
that sanctify them. (Ezekiel 20:12)

And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between

me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.
(Ezekiel 20:20)

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R: “Finally.”
M: “Finally . . . what?”
R: “Finally, you are using some of the verses the Bible study guide on the seal
of God uses. It teaches that the Sabbath is the seal of God and uses these same
verses with a few others. I take it that you agree?”
M: “Not telling. But I will say this. The Sabbath is a symbol of God’s creative
work, not just in making this planet, but of the creative work He does in
changing me. I can rest from my ‘own works,’ from self-dependence, according
to Hebrews 4:4–10. I can expect God’s power to operate in my life.”
R: “Wait! What do you mean, ‘Not telling’? I know that Ellen White says
plainly that the Sabbath is the seal of God. Are you going off?”
M: “I believe all that Ellen White says about the seal and about the sealing. But
we will understand what she says better if we finish the Bible Study.”
R: “Usually, when people say things like that, they mean, ‘When we finish the
Bible Study, we will see that Ellen White isn’t quite right.’ Is this where you are
going?”
M: “Nope, not at all. But we should be able to lead Bible-believing persons into
the truth on this critical topic without making a reference to what she says.”
R: “Okay, sorry to distract you. Go ahead.”
M: “We are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Paul says ‘ye were sealed with that Holy
Spirit of promise.’ (Ephesians 1:13)
“Jesus received the seal from ‘God the Father.’ (John 6:27) And He was, for
the record, filled with ‘the Holy Ghost.’ (Luke 4:1, 18)
“The last generation of righteous persons will have the same experience.
They will be filled with the Holy Spirit and thus sealed by God the Father. You
can read of that in Joel 2 and in the passages already noticed in our study—
Ezekiel 9 and Revelation 7.”
R: “And you are still saying you believe the Sabbath is the seal? You just
proved to me that the filling with the Holy Spirit is the seal.”
M: “We aren’t done. Being filled with the Spirit is like a down-payment on
redemption, on the gift of a new nature at the resurrection. Paul said of some
that God ‘hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.’
(2 Corinthians 1:21–22)
“Now, Roger, I am about to preach a five-minute sermon. Don’t interrupt.
Just try to listen carefully.
“The Bible locates the sealing work of the Spirit ‘in our hearts.’ The same
idea is expressed in Revelation where the seal, or the Spirit, is placed in the
forehead.
“The seal of the Holy Spirit is given to those who meet the qualifications for
salvation. In the time of Noah, for example, it would not be put on anyone who
would not get in the ark. If the seal were given to someone who had not met the
conditions of salvation, it would be a false promise.

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 “Now nothing is clearer in our dear country than that many unsanctified
persons have exhibited what are called the gifts of the Spirit. The Sabbath, as an
outward sign, serves to reveal the body of believers that are commandment-
keepers, that are new-covenant Christians, and that are being sanctified by the
writing of the law on the heart. As a sign of the Spirit’s seal, it helps clear up
confusion regarding what the Spirit is and is not doing in the world.
Today, the commandment-keepers are preparing for Christ’s return. They
are not building an ark, but they are engaged in an activity as distinctive and as
significant to the final scenes of this earth’s history. They are being sanctified
by the special work of the Holy Spirit. (See 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians
2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; Romans 15:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:23) This is the sealing
process.
The Sabbath is a sign of the special work of the Spirit on the heart. Or,
stated another way, we could say, ‘The Sabbath is the seal of the work of the
Spirit.’ In a shorter term, we would say that the Sabbath is the sign or seal of the
Spirit’s work of sanctification.
R: “I must interrupt. So you are saying that the Sabbath is a sign or a seal of
God’s work of sanctification. And you are saying that when we are filled with
the Holy Spirit in the latter rain, that will be the sign that we have been
“sealed,” that the sealing work is done in our lives. Right?”
M: “I really didn’t get that far, but thank you for clarifying. Look now at a little
chart I have put together that describes what we have learned in the last few
days:

An Outline of What We Have Learned So Far

The Lamb The Beast

Is the Prince of the covenant Heart against the covenant
Confirms the covenant Works, plans, cooperates against the
covenant
Stands for the saints Opposes the saints
Helps them Pursues them
Gathers a remnant Scatters the whole
Executes vengeance Executes saints

The Everlasting Covenant

Saints are forgiven
The law is written in their heart  This is the sealing
They receive the kingdom The Sabbath is the Sign

The Beast’s Arrangement

Claims to give forgiveness
Claims to change the law  This is the marking
Forces compliance Bowing to man’s law is the mark
Holds last earthly kingdom

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R: Can I keep a copy of this chart?”
M: “Be my guest. We will try to finish tomorrow.”

Day Five
M: “Okay, Roger, turn to Revelation 13. Think about what you remember from
Daniel 7 and tell me what you notice about the beast in the first verses of this
chapter.”
R: “I can see two things that you might be thinking. One is that the metals and
animals here are like those in Daniel 2 and 7, and second, this beast sounds like
the fourth beast in Daniel 7. Is that what you were looking for?”
M: “Precisely. Today we are talking about the ‘name of the beast.’ And we are
told that the beast has the name of ‘blasphemy’ on its heads.”
R: “Are we going off-topic again? I mean this is interesting, but what about the
mark?”
M: “This is the point, Roger, the mark is called the ‘mark of his name’ in
Revelation 14:11. That makes this blasphemous name of particular interest to
our study. Did you ever notice that the five monarchies had a problem with
blasphemy? Babylon demanded worship through the image; Persia through a
prayer law; Rome accepted it through Herod in Acts 12; and the Papacy does
more than these three combined, eventually becoming a medium for
impersonating Christ in 2 Thessalonians 2.”
R: “So why is the mark called the ‘mark of his name’? Do you mean it is the
mark of blasphemy?”
M: “Basically, yes, it is honoring the papacy with the very authority it claims
for itself, the ability to change God’s law.”
R: “Okay, I get it. What next?”
M: “Now we are going to study what I call the battle for the forehead.”
R: “Seal versus mark?”
M: “More than that, Roger, turn with me to Jeremiah 3:3.”

Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there

hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead,
thou refusedst to be ashamed. (Jeremiah 3:3)

R: “What am I supposed to notice?”

M: “The papacy is described as a great whore whose seal in placed in the
foreheads of her followers. What does this verse say about a whore’s forehead?”
R: “That a whore refuses to be ashamed of her wickedness?”

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M: “That is it. When I refuse to repent, when I do not let the wonderful sacrifice
of Jesus melt my hard heart, I am cultivating a whore’s forehead. I am preparing
for the mark of the beast.”
R: “Wow. I understand. You mean that when I reject correction, I am getting
into the very kind of habit that leads to receiving the mark in the forehead?”
M: “Yes. When the beast and lamb face off in the final conflict, they will use
very different weapons. The former will use miracles, as we studied earlier. This
evidence will be sufficient for those who have already been hardening their
hearts against the Spirit’s appeals. And the Lamb will use love to move persons
to repentance. But those who have hardened themselves with a whore’s
forehead will be impervious to His gentle methods.”
R: “Is this just a battle of ideas? Are there actually physical casualties?”
M: “The followers of the Lamb face beheading (Revelation 20:4) for refusing
the combined authority of the powers of earth. Though decapitated, they are
counted victorious (Revelation 15:2) over their enemies. Like saints before them
(Revelation 6:11), they overcome by their testimony and by Christ’s blood
while sacrificing their lives. (Revelation 12:11)
“Remember that we have observed repeatedly how the law of God is to be
written in men’s minds. Satan also has a character that he works to have planted
there—the unashamed forehead we have just read about.
“We are rather to ‘let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
who . . . became obedient unto death.’ (Philippians 2:5–8) Thus, the last-day
faithful ones are represented as having foreheads like the Father and the Son in
Revelation (Revelation 14; 22.).”
R: “So it is hard-headed persons against soft-headed ones?”
M: “Not really. What both camps have is a hardened forehead. This idea is
illustrated in the experience of Ezekiel, who was called to give fearful warnings
to a stubborn (literally, ‘stiff-foreheaded’) nation. To preserve his faithfulness
God strengthened Ezekiel’s forehead to be able to stand against their opposition.

But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they
will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent
[Hebrew: stiff-foreheaded] and hardhearted. Behold, I have
made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong
against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I
made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their
looks, though they be a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 3:7–9)

“These stiff foreheads are similar in their rigidity. They differ widely
otherwise. One is the result of God’s transformation of the human heart, the
other of conformity to the world.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)

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 “The ‘mother’ of harlots (Revelation 17) has promoted conformity. The
compliance of the masses has deluded individuals into refusing to be ashamed;
it has duped them into accepting the essence of having a “whore’s forehead.”
R: “Maybe this is the most practical material you have shared yet. I am
understanding that my day-to-day life now is writing a character into my
forehead that will be revealed in the final tests.”
M: “Are you ready for another idea?”
R: “I think I had better cultivate being ready for instruction and correction.”
M: “Now we are asking, ‘What will the sealed ones be doing with their time?’
Turn to Exodus 13:9:

And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a
memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy
mouth.

“So, tell me why the law was to be as a sign between the eyes?”
R: “It looks like it is placed there so we will remember to teach it. If the law is
in the heart, that only makes sense. I have always heard that ‘out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’ (Matthew 12:34.)”
M: “You are right on target. And the message that we are to give is that
contained in Revelation 14:6–12, the three angels’ messages. It is the call to
honor God’s law and to escape the authority of the beast.”
“This is our fifth lesson. We are not close to exhausting the Biblical themes
of the mark of the beast and of the seal of God, but we have seen enough to
know with Biblical certainty what we are talking about. I have summarized
what we have learned so far in a little paper. But you will need to review your
notes for verses and scriptures that prove the various points. And you will find a
few points about sun-worship in the short paper that we didn’t go over at all. Be
faithful.”
R: “Thank you so much.”

—— The paper ——

The Mark and the Seal Plainly13

The sealing is the special work of the Holy Spirit in writing the law of God into the
heart of God’s people. The sealing is the work of sanctification. The sign of submission
to this work is Sabbath-keeping. That sign distinguishes those that reject human authority
in religious matters and thus honor God alone.
The character of the beast is to be unashamed of its violations of God’s law. This
mindset is, metaphorically, the whore’s forehead. Those that refuse the sealing process

13
The Biblical references for these assertions are found in the study above. They were omitted here only to
make the summary more readable.

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are hardened each time they refuse. Their unwillingness to take up their cross and follow
their Savior against the current of the world marks them as unworthy of eternal life.
By refusing the claims of the fourth commandment, they honor men above their
Creator, the beast above the Lamb, their comfort above the truth. Their refusal to heed the
warning that the world needs so desperately marks them for the judgments of Revelation
14:8–11. Those who have refused the Sabbath rest have no “rest” during the plagues.
Though sincerely deceived into thinking they are doing right, they are not excused. Their
sincerity is rather the fruit of trusting in men than of loving the truth.
When laws enforce the keeping of another day than Sabbath, undoubtedly Sunday as
all history declares, the character of these hardened persons will naturally submit to the
coercion of the beast. Heaven is not guided that way. They are unfit to be there. They
won’t be there.
Just prior to the sealing of God’s people in Ezekiel 9 (and just prior to the plagues on
those that are unsealed), the prophecy describes the abominations that have invaded
Christendom.
Though, in the metaphor, these abominations are conducted inside God’s temple, yet
they savor of paganism. These idolatrous practices are revealed to Ezekiel in ascending
order of magnitude.
The worst item, last in the list and just prior to the command to seal the faithful
servants and to slaughter the rest, is sun-worship.

Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn
thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house, and,
behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and
the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward
the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they
worshipped the sun toward the east. (Ezekiel 8:15–16)

To be particular, here is worship of the sun practiced inside Christ’s temple by men
who have turned their back on God’s law.

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 The illustration is particularly interesting because the worshippers might appear, to
an observer, to be worshipping the lamb on the altar.
Ezekiel 8–9, written entirely in figurative speech, indicates that just prior to the end
of the world men will turn their back on the law of God and on Christ in His temple to
honor the sun instead. All the while they will be in God’s church.
Sun-worship is the most ancient kind of false religion. Job says that had he secretly
admired the sun, he would be deserving of punishment by the Judge of the earth. (See Job
31:26–28) Through Moses, God warned His special people regarding worshipping this
gift of God to “all nations under heaven.” (Deuteronomy 4:19) Josiah’s great reformation
involved the cleansing of God’s house from horses and chariots dedicated “to the sun.”
(2 Kings 23:5, 11)
And the temple had purposefully been built to prevent the very type of abomination
figured in Ezekiel 8. As worshippers entered the court in the morning, their backs were to
the sun. They faced forward to something they could not see—the most holy place—and
imagined what they knew to be there—the law of God in a special box built to honor it.
But when a soul persists in ignoring God’s requirements, He may give them up to
honor the hosts of heaven despite themselves. As the fall into idolatry marked old Israel
for captivity in Babylon (Acts 7:42–43), so the fall of Christianity into the worship of
religious men was a fall that put them into a spiritual state called Babylon in the book of
Revelation.

Those that Sigh and Cry

In the pictures of Ezekiel 8–9, who is spared? The seal of God is placed on those that
“sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done” in the professedly Christian
churches.

And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city,
through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of
the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in
the midst thereof. (Ezekiel 9:4)

In particular, they mourn over the honor given to the sun and over the dishonor
shown to the covenant. In figure, these faithful souls are in the same place as the 25 sun-
worshipers—they are between the porch and the altar. But they are facing the opposite
direction.

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch
and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD. (Joel 2:17)

Just as those with the mind of the whore refuse to be ashamed, those with the “mind
of Christ” seek pardon for their persecutors. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them.” His
faithful, sealed believers pray in a similar vein.
And so the universe comes to see that the seal of God and the mark of the beast are
no arbitrary designations. They rest on two categories of men with entirely different
characters.
And that, friend, is precisely why they have entirely different destinies.

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87
 Chapter Seven
Conditional Prophecy and Predestination

Conditional Prophecy and the Sovereignty of God

How do you know which prophecies are conditional and which are not conditional at all?
How can we test the reliability of prophecy if, every time a Bible prophecy “fails,” we
conclude that it must have been “conditional”?
On a different topic, to what extent does God superintend our life here on earth? If
the Lord chose Pharaoh and raised him up only to destroy him, how can I be sure that our
Calvinist neighbors do not speak truly when they say that in all things “God is
sovereign”?
Neither set of questions need trouble us. The Bible clearly defines how we may tell a
conditional prophecy from one that depends not on the choices of men. And the Bible
declares plainly the extent to which God rules in the affairs of men.
Let us begin by reading three key passages on the issue of conditional/unconditional
prophecy.

At what instant I
shall speak concerning a And Joseph said
nation, and concerning unto Pharaoh, The
a kingdom, to pluck up, dream of Pharaoh is
and to pull down, and to one: God hath shewed
destroy it; if that nation, Pharaoh what he is
against whom I have about to do. . . . What
pronounced, turn from God is about to do he
their evil, I will repent sheweth unto
of the evil that I thought Pharaoh. . . . And for
to do unto them. And at that the dream was
what instant I shall doubled unto Pharaoh
speak concerning a twice; it is because the
nation, and concerning thing is established by
a kingdom, to build and God, and God will
to plant it; if it do evil in shortly bring it to pass.
my sight, that it obey (Genesis 41:25–32)
not my voice, then I will
repent of the good, Forasmuch as thou
wherewith I said I sawest that the stone
would benefit them. was cut out of the
(Jeremiah 18:7–10) mountain without

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 hands, and that it brake shall come to pass
in pieces the iron, the hereafter: and the
brass, the clay, the dream is certain, and
silver, and the gold; the the interpretation
great God hath made thereof sure. (Daniel
known to the king what 2:45)

When God speaks of punishing or blessing a nation, that prophecy is made

for the benefit of that nation. The nation may avert disaster or forfeit blessings by
changing the conditions that led to the prophecy.
But not all prophecies are of this nature. The famine brought upon Egypt, for
example, was on “all nations.” The submission of the Egyptians to the prophet’s
counsel did not avert the famine, though it did spare them from destruction.
God indicated the non-conditional nature of this prophecy by giving it twice
under different symbols. In this respect, the prophecy strongly resembles those of
Daniel and Revelation. Those prophecies are repeated as they are expanded. More
than that, they are given in symbols.
They differ from the prophecy of Jonah, for example, in both respects.
Prophesies intended to call men to repentance are couched in language that those
men can understand.
The prophecies of Daniel 2 that point out the destruction of the earth’s
kingdoms are like those of Pharaoh under Joseph. In fact, both were given
originally to a secular world ruler who was intimately connected to one of God’s
faithful men. This remarkable parallel is bolstered by the parallel conclusions of
God’s interpreters. Daniel wrote “The dream is certain.” There was no changing
it.
Daniel’s later prophecies parallel those of Joseph in terms of the time
element. That is, as Joseph’s unconditional dreams were time prophecies, so too
with Daniel’s later symbol-rich dreams.
And “changing” the prophecy of Daniel 2 was just the thing Nebuchadnezzar
tried to do in the next chapter.
What principles do we have to help us tell determinate (unconditional)
prophecies from those that are conditional? The latter are given as warnings or as
encouragements. The former are given to show God’s wisdom. The latter are
intended to be understood by the subjects of the prophecy. The former may be
couched in symbolic language.
And the former may be repeated under different symbols as evidence that
they will certainly be fulfilled. In the case of Daniel, parts are even sealed until
the future. The repetition also indicates imminence.

Conditional Elements in Unconditional Prophecies

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs

be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the
offence cometh! (Matthew 18:7)

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 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but
woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good
were it for that man if he had never been born. (Mark 14:21)

There are some events, both of a blessed nature and others of a negative
nature, that are essential elements in the plan of redemption. The death of Jesus
was one of these. The prophecy of His death, through the sanctuary service, for
example, was a determinate prophecy. There was no getting around it.
But that prophecy did not involve Judas by name. It could have been fulfilled
through another. Judas’ part was neither coerced nor excused by Heaven.
Other prophecies of God’s blessings on His faithful people, on the children of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are “without repentance.” In other words, they cannot
be annulled. Yet the individuals singled out for blessing are by no means
determinate.
This was the confusion of the Jews. They confused the determinate prophecy
(that God would bless the children of the faithful, as per the second
commandment) with the conditional element that included them, as individuals,
among the children of the faithful.

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid.
For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe
of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he
foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he
maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they
have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I
am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer
of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand
men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even
so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to
the election of grace. . . . And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is
written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall
turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant
unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the
gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the
election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts
and calling of God are without repentance. (Romans 11:1–5;
11:26–29)

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me

and keep my commandments. (Deuteronomy 5:10)

Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the

faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them
that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand
generations. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

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 Paul reasons, in Romans 11, that God’s promises to the Jews have never been
abrogated. Rather, those promises were only made to the faithful. Accordingly,
most Jews have been cut off from the blessings, and many Gentiles have been
included as members of true Israel because of their faithfulness. As such, “all
Israel” will be saved.
The “chosen” ones among the nation inherit the promises. The rest are, on the
whole, enemies of the gospel. Yet, they are to be beloved as family, being the
literal descendants of faithful Abraham. For more on spiritual descent as character
likeness, see John 8; Romans 2:28–29; 8:14; Galatians 3:29.
This issue, the conditional/determinate nature of the promises to “Israel” is
perhaps the primary issue dividing Adventism from the rest of Evangelical
Christianity in terms of prophetic interpretation.
And parallel to that difference is a difference between how we and they view
the sovereignty of God.

God Exercises Special Oversight of the Nations

Men that are in earthly authority are there by God’s decision. This may be, at
first inspection, an uncomfortable doctrine of Scripture.

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me

princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
(Proverbs 8:15–16)14

Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all

against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he
that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. (John 19:11)

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there
is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of
God. (Romans 13:1)

These men are God’s “ministers,” entrusted with lethal power for the dual
purpose of repressing evil and encouraging well-doing. (See Romans 13:2–8)
Nebuchadnezzar was nearly destroyed by the thought that he had placed
himself at the head of the world’s greatest empire. This is the backdrop of Daniel
4.

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the

demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the
living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it
the basest of men. . . . And they shall drive thee from men . . .
until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. (Daniel 4:17, 32)

14
The chapter is more than a personification of wisdom; it is a description of Jesus under that title. He is the
Person named “Wisdom”.

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 Daniel 4, by figures, also reveals the purpose of earthly kingdoms. They
promote peace and protection and suppress anarchy and fear. They are used to
punish each other. They are vehicles for God’s wrath. There, under the protection
of government, the beasts enjoyed repose and the birds made safe nests.

King of Kings
As the one that uses the nations for His own purposes, God reserves to
Himself the ultimate title of King of Kings, though lesser emperors have often
used the title more or less accurately to describe themselves. (See Daniel 2:37, 47;
Ezra 7:12)
When God gives nations their local sovereignty, He gives them the right to
rule their subjects. And so the New Testament bids us obey our governments.
Does this right to rule extend to the papacy? The papacy claims the role of
King of Kings as well. (See Daniel 11:36) She has been given substantial power
for a limited time. (See Daniel 7:25) But her claim to rule beyond the bounds of
her civil state (the Vatican, today) is an unwarranted assumption of power.
In other words, she has not been given power over other sovereign nations.
This truth was used by Wycliffe to great effect and the long-term result was that
England became Protestant.
God chooses the boundaries of nations.
In fact, God even has purpose in His arrangement of national borders.

And [He] hath made of one blood all nations of men for to
dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the
times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after
him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.
(Acts 17:26–27)

Further, God has purpose even in bringing the “basest” of men into power.

For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same
purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in
thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the
earth. (Romans 9:17)

Far from raising only good men to positions of civil power, God promised to
raise cruel men to that position if that would be in the eternal interest of His
people. (See Deuteronomy 28:47–56) If they would reject His gentle leading, they
would be given a taste of Satan’s style of administration. It was God’s hope that
such national disaster would lead men to seek Him.

For I will be . . . as a young lion to the house of Judah: I,

even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall
rescue him. I will go and return to my place, till they
acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction
they will seek me early. (Hosea 5:14–15)

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 As God established kings and governments to protect the rights of men, He
reserves the right to overpower their judgment in things pertaining to the subjects.
They are free to rebel against their Creator, but they may be, for the benefit of
God’s faithful, restrained in their executive decisions.

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of

water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 21:1)

He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly

with his servants. (Psalm 105:25)

He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried

them captives. (Psalm 106:46; see also Ezra 7:27–28; Nehemiah
1:11)

If men object to this doctrine that God surely did not raise Innocent the III,
Hitler, or Lenin, let it be remembered that the blood of martyrs is seed, that in
darkness men search for God who otherwise would never do so. We cannot see all
things.
Can those who know truly say that the wonderful freedoms we enjoy in the
USA have been a more prosperous ground for Adventism that the repressive
regimes that sought to crush the church in other lands? Our numbers are larger
here. But where are we the most spiritual?
God’s ruling in the affairs of state and His placement of men at the head of
other men both aim to secure a seeking populace if “haply they might feel after
Him and find Him.”
Because of His overarching rule in the kingdoms of men, we can rightly say
that Jesus is the “only Potentate” and the King of Kings, the prince of the “kings
of the earth.” (See 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 1:5; 17:14)

God’s Sovereignty and Predestination

Some men have, however, failed to notice the distinction between God’s
management of nations and His management of individuals. For these men, God’s
sovereignty means that nothing happens but what God wills.
As evidence for this, they cite the fact that God had chosen certain men to
salvation. If this is true, it is no large jump in logic to say that those not chosen
are, well, very unfortunate.
Before criticizing Calvin’s version of the doctrine of God’s sovereignty, let
us acknowledge that he had grounds for his belief. God has, indeed, chosen men
to salvation from the foundation of the earth. (See Revelation 17:8)

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you . . .

because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
(2 Thessalonians 2:13)

Predestination

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 Calvinists fail, however, to understand the relation between foreknowledge
and predestination. The relation is spelled out a few verses before Romans 9.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be

conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

This is the Bible doctrine. God knows the way that we will take. He can see
the future like we can see the present. He knows those that are His. (See
2 Timothy 2:19) Foreknowledge is the ground even of the choosing, or election,
described in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 above.

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,

through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and
peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:2)

What was God looking for in His foreknowledge? Sanctification by the

Spirit’s power, obedience to the faith, belief in the truth. These qualities declare a
man to be a child of God and a true child of Abraham. God will never cast away
such people. They are the faithful remnant we studied in an earlier in this lesson.
You may remember this verse:

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.

(Romans 11:2)

But what about Pharaoh in Romans 9 and in the story of Exodus? Was he
predestined to be lost?
If God intended to manipulate the will of the Pharaoh, He could have used
any Pharaoh. The fact that God chose Pharaoh is evidence that foreknowledge,
rather than captivity of the will, was at work. The word “endured” reveals that not
all that happens is the will of God.

For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same
purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in
thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the
earth. . . . What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make
his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels
of wrath fitted to destruction. (Romans 9:17–22)

God had to look carefully to find someone as stubborn as Pharaoh, someone

that would resist God’s will so defiantly that God’s full power in defense of His
people could be shown.

Conditional and Unconditional Elements in Relation to God’s Sovereignty

When we come back to consider the death of Jesus, we have an interesting
unconditional prophecy. On the one hand God determined that Jesus would die

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for our sins. This was certain. If no men would have been found to do it, evil
angels would have been permitted to do it. But there was no lack of evil men. God
knew, by foreknowledge, the parts that the various actors would play in the
crucifixion. Their words as well as their actions were prophesied.

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and

foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands
have crucified and slain. (Acts 2:23)

Romans 9 illustrates the truth of foreknowledge by the births of Isaac and

Jacob. God prophesied of their future state before they had done either right or
wrong. Their life, and the lives of their brethren, demonstrated the accuracy of
God’s foreknowledge. This is the argument that is concluded in chapter 11 with
the declaration that God has not cast away His people that He foreknew.
Following are two statements from Ellen White that touch on the old term for
predestination, “divine decrees”:

Every question of truth and error in the long-standing

controversy will then have been made plain. In the judgment of the
universe, God will stand clear of blame for the existence or
continuance of evil. It will be demonstrated that the divine decrees
are not accessory to sin. There was no defect in God’s government,
no cause for disaffection. When the thoughts of all hearts shall be
revealed, both the loyal and the rebellious will unite in declaring,
“Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not
fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? . . . for Thy judgments
are made manifest.” Revelation 15:3, 4. (The Desire of Ages, p. 58)

The doctrine of the divine decrees, unalterably fixing the

character of men, had led many to a virtual rejection of the law of
God. Wesley steadfastly opposed the errors of the antinomian
teachers and showed that this doctrine which led to antinomianism
was contrary to the Scriptures. (The Great Controversy, p. 261)

In closing, let it be understood that not everyone is chosen. Many are called;
few are chosen. But all may be. All may meet the requirements that God’s
foreknowledge was seeking when He said He knew those that were His.15

15
Though this issue may seem small to us, it is by no means small in Christianity, being a primary division
point between Protestants. Extensive works have been written to defend the doctrine of “God’s sovereignty,” the
divine decrees. A short, yet comprehensive, work that might be of interest to those that would like to see a very
scriptural defense of the error can be found at www.onlinebible.net. It is titled, “Antidote to Arminianism.” If you
read it, read it while you have person available that can help you through it. Then again, perhaps this chapter is all
you would need.

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 Chapter Eight
Brief Thoughts on Michael in
Scripture

The Scripture testimony regarding “Michael” is quite brief. The

following are all the passages in Scripture referring to Michael:

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia

withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo,
Michael, one [first, YLT] of the chief princes,
came to help me; and I remained there with the
kings of Persia. . . . But I will shew thee that
which is noted in the scripture of truth: and
there is none that holdeth with me in these
things, but Michael your prince. (Daniel 10:13,
21)

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the

great prince which standeth for the children of
thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble,
such as never was since there was a nation even
to that same time: and at that time thy people
shall be delivered, every one that shall be found
written in the book. (Daniel 12:1)

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending

with the devil he disputed about the body of
Moses, durst not bring against him a railing
accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
(Jude 1:9)

And there was war in heaven: Michael and

his angels fought against the dragon; and the
dragon fought and his angels. (Revelation 12:7)

From these passages we can gather several points with

certainty:
• Michael is an exalted being, one sent to help Gabriel in his
struggles;

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 • Michael is either “one of the chief” [KJV] or “the first of
the chief” [YLT] among the angels;
• Michael is Daniel’s “prince” and a “great prince”;
• At the time of trouble, Michael stands as prince in defense
of Daniel’s people;
• Michael is the archangel;
• Michael fought with the Devil regarding the resurrection of
Moses’ body (and won); and
• Michael was over the angels that fought against the Devil
and his angels.

The positions ascribed to Michael in these verses include

“prince” of God’s people (i.e., Daniel’s people), archangel, and
captain of the faithful angels.
When Jesus returns to this earth several things will happen
that seem relevant to what we know about Michael.
• There will be a resurrection of the bodies of the saints;
• Commands will be given to the loyal angels to gather the
saints;
• The kingdoms of this earth will become the kingdoms of
Christ; and
• The faithful will sit with Him on His throne.

The resurrection will be called for by the mighty voice of

Christ.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is

coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the
voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall
live. (John 5:25)

The commands will be given by the voice of Christ.

And he shall send his angels 16with a great

sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather
together his elect from the four winds, from one
end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:31)

And then shall he send his angels, and shall

gather together his elect from the four winds,
from the uttermost part of the earth to the
uttermost part of heaven. (Mark 13:27)

The kingdoms will be ruled by Christ.

16
Or, . . . with a trumpet, and a great voice . . .

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 And the seventh angel sounded; and there
were great voices in heaven, saying, The
kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms
of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign
for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

It is interesting, and sensible, in light of this that the name

“prince” is reserved for Jesus. On earth there are many princes, but
in the kingdom of God we find one:

And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath

raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
(Acts 3:15)

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to

be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance
to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:31)

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful

witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him
that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood. (Revelation 1:5)

As the devil made an issue over even a single resurrection,

that of Moses, it must come as a complete overthrow of his entire
authority when all the saints are resurrected. And we should note
again that they are resurrected by the voice of Jesus:

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in

the which all that are in the graves shall hear his
voice. (John 5:28)

And the voice of “the Lord” that is connected, by Paul, to the

resurrection is the “voice of the archangel”:

For the Lord himself shall descend from

heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the
dead in Christ shall rise first. (1 Thessalonians
4:16)

This brings us to a good question. Is Jesus the captain, or

prince, of the armies of heaven? Or might He have an angel
working under Him in that position? We find a definitive answer
by comparing two texts of Scripture:

And he said, Nay; but as captain [or, prince

(margin)] of the host of the LORD am I now come.
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did

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 worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord
unto his servant? (Joshua 5:14)

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he

said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy
fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the
testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
(Revelation 19:10)

Notice the contrast. The “captain of the host of the Lord”

receives the worship of Joshua. The mighty angel of Revelation
refuses the worship of John.
These observations lead, it seems to me, to the following
inescapable conclusion:
Either there are two captains of the Lord’s hosts, two beings
with the voice of the archangel, two beings exalted to be “prince”
over God’s people, two agents in the resurrection of the saints, two
beings giving commands to the angels of God,
Or. . .
Jesus, a name chosen by God for our Savior, had the name
“Michael” in the Old Testament.
It is interesting, in this connection, to note that the New-
Testament references to Michael are all references to Old-
Testament events—the fall of Lucifer and the resurrection of
Moses. We find no use of the name “Michael” for any being after
the day that God’s Son is named “Jesus.”
Now another passage fits in nicely here:

For unto which of the angels said he at any

time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten
thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and
he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he
bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he
saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
(Hebrews 1:5–6)

Worship was given to the “captain of the host of the Lord.”

Even more than this, Joshua was commanded to put off his shoes.
The place where he was standing was holy. (See Joshua 5:26)
Doesn’t this remind you of Moses at the burning bush? Who was it
in that bush that made the ground holy, before whom Moses
worshipped unrebuked? It must have been our Lord Jesus.
And what does the Bible call Him?

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him

in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and
he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with
fire, and the bush was not consumed. (Exodus
3:2)

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 And more than that, when Malachi predicted that Jesus would
come, what did the prophet call Him? He calls “the Lord” the
“messenger of the covenant.” This word “messenger” comes from
a Hebrew word that is translated “messenger” almost 100 times
and “angel” some 111 times in the Old Testament.

Behold, I will send my messenger [John the

Baptist], and he shall prepare the way before
me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly
come to his temple, even the messenger of the
covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall
come, saith the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)

Jesus, Michael, our Prince, our coming King, Captain of the

host of the Lord, the Archangel, will descend and rout the prince of
this world, send the holy angels to gather the saints, and we will
reign with Him.
Amen! I so look forward to it.

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 Chapter Nine
Satan Burns “For Ever and
Ever”?

Why do we say “for ever and ever”? Isn’t it a bit like saying “for
eternity and eternity” or “never ending and never ending” or “to
everlasting and everlasting”?
We say it because we read it in the Bible. The Puritans’ use of
Scripture was so wonderfully relentless that many Biblical phrases
entered into our way of talking. In the case of “for ever and ever,”
the phrase worked its way into fairytales.
And maybe it is from the fairytales that many of us adopted
this singular and redundant way of talking.
Yet the phrase is not redundant when used in Scripture.
The term “for ever and ever” is used 46 times in the Old and
New Testaments. That is a small enough number that we can take
the time to be a little technical. Not every time is the expression
derived from the same Hebrew or Greek words. We can categorize
the various renderings on the basis of the way they are worded in
Hebrew or Greek.
We will begin with a review of the various words used for
“ever” in these passages. As the average reader could not read the
original Hebrew or Greek words, I will refer to those words by
their number found in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, which is
used in the most common Greek and Hebrew lexicons today. For
this reason, these numbers are called “Strong’s numbers.”17
And under each of these words I will note how that word is
used in Scripture. Of particular interest to Seventh-day Adventists
is the question, “Does ‘ever’ mean ‘eternity’?”

Words Translated “Ever” in the 46 Passages

Word #05769 Used 439 times in the Old Testament

Incidents where it is clear that this word does not
denote an eternal volume of time include Genesis 6:4,
where it is translated “of old.” An interesting use is the
first use—Genesis 3:22. Here those that eat of the tree of
17
Please note: In the original Strong’s numbering system, a Hebrew word and a Greek
word could share the same number, being differentiated in the concordance only by the fact that
the numbers for Greek words were italicized. In this book, we are using a convention common in
many later references keyed according to this numbering system: The numbers for Hebrew words
begin with a leading zero (0), whereas the numbers for Greek words do not.

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 life “live for ever.” For this reason Adam and Eve were
removed from the garden. Young’s Literal Translation
renders #05769 most consistently as “age-during.” The
Rotherham translation renders it as “age-abiding” and in
the past as “age-past.”

Word #05703 Used 49 times in the Old Testament

Incidents where it is clear that #05703 does not
denote an eternal volume of time include Habakkuk 3:6,
where the “everlasting” mountains are scattered by
Christ’s coming. In Amos 1:11, the descendants of Esau
are condemned for having kept their anger against their
brother “for ever.” Rotherham often renders it “to
futurity” or “perpetually.”

The phrase “for ever and ever” is derived from these two
Hebrew words almost every time it shows up in the Old Testament.
The other three Old-Testament occurrences use three other words.

Word #05331 Isaiah 34:10

This word is used 43 times in the Old Testament. It is
often used in parallel with #05769 and so should not be
much distinguished from it. It has some usages that are
unrelated to the question—“victory,” “strength”—and is
often used in questions and in negatives.

Word #05957 Daniel 2:20; 7:18

This is the Aramaic of the Hebrew word # 05769. It
is used uniquely in Ezra and Daniel, where it occurs 20
times in uses very similar to the way that # 05769 is used
elsewhere.

Word #05705 Daniel 2:20; 7:18

This is the Aramaic of the Hebrew word # 05704
(not a typo for # 05703). It is used uniquely in Ezra and
Daniel, where it occurs 32 times. Only when used in
conjunction with # 05957 does it denote ‘“ever.’” In other
passages it is translated as “until,” “season,” “end,” and
in various other ways that designate a limited time.

So these are the five words translated “ever” in Old-Testament

phrases “for ever and ever.” The word “ever” is in the phrase
twice, and the following chart shows how the phrase is formed in
Hebrew/Aramaic.

Formulations of These Five Old-Testament Words Translated

“For Ever and Ever”
Formula
Designation
(See below) Order of Words References

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A 05769 05769
B 05769 05703
B2 05703 05769
C 05957 05705 05957
D 05705 05957 05957
E 05331 05331
1 Chronicles 16:36; 29:10; Nehemiah 9:5;
Jeremiah 7:7; 25:5
Exodus 15:18; Psalm 9:5; 10:16; 21:4;
45:6, 17; 48:14; 52:8; 119:44; 145:1, 2,
21; Daniel 12:3; Micah 4:5
Psalm 111:8; 148:6; Isaiah 30:8
Daniel 2:20
Daniel 7:18
Isaiah 34:10

As noted initially, we would not in English write “eternity and

eternity” or “to everlasting and everlasting.” These would seem
redundant. We do, however, say “for ever and ever” and have
probably picked this up from the Bible.
But in the Bible it appears that this is no redundancy. The
individual words “ever” do not, of themselves, necessarily indicate
eternity. The habit of using them in repetition is enough to
demonstrate the truthfulness of this assertion. Rotherham and
Young’s Literal (two of the most literal translations available)
translate these two formulas as follows:

Formula
Designation
(See below) Rotherham
A 05769 05769 “one age even to/unto another” “age even unto
age” “age to age”
B 05769 05703 “age-abiding and beyond”
B2 05703 05769 “futurity, to/unto times age-abiding”;
“perpetually—age abiding”

Young’s Literal
A 05769 05769 “from the age [and] unto the age” “from age
even unto age”
B 05769 05703 “to the age, and for ever”; “age-during—and
for ever”
B2 05703 05769 “for a latter day . . . unto the age”; “for ever to
the age”

What Kind of Persons or Things or Events Last “For Ever and

Ever”?
The subjects of these formulas—the persons or objects that
were to last “for ever and ever” are differentiated below. The

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designation A represents the first formula, B the second. B2
represents the reversed order pairs. C and D represent Daniel 2 and
7 respectively.

Object Formula References

Jehovah A 1 Chronicles 16:36; 29:10; Nehemiah 9:5
Jehovah B Exodus 5:18; Psalm 10:16
Blotting Out B Psalm 9:5
Gift of Life B Psalm 21:4
Jehovah’s Throne B Psalm 45:6
Jehovah’s Praise B Psalm 45:17; 145:1, 2, 21
Jehovah’s Praise C Daniel 2:20
Jehovah’s Identity B Psalm 48:14
My Trust in Jehovah B Psalm 52:8
Commandments B2 Psalm 111:8
Law Keeping B Psalm 119:44
Heavens18 B2 Psalm 148:6
Record of Rebellion B2 Isaiah 30:8
Gift of Canaan A Jeremiah 7:7; 25:5
Evangelists; Stars B Daniel 12:3
Right-Living B Micah 4:5
Saints’ Reign D Daniel 7:18

Summary: The Old-Testament formulations translated “for

ever and ever” always refer to Jehovah, His qualities, His work, or
the saints. They are often stated in terms of contrast with the
wicked and the works of men—both of which are transitory.
The only passage that is even apparently troubling to standard
Adventist doctrine is Isaiah 30:8. Adventists might expect the
record of evil to be erased after the final burning. But perhaps this
is unfounded. Perhaps the record of sin and all that it caused will
be always available for review.

New-Testament Passages
All the New-Testament Passages are formed the same way, all
from a repetition of the Greek word # 165. The second word is
generally in the genitive form and this is where the “of” comes
from in the translations. Below you can see how Rotherham and
Young translate this Greek phrase.

18
The antecedent is earlier. It seems to include the ‘waters’ above the heavens. I am not
certain of its meaning.

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Rotherham “ages of the ages”; “ages of ages”;
“times age-abiding”19; “the ages”
Young’s Literal “ages of the ages”; “age of the age”20;
“ages of ages”21

The subjects of these formulas—the persons or objects that

were to last “for ever and ever” are differentiated below.

Subject References
Glory be to God Galatians 1:8; Philippians 4:20;
1 Timothy 1:17; 2 Timothy 4:18;
Hebrews 13:21; 1 Peter 4:11;
Revelation 1:6; 5:13; 7:12
God’s Throne Hebrews 1:8
Dominion be to God 1 Peter 5:11
God’s Life Revelation 4:9, 10; 10:6; 15:7
God’s Reign Revelation 11:5
Torment Smoke’s Ascent Revelation 14:11; 19:3
Devil’s Torment Revelation 20:10
Saints’ Reign Revelation 22:5

Summary: The New-Testament formula nearly always refers

to God’s deserved honor, His reign, and that of His saints. The
exceptions to this formula refer to the ascent of the smoke of
torment from the last-day wicked persons (Revelation 14:11; 19:3)
and to Satan’s torment itself.
Only Revelation 20:10 is apparently troubling to the Adventist
view. The two forever-smoke passages are similar in meaning to
Isaiah 30:8 and seem to refer to the everlasting impact of sin on
those that know its history and its sure results. They will ever be
aware that sin caused suffering and destruction. This eternal
knowledge will be to the righteous as the scent of smoke on a
fireman’s clothing—evidence of what once was.
But what are we to make of Revelation 20:10?
From Ezekiel 28, we find that Lucifer will be brought “to
ashes” by a fire that God kindles from the midst of our foe.

Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the

multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of
thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire
from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I
19
In Hebrews 1:8. This passage alone is singular in Greek.
20
In Hebrews 1:8. This passage alone is singular in Greek.
21
Revelation 14:11. This passage alone is lacking the definite articles.

105
 will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the
sight of all them that behold thee. (Ezekiel 28:18)

In Isaiah 14, we find that he will be brought down to the “side

of the pit” and that those that “see” him there will “narrowly look
upon” him and will consider the irony that such a helpless criminal
could be the one that destroyed the world and its cities.

They that see thee shall narrowly look upon

thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man
that made the earth to tremble, that did shake
kingdoms. (Isaiah 14:16)

As an apparent statement of justice, they go on to comment

that he “opened not the house of his prisoners.” Isaiah 14:17. There
is no record of them seeing anyone else. And the impact of his
wickedness is spoken of entirely in past tense.
In short, it seems that Satan will be left to suffer for some
significant period of time, apparently appropriately described as
“for ages and ages.” This does not seem entirely unlikely when one
considers:
• That the scapegoat bears the sins of the congregation in the
Day of Atonement
• That there have been an estimated 35 to 70 billion persons
alive since creation
• That if only 1 in 700 of 35 billion were saved at last, that
would be 50 million
• That if the Devil only burned two hours for each of these
persons, that would be 100 million hours. That comes to
4 million days. That amounts to 12,000 years.

While the numbers above are purely speculative, excepting the

estimate of world population which is more like a reasonable
guess, they illustrate well the point. The Devil has significant
suffering awaiting him after all others have been consumed.
And as the last phrase in Revelation 20:9 speaks of the fire
consuming the rest of the wicked, it seems that this contrast in
burning time must be the burden of Revelation 20:10 if it is to be
harmonized with the rest of Scripture.

And they went up on the breadth of the

earth, and compassed the camp of the saints
about, and the beloved city: and fire came down
from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into
the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast
and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented

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 day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation
20:9–10)

In other words, the passage teaches that the fire that comes
down from God and devours the wicked leaves the Devil to suffer
for “ages and ages” after the wicked are no more.
And we recall the evidence that neither of the words translated
“ever” is necessarily indicative of an eternity. Together, in
Revelation 20:10, they should be understood “for ages and ages”:

And the devil that deceived them was cast

into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the
beast and the false prophet are, and shall be
tormented day and night for ages and ages.

And that will be just. Just and true are Thy ways, oh King of
saints.

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 Section III
Questions Regarding the Time

There is a class of men that dig chronology. I can’t relate to them,

but I appreciate their work. They can speak of the correlation of
computer-dated eclipses to the ancient records of the same in the
annals of ancient historians.
And it is thanks to their careful work that we can assign dates
to ancient events. It is thanks to them that we can find reliable
beginning points for the time prophecies of the book of Daniel.
But their careful work has not stopped gainsayers. The
Millerites published a book, still available today, that drew on the
works of chronologers to settle the ancient dates used in the
Millerite preaching. Titled Sacred Chronology, written by
Sylvester Bliss, it is not easy to read. But it is thorough.
In our day, in the Adventist church, questions about time
prophecies usually of a different nature. We seem to want to
reapply prophecies that have been fulfilled in the past and show
how they describe the future.
One thing that Ellen White says indicates that the fulfillment
of the prophecies will explain them:

Those who become confused in their

understanding of the Word, who fail to see the
meaning of antichrist, will surely place themselves
on the side of antichrist. There is no time now for us
to assimilate with the world. Daniel is standing in
his lot and in his place. The prophecies of Daniel
and of John are to be understood. They interpret
each other. They give to the world truths which
every one should understand. These prophecies are
to be witnesses in the world. By their fulfillment in
these last days they will explain themselves. (The
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p.
949)

But other things she said indicate that we might be a little too
anxious to find end-time applications to already fulfilled
prophecies:

There have been one and another who in

studying their Bibles thought they discovered great
108
 light, and new theories, but these have not been
correct. The Scripture is all true, but by misapplying
the Scripture men arrive at wrong conclusions. We
are engaged in a mighty conflict, and it will become
more close and determined as we near the final
struggle. We have a sleepless adversary, and he is
constantly at work upon human minds that have not
had a personal experience in the teachings of the
people of God for the past fifty years. Some will
take the truth applicable to their time and place it in
the future. Events in the train of prophecy that had
their fulfillment away in the past are made future,
and thus by these theories the faith of some is
undermined. (Selected Messages, book 2, p. 102)

This section addresses the prophecies at the end of Daniel 12

—the 1290- and 1335-day periods. This is, doubtless, the most
commonly reinterpreted prophecy of the book of Daniel.
And it also addresses a prophecy spoken of by William Miller,
the 2520-day prophecy. Due particularly to the work of Jeff
Pippenger in our day, this topic has been receiving much attention.
Finally, there is a chapter about the principles that govern the
reapplication and multiple fulfillments of prophecies. The short of
it is that, as noted above, we wouldn’t want to take “events . . .
away in the past” and make them “future.”
Much more could be written on that last point. Speculative
interpretations of a prophecy can be invented in sixty minutes that
may require scores of hours to debunk. And so one can better
avoid being duped by refusing to entertain poorly proven points
than by trying to disprove the same.

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 Chapter Ten
The 1290- and 1335-Day
Prophecies

There was a time when Adventists were mostly united in their

views of how the prophecies of Daniel should be applied. Ellen
was shown something of this early in her career as a messenger:

When union existed, before 1844, nearly all

were united on the correct view of the “daily”; but
in the confusion since 1844, other views have been
embraced, and darkness and confusion have
followed. Time has not been a test since 1844, and
it will never again be a test. (Early Writings, p. 75)

Stephen Haskell read more into this statement than it said.

Long after this was written, when all were again seeing “other
views” being embraced, Haskell reminded the church about this
statement. On the basis of it, he held that new views (such as the
view of William White and others regarding the “daily”) ought to
be abandoned in favor of Miller’s view.
Ellen did not support Stephen in his efforts to support her. As
God’s messenger she refused to be a substitute for Bible study.
And she refrained from giving support to one side or another on an
issue of lesser importance that threatened to divide the brethren.
She explained:

I have words to speak to my brethren east and

west, north and south. I request that my writings
shall not be used as the leading argument to settle
questions over which there is now so much
controversy. I entreat of Elders H, I, J, and others of
our leading brethren, that they make no reference to
my writings to sustain their views of “the daily.”
It has been presented to me that this is not a
subject of vital importance. I am instructed that our
brethren are making a mistake in magnifying the
importance of the difference in the views that are
held. I cannot consent that any of my writings shall
be taken as settling this matter. The true meaning of
“the daily” is not to be made a test question.

110
 I now ask that my ministering brethren shall
not make use of my writings in their arguments
regarding this question [“the daily”]; for I have had
no instruction on the point under discussion, and I
see no need for the controversy. Regarding this
matter under present conditions, silence is
eloquence. (Selected Messages, book 1, p. 164)

There are other views that the brethren were united on in

1844. Their understanding of the 1260-day prophecies and of the
1290- and 1335-day prophecies bore a remarkable similarity to
each other.
But it is not so today.

Various Views
A prominent evangelist has written a book that gives a
futuristic application of the 1290- and 1335-day prophecies. A
televised Sabbath-school program on 3ABN dished out a similarly
future interpretation of these two.
And these two notable examples are only notable for the status
of the teachers. So many others have made similar interpretations
that neither of these two are remarkable for their content.
Common to many schemes of interpretation among Adventists
today is the thought that there indeed has been a historical
fulfillment of these prophecies that can be placed on a time line.
But added to this is the thought that a more important and relevant
fulfillment is yet future.
And so, more than other prophecies, one’s understanding of
the 1290 and 1335 hinges on how one views the question of dual
application in prophetic interpretation.
I am not interested in using Ellen White as a leading argument
in settling the question of the 1290- and 1335-day prophecies. I do
think that we can settle the question well with Scripture, and then
we would do well to heed what she has to say on this topic.

The Prophecies
The final revelation to Daniel is found in Daniel 11 and 12.
There the history of over 2400 years is briefly outlined. The
concluding elements are found in Daniel 12:1–3. These are the
deliverance of God’s people during the time of trouble, the special
resurrection, and the glorification of the saints at the beginning of
their everlasting life.
Then Daniel is ordered to close and seal his messages until the
time of the end:

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and

seal the book, even to the time of the end: many
shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be
increased. (Daniel 12:4)

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 When the scroll is unsealed, when men can finally understand
it, they will move accordingly. They will unroll the scroll and
hasten up and down it to better be able to study its various parts.
And they will, accordingly, come to understand it. Knowledge will
be increased regarding the book of Daniel.
But the book was sealed for the time being. An angel nearby
asked the question that Daniel must have been wondering:

And one said to the man clothed in linen,

which was upon the waters of the river, How
long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
(Daniel 12:6)

Jesus swears in the next verse that it will be at the end, or

accomplishment, of a 1260-day scattering period. This is neither
the first nor the last reference to this same period of time in the
Scriptures. These 1260 prophetic days mark the period in which
the papacy held the position of successor to Babylon, Persia,
Greece, and Rome as master over the known world.
Though the papacy was powerful even in the fourth century,
though she converted many pagan tribes in the fifth, it was not
until the sixth that she mounted the dragon that she is pictured as
riding in Revelation 17. In other words, not until the sixth century
was the papacy in control of a nation. Only then did she become
sovereign in the feudal-like system.
She became a civil power, allowing her to appear in the
empire prophecies of Daniel 7 and 8, when the pope became as a
feudal lord over the Franks in 508. That was the beginning of her
existence as a state.
She became the world’s dominant civil power when she
became feudal lord over the city of Rome and of the Eastern
Roman Empire in 538.
This was her time to rule over God’s people, to war against
them, to drive them (as it were) into the wilderness. And these
ideas—connected with the 1260 days in Daniel 7 and Revelation
12, and Revelation 13—are summarized in Daniel 12:6 as a
scattering of the power of God’s people.
But these things were not understood by the prophet himself.
Like the angel, he wanted to know when the time would come for
the book to be unsealed. And as he had not understood the answer
to the question, he asked again.

And I heard, but I understood not: then said

I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these
things? (Daniel 12:8)

Jesus begins to answer by alluding to the fact that there is a

good reason for Daniel’s inability to comprehend. The vision is not
yet unsealed. Thinking about it will not change this, so Daniel
might as well go about his business.

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 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the
words are closed up and sealed till the time of the
end. (Daniel 12:9)

But this is only the beginning of Jesus’ answer. When the time
of the end comes, Jesus explains, some will participate in a special
work of sanctification. Others will not. And none of the others will
be able to understand the book when it is unsealed. Only the
“wise” sanctified ones will understand.

Many shall be purified, and made white, and

tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and
none of the wicked shall understand; but the
wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:10)

Daniel had asked about the time of the end but hadn’t yet
received any more information about its timing. That information
Jesus gave next. When will the time of the end be?

And from the time that the daily . . . shall be

taken away, and the abomination that maketh
desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two
hundred and ninety days. (Daniel 12:11)

Connect or Speculate
It is ironic that persons do not catch the connection between
verse 11 and verses 8–9. Without the connection, one is left to
speculate regarding the event prophesied to take place at the
conclusion of the 1290. Verse 11 says nothing about what happens
at the close of the period.
It would not be sensible to say, “It will be fourteen days from
the last snow until nothing in particular happens.” But if a
prominent event has been the theme of conversation, and a
knowing person says, “And from the time of the first snow it will
be 14 days,” all would understand that the prominent event would
take place at the conclusion of the 14-day period.
What has been the theme of the seven verses before verse 11?
The book is sealed until the “time of the end” (v. 4); at the end
men, will “understand” the book (v. 5). So how long will it be “to
the end” (v. 6)? The end will be after 1260 days of scattering (v.
7). Daniel asks again regarding “the end” (v. 8). The book is sealed
until “the time of the end” (v. 9). At that point the wise “will
understand” (v. 10).
Emphatically the topic has been the unsealing of Daniel’s
prophecies at “the time of the end.” So when our Lord Jesus says,
“And from the taking away of the daily it will be 1290 days,” we
ought to understand that this is a second way to arrive at the date of
the time of the end.

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Continuity and Papal Diversity
As our pioneers noted, the word “sanctuary” is supplied in
verse 11 as it is repeatedly in Daniel 8 and 11. The Hebrew word
translated “daily” is used 95 times outside the book of Daniel.
Eighty of these occurrences are translated “continual” or
“continually.” Only two are translated “daily.”
When used substantively (that is, as a noun, like in its usage in
the book of Daniel), the closest English equivalent is “continuity.”
Interestingly, in Daniel 7 the fourth beast is said to be
“diverse” from the first three. Daniel asks particularly about the
“diverse” beast. He is told that it will be the fourth kingdom on the
earth. And finally, in the next verse after that, we are told what it is
that makes the Roman beast “diverse.”

. . . and it was diverse from all the beasts

that were before it; and it had ten horns. (Daniel
7:7)

Then I would know the truth of the fourth

beast, which was diverse from all the others; . . .
which stamped the residue [remnant] with his
feet. (Verse 19)

Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the

fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be
diverse from all kingdoms. . . . (Verse 23)

And the ten horns out of this kingdom are

ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise
after them; and he shall be diverse from the first,
and he shall subdue three kings. (Verse 24)

Do you see what makes the beast “diverse?” Look at the last
verse just quoted. It is the little horn that differs from the nations
and kingdoms that preceded it. That diverse little horn, of course,
dominates the rest of the prophecy and much of the book of
Daniel.
So what was it that brought an end to the continuity of empire
successions in Daniel 7? It was the rise of the papacy as a small
civil power. And this happened in 508, as described above when
proto-France became the first subjugated land of this little horn.
Then that little horn shows up again in chapter eight, again taking
away the continuity.
How was the little horn “diverse”? In Daniel 8 it differs from
Persia and Greece in several ways. It had power over God’s people
(v. 10, “even to the host of heaven.”) It magnified itself to equality
with Prince Jesus (v. 11). The truth (v. 12) regarding the sanctuary
(v. 11) was cast down.
In short, the little horn was intent on something more than
secular dominion. It was domineering over the people of God and

114
over the truth. And this is precisely how Daniel 7 characterizes the
little horn in the next verse after v. 24 above. In verse 25 the
people of God are given into the papacy’s power for 1260 days,
and the truth regarding the law is perverted by her.
So we are not surprised to find Daniel 12 referring back to the
little horn’s rise in two stages. In the first stage, a triple-crown
power makes its first national conquest. The diverse little horn
rises. In the second stage, the little horn subdues three others with
the empire’s forces, making them her own, and rises to world
dominion.
From either of these dates men may know the timing of the
“time of the end.” It is 1290 years from the first and 1260 years
from the second. Both bring you to 1798 when, in a perfectly
sensible conclusion to either reckoning, the papacy simultaneously
lost both world dominion and national existence. Rome was made
a republic by the French.
Dating from the first of these events, Jesus continues, you will
find a blessed movement rising after 1798. What do we know
about the movement from Daniel 12:12?

Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the

thousand three hundred and five and thirty
days. (Daniel 12:12)

• We know that the movement is “blessed.”

• We know that the movement is a waiting movement.
• We know that the movement has a time in mind. They are
coming to a date.
• We know the date is 1843 (1335 days plus a 508 start date).
• From the rest of Daniel 12 we know that the movement is
based on an understanding of the book of Daniel opened
in 1798.

So the book of Daniel concludes with a prophecy of the

blessed Advent movement, the only movement rising in response
to an understanding of the book of Daniel to wait for an event in
1843.

The 1843 Event

What event? The Bible does answer this question.
Habakkuk described this same period of time. We find the
Lord referring to some prophecy that could be written on “tables”
and that men should “run” when they can read it. Daniel had
mentioned that men would run to and fro when the book is
unsealed. Habakkuk indicated that the vision had a time prophecy
regarding when it would “speak” or, as Daniel said, be unsealed.

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 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write
the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he
may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an
appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and
not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will
surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul
which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the
just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:2–4)

The prophet was shown that whatever event the blessed

persons were waiting for, it would not happen when they expected
it would. It would appear to “tarry.” And what were they to be
doing? They were to “wait for it” because it would surely come.
Also, the time prophecy would be fulfilled punctually, despite
appearances.
But what were the Daniel 12:12 people waiting for? Paul,
quoting Habakkuk, gives us our final answer.

Cast not away therefore your confidence,

which hath great recompence of reward. For ye
have need of patience, that, after ye have done
the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will
come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live
by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him. (Hebrews 10:35–38)

Taken together, Daniel 12, Habakkuk 2, and Hebrews 10 teach

that a blessed group of persons would study the recently unsealed
book of Daniel, and as a result they would make charts to warn the
world to prepare for Christ’s coming. “He that shall come will
come.”
They would be looking for that coming, says Daniel 12, in
1843.
Why not 1844? The answer is plain. The 1335 days is not
about the event at its termination. No terminating event is even
given in the text. The 1335 is about the blessedness of a movement
that was waiting for Christ’s coming based on an understanding of
Daniel. And what year were the Adventists looking forward to
during the years leading up to 1843? Not 1844, but 1843.

Daniel Removed From His Lot

How sad it is that many persons try to place the 1335-day
prophecy, with the 1290, into the future! If these time prophecies
are in the future, then the book of Daniel is not yet unsealed. Then
the Advent movement was founded on an error. Then we are
robbed of one of the most simple and direct prophecies of the
founding of this great Advent movement. Let it not be.

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 As earlier in the chapter Daniel was told to go on his way
because the book could not yet be understood, so he is told again at
the close.

But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou
shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the
days. (Daniel 12:13)

Daniel has been standing in his portion as teacher since 1798

(the end of the 1290 days) and in his position as being judged by
the books since 1844 (the end of the 2300 days). Though resting
from his labors, his book has been opened. His lifework has been
the lifeblood of a blessed movement. And that is the message of
Revelation 10 and 14, the subjects of some other Bible study some
other time.

Those who become confused in their

understanding of the Word, who fail to see the
meaning of antichrist, will surely place themselves
on the side of antichrist. There is no time now for us
to assimilate with the world. Daniel is standing in
his lot and in his place. The prophecies of Daniel
and of John are to be understood. They interpret
each other. They give to the world truths which
every one should understand. These prophecies are
to be witnesses in the world. By their fulfillment in
these last days they will explain themselves. (The
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p.
949)

“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the

thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt
rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days”
[Daniel 12:12–13]. Daniel has been standing in his
lot since the seal was removed and the light of truth
has been shining upon his visions. He stands in his
lot, bearing the testimony which was to be
understood at the end of the days. (Sermons and
Talks, vol. 1, p. 226)

A careful consideration of the latter of these two statements by

Ellen White will show that she placed the “end of the days” of the
1290 and 1335 in her past. That was sensible. It still is, even if it
isn’t the leading argument in interpreting this passage.
As Daniel stands teaching on earth and stands in judgment in
heaven, so do we. Our message should be like his that our
judgment may be like his also.

But What About Those Who Say It Is Future?

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 Just this morning, while editing this book, I received yet
another emailed study that suggests that these prophecies are literal
time periods in the future. Eventually I concluded (though I never
verified this conclusion) that the study was authored by someone
who had read Daniel, by Kenneth Cox.
While visiting A.S.I. in Phoenix, I purchased a copy of Cox’s
book. I had heard that it presented a futuristic interpretation of
Daniel 12, but I had never verified it for myself.
On page 155 of the book is a chart of a most disturbing nature.
It shows the three time periods of Daniel 12, the 1260-, 1290-, and
1335-day periods, as each beginning at the setting up of the
“National Sunday Law Abomination of Desolation.”
According to the chart, three and a half years later will bring
us to the close of human probation. And one month after that, the
death-sentence will be decreed against us. Then, just over six
weeks later, Jesus will return.
One great irony of the book is that it repeatedly speaks of
1798 as the “time of the end.” It correctly teaches that the book of
Daniel was unsealed at this time. But I will have to try to ask
Brother Cox how he arrives at this date for the “time of the end.”
Why would I ask this question? Because Adventists got this
idea from Daniel 12. It was our understanding of the 1260-day
prophecy as leading up to the “end” that led us to our conclusion.
This is an important point. The placing of the Daniel 12
“1260” into the future removes all scriptural basis for associating
the date 1798 with the phrase “time of the end.” And as Ellen
White makes it clear that our pioneers were correct in saying that
Daniel was unsealed at that time, we would be amiss to say that
she doesn’t weigh in on the question, “Is the 1260 days of Daniel
12 future?”
But there is more. As one of his primary arguments, Cox
discusses the various words Daniel uses for time prophecies in the
book of Daniel. He reasons that since the Hebrew word for “day”
is used only literally in Daniel 1–10, we ought to understand it
literally in Daniel 12.
Ironically, on page 88 of the same book, Cox correctly
explains that “God has given a rule in Bible prophecy that a day
represents one year.” Then, as evidence, he refers the reader to
Number 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6. Here is the irony: These two
passages use the very same word for “day” as does Daniel 12.
Aside, however, from these two inconsistencies between the
good material in most of the book and that troubling chapter at the
end, there is a larger issue. How do we relate to the plain
statements of Inspiration?

Our position has been one of waiting and

watching, with no time-proclamation to intervene
between the close of the prophetic periods in 1844
and the time of our Lord’s coming. (Last Day
Events, p. 36)

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 Should we advance in spiritual knowledge, we
would see the truth developing and expanding in
lines of which we have little dreamed, but it will
never develop in any line that will lead us to
imagine that we may know the times and the
seasons which the Father hath put in His own
power. Again and again have I been warned in
regard to time setting. There will never again be a
message for the people of God that will be based on
time. We are not to know the definite time either for
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit or for the coming
of Christ. (Selected Messages, book 1, p. 188)

This last statement addresses the often-abused truth regarding

new light. Should we expect new light? The Spirit affirms, “Yes.”
Is that an open-season for each and every new idea to be given a
full hearing? The Spirit denies that it is so.
Some persons have noted that Daniel 12 is couched in literal
words; therefore, they have claimed that the prophecies in it must
be literal prophecies. But this is faulty. In Daniel 7, the time
prophecy is found not in the symbolic section of the chapter but in
the section that is explaining the symbols.
The time prophecies in Daniel 12 are likewise found in the
explanatory section of the Daniel 11–12 prophecy. And the “daily”
and the “abomination” in Daniel 12 are, in fact, symbols.

Conclusion
Daniel 12:4–12 is a prophecy of the middle-age rise and fall of
the papacy and the Advent movement that followed. It is true that
there will be another bout of persecution. There will be another
gathering of the remnant. But Ellen White’s comparison of the
Sunday law to the destruction of Jerusalem is no reason to find in
every prophecy of an abomination that desolates a prophecy of a
Sunday law.
This idea is further developed in the next chapter of this book.

Now think this through: Why do we think that if someone has

done a lot of research and collected a lot of reasons and seems
sweet and nice, that they must be right? Have we forgotten how
difficult it was for our pioneers to come together in thought? And
our logic and study and prayerfulness and experience in digging
truth out of Scripture pales next to theirs.
In view of that, it should not offend one of us to be accused of
being very wrong in our conclusions. Better men than we were
indeed very wrong 160 years ago. May we grow brighter in our
research.

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 Chapter Eleven
The Seven Times or the 2520-
Year Prophecy

I have, on the wall in my study, a facsimile of one of the more

prominent Millerite charts. For more than fifteen years I have been
interested in this chart and particularly in the more obscure
portions of it. I might have been about to leave my teen years when
I first realized that Miller and others taught about a time period that
was 2520 years long.
This chapter will survey the early Adventist teaching on the
2520-year prophecy and will then offer several Biblical
observations to those interested in understanding what the Bible
teaches in regard to the 2520.

Historical Survey
For those that are not familiar with the facts of this case,
Miller believed that there were two 1260-year periods that,
together, made a 2520-year period. (2520 is 7 times 360—seven
prophetic years.) One of these 1260-year periods is familiar to
Adventists. It began in 538 and ended in 1798. It was the period of
papal civil supremacy mentioned earlier in the chapters on the
mark of the beast and on the last verses of Daniel 12.
The other is less familiar. It is what Miller believe to be the
“times of the Gentiles.” Luke 21:24. He understood this to be the
first of the two 1260-year periods brought to view in Revelation
11. And he thought this to be the one pictured in Daniel 12.
For the timing of this first 1260-year period he took 677 BC as
the beginning of the Jewish captivity under Assyria-Babylon and
brought this forward 1215 years to 538 AD. Then he added 45
years of non-Catholic Roman (European) control of Jerusalem to
1798 and came to 1843.22
One of the most interesting features of this period, as Miller
understood it, was that it coincided with the jubilee release and
with the 6000th year23 of the earth’s existence.
22
Later, presumably 1214 and 46 were added to reach 1844, though I find no reference to
the 2520 or the two 1260’s during that incredible movement that we call the Midnight Cry, the
seventh-month movement. In fact, Miller’s most thorough discussion of the 2520 is found in his
“Lecture 17”, first published in 1836. Other more succinct references can be found in his
“Trilogy” and in his “Reply to Stuart” and in a commentary on “Ezekiel 39.”
23
He differed from Usher on this point, arguing that Usher and others missed about 150
years during the time of the judges.

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 Miller opposed, on solid grounds, those persons who looked
for a rebuilt Jerusalem as a fulfillment of covenant promises. He
argued that Christ’s coming to reign on the throne of David would
be the event of the jubilee that would free the Jews from their 2520
years of bondage under a succession of five great world empires.
Thus, he taught, the Jews would be freed from bondage at Christ’s
return after more than two millennia under bondage to other
nations.
James White later quoted the Advent Shield, an early Millerite
paper, to show that Sabbath-keeping Adventists were justified in
holding to the original Millerite dates while other Adventists were
setting new and untried dates.
The paragraphs that he quoted from the Advent Shield
included a passing reference to the 2520 and to the “Great Jubilee”
(the 2450-year prophecy alluded to above, 49 x 50 years) showing
that both terminated in 1844.
These same paragraphs from the early Advent Shield were
quoted by Seventh-day Adventists no less than seven times, three
during the first year of publication of the Sabbath Herald, two
during the first year of publication of the Review and Herald, and
two during the tenth year of the Review and Herald.
The seven-year prophetic period of Jewish captivity Miller
found in several Bible passages. He found it in Leviticus 26. He
found it also in Deuteronomy 15, figured under the “seven year”
release, the Sabbatical year. He found it also, albeit in typological
fashion, in the story of Nebuchadnezzar’s grass-eating period. And
he found it also in an obscure interpretation of Ezekiel 39:9.24

Seventh-day Adventism on Miller

When Adventism was splintering, the Sabbath-keeping portion
held to more of Miller’s original teaching than any other branch.
They held to Daniel 2, 7, 8 and 9 as taught by Miller. They adopted
his understanding, though slightly refined, of the latter portion of
Daniel 12 and more or less to his understanding of large portions
of Daniel 11.
But we didn’t follow Miller on Leviticus 26. That is why you
never grew up hearing about the 2520-year time prophecy.
Hiram Edson did make a stab at reinterpreting the 2520 in a
way that could fit with Adventism. (For it was clear that Christ did
not, in 1844, bring an end to the Jewish captivity—Miller’s
expectation.) Edson’s article was printed, at the request of James
White, before it had been “matured.” It was long, nearly 30,000
words. That is 47 single-spaced sheets of typing paper.

24
A chief problem with the incidence in Ezekiel is that it finds the fulfillment of a prophecy
of a future war and post war clean-up beginning so early that the war is ended and the clean-up is
ongoing for decades before Ezekiel ever makes the prophetic prediction. Presumably this is why
the 2300 days never show up in Revelation while the 1260-day prophecy does. If one thinks this
through, he will also see that it is an argument against Miller’s understanding of Revelation 11:2
as well.

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 Edson differed from Miller significantly in that he dated the
2520 from 723 BC rather than from 677. The earlier date of Edson
was based on the captivity of the ten tribes and extended to 1798.
In Edson’s view, then, the first 1260 years were finished inclusive
at the commencement of the second 1260-year period. Thus it was
the Christian church, not the Jews, that were released in 1798.
Edson’s article, in all fairness to him, was nothing like a
statement of what the pioneers believed either before its
publication or at its publication. It was the result of his personal
investigation, and he presented it with a request for his brethren to
evaluate whether or not it would be useful.

As I have not time at present to mature the

subject, I send you a portion of the broken,
unmatured ideas as they are. I do not ask that they
now go out as adopted or sanctioned by the Review,
but merely for the examination and inspection of
the brethren; and if the subject by them be judged to
be of service to the church and worthy of further
investigation, then it may hereafter be revised,
improved, and carried out in its further bearing and
extent. (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald,
January 3, 1856)

Much of Edson’s article25 was a response to the First-day

Adventists’ attempts to find in prophecy an allusion to an “age to
come” of peace and prosperity on the earth, especially for the
Jews.
For the most part, it was these Sunday-keeping Adventists
who held to much of Miller’s teaching on the 2520. They expected
an “age to come” at the conclusion of that time that would bring an
end to the Jewish captivity and would see a renewed Jewish state.
Uriah Smith addressed these expectations in the appendix of
Daniel and Revelation, pp 784–785:

THE “SEVEN TIMES” OF LEVITICUS 26

Almost every scheme of the “Plan of the
Ages,” “Age-to-come,” etc., makes use of a
supposed prophetic period called the “Seven
25
The article takes a number of unfamiliar positions. Among them: Revelation 17 was
fulfilled between 1798 and 1844, the eighth head being the short-lived dynasty of Napoleon. This
dynasty is the “scarlet” colored beast. The ten horns are the powers that surrendered to Napoleon.
He teaches that the mountain of the Lord’s house in Isaiah 2 and Micah 4 is the United States. He
teaches that the two questions in Daniel 8:13 have different answers, one a reference to the 2300
days, the other to the 2520 (or second 1260). He teaches that the hidden mistake in the ’44 chart
was the timing of the 2520. He gives a spiritualized interpretation to Ezekiel 37-39 that is
fascinating. The “coming” of the “Ancient of Days” in Daniel 7 he finds, not in the 1844 judgment
scene but in the 1798 judgments on the Roman Catholic church. He teaches that the time
prophecies in Revelation were also sealed like those of Daniel until 1798. Some of these positions
have merit enough to warrant investigation. It does not appear that even one of them was adopted
by any other of the pioneers, nor were any of them ever mentioned in writing a second time by
Edson.

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Times”; and the attempt is made to figure out a
remarkable fulfillment by events in Jewish and
Gentile history. All such speculators might as well
spare their pains; for there is no such prophetic
period in the Bible.
The term is taken from Leviticus 26, where the
Lord denounces judgments against the Jews, if they
shall forsake him. After mentioning a long list of
calamities down to verse 17, the Lord says: “And if
ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I
will punish you seven times more for your sins.”
Verse 18. Verses 19 and 20 enumerate the
additional judgments, then it is added in verse 21:
“And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not
hearken unto me: I will bring seven times more
plagues upon you according to your sins.” More
judgments are enumerated, and then in verses 23
and 24 the threatening is repeated: “And if ye will
not be reformed by me these things, but will walk
contrary unto me; then will I also walk contrary
unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for
your sins.” In verse 28 it is repeated again.
Thus the expression occurs four times, and
each succeeding mention brings to view severer
punishments, because the preceding ones were not
heeded. Now, if “seven times” denotes a prophetic
period (2520 years), then we would have four of
them, amounting in all to 10,080 years, which
would be rather a long time to keep a nation under
chastisement.
But we need borrow no trouble on this score;
for the expression “seven times” does not denote a
period of duration, but is simply an adverb
expressing degree, and setting forth the severity of
the judgments to be brought upon Israel.
If it denoted a period of time, a noun and its
adjective would be used, as in Daniel 4:16: “Let
seven times pass over him.” Here we have the noun
(times) and adjective (seven): thus, sheba iddan; but
in the passages quoted above from Leviticus 26, the
words “seven times” are simply the adverb sheba,
which means “sevenfold.” The Septuagint makes
the same distinction, using [the noun in] Daniel
4:16, etc., but in Leviticus simply the adverb.
The expression in Daniel 4:16 is not prophetic,
for it is used in plain, literal narration. (See verse
25.)

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 Besides these references to Miller, Edson, the Advent Herald,
and Smith, one other pioneer early after the disappointment
mentioned the 2520 period—Joseph Bates.
In his 1847 Second Advent Waymarks and High Heaps, Bates
recounts how it came as a shock to Adventists that they and their
critics had somehow missed the fact that the periods (2520, 2450,
6000, 2300) would be fulfilled in 1844, not 1843. This he recounts
under the head of his second of seven “waymarks.”
Then, after the seventh waymark, Bates confronts Miller’s
view that the “mystery of God” is the resurrection. Bates
comments cogently that if that was the mystery that was to be
finished, it would not be finished until after the 1000 years. Bates
argues rather that the mystery of God refers to the time of
redemption and probation that had closed in 1844. Under this
understanding the “times of the Gentiles” were the times of Gentile
probation that closed in 1844. Bates makes no reference to a
change or end to captivity in 1844.
In the 1860s, Joshua Himes recommended First-day
Adventists to read the work of one Dr. Schmeal. The doctor found
that the world would end in 1868 at the conclusion of the 2520-
year prophecy, dated from a different captivity than that chosen by
Miller or Edson. The Review and Herald mentioned this simply to
refute it.

Conclusion of the Historical Survey

Miller early published a series of lectures that discussed what
he believed to be every time prophecy in the Scriptures and the
fulfillment of each. Believing the “seven times” of Leviticus 26 to
be a time prophecy, he wrote about it.
Millerite charts of the time prophecies included, originally,
references to the 2520 period.
As the movement approached October 22, 1844, preaching on
Daniel 8 took precedence over other time prophecies. The
disappointment led to a splintering of views of the time prophecies.
Sabbath-keeping Adventists continued to emphasize Daniel 8
(making more than 2,000 references to the 2,300 days in the 2005
edition of the Adventist Pioneer Library CD-ROM).
But the only Sabbath-keeping Adventists pioneers who ever
wrote about the 2520 directly were Bates, Edson, and Smith. The
first used the 2520 as evidence that probation had closed. The
second suggested a changing of the dates on the chart to terminate
in 1798, and the third argued that the 2520 was not an actual time
prophecy at all. None of the three taught Miller’s view of the
prophecy.
Smith’s view became standard and no one after him ever
published another allusion to the 2520 as a legitimate prophecy.

The Bible Study

The Old-Testament time prophecies that are familiar to
Seventh-day Adventists are clearly time prophecies.

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 There are “2300 days,” literally, “2300 evenings and
mornings.”
There are “1260 days” and “1290 days” and a coming to the
“1335th day”.
There is a “time, times, and half a time” and “time, times and
a half.”
And the phrase “seven times” appears in 33 passages.
Additionally, the phrase “seven years” appears in 40 passages. I
was interested in Smith’s argument that the “seven times” of
Leviticus 26 differed significantly from the “seven times” of
Daniel 4. Here is what I found:
When the Bible writers want to say “seven years” they use two
words—sheba26 for seven and shanah for years. This pattern is
100% consistent in the Old Testament for all 39 Old-Testament
instances of “seven years.”27
And when the writers want to say “seven times” to express so
many years, they use two words—sheba for “seven” and iddan for
“times.”

Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let

a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let
seven [sheba] times [iddan] pass over him. (Daniel
4:16)

And whereas the king saw a watcher and an

holy one coming down from heaven, and saying,
Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the
stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with
a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of
the field; and let it be wet with the dew of
heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of
the field, till seven [sheba] times [iddan] pass over him.
(Daniel 4:23)

That they shall drive thee from men, and thy

dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and
they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and
they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and
seven [sheba] times [iddan] shall pass over thee, till
thou know that the most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he
will. (Daniel 4:25)

26
Shibah is the Aramaic form; sheba is the Hebrew form. For the sake of simplification, we
are consistently using the Hebrew form of the word.
27
The references for you to check in your concordance are: Genesis 5:7, 25, 31; 11:21;
25:17; 29:18, 20; 41:26, 27, 29, 30, 36, 48, 53, 54; 47:28; Exodus 6:16, 20; Leviticus 25:8;
Numbers 13:22; Deuteronomy 15:1; 31:10; Judges 6:1, 25; 12:9; 2 Samuel 2:11; 5:5; 24:13;
1 Kings 2:11; 6:38; 2 Kings 8:1, 2, 3; 11:21; 1 Chronicles 3:4; 29:27; 2 Chronicles 24:1; Jeremiah
34:14; Ezekiel 39:9.

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 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy
dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they
shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and
seven [sheba] times [iddan] shall pass over thee, until
thou know that the most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he
will. (Daniel 4:32)

Further, the words iddan and mowed are sufficient to indicate

a year without the help of a number.

. . . and they shall be given into his hand

until a time [iddan] and times [iddan] and the dividing
of time [iddan]. (Daniel 7:25)

And I heard the man clothed in linen, . . .

sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be
for a time [mowed], times [mowed], and an half. . . .
(Daniel 12:7)

Finally, when the writers wish to express seven degrees of

intensity, seven occurrences, or any such use of seven that might
be translated “seven times” the writers typically use two words,
sheba for “seven” and paam for “times.”
For examples, see Genesis 33:3; Leviticus 4:6, 17; 8:11; 14:7,
16, 27, 51; 16:14, 19; 25:8; Numbers 19:4; Joshua 6:4, 15; 1 Kings
18:43; 2 Kings 4:35; 5:10, 14.
Aside from the passages above, the phrase “seven times”
appears only in five other passages. One of these is Leviticus 26.
In none of those other four passages is the phrase a reference
to seven periods of time. The passages are:

The words of the LORD are pure words: as

silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times [<shibathayim>]. (Psalm 12:6)

Seven times [sheba] a day do I praise thee

because of thy righteous judgments. (Psalm
119:164)

For a just man falleth seven times [sheba], and

riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into
mischief. (Proverbs 24:16)

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and

the form of his visage was changed against
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he
spake, and commanded that they should heat the
furnace one seven times [sheba] more than it was
wont to be heated. (Daniel 3:19)

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 Leviticus 26 is the only other place in Scripture that translates
the Hebrew phrases in these four verses as “seven times.” So the
following verses fill out the remaining Old-Testament uses of the
phrase “seven times.”

And if ye will not yet for all this hearken

unto me, then I will punish you seven times [sheba]
more for your sins. (Leviticus 26:18)

And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will

not hearken unto me; I will bring seven
times [sheba] more plagues upon you according to
your sins. (Leviticus 26:21)

Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and

will punish you yet seven times [sheba] for your
sins. (Leviticus 26:24)

Then I will walk contrary unto you also in

fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven
times [sheba] for your sins. (Leviticus 26:28)

Conclusion Regarding the Phrase

There is no evidence that I can see in Scripture that the
number seven (or any adverbial number) has even been used
substantively (that is, as a noun) to indicate seven periods of time.
There is abundant evidence that when seven periods of time are
intended, the number is used with a noun to indicate the fact.
And there is evidence outside of Leviticus 26 that when seven
is used without a noun that it refers to intensity or completeness.
There may even be “seven times” in “one day” of David or in one
life of a “just man” or in one cycle of purifications in a furnace.
And when time is indicated by one word, it is by a word for
“time” rather than by a number. So we find in Daniel 7:25 and
12:7.
So of the pioneers that wrote about Leviticus 26—Bates,
Edson, and Smith—the latter appears to be closer to right than the
others.
And we can’t fault Miller for not noticing these things. A
Cruden’s Concordance, such as he used, does not differentiate
between “seven times” as seven time periods and “seven times” as
seven repetitions or degrees of intensity.
But as of yet, we haven’t even begun to study the content of
Leviticus 26.

Leviticus 26
The chapter begins with one of the most beautiful summaries
of the covenant made with Abraham, the covenant that we call the
new covenant today.

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 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven
image, neither rear you up a standing image,
neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your
land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD
your God. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and
reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
(Leviticus 26:1–2)

God reminds Israel of their obligations to the second and

fourth commandments, the very commandments that contain the
gospel content in the Decalogue, the very ones altered by the
papacy. To a reminder of these precepts God adds “and reverence
my sanctuary.”
Here are focal truths for our age. Many distracting and side
issues often claim our attention, but these deserve the attention that
the side issues claim.
And in the symbolic economy of the Jews, giving attention to
these things, walking in God’s statues and in accordance with His
commandments, brings rain in due season and a fruitful harvest. It
is easy to perceive which kind of rain and which kind of fruitful
harvest the church should look forward to today in response to the
same conditions of faithfulness.

If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my

commandments, and do them; then I will give
you rain in due season, and the land shall yield
her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield
their fruit. (Leviticus 26:3–4)

What God promised was an Old-Testament blessing of always

fresh produce. The two harvests would each last for months, food
would be in abundance, and Israel would be safe. They would not,
however, be passive. Their dominions would grow by unnatural
victories, five persons putting 100 to flight.

And your threshing shall reach unto the

vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the
sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the
full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will
give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and
none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil
beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go
through your land. And ye shall chase your
enemies, and they shall fall before you by the
sword. And five of you shall chase an hundred,
and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to
flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by
the sword. (Leviticus 26:5–8)

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 From this promise as much as from the story of Gideon we are
taught that God can accomplish His purposes through many or by
few.
The summary of the blessing is found in verses 9 through 13.
God promises that they will be pressured to eat their stored food
just to make room for the new. God would “respect” them, and for
the same reason that He had respect to Abel’s offering. What is
more, God would dwell with them.

For I will have respect unto you, and make

you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my
covenant with you. And ye shall eat old store,
and bring forth the old because of the new. And I
will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul
shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you,
and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
I am the LORD your God, which brought you
forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not
be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands
of your yoke, and made you go upright.
(Leviticus 26:9–13)

Following these wonderful promises, we find a solemn

denunciation, and after that, a gospel promise that was claimed by
the prophet Daniel.

The Denunciation

But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will

not do all these commandments; and if ye shall
despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my
judgments, so that ye will not do all my
commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint
over you terror, consumption, and the burning
ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause
sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in
vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set
my face against you, and ye shall be slain before
your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over
you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.
(Leviticus 26:14–17)

Note the (seven) items included in the denunciation:

• Appointed terror;
• Consumption;
• The burning “ague” that destroys the eyes and brings
misery;

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 • Harvests eaten by enemies;
• Death in battle;
• Under hated and hating rulers; and
• Running when no one is chasing.

These items are promised before the first “seven” in verse 18.
The harvest thefts remind us of Gideon. The running when no one
is chasing reminds us of the armies in the time of Saul. Hated
rulers are a theme of the book of Judges.

And if ye will not yet for all this hearken

unto me, then I will punish you seven times more
for your sins. (Leviticus 26:18)

The threat of verse 18 is for refusing to be reformed by the

judgments listed above. A man that will not be reformed must
needs be more thoroughly disciplined. The further discipline
continues:

And I will break the pride of your power;

and I will make your heaven as iron, and your
earth as brass: and your strength shall be spent
in vain: for your land shall not yield her
increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield
their fruits. (Leviticus 26:19–20)

This part of the curse sounds like that of Deuteronomy 28,

especially verses 23–24.
And what if Israel does not respond to these events, God’s
communication? He says that He will bring “seven [times] more
plagues.” This is why, and for reasons noted below, that Uriah
Smith understood these periods to be successive.
But before we get that point, observe the last part of verse 21.

And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will

not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times
more plagues upon you according to your sins.

The curse foretold by the term seven is not only finite, it is

proportional to the sins of the people. Items of the curse already
listed can be like that. A famine appropriate to the rebellion, a
captivity commensurate with the evil, a military loss as the result
unfaithfulness—all can be “upon you according to your sins.”
But what about 2520 years that span two different bodies of
God’s people? Did God threaten a certain generation that if it
would not hearken it would receive a punishment of a captivities
lasting more than 2,000 years?
The Ten Commandments speak of a visitation of sins to the
third and fourth generation. That kind of visitation is apparent in

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the captivity that followed Hezekiah and in the one that followed
Josiah. But it is God’s mercies that extend to a “thousand
generations.” Deuteronomy 7:9.
In addition to the “seven times more plagues” of verse
21, God added, “I will also send wild beasts among you, . . . and
your high ways shall be desolate.” (Verse 22) The word “also”
gives credit to Smith’s reasoning. What is the “also” referring back
to? The last item prior is the “seven times more plagues.”
And it becomes clearer. Continuing from the word “desolate.”

And if ye will not be reformed by me by

these things, but will walk contrary unto me;
then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will
punish you yet seven times for your sins.
(Leviticus 26:23–24)

What are the “these things” of verse 23? They can be no other
than the curses of verse 22 that began with “I will also.” The word
“yet” is but another indicator of a chronologically connected
discourse.
The next step in the disaster includes pestilence that helps
break up the defenses of a besieged and starving city. And a refusal
to respond to this curse is followed up with words that were
fulfilled as least twice in Jewish history.

And if ye will not for all this hearken unto

me, but walk contrary unto me; then I will walk
contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will
chastise you seven times for your sins. And ye
shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of
your daughters shall ye eat. (Leviticus 26:27–29)

But the easiest fulfillment of the Leviticus 26 curses to

pinpoint is that of verses 34–35:

Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as

long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your
enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and
enjoy her sabbaths. As long as it lieth desolate it
shall rest; because it did not rest in your
sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.

This was fulfilled, indeed as Miller understood, during the

Babylonian captivity.

To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth

of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her
sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept
sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
(2 Chronicles 36:21)

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 Four more verses of curses (36–39) are followed by a
wonderful promise:

If they shall confess their iniquity, and the

iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass
which they trespassed against me, and that also
they have walked contrary unto me; and that I
also have walked contrary unto them, and have
brought them into the land of their enemies; if
then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and
they then accept of the punishment of their
iniquity: then will I remember my covenant with
Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also
my covenant with Abraham will I remember;
and I will remember the land. The land also shall
be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths,
while she lieth desolate without them: and they
shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
because, even because they despised my
judgments, and because their soul abhorred my
statutes. And yet for all that, when they be in the
land of their enemies, I will not cast them away,
neither will I abhor them, to destroy them
utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for
I am the LORD their God. But I will for their
sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors,
whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in
the sight of the heathen, that I might be their
God: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 26:40–45)

This was the promise that formed, with the prayer of Solomon,
the basis of Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9. His prayer was one of
acceptance. He acknowledged the fairness of the sentence of
captivity in light of his sins and of those of his fathers. And he
asked for a reprieve. He had been studying the 70-year captivity
mentioned by Jeremiah.
Think, dear reader. Would Daniel have been encouraged by
the approaching end of the 70-year captivity if he thought that the
promise he was claiming from Leviticus 26 was connected to a
2520-year captivity?
We have praying to do, judgments to accept, sins to confess,
and promises to claim. We have truth to proclaim. But Daniel
wouldn’t join us in proclaiming the “2520.”

Conclusion
The pioneers became right. As they studied during the
formative years of 1833 to 1863 many of their ideas changed.
From the timing of Sabbath to the timing of the 2300 days, from
the identification of the two-horned beast, to that of the scarlet
beast, from the shut door of probation to the shut door of the holy

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place, the pioneers were learning. Their publications show it to be
so. They were glad to admit.
It is ironic that we have picked up a teaching that they, for
good reason, were dropping. We would do well to leave it where
the first pioneer to ever really examine the source of the 2520-day
prophecy left it. That was Uriah Smith.
There are many other teachings that the pioneers were picking
up when they were putting this one down. These deserve more of
our study: the seal of God, the mark of the beast, the message to
Laodicea, the third angel’s message, and righteousness by faith.
Amen.

Post-Conclusion Questions
What if the “seven” items or repetitions are years? If one
assumes, despite the evidence, that the passages in Leviticus do
refer to years, however, there is no reason to read them as more or
less than literal years. The other blessings and curses in the chapter
are manifestly literal.
And we could ask ourselves, were there several “seven-year”
periods of catastrophe in the history of Israel that were the result of
wrong doing? There were.

And the children of Israel did evil in the

sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them
into the hand of Midian seven years. (Judges 6:1)

Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose

son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go
thou and thine household, and sojourn
wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD
hath called for a famine; and it shall also come
upon the land seven years. (2 Kings 8:1)

A third incident could have occurred during the reign of David

if he had chosen it from a list of terrible alternatives.

So Gad came to David, and told him, and

said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come
unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three
months before thine enemies, while they pursue
thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in
thy land? now advise, and see what answer I
shall return to him that sent me. (2 Samuel
24:13)

In summary, if Leviticus 26 is read literally, as Adventist

standard principles of prophetic interpretation would require, and if
we understand “seven” in the chapter to mean “seven years” then
we could find in the days of the judges and of the prophets several
fulfillments of the prophecy.

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 What about Ellen White’s Endorsement of the
1843 Chart? One Jeff Pippenger has long taught that the “glorious
land” of Daniel 11 is the United States. He was reasonably
enthused, therefore, when he found that Hiram Edson had taught
the same thing in a long article.
That article is the one mentioned earlier in this chapter that
also addressed a “2520-year prophecy” that had been the subject of
several lectures by William Miller.
Jeff has now been teaching about the 2520 for several years
and has been making frequent references to Edson’s article. And
he has reasoned that Ellen White’s endorsement of the 1843 chart
(which includes a reference to the 2520) is sufficient reason to
have confidence in the 2520 prophecy.
Ellen White never mentioned the prophecy, but as she did
indeed more than once endorse the prophetic charts that included
that prophecy, I think something ought to be said about these
endorsements.

I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by

the hand of the Lord, and that it should not be
altered; that the figures were as He wanted them;
that His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of
the figures, so that none could see it, until His hand
was removed. (Early Writings, p. 74)

I saw that the truth should be made plain upon

tables, that the earth and the fullness thereof is the
Lord’s, and that necessary means should not be
spared to make it plain. I saw that the old chart was
directed by the Lord, and that not a figure of it
should be altered except by inspiration. I saw that
the figures of the chart were as God would have
them, and that His hand was over and hid a mistake
in some of the figures, so that none should see it till
His hand was removed. (Spalding and Magan’s
Unpublished Manuscript Testimonies by Ellen G.
White, p. 1)

What can be confidently stated from the endorsements is that

God intended that the charts would be made, would be used, and
would be a continual source of instruction to Adventists, even long
after 1844.
And more than this, we can confidently gather from the
endorsements that no one should be searching for new dates to
fulfill the 2300-day prophecy (as first-day Adventists did when
they expected the prophecy to end in 1845, 1846, 1848, 1851, etc.).
The figures in the chart were as “God would have them.”
Hiram Edson thought the hidden “mistake” was the figures
regarding the 2520, but the endorsement that said not a figure

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should be changed without special revelation has been made to say
something more than it does, namely that every element of the
chart is accurate.
This is a gentle protest against that conclusion. One of my
favorite pioneers, Stephen Haskell, made a similar mistake in
regard to the endorsement Ellen White made of the pioneer view of
the “daily.” He thought that a plain reading of an early statement in
Early Writings ought to settle the issue of the definition of the
“daily.” But Ellen White protested against this idea. She indicated
that he was reading into the statement more than she was intending
to communicate.
So if Brother Pippenger has made a similar mistake in value
judgment as Stephen Haskell, I would not take him to task
regarding it. But I would offer some helpful thoughts.
Ellen White made another endorsement the history of which
illustrates the point that broad endorsements should not be taken as
recommending all details of a publication.

I believe the Sanctuary, to be cleansed at the

end of the 2300 days, is the New Jerusalem Temple,
of which Christ is a minister. The Lord shew me in
vision, more than one year ago, that Brother
Crosier had the true light, on the cleansing of the
Sanctuary, &c; and that it was his will, that Brother
C. should write out the view which he gave us in the
Day-Star, Extra, February 7, 1846. I feel fully
authorized by the Lord, to recommend that Extra, to
every saint. (A Word to the Little Flock, p. 12)

That article by Crosier addressed the issue of the transition

between the holy place ministry and the most holy place ministry
of Jesus. It placed the beginning of the seventh trumpet in the
seventh month (Jewish) of 1844.

The opinion generally obtains that the seventh

trumpet ushers in the Age to come. The first thing
upon its sounding are “great voices saying, The
kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of
our Lord and of his Christ.” These voices must be
heard in the world in which those kingdoms are. It
is also evident that the kingdoms sustain a different
relation to God at the time these voices are heard,
from what they did before the 7th trumpet sounded.
The declaration, “He shall reign forever and ever;”
and the humble expression of thanks from the four
and twenty elders, (a symbol of the whole church),
“Because thou hast taken to thee thy great power
and hast reigned,” shows that at that time he began
to reign in a special sense. Such voices have been
heard since the seventh month ’44, and produced

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 the effects here described, deep humiliation and
profound gratitude. This change of the relation of
the kingdoms of this world to Christ, is the same as
making his enemies his footstool, (Hebrews 10:13)
which event was expected by him while he set at the
right hand of the Father fulfilling the daily
ministration. vs. 11,12. (O. R. L. Crosier, The Day
Star, Extra, February 7, 1846.)

Rather than arguing that Crosier was right or wrong, I would

like to do a simple deduction. If Crosier is wrong in this point, then
we cannot take Ellen White’s endorsement of his “true light”
regarding “the sanctuary” as evidence that every point was correct.
And if Crosier is right on this point, then the seventh trumpet
began to sound in 1844 (and not in 2001, as per Brother
Pippenger).
But all we need to recognize is that God recommends persons
and their ministry without conferring on them or their works a sort
of infallibility. And such a recommendation has been made
regarding what Ellen called the “old” chart.
During Ellen White’s lifetime—in fact, for fifty plus years of
her lifetime (1861 to 1915)—the charts were reprinted without a
reference to the 2520-year prophecy, and never was the adaption of
the chart to drop this point commented on. While this admittedly
proves nothing, it does indicate something regarding how the
pioneers understood Ellen White’s endorsement of the chart.

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 Chapter Twelve
Reapplications and Multiple
Fulfillments and the Story Line

If the church divides nicely into the categories of “interested in

prophecy” and “not interested in prophecy,” the “interested” class
divides in a less friendly way over the issue of this chapter.
Generally, Adventists recognize that there is a historical
application to the prophecies in Daniel 8, 11, 12 and in Revelation
6, 8, 9, 11 and in Matthew 24 (and its parallels in Mark 13 and
Luke 21).
Agreement unravels, however, when the question is asked,
“Will the portions of these prophecies that were fulfilled in the past
be fulfilled again?”
The “daily” and an “abomination of desolation” are the
subjects of Daniel 8, 11, 12 and of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke
21. And it is in regard to these symbols and the story line around
them that most of the questions exist today. Other questions
regarding the seals and trumpets of Revelation are only a little less
common.
The writings of Ellen White figure largely into this discussion.
If there is one treasure to be gleaned from these discussions it
is a thorough testing of our principle of prophetic interpretation
and particularly in testing our ideas for regarding how to best
understand Ellen White’s writings.
Tragedies that could befall us in these discussions include
mutual animosity, public divisions, and a decreased confidence in
the reliability of the Testimonies.
Even new students of Adventist history will recognize that just
such disasters struck our denomination over several of these very
same chapters. And so it seems that history is repeating itself.
And that brings us to a critical question that relates to these
chapters and their various interpreters.

How Does History Repeat?

That history is repeated, especially in our day, is absolutely
established by the prophets. (See Ecclesiastes 1:9–10; 3:15; and
1 Corinthians 10 quoted below.) But the nature and cause of that
repetition needs to be understood before that repetition is a helpful
element in our interpretation of prophecy.

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 The work of God in the earth presents, from
age to age, a striking similarity in every great
reformation or religious movement. The principles
of God’s dealing with men are ever the same. The
important movements of the present have their
parallel in those of the past, and the experience of
the church in former ages has lessons of great value
for our own time. (The Great Controversy, p. 343)

History repeats because God, and even men and demons,

operate on basically the same principles from age to age.
There are timeless truths that God seeks to bring to the
attention of man. And there are hoary lies that Satan counts as his
wrenches and screwdrivers. He uses them whenever they fit. And
these truths combine with the changeless facts of man’s selfishness
and searchingness to make history déjà-vu-like.
God does not force evil men to repeat the history of their
ancestors. In fact, God warns them against doing so. He does,
however, encourage faithful persons to imitate the faithfulness of
ancient worthies. In every age, mercy pleads with both camps until
hope for the former is lost through the hardness of their hearts.

And might not be as their fathers, a

stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation
that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit
was not stedfast with God. (Psalm 78:8)

Nevertheless mine eye spared them from

destroying them, neither did I make an end of
them in the wilderness. But I said unto their
children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the
statutes of your fathers, neither observe their
judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
(Ezekiel 20:17–18)

In every age there is given to men their day of

light and privilege, a probationary time in which
they may become reconciled to God. But there is a
limit to this grace. Mercy may plead for years and
be slighted and rejected; but there comes a time
when mercy makes her last plea. The heart becomes
so hardened that it ceases to respond to the Spirit of
God. Then the sweet, winning voice entreats the
sinner no longer, and reproofs and warnings cease.
(The Desire of Ages, p. 587)

The law of cause and effect doesn’t change. So the type of

behavior exhibited by Abel has often produced persecution by
persons like Cain. Holy living by Jesus led to His persecution. In
fact, all that live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

138
Revivals are collective growth in holy living. Therefore a great
revival will be followed by a serious persecution. Thus history
repeats itself.

The apostle Paul declares that “all that will live

godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
2 Timothy 3:12. Why is it, then, that persecution
seems in a great degree to slumber? The only reason
is that the church has conformed to the world’s
standard and therefore awakens no opposition. The
religion which is current in our day is not of the
pure and holy character that marked the Christian
faith in the days of Christ and His apostles. It is
only because of the spirit of compromise with sin,
because the great truths of the word of God are so
indifferently regarded, because there is so little vital
godliness in the church, that Christianity is
apparently so popular with the world. Let there be a
revival of the faith and power of the early church,
and the spirit of persecution will be revived, and the
fires of persecution will be rekindled. (The Great
Controversy, p. 48)

As an example of how history repeats itself, we may consider

the story of the Exodus. When Moses’ followers rebelled against
God, Moses was tested over his love for them by an invitation to
separate from their company. This happened in Numbers 14. It
happened twice again in Numbers 16. It happened also in Numbers
20. God used the rebellion of the rebellious to cultivate the faithful
intercession of the faithful. And this happened repeatedly on the
way to Canaan, a trip representing our journey at the end of the
world.
So in our day I expect that there will be repeated tests of
God’s faithful where they will unconsciously choose between
intercession for the unfaithful or separation from the unfaithful.

What Is Repeated in Daniel 11?

Ellen White makes an interesting statement that has, in the last
decade, been sent to me by probably half a dozen persons:

Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the

prophecies will take place. The prophecy in the
eleventh of Daniel has nearly reached its complete
fulfillment. Much of the history that has taken place
in fulfillment of this prophecy will be repeated. In
the thirtieth verse a power is spoken of that “shall
be grieved, and return, and have indignation against
the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even
return, and have intelligence with them that forsake

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 the holy covenant.” [Daniel 11:31–36, quoted.]
(Manuscript Releases, vol. 13, p. 394)

Do other Bible passages throw light on this? Daniel 11:31–36

is a prophecy regarding the persecution of the Middle Ages. Will
there ever be a persecution like that again? Yes, there will be. It is
mentioned in Daniel 11:44–45 and in fifth seal of Revelation 6.
There the saints who suffered in the Middle Ages are told to “rest”
yet a while longer. They are vindicated in the investigative
judgment (and so receive white robes in the fifth seal).
Yet before justice is executed in their favor there must be
another end-time persecution that would, as a prophecy, “be
fulfilled”:

And white robes were given unto every one

of them; and it was said unto them, that they
should rest yet for a little season, until their
fellowservants also and their brethren, that
should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
(Revelation 6:11)

The angels in Revelation 16 (see verse 6) recount how that

final persecution has been one of the causes of the severity of the
seven last plagues.
So what is repeated in Daniel 11:31–36? Just as the normal
order of things was replaced by the papacy in the sixth century, so
the normal order of things will be replaced by a church state in the
end. And just as those who were willing to go along with a change
in the law of God initially were corrupted by flatteries, so it will be
again. And just as the faithful were objects of a variety of
persecutions that tested their faithfulness, so it will be again.
The characters of the participants being the same now as then,
those that follow the lamb-like beast will behave very much like
earlier generations that have followed the leopard-like beast.
Thus the history that fulfilled Daniel 11:31–36 will be
repeated.
But that is no excuse to confound the persecution of verse 35
with that of verse 44. If we were not careful, we could end up with
a never-ending loop. If the final persecution is a fulfillment of
Daniel 11:35, then there is an even more final persecution that is a
fulfillment of Daniel 11:44. And why should not that even more
final persecution be made a third application of Daniel 11:35? And
if we do that, then there must be an even more final final
persecution. . . . and so on.

The Story Line

This brings me to an important point.
If I were to say, “Heidi will go for a walk with Mary’s dog,
then she will return and take a shower. Then we will go together to

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supper, though neither of us will eat very much. Maybe for dessert
we will have a couple chewable vitamin C’s.”
You would read the sentences as a story line with
chronological information in it.

Heidi will walk.

Heidi will walk with Mary’s dog.
Heidi will return.
Heidi will take a shower.
[Heidi will join me.]
We will go to supper.
We will not eat much.
For dessert we will have vitamins.

Heidi walks every day. She often takes a dog. She always
returns. She takes a daily shower. She is usually with me. We
almost always eat meals together. And it is only mildly uncommon
for us to treat each other to sweet chewable vitamins.
But it is a very rare thing indeed to have these common events
happen in precisely this order.
So it is with history. It is not remarkable at all, for example, to
predict that Babylon would eventually be overthrown by an empire
that would, itself, eventually be overthrown.
But it is uncanny, incredible, miraculous, to be able to predict
that the fourth world empire would be divided up into small
kingdoms that would ever defy efforts to unite them into one
sovereign power again.
It is the order of events, the story line of history, that gives
each epoch its uniqueness.
And it is the order of events, the story line of prophecies, that
allow us to match them to fulfillments. The relative timing of the
fulfillment of one portion of the prophecy can be ascertained by
noting where it is in the scheme of the entire prophecy.
In other words, the bear in Daniel 7, though we find few
details in the prophecy to help us identify it, is rather easy to
identify. It is the nation that follows Babylon. It is its relative
timing that makes it easy enough for a fourth grader to locate on a
time line of world history.
A few years ago I had a dialogue with an ex-SDA futurist,
Kathie, that illustrates this point. Kathie thought that the beasts in
Daniel 8 represent modern nations that would some day soon fight
each other. Let me let you in on a little of our e-mail discussion to
illustrate what I am saying. Notice how the unique correlation
between the various aspects of Daniel 8 to actual history proves
that the prophecy was fulfilled in the past.

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Eugene: 28 Who is the Ram in Daniel 8?
Kathie: WHO: Daniel 8:20 clearly says that “the ram . . .
having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.”
WHEN: The time frame is given in verses 17, 19, 23,
and 26. “At the time of the end shall be the vision.”
WHERE: Today the area of the ancient Medes and
Persians is modern Iraq and Iran.
The 2300 “evening/morning” did not start in the days
of Daniel. It will happen “In the last end of the
indignation. . . . In the latter time of their kingdom when
the transgressors are come to the full. . . . Shut thou up
the vision for it shall be for many days.” Daniel 8:19, 23,
26.
A few chapters later, Daniel is told to “shut up the
words and seal the book, even to the time of the end. . . .
Go they way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and
sealed till the time of the end.” Dan. 12:4,9.
Trying to understand the 2300 in an earlier time frame
is an exercise in futility and frustration because things
don’t fit perfectly. The future will show that everything
fits precisely!!!
Stay tuned! Ram and He-goat battle coming up soon!
Kathie

Eugene: Hi Kathie,
I see. You are thorough-going futurist in regard to
Daniel 8.
You see it as a coincidence, then, I suppose, that
Greece follows Medo-Persia [as it does in Daniel 8] also
in Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 and Daniel 11 and in history.
...
But it must be a coincidence that the goat of Daniel 8
comes from the west, as Alexander did, and does fly, as
the winged leopard must have been able, and that it has a
notable horn that breaks and gives place to four horns—
as Daniel 11 describes the fall of Alexander and the
break-up of his kingdom.
...
Gabriel passes by the activities of the ram with hardly
a word except to say that the ram represents the dual
kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. In the vision (v.
3–4) these kingdoms rose in order—the second kingdom
becoming stronger. This did in fact happen in the case of
Medo-Persia. But maybe (tongue in cheek) that is a
coincidence.
...

28
I have highly edited these emails to increase clarity and remove distracting volumes of
documentation.

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 The goat comes from the west and touches not the
ground. He attacks the ram. Maybe it is just
circumstantial evidence, but the same angel that said that
this ram is Greece also said that the horn is the “first
king” of that empire.
...
Unlike the two monarchies before his, when
Alexander died his empire was divided into four
segments. Four horns came up as four heads were found
on the leopard in Daniel 7. Daniel 11 says, interestingly,

And now will I shew thee the truth.

Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings
in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer
than they all: and by his strength through
his riches he shall stir up all against the
realm of Grecia. And a mighty king shall
stand up, that shall rule with great
dominion, and do according to his will. And
when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be
broken, and shall be divided toward the four
winds of heaven; and not to his posterity,
nor according to his dominion which he
ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up,
even for others beside those. (Daniel 11:2–4)

But maybe these Daniel 7/Daniel 11 parallels to the

four horns on the Grecian beast of Daniel 8 are not to be
understood as being definitive?
That Greece had wings and was represented by a
speedy animal in chapter 7 might not be related to the
Goat neglecting to touch the ground while running full
bore at the ram.
That Alexander became very great—greater than the
Persians before him—is known by school boys. But
perhaps that could be said of many men. . . .
That his four generals formed nations N, E, S, and W
of Palestine, and that from one of these directions (W)
came the Roman power, parallels the prophecy of Daniel
8:8–9. I won’t say more about coincidence.
That the Roman power became greater than the
Grecians (v. 8) is manifest. That the Romans extended
their empire into North Africa (S), Persia (E), and Canaan
is apparent in history, and even in Acts 2.
That the little horn of Daniel 7 has many of the same
characteristics as the little horn of Daniel 8, and that both
are blasphemous persecutors of God’s people—this is
clear. And the Roman power cannot be said to have failed
to fulfill these predictions.

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 That the Roman power killed Jesus and proceeded in
its papal form to supplant Him—this is abundantly clear.
The angel’s explanation in Daniel 8 shows that the
kingdom of Persia will be followed by a Grecian empire
with a succession of kings (v. 22) that will be weaker. In
the “latter time of their kingdom,” the king of fierce
countenance will rise. In other words, if you put these
verses in the future, . . . the future is long indeed.
But what about your strongest argument? The fact
that the vision of Daniel 8 is related to the “end”?
The parallel of Daniel 8 and 11 is remarkable, as
noted already. Yet the latter chapter is such a clear
explanation by the angel of events beginning in Daniel’s
day and extending to the end of the world that this cannot
be misunderstood.

8:19 — “For at the time appointed the

end shall be”

11:6 — “for yet the end shall be at the

time appointed”

11:35 — “even to the time of the end:

because it is yet for a time appointed.”

...
But more than this, and notice carefully, Kathie, there
is another time. An angel comes to Daniel and tells him
that he will show him what will befall his people in the
“latter days.”
And it is the preface to the historical prophecy of
Daniel 11 that extends to the end:

Now I am come to make thee

understand what shall befall thy people in
the latter days: for yet the vision is for many
days. (Daniel 10:14)

In other words, the one prophecy that is most

obviously a description of events from Daniel’s day to the
end of time is described as relating to the end just as
Daniel 8 is.
That is no coincidence.
Blessings to you,
Eugene

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 What is the point? The events in the story line of Daniel 8
make it so unique in history that there can be no confusing when it
was fulfilled.
Ironically, that is where the two symbols, the “daily” and the
“abomination of desolation,” are introduced. Why, then, do
Adventists try to find future applications of these two symbols?
Today, it is because of what Ellen White said about Matthew
24. Famously, this chapter begins with the apostles asking Jesus
about the timing and signs that would foreshadow the destruction
of Jerusalem and the end of the world. They had, of course, no idea
that these events were separated by nearly 2,000 years.
The following sentences have been extracted from a
representative collection of Ellen White’s statements about that
fascinating prophecy.

Jesus did not answer His disciples by taking up

separately the destruction of Jerusalem and the great
day of His coming. He mingled the description of
these two events. Had He opened to His disciples
future events as He beheld them, they would have
been unable to endure the sight. In mercy to them
He blended the description of the two great crises,
leaving the disciples to study out the meaning for
themselves. When He referred to the destruction of
Jerusalem, His prophetic words reached beyond that
event to the final conflagration. (The Desire of
Ages, p. 628)

Christ presented before them an outline of the

prominent events to take place before the close of
time. His words were not then fully understood; but
their meaning was to be unfolded as His people
should need the instruction therein given. The
prophecy which He uttered was twofold in its
meaning; while foreshadowing the destruction of
Jerusalem, it prefigured also the terrors of the last
great day. (The Great Controversy, p. 25)

While these prophecies received a partial

fulfillment at the destruction of Jerusalem, they
have a more direct application to the last days.
(Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 753)

As the approach of the Roman armies was a

sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of
Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that
the limit of God’s forbearance is reached, that the
measure of our nation’s iniquity is full, and that the
angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to
return. (Ibid., p. 451)

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 After speaking of the end of the world, Jesus
comes back to Jerusalem, the city then sitting in
pride and arrogance, and saying, “I sit a queen, and
shall see no sorrow” (see Revelation 18:7). As His
prophetic eye rests upon Jerusalem, He sees that as
she was given up to destruction, the world will be
given up to its doom. The scenes that transpired at
the destruction of Jerusalem will be repeated at the
great and terrible day of the Lord, but in a more
fearful manner. (Selected Messages, book 3, p. 417)

The disciples heard Christ’s words; but they did

not fully understand them. . . . But those who live in
this age may understand the general warning, and
should appropriate it, applying it to the period
where it belongs. (The Signs of the Times, February
20, 1901)

Could I have known, without the help of these Testimonies,

that Matthew 24 addresses both the destruction of Jerusalem and
the end of the world?
Yes, I could.
In fact, Matthew 24 is “an outline of the prominent events”
given in a simple and straightforward manner.
After warning us not to be deceived, Jesus gives what Ellen
White calls a “general warning”—a warning of events that do not
mark the “end.” After mentioning these, Jesus said “but the end is
not yet.” Matthew 24:6.
This general warning is continues in verses 7–8, where we are
told that famines and the like are “the beginning of sorrows.”
And what, both then and in the future, follows the general
disasters and deceptions?
Persecution. “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted,
and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my
name’s sake.”
And what follows the period of persecution? A period of
notable wickedness that causes the love of many to grow cold. And
that test of man’s love brings us all the way to the end of time:

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto

you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye
know neither the day nor the hour wherein the
Son of man cometh. For the kingdom of heaven
is as a man travelling into a far country, who
called his own servants, and delivered unto them
his goods. (Matthew 25:12–14)

So now what? Jesus has already traced the outline of the world
from His own time to the very end. It would be ongoing disasters,
deceptions, persecution, wickedness, and the gospel to the world.

146
 Now Jesus goes back in time and makes an application of the
book of Daniel that is the crux of all that we are discussing in this
chapter:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination

of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him
understand:) then let them which be in Judaea
flee into the mountains. (Matthew 24:15–16)

The next few verses are all about the flight from the doomed
city. Its doom was pointed out in Daniel 9 as a punishment on the
Jews for their murder of Jesus. Rome was the “abomination” that
would desolate the city.
What happens after this destruction in the general outline of
major events?

For then shall be great tribulation, such as

was not since the beginning of the world to this
time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days
should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be
shortened. (Matthew 24:21–22)

This persecution, the one pointed out in many other passages

as happening during the 1260 years of papal civil supremacy,
would, according to Jesus, be “shortened” for the benefit of the
chosen.
What would follow this period? There would be interest in
Christ’s coming, false messages about a secret coming, and a
period of seductive miracles that will test the chosen. (Verses 23–
26) And this would be followed by the real coming of Jesus.
(Verses 27–28)
We have arrived at the end for the second time in Matthew 24.
Where do we go from here? Back to that ending portion of the
1260 where the persecution has been cut short. Jesus specified that
very point for the resuming of his narrative:

Immediately after the tribulation of those

days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon
shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall
from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall
be shaken. (Matthew 24:29)

And the signs are followed by the Coming.

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of

man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of
the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of
man coming in the clouds of heaven with power

147
 and great glory. And he shall send his angels
with a great sound of a trumpet [margin: or,
with a trumpet, and a great voice], and they shall
gather together his elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew
24:30–31)

The Two Meanings of Matthew 24

The outline that we have just considered does not require any
dual application to apply it both to the destruction of Jerusalem and
to the Second Coming. Jerusalem’s fall didn’t involve all the
nations of earth morning. And Christ’s coming doesn’t specially
involve persons on the rooftops of Judea.
But the general elements of disasters, deceptive miracles,
persecutions, false prophets and false messiahs—all of these are
like those age-specific warnings of Revelation 2–3 that are
followed by, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit
saith to the churches. . . .” They are dangers that have threatened
the church at all ages, especially at the two crises highlighted in
this chapter.
The timing of Matthew 24 is written into the text. Words like
“then” and “immediately after” and “end” and “beginning” all help
determine the relative timing of parts of the story line.
One of the Ellen White statements is particularly helpful in
helping us develop a principle of interpretation. Look back at
Selected Messages, book 3, p. 417. Notice that Jerusalem of old is
quoted as saying, “I sit a queen and shall see no sorrow.”
That chapter of Revelation was written about 22 years after
Jerusalem was destroyed.
And maybe for that reason I have never had an Adventist
paper come across my desk arguing that Revelation 18 is about the
destruction of Jerusalem. (I have had non-Adventist Preterist
papers argue that way). The obvious facts of the case make it
apparent that Ellen was quoting a characteristic of mystic Babylon
as being equally true of another power in another place at another
time. She wasn’t trying to explain Revelation 18 to us. She was
trying to explain Jerusalem.
And she isn’t the only prophet in history to use inspired
sources that way. This is why her passing allusions to phrases from
Scripture cannot be taken as being expository. That is why her
“trumpet after trumpet” statement (some of you know what I am
talking about) just cannot be taken as an exposition on Revelation
8–9.
And here is the conclusion of the matter. One meaning of
Matthew 24 is the historical fulfillment of the prophecy. The other
is the parallel lessons that can be learned from that historical
fulfillment. The first is like the prophecy that the world would be
destroyed by water. The second is like the fact that we should learn

148
from that prophecy and its fulfillment that God’s judgments will
surely come at a time when men are not looking for them.
But it would never do to study the size of the ark, the type of
wood, the fact that it was pitched (“atoned for” in Hebrew), or the
fact that it took 120 years to build, and to look at these facts for
details about how we ought to prepare for the final conflagration.
And just so with the prophecies discussed at the end of this
chapter. While the destruction of the world in Genesis and of
Jerusalem in Matthew 24 and of Rome in Revelation 8–9 are all
symbols of the final destruction of the world, we want to make
sure we understand the nature of these symbols.
They are found in story lines. Those story lines help us
understand them.
And pulled out of those story lines, they become just what
Peter said they should never be—“of private interpretation.”

149
150
 Section IV
Testimony Tidbits

Introduction
When preaching, when studying, I love to use my Bible. There
I find the most precious gems of truth buried below the surface.
Bible study is how I seek to answer the question “What is true?”
And I am an enthusiastic believer in the truths God has given
to our church through the prophetic ministry of Ellen White. Only
a few months before this book came into existence, the Ellen G.
White Estate began selling a CD-ROM with all of Ellen White’s
published works and, additionally, with hundreds of books and
articles by our Adventist pioneers. I recommend that media to
everyone. Just ask your Adventist Book Center for the
Comprehensive Research Edition of the Ellen White CD.
During the last 20 years of teaching and preaching I have
spent thousands of hours pouring over the materials on older
versions of this CD-ROM. Often I have found that Ellen White’s
most precious and relevant statements are found in publications
that are rarely read by the average person. These include her
articles, the manuscript releases, and various pamphlets.
So when I am sitting at a fellowship meal talking with
believers, I often recall some paragraph of counsel or
encouragement that could make a difference in the life of the
person I am speaking to. I bring out my computer and try to find
the paragraph by searching for words that I know that are in it.
Some of you know what I mean when I say that that doesn’t
always work.
Here in this section, without comment from me, is a collection
of materials that I have often shared. I hope it is short enough that,
when you want to share one of these with someone else, you will
be able to find it readily.
What kind of topics are addressed? The first few relate to the
simplicity of the gospel. The last speaks to the relation of lifestyle
issues (dress, diet, etc.) to the Christian experience. Between these
are incredibly pithy statements on how to live a Christian life, how
to get along with the brethren, and answers to many “why?”
questions.
Prayerfully enjoy this collection. Then buy the CD-ROM for
yourself and read the contexts of each of these gems. Let the gifts
given to the church do what they were intended to do for us.

Testimony Tidbits
151
 
My much respected brother in the Lord, I am afflicted as I
learn of your affliction. But our only hope is in Christ our
righteousness. You may trust in the Lord with all your heart. He
will never fail you.
The precious promises of God are full and rich and free. Oh,
how precious they are to you in your affliction, when heart and
flesh fail! It is true that all have not the same boldness and
confidence when brought into deep affliction. And again, I am so
glad that feelings are no criterion. The promises rich and full are
yours. You can say in your sickness, “The anchor holds.” Faith and
hope in the promises of God are steadfast.
You have the pledged word of Jehovah: “Lo, I am with you
alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) Only rely
with trusting faith as a child relies in the promises of his faithful
parent. Here is simple, earnest faith and confidence in Jesus, who
loves you, and has paid a dear price for your redemption.
In the weak state of your body, the enemy may try to make his
voice heard that the Lord does not love you. Oh, He does love you.
“Like as a father pitieth his children,” so the Lord pities those who
put their trust in Him. (Psalm 103:13)
Your life may look to you to be full of mistakes; but what if
there are mistakes? Jesus knows all about the trials, the weaknesses
of humanity, and He has placed on record the most precious
promises: “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous;” “If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” (1 John 2:1; 1:9)
I have evidence—the very best—that God loves you. He will
not thrust you from Him in your weakness, for He loves you. Do
not worry yourself out of the arms of Jesus, but just repose in
restful quietude in His love. His grace will be all-sufficient for you
when heart and flesh shall fail. He will give you His peace and His
grace. Gather to your soul God’s promises, for Jesus is your
constant, unfailing friend.
Try as hard as you will, you cannot manufacture a
righteousness for yourself. Christ has woven in heaven’s loom the
robe of His righteousness, and He will put the same upon you. And
your sins—your old, defiled citizen’s garments—will be taken
away. He points you to the fountain of living waters, whereby you
may drink and drink again, and be refreshed. He bids you come
unto Him with all your griefs, your pains, your weakness, and He
says you shall find rest. Only believe that Jesus is your personal
Saviour, that He pardons all your transgressions, and then rest in
His love.
Do not let the smallest doubt come into your soul, for all your
feelings of guiltiness must be laid at the foot of Calvary. Jesus
says, “I have taken your sins. I have imputed to you My
righteousness. Your weak faith will I strengthen.” Then, trust in

152
Jesus. He extends to you free pardon. He makes you a member of
the “royal family.” Put your hand in the hand of Jesus, and He will
hold to you more firmly than you can hold to Him.
Let your soul be comforted by the brightness of the “Sun of
Righteousness.”
The cloud may appear dark to you at times in itself, but when
filled with the bright light of Jesus, it is turned to the brightness of
gold, for the glory of God is upon it.
May the Lord bless these words to you, is my prayer. Love to
your faithful, watching wife, and all dear friends. (Manuscript
Releases, vol. 16, p. 242–244)


Mr. T is a carpenter by trade. They have eight children. Mrs. T
said, “This preaching we are having is wonderfully different from
anything we have ever heard, and the Bible is a new book to us.
We seem to be quite slow of understanding, but we think we must
keep the Sabbath. It is a very important step. We want to
understand it more thoroughly. If it is the truth, what else can we
do than to obey?” I told her I would send her Steps to Christ. She
said, “Please send us writings that are simple, and easy to be
understood, for we are so ignorant in regard to these new and
wonderful interpretations of the Scriptures. I am perplexed with the
cares of a large family. We are all in good health. Our diet is very
simple. We have much to be thankful for, but I am hasty in temper
and become impatient when I think my children are doing wrong.
Will you pray for me especially, and understand I am thinking and
trying to understand my duty?”
We had a most precious season of prayer with the family, and
we know that angels of God were in the midst of us. There is help
in Jesus for all such souls. These have since come out decided on
the truth, with several others.
I have thought of the request of Sister T many times since. She
said, “Oh, I want that precious faith that seems so positively
necessary for me. Do send me something simple that my mind can
grasp, that I can take hold of this faith to believe Jesus is a present
help in every time of need.” We find this is the great want of the
soul—something that the needy, longing soul can grasp, something
easy to be understood. The great reason why many do not lay hold
of this truth is that it is so easy. They think they must do some
great thing, and that God expects them to go through some
wonderful process in order to be converted, but when we present
the truth as it is, in its beautiful simplicity, they stand amazed. “Is
that all?” they inquire.
We need to make the way of life just as clear as it is in Jesus,
that all may see the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Simply to take
God at His word seems so easy they hardly dare accept it.
(Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, p. 194–195)

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 
Now, God wants His converting power to come on this
occasion. There are some that come to our meetings—they will sit
all through the meetings; they have borne a few words of
testimony now and then; they have gone home and done just
exactly [the same as], if not worse than, before. Why?
Because they had not the new heart. What is the new heart? It
is the new mind. What is the mind? It is the will. Where is your
will? It is either on Satan’s side or Christ’s side. Now it is up to
you. Will you put your will today on Christ’s side of the question?
That is the new heart. It is the new will, a new mind. “A new heart
will I give thee.” (See Ezekiel 36:26) Then let us begin right here.
Conversion is simple, very simple. Let us commence right
here to come into the kingdom of heaven. How? As a little child.
Just as simple as simple can be. You may get all your mysteries of
the new birth, and you cannot make anybody understand it, or
understand it yourself. But the best way for you is to give your
mind to Jesus Christ. And the mind is the will to put it on, and do
just as Matthew did. (Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, p. 210)


Many have stumbled to ruin because of the erroneous
doctrines taught by some ministers concerning the change that
takes place at conversion. Some have lived in sadness for years,
waiting for some marked evidence that they were accepted by God.
They have separated themselves in a large measure from the world,
and find pleasure in associating with the people of God; yet they
dare not profess Christ, because they fear it would be presumption
to say that they are children of God. They are waiting for that
peculiar change that they have been led to believe is connected
with conversion.
After a time some of these do receive evidence of their
acceptance with God, and are then led to identify themselves with
His people. And they date their conversion from this time. But I
have been shown that they were adopted into the family of God
before that time. God accepted them when they became weary of
sin, and having lost their desire for worldly pleasures, resolved to
seek God earnestly. But, failing to understand the simplicity of the
plan of salvation, they lost many privileges and blessings which
they might have claimed had they only believed, when they first
turned to God, that He had accepted them.
Others fall into a more dangerous error. They are governed by
impulse. Their sympathies are stirred, and they regard this flight of
feeling as an evidence that they are accepted by God and are
converted. But the principles of their life are not changed. The
evidences of a genuine work of grace on the heart are to be found
not in feeling, but in the life. “By their fruits,” Christ declared, “ye
shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20)
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 Many precious souls, desiring earnestly to be Christians, are
yet stumbling in darkness, waiting for their feelings to be
powerfully exercised. They look for a special change to take place
in their feelings. They expect some irresistible force, over which
they have no control, to overpower them. They overlook the fact
that the believer in Christ is to work out his salvation with fear and
trembling.
The convicted sinner has something to do besides repent; he
must act his part in order to be accepted by God. He must believe
that God accepts his repentance, according to His promise.
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to
God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) (Evangelism, p. 286–287)


Just as long as ministers and church members sail with the
current of the world, they need neither canvas nor oar. It is when
they turn square about to stem the current that their work begins. It
is the duty of every soul that is on Christ’s side to be a witness for
Him and to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the
saints.
What is seen by the world in the present disunion and want of
harmony among those who claim to believe the truth? That this
people cannot be of God, for they are working against each other.
(Manuscript Releases, vol. 20, p. 319)


The world can only be warned by seeing those who believe the
truth sanctified through the truth, acting upon high and holy
principles, showing in a high, elevated sense the line of
demarcation between those who keep the commandments of God
and those who trample them under their feet. The sanctification of
the Spirit signalizes the difference between those who have the seal
of God and those who keep a spurious rest day. (The Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 980)


Obedience is the life of the soul. It brings health and peace and
assurance. (Loma Linda Messages, p. 91)


Men of small minds delight to quibble, to criticize, to seek for
something to question, thinking this a mark of sharpness; but
instead it shows a mind lacking refinement and elevation.
(Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 445)

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 
Leave your business cares and perplexities and annoyances
when you leave your business. Come to your family with a
cheerful countenance, with sympathy, tenderness, and love.
(Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 695)


As servants of Christ we should be faithful in the position
where God sees that we can render most efficient service. If
opportunities of greater usefulness are presented to us, we should
accept them at the Master’s bidding, and His approving smile will
be upon us. But we should fear to leave our appointed work unless
the Lord clearly indicates our duty to serve Him in another field.
(Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 184)


I know [Brother Corliss’] constitution. From what has been
presented to me over and over again, I know that for a while he
will take hold of a line of work enthusiastically, but after a time he
wearies of it, and should have a change. He is not to be held too
long in any one place. He should go from place to place, speaking
to new congregations. He has done very well in San Francisco, but
it is not wisest to keep him over one congregation too long. He has
another work to do. (Manuscript Releases, vol. 17, p. 53–54)


Vigilant men are wanted in every church. Every member
should be awake and active, feeling that he is responsible for the
prosperity of the church. The reason there is so much dissension in
the churches is because they do so little for God. Satan gives them
a work to do for him in finding fault, murmuring, and talking
discouragement. You will ever find that those who invest least in
the cause of God are the ones who will express great concern as to
how those at the head of the work are using the means in their
trust. Those who do least have the least faith. They are like Judas,
who grudged the money that would comfort, and bless, and honor
the Redeemer. But let the church come up individually, every one
doing what he can, and all that God requires, and these petty
difficulties will not exist. The mind will be so engrossed in the
greatness of the work, in devising plans for its advancement, that
they cannot spend time to investigate their brother’s work or
motives. (Review and Herald, March 14, 1878)

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 My brethren and sisters, do we realize the importance of this
subject? Why are we so listless? Why are we satisfied to remain so
poorly fitted to work for the uplifting of humanity? Why is not
every entrusted capability used for the Master? Why are so many
contented with the feeble, lifeless condition of our churches? The
heavenly universe is looking with amazement upon our Christless
work. Neglect is seen in all our borders. Slipshod work is tolerated
and passed by. How long shall this continue? Shall we not arise,
and with determined, harmonious effort take up our
responsibilities, laboring in Christ’s lines with sanctified
capabilities? Put away the controversial spirit which you have been
educating yourselves in for years. Educate yourselves to pray to
God in sincerity and truth. Sing with the spirit and understanding
also. Much is expected of us. (The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials,
p. 138)


A strait gate means a gate difficult to enter. By this illustration
Christ showed how hard it is for men and women to leave the
world and the attractions it holds, and heartily and lovingly obey
the commandments of God. The wide gate is easy to enter.
Entrance through it does not call for the restrictions which are
painful to the human heart. Self-denial and self-sacrifice are not
seen in the broad way. There depraved appetite and natural
inclinations find abundant room. There may be seen self-
indulgence, pride, envy, evil surmisings, love of money, self-
exaltation. (That I May Know Him, p. 304)


The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect
the testimony of the Spirit of God. “Where there is no vision, the
people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in
different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the
confidence of God’s remnant people in the true testimony. He will
bring in spurious visions to mislead, and will mingle the false with
the true, and so disgust people that they will regard everything that
bears the name of visions as a species of fanaticism; but honest
souls, by contrasting false and true, will be enabled to distinguish
between them.
Likewise, he works through persons who have been reproved
for some inconsistency in their religious life, for some course of
action which was dangerous to themselves and others. Instead of
receiving the testimony as a blessing from God, they refuse the
means God uses to set them right. Such apparently may be very
zealous for God, but they put their own interpretation upon the
Word and make it contradict what the Lord has revealed in the
testimonies. They think they are doing God’s service, but such

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work God has not given them to do. (Manuscript Releases, vol. 10,
p. 311)


It is essential that care should be taken when placing men and
women in positions of trust. You should know something in regard
to their past life, and the character that has been developed. You
would better double [the size of your Sabbath-school] classes
under God-fearing workers than to multiply teachers whose
influence is not in accordance with the holy character of truth
which we profess, for their influence will be demoralizing.
(Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 91)


Consider the circumstances of the Jewish nation when the
prophecies of Daniel were given. The Israelites were in captivity,
their temple had been destroyed, their temple service suspended.
Their religion had centered in the ceremonies of the sacrificial
system. They had made the outward forms all-important, while
they had lost the spirit of true worship. Their services were
corrupted with the traditions and practices of heathenism, and in
the performance of the sacrificial rites they did not look beyond the
shadow to the substance. They did not discern Christ, the true
offering for the sins of men. The Lord wrought to bring the people
into captivity, and to suspend the services in the temple, in order
that the outward ceremonies might not become the sum total of
their religion. Their principles and practices must be purged from
heathenism. The ritual service ceased in order that heart service
might be revived. The outward glory was removed that the
spiritual might be revealed. (Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, p. 334–
335)


The Lord blessed me in speaking. I had not the least sense of
weariness. I felt so grateful to my heavenly Father for the
assurance that I could give to others from a “Thus saith the Lord”
and “It is written” that, while speaking, my own soul was
refreshed. No one spoke an encouraging word to me. I did not need
any. I was refreshed and deeply impressed that we should dwell
more upon the sacred claims of the Lord. He expects from us entire
obedience to His commandments. His law, written with His own
finger upon tables of stone, is the foundation of all truth.
(Manuscript Releases, vol. 18, p. 174)

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 The happiness of life is made up of little things. It is in the
power of everyone to practice true Christlike courtesy. It is not the
possession of splendid talents that will help us to overcome, but the
conscientious performance of daily duties. The kind look, the
lowly spirit, the contended disposition, the unaffected, sincere
interest in the welfare of others—these things are helps in the
Christian life. If the love of Jesus fills the heart, this love will be
manifested in the life. We shall not show a determination to have
our own way, a stubborn, selfish unwillingness to be happy or
pleased. The health of the body depends more upon heart-
healthfulness than many suppose. (Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, p.
118)


The matter that has been brought before the people must be
brought before them over and over again. The articles that are
printed in our papers are soon forgotten by the readers. They must
be brought together, reprinted in book form, and placed before
believers and unbelievers. (Counsels to Writers and Editors, p.
145–146)


A great crisis is coming upon us. If men still yield to men, as
they have been doing for the last fifteen years [written in 1896],
they will lose their own souls, and their example will lead others
astray. God’s soldiers must put on the whole armor of God. We are
not required to put on human armor, but to gird ourselves with
God’s strength. If we keep God’s glory ever in view, our eyes will
be anointed with the heavenly eyesalve; we will be able to look
deeper, and see afar off what the world is. As we discern its
dishonesty, its craftiness, its selfish eye-service, its pretence, and
its boasting, its want of fair, honest dealing in the ordinary
intercourse of life, and its grasping covetousness, we can take our
stand, by precept and example, to represent Christ, and convert
souls from the world by our sound principles, our firm integrity,
our hatred of all dissembling, and our holy boldness in
acknowledging Christ.
Do not let the world convert you. Hold fast your profession of
faith, maintaining your religious principles firmly but not
stubbornly. Your religion cannot be in any other man’s keeping.
Honor the cross of Christ, and the cross will honor you. Let every
man stand in God, not to be bought, not to be sold, but to reveal a
Christian fortitude. Serve no man through fear of what that man
can do to you that is disagreeable. Christians you cannot be if you
depend on any other man’s conscience. Christ died to give men
moral independence, freedom to exercise their God-given ability.
His servants are to be circumscribed by no man or council of men
unless they have decided evidence that the men or council of men

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are worked by the Holy Spirit. (Manuscript Releases, vol. 17, p.
193)


Jesus is not preached in very many of the pulpits of today.
Anything and everything but Christ is preached, for the very
reason that the preacher is not acquainted with Christ. Some make
it a practice to study different authors, and think this will help them
greatly in their discourses. They flatter themselves that they have a
very intellectual discourse, and so they may have; but the flock is
not fed with the bread of life; the crib was placed above their
reach. That which the world and churches need to day is the
preaching of the blood of Christ and the virtue of His atonement,
and to be taught what constitutes sin, and to have the spirit of
Christ interwoven in all their labors. What the world needs today is
to know what they must do to be saved. There are many interesting
and pleasing discourses given that the speaker counts the very
height of success, but they are not thus registered by Him who
weighs the thoughts and motives of men, who looketh not at
outward appearances but at the heart, who weighs such discourses
in the balances of the Sanctuary and pronounces them wanting.
The only element which could make them a success is lacking—
Jesus, the Light of the world. (Review and Herald, February 22,
1887)


Parents who would teach their children the evil of following
the fashions of the world, have a hard battle. They are met with,
“Why, Mother, Sisters A., B., and C., wear hoops; if it is wicked
for me, it is for them.” What can the parents say? They should set a
right example before their children, and although the example of
professed followers of Christ causes the children to think that their
parents are too careful and severe in their restrictions, yet God will
bless the efforts of these conscientious parents. If the parents do
not take a decided, firm, course, their children will be borne down
with the current, for Satan and his evil angels are working upon
their minds, and the example of unconsecrated professors is against
their efforts, which makes the work of overcoming far more
laborious for their children. Yet with faith in God, and earnest
prayer, believing parents may press on in this rugged path of duty.
The way of the cross is an onward, upward, way. And as we
advance therein, seeking the things that are above, we must leave
farther and farther in the distance the things which belong to the
earth. While the world and carnal professors are rushing downward
to death, those who climb the hill will have to put forth efforts or
they will be carried down in the broad road. (Spiritual Gifts, vol.
4b, p. 69–70)

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 
I have been pained to hear so much jesting and joking among
old and young as they are seated at the dining table. I have
inquired, Are these men aware that there is by their side a Watcher
who is disgusted with their spirit and the influence which they
exert, and is making a record of their words and actions? Will our
ministers, young and old, countenance these things? Shall not we
who name the name of Christ take heed to the words, “In all things
shewing thyself a pattern of good works, in doctrine shewing
uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be
condemned”? If the truth as it is in Jesus abides in our hearts, it
will sanctify our lives. Our speech will not be evil. Obeying the
truth we shall work the works of righteousness. (The Ellen G.
White 1888 Materials, p. 137)


There are solemn and important decisions to be made at this
meeting, and God wants every one of us to stand in right relation to
Him. He wants us to do a great deal more praying and a great deal
less talking. He wants us to keep the windows of the soul opened
heavenward. The threshold of heaven is flooded with the light of
God’s glory, and God will let this light shine into the heart of
everyone who at this meeting will stand in right relation to Him.
Some have said that they thought that at this meeting several
days ought to be spent in prayer to God for the Holy Spirit, as at
the day of Pentecost. I wish to say to you that the business which
may be carried on at this meeting is just as much a part of the
service of God as is prayer. The business meeting is to be just as
much under the dictation of the Spirit as the prayer meeting. There
is danger of our getting a sentimental, impulsive religion. Let the
business transacted at this meeting stand forth in such sacredness
that the heavenly host can approve of it. We are to guard most
sacredly the business lines of our work. Every line of business
carried on here is to be in accordance with the principles of
heaven. (Selected Messages, book 3, p. 336–337)


Are we as a people asleep? Oh, if the young men and young
women in our institutions who are now unready for the Lord’s
appearing, unfitted to become members of the Lord’s family, could
only discern the signs of the times, what a change would be seen in
them! The Lord Jesus is calling for self-denying workers to follow
in His footsteps, to walk and work for Him, to lift the cross, and to
follow where He leads the way.
Many are readily satisfied with offering the Lord trifling acts
of service. Their Christianity is feeble. Christ gave Himself for

161
sinners. With what anxiety for the salvation of souls we should be
filled as we see human beings perishing in sin! These souls have
been bought at an infinite price. The death of the Son of God on
Calvary’s cross is the measure of their value. Day by day they are
deciding whether they will have eternal life or eternal death. And
yet men and women professing to serve the Lord are content to
occupy their time and attention with matters of little importance.
They are content to be at variance with one another. If they were
consecrated to the work of the Master, they would not be striving
and contending like a family of unruly children. Every hand would
be engaged in service. Everyone would be standing at his post of
duty, working with heart and soul as a missionary of the cross of
Christ. The spirit of the Redeemer would abide in the hearts of the
laborers, and works of righteousness would be wrought. The
workers would carry with them into their service the prayers and
sympathy of an awakened church. They would receive their
directions from Christ and would find no time for strife and
contention. (Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 28–29)


If his people have not obeyed his requirements, they stand
condemned according to their delinquencies. What, then, is
required of the church at Battle Creek? Humiliation, confession,
and true, genuine repentance before God. The spirit manifested by
many at Battle Creek is, Let us not make earnest, thorough work;
such a great ado is uncalled for. I tell you, God calls for repentance
and confessions from his people; and those who have taken an
active part in bringing the church into her present position, will
never come to the light only by humble confessions and a sincere
repentance before God, and working to bring them to the light. The
wall of separation which the Lord himself has established between
the things of the world and the things he has chosen out of the
world and sanctified unto himself, has been broken down by those
who profess godliness and occupy the position of teachers of the
people. They have not, in precept and practice, acknowledged this
position, but rather by their practice annihilated the difference
between the holy and the profane. But the separation exists,
notwithstanding so many have in practice made it void, and seem
determined to maintain concord between Christ and Belial. “The
Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself;” and this
consecration to God and separation from the world, the Lord
always loves, and will always require of his people; for it is plainly
declared and positively enjoined in the Old and New Testaments.
Many who think they can impress the world by agreeing with it
make a terrible mistake as far as their own salvation is concerned
and the salvation of unbelievers. It is not conformity to the customs
and practices of the world that will enlighten them and make them
feel their great need of saving grace; but it is to come out from the
world and be separate, stand apart and above it, and in character

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represent Christ and give the impression to the world of a holy,
separate life. This will give a true Christian a power of influence
over them. They will see there is a better life than that which they
are living. (Special Testimony to the Battle Creek Church
(PH155), p. 4–5)


Evangelistic work has been done by some who have not been
regarded as qualified for the ministry. These persons have moved
forward as the Lord has made known to them their duty, and have
done a noble work. Brother _____ has been doing missionary work
for many years. To all intents and purposes he has practiced the
gospel. It is not sermonizing that makes a minister. This is where
men have failed who from lack of spiritual discernment have failed
to judge righteously. Brother _____ has established churches and
built meetinghouses in various places. When he has in one place
carried the interest as far as he felt warranted, he has passed on to
another place to which the truth had never been carried, leaving
behind a large number converted to the truth, with a place of
worship in which to meet.
Those who audit the accounts of the workers should not settle
with such workers as Brother _____ according to the precise time
they have spent in preaching sermons. Their practical work is of
more value than any number of sermons, for it is the gospel lived,
the gospel acted. The manner in which Brother _____ has been
treated needs correction. The time he has spent in establishing
schools and building meetinghouses is not to be counted out. In his
practical work he was preparing minds to understand the truth as it
is in Jesus. It is such men as this that God has honored. But the
work He has originated and blessed men have passed by with
scarcely a word of encouragement. Workers He has sent out have
been settled with by the auditing committee in a way not
proportionate to the work they have done.
The Lord calls for workers, not for sermonizers, for men who
will do real work. The time is coming when we shall take a
retrospective view of the work we have done in this life. Then
every man’s work will stand at its true value. Then those who have
souls to show as a result of their labor will receive recognition
from God. (Manuscript Releases, vol. 17, p. 245–246)


How my heart aches to see presidents of conferences taking
the burden of selecting those whom they think they can mold to
work with them in the field. They take those who will not differ
from them, but will act like mere machines. No president has any
right to do this. Leave others to plan, and if they fail in some
things, do not take it as an evidence that they are unfitted to be
thinkers. Our most responsible men had to learn by a long

163
discipline how to use their judgment. In many things they have
shown that their work ought to have been better. The fact that men
make mistakes is no reason that we should think them unfit to be
caretakers. Those who think that their ways are perfect, even now
make many grave blunders, but others are none the wiser for it.
They present their success, but their mistakes do not appear. Then
be kind and considerate to every man who conscientiously enters
the field as a worker for the Master. Our most responsible men
have made some unwise plans, and have carried them out because
they thought their plans were perfect. They have heeded the
mingling of other elements of mind and character. They should
have associated with other men who could view matters from an
entirely different point of view. Thus they would have helped them
in their plans.
This same character of spirit is found here in Europe. For
years Elder Andrews held the work back from advancing, because
he feared to entrust it to others lest they would not carry out his
precise plans. He would never allow anything to come into
existence that did not originate with him. Elder Loughborough also
held everything in his grasp while he was in California and
England, and as a result the work is years behind in England. Elder
Wilcox and Sister Thayer have the same spirit of having
everything go in the exact way in which they shall dictate, and no
one is being trained in such a way as to know how to get hold of
the work for himself. What folly it is to trust a great mission in the
hands of one man, so that he shall mold and fashion it in
accordance with his mind, and after his own diseased imagination.
Men who have been narrow, who have served tables, who are not
far seeing, are disqualified for putting their mold upon the work.
Those who desire to control the work think that none can do it
perfectly but themselves, and the cause bears the marks of their
defects. (The Paulson Collection, p. 383–384)


If Christ is all and in all to every one of us, why are not His
incarnation and His atoning sacrifice dwelt upon more in the
churches? Why are not hearts and tongues employed in the
Redeemer’s praise? This will be the employment of the powers of
the redeemed through the ceaseless ages of eternity.
We need to have a living connection with God ourselves in
order to teach Jesus. Then we can give the living personal
experience of what Christ is to us by experience and faith. We
have received Christ and with divine earnestness we can tell that
which is an abiding power with us. The people must be drawn to
Christ. Prominence must be given to His saving efficacy.
The true learners, sitting at Christ’s feet, discover the precious
gems of truth uttered by our Saviour, and will discern their
significance and appreciate their value. And more and more, as
they become humble and teachable, will their understanding be

164
opened to discover wondrous things out of His law, for Christ has
presented them in clear, sharp lines.
The doctrine of grace and salvation through Jesus Christ is a
mystery to a large share of those whose names are upon the church
books. If Christ were upon the earth speaking to His people, He
would reproach them for their slowness of comprehension. He
would say to the slow and uncomprehending, “I have left in your
possession truths which concern your salvation, of which you do
not suspect the value.”
Oh, that it might be said of ministers who are preaching to the
people and to the churches, “Then opened he their understanding,
that they might understand the scriptures”! (Luke 24:45). I tell you
in the fear of God that up to this time, the Bible truths connected
with the great plan of redemption are but feebly understood. The
truth will be continually unfolding, expanding, and developing, for
it is divine, like its Author.
Jesus did not give full comments or continued discourses upon
doctrines, but He oft spoke in short sentences, as one sowing the
heavenly grains of doctrines like pearls which need to be gathered
up by a discerning laborer. The doctrines of faith and grace are
brought to view everywhere He taught. Oh, why do not ministers
give to the churches the very food which will give them spiritual
health and vigor? The result will be a rich experience in practical
obedience to the Word of God. Why do the ministers not
strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die? (Selected
Messages, book 3, p. 187–188)


The medical missionary work is God’s own work, and it is to
be controlled by no human power. Human agencies are to act as
the Lord’s helping hand, guided and controlled by the power of the
Holy Spirit. Not one act is to be done that will dishonor the work.
Mistakes will be made, but let men be very careful how they
bear down upon those who have made mistakes. Sometimes the
one who treats the erring with little mercy has made mistakes far
more grievous in the sight of God than those made by the one
whom he so unsparingly condemns.
Under the Lord’s special guidance, some things have been
done that are contrary to the specified directions laid down by men.
Unseen agencies were guiding in another way than that marked out
by human wisdom. Then let men be careful how they call their
brethren to account, as though they were in God’s place.
The Lord has heard the humiliating censure that has been
given to those who had not rebellion in their hearts, who thought
they were doing just what they were told to do. The Lord saw that
His work would be marred if the directions given by men were
followed, and He guided the minds of the workers to do the work
in the very way that He wished it done. The workers did not follow

165
the plan laid out by men, because God had a better plan for them.
The divine guiding produced the right result.
If the Lord is the great, unseen Medical Missionary, and men
are laborers together with Him, who are you condemning in
blaming His sincere workers? Against whom are your sarcastic
words spoken? The Lord Jesus would have His work done
according to His way. If men could see Him guiding and
controlling His servants, helping them to do His work in His way
with far better results than if they followed the directions given in
human wisdom, how ashamed they would be of the condemnation
they give these workers!
I am instructed to say to our ministers and medical missionary
workers, Be careful what spirit you manifest to one another. Men
are having their own way in many places, and if there is not a
change, they will soon see that human wisdom has placed them
where they cannot do the work in such a way as to make the most
advancement. For man to control means that the work of God will
not rise to the high elevation that God designs it to reach.
God’s ways are not men’s ways, nor are His thoughts men’s
thoughts. The Lord has seen best to permit men to have their own
way, but it will be to the sadness of their own souls and the souls
of those whom they control. God’s name will not be honored as it
should be.
To His servants who shall be assembled in council at any time
and in any place, the Lord says, Remember that prayer is the
source of power. Remember that it is through dependence upon
God, by looking to Him in faith, that you gain the victory. He
never disappoints His people. (Manuscript Releases, vol. 18, p.
171–172)


The youth in Battle Creek are, as a general thing, allied to the
world. But few maintain a special warfare against the internal foe.
But few have an earnest, anxious desire to know and do the will of
God. But few hunger and thirst after righteousness. But few know
anything of the Spirit of God as a reprover or comforter. Where are
the missionaries? Where are the self-denying, self-sacrificing
ones? Where are the cross-bearers? Self and self-interest have
swallowed up high and noble principles. Things of eternal moment
bear with no special weight upon the mind. God requires you
individually to come up to the point, to make an entire surrender.
Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Ye cannot serve self and at the
same time be servants of Christ. You must die to self, die to your
love of pleasure, and learn to inquire, Will God be pleased with the
objects for which I purpose to spend this means? Shall I glorify
Him? We are commanded, Whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever
we do, to do all to the glory of God. How many have
conscientiously moved from principle rather than from impulse,
and obeyed this command to the letter? How many of the youthful

166
disciples of Battle Creek have made God their trust and portion,
and have earnestly sought to know and do His will? There are
many who profess to be servants of Christ in name, but they are
not so in obedience. Where religious principle governs, the danger
of committing important errors is small; for selfishness, which
always blinds and deceives, is subordinate. The sincere desire to do
others good so predominates that self is forgotten. To have firm
religious principles is an inestimable treasure. It is the purest,
highest, and most elevated influence mortals can possess. Such
have an anchor. Every act is well considered, lest its effect be
injurious to another, and lead away from Christ. The constant
inquiry of the mind is, Lord, how shall I best serve and glorify Thy
name in the earth? how shall I conduct my life to make Thy name a
praise in the earth, and lead others to love, serve, and honor Thee?
Let me only desire and choose Thy will. Let the words and
example of my Redeemer be the light and strength of my heart.
While I follow and trust in Him, He will not leave me to perish. He
shall be my crown of rejoicing.
Bro. Aldrich, you are in an important position. If you fail to
come up to the standard, others follow your example; especially
the youth. Your position in regard to health and dress reforms was
such as to cause the unsanctified to take shelter under your
influence. Had you possessed that conscientious, fine sensibility
which ought to be found in you, you would not have ventured upon
the course you pursued. It would have been enough for such a
mind to know that God had deigned to notice the diet and dress of
His people; and how careful and circumspect would have been
your words, lest you should be found fighting against God. Any
thing that is of sufficient importance for God to notice, however
small it may appear to those whose hearts are lifted up in pride,
should at least call for respectful silence. Your regarding these
things as insignificant did not make them so. God noticed them.
This should have been enough for poor, proud mortals. Their will
and wisdom should not be maintained against the will and wisdom
of Him who is too wise to err, and too good to do us wrong. Here
is the danger of exalting man in our hearts. If we get the wisdom of
man before us as the wisdom of God, we are led astray by the
foolishness of man’s wisdom. Here is the great danger of many in
Battle Creek. They have not an experience for themselves. They
have not been in the habit of prayerfully considering for
themselves, with unprejudiced, unbiased judgment, questions and
subjects that are new, which are liable to arise. They wait to see
what Bro. Aldrich thinks. If he dissents, that is all that is needed.
The evidence in their minds then is positive that it is all of no
account whatever. This class is not small; yet for all their numbers
are large, it does not change the fact that they are weak-minded
through long yielding to the enemy, inexperienced, and will always
be sickly as babes, walking by others’ light, living on others’
experience, feeling as others feel, acting as others act. They act as
though they had not an individuality. Their identity is submerged

167
in others. They are merely shadows of others whom they think
about right. These will all fail of everlasting life unless they
become sensible of their wavering character, and correct it. They
will be unable to cope with the perils of the last days. They will
possess no stamina to resist the Devil; for they do not know that it
is he. Some one must be at their side to inform them whether it is a
foe approaching, or a friend. They are not spiritual, therefore
spiritual things are not discerned. They are not wise in those things
which relate to the kingdom of God. None, young or old, are
excusable in trusting to another to have an experience for them.
Said the angel, “Cursed is man who trusteth in man, and maketh
flesh his arm.” A noble self-reliance is needed in the Christian
experience and warfare.
Men, women, and youth, God requires you to possess moral
courage, steadiness of purpose, fortitude and perseverance, minds
which will investigate, and prove, and try, for themselves before
receiving or rejecting, minds that cannot take the assertions of
another, but will study and weigh evidence, take it to the Lord in
prayer, and flee to Him who has invited them to come. “If any of
you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.” (James
1:5) Now the condition: “But let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven
with the wind and tossed; for let not that man think that he shall
receive anything of the Lord.” (Verses 6–7) This petition for
wisdom is not to be a meaningless prayer, out of mind as soon as
finished. It is a prayer that expresses the strong, earnest desire of
the heart, arising from a conscious lack of wisdom and knowledge
to determine the will of God. If, after the prayer is made to God,
the answer is not immediately realized, do not become unstable
and weary of waiting. Waver not. Cling to the promise, “Faithful is
he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
Like the importunate widow, urge your case, being firm in your
purpose. Is the object important and of great consequence to you?
It certainly is. Well, waver not; for your faith may be tried. If the
thing you desire is valuable, it is worthy of a strong, earnest effort.
You have the promise, watch and pray. Be steadfast, and the prayer
will be answered; for is it not God who hath promised? If it cost
you something to obtain it, the more will you prize it when
obtained. You are plainly told that if you waver you need not think
that you shall receive any thing of the Lord. A caution is here
given not to become weary, but to rest firmly upon the promise. If
you ask, he will give you liberally and upbraid not. (Testimony for
the Church at Battle Creek [PH097], pp. 17–21; see also
Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 128–131)

168
 Indexes

Please note, this is a preliminary index. The final index will be

created in InDesign, but this gives you a list of the items that are
flagged to be indexed. Of course, both Bible and SOP indexes are
optional as far as I’m concerned.
Regarding the Scripture references, the prefixed 8-digit
number aids in sorting the Bible references in proper order and will
be removed later on.
Don’t be alarmed if the page numbers do not perfectly match
at this time. They will be automatically corrected when the book is
formatted.

IX_Bible................................ 03026001_Leviticus 26\.....

01041025_Genesis 41\.......
25-32.........................88
02003002_Exodus 3\.........
2................................99
02013009_Exodus 13\.......
9................................84
02020008_Exodus 20\.......
8-11...........................67
02029036_Exodus 29\.......
36..............................55
02031016_Exodus 31\.......
16-17.........................79
03010009_Leviticus 10\.....
9-10...........................31
03014018_Leviticus 14\.....
18..............................55
03014019_Leviticus 14\.....
19..............................55
03014020_Leviticus 14\.....
20..............................55
03014029_Leviticus 14\.....
29..............................55
03014031_Leviticus 14\.....
31..............................55
03014053_Leviticus 14\.....
53..............................55
03016030_Leviticus 16\.....
30..............................55
03017011_Leviticus 17\.....
11..............................54
03019017_Leviticus 19\.....
17..............................27
1-2...........................128
03026003_Leviticus 26\.....
3-4...........................128
03026005_Leviticus 26\.....
5-8...........................128
03026009_Leviticus 26\.....
9-13.........................129
03026014_Leviticus 26\.....
14-17.......................129
03026018_Leviticus 26\.....
18....................127, 130
03026019_Leviticus 26\.....
19-20.......................130
03026021_Leviticus 26\.....
21....................127, 130
03026023_Leviticus 26\.....
23-24.......................131
03026024_Leviticus 26\.....
24............................127
03026027_Leviticus 26\.....
27-29.......................131
03026028_Leviticus 26\.....
28............................127
03026034_Leviticus 26\.....
34-35.......................131
03026040_Leviticus 26\.....
40-45.......................132
04025013_Numbers 25\.....
13..............................54
04035033_Numbers 35\.....
33..............................54

169
05005010_Deuteronomy
5\....................................
10..............................90
05006005_Deuteronomy
6\....................................
5-8.............................66
05007009_Deuteronomy
7\....................................
9................................90
05030001_Deuteronomy
30\..................................
1-8.............................44
06005014_Joshua 5\...........
14..............................99
07006001_Judges 6\...........
1..............................133
09016007_1 Samuel 16\....
7................................73
10024013_2 Samuel 24\....
13............................133
12008001_2 Kings 8\.........
1..............................133
12017013_2 Kings 17\.......
13..............................29
12019021_2 Kings 19\.......
21-28.........................42
12019029_2 Kings 19\.......
29-34.........................43
14036021_2 Chronicles
36\..................................
21............................131
15009014_Ezra 9\..............
14..............................48
19012006_Psalm 12\..........
6..............................126
19078008_Psalm 78\..........
8..............................138
19079009_Psalm 79\..........
9................................59
19105025_Psalm 105\........
25..............................93
19106046_Psalm 106\........
46..............................93
19119164_Psalm 119\........
164..........................126
20006023_Proverbs 6\.......
23..............................28
20008015_Proverbs 8\.......
15-16.........................91
20016006_Proverbs 16\.....
6................................59
20021001_Proverbs 21\.....
1................................93
20024016_Proverbs 24\.....
16............................126
20031004_Proverbs 31\.....
4-5.............................31
21012013_Ecclesiastes 12\
13-14.........................14
23001009_Isaiah 1\............
9................................44
23008016_Isaiah 8\............
16..............................66
23010020_Isaiah 10\..........
20-22.........................44
23011011_Isaiah 11\..........
11-13.........................45
23011016_Isaiah 11\..........
16..............................46
23012001_Isaiah 12\..........
1-6.............................46
23014016_Isaiah 14\..........
16............................106
23022014_Isaiah 22\..........
14..............................54
23027009_Isaiah 27\..........
9................................60
23055001_Isaiah 55\..........
1-7.............................25
23058012_Isaiah 58\..........
12..............................48
24003003_Jeremiah 3\.......
3................................82
24017005_Jeremiah 17\.....
5................................39
24018007_Jeremiah 18\.....
7-10...........................88
24023001_Jeremiah 23\.....
1-3.............................46
24031003_Jeremiah 31\.....
3................................47
26003007_Ezekiel 3\..........
7-9.............................83
26008015_Ezekiel 8\..........
15-16.........................85
26009004_Ezekiel 9\..........
4................................86
26009008_Ezekiel 9\..........
8................................49
26014022_Ezekiel 14\........
170
 22..............................50
26020012_Ezekiel 20\........
12..............................79
26020017_Ezekiel 20\........
17-18.......................138
26020020_Ezekiel 20\........
20..............................79
26028018_Ezekiel 28\........
18............................106
26043020_Ezekiel 43\........
20..............................55
27002045_Daniel 2\...........
45..............................89
27003019_Daniel 3\...........
19............................126
27004016_Daniel 4\...........
16............................125
27004023_Daniel 4\...........
23............................125
27004025_Daniel 4\...........
25............................125
27004032_Daniel 4\...........
17, 32........................91
32............................126
27007007_Daniel 7\...........
7..............................114
27007009_Daniel 7\...........
9-10.....................11, 15
27007019_Daniel 7\...........
19............................114
27007023_Daniel 7\...........
23............................114
27007024_Daniel 7\...........
24............................114
27007025_Daniel 7\...........
25............................126
27007026_Daniel 7\...........
26-28.........................68
27010013_Daniel 10\.........
13, 21........................96
27010014_Daniel 10\.........
14............................144
27011002_Daniel 11\.........
2-4...........................143
27011033_Daniel 11\.........
33-35.........................69
27012001_Daniel 12\.........
1..........................69, 96
27012004_Daniel 12\.........
4..............................111
27012006_Daniel 12\.........
6..............................112
27012007_Daniel 12\.........
7..............................126
27012008_Daniel 12\.........
8..............................112
27012009_Daniel 12\.........
9..............................113
27012010_Daniel 12\.........
10............................113
27012011_Daniel 12\.........
11............................113
27012012_Daniel 12\.........
12............................115
27012013_Daniel 12\.........
13............................117
28005014_Hosea 5\............
14-15.........................92
29002017_Joel 2\...............
17..............................86
30005018_Amos 5\............
18-19.........................18
30009009_Amos 9\............
9................................30
35002002_Habakkuk 2\.....
2-4...........................116
37002004_Haggai 2\..........
4................................48
39003001_Malachi 3\........
1..............................100
39003003_Malachi 3\........
3................................56
39003017_Malachi 3\........
17..............................47
40004004_Matthew 4\.......
4................................20
40004009_Matthew 4\.......
9................................74
40004010_Matthew 4\.......
10..............................74
40015008_Matthew 15\.....
8................................74
40015009_Matthew 15\.....
9................................76
40018007_Matthew 18\.....
7................................89
40024012_Matthew 24\.....
12-13.........................21
40024015_Matthew 24\.....
15-16.......................147
171
40024021_Matthew 24\.....
21-22.......................147
40024029_Matthew 24\.....
29............................147
40024030_Matthew 24\.....
30-31.......................148
40024031_Matthew 24\.....
31..............................97
40025012_Matthew 25\.....
12-14.......................146
40026039_Matthew 26\.....
39..............................31
41013027_Mark 13\...........
27..............................97
41014021_Mark 14\...........
21..............................90
42012008_Luke 12\...........
8................................15
42018013_Luke 18\...........
13..............................60
43004023_John 4\..............
23-24.........................75
43005025_John 5\..............
25..............................97
43005028_John 5\..............
28..............................98
43009041_John 9\..............
41..............................24
43012032_John 12\............
32..............................47
43013035_John 13\............
35..............................21
43015007_John 15\............
7................................20
43019011_John 19\............
11..............................91
44002023_Acts 2\..............
23..............................95
44003015_Acts 3\..............
15..............................98
44003019_Acts 3\..............
19-20.........................13
44005031_Acts 5\..............
31..............................98
44017023_Acts 17\............
23-30.........................75
44017026_Acts 17\............
26-27.........................92
44026018_Acts 26\............
18..............................24
45001017_Romans 1\........
17..............................20
45002004_Romans 2\........
4................................59
45002012_Romans 2\........
12-16.........................14
45002014_Romans 2\........
14-16.........................78
45003024_Romans 3\........
24-26.........................35
45008029_Romans 8\........
29..............................94
45009017_Romans 9\........
17..............................92
17-22.........................94
45009027_Romans 9\........
27-29.........................46
45010017_Romans 10\......
17..............................20
45011002_Romans 11\......
2................................94
45011005_Romans 11\......
5................................39
45011026_Romans 11\......
1-5, 26-29..................90
45012002_Romans 12\......
2................................83
45013001_Romans 13\......
1................................91
45013012_Romans 13\......
12-14.........................26
45014010_Romans 14\......
10-12.........................16
46015010_1 Corinthians
15\..................................
10..............................59
46015019_1 Corinthians
15\..................................
19..............................23
47006001_2 Corinthians 5\
21-6\:2.......................59
48004017_Galatians 4\......
17-18.........................28
49001017_Ephesians 1\.....
17-18.........................27
49003016_Ephesians 3\.....
16-19.........................27
49003017_Ephesians 3\.....
17..............................28
17-19.........................21
172
49005001_Ephesians 5\.....
1-2.............................26
51002001_Colossians 2\....
1-2.............................19
51003008_Colossians 3\....
8-14...........................26
51003016_Colossians 3\....
16..............................20
52003012_1 Thessalonians
3\....................................
12-13.........................21
52004016_1 Thessalonians
4\....................................
16..............................98
53002013_2 Thessalonians
2\....................................
13..............................93
55002014_2 Timothy 2\.....
14..............................32
55003012_2 Timothy 3\.....
12..............................41
58001005_Hebrews 1\.......
5-6.............................99
58002016_Hebrews 2\.......
16-18.........................60
58004002_Hebrews 4\.......
2................................30
58006019_Hebrews 6\.......
19-20.........................36
58008010_Hebrews 8\.......
10..............................67
58009002_Hebrews 9\.......
2-4.............................36
58009005_Hebrews 9\.......
5-6.............................34
5-9.............................38
58009007_Hebrews 9\.......
7................................56
7-9.............................34
58010035_Hebrews 10\.....
35-38.......................116
59001021_James 1\............
21..............................20
59002005_James 2\............
5................................19
59004008_James 4\............
8................................61
60001002_1 Peter 1\..........
2................................94
60001018_1 Peter 1\..........
18-19.........................57
60003015_1 Peter 3\..........
15..............................79
61003003_2 Peter 3\..........
3-6.............................77
62001007_1 John 1\...........
7, 9............................57
62004007_1 John 4\...........
7................................21
62004008_1 John 4\...........
8................................21
65001009_Jude 1\..............
9................................96
65001014_Jude 14-15....16
66001005_Revelation 1\....
5................................98
5-6.............................57
66003005_Revelation 3\....
5....................11, 13, 15
66003020_Revelation 3\....
20..............................29
66006010_Revelation 6\....
10-11.........................12
66006011_Revelation 6\....
11............................140
66007014_Revelation 7\....
14..............................57
66011015_Revelation 11\. .
15..............................98
66012007_Revelation 12\. .
7................................96
66012017_Revelation 12\. .
17..............................29
66014006_Revelation 14\. .
6-7.............................12
66014007_Revelation 14\. .
7................................77
7-11...........................70
66014009_Revelation 14\. .
9-11...........................67
66014011_Revelation 14\. .
11..............................77
66014012_Revelation 14\. .
7, 12..........................14
66019010_Revelation 19\. .
10........................29, 99
66020009_Revelation 20\. .
9-10.........................107
66020011_Revelation 20\. .
11-15.........................16
173
IX_SOP.................................
A Word to the Little Flock,
p. 12..........................135
Christ’s Object Lessons, p.
235..............................28
Christian Service, p. 115 22
Counsels on Sabbath
School Work, p. 91. .158
Counsels to Writers and
Editors, p. 145-146...159
Early Writings, p. 270....30
Early Writings, p. 74....134
Early Writings, p. 75....110
Early Writings, pp. 74, 86
....................................50
Evangelism, p. 286–287
..................................155
Last Day Events, p. 36. 118
Loma Linda Messages, p.
91..............................155
Manuscript Releases, vol.
10, p. 194–195..........153
Manuscript Releases, vol.
10, p. 311..................158
Manuscript Releases, vol.
13, p. 394..................140
Manuscript Releases, vol.
16, p. 242–244..........153
Manuscript Releases, vol.
16, p. 334-335..........158
Manuscript Releases, vol.
17, p. 193..................160
Manuscript Releases, vol.
17, p. 245–246..........163
Manuscript Releases, vol.
17, p. 53–54..............156
Manuscript Releases, vol.
18, p. 171–172..........166
Manuscript Releases, vol.
18, p. 174..................158
Manuscript Releases, vol.
20, p. 319..................155
Manuscript Releases, vol.
21, p. 118..................159
Review and Herald,
February 22, 1887....160
Review and Herald, March
14, 1878....................156
Selected Messages, book 1,
p. 164........................111
Selected Messages, book 1,
p. 188........................119
Selected Messages, book 2,
p. 102........................109
Selected Messages, book 3,
p. 187–188................165
Selected Messages, book 3,
p. 336–337................161
Selected Messages, book 3,
p. 417........................146
Sermons and Talks, vol. 1,
p. 210........................154
Sermons and Talks, vol. 1,
p. 226........................117
Spalding and Magan's
Unpublished Manuscript
Testimonies by Ellen G.
White, p. 1...............134
Special Testimony to the
Battle Creek Church
(PH155), p. 4–5........163
Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4b, p.
69–70........................160
Steps to Christ, p. 95......19
Testimonies to Ministers,
p. 113............................6
Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 187
....................................30
Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 695
..................................156
Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 445
..................................155
Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 184
..................................156
Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 451
..................................145
Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 753
..................................145
Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 28–
29..............................162
Testimony for the Church
at Battle Creek [PH097],
pp. 17–21..................168
That I May Know Him, p.
304............................157
The Acts of the Apostles,
p. 543..........................31
The Desire of Ages, p. 58
....................................95
174
The Desire of Ages, p. 587
..................................138
The Desire of Ages, p. 628
..................................145
The Ellen G. White 1888
Materials, p. 135.........18
The Ellen G. White 1888
Materials, p. 137.......161
The Ellen G. White 1888
Materials, p. 138.......157
The Great Controversy, p.
25..............................145
The Great Controversy, p.
261..............................95
The Great Controversy, p.
343............................138
The Great Controversy, p.
48..............................139
The Paulson Collection, p.
383–384....................164
The Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 949............108, 117
The Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 980....................155
The Signs of the Times,
February 20, 1901....146

175