Questions,
Observations,
Answers
and Conclusions
When folk come to the point in any field where
they stop questioning, and they think they know it all; that there is no more
to be found, such ones become stagnant and trail in the dust of new light and
understanding. This is especially true in the field of God’s Word, which the
following statements confirm:
SPECIAL
TRUTHS FOUND: The great leaders of religious thought in this generation sound
the praises and build the monuments of those who planted the seed of truth
centuries ago. Do not many turn from this work to trample down the growth
springing from the same seed today? The old cry is repeated; `we know that God
spake unto Moses; as for this fellow [Christ in the messenger He sends], we
know not from whence he is.' John 9:29. As in earlier ages, the special truths for this time are found, not with the ecclesiastical authorities,
but with men and women who are not too learned or too wise to believe the Word
of God.” E.G. White —
COL.79:1
THE
TRUTH IS CAPABLE OF CONSTANT EXPANSION AND NEW DEVELOPMENT: To say that a
passage means just this and nothing more, that you must not attach any broader
meaning to the words of Christ than we have in the past, is saying that which is not actuated by the Spirit of God. The more we
walk in the light of truth, the more we shall become like Christ in spirit, in
character, and in the manner of our work, and the brighter will the truth
become to us. As we behold it in the increasing
light of revelation,
it
will become more precious than we first estimated it from a casual hearing or
examination. The truth as it is in Jesus is capable of
constant expansion, of new development, and like its divine Author, it will become more precious and
beautiful: it will constantly reveal deeper significance, and lead the soul
to aspire for more perfect conformity to its exalted standard. Such
understanding of the truth will elevate the mind and transform the character to
its divine perfection.” E.G. White — R& H, Oct. 21, 1890.
The wise will acknowledge that all of the
principles of Scripture originated with the Word, Christ, so it is a death trap
philosophy contradicting Ellen White’s above statement to say:
a. That a passage means “just this and nothing more.”
b. That you must not attach any broader
meaning to the words of Christ than we have in the past.
c. To violate either a and/or b above is saying that which is not actuated by the Spirit of God.
How
many Adventists are saying that the teachings of the Pioneers mean “just this
and nothing more?” Did some of the pioneers like Uriah Smith, conclude that
Daniel and Revelation meant just what he interpreted it to mean and nothing
more? I estimate that this serious error is committed in countermand to the
Spirit of Prophecy, by just about every professing Seventh-day Adventist! Like
the Jews of old, Adventists are one of the most bigoted people on earth, and
the cause of this bigotry is the same cause which plagued the Jews—stagnation
by concluding that anything in Scripture means “just this and nothing more,”
and that we are not to attach any broader/deeper meaning to Bible findings than
we have in the past!
There
is an old maxim amongst writers which states: “Publish or perish.” That old
adage proves true, and there are good reasons why. God made truth and our minds
so as to be ever developing and expanding. Ellen White said that the
Reformation was to be ever expanding. The intelligent mind will become weary of
the same fodder over and over again without some new stimuli which is a deeper
revelation of the old to make it even more interesting and important.
Is
it possible that the reason our youth exit the back door about as fast as they
enter the front door is because they are tired and bored with hearing the same
thing over and over with nothing new and interesting building on the old? I
believe very firmly that is the case! The Bible brought up to date to reflect
and demonstrate its relevance to NOW, makes it an interesting and exciting
pursuit. We are going to explore some such pursuits in this document.
It
is often said that the Protestant Reformation died with Luther and the other
Reformation reformers. Did the Adventist Reformation die with Ellen White?
It
is a truth that Bible teachings of the prophets died with them, for the Jews,
having rejected those admonitions, were not blessed with new light building
upon the old. The more observing mind will note that the same thing has
occurred within the halls of Adventism. No new thing—building on the old light
has come into existence since the death of Ellen G. White. There is much
apostate error, but no new and important truth has come from the professing
thought leaders of the church. That repeats the following scenario of past
ages:
“As in earlier ages, the special truths for
this time are found, not with the
ecclesiastical authorities, but with men and women who are not too learned
or too wise to believe the Word of God.” E.G. White — COL.79:1
In light of the above observations, we are
going to dig into some beliefs of pioneer Seventh-day Adventism, with the
objective of seeing how they might be further developed and/or applied. We will
begin with the 2300 day prophecy.
Issue
Number One: The 2300 Day Prophecy as Taught by Seventh-day Adventists
Before we begin this venture, I want to make
it adamantly clear that I believe every particle of the historic application of
the 2300 days as taught by our SDA pioneers and Ellen White. Without disturbing
that application, I would ask the following questions that we might see more to
the teaching than we have thus far seen:
Question
1:
Did Ellen White see Daniel 8 and 10 as only partially fulfilled in her day? How
is it that Ellen White saw Daniel’s visions on the Ulai and the Hiddekel
(chapter’s 8 and 20 respectively) being fulfilled then and in the future, to wit:
“The light that Daniel received from God was
given especially
for these last days. The
visions he saw by the banks of the Ulai and Hiddekel, the great rivers of Shinar, are now in process of
fulfillment, and all the
events foretold will soon come to pass.
Consider the
circumstances of the Jewish nation when the prophecies of Daniel were given. 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." Revelation 1:3. 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, 1 12-113.
The book of
Revelation explains the book of Daniel, so failure to understand one is a
failure to understand the other. And since a true understanding of these books
would result in a great revival, we must conclude that these books are still
not understood for there has been no great revival in the church since Ellen
White penned those words.
I submit that one
prime mover relative to an understanding of Daniel and Revelation that would
stir God’s people into a great revival would be an understanding of how Daniel
8:4, 5 is having a re-fulfillment right before our very eyes. We know what
power constitutes the west at the end-time. We know what power constitutes the
two-horned Ram—Media (Iraq) and Persia (Iran) at this end-time. We have already
seen the west come against Iraq, and there are rumblings nearly every day now
about the west coming against Iran! So is it correct to say that only the
historic interpretation of Daniel 8 is the one and only interpretation? I say
nay!
Daniel
8:2-27:
2And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass,
when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam;
and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.
3Then I lifted up mine eyes,
and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had
two horns: [two powers—Iran and Iraq] and the two horns were high; but one was
higher [Iran] than the other, and the higher came up last.
4I saw the ram pushing
westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before
him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according
to his will, and became great.
5And as I was considering,
behold, an he goat came from the west [the USA] on the face of the whole
earth,
and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
6And he came to the ram that
had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in
the fury of his power.
7And I saw him come close
unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and
brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he
cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that
could deliver the ram out of his hand.
8Therefore the he goat
waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it
came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
Note: America’s notable horn will be broken!
It is now being broken. But the USA will go into national ruin after its war
with Iran.
9And out of one of them came
forth a little horn, which waxed
exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant
land.
10And it 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.
Question
2:
Is this little horn the same as the little horn of Revelation—the Beast? I say
Yea!
11Yea, he magnified himself even to the
prince of the host, and by him the daily
sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down.
Note: The word sacrifice is in italic in all
Bibles, and this denotes that it is a supplied word, meaning it was not in the
original manuscripts but added by the publishers in an effort to clarify what
they think the word “daily” refers to.
Question
3: Is the above casting down of “the place of the sanctuary” the
Ezekiel 9 destruction of the professing SDA church, which will commit the
transgression of desolation by instructing its members to keep Sunday sacred,
to wit:
"The Lord has a controversy with his professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly
opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the
Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it
beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large
gatherings in the open air [camp-meetings], ministers, will urge upon the
people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week." E.G. White, Review and
Herald, Vol.
1, p. 405, col. 3.
Babylon’s ministers don’t have to urge upon their
people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week. They have kept that
day of the week for centuries! It is SDA ministers who will have to urge upon
the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week! That is the host
that is given the little horn by reason of transgression—the transgression of
desolation—which leaves SDA sanctuaries around the world desolate of the
presence of Christ, which desolation has already been actuated by other
apostasies which sweep away the entire Christian economy, such as the adoption
of the Trinity Doctrine in 1980, Rome’s central doctrine.
The chapter containing the following statement
begins on page 207, quoting Ezekiel 9:
Further note: Begin at My Sanctuary -- "Here we see that
the church--the Lord's sanctuary--was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath
of God. The
ancient men [leaders], those to whom God had given great light and
who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had
betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for
miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times
have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief,
and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too
merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus 'Peace and safety" is the
cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show
God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb
dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an
offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together." E.
G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211.
"Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words
will be literally fulfilled yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep.
They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer
will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths
revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual
experience. The time is short. God is calling will YOU hear? Will YOU receive
His message? Will YOU be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon,
every case will be decided for eternity. Letter 106, 1909, pp. 2, 3, 5, 7. (To
"The churches in Oakland and Berkeley, September 26, 1909.)" E. G. White
Manuscript Releases Volume One, p.
260.
Question
4:
Is this the same abomination of desolation that removes the daily in Daniel
12:11, 12? I say Yea!
12And an host was given
him against the daily sacrifice by
reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and
prospered.
Question
5: What host was given to the antichrist? Why is
a host given to the antichrist? Answer: Because of the transgression of
desolation. What is/how is the transgression of desolation involved with the
daily? Answer: It involves the Sabbath commandment. What is the daily? One
meaning of the daily was the sacrifices offered daily in the Sanctuary for the
transgressions from day to day. Transgression of what at the end time? Answer:
The fourth commandment of the law, the Holy Sabbath. How did the Pope cast down
truth to the ground, practise and
prosper from the time he was taken captive in 1798 and died in captivity? How
did he practise and prosper until 1844, the end of the historic application of
the 2300 days?
“The temporal sovereignty of the Pope ended
during the French Revolution when the French army captured Rome in 1798. The
French had demanded that the pope relinquish his temporal sovereignty and
withdraw all of his edicts against the revolution since 1791, but he refused. Because of
this, the French had dethroned, exiled, and imprisoned him.
On the night of February 20, 1798, under
constant guard of French dragoons Pius VI was first
transferred to Sienna. Since he was still in the heart of Italy, the French
decided to move him elsewhere. They transferred the pope to Florence, then on
to Parma and Turin. The French finally moved the pope to the French fortress of
Valence, in Dauphiny, on July 17, 1799. He died on July 25, 1799.” Found at the
following link:
http://www.history1700s.com/articles/article1076.shtml
13Then I heard one saint
speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long
shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice,
and the transgression of desolation, to give both
the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
Question
6: Why is the transgression of desolation associated with the
Sanctuary? Let’s go to the SDA Encyclopedia for the definition:
“The Heb. peshaÔ , “transgression,” in the parallel expression “transgression of desolation” in Dan. 8:13, is used of acts of
apostasy and rebellion against God (see Amos 2:4, 6;
Micah 1:5).[1]” The SDA
Encyclopedia, p. 2.
The expression transgression of desolation is in
parallel to the abomination of desolation, but in Daniel 8:12, an host is given to the antichrist prince that shall come
for the reason, by reason of transgression, that is also committed by the host.
This is confirmed by Ezekiel 8 as well, wherein about 25 leaders of Jerusalem
turn their backs toward the temple and their faces toward the east bowing down
to the sun. This is one of the reasons Ezekiel 9 will be literally fulfilled
again BEGINNING AT HIS SANCTUARY, the SDA church: Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211, which statement is part of the chapter
beginning on p. 207, which begins by quoting Ezekiel 9. Here is one of the
prime reasons why Ezekiel 9 begins at the SDA church, the House of Jacob. As
well, this confirms Ellen White’s statement that SDA leaders will instruct the
members of new movement Adventism to keep Sunday sacred:
16 He then
brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the
entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five
men. With their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the
east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east. Ezekiel 8:16.
12And an host was given
him against the daily sacrifice by
reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and
prospered.
Will the future act of the leadership of the
SDA church in instructing its members to keep Sunday sacred constitute an act
of apostasy and rebellion against God? Is the decades ago act by the leadership
instructing Russian parents to send their children to school on Sabbath in
violation of the sacred fourth commandment, apostasy and rebellion against God?
Any host associated with the Sanctuary has to
refer to God’s people, professing Seventh-day Adventists in an end-time
application! In verse 12, an host is given to the little horn power. An host is
given to the antichrist power for 2300 days because the host itself commits a
transgression of desolation that infuriates even Babylon. That transgression of
desolation is the act of instructing SDA’s to keep Sunday sacred. One would
think this would be sufficient to appease the antichrist, but that is not the
case. The antichrist is infuriated because SDA’s will not relinquish their
separated church to join other Babylonian churches, and because they will
persist in continuing to refer to themselves as Seventh-day Adventists, while
keeping both days of the week, just as Rome did for awhile before changing the
day of worship to Sunday. SDA’s will continue to “steal sheep” from Babylon by
opening their churches (houses of merchandise) for worship services on both
Saturday and Sunday. Ellen White condoned evangelistic services on Sunday, but
never the divine sacred worship service that would lend sacredness to Sunday.
"The law for the observance of the first
day of the week is the production of an apostate Christendom.
Sunday is a child of the Papacy, exalted by the Christian world above
the sacred day of God's rest. In no case are God's people to pay it homage.
But I wish them to understand that they are not doing God's will by
braving opposition when he wishes them to avoid it. Thus they create prejudice
so bitter that it is impossible for the truth to be proclaimed. Make no demonstration
on Sunday in defiance of law. If this is done in one place, and you are
humiliated, the same thing will be done in another place. We can use Sunday as
a day on which to carry forward work that will tell on the side of Christ. We
are to do our best, working with all meekness and lowliness. {RH, April 20,
1911 par. 17}
Keeping Sunday
sacred by conducting the divine worship service on that day would be an act of
paying Sunday homage. There was a time before the change from Saturday to
Sunday when Catholics kept both days sacred: Saturday and Sunday. So they know
that is inconsistent with Bible truth and the fourth commandment. And when
SDA’s try doing the same thing, Catholics will not accept that as homage to
their change of the day to Sunday. The Catholics and God will regard this as
the transgression of desolation by the host people, professing Seventh-day
Adventists.
14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed.
Question
7:
In the historic Adventist application of the 2300 days, was a host associated
with the sanctuary (God’s people), given to a little horn power to be tromped
down until October 22, 1844, at which time the 2300 days, as applied
historically, ended? No! Keep in mind that SDA’s taught/teach that the little
horn in Daniel 8:9 is the Roman power. Another possible interpretation
(meaning) is that at the end of 2300 literal days after the transgression of
desolation by the SDA church, probation will close and the Sanctuary will be
cleansed of all unconfessed sin. This does not foretell the day and hour Jesus
will come, for no man knows that. Jesus will announce the day and hour of His
coming some time after the close of probation.
Question
8:
Does prophetic (day for a year) time include literal
time? No it does not! In Revelation 13:1-5, the beast power continues for 42
months (3 ½ years) after the wound is healed. There is no getting around this
time period. There is no getting around the time periods of Daniel 12:
Daniel
12
1And 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.
The context of Daniel 12 is after Michael
(Christ) shall stand up and there is a time of trouble such as never was.
2And
many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting
life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3And
they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that
turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
4But 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.
5Then I
Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the
bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.
6And
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?
7And I
heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he
held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that
liveth for ever that it shall be for a time,
times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the
power of the holy people, all these
things shall be finished.
There can be no denying that the above 3 ½ literal years time frame is after Michael stands up.
8And I
heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of
these things?
9And he
said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time
of the end.
10Many
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.
11And
from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination
that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety
days.
12Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to
the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
There can be no denying that the above literal time periods occur in context with the time after
which Michael stands up at the end of time, notwithstanding any secondary
application made of these time periods in any historic application. Any act of
saying those time periods are the only interpretation of these words of Christ,
is not actuated by the Holy Spirit, which is the soul of the life of Christ,
per Ellen White.
13But
go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest,
and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
Question
9:
In the historic application of the 2300 days from 457 B.C. to 1844, was a
little horn power treading down the sanctuary of God’s people, especially from the time the Pope was taken captive in 1798, until 1844? (The same Pope
died in captivity). The American Constitution was adopted in 1787, and all
American’s had freedom of worship, to wit:
“The Constitution was
adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania,
and ratified
by conventions in each U.S. state in the name of "The People". It has
been amended
twenty-seven times; the first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.”[1][2]
Some will protest that
because Uriah Smith included the 70 weeks of Daniel 9 in the 2300 day prophecy,
that any repetition of the 2300 days would have to include another repetition
of the 70 weeks, to which I respond: Then historic secondary application of the
2300 days must include a treading down of the Sanctuary and God’s people from
1798 to 1844, and no such thing occurred! The Pope was in captivity and died
while in that captivity.
The protestant
reformation began in 1517, and as I state elsewhere in this document, the
American Constitution was signed in 1787, so how was pagan Rome or papal Rome
oppressing the Christian church at least from 1787 to 1844? And the seventh-day
Sabbath was not accepted by SDA pioneers until 1846.
“The most common dating begins in 1517, when Luther published The Ninety-Five Theses, and concludes in 1648 with the Treaty of Westphalia that ended years of European religious wars.”[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation
“The
Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and ratified by
conventions in each U.S.
state in the name
of "The People". It has been amended twenty-seven
times; the first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.”[1][2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution
“Joseph Bates shared his booklet on the Sabbath with James and Ellen White. They went into a thorough study of the matter and in 1846 they began to observe the Bible Sabbath, and to teach and defend it.” http://dedication.www3.50megs.com/sabbath_history.html
Question 10: If Papal Rome is the little horn
of Daniel 8 during the latter part of the 2300 days, then what happened
to papal Rome between the time the Pope was taken captive in 1798 (and died in
captivity) and October 22, 1844? Did the Papacy suddenly stop defiling the
Sanctuary in 1844, and how was it defiling the Sanctuary between 1798 and 1844?
Was it "broken without hand" (vs. 25) in 1844, or does this “broken without
hand” have direct reference to the very end of time per Daniel 2:34, 35, to
wit:
Dan 2:34
Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image
upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
Dan 2:35
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken
to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors;
and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone
that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Again, I do not dispute
what I regard as a partial, very secondary application of Daniel 8, as applied
by Pioneer Seventh-day Adventists, but one can see that it does not apply in
all aspects. Also keep in mind that I am posing questions. If anyone has
satisfactory answers to my questions, I will be happy to publish such.
15And it came to pass, when
I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then,
behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
16And I heard a man's voice
between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to
understand the vision.
17So he came near where I stood:
and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me,
Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
18Now as he was speaking with
me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and
set me upright.
19And he said, Behold, I will
make thee know what shall be in the last end
of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
Question
11: Was the day for a year time span from 457
BC to 1844 the last end of the indignation? Is it possible that the 2300 days
has another literal application in the last end of the indignation? Is it
possible that SDA leaders will commit the church to a transgression of
desolation by exalting Sunday sacredness, which will cause the once chosen Sanctuary to be trodden
underfoot by the antichrist power for 2300 literal days?
20The ram which thou sawest having two horns are
the kings of Media [Iraq] and Persia [Iran].
21And the rough goat is the
king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
Greece was the western power in the historic
application of Daniel 8. Now, in the end-time application, the He-goat is
America, with Navel bases just off the coast of Greece. And America is the only
power that is able to come against Iran and conquer it.
22Now that being broken,
whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation,
but not in his power.
23And in the latter time of
their kingdom, when the
transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24And his power shall be
mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall
prosper, and practise, and shall
destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Question
12: Do SDA leaders tell their members that they will be destroyed
by the antichrist little horn power? Nay! Why? Is it after the fashion of Jesuit preterism to place all this in the distant past?
25And through his policy also
he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in
his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the
Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
26And the vision of the
evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the
vision; for it shall be for many days.
27And I Daniel fainted, and
was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I
was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
Conclusions
on Daniel 8
One can see that there are some serious
problems in applying the historic Adventist application of Daniel 8 as being
the ONE AND ONLY APPLICATION, and Ellen White said that such narrow
interpretation is not actuated by the Holy Spirit, which is the soul of the
life of Christ, says she.
Twenty-three hundred days is 6.39 years in
literal time. At the end of the 2300 literal days which is after the
transgression of desolation is committed by the SDA church, probation will
close and the Sanctuary in heaven will be cleansed of all sin.
Issue
Number Two: Three and One-Half Years Versus Seven
Years of Tribulation at the End
Because the 2300 days is an event of Daniel 8,
which will surely come to pass again in the future, in literal time, this
demands an end-time time frame of seven years at the end time, because the
beast power will rule with an iron hand for 42 months after the wound is
healed, Rev. 13, and because in the type, no antichrist power ruled over the
Jews for the first 3 ½ years after the abomination of desolation (Cestius and
his army) first ascended upon Jewish soil, but forthrightly returned to Rome
and Titus returned 3 ½ years later and destroyed the Temple first, and then the
city of Jerusalem.
The first 3 ½ years after the National Sunday
Law is legislated (not enforced), will be the time period when the gospel is
given to the world after the final two calls of Matthew 22:1-10 are first given
to the professing SDA individuals (not the corporate church). After those two
calls are made and rejected, the final call to the world will take place, to
wit:
“After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness
to all nations, every conceivable power of evil will be set in operation, and
minds will be confused by many voices crying. "Lo,
here is Christ; lo, He is there. This is the truth, I have the message from
God, He has sent me with great light." Then
there will be a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the
pillars of our faith. A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false sabbath, and to
cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and
sanctified. This false sabbath is to be
enforced by an oppressive law.” {Mar 192.2}
It is after the gospel is proclaimed as a witness
to all nations that the antichrist, the abomination of desolation will reign and a more decided effort will be made to ENFORCE
Sunday by an oppressive law. It will not be ENFORCED for the first 3 ½ years
any more than force was engaged for the first 3 ½ years in the prefigure (type)
example of Jerusalem’s destruction, The Great Controversy, p. 25 and SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 5, 74, 75 which depicts the lull in the storm or the respite.
How do we account for this first 3 ½ year
period Biblically? In The Great
Controversy, p. 25, Ellen White defined the experience of the Jews as being
a prefigure of the end-time. In that type, the Romans led by Cestius Gallus, ascended upon Jewish soil in
A.D. 66. Roman’s landing on Jewish soil within so many furlongs from the
Temple, was regarded as the abomination of desolation standing on Holy
Ground—the Holy Place. The faithful Jews then fled to the small town of Pella,
which was surrounded by mountains which they fled to 3 ½ years later when Titus
returned and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. He then routed the Jews in
other areas.
The point I want to make is that during the 3
½ years from the time Cestius Gallus first landed on Jewish soil and the time
Titus returned to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, nothing occurred. Shortly
after landing on Jewish soil, Cestius and his army returned to Rome.
Ellen White parallels the landing of the
Romans on Jewish soil in A.D. 66, with the legislation of the National Sunday
Law, to wit:
“It is no time now
for God's people to be fixing their affections or laying up their treasure in
the world. The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we
shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places. As
the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the
Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation
in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath
will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory
to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the
mountains. And now, instead of seeking expensive dwellings here, we should be
preparing to move to a better country, even a heavenly. Instead of spending our
means in self-gratification, we should be studying to economize.” Testimonies,
Vol. 5, p. 464-5.
Note:
In the type, the Jews fled to Pella when Cestius and his army first landed on
Jewish soil in A.D. 66. And nothing was enforced at that time because Cestius
left almost immediately to return to Rome. This was the time of respite at
which the Jews were to flee. Pella was a smaller town surrounded by mountains
to which the Jews could flee later in A.D. 70, when Titus returned and
destroyed the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. I repeat this to clarify that
what Ellen White must have meant by “enforcing” the papal Sabbath, is that the
time of the enforcement of the
law would be the last time one
would be able to leave the cities. At that time we will be given a 30 day warning
of the enforcement of Sunday worship, as opposed to the initial legislation of
the law, which will not be accompanied by any enforcement at first.
At
the beginning there is only an assumption of power.
Later on there will be a most definite enforcement in the form of fines and/or
imprisonment. On three violations or more one might receive the death decree.
But
it should be recognized by Seventh-day Adventists in general, that we should
live rural to the cities and work them from rural outposts. Read what Ellen
White has to say on “country living.”
"By
the decree of enforcing the
institution of the Papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will
disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall
stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power,
when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with Spiritualism, when, under
the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle
of its Constitution as a Protestant and Republican government, and shall
make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we
may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan, and that
the end is near."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 451.
“In the autumn
of A.D. 66, Cestius next concentrated his entire force upon Jerusalem. He arrived during the celebration of the
Feast of Tabernacles, and although it was Sabbath, the Jews
abandoned their religious rites and rushed out to attack Cestius’ troops. To the amazement of both Romans and Jews,
they broke the Roman ranks. Indeed,
Josephus declares that only a flank attack by a force of footmen and cavalry
saved Cestius’ forces. More than 500
Roman soldiers were killed whereas the Jews lost only 22 men (War ii. 198, 2 [519]). At this point Agrippa sent an embassy to the
Jews; their reaction was to attack his representatives, killing one and
wounding the other. Encouraged by a
promise of the royalist party in Jerusalem to open the gates for him, Cestius
then gathered his troops to a fresh assault, and penetrated as far as the north
wall of the Temple. Then
an astounding thing happened: Cestius withdrew his troops, and placed himself
strategically in such a poor position among the Judean hills that the Jews were
able to attack him and kill more than 5,000 infantry and nearly 500 cavalry,
including many officers, as well as to capture much materiel.
“A Lull in the Storm. [The respite]—The defeat and
withdrawal of Cestius gave many of the conservative Jews a chance to flee from
Jerusalem. Some of them joined Agrippa,
others sought quiet in country places, and still others left the country
entirely. It was at this
time that the Christians in Jerusalem fled in accordance with the warning of
Jesus recorded in Matt. 24:15-19.
According to Eusebius, the 4th-century historian, the
Christians in Jerusalem had been warned by prophets before the war began that
they should leave the doomed city and find refuge at Pella in Peraea. They now took this opportunity to make good
their escape (Ecclesiastical
History iii. 5, 3).” SDA Bible
Commentary, Vol. 5, 74, 75.
“Judea, at this time was ruled by Roman
procurators most of whom knew little or nothing about the Jewish religion which
resulted in continuous irritations to the Jews from the Romans. A group within
the city of Jerusalem, known as the Zealots, were active at this time. The
Zealots convinced the temple priests to discontinue the daily offerings for the
emperor and the empire which was basically a rebellion against Rome.”
“When Rome heard of the uprising, she dispatched Roman military under the
command of Cestius Gallus in 66 AD to put down the rebellion. After surrounding Jerusalem
they began a siege of the city, but, after a short time, for no apparent
reason, Cestius withdrew his troops and left in retreat. The Jews pursued the
Romans killing many and capturing their abandoned war machinery. This
humiliating withdrawal by the Romans gave the Jews a false sense of being
unconquerable. In addition, it helped to create an atmosphere of having "...Peace
and safety..." (1 Thess.5:3), before the destruction of the day of the
Lord that was soon to suddenly come upon them. (See also 1 Thess.5:3).”
“When the news of Rome's defeat at the hand of the Jews reached the emperor
Nero, he was upset with the poor performance of Cestius. Nero dispatched
Vespasian, a veteran general, back to Jerusalem in 67 AD to crush the Jewish
revolt and avenge Rome's humiliation and the damage to its ruling prestige.
Vespasian advanced into Galilee, the region north of Jerusalem. He conquered
its major cities and subdued the land. After the Galilean campaign in the north
he marched south and encamped around Jerusalem, but when word came of Nero's
death back in Rome, Vespasian abandoned his plan for taking Jerusalem, withdrew
his troops, and returned home to become Emperor. Once again the Jews
prevailed.” http://www.christeternalchristianchurch.com/positionpaper3.htm
Back to my thesis point: During the 3 ½ years
after Cestius entered upon Jewish soil, and then forthrightly left to return to
Jerusalem, there was nothing much going on. We cannot conclude that any Roman
antichrist was ruling for 42 months, as Revelation 13:1-5 depicts will occur at
the end-time, after the wound is healed. So there was no Roman presence enforcing anything for 3 ½ years, until the Roman General Titus returned
with his army and destroyed the Temple and the city proper.
If this is a prefigure (type) of how it will
occur at the end-time, and I believe it is, then the abomination of desolation
will not be ruling with the iron hand depicted in Revelation 13:5 and on, for
the first 3 ½ years after the National Sunday Law is legislated. This is when
we will have relative freedom to give the gospel truth to the SDA church
relative to its abominations of apostasy for which we are to sigh and cry.
Ellen White repeats the two calls of Matthew 22:1-10. In verse 7, the murderous
city (and Temple church) is destroyed. This will be an Ezekiel 9 destruction of
the SDA church by Babylonians 3 ½ years after the National Sunday Law is
legislated, for there will be no death decree associated with any enforcement of that law until that time at which the abomination of
desolation is seated and rules for 42 months with an iron hand as described in
Revelation 13 and Daniel 11.
The above time frame is for the Gentiles. The
144,000 will flee to the mountains at the end of the first 3 ½ year period, and
the faithful Jews will be gathered from all countries into the wilderness by
God Almighty (Ezekiel 20:34-38), and be brought into covenant relationship with
God as part of the 144,000. They will be taught by the segment of Adventists
who constitute part of the grafted in Gentiles composing the 144,000. What is
the purpose of this last 3 ½ years of
tribulation? To refine God’s people and try them to the utmost, just as Jesus
was tried for 3 ½ years from A.D. 27 to the mid point of A.D. 31. God’s people
must drink of the same cup to some degree.
“Soon after they had commenced their earnest
cry, the angels, in sympathy, desired to go to their deliverance. But a tall,
commanding angel suffered them not. He said: “The will of God is not yet
fulfilled. They must drink of the cup. They must be
baptized with the baptism.”
{CET 178.1}
During the first 3 ½ years after the
legislation (not enforcement) of the National Sunday Law, (the little time of
trouble) there will exist no such test as the great time of Jacob’s trouble
(the final 3 ½ years) during which the saints, the 144,000, must drink of the
cup and be baptized with the baptism of the experience of Ezekiel
20:34-38—being brought into covenant relationship with God.
“Soon I heard the voice of God, which shook
the heavens and the earth. There was a mighty earthquake. Buildings were shaken
down on every side. I then heard a triumphant shout of victory, loud, musical,
and clear. I looked upon the company who, a short time before, were in such
distress and bondage. Their captivity was turned. A glorious light shone upon
them. How beautiful they then looked! All marks of care and weariness were
gone, and health and beauty were seen in every countenance. Their enemies, the
heathen around them, fell like dead men; they could not endure the light that shone
upon the delivered, holy ones. This light and glory remained upon them, until Jesus was seen
in the clouds of heaven, and the faithful, tried company were changed in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, from glory to glory. And the graves were
opened, and the saints came forth, clothed with immortality, crying, “Victory
over death and the grave;” and together with the living saints they were caught
up to meet their Lord in the air, while rich, musical shouts of glory and
victory were upon every immortal tongue.”
{CET 178.2}
—rwb
Addendum
Note the course of the antichrist immediately
after the wound is fully healed in Revelation 13:
1And I stood
upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven
heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name
of blasphemy.
2And the
beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a
bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power,
and his seat, and great authority.
3And I
saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world
wondered after the beast.
4And they
worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the
beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5And
there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two
months. [3 ½ years]
6And he
opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his
tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7And it
was given unto him to make war with the
saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and
tongues, and nations.
8And all
that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the
book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9If any
man have an ear, let him hear.
10He that
leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he
that killeth with the sword must be killed with the
sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11And I
beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a
lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and
causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to
worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13And he
doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth
in the sight of men,
14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of
those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to
them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast,
which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15And he
had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast
should both speak, and cause that as many as
would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and
bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17And that no man
might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the
number of his name.
18Here is
wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it
is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Revelation 13:1-18.
None of the above tyranny will occur until
the gospel has gone to the entire world, for all men must know the gospel truth
before they are tested and tried by the ENFORCEMENT of the National Sunday Law.
And the gospel will not go to all the world without being accompanied by the
impetus of the National Sunday Law having been legislated, but not ENFORCED,
until the abomination of desolation is seated in full power after the first 3 ½
years of the gospel going to the entire world.
Martyrs will occur at the mid-point of the seven year period, and they will THEN be as seed for fruit by inspiring others to give their lives in not taking the Mark of the Beast.