religion

319

13 Welcomning the Reign of God: The Roots of Adventist

Eschatology Daniel 8:14, KJV

Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Philippians 1:6

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 7:25

He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Exodus 20:5-6 Joel Hebrews 8-9 Leviticus 16 Luke 4:16-21 James 5:8 Daniel 2 Acts 2:14-36 1 Peter 4:7 Daniel 7-9 Romans 13:11-12 Revelation 6, 8-10 Amos 5:18-20; 8:9-10 Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-16

320 nuclear holocaust, we facc the

cqually unattractive prospects of starving to death or poisoning

ourselves with pollution. The warl

population is rapidly increasing,

while natural resources are dwin-

dling. It doesn't take a genius to see

that more and morc ot us will have

less and less to share, until finally

there won't be enough for anyonc

Time was when only religious people talked about the "end of the

world," but now it is the concern of

every thinking person. The more we

think about it, the more sobering it

becomes. Hope springs eternal in the human heart, but there is little basis

for optimism about the future of humanity. Human beings have made

great strides in many areas, but

THE TIMELINESS OF CHRISTIAN ESCHATOLOGY

Where is history going? What will

life be like in ten, twenty, or fifty

years? What will people eat? What

will they wear? How will they work?

What will they do for entertainment?

How many children will the average

family have? Will there even be an

"average family"? How long will

people live? What will they die

from? Will the nations of the world

achieve peace? Or will human

beings annihilate themselves?

Threats to the future The questions go on and on, and they

interest us enormously. One reason

for our fascination with the future is the realization that there may not be a getting along with each other is not

future-at least, as far as human beings are concermed. Althougha confrontation between "superpowers" now seems unlikely, the threat of nuclear warfare may be greater than ever. During the arms race the

world's military giants stockpiled enough explosives to blow us all away many times over. Many of those weapons still exist-nobody knows exactly where, other countries have developed a nuclear capability, and the political situation in many areas of the world has become more

one of them. Neither is taking proper

care of the environment. Technology

has brought us many good things, but

it is also pushing us to the brink of

disaster. These depressing facts are worth

considering here for two reasons. First, they show that we need Something more than human means

to solve our present problems. Unless

we get "outside help," nothing can

save us from destruction. Second, this sobering reality establishes tne

lively relevance of Christian eschatology today. What Christians have been saying about the end tor

centuries takes on new meaning as

we look around us now. The doctrine of last things doesn't deal with the

and more chaotic. In their quest for security, it seems, the nations of the world have made themselves lesSs secure than ever.

Even if humanity is spared a

ELCOMING THE REIGN OF GOD: THE ROOTS OF ADVENTIST ESCHAToLOGY

321

far-off future. It speaks directly to the

paper and the hourly newscast.

Many people equate eschatology with a description of last-day events. The word sometimes conjures up

present. It is as imely as the morning

The meaning of Christian

eschatology

Like many theological terms,

"eschatology has Greek roots. The

Greek adjective eschatos means

"Jast," and the familiar suffix -ology

is usually translated "theory of ," or

doctrine of." So "eschatology"

simply means "doctrine of last

things." In the traditional arrangement of

Christian theology, eschatology comes at the end, after the doctrine of

the church, but this doesn't mean it is

just a footnote to the central concerns

of Christian faith. Eschatology is not

an afterthought. It is the climax to

which all the rest leads, the ringing

conclusion of all that Christians have

Visions of prophetic charts and tables

designed to pinpoint our location in the march of time and predict in detail the course of the future. It is true that eschatology includes an

understanding of how history will end, and we will examine the sequence of events that Seventh-day Adventists anticipate. But Christian faith interprets human history as a

whole, not just its final segment. It

views all of history in light of God's

saving activity, and it sees the end of

history as the climax of the process.

History will conclude, Christians

believe, with the full and final realization of the reign of God in

human affairs. Only when the reign of God is fully established will the

real meaning of history be clear.2 As a result, history's final events

mean nothing by themselves; they have to be related to the process that

to say. At the same time, this aspect of

Christian faith has generated a wide

diversity of theological views. In fact, nowhere in Christian thought do we

find a more bewildering variety of

biblical interpretations and doctrinal

formulations. Controversy surrounds almost every aspect of this doctrine- from the time of Christ's return and the ultimate fate of the wicked, to the

Identity of the antichrist and the location of Armageddon. The list of

eschatological questions is much too ong to answer here, so we will limit Our inquiry to the most basic elements in the doctrine.

precedes them. For this reason, it is

more important to understand the

meaning of history's final events than

to know the precise nature or

sequence of their occurrence.

Our investigation of eschatology

begins with a look at the Christian

view of time and concludes with an

analysis of the meaning of the future

for life in the present. Along the way,

we shall examine the origin and

content of the distinetive

eschatological concerns of the

Seventh-day Adventist Church.

REIGN OF GOD

322

is the coming of God to his people This event involves both salvation and judgment. It spells disaster for the enemies of God, but brings restoration and deliverance to the

THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF TIME

History and salvation The roots of Christian eschatology reach deep into the soil of Hebrew thought, so we must begin our analysis by turning to the Old Testament. The heart of Hebrew

remnant who are faithful to him. In the Old Testament, judgment and salvation are not two contrasting divine activities, but two aspects of a single unit (see Exod 20:5-6). Hebrew writers often referred to God's coming as "*the day of the

Lord," and they were careful to describe the event in its negative as well as its positive aspects. Amos portrayed the day of the Lord as a

day of darkness and gloom (5:20), and Zephaniah described it as a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation (1:15). In the day of the Lord, the enemies of God will finally be reckoned with, and the faithful remnant will be delivered to enjoy the personal presence of their Savior.

religion was the belief that God had acted in history for the salvation of his people. The events recorded in the book of Exodus-the call of the fathers, the deliverance from slavery, the covenant at Sinai, and the conquest of Canaan (see Deut 26:5- 10a)-lay at the center of the Hebrew faith.3

Convinced that God had been active in their past, the Israelites believed that God would continue to act in their behalf in the future. He would bring the work of salvation he had begun to its final consummation. Accordingly, their attitude toward the future was based on a confidence in God established by his previous activity. Their concept of the future was essentially an extension of God's actions in their past (see Isa 48:20- 21; 51:10-11). In the Old Testament, therefore, the "eschaton" is that part of salvation history which is still to come and which presses for its realization. The future is not like a

Apocalyptic Apocalyptic literature-the kind of writing we find in Daniel-also describes the end of history.4 Apocalyptic literature typically arises during periods of persecution. It reaftirms God's promises to his people in the face of difficult circumstances. There is no clear

distant destination we are slowly making progress toward; it is threatening to break in on us.

progression from the difficulties ot the present to the fulfillment of God's promises. The end will come with a dramatic conflict in which God

The coming of God The main event in the Old Testament defeats the evil powers that dominate FI COMING THE RElGN OF GOD: THE ROOTS OF ADVENTIST ESCHATOLOGY

323

the present era. In its distinctivve way, then, apocalyptic literature expresses the essential content of Old

Testament eschatology, that history will reach its climax with the

completion of God's saving activity. At last his people will live in his

presence, untroubled by any disruptive influence.

age" that existed at the beginning of things We find no such flight in the Bible, of course. The Bible affirms the value of history, because it regards history as a series of divine activities, or revelations. Since God reveals himself in history, the unique, unrepeatable events of history have intrinsic value. The biblical view of The uniqueness of the biblical view

time and history is like a line, rather than a circle. History is going somewhere. It has a goal; it does not repeat itself.7

of time The biblical view of history contrasts sharply with other concepts of time. According to the Greek view of life

and the world, history repeats itself; everything that happens is just like

what has already happened. Since the past determines the future, nothing really new can ever occur. The Greek

view allows no room for a unique,

incomparable event.

According to the Bible, it is not the past that gives history its essential

character, but the future, the goal

toward which it moves. Moreover,

We can see that the biblical view of history is determined by the biblical concept of God. The Israelites believed that history was meaningful because God was directing the course of events to a definite conclusion. They looked forward to the future because of their confidence in God.

JESUS AND THE END OF

HISTORY history is the sphere of personal

activity, not of impersonal natural

law. What ultimately determines the

Course of history is not an indelible

pattern stamped on the scheme of

things; it is the will of a personal God

who acts to accomplish his purposes.3 The biblical view of history also

differs sharply from the primitive, or

archaic, view of time.6 Primitive peoples try to escape the terror of

nistory, or the irreversibility of time.

By using myths and rituals, they seek

to return periodically to a "golden

The end has arrived

What the New Testament says about

Jesus makes sense only in light of

this Hebrew concept of history. Its

central claim is that God was acting

for the salvation of all humanity in

the life, death, and resurrection of

Jesus (Acts 2:22-24, 31-32; cf. 1 Cor

15:3-5). In relation to the Old

Testament view of history, this means

that the climax of history arrived with

Jesus; he fulfills the meaning of

REIGN OF GOD

324

history. In other words, the end has

arrived. We are now living in the last

days.

referred to the appearance of gods among human beings (2 Thess 2:8. cf. Acts 14:11-12). Significantly, the precise expression second coming" does not appear in the New The end is near Testament. Christians only began to use it in the mid-second century.

Alongside this "even now" of present realization, we also find in the New

Testament the "not yet" of anticipation. There are numerous The end is delayed

There was a strong sense in the texts which look forward to the apostolic church that Christ's return was near, but early Christians also acknowledged that it had not occurred as soon as they had expected. Several texts indicate that a series of events would have to take place before the Lord could returm (Acts 20:29; 2 Thess 2:3; 2 Tim

4:3ff). At least one notable passage deals explicitly with the delay as a

problem facing the Christian community. Peter attributes the apparent delay to God's forbearance-his unwillingness that

return of Christ in the very near

future. Indeed, the entire New Testament, from Matthew to Revelation, breathes the spirit of fervent expectancy: "For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first

believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand" (Rom 13:11-12); "The Lord is at hand" (Phil 4:5); "We who are alive, who are left, shall be

caught up .. to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thess 4:15-17); "The coming of the Lord is at hand" (Jas 5:8);

"The end of all things is at hand" (1 Pet 4:7); "Children, it is the last

hour" (1 John 2:18); "I am coming soon" (Rev 22:6, 12, 20).

any should perish (2 Pet 3:9).

Early Christians, then, believed that the decisive act of salvation had

The New Testament uses several already taken place. With Jesus, the end of history had arrived, but the full realization of salvation was still

expressions to refer to the return of Christ. The best-known is parousia, or "coming," which refers to the official visit of a ruler (Matt 24:3, 27, 39). We also find the favorite expression of the Old Testament, "the day of the Lord," which carries the theme of judgment (2 Pet 3:10,12). Another description is "apocalypse," the revealing of something hidden (1 Cor 1:7); and a fourth is "epiphany," or "appearing," by which the Greeks

in the future. They looked for Jesus to return and complete the process. Thus they saw themselves living "between the times." The climax of history was past, but its conclusion was yet to come. An influential

biblical scholar illustrates their situation with imagery from World War II. After D-Day, the great invasion at Normandy, it became

WELCOMING THE REIGN OF GOD: THE RO0TS OF ADVENTIST EsCHATOLOGY

Jear that the lied forces would 325 win. The final outcome of the war was assured. Bu there was stilla lot of mopping up to do before Germany surrendered, and it was several

months until V-Day when hostilities finally ceased. Similarly, Christians find themselves living between the D-Day of Christ's victory over the

Joachim A twelfth-century churchman,

Joachim of Floris, dida great deal to stimulate thought along these lines9 He believed that the various symbols of prophecy corresponded to actual historical persons and events. By interpreting these symbols, we can plot the course of history through its various stages, and we can also see where we are at present in the overall stream of events.

powers of darkness and the V-Day of Christ's return in glory.s

To put the point in tems of our guiding theme, the reign of God was fimly established during the ministry of Jesus, but its full realization is yet

On the basis of this concept, the passage of time since Christ was on earth ceases to be an embarrassment to come. to the church. Prophecy shows that God is still active in the world. He is currently working in human affairs, bringing the plan of salvation to a PROPHECY AND HISTORY

conclusion. As years passed, it became evident

that a considerable amount of time would elapse between the earthly ministry of Jesus and his glorious

return, and Christians were forced to

Schools of prophetic interpretation All who regard prophecy as a forecast of historical events are

indebted to Joachim's ideas, even if their specific interpretations differ from his. In a sense, he was the

question the meaning of this interval.

What is the significance of the period that lies between these climactic pioneer of all three major schools of

prophetic interpretation-preterist,

historicist, and futurist. Preterism events? Is it just an empty period of

waiting? Or does it somehow play a

role in the history of salvation?

For many Christians, Bible

prophecy provides a positive answer

to this question. Properly understood,

they believe, various biblical

sees the historical events of which

prophecy speaks as lying in the past.

Futurism regards these events as yet

to take place. Historicism applies the

prophecies to successive phases of

world history up to and including the

present, and extending to the end of

time. All three views relate prophecy

to world history in a manner similar

to Joachim.

prophecies enable us to ascertain the

religious significance of different

developments in the course or

history. REIGN OF GOD

326

is a certain understanding of the various events which surround this momentous occasion. A third is the importance of eschatology to the self. understanding of Adventists as a

people. As their denominational name indicates, Seventh-day

Adventists wish to be known as those who await the advent, or coming, of Christ. The church traces its

To summarize, Christians believe

that history is meaningful because God is working in historical events for human salvation. The climax of

s saving actions was the life, death,

and resurrection of Jesus. This work will conclude with the return of Christ and the complete establishment of God's reign over human beings.

The basic posture of Christians in beginning to the great advent movement that radiated from the northeastem United States in the middle of the nineteenth century. To

the world is therefore one of

confidence in the past and eager anticipation for the future. Because of what God has already done, they look forward to what he has yet to do.

In addition, many Christians believe that biblical prophecy describes the relation between human

apture the spirit of Adventism in this crucial doctrinal area, it will help us to take a brief look at its

originating impulse.

history and the work of salvation. By interpreting the prophetic symbols accurately, we can see the spiritual significance of different historical developments, and we can understand our own role in the scheme of things. Seventh-day Adventists are among those who hold this view of

William Miller The central figure in the advent movement of the last century was William Miller (1782-1849). 10 Bom in Massachusetts and raised in

upstate New York, Miller was an avid reader as a child, often sitting by the fireplace after the chores were dor As a young man, he frequented the

library and joined a literary society 1n the Vermont town where he settled with his wife. With a number of his

prophecy.

ADVENTISM AND THE ADVENT MOVEMENT

Traditionally there have been several things that distinguish Seventh-day Adventist eschatology from the approaches of other Christians to the doctrine of last things. One of the earliest was the conviction that the return of Christ is very near. Another

friends he espoused deism, the view

that God does not take an active interest in human affairs. Miller served in the state militia and in the

United States Army in the War ot 1812. His experiences in the service

left him disillusioned with human

behavior, and he suffered periods or

deep despondency. wELCOMING THE REIGN OF GoD: THE ROOTS OF ADVENTIST ESCHATOLOGY

327

In 1816 he was converted to Christ, and for two years he studied

the Bible intensely to leam more of

his Savior. His method was to

examine one verse at a time, going

only as fast as he could grasp the meaning of the text. Whenever he ran

into something he couldn't understand, he used a concordance to

locate other passages on the same

topic, studying them until he found answers. In this way he alowed the

Bible to explain itself. Miller reached his most startling

conclusions from studying the

prophetic portions of the Bible. He believed that these prophecies

pointed to literal historical events,

and concluded that the personal

return of Christ to earth lay in the

near future, only twenty-five years

away. The most important text in this

calculation was Dan 8:14: "Unto two

retum of Christ. Putting these factors together, he came to his momentous conclusion. In his own words, "I was thus brought, in 1818, at the close of my two years' study of the

Scriptures, to the solemn conclusion, that in about twenty-five years from that time all the affairs of our present state would be wound up."|1

The advent movement Miller reviewed his position for the next five years and became more and

more convinced it was correct.

During the 1830s he presented his

views to small groups around New

England, but his work became a full-

fledged movement in 1840, due in

large measure to the promotional

efforts of Joshua V. Himes, a pastor in Boston. The Signs of the Times

began publication in 1840; The

Midnight Cy followed two years later. There was a series of "General thousand and three hundred days;

then shall the sanctuary be cleansed"

(KJV). This verse mentions both a

time period and an event. Miller

believed that days in prophetic time

corresponded to literal years (see Num 14:34; Ezek 4:6), and he

believed that the 2,300 days of Dan 8

started simultaneously with the

Seventy weeks of years in Dan 9,

which began with Artaxerxes decree

in 457 B.C.

Miller interpreted the event

mentioned in Dan 8:14, the

Conferences of Christians Expecting

the Advent," and Miller's followers

began holding camp meetings in

1842. Although all who belonged to the

movement believed that Christ's

return was near, not all of them were

committed to a specific time. This

changed in the summer of 1844. With

the passage of 1843, it was clear to

Miller and his followers that they had

miscalculated. A closer look at

Cleansing of the sanctuary," as a

reference to the purification of the

earth that would accompany the

chronology revealed that the 2,300

days of Dan 8:14 extended into 1844,

since there is no "zero" year in

historical time.

REIGN OF GOD

|328 Dan 8:14 received further examina. tion, and the two m0st important In addition, certain Millerites

began to teach that the cleansing of

the sanctuary referred to in Dan 8:14

would fulfill the Day of Atonement

service described in Lev 16. They understood the Hebrew festivals to be

"types" that pointed to literal events

to come, and they concluded that this

"antitypical" cleansing would ocur

on the date when the Day of

Atonement was scheduled-that is, on the tenth day of the seventh month

in the current Jewish year. According to the calendar of one Jewish sect,

reactions held contrary interpre pretation of its contents. The majority of

Millerites, including Miller himself continued to believe that the text pointed to the return of Christ, but

they felt that something was wrong with their calculation of the time a that the 2,300 days did not, as they had thought, end on October 22 1844

Others were convinced that their interpretation of the time period was correct. They believed that the 2,300 days of Dan 8:14 did come to an end on October 22, 1844. This group included many of the principal figures in what became the Seventh-

day Adventist Church. These early Adventists looked back on their

this corresponded to October 22. Those who argued for this date were

known as the "Seventh-Month

Movement." Not all of Miller's followers

accepted the view that Christ would return on October 22, 1844. Miller

and Himes did not take this position themselves until early in the month. But on the morning of October 22, thousands met in groups here and there throughout New England, confident that they would meet their Lord before the day was over.

experience of waiting for Christ to come on this specific date and

recalled it as the happiest part of their entire lives. To reject the calculations responsible for this experience, they felt, would be to deny God had led them. This they could not do, so they turned their attention to the other element in Dan 8:14 and came to a

The Great Disappointment and its aftermath

new interpretation of the cleansing or

the sanctuary. Their later reference to the experience as the "Great Disappoint-ment" reflects the emotional blow that fell when their hopes were not fulfilled. Those who went through it said their grief defied description. The impact of the Great Disappointment understandably fragmented the Millerite movement.

CHRIST IN THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY

The investigative judgment To summarize developments that

occurred over some thirteen years, WELCOMING THE REIGN OF GOD: THE ROOTS OF ADVENTIST ESCHATOLOGY

these early Adventists concluded that

heaven,

not the earth. Hebrews, for

example, speaks of Christ ministering

329

profession. The investigative judgment directly prepares for the return of Christ to deliver his people from the earth.

he sanctuary

of Dan 8:14 was in

in the "heavenly sanchuary'" (Heb

8:15). They came to believe that on

October 22, 1844, Christ entered the

most holy place of the heavenly

Questions about the investigative judgment Over the years, this doctrine has raised a number of questions, inside as well as outside the church.13 There sanctuary

rather than leaving it to

come to this world. The cleansing of

which Dan 8:14 speaks means

blotting out the sinss recorded against

God's people in the books of heaven.

It requires a work of judgment, or

investigation, to determine which sins

should be expunged.12 The

"cleansing of the sanctuary," then,

refers to the results of an

investigative judgment which takes

place in heaven just before the return

of Christ to earth.

are questions about the word

translated "cleansed" in the King

James Version of Dan 8:14. It occurs

only once in the Bible in that form,

and its meaning is not entirely clear.

There are also questions about the

use of Lev 16 to interpret Dan 8. In

the one case, the sins of God's people

are removed from the sanctuary; in

the other, God removes the

defilement caused by his enemies. In

addition, Heb 8 and 9 pose problems For Seventh-day Adventists,

Christ's work in the heavenly

sanctuary thus includes two distinct

activities which began at different

times. Since his ascension to heaven,

Christ has mediated the benefits of

for the view that Christ did not enter

the most holy place of the heavenly

sanctuary until 1844. These chapters

seem to indicate that the Day of

Atonement services, when the high

priest entered the most holy place of

the Hebrew sanctuary, were fulfilled his atoning sacrifice for human

beings. His work as our high priest

consists of forgiving sins, providing

human beings direct access to God,

and directing the work of the church

on earth. In 1844, Christ began the

investigative judgment. In this phase of his high priestly ministry, Christ

examines the life records of his

professed followers throughout human history. At its conclusion he

blots out the sins of those whose lives

were/are consistent with their

at Jesus' ascension.

There are other questions about

prophecy in general. Some wonder

about the year-day relationship as a

principle of prophetic interpretation.

Extending the 2,300 days of Dan

8:14 to the middle of the nineteenth

century seems to conflict with many

New Testament passages which

proclaim the nearness of Christ's

return to those who lived in the first

REIGN OF GOD

330

for example, God establishes the identity of his people and places them in a positive relationship to

century. The concept of the investigative

judgment also raises questions of a

predominantly theological nature. For himself. The doctrine of the

some, it detracts from the sufficiency

of Christ's atoning sacrifice as the

basis of human salvation. If during

his earthly ministry Jesus

accomplished everything necessary to

save us from sin, what is the point of

an investigative judgment? Moreover, the idea that our sins

sanctuary reaftims the great themes that God is on our side and that he seeks our fellows (see Exod 34 41) There is nothing about the heavenl sanctuary that should make us feel insecure or unloved.

We also need to keep in mind the basic purpose of the investigative judgment. According to one interpretation, it concerns the eternal

status of individual human beings. Specifically, it deals with the records of all who at some point in time have responded to God's offer of salvation. But it is also possible to view the

investigative judgment in relation to our comprehensive theme of the

reign of God. From this perspective, the investigative judgment examines the ultimate effectiveness of God's

are not blotted out until an endtime judgment threatens to deprive us of the assurance of salvation. We may

accept Christ and believe that we are forgiven, but our sins stand against us in the heavenly record until some indefinite future time when they are finally removed.

The doctrine of the heavenly

sanctuary is important to Adventists sense of denominational identity, and

questions like these have received a lot of attention over the years. We activity in human history.l4 The

suffering and distress that are part of human experience raise questions about the nature and value of God's

cannot review this extensive discussion here, but it will help us keep the doctrine in proper theological perspective to do at least two things.

sovereignty. By reviewing the cumulative impact of what God has done in human affairs, the

Interpreting the investigative judgment One is to view the doctrine of the

investigative judgment demonstrates that God's ways are right. It shows that he is the supreme source of all

that is good in the world and that evil

is no fault of his.

sanctuary as part of God's overall work of salvation. Judgment is positive, not merely negative, in the Bible; it is something God does for his people. In the case of justification, which is a judicial act,

Such a review cannot take place until the end of history, because

every human action and every historical event continue to exert and

wWELCOMING THE REIGN OF GOD: THE ROOTS OF ADVENTIST ESCHATOLOGY

331

possible for Adventists to continue to hope for his appearing, but it also indicates that his coming cannot be very far away. The investigative Judgment is an aspect of the last judgment, so it is itself an

eschatological idea. It supports the expectation that Christ's return is near. Because the final phase of Christ's work as our high priest has begun, Adventists can say, we know that it cannot be long until he returns to this earth.

influence until: the end of time. The

investigative judgment, then, isa rehensive review of the overall

ffect of God's saving activity on human lives. It establishes for all

etermity the nclusion that God fully deserves to be God.

The sanctuary and the Adventist experience

It also keeps the doctrine of the

sanctuary in proper perspective to

remember its relation to the original

impulse of Seventh-day Adventism. The doctrine of the sanctuary enabled

early Adventists to affirm the validity

of their "Adventist experience." It

supported them in the conviction that God had been leading in the events

preceding the Great Disappointment and that they were not merely victims

of a prophetic miscalculation.I5

This confidence enabled them to

To keep the doctrine of the sanctuary in proper perspective, then, we need to remember its

eschatological focus. For Seventh- day Adventists, it has always been closely related to the great theme of the return of Christ.

THE JOY OF ADVENTISM maintain the advent at the center of

their experience. Early Adventists

reinterpreted the key text of the

Millerite movement, but they

regarded themselves primarily as

Adventists, nonetheless. They eventually called themselves

"Seventh-day Adventists," not

"Seventh-day Believers in the

Heavenly Sanctuary," or something Similar. Their central object of

interest continued to be the Lord's

The close relation between the sanctuary doctrine and the Advent

hope directs us to the dominant note

of the Adventist experience, the

joyful anticipation of Christ's return.

Early Adventists were convinced

that the world was about to end. They

were expecting to meet their Maker

and go to their etemal destiny within

a matter of a few years, then months,

then finally days. Looking back, we

might expect such people to be filled

with foreboding, desperately anxious,

fearful of the future. Instead, we find

retum, and they perpetuated an

attitude of expectancy. By explaining why Christ did not

come as soon as anticipated, the

doctrine of the sanctuary made it

a group of radiant Christians,

confident in their relationship to God,

REIGN OF GOD

332

he Adventist experience. ntism began with the belief that Christ

would soon return and committed to working for good in the

world, and earnestly sharing their

convictions with others,.

When their hopes failed to

materialize, and Christ did not return,

they were bitterly disappointed.

Looking back at Adventists after the

Great Disappointment, we might

expect to find people who were

completely disillusioned, angry at

God, suspicious of all religion,

resentful of one another, and ashamed

to return to society. Instead, we find a

group of earmest Bible students,

confident that God had led them to

filled with love for one another,

God's reign would become a visible, social reality in this world. Their confidence

the teachings of the Bible on the topic

the

nd the transforming power of this thought on their own experience

substantiated that hope-even in the face of disappointment. Adventists continued to welcome God's

transforming power in their personal

lives. Through numerous

humanitarian endeavors they

expanded their efforts to make the

world a better place for all God's children to live in. With an

their earlier convictions, open to new

truth and new responsibilities, ready for the next phase of their religious

life, and, perhaps most amazing, still

looking forward to the Lord's return.

What accounts for this

aggressive mission program, they

extended the offer of salvation and

the announcement of Christ's soon

coming throughout the world.

Adventists today who are faithful to their heritage welcome God's reign in their lives here and now, they seek to expand his reign in the world we

ive in, and they long for its complete fulfillment as soon as possible.

astonishing resilience, this

remarkable continuity of experience? In terms of our guiding theme, it was their intense desire to see God's

kingdom come in all its fullness, their confidence in the reign of God. They had experienced the power of God's

saving grace in their own lives, they saw how flawed the world around them was, they were inspired by the promise that God's plans for humanity would eventually be fulfilled, and they were thrilled with the prospect that it would happen in their own day.

This sense of the reality, the extent, and the impending arrival of God's reign constitutes the heart of

WELCOMING THE REIGN OF GOD: THE ROOTS OF ADVENTIST ESCHATOLOGY

333 STUDY HELPS

Questions for review

/hat is the biblical view of time, and how does it differ from the Greek view

and the archaic view?

What are the characteristics of "apocalyptic" literature? 2.

What biblical expressions refer to the return of Christ?2 What are the principal schools of prophetic interpretation2 &What led William Miller to believe that Christ would return around 1843? What is the significance of October 22, 1844? 6.

7 What is the "investigative judgment," and what questions does this concept raise?

Questions for discussion

Does Christian faith require that history eventually come to an end? 1s there anything wrong with the idea that history as we know it will go on and on

8.

and never end?

9. Why is the prospect of nuclear annihilation or mass extinction more frightening than, say, that of death in a traffic accident? Or is it?

Does Christian eschatology exclude the possibility of a global nuclear war? Why, or why not? 10.

. The popularity of certain motion pictures indicates that people are fascinated by the possibility of "extraterrestrial" life. How do you explain this? Does it retlect a deep-seated conviction that human salvation must ultimately come from beyond this world?

11.

Although the Bible contradicts the old adage that "history repeats itself," to a certain extent the saying is true. In what ways does history repeat itselt?

Why is this so?

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334

ss struggle

y believe, will lead to an ideal society with n0 private property and8e

social ills. Compare this concept to biblical eschatology. 13. Marxists interpret history in economiC

terms. An unavoidable class

"America, America, God shed his grace on thee, a Tamiliar song proclai

14. How has a belief in divine providence shaped America's understandino e

itself?

of

Certain thinkers insist that history is not self-explanatory. We needa

principle derived from beyond history, they argue, in order to make sense ae

things. Do you agree? What principles for interpreting history does the ible

provide? How does biblical prophecy help us to understand the world in

which we live?

15.

Suggestions for Bible study

16. Study Matt 24:36. The Millerites were surely aware of this text. Why do you

suppose they nevertheless calculated the precise date of Christ's retum?

17. Study Dan 8:9-14. What happens to the sanctuary after 2,300 evenings and

mornings? What translations do different versions of the Bible give? What

activities precede this event?

17

18. 18. How is the time period mentioned in Dan 8:14 related to those mentionedin

the following verses: Dan 9:24-27; Rev 12:6, 14; 11:2; 13:5. You may find it

helpful to consult the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, along with

other commentaries.

19. Study Lev 16. What aspects of the Day of Atonement services prefigure the

end of human history?

20. Seventh-day Adventists are sometimes criticized for regarding Satan as a sin

bearer, because of their interpretation of Lev 16:8, 10, 20-22. Analyze these verses. What is the relation of the people of Israel to the scapegoat (Azazel) How does the scapegoat prefigure the ultimate fate of the devil?

21. The first six chapters of Daniel are largely narrative or biographical content. The last six are prophetic. What themes do these two sections or

book have in common? (Look for important conflicts and their resolution

WELCOMING THE REIGN OF GOD: THE ROOTS OF ADVENTIST ESCHATOLOGY

335 the Great Disappointment, Millerites drew encourag various biblical figures who had similar experiences.

from the example of How were people ppointed, according to the following

agement

was the result Exod 10-31; Jonah 3-4; Mat 20:11, 19. ing passages? What

ESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING From Adventist writers Fro white's writings, of course, contain the definitive expression of Adventist escha talogy, especially the last hall o1 The Great Controversy, which discusses the Millerite vement, the doctrine he return of Christ and extending to the restoration of the earth, Seventh-day Adventism is a "prophetic movement," and Adventists have always had a interest in prophetic interpretation. The classic study on prophetic interpretation is

of the heavenly sanctuary, and a long series of events leading up to

keen.

TeRov Edwin Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers: The Historical Development of Peophetic lInterpretation (4 vols., Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1950-54). A mor ecent treatment of prophetic interpretation is Hans K. LaRondelle, The Israel of God in Prophecy: Principles o Prophelic Interpretation (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1983).

Seventh-day Adventists have always paid particular attention to the interpretation of Daniel and Revelation. The denomination's most influential book on the subject is Uriah Smith, 7he Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation (originally published as separate books in 1867 and 1873). Modern studies include Desmond Ford, Daniel (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association, 1978); C. Mervyn Maxwell, God Cares: The Message of Daniel for You and Your Family (vol. 1; Mountain Vie, CA: Pacific Press, 1981); Kenneth A. Strand,

Perspectives in the Book of Revelation (Worthington, OH: Ann Arbor Publishers, 1975;

reprint ed., 1978); Roy Allan Anderson, Unfolding the Revelation (rev. ed.; Mountain View,

CA: Pacific Press, 1974). Adventists have also written a great many books on the sanctuary, its structure, its

various services, and their theological signif+cance. Two older works in this area are Stephen

N. Haskell, The Cross and lis Shadow (South Lancaster, MA: The Bible Training School,

1914; facsimile reproduction, Nashville, TN: Southerm Publishing Association, 1970); and

M. L. Andreasen, The Sanctuary Service (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1937). Roy

Adams presents the results of a scholarly investigation of different formulations of the

Sanctuary doctrine in The Sanctuary Doctrine: Three Approaches in the Seventh-day

Adventist Church (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1981). Leslie Hardinge

draws numnerous spiritual lessons from the structure and services of the Hebrew tabernacle in

DEssin His Sanctuary: A Walk Through the Tabernacle Along His Hay (Harrisburg.

Desmond Ford's challenge to the traditional Adventist sanctuary doctrine, Daniel 8:14:

1 The Day of Atonement and the Investigative Judgment (Casselberry, FL: Euangelion Press,

s generated intense reaction. Several denominational periodicals

devotcd issues

urely or in large measure to a consideration of the doctrine: Adventist Review (May 14-

y 3, 1981); Ministry (October 1980); and Spectrum (11, no. 2; 13, no. 1). For a

PA: American Cassette Ministries, 1991).

19

REIGN OF GOD

336

Survey (1845-1863), ed. Frank B. Holbrook (Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Researstorical

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1989). Roy Adams emphasizes

metaphorical nature of biblical sanctuary language in 7he Sanctuary: Understand..

Heart of Adventist Theology (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 1993). Coli he

Standish and Russell R. Standish defend the traditional Adventist view of the san.

discussion of early developments in the doctrine, see Doctrine of the Sanctuary:

Institute,

hrist 's its relation to last-day events in Adventism Unveiled: the Biblical Message ofCLry and

Sanctuary Ministry (Rapidan, VA: Historic Truth Publications, 1983).

Francis D. Nichol's authoritative account of the Millerite movement, The Midnie ry

(Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1944), lays to rest some prevalent misconcentin s as

to what William Miller and his followers believed and practiced.

from the Two Adventist historians have examined the question of the meaning of histor G History: A Study in

perspective of Christian faith: George Edgar Shankel, God and Man in

he Christian Understanding of History (Nashville, TN: Southerm Publishing Associati 1967); and Siegfried J. Schwantes, The Biblical Meaning of Histoy (Mountain View, CA

Pacific Press, 1970).

From other writers Most reading in eschatology and the philosophy of history is rather difficult. At the same time, many interesting works are available in these areas. The motivated student will find

some of the following titles stimulating. Philosophies of history include Karl Lowith, Meaning in History (Chicago: University

of Chicago Press, 1949), which examines the theological implications of the philosophy of

history; and The Philosophy of History in Our Times, ed. Hans Meyerhoff (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1959). An anthology of contemporary Christian views of history is God, History and Ilistorians: An Anthology of Modern Christian Views of History, ed. C. T. Mclntire (New York: Oxford University Press, 1977). Herbert Butterfield, Christianity and listory New York: Scribner's, 1949), is a highly readable and influential essay in the arca. Mircca Eliade describes the primitive, or archaic view of time and contrasts it with the biblical view in The Myth of the Eternal Return, or Cosmos and History, trans. Willard Trask (Princeton Princeton University Press, 1971).

Two of this century's most influential New Testament scholars offer contrasting interpretations of biblical eschatology. Rudolf Bultmann, History and Eschatology: The Presence of Eternity (New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1957), expresses an existentialist point of view. Oscar Cullmann argues for the theological significance of human history since Christ in Christ and Time: The Primitive Christian Conception of Time and listory, trans. Floyd V. Filson (rev. ed.; London: SCM Press Ltd., 1962), and Salvation in History, trans.

Sidney G. Sowers et al. (New York: Harper & Row, 1967). Two workS which generated widespread interest in eschatology several years ago ac

Jurgen Molimann, Theology of Hope: On the Ground and the Implications of a Chrisia Eschatology, trans. James W. Leitch (New York: Harper & Row, 1967), and Wollhart Pannenberg, Theology and the Kingdom of God (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1969) Theological interpretations of history include Langdon Gilkey, Reaping the WhirtwInd A Christian Interpretation of History (Ncw York: Crossroad, 1976) and Peter C. Hoags0 God in History: Shapes of Freedom (Nashville: Abingdon, 1989).

WELCOMING THE REIGN OF GOD: THE ROOTS OF ADVENTIST ESCHATOLOGY

337

NOTES

cording to many scholar

hnt to all of it. They maintain that Chri

words of a well-known

fundamentally

assertion about

ork: Harper & Row, 1968). pp. 22, 47).

scholars, eschatology applies not just to part of what Christians believe, tain that Christian faith is eschatological through and through. In wn British theologian, "all statements about the End.. are a irmations about God," and "every statement about God is ipso facto an end, a truth about eschatology" (John T. Robinson, In the End God [New

gues, reality will at

vill become evident

Philadelphia: Fortress, 1971), 2:62).

readable account of thee historical nature of biblical faith, see G. Ernest Wright and

ee Wolfhart nenberg's concept of "final future." With the final future, Pannenberg t last become a totality, and the meaning of the entire course of history (Basic Questions in Theology: Collected Essays, trans. George H. Kehm

Fuller The Book of the Acts of God: Contemporary Scholarship Interprets the Reginald H. Bible (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1960). ACcording to G. Ernest Wright and Reginald H. Fuller, apocalypticism is "characterized by

the view that the current world is meaningless, evil, wicked. God has given it over to

destruction and in due time he will intervene and bring in the end of this age while inaugurating his kingdom" (The Book of the Acts of God: Contemporary Scholarship

Interprets the Bible [Garden City, NY: Doubleday., 1960], p. 145).

SFor a succinct comparison of Greek and biblical attitudes toward history, see Karl Lowith,

Meaning in History (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1949). pp. 4-9.

6Mircea Eliade compares the archaic view of time with that of Christian faith in The Myth of

the Eternal Return, or Cosmos and History, trans. Willard R. Trask (Princeton, NJ: Princeton

University Press, 197)), especially the last chapter.

TThis is not to say that history exhibits no pattern. Similar circumstances lead to similar

consequences, on the large scale of history as well as on the smaller scale of individual

human existence. Indeed, this is one implication of the doctrine of providence, with its

affirmation of God's sovereignty in human allairs. Over the long haul, for example, social

justice provides for greater national security than do discrimination and oppression.

The denial that history repeats itself arises from the biblical eoncept that history wil

eventually end with the fulfillment of God's purposcs for humankind and the Christian

affimation that God was present in the historical life of Jesus in a unique, unprecedented,

and unsupassable way.

Many writers have commented on the relation between the linear concept of time

expressed in the Bible and the unique significance attributed to certain historical events by

Christian faith. According to Edward W. H. Vick, "The doctrine of the incarnation means

at ne divine appears within the temporal order, that is to say that the temporal order is

,SLantial enough to receive it. But such an outlook was possible only because the view of

yneld by Biblical writers was lincar, as opposed to the eyclical view of the Grecks

LetMe Assure You [Mountain View, CA: Pacilic Press, 1968). p. 173). Langaon uilkey

s Augustine with the definitive expression of this view of history: "With Augusline the

,and so the modern sense of temporal passage comes to definitive and formalive

n: historical time is a linear sequence, each of whose moments contains the

y of ultimate significance, whose events form a pattem related to that ultimale

REIGN OF GOD

338

signisicance, and so whose course as a whole posscsses an intelligible and coherons

relevant to the gaining of final salvation" (Reaping the Hhirlwind: A Christian asnty

of Histor [New York: Seabury, 1976). pp. 162-63).

8Oscar Cullman uses this striking illustration in Christ and Time: The Primitive Chwi.

Conception of Time and History, trans. Floyd V. Filson (rev. ed.; London: SCM Proe 1962). p. 84.

s LId.,

LeRoy Edwin Froom discusses the work of Joachim in The Prophetic Faith of Our The Historical Development of Prophetic Interpretation (4 vols.; Washington, DC: Rei and Herald, 1950-54), 1:683-716. Froom states, "With Joachim of Floris .. we reach th.

Father

most outstanding figure among the medieval expositors of prophecy. With him we de finitel ly come to a turning point... He is important not only contemporarily, for the new era that he

introduced, but for his far-reaching influence upon exposition for centuries to come (ibid

p. 683). Another discussion of Joachim's views appear in Karl Lowith, Meaning in Histor

(Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 1949), pp. 145-159.

10An account of William Miller's personal and public religious life appears in the opcning chapiers of Francis D. Nichol, The Midnight Cry (Washington, DC: Revicw and Herald 1954). The historical data in this and the following chapters of the text are drawn from this book.

ory

1William Miller, Apology and Defense (Boston: Joshua V. Himes, August 1845), pp. 11-12 (quoted in Nichol, The Midnight Cry, p. 35).

12Ellen G. White describes the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary in these words: "As anciently the sins of the people were by faith placed upon the sin offering and through its blood transferred, in figure, to the earthly sanctuary, so in the new covenant the sins of the repentant are by faith placed upon Christ and transferred, in fact, to the hcavenly sanctuary. And as the typical cleansing of the earthly was accomplished by the removal of the sins by which it had been polluted, so the actual cleansing of the heavenly is to be accomplished by the removal, or blotting out, of the sins which are there recorded. But beforc this can be accomplished, there must be an examination of the books of record to detenmine who, through repentance of sin and faith in Christ, are entitled to the benefits of His atonement The clcansing of the sanctuary therefore involves a work of investigation-a work of judgment" (The Great Controversy, pp. 421-422). 13Fifteen of the forty-eight questions discussed in Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine: An Explanation of Certain Major Aspects of Seventh-day Adventist Belief (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1957) deal with the interpretation of Dan 8 and 9 anu the subject of Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. In the early 1980s several Adventist periodicals devoted issues to questions raised by Desmond Ford relating tou sanctuary doctrine and discussed at a conference which met Glacier View, Colorado, in 10 Adventist Review, September 4, 1980; Ministry, October 1980; Spectrum 11, no. 2. Ine one hundred-ifieth anniversary of the Great Disappointment also occasioned a number O articles on the sanctuary, as well as on Adventism in general. Sce the special issuc of Adventist Review, "150-ycar Anniversary lssue"; and Ministry (October 1994), *Adve ism at 150." Angel Manuel Rodrigucz defends the traditional Adventist doctrine ol the in "The Sanctuary and lus Cleansing," Supplement to the Adventist Review (Seplemoe 1994).

WELCOMING THE REIGN OF GOD: THE ROOTS OF ADVENTIST ESCHATOLOGY

339

tended development of the position suggested here, see Richard Rice, "The vestigative Judgment," Spectrum 14, no. 1: 32-38. UThite remarked of that experience, "We were fim in the belief that the preaching MaS of God. It was this that led mcn to search the Bible diligently,

14For a more

extend

Relevence of the Investigative

1SEllen G. Whit

of definite time was of God. It wa

ing truths they had I not before perceived" (Life Sketches, p. 62; cf. The Great n. 457). The following doctrinal development confirmed carly Adventists in nd those who were in union with him supposed that the cleansing of

Conth

ief "Mr. Miller and

the this

san 1ay spoken of in Daniel 8:14 meant the purifying of the earth by fire prior toits

the abode of the saints. This was to take place at the second advent of Christ; becoming

the abode «

therefore we looked for that event at the end of the 2300 days, or years. But after our

disappointment the neriod of suspense, light poured in upon our darkness; doubt and uncertainty were

Scriptures were carefully searched, with prayer and earnest thought; and

was nOw plain that it pointed to the closing work of our High Priest in Heaven, the Finishing

af the atonement, and the preparing of the people to abide the day of His coming" (Life

swept away. Instea of the prophecy of Daniel 8:14 eferring to the purifying of the earth, it

Sketches, p. 63). Indeed, one eftect of Ellen G. White's first vision was to assure early

Adventists after the Great Disappointment that God had been guiding them through the

exoerience: "On this path the Advent people were traveling to the city, which was at the

farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the beginning of the

path, which an angel told me was the midnight cry" (Early Writings, p. 14).

REIGN OF GOD