The
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
holds a unique system of
eschatological (or
end-times) beliefs. Adventist eschatology, which is based on a
historicist interpretation of prophecy, is characterised principally by the
premillennial Second Coming of Christ
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messi ...
. Traditionally, the church has taught that the Second Coming will be preceded by a global crisis with the
Sabbath
In Abrahamic religions, the Sabbath () or Shabbat (from Hebrew ) is a day set aside for rest and worship. According to the Book of Exodus, the Sabbath is a day of rest on the seventh day, commanded by God to be kept as a holy day of rest, as G ...
as a central issue . At Jesus' return, the righteous will be taken to heaven for
one thousand years. After the millennium the unsaved cease to exist as they will be punished by
annihilation
In particle physics, annihilation is the process that occurs when a subatomic particle collides with its respective antiparticle to produce other particles, such as an electron colliding with a positron to produce two photons. The total energy a ...
while the saved will live on a recreated Earth for eternity.
The foremost sources are the biblical books of
Daniel
Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength" ...
and
Revelation. Jesus' statements in Matthew 24 for instance, as well as many other Bible verses are also used. The classic Adventist commentary on the end-times was
Uriah Smith
Uriah Smith (May 3, 1832 – March 6, 1903) was a Seventh-day Adventist author, minister, educator, and theologian who is best known as the longest serving editor of the ''Review and Herald'' (now the ''Adventist Review'') for over 50 years.
Ur ...
'
''Daniel and the Revelation'' The writings of
Ellen G. White
Ellen Gould White (née Harmon; November 26, 1827 – July 16, 1915) was an American woman author and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Along with other Adventist leaders such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, she wa ...
have also been highly influential, particularly the last part of her book ''
The Great Controversy''. "Prophecy seminars", developed since the mid-20th century, have been a key popular source.
Basis
Fundamental beliefs
The
eschatological teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church are summarized in the final five of the denomination's
28 fundamental beliefs
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and i ...
:
[Seventh-day Adventist Church. (n.d.). ''Fundamental Beliefs''. Retrieved 24 August 2020, fro]
www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental-beliefs/
/ref>
:24. Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary
:25. Second Coming of Christ
:26. Death and Resurrection
:27. Millennium and the End of Sin
:28. New Earth
According to a 1985 survey, 29% of North American Adventist lecturers nominated eschatology as the area of greatest contribution by Adventists to then-current theology. This ranked second only to wholism.
Biblical basis and perspectives
Seventh-day Adventism derives its eschatological teachings in large part from its interpretation of the apocalyptic Bible books of Daniel
Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength" ...
and Revelation, as well as Jesus' end-times sermon found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Mainstream Adventism interprets biblical prophecies using the historicist method, which utilises the day-year principle; some of the prophecies of Revelation are yet to be fulfilled.
A 2004 official statement remarks: Adventists' "sense of identity and calling grows from an understanding of Bible prophecies, especially those concerning the time immediately preceding the return of Jesus."
Hermeneutics
Adventists believe the Christian church is the historical continuation of the Old Testament Israel as God's people, centered around Jesus, and that Old Testament end-time prophecies about Israel will be fulfilled more broadly. (This stands in contrast to dispensationalism
Dispensationalism is a system that was formalized in its entirety by John Nelson Darby. Dispensationalism maintains that history is divided into multiple ages or "dispensations" in which God acts with humanity in different ways. Dispensationali ...
, a popular conservative Christian view, which sees a prominent place for the nation of Israel in the end-times). Adventist hermeneutics categorically rejects preterism, futurism and idealism as proper hermeneutical systems of interpretation of Bible prophecy.
Ellen White and SDA pioneers
The writings of Ellen G. White
Ellen Gould White (née Harmon; November 26, 1827 – July 16, 1915) was an American woman author and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Along with other Adventist leaders such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, she wa ...
have been highly influential in the formation of Seventh-day Adventist eschatology, particularly the final chapters of her book '' The Great Controversy''.
The classic interpretation was Uriah Smith's book, known by its abbreviated title as ''Daniel and the Revelation''. It was affirmed by Ellen White, "and had an unrivaled influence on dventistprophetic teaching." It was based on his earlier works ''Thoughts, Critical and Practical, on the Book of Revelation'' (1867), and ''Thoughts, Critical and Practical, on the Book of Daniel'' (1873). The book was revised several times during Smith's life and afterwards.["Uriah Smith". ''Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia'', p1355–1356. Hagerstown, Maryland: Review and Herald, rev edn, 1976. As reproduced on a website] The ''Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia
The ''Seventh-day Adventist Commentary Reference Series'' is a set of volumes produced primarily by Seventh-day Adventist scholars, and designed for both scholarly and popular level use. It includes the seven-volume ''Seventh-day Adventist Bibl ...
'' states, "Although a creative writer, he also borrowed from contemporary and early expositors for his materials, especially in his interpretations of prophecy."
Historicist interpretation of prophecy
Prophecies of Daniel
Adventists teach that Historicism
Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying their history, that is, by studying the process by which they came about. The term is widely u ...
(including the day-year principle) is the correct viewpoint in interpretation, as well as the traditional belief of the almost all Protestant Reformers. Historicism as a method of interpreting prophecy has been challenged by some interpreters.
Image of Daniel 2
The background to Adventist eschatology is found in the book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a 2nd-century BC biblical apocalypse with a 6th century BC setting. Ostensibly "an account of the activities and visions of Daniel, a noble Jew exiled at Babylon", it combines a prophecy of history with an eschatology (a ...
, which has strong thematic and literary links to Revelation. A key passage is the interpretation of king Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar II (Babylonian cuneiform: ''Nabû-kudurri-uṣur'', meaning "Nabu, watch over my heir"; Biblical Hebrew: ''Nəḇūḵaḏneʾṣṣar''), also spelled Nebuchadrezzar II, was the second king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling ...
's vision of a statue in Daniel 2. The sequence of world kingdoms is interpreted by Adventists as representing in turn Babylonia
Babylonia (; Akkadian: , ''māt Akkadī'') was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Syria). It emerged as an Amorite-ruled state c. ...
, Medo-Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
, and Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
(pagan Rome and later papal Rome). The feet of iron and clay in the vision are understood to represent the nations of Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
subsequent to the breakup of the Roman empire. The Seventh-day Adventists follow the Historicist interpretation of the statue.
This interpretation is not unique to Adventists and was held by many expositors in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Since iron and clay are materials that cannot form a durable structure, Adventist scholars interpret this as the many short-lived attempts throughout European history to form a large empire such as the Holy Roman Empire, Napoleonic France, Nazi Germany, The European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
.
Chapter 7 - The 4 beasts and Judgement
Paraphrase of the prophecy of Daniel 7 by arranging prophecy phrases parallel to given interpretation.
;Survey of prophecy
This survey section consists of paraphrases and quotations of the significant texts.
During the reign of Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon, Daniel experiences a dream or vision. It has been fifty years since the vision of chapter 2.
Comparison of Daniel 2, 7 and 8
Eschatological events
In traditional mainstream Adventist teaching, the end times consists of four distinct episodes:
* The Investigative Judgment, beginning in 1844 and ending at the close of probation
* The "time of trouble", beginning at the close of probation and ending at the second coming
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messi ...
of Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
* The millennium
A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
* The destruction of sinners and new earth
Events prior to 1844
The Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
was a world power active during the ministry of Jesus. Adventists believe the destruction of Jerusalem
The siege of Jerusalem of 70 CE was the decisive event of the First Jewish–Roman War (66–73 CE), in which the Roman army led by future emperor Titus besieged Jerusalem, the center of Jewish rebel resistance in the Roman province of Jud ...
in AD 70 was a partial fulfillment of Jesus' end-times discourse in Matthew 24.
The empire continued several centuries into the Christian era, when it was ultimately replaced by the papacy
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
. The papacy is identified with the "man of sin" of 2 Thessalonians
The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians is a book from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is traditionally attributed to Paul the Apostle, with Timothy as a co-author. Modern biblical scholarship is divided on whether the epistle was ...
, the " Antichrist" of 1 John
The First Epistle of John is the first of the Johannine epistles of the New Testament, and the fourth of the catholic epistles. There is no scholarly consensus as to the authorship of the Johannine works. The author of the First Epistle is te ...
and the "little horn" of Daniel
Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength" ...
chapters 7 and 8. It is believed that the Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
religion grew into a corruption of original, authentic Christianity. Among other things, it is considered to have changed the church's day of worship from Saturday to Sunday.
The "1,260 days", "42 months" or "time, times and dividing of time" of apocalyptic prophecy are equated, and are interpreted as 1260 years, based on the day-year principle. This has traditionally been held to be the period AD 538 to 1798, as the era of papal supremacy and oppression as prophesied in Revelation 12:6, 14–16. This period began with the defeat
''Noonday Dream'' is the third album by British singer-songwriter Ben Howard, released on 1 June 2018.
Critical reception
"Noonday Dream" has received generally favorable reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating ...
of the Ostrogoths
The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the larg ...
by the Roman General Belisarius. In Adventist belief, this was the last of three Germanic tribes (including also the Heruli and the Vandals
The Vandals were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal Kingdom, Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century.
The ...
) to be defeated by Rome (see , and other passages). The period ended with the successes of Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
of France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
; specifically, the capture of Pope Pius VI
Pope Pius VI ( it, Pio VI; born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to his death in August 1799.
Pius VI condemned the French Revoluti ...
by General Louis Alexandre Berthier
Louis-Alexandre Berthier (20 November 1753 – 1 June 1815), Prince of Neuchâtel and Valangin, Prince of Wagram, was a French Marshal of the Empire who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was twice Minister ...
in 1798, which was a blow to the papacy. This capture of the pope by the French army was understood as the "deadly wound" of . Today many Adventist scholars believe the end-points cannot be given precisely, because the history was more of a gradual rise and fall; however the mainstream view does support a period of 1260 years. A minority view by Samuele Bacchiocchi is that the rise to "supremacy" and the "downfall" of the papacy are events spanning a larger time, and cannot be pinned to such points in time.
After the end of the 1260 days, and prior to 1844, several significant events took place. In 1755 a massive earthquake hit Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
. On May 19, 1780, northeastern America experienced a day of extraordinary darkness followed by a blood-red moon that night. On November 13, 1833, a spectacular Leonids
The Leonids ( ) are a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Tempel–Tuttle, which are also known for their spectacular meteor storms that occur about every 33 years. The Leonids get their name from the location of their radiant i ...
meteor shower occurred. These three events were thought to be a fulfillment of , paving the way for the final events of history.
Three Angels' Messages
During the 1830s and 1840s the Millerite movement proclaimed the soon return of Jesus. Adventists have traditionally interpreted this as the initial proclamation of the three angels' messages.
The Investigative judgment
The investigative judgment commenced in 1844 "at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days". During this time, Jesus Christ is believed to be ministering in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary, "blotting out" the sins of all who are found to truly believe in him. Meanwhile, on earth, the remnant
Remnant or remnants may refer to:
Religion
* Remnant (Bible), a recurring theme in the Bible
* Remnant (Seventh-day Adventist belief), the remnant theme in the Seventh-day Adventist Church
* ''The Remnant'' (newspaper), a traditional Catholic ne ...
church proclaims the " three angels' messages" of Revelation 14; it "announces the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the approach of His second advent." As a result, there is "a work of repentance and reform on earth."
The completion of the investigative judgment marks the "close of probation". In Adventist teaching, this is a crucial moment when sinners will no longer be able to repent and be forgiven, because Christ will have ceased his intercessory ministry.
The time of trouble
:''Note: This section describes the traditional view of the church.''
Following the close of probation will be a "time of trouble," a brief but intense period of time immediately preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Adventists believe the Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
will return to prominence during the end times, fulfilling the prophecy of the first beast of Revelation 13 (the leopard-like beast from the sea) whose "deadly wound" (i.e. the deposal of the Pope in 1798) will be healed. The United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
, meanwhile, will establish ties with the Papacy
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
, in fulfilment of the second beast of Revelation 13 (the lamb-like beast from the earth). Some of the more liberal Adventists do not share these convictions about the Roman Catholic Church, or are more cautious. (J. N. Andrews was the first Adventist to identify America in prophecy, in 1851).
Ultimately, the Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
churches of America will join the confederation between the beasts, forming the "image to the beast" (). At this time, a conflict will ensue that will "involve the whole world," and in which "the central issue will be obedience to God's law and the observance of the Sabbath." Religious and civil authorities will combine to enact a "Sunday law" which requires all people to observe Sunday as a sacred day. The "Sunday law" is interpreted as the meaning of the "mark of the beast
The number of the beast ( grc-koi, Ἀριθμὸς τοῦ θηρίου, ) is associated with the Beast of Revelation in chapter 13, verse 18 of the Book of Revelation. In most manuscripts of the New Testament and in English translations of t ...
" described in .
In contrast to those who choose to obey the "Sunday law," and therefore receive the "mark of the beast," people who observe the seventh-day Sabbath
The seventh-day Sabbath, observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening, is an important part of the beliefs and practices of seventh-day churches. These churches emphasize biblical references such as the ancient Hebrew practice of beginning a ...
will receive the "Seal of God" (mentioned in ff.). Sabbath keepers will experience fierce persecution from world governments, which will include economic coercion and ultimately the death penalty.
Despite being almost overwhelmed by persecution, the people of God will be delivered by the second coming
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messi ...
of Jesus Christ, when he returns to earth in glory.
The "time of trouble" has also been known as the "Time of Jacob's Trouble," described as "a brief period of extreme tribulation" just before the Second Coming, and after the close of probation. It is contemporaneous with the seven last plagues
The events of Revelation are the events that occur in the Book of Revelation of the New Testament. An outline follows below, chapter by chapter.
Chapters
One
* The Revelation of Jesus Christ given to John.
Two
* John addresses the church of ...
. The term comes from , and is based on the narrative of Jacob
Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. J ...
's wrestling with God in , and Jeremiah
Jeremiah, Modern: , Tiberian: ; el, Ἰερεμίας, Ieremíās; meaning " Yah shall raise" (c. 650 – c. 570 BC), also called Jeremias or the "weeping prophet", was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish ...
's description of Israel's captivity in Babylonia prior to the predicted liberation in verses 3, 7–9, 11.
Recent arguments claim an allusion
Allusion is a figure of speech, in which an object or circumstance from unrelated context is referred to covertly or indirectly. It is left to the audience to make the direct connection. Where the connection is directly and explicitly stated (as ...
from Revelation 14:7 in the three angels' messages to Exodus 20:11 in the fourth of the Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...
. Thus in the end time, the battle over worship will include the Sabbath.
The Second Coming
Seventh-day Adventists believe the Second Coming of Jesus
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messian ...
will be literal, personal, sudden and universally visible. The second coming coincides with the resurrection and translation of the righteous, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. (See fundamental belief number 25.)
Adventists reject an intermediate state between death and resurrection, and hold that the soul sleeps until the resurrection of the body at Christ's coming. They also reject the doctrine of the pretribulational rapture
The rapture is an Christian eschatology, eschatological position held by some Christians, particularly those of American evangelicalism, consisting of an Eschatology, end-time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurre ...
. The Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
does not hold the traditional view of the premillennial and none of the postmillennial
In Christian Christian eschatology, eschatology (end-times theology), postmillennialism, or postmillenarianism, is an interpretation of chapter 20 of the Book of Revelation which sees Christ's second coming as occurring ''after'' (Latin ''post ...
schools of end-time belief. As both of these schools believe that Christ will literally and physically be on the earth at his second coming. In contrast to this Adventism teaches that the righteous will rise up and meet Christ in the air at His second coming and are taken with Him to Heaven.
The Millennium
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on mess ...
marks the beginning of the Millennium
A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
, according to Adventist teaching. At the second coming, the righteous dead will be resurrected (the "first resurrection", Revelation 20:5), and both they and the righteous living will be taken to heaven to reign with Christ for 1000 years. The rest of mankind (the wicked, or unrighteous) will be killed at the second coming, leaving the earth devoid of human life.
During the millennium, Satan
Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as Devil in Christianity, the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an non-physical entity, entity in the Abrahamic religions ...
and his angels will occupy the desolate earth; this is how Adventists interpret the "binding" of Satan described in chapter 20 of the Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament (and consequently the final book of the Christian Bible). Its title is derived from the first word of the Koine Greek text: , meaning "unveiling" or "revelation". The Book of R ...
. The millennium will be the time when the wicked will be judged. Satan and his angels will be loosed at the end of the millennium when the wicked, or unrighteous are brought back to life to face judgement.
The destruction of sinners and new earth
At the close of the Millennium, Adventists believe that Christ will again return to earth together with the righteous and the "Holy City" (the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:10) to implement His judgment on the wicked. He will then raise the wicked (the "second resurrection"), who will surround the New Jerusalem along with Satan. At this point Satan, his angels, and wicked humanity will suffer annihilation
In particle physics, annihilation is the process that occurs when a subatomic particle collides with its respective antiparticle to produce other particles, such as an electron colliding with a positron to produce two photons. The total energy a ...
in the Lake of Fire ("the second death", Revelation 20:8). Adventists disagree with the traditional doctrine of hell as a place of conscious eternal punishment.
Finally, God will create a new earth where the redeemed will enjoy eternal life free of sin and suffering.
Additional interpretations
Ellen White's book ( The Great Controversy) has been a frequent evangelistic handout. While much of it presents Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
and Adventist church history, the later chapters describe end-time events. Her views expressed in the book represent the mainstream opinion in Adventism. Some alternative views about eschatology have been proposed by individuals and groups in the Adventist church.
Critics have written on issues regarding the book The Great Controversy. One critic has stated
"There can be little doubt that the Roman church courted
much of the antagonism it received." .."incredibly arrogant
and contemptuous of democratic principles" in the U.S.
"The Roman Catholic Church of those days was a
contemptuous and contemptible organization, rightly perceived
as a threat to the nation and the world."
"But those days are over. The world has changed. The
United States has changed. And even the Roman Catholic
church has changed, in the second half of our century, having
reconciled itself with progress, liberalism and modern civilization.
It is no longer the Bible-suppressing, science-resisting,
liberty-opposing, Protestant-hating, culture-ignoring, Latin-mumbling,
obscurantism-loving ecclesiastical organization of
former years, intent on ruling the world from Rome. Vatican
Council II transformed all that."
However Ellen White stated...
Opinions vary in regards to this topic.
Prophetic interpretation of Revelation
Traditionally, Adventists interpret the letters to the seven churches of Asia in Revelation 2 and 3 as fulfilled in consecutive periods of church history.
According to mainstream Adventist thought, prophecies usually have only a single fulfillment. For instance Gerhard Hasel
Gerhard Franz Hasel (1935–1994) was a Seventh-day Adventist theologian, and Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology as well as Dean of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University.
Hasel's childhood experiences ...
argued apocalyptic prophecy has only "one fulfillment for each symbol." "General" or "classical" prophecy may have dual or multiple fulfillments only if Scripture itself points to this, for instance with the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14 / Matthew 1:22–23), and the latter rain (Joel 2 / Acts 2). In contrast, a minority have argued for multiple fulfillments of other prophecies. Some Progressive Adventists
Progressive Adventists are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who prefer different emphases or disagree with certain beliefs traditionally held by mainstream Adventism and officially by the church. While they are often described as li ...
advocate multiple diverse possible fulfillments of prophecy, and some try to include Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes (; grc, Ἀντίοχος ὁ Ἐπιφανής, ''Antíochos ho Epiphanḗs'', "God Manifest"; c. 215 BC – November/December 164 BC) was a Greek Hellenistic king who ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his deat ...
, the Seleucid king who conquered Israel, as a preliminary fulfillment. Most Adventists disagree with this.
The themes of Revelation are heavily grounded in the Old Testament, so Adventist scholarship first looks to this background before attempting interpretation. The context and overall literary structure are important for interpretation. For instance Revelation is not always chronological (e.g. Jesus' death in Revelation 12:10,11 cannot follow 11:15 where He reigns; and Babylon's activities in chapter 17 cannot follow its destruction in chapter 16), but many visions are parallel, and progressively illuminate themes. In addition to parallels, there are contrasts such as the Lamb and the beast; and the seal of God and the mark of the beast. Revelation shows a typological connection between ancient Israel's history, and church history.
Cosmic signs
Great cosmic signs have traditionally been interpreted as the fulfillment of Bible prophecy and signs of the nearing Second Coming, such as the 1755 Lisbon earthquake
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, impacted Portugal, the Iberian Peninsula, and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time. In combination with ...
in Portugal, New England's Dark Day of 1780, and a spectacular meteor shower
A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate, or originate, from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extre ...
in 1833. This is based on the sixth seal (Revelation 6:12–17) of the " seven seals", and Jesus' end-times sermon in Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:24–25 (see also Luke 21). Adventists had argued the Dark Day was a supernatural sign. Critics claim that it occurred from natural causes due to forest fires. The interpretations are still commonly held by Adventist, although some have challenged the interpretations.
Some state there were bigger earthquakes before Lisbon. Still, they remain highly significant events in history. They believe people were led to God, and these are preliminary signs, but not the ultimate cosmic signs bring in the Second Coming.[Hans LaRondelle,]
Viewpoint: The Application of Cosmic Signs in the Adventist Tradition
. ''Ministry'' 71:9 (September 1998), p25–27
Many believe their occurrence towards the end of papal supremacy (1798) is significant, and that the order of events matches the biblical prediction. Some believe the context of Jesus' end-times sermon indicates the period stretches from the destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70) to the seven last plagues prior to the Second Coming. Jon Paulien claims they are signs of the age, not signs of the end; they do instruct us to keep watch. The events are the "day of the Lord" foretold in Old Testament prophecy.
Spiritualism
Ellen White was critical of spiritualism
Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century, Spiritualism (when not lowercase) ...
(which she believed to be communication with evil spirits). Many Adventists see the spreading social acceptance of the belief in evil spirits and their powers such as in witchcraft, the occult, as evidenced in the prominent films, books, and society along with the spread of Spiritual Formation in modern-day churches, and the acceptance of communicating with spirits in modern-day churches in Montanism style movements which have emerged from the late 19th century as an indication of the fulfillment of the prediction.
World empires
The traditional teaching is that Rome was the last world empire prophesied in Daniel 2 and 7, which divides up into the nations of Europe. On the other hand, one historian claimed several subsequent empires which have been larger, including the Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
, Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
and Ottoman empires.
Adventists predicted that in WWII, Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and then ...
's forces would not conquer Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, based on Daniel 2:43 which states the toes of the statue nterpreted as the nations of Europewould not remain united.
Ottoman Empire
In 1838, Millerite preacher Josiah Litch had predicted the fall of the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
in August 1840, based on Revelation 9. This was regarded as being fulfilled on August 11, 1840, when Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
responded to an ultimatum by European powers, which affirmed the Millerites' beliefs. ote: this occurred during the Millerite movement before the start of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, of which Litch did not become a member
New World Order
Eschatological expectations have prompted some Adventists to closely observe current geopolitical events, in a manner similar to many Christian futurists and dispensationalists. Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
pastor A. Jan Marcussen
A. Jan Marcussen is a preacher, and self-proclaimed physical therapist, nutritionist, and marriage counselor. He is most known for views and promotion, through writing and other methods, of eschatology and the seventh-day Sabbath. Marcussen has off ...
has predicted the imminent rise of a global church-state alliance with the Papacy
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
and U.S. Government
The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fede ...
as key players, along with other bodies such as the United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
and the International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster globa ...
. The resulting New World Order would precipitate the final events of history: the "sealing" of Sabbath
In Abrahamic religions, the Sabbath () or Shabbat (from Hebrew ) is a day set aside for rest and worship. According to the Book of Exodus, the Sabbath is a day of rest on the seventh day, commanded by God to be kept as a holy day of rest, as G ...
-keepers, a universal Sunday-law, the seven last plague
Plague or The Plague may refer to:
Agriculture, fauna, and medicine
*Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis''
* An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural)
* A pandemic caused by such a disease
* A swarm of pes ...
s and Armageddon.
"Not only does the Bible not predict one world government before the kingdom of God; it denies it.
"Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom" (Daniel 2:41).
The Bible does however warn of "an alliance between church and state (see Revelation 17:3ff)."
"The prophecy of Revelation 13 declares that the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns shall cause "the earth and them which dwell therein" to worship the papacy—there symbolised by the beast "like unto a leopard."
The beast with two horns is also to say "to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast;" and, furthermore, it is to command all, "both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond," to receive the mark of the beast. Revelation 13:11-16. It has been shown that the United States is the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns, and that this prophecy will be fulfilled when the United States shall enforce Sunday observance, which Rome claims as the special acknowledgement of her supremacy. But in this homage to the papacy the United States will not be alone. The influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion is still far from being destroyed. And prophecy foretells a restoration of her power. "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." Verse 3. The infliction of the deadly wound points to the downfall of the papacy in 1798. After this, says the prophet, "his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." Paul states plainly that the "man of sin" will continue until the second advent. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8. To the very close of time he will carry forward the work of deception. And the revelator declares, also referring to the papacy: "All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life." Revelation 13:8. The papacy will receive homage in the honour paid to the Sunday institution, that rests solely upon the authority of the Roman Church."
Antichrist
For the mainstream view, se
''Day of the Dragon''
by Clifford Goldstein
Clifford R. Goldstein (born in 1955) is an American author and editor. He is a leading figure in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination and espouses mainline Adventist beliefs.
Biography
Goldstein was born in Albany, New York in the United St ...
.
Seventh-day Adventists teach that the office of the papacy is the Antichrist, a belief so widely held by Protestants that it became known as the "Protestant view" of prophetic interpretation. In 1798, the French General Berthier exiled the Pope and took away all his authority, which was later restored in 1929. This is taken as a fulfillment of the prophecy that the Beast of Revelation would receive a deadly wound but that the wound would be healed. Adventists have attributed the wounding and resurgence in to the papacy, referring to General Louis Berthier's capture of Pope Pius VI
Pope Pius VI ( it, Pio VI; born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to his death in August 1799.
Pius VI condemned the French Revoluti ...
in 1798 and the pope's subsequent death in 1799.
A minority view by Samuele Bacchiocchi has suggested expanding the Antichrist concept to include also Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
. However the majority Adventist view today disagrees and holds to the traditional Adventist view of the papacy as the Antichrist.
Roman Catholicism
Modern "mainstream" Adventist literature continues to express the traditional Adventist teaching that Roman Catholicism, in coalition with other churches, will perpetrate religious oppression during a final end-time crisis, and that the Sabbath
In Abrahamic religions, the Sabbath () or Shabbat (from Hebrew ) is a day set aside for rest and worship. According to the Book of Exodus, the Sabbath is a day of rest on the seventh day, commanded by God to be kept as a holy day of rest, as G ...
will be a key issue.
666: Vicarius Filii Dei
Revelation 13: VERSE 18. “Here 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." Some Adventists have interpreted the number of the beast, 666, as corresponding to the title Vicarius Filii Dei of the Pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
. In 1866, Uriah Smith
Uriah Smith (May 3, 1832 – March 6, 1903) was a Seventh-day Adventist author, minister, educator, and theologian who is best known as the longest serving editor of the ''Review and Herald'' (now the ''Adventist Review'') for over 50 years.
Ur ...
became the first to propose this interpretation to the Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
.['']Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
The ''Seventh-day Adventist Commentary Reference Series'' is a set of volumes produced primarily by Seventh-day Adventist scholars, and designed for both scholarly and popular level use. It includes the seven-volume ''Seventh-day Adventist Bibl ...
'', 223 See '' Review and Herald'
28:196, November 20, 1866
In ''The United States in the Light of Prophecy'', he wrote,
:''The pope wears upon his pontifical crown in jeweled letters, this title: "''Vicarius Filii Dei''," "Viceregent of the Son of God;" the numerical value of which title is just six hundred and sixty-six The most plausible supposition we have ever seen on this point is that here we find the number in question. It is the number of the beast, the papacy; it is the number of his name, for he adopts it as his distinctive title; it is the number of a man, for he who bears it is the "man of sin."''
Prominent Adventist scholar J. N. Andrews
John Nevins Andrews (July 22, 1829 – October 21, 1883) was a Seventh-day Adventist minister, the first official Seventh-day Adventist missionary, writer, editor, and scholar. Andrews University (Michigan, USA), a university owned and operated b ...
also adopted this view. Uriah Smith
Uriah Smith (May 3, 1832 – March 6, 1903) was a Seventh-day Adventist author, minister, educator, and theologian who is best known as the longest serving editor of the ''Review and Herald'' (now the ''Adventist Review'') for over 50 years.
Ur ...
maintained his interpretation in the various editions of ''Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation'', which was influential in the church. The ''Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
The ''Seventh-day Adventist Commentary Reference Series'' is a set of volumes produced primarily by Seventh-day Adventist scholars, and designed for both scholarly and popular level use. It includes the seven-volume ''Seventh-day Adventist Bibl ...
'' states, "Whether the inscription Vicarius Filii Dei appears on the tiara or the mitre is really beside the point. The title is admittedly applied to the pope, and that is sufficient for the purposes of prophecy. Various documents from the Vatican contain wording such as "Adorandi Dei Filii Vicarius, et Procurator quibus numen aeternum summam Ecclesiae sanctae dedit", which translates as is "As the worshipful Son of God's Vicar and Caretaker, to whom the eternal divine will has given the highest rank of the holy Church".
Samuele Bacchiocchi Samuele is the Italian spelling of Samuel.
Samuele may also refer to:
* Asteroid 11622 Samuele, named after Italian amateur astronomer Samuele Marconi
* ''Samuele'' (Mayr), oratorio
{{Disambiguation
Italian masculine given names ...
an Adventist scholar, and only Adventist to be awarded a gold medal by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...
for the distinction of ''summa cum laude
Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...
'' (Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
for "with highest praise"). has documented the pope using such a title.
The ''Adult Sabbath School Lesson
Sabbath School is a function of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Seventh Day Baptist, Church of God (Seventh-Day), some other sabbatarian denominations, usually comprising a song service and Bible study lesson on the Sabbath. It is usually hel ...
'' for April–June 2002, principally authored by Ángel Rodríguez, cast doubt on the early interpretation, instead advocating a symbolic interpretation of "intensified rebellion, six used three times, and total independence from God". see ''Adult Sabbath School Lesson'' for April–June 2002. See lesson 10 (June 1–7),
The Dragon Versus the Remnant Part 2
; particularly the studies for Thursday and Friday. The quarterly topic was "Great Apocalyptic Prophecies".
Sunday law
Traditionally, Adventists teach that right at the end times the message of the Ten Commandments and in particular the keeping of the seventh day of the week, Saturday, as Sabbath will be conveyed to the whole world and there will be a reaction from those who hold to Sunday as the day of worship. Adventists have taught that a persecuting "Sunday law
Blue laws, also known as Sunday laws, Sunday trade laws and Sunday closing laws, are laws restricting or banning certain activities on specified days, usually Sundays in the western world. The laws were adopted originally for religious reasons, ...
" will be enacted at some stage in the future, as part of the final events of earth's history before Jesus returns, as stated in significant publications such as '' Questions on Doctrine'' (1957), ''Seventh-day Adventists Believe…'' (1988), and Ellen White's classic '' The Great Controversy''. Jon Paulien
Jonathan K. Paulien (born 1949) is a Seventh-day Adventist theologian.
Biography
Paulien has a BA from Atlantic Union College, and an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Andrews University. His doctoral thesis, ''Decoding Revelation’s Trumpets: Literar ...
has argued for a parallel between Revelation 14 and the fourth of the Ten Commandments (the Sabbath), in Exodus 20. He hence argues the Bible features Sabbath in the end-times.
Some progressive Adventists
Progressive Adventists are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who prefer different emphases or disagree with certain beliefs traditionally held by mainstream Adventism and officially by the church. While they are often described as li ...
, including a few scholars, disagree with specific traditional views about the "time of trouble.".
Armageddon
Adventists believe in a future final battle prior to Jesus' return.
This battle is termed "Armageddon" in Revelation 16:16, a term which occurs only once in the Bible. It derives from the Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
for "Mountain of Megiddo", and occurs only in Revelation 16:16 in the Bible. Modern Adventist scholarship believes it refers not to a physical battle in the Middle East, but is a metaphor for a spiritual battle. There is no mountain called "Megiddo", but the city Megiddo, now ruined, lies in the Jezreel Valley, at the foot of Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel ( he, הַר הַכַּרְמֶל, Har haKarmel; ar, جبل الكرمل, Jabal al-Karmil), also known in Arabic as Mount Mar Elias ( ar, link=no, جبل مار إلياس, Jabal Mār Ilyās, lit=Mount Saint Elias/Elijah), is a c ...
which was the site of Elijah's conflict with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). Based in this imagery, Armageddon is understood as a worldwide 'spiritual' battle – a battle for the mind. Paulien believes it is not literal fire, and not literally on Carmel, but likely false prophets and false Christs performing miracles in the world (Matthew 24:24). The Euphrates
The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers'') ...
river is equated with the "many waters" the prostitutes sits on, which the Bible identifies as peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. Thus the drying of the river is the removal of the political powers supporting Babylon. (Earlier, Uriah Smith viewed the drying of the Euphrates
The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers'') ...
river (Revelation 16:12) as the shrinking of Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, the nation occupying most of the river; however today this is Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. He saw Armageddon as a literal battle at Megiddo in Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
due to its strategic military location, and the three unclean spirits as spiritism.)
Sources
Prophecy Seminars
A "prophecy seminar" is a common form of outreach used by Adventist ministers, in which Bible prophecies such as those in the books of Daniel and Revelation are presented.
In 1969 George Knowles developed a small group seminar. He joined ''It Is Written
''It Is Written'' is an internationally broadcast Seventh-day Adventist Christian television program founded in 1956 by George Vandeman. Its title comes from the Gospel of Matthew: "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every ...
'', and together with George Vandeman
George Edward Vandeman (October 21, 1916 – November 3, 2000) was a Seventh-day Adventist evangelist who founded the ''It Is Written'' television ministry.
Biography
Vandeman was born on October 21, 1916."Vandeman, George E." in ''Historica ...
prepared a day-long seminar, which developed into the ''It Is Written Revelation Seminar'' by 1975. Soon others ran their own seminars. A resource center founded in Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
in 1980 was named Seminars Unlimited in 1986, and by the 1990s was distributing evangelistic materials to Adventists worldwide.
Some currently used seminars are:
* ''Prophecy Seminar''. USA: Seminars Unlimited, 1989. 32 studies
* ''Revelation Seminar''. Review and Herald / Revelation Seminars (by Seminars Unlimited of Keene, Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
), 1983. 24 studies
* ''Focus on Prophecy''. Voice of Prophecy
The ''Voice of Prophecy'', founded in 1929 by H.M.S. Richards, Sr., is a Seventh-day Adventist religious radio ministry headquartered in Loveland, Colorado. Initially airing in 1929 on a single radio station in Los Angeles the ''Voice of Proph ...
, 2000. 21 studies, consisting of ''Focus on Daniel'' (studies 1–7) and ''Focus on Revelation'' (studies 8–20); number 21 is a summary, ''The Prophecies of Daniel and Revelation''
* ''Daniel''. Ringwood, Victoria: Australian Union Conference Resource Centre, 2004. 16 studies
The seminar ''Revelation: Hope, Meaning, Purpose'' was written primarily by Jon Paulien and Graeme Bradford, and "published under the guidance of the Biblical Research Committee of the South Pacific Division .. in 2010. It consists of 24 sessions, available as printed booklets and also on 12 DVDs.
Daniel and Revelation Committee Series
The Daniel and Revelation Committee Series (DARCOM) is one of the foremost Adventist sources, and consists of the following volumes:
* Vol. 1 ''Selected Studies on Prophetic Interpretation'' by William H. Shea
William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conques ...
publisher's page
* Vol. 2 ''Symposium on Daniel'', edited by Frank B. Holbrook
publisher's page
* Vol. 3 ''70 Weeks, Leviticus, and the Nature of Prophecy'', edited by Frank B. Holbrook
* Vol. 4 ''Issues in the Book of Hebrews'', edited by Frank B. Holbrook
* Vol. 5 ''Doctrine of the Sanctuary'', edited by Frank B. Holbrook
* Vol. 6 ''Symposium on Revelation-Book I'', edited by Frank B. Holbrook
* Vol. 7 ''Symposium on Revelation-Book II'', edited by Frank B. Holbrook
Evangelists
Adventist evangelists such as Mark Finley
Mark A. Finley (born 1945) is the former host and director of ''It Is Written'' (from 1991–2004), for which he traveled around the world as a televangelist. He was the first Seventh-day Adventist pastor to do a satellite evangelistic series ...
, Doug Batchelor, Dwight Nelson, John Carter, John Bradshaw, an
Joey Suarez
form a major popular face of the church, through their ministries at a local level and/or their appearances in public and on Adventist television networks such as 3ABN
The Three Angels Broadcasting Network, or 3ABN, is a Christian media television and radio network which broadcasts Seventh-day Adventist religious and health-oriented programming, based in West Frankfort, Illinois, United States. Although it is ...
, It Is Written
''It Is Written'' is an internationally broadcast Seventh-day Adventist Christian television program founded in 1956 by George Vandeman. Its title comes from the Gospel of Matthew: "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every ...
, and the Hope Channel
Hope Channel International, Inc. is a Christian lifestyle television network and is a subsidiary company of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The network operates globally, with 67 Hope Channels worldwide, each providing programs ...
. 3ABN founder Danny Shelton is comparable.[See Danny Shelton and Shelley J. Quinn, ''The Antichrist Agenda: Ten Commandments Twice Removed''. Review and Herald, 2005; ]
Comparison to other Christian views
The Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
fits into the premillennial school of end-time belief, although it is taught that the millennial reign of Christ takes place in heaven instead of on Earth. There are several unique aspects of the denomination's teaching, such as the investigative judgment and the idea of a "Sunday law", which are shared by no other Christian denomination.
Seventh-day Adventism's eschatological teaching may be contrasted with:
* Dispensational Premillennialism
Dispensationalism is a system that was formalized in its entirety by John Nelson Darby. Dispensationalism maintains that history is divided into multiple ages or "dispensations" in which God acts with humanity in different ways. Dispensationali ...
, which teaches that a rapture
The rapture is an Christian eschatology, eschatological position held by some Christians, particularly those of American evangelicalism, consisting of an Eschatology, end-time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurre ...
of Christians will occur prior to a Great Tribulation of seven years' duration; this will be followed by a millennial reign of Christ on earth. Dispensational premillennialism is held by many evangelicals in the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
* Postmillennialism, which teaches that the second coming
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messi ...
of Christ will occur after the millennium. Postmillennialism has declined in popularity in the twentieth century.
* Amillennialism, which teaches that the millennium of Revelation 20 is symbolic of the present age (between the first and second comings of Christ), when Christ rules his church from his seat at the right hand of God. Amillennialism is the view essentially held by the Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, as well as by many conservative and liberal Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
churches and by the Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...
, Oriental Orthodox
The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 60 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches are part of the Nicene Christian tradition, and represent o ...
and the Assyrian Church of the East
The Assyrian Church of the East,, ar, كنيسة المشرق الآشورية sometimes called Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East,; ar, كنيسة المشرق الآشورية الرسول ...
.
See also
* Biblical Research Institute
*Christian eschatology
Christian eschatology, a major branch of study within Christian theology, deals with "last things". Such eschatology – the word derives from two Greek roots meaning "last" () and "study" (-) – involves the study of "end things", whether of ...
* Daniel's ''70 Weeks'' prophecy
* William Miller (preacher)
* Millerites
*Pre-advent judgment
In Christian theology, the pre-advent judgment is a belief that the Last Judgment will occur before the Second Coming (or "Advent") of Jesus.
* Prophecy in the Seventh-day Adventist Church
* Seventh-day Adventist theology
* Teachings of Ellen White (End times)
* The Pillars of Adventism
Footnotes
References
*
*
*
Further reading
* Roy Allan Anderson, ''Unfolding Daniel'' and ''Unfolding Revelation''; reprinted as the single volume ''Unveiling Daniel and Revelation''. Pacific Press, 2006;
* Reinder Bruinsma, ''Seventh-day Adventist Attitudes Toward Roman Catholicism 1844–1965'', Berrien Springs, Michigan, 1994;
* Jacques B. Doukhan, ''Secrets of Daniel''. Review and Herald, 2000; . ''Daniel: Vision of the End''. Andrews University Press
Andrews University Press (AUP) is an academic publishing authority operated under the auspices of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Established with minimal funding in 1969, a permanent director was appointed in 1979. AUP now has ov ...
publisher's page
. ''Secrets of Revelation''. Review and Herald, 2002;
* Desmond Ford, ''Crisis: A Commentary on the Book of Revelation'' Volumes 1–3, 1982. Daniel commentaries: ''Daniel'', 1978;
Daniel and The Coming King
', 1996; ''In the Heart of Daniel: An Exposition of Daniel 9:24–27'', 2007; and others
* Le Roy Froom,
The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers
' (4 volumes), the classic in-depth study
* Clifford Goldstein
Clifford R. Goldstein (born in 1955) is an American author and editor. He is a leading figure in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination and espouses mainline Adventist beliefs.
Biography
Goldstein was born in Albany, New York in the United St ...
, ''Day of the Dragon''. Pacific Press;
* Norman Gulley, ''Satan's Trojan Horse: God's End-Time Victory''. Review and Herald, 2004;
* Hans LaRondelle
Hans Karl LaRondelle (born April 18, 1929 – March 7, 2011) was a respected Seventh-day Adventist Church, Seventh-day Adventist theologian; a strong proponent of the gospel and salvation by faith alone. In a 1985 questionnaire of North America ...
. ''How to Understand the End-Time Prophecies of the Bible'' (Sarasota, Florida: First Impressions, 1997)
* Ministerial Association:
Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary
(chapter 23),
(chapter 24),
(chapter 25),
(chapter 26) and " ttp://www.sdanet.org/atissue/books/27/27-27.htm The New Earth (chapter 27) in See the "Prophecy" entry on p390 of th
* V. Norskov Olsen, ed., ''The Advent Hope in Scripture and History''. Review and Herald, 1987
* Jon Paulien
Jonathan K. Paulien (born 1949) is a Seventh-day Adventist theologian.
Biography
Paulien has a BA from Atlantic Union College, and an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Andrews University. His doctoral thesis, ''Decoding Revelation’s Trumpets: Literar ...
's books, articles and blog
A blog (a truncation of "weblog") is a discussion or informational website published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries (posts). Posts are typically displayed in reverse chronological order ...
posts. Paulien has been considered the leading Adventist scholar on Revelation. For example, ''The Deep Things of God: An Insider's Guide to the Book of Revelation''
publisher's page
. ''Seven Keys: Unlocking the Secrets of Revelation''. Pacific Press, 2009;
* Gerhard Pfandl, ''Daniel: The Seer of Babylon''. Review and Herald
* Ron du Preez, ed., ''Prophetic Principles''. Review and Herald, 2008;
* G. Edward Reid, ''Sunday's Coming''. Fulton, MD: Omega (distributed by Review and Herald), 1994. Rev edn Review and Herald, 2005; . A popular, and conservative perspective
* William H. Shea
William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conques ...
. ''Daniel''
publisher's page
* Uriah Smith
Uriah Smith (May 3, 1832 – March 6, 1903) was a Seventh-day Adventist author, minister, educator, and theologian who is best known as the longest serving editor of the ''Review and Herald'' (now the ''Adventist Review'') for over 50 years.
Ur ...
, ''Daniel and the Revelation''
reprint
, the classic work on eschatology amongst the Adventist pioneers
* Ranko Stefanovic,''Revelation of Jesus Christ''
. Andrews University Press
Andrews University Press (AUP) is an academic publishing authority operated under the auspices of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Established with minimal funding in 1969, a permanent director was appointed in 1979. AUP now has ov ...
* Zdravko Stefanovic, ''Daniel: Wisdom to the Wise''
publisher's page
* Ellen G. White, ''The Great Controversy''. (See also the compilation: White, ''Last Day Events''. Pacific Press, 2001; )
* Russell Earl Kelly, Exposing Seventh-day Adventism, 0-595-36342-3 ww.tithing-russkelly.com/sdaSee also
Prophecy
books from AdventistBookCenter.com
External links
from the Biblical Research Institute
* ''Ministry'' 73:6/7 (June–July 2000)
special issue
Current Issues in Eschatology
– 2007 Adventist Theological Society
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
Symposium
Traditional Interpretation on Daniel 2
Traditional Understanding Of The Mark Of The Beast for Adventists
*
Traditional Interpretation Of The United States In Bible Prophecy For Adventists
"Eschatology"
an
"End"
articles as cataloged in the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index (SDAPI)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seventh-Day Adventist Eschatology
Eschatology
Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that negati ...
Christian eschatology
History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church