We are identified with a world-wide movement, whose purpose it is to prepare the world for the second advent of our Lord. It is, therefore, fitting that we should frequently review the grounds of our faith, and renew in our own minds the confidence that this movement is of God, by careful examination of the Scriptural evidences which establish the certainty of our faith. As a result of such study, we may be able to bear our part in the work with greater courage and efficiency.
In this reading we shall consider, under four divisions, some of the reasons for believing that this second-advent movement is what it purports to be—the closing work of the gospel on earth in co-operation with the closing work of redemption in heaven: (1) The time of the movement; (2) the place where the movement had its rise; (3) the nature of the message given; (4) the result of the message.
The Time of the Movement
When the final proclamation of the gospel is made to the world, all time prophecies of the Scripture must have been fulfilled. The prophetic utterances which have outlined the history of the world-kingdoms must have been converted into history. Daniel’s foreview of the rise and fall of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, and the division of Rome into ten kingdoms, must have been realized in the onward march of events, so that there would be no place for another world-kingdom. The whole prophetic outline must have been entirely filled in, so that the impending event would be the setting up of the fifth kingdom, “which shall never be destroyed : . . . but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”
In history must be found the fulfilment of all other prophecies which enter into more minute details concerning the rise, and the divinely revealed work, of the little horn described by Daniel; the man of sin concerning whom Paul wrote; and the composite beast from the sea delineated by John. These phases of counterfeit Christianity, extending over a period of many centuries, must have been fully wrought out before the final warning against the beast and his image could consistently be given.
It is also certain that we must be able to show that every time-period in prophecy has found its application, before we can proclaim with certainty that the people of this generation will “see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” These leading periods, as given in the Scriptures, began with the time of Noah, and ended in our own day. The 120 years during which the warning of the coming flood should be given (Gen. 6:3); the 400 years during which the seed of Abraham should be afflicted in Egypt (Gen. 15:13); the 65 years, at the end of which Ephraim should be broken (Isa. 7:8); the 70 years of captivity in Babylon (Jer. 25:8-11); the 1260 years, during which saints, times, and the law should be under the power of the little horn (Dan. 7:25); the 2300 years marking the limit for treading down the sanctuary and the host (Dan. 8:13, 14); the 1290 years, and the 1335 years “from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up”—all these definite divisions of time must have found their place in the world’s calendar, when the time has come for the closing of earthly history.
Not only this, but what the prophets have foretold of general conditions at the time of the end must be an accurate description of current events while the closing message is being given. The situation in the political world, in the social world, in the religious world, must answer clearly to the prophetic delineation of the very last days. Furthermore, the advent movement itself must begin at such a time, and be carried forward in such a way, as to fulfil the prophecies relating to this last work of the gospel. Any movement which does not meet these demands could not be the closing work of God in the earth; but a movement which does meet these requirements could be no other than the true work of God, preparing the way for the second advent of Christ.
The Place Where the Movement Had Its Rise
Inasmuch as a leading characteristic of the final threefold message is to be a warning against the worship of the beast and his image, it would seem clear that this message should have its rise in that country where the beast is most aggressive during the last generation, and where the image of the beast is formed. That this is the United8States is sustained by the most convincing proof. America is the hope of the Papacy, as shown by the following quotations from Roman Catholic publications:—
“There has never been a period in American history when the Church’s opportunity has been so close to her. To a great extent, the ancient antagonisms have died. Protestantism is disintegrating before our eyes. . . . The moment is ripe to build a Catholic America, broader and stronger, nobler and truer, than any empire the world has yet seen, and strong men are now laying the foundations.”—The New World (Chicago), Oct. 21, 1905.
IN NEWLY ENTERED AN-HUEI PROVINCE
“But it is to the Catholics of the United States that Pius X’s heart goes out. He is amazed at our material and spiritual progress. The Church is making advances only in America. Churches are multiplying here with wondrous rapidity. New dioceses are being formed every few years, and the dioceses already in existence are becoming cumbrous with the number of their clergy and people. Few bishops in Europe ever laid a corner-stone. It is a ceremony almost unknown. The church over there is growing weaker by dissension and emigration. The outlook across the water is very discouraging to any but those of the strongest faith. In the midst of the gloom, abandoned by those who should stand by him in his agony, the Holy Father appeals to this country for comfort and support. And he appeals not in vain. American shoulders are to-day holding up the Vatican. Its revenues are largely derived from this country; and what is now a steady stream will soon be an on-flowing river.”—The Western Watchman (St. Louis), Oct. 29, 1908.
Much other evidence of the same character might be given, but this is sufficient for the purpose. The United States, the first nation of the world ever established upon the Christian principle of the separation of church and state, which has influenced the world toward freedom of conscience and equal rights of man, will be a spectacle to the world when it repudiates these principles, and by the union of church and state will influence the world toward persecution for conscience’s sake. This is, therefore, the appropriate place in which the warning against such a combination should arise. Such a movement in such a country would occupy vantage-ground such as it could not find in any other country of the world.
The Nature of the Message Given
Not only must the time and the place of this movement be such as to meet the Scriptural conditions, but the nature of the message given must be such as is foreshadowed by the prophecies. The outline of the genuine message is given in Rev. 14:6-12, and from this outline it appears that it is the proclamation of the “everlasting gospel” to all the world, with such an application of its vital principles as is required to constitute a warning against the perversion of truth by the beast and his image. The real essence of this perversion of truth is set forth in a specific way by the prophet Daniel; and from his description of it, we may learn more definitely of the setting which should be given to the gospel message in order that it may reveal the counterfeit and establish the truth.
In the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel we learn that the little horn, representing the Papacy, in order to establish a political kingdom, would take away three other kingdoms. In the eighth chapter of the same book we learn that the Papacy, symbolized by the later phase of the little horn, in order to establish itself as an ecclesiastical power, would take away the true worship of God. This fact, and the limit set to this blasphemous work, are both given in these words, which we quote from the American Revised Version: “Yea, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the host; and it took away from him the continual burnt-offering, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And the host was given over to it together with the continual burnt-offering through transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered. Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one who spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering, and the transgression that maketh desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Dan. 8:11-14.
The simple reading of this prophecy as here given makes it plain that the Papacy would set aside the true service of God carried on by our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, would tread under its feet both God’s sanctuary and God’s people, but that in the divine plan a limit was set to this work—the end of the 2300 days or years. A study of the ninth chapter of Daniel in connection with this prophecy indicates that the seventy weeks, or 490 years, and the 2300 years, commenced at the same time—when the commandment went forth to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. This was in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, the king (Ezra 6:14; 7:8), which from history we learn to have been B. C. 457. The period of the 2300 years would, therefore, expire in A. D. 1844, a date which would mark the limit of that treading down of the sanctuary and host, as foretold by the prophet.
In order to obtain a more clear understanding of the meaning of this prophecy, it will be helpful to draw a brief comparison between the experiences of the people of God with literal Babylon in olden times and the experience of the people of God with mystical Babylon in modern times. Because of their transgression and their substitution of forms and ceremonies in the place of heart religion, the people of God in ancient Jerusalem were given into the hand of the king of Babylon (compare 1 Chron. 9:1 with Dan. 1:1, 2), the temple was desecrated, and the true service of God was taken away by the destruction of both the city and the temple. At the close of the predicted period of captivity, God moved upon the kings of Persia to permit his people to return to their own land that they might rebuild Jerusalem and restore the true worship and service of the Lord. The threefold decree which made this restoration possible was completed by Artaxerxes, in the seventh year of his reign, B. C. 457.
MISS MIMI SCHARFENBERG AND HER TWO KOREAN BIBLE GIRLS
The complete parallel to these experiences is found in modern times. Even in the time of the apostle Paul the mystery of iniquity had commenced its work, and modern Babylon began to rear its temple of false worship. Because of transgression and the substitution of forms and ceremonies for heart religion, the people of God were given into the hand of mystical Babylon, and both the host and the sanctuary were trodden under foot. Instead of directing the attention of the people to the heavenly sanctuary, where our great High Priest ministers in behalf of the repentant and believing sinner, the Papacy substituted a sanctuary of its own, a priesthood of its own, and a form of its own, and by these means it took away, as far as it9was concerned, the true service and worship of God.
For many centuries the man of sin occupied the place in the temple which belonged to Christ, and shut away from the world the knowledge of the true service in the heavenly sanctuary. The limit of the period of this perversion was indicated by measuring from B. C. 457, when the people of God had full opportunity to restore the true worship in the earthly temple, to 1844, when the people of God were again privileged to restore the true service of God in the heavenly temple. The length of the measuring rod (the 2300 years) is, therefore, of special significance. It connects two experiences, one of which is typical of the other. Ancient Babylon is typical of modern Babylon. The captivity of Israel in ancient Babylon is typical of the captivity of modern Israel in modern Babylon. Ancient Israel is typical of modern Israel. The ancient temple was typical of the modern or heavenly temple. The ancient service was by divine direction, and is typical of the modern service in the heavenly sanctuary. The deliverance from ancient Babylon is typical of the deliverance from modern Babylon. The 2300 years measures the time between these two experiences.
Without entering into further particulars, it should be evident to those who have followed this study that the message to be given to the world at the end of the 2300 years should be a message of deliverance from Babylon, and that it should restore what the Papacy had taken away in fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy. A central feature of this message should be the restoration of the knowledge of the heavenly sanctuary and the work of our great High Priest therein. This would give the right form to the gospel truth, and would make known what it is essential that the people should know in order to co-operate intelligently with heavenly agencies in the work of preparation for the coming of the Lord.
In view of these facts, it is of striking significance that it was the light concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the true service of God therein which explained the disappointment of those who expected the advent of our Lord in 1844, and established upon a firm basis this present second advent movement. As the restoration of the true service anciently was made possible by a threefold decree, which was, after all, but one decree, so the restoration of the true service in this time has been accomplished by a threefold message, which is, after all, but one complete message.
Marked results have followed the restoration to the people of the knowledge of the true service of God in the heavenly sanctuary. We can make only a brief mention of them. It was at once seen that the law of God contained in the ark in the most holy place was the objective point in the whole service. Every part of the ministry was performed with reference to the sinner’s relation to that law. This led to the discovery that the fourth commandment was being disregarded, and there immediately followed a proclamation of a Sabbath reform. By the study of the prophecies, it was learned that our great High Priest was accomplishing his final work of atonement, and that very soon he would return to this earth. The nearness of the second advent was, therefore, again announced with great confidence. In the same way, other truths which have been neglected or perverted were brought to the attention of the people, and the original gospel, as taught by Christ and the apostles, was again preached. The central theme of this whole message, however, was the heavenly sanctuary and its services.
The Result of the Message
From the beginning of the great controversy between Christ and Satan, the main point at issue has been the authority of God, and the righteousness of his character. Since the fall of man, it has been the aim of the gospel to restore man to the right relation with God, by supplying the power necessary for obedience to the law of God. During all this time it has been Satan’s effort to turn man away from the law, and inspire him with a spirit of disobedience. In the closing work of the gospel, which is to prepare a people for translation at the second coming of Christ, this question of man’s relation to the law of God must be in the forefront, and the result of such a proclamation of the gospel must be seen in a people in whose hearts the law of God is written—an exact copy of that law deposited in the earthly sanctuary and found in the ark of the testimony which John saw in the heavenly sanctuary. All this is briefly set forth in these words, which describe the people who accept the last message: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
Such a result as this is the only one which could meet the requirements of the prophecies. The Papacy has changed the law of God, and has set forth its own traditions as more clear and more safe than Scripture; and as evidence of its power to do this, it appeals to the world-wide observance of Sunday, in harmony with its own commands, in place of the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord, in harmony with the fourth commandment. A message, therefore, which is to expose these perversions of the truth, and restore to the people the pure Word of God, must exalt the commandments of God above the commandments of man, and call all to that obedience of faith which is manifest in a life in complete harmony with the written law of God. Those who are at all familiar with the history of this second advent movement know full well that it has met these requirements in the nature of its teaching, and in the results which have attended it.
It is not possible in this reading to draw all the conclusions which follow from the facts which have been here set forth; but it seems to us that what has been given ought to increase the faith and strengthen the hope of those who have received this message, and who have risked their all upon it. And surely it ought to convince those who have not yet yielded to the claims of this advent movement that this is the closing proclamation of the gospel, that the final work of atonement is now being accomplished, and that very soon the Saviour will return for his people. Now is the time to receive this message in its fulness; now is the time to obtain that experience which it is designed to impart to every believer; now is the time to make sure work for eternity, so soon to break upon us.
