A Strong Case by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 25, 1874

A Strong Case.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

What the Bible says in several different places concerning the death of David furnishes very strong proof that the righteous do not go to Heaven at death, but instead do sleep in the grave between death and the resurrection. The first record that we have runs thus:— “So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.” 1 Kings 2:10. What became of David? He slept with his fathers. Mark, it says that David slept, not David’s body, nor the house that David lived in, but David; and David was buried.

One thousand years afterward, the inspired apostle Paul takes up the same subject, and comments thus upon David’s death: “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption.” Acts 13:36. What became of David? He fell on sleep. It does not say that his body fell asleep, but David fell asleep; David was laid unto his fathers; and it was David that saw corruption. Thus these two records exactly agree.

The apostle Peter also takes up the same case, and not only comments upon it, but bases a strong argument upon the fact that David did not go to Heaven at death. Thus he says: “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day.” Acts 2:29. He proposes to freely inquire concerning the death of David, and to bring out all the facts in the case. What does he say? Nothing could be plainer: “David is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day.” David was buried but a stone’s throw from where Peter was speaking; hence he appeals to a fact with which his hearers were all familiar, and one of the truthfulness of which they could satisfy themselves in a moment by actual sight. David’s sepulcher was there; and, being unlike our modern graves, an open room in the rock, it could be entered at any time, and examined. Now says Peter, The patriarch David is dead and buried and he is there in his sepulcher to-day as all know.

“Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the Heavens; but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool.” Acts 2:30–35.

Now says Peter, “David is not ascended into the heavens.” This was one thousand years after David’s death. Then it is certain that David did not go to Heaven at death. But why does Peter make this statement? He did it to prove an important point. In David’s psalms he found it written that some one should ascend into Heaven and sit on the right hand of God; from which he drew the following argument: Brethren, this language cannot apply to David himself because David has not gone up into Heaven, but is both dead and buried as we all know; therefore this language applies to Christ, who is ascended into the Heavens.

If Peter and all his hearers had believed that David was then actually in Heaven, he never could have made such an argument as this; for there would have been no force in it. His hearers would have said that the language probably applied to David himself. But no, says Peter, it cannot mean David, because he has not gone to Heaven.

Thus the strongest argument which the apostle made upon that memorable day of Pentecost when they were especially inspired by the Holy Ghost to prove the resurrection of Christ was based upon the doctrine of the sleep of the dead, and the fact that the righteous did not go to Heaven at death. We consider this a strong case, and invite the attention of our orthodox brethren to it.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

San Jose, Aug. 5, 1874.