The Absolute Certainty by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 21, 1907

The Absolute Certainty

By W. A. S.

“THAT thou mightest know the certainty of these things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” Luke 1:4.

The fulfilment of prophecy supplies an evidence of absolute certainty as to the foundations and meaning of the advent movement. It is good for any one to go over and over the prophetic outlines, as one would prove over and over the addition of a column of figures if his life depended upon an absolutely correct result.

There is a mathematical certainty about the truths of the third angel’s message. We can add up the evidence in this or that column of prophecies and fulfilments, and the result is the same every time—the last days have come, and this advent people is raised up in fulfilment of prophecy to bear the final message to the world.

For example, twenty-five centuries ago, in the days of Belshazzar, Daniel

the prophet was given a view of the great controversy to the end of time. He saw the apostasy casting the truth to the ground, warring against both the sanctuary of God and his people. He saw the investigative judgment beginning in heaven, and the standard of truth lifted up against apostasy.

“How long shall be the vision?” called one heavenly being to another in the vision regarding the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary, which is the investigative judgment.

The reply was, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Dan. 8:14. This longest of the prophetic periods, beginning 457 B. C. (Dan. 9:25; Ezra 7:6-8), expired in the year 1844 A. D., when the cleansing of the sanctuary, the hour of God’s judgment, began.

Nearly two thousand years ago, John, in the Revelation, was shown the events on earth to follow the opening of the judgment hour in heaven. He saw the message being carried to every nation and people, “The hour of his judgment is come,” with the warning against the worship of the beast and its image. He was shown that the people obeying and bearing this message were keepers of “the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:6-12. And he saw also that this remnant church would meet the special opposition of the enemy not only because of keeping the commandments of God, but because of “the testimony of Jesus,” “the spirit of prophecy,” in its midst. Rev. 12:17; 19:10.

All these things were shown those prophets of God long centuries ago. The year 1844 came. The cry of the judgment hour was raised. A people keeping the commandments of God and having the spirit of prophecy in its midst began giving the threefold message just as the prophet describes it.

It was necessarily so, for the word of the Lord was pledged to it. Without such a people and work, and at that time, the “sure word of prophecy” would have failed. Failing the voice of the spirit of prophecy in the midst of the movement, guiding in the work and organization, and bearing the messages of God to the remnant church, the prophecy would have failed. But there was no failure. Every word of the prophecy was fulfilled. Such things can never come by chance.

Any soul that steps off from the platform of truth to which the Lord called this advent people has no platform of advent truth. If this development from 1844 onward was not the true movement, and that exercise of the spirit of prophecy by which the Lord organized and guided this people as one united body was not the true gift, then it is too late for any true advent movement to arise.

The divine commission and guidance in this advent movement is established on grounds of absolute certainty. God’s prophets foresaw it; the time brought the fulfilment. W. A. S.