TO CORRESPONDENTS by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 8, 1877

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

By Uriah Smith

THE 144,000. H. YOUNGS: The statements respecting the 144,000 found in Thoughts on Revelation pp. 243 and 258, new edition, are explained in this way. The 144,000 are spoken of as translated from among the living, as they will all be alive when Christ appears; and this number can include those who have died under the third message, because, as we understand, they are to be raised before the Lord comes in that special resurrection spoken of in Dan. 12:2. Being then alive they witness the general resurrection of the righteous at the second coming of Christ, and are themselves then translated with the living. With this view, it is easy to understand Rev. 14:13, and Dan. 12:2.

BIBLE CHRONOLOGY. A. M. FARNSWORTH: What is called Bible Chronology, is not a chronology given us by inspiration, but simply a chronology which men have supplied, so it is of no more authority than any other chronology unless it can be shown to rest on better grounds. The chronology adopted by the translators of the Bible, is based on that of Archbishop Usher, and is hence commonly called Usher’s Chronology. But other chronologers have detected a number of serious errors in this. Wherever the Bible chronology agrees with the deductions of the best chronologers, it can of course be used to good advantage; where it does not, it must give place to that which is better authority. The best chronology places the commencement of Christ’s ministry in the autumn of A. D. 27, and his crucifixion in the spring of A. D. 31. Where the chronology given in the Bible does not agree with this we set it down as wrong. See Hales and Bliss.

THE SANCTUARY. “It is stated by a leading first day Adventist here in opposition to our view of the cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary that in the original Dan. 8:14 the word Sanctuary does not occur, but the word ‘Holies’ is used instead. Please explain through the REVIEW. One has received the Sabbath from among them here lately and others are much interested.” Wm. J. Boynton.

ANSWER: There are two words rendered sanctuary in the Old Testament: mikdash and kodesh. The latter is the word used in Dan. 8:13, 14. It is defined by Gesenius as follows: Holiness, sanctity, a holy thing, something sacred consecrated to God; a holy place, sanctuary, as the tabernacle. Ex. 28:43; 29:30, &c. And among the instances where it has this meaning, Gesenius mentions this passage, Dan. 8:14. It is sixty-three times rendered sanctuary in the Old Testament referring to the tabernacle built by Moses, and to the temple. It corresponds to the Greek, hagion, plural, hagia, the holies, or holy places, which Paul uses in Hebrews to describe the sanctuary of the new covenant. There can be no question whatever in regard to the object to which these words were applied, and if it is ever proper to call that the sanctuary, the translation of Dan. 8:13, 14, is correct.

S. A. SNYDER: See reply to your question in the note on the 144,000 in this number.

U. S.