REPLY TO BRO. MERRIAM by Joseph Bates

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 4, 1857

REPLY TO BRO. MERRIAM.

By Joseph Bates

IN Review, No. 3, Vol. X, May 24th, 1857, you say, "There is one argument used by those who think the Sabbath is not binding I cannot answer satisfactorily to my own mind. It is found in Gal. iii. The law was added TILL the seed should come, &c., . . . can the law there spoken of refer to the ten commandments?"

Answer. We believe it can, because we do not read of any other law that could be added, because of transgression, to the gospel covenant [see verses 8, 16, 17] when it was preached, and confirmed to Abraham: nor when the blessing of Abraham [verse 14] came on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ under the new, or gospel covenant, at the end of the seventy weeks of Daniel. But as some of our brethren have been in communication with reference to this matter, I deem it proper to leave it with them at present. If I have misjudged in this, and there should be no reference to it in the Review, I will endeavor to answer this point at a future time if other pressing duties will admit of it.

Your questions and queries now come up in the following order:

"1. If the 2300 days cover the whole vision of Dan. viii, and they ended in 1844, what event answers to the breaking of the little horn without hand? This is one of the events seen in the vision: and the vision was 2300 days in duration: and I am unable to

see how the days can end and that event not take place."

In answer to this your first question, we do not understand that the 2300 days cover the whole vision of Dan. viii. Hence the further difficulties which you apprehend about the little horn's being broken with the ending of the 2300 days may be removed.

That the 2300 days do not extend to the breaking of the little horn of Dan. viii is evident from the following reasons; viz.: "The going forth of the commandment," or decree to restore and build Jerusalem, [Dan. ix, 25.] from whence the 2300 days have their commencement, (if men of reason and common sense will admit that they have any commencement at all,) was given to Ezra in the 7th year of Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, [Ezra vii, 7, 11-26.] B. C. 457. From the middle of said year to the middle of A. D. 1844, is precisely 2300 symbolic days. The only objection to these points that man has ever been able to discover from the Bible is, the solitary one that has been so often presented during the last twenty years, viz., that the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem was given to Nehemiah by the same Persian king in the 20th year of his reign, B. C. 445. Neh. ii. To 445, B. C., we add the present A. D. 1857, and we have 2302 years. Here we perceive most clearly that all our opponents on these points prove that the 2300 days [years] of Daniel's vision are in the past, and the little horn, or fourth earthly kingdom, is not yet "broken without hands."

Again, Dan. viii, 17 says, "For at the time of the end shall be the vision." That is, before the vision ends it will be explained. "And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie . . . it will surely come, it will not tarry." Hab. ii, 2, 3. Now those who explain the prophetic periods from the commandment given to Ezra B. C. 457, show clearly that the 2300 days ended in the Fall of 1844. While those who explain from Nehemiah's date, B. C. 445, show that the 2300 days ended in 1855, or at the farthest in 1856. Now as but one of the two periods can be right, the question arises in which of the two was the appointed time, or vision of 2300 days made plain on tables, [charts.] and spoke and did not lie? We answer, most certainly in the former. For in 1840 the first Second Advent Conference was convened, and the first Second Advent paper issued. In 1842 the first and only vision for an appointed time, viz., 2300 days, was written and made plain on tables, [charts.] and it was proclaimed and known in every nation that Daniel's vision of days ended in the Fall of 1844, while nothing relative to the vision of 2300 days transpired in 1856. Here then we prove beyond controversy that Daniel's vision of 2300 days ended more than twelve years ago; and the stone is not yet cut out "without hands which smote the image upon his feet," [Dan. ii, 34.] and the fourth universal earthly kingdom, or little horn of Dan. viii, is not yet "broken without hands." Hence we learn that Daniel's vision of chap. viii, extends to the destruction of all earthly powers, while the vision of the 2300 days in the same chap. ended in 1844. "Then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed."

"2. Do the 1335 days of Dan. xii, 12, reach to the end of the wonders, in answer to the question, [verse 6.] How long? &c. What blessing is given to those who wait and come to those days? If they ended in 1844, what is understood by the last verse, Thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days? If the prophetic periods are all ended, in what time are we living now, and how long will it last?"

Your first question here is, Do the 1335 days of Dan. xii, 12 reach to the end of the wonders in verse 6? We answer, they do not. We understand that the same period of time from the cleansing of the Sanctuary in 1844 to the breaking of the little horn without hand in chap. viii, as proved above, will also be found between the 1335 days and the end of the wonders in Dan. xii; because we further show that the 1335 days ended with the 2300 in 1844. When the first angel's message [Rev. vi, 7; x, 1-6] was given on time from 1840, and finished in 1844, proclaiming the judgment hour cry, and "that there should be time no longer," it was then understood and afterwards seen more clearly that this declaration was in reference to the long periods of time given to Daniel in chap. viii. 13; xii, 12. For he was expressly told that the vision "should" "be at the time of the end," and afterwards told to go his way, "for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." Chap. viii, 17; xii, 9. So when this time of the end came, the words of the vision that had been sealed, were unsealed, and the book open in the angel's hand declaring with an oath that there should be time no longer. Referring of course to all the time which had been sealed up. The angel symbolizes a body of people giving the message in question.

Time here cannot mean duration as measured in months and years, for 1000 years are measured after this, and after that Jesus is set on his father David's throne, "and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Therefore the angel could swear to no other time but prophetic time, which was the burden of his message.

In the typical day of atonement under the first covenant the earthly Sanctuary was cleansed at an appointed time once a year, at which time the lot was cast to obtain blood for a sin-offering which the high priest bore into the most holy place to make an atonement for the transgressions of Israel in all their sins. Thus all Israel were in their lot. In the antitypical day of atonement under the new covenant the time appointed for cleansing the Sanctuary is unto 2300 days. This being the day of atonement to cleanse the whole Israel of God, both the dead and living saints, from all their transgressions in all their sins, it was previously declared to Daniel, "Thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." This shows most clearly that both of these periods, viz., the 2300 and 1335 days bring all of God's people in their lot, to be cleansed from all, their sins by the precious blood of Christ in the antitypical day of atonement. And when the great High Priest has accomplished the work for them all, even to the last, and the sins of Israel are all blotted out forever, the living saints will surely know (and so will you, Bro. Merriam, if faithful) that "blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 days." Daniel stands in his lot with all the righteous dead, that all their sins of ignorance may be blotted out before the resurrection.

In regard to your question about Daniel's standing in his lot at the end of the days, I refer you to Bro. White's article on that point in the Review, Vol. IX, No. 13.

Your last question under this head is this, "if the prophetic periods are all ended, in what time are we living now, and how long will it last?"

Answer. The prophetic periods as you see are all ended, and we are now living in the day of atonement; the finishing, crowning work of God; being addressed by the third angel, declaring "here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jesus." When this message closes the work is done. The mandate will then go forth, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: he which is righteous, let him be righteous still." We are also living in the Laodicean, the last state of the church, in imminent danger of being spued out of the Saviour's mouth, unless we hastily repent and seek a closer walk with God. We see therefore that it will take every moment of our time to get ready for the auspicious hour that is now dawning. Let us haste then and tarry not in all the plain. God, and Christ, and holy angels are urging us onward. Time was given in the first message. In this last message time is not given, but signs which are unmistakable, showing that we are in the closing scene.

"3. If keeping the Sabbath is to be the distinguishing work or seal of God in the foreheads of saints during the time of the two-horned beast's reign now considered future; what was the seal of God under the sounding of the fifth angel? Rev. ix, 4. In what position is a person that is sealed? i. e., can he fall from it?"

We believe it is generally admitted by all expositors of the book of Revelation, that the opening of chap. ix, now under consideration, teaches the rise of Mahomedanism and their religion. The fourth verse from which your question arises reads thus: "And it was commanded them" that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree: but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads." Rev. ix, 4.

Gibbon, the historian, says, that Abubeker commanded his soldiers when they were about to go forth to battle, not to stain their victories with the blood of women and children. Destroy no palm-trees, nor burn any fields of corn. Cut down no fruit-trees, nor do any mischief to cattle, only such as you kill to eat. As you go on you will find some religious persons who live retired in monasteries; and propose to themselves to serve God in this way; let them alone, and neither kill them nor destroy their monasteries, and you will find another sort of people that belong to the synagogue of Satan, who have shaven crowns; be sure you cleave their skulls, and give them no quarter till they either turn Mahomedan or pay tribute. The preceding are the only instructions recorded by Gibbon as given by Abubeker to the chiefs whose duty it was to issue the commands to all the host.—Litch. Pro. Exposition, Vol. II, pp. 172, 173.

As the subject matter of Rev. ix gives us a history of the rise and fall of Mahomedanism, it appears pretty clear that the foregoing quotations from Gibbon apply to the text in question. John says, their king "is the angel of the bottomless pit" who says, "these religious persons propose to themselves to serve God in this way: Let them alone! Don't kill them!" We do not see any other order of, or for, sealing in this chapter. The reverse of all this is seen by John in chap. vii; viz., holy angels are engaged in the work; 144000 of the living Israel being sealed with the seal of the living God just prior to, the resurrection of all the righteous dead. Sealed in their foreheads. We understand this is a professional mark in the intellect. When all the saints are sealed their position will be in the time of trouble. We do not believe that the servants of God, that are sealed with the seal of the living God, will fall, because the holy Spirit of God seals them unto the day of redemption. Eph. iv, 30. This brings us to your fourth point.

"4. If I understand your position in regard to the two-horned beast of Rev. xiii, it is, that the United States are to fulfill the prophecy: that it has not yet done its miracles and wonders to deceive; of course has not yet caused the earth to make an image to the beast. The difficulty to my mind is this: if it has but just arisen so as to show its two horns, and is to exercise all the power of the first beast, and is to cause the earth, and them which dwell therein, to worship it; is to do great wonders, make fire come down, &c., is to deceive the people and cause them to make an image and worship it on pain of death; is to cause all to receive a mark of homage, &c., and all before the coming of Christ, then we have got something before us to watch for instead of watching for the Lord! To me it looks like getting the coming of Christ too far in the future. Still I may not understand it right."

The two-horned beast, which we fully believe is a symbol of the United States, is not just arisen, but was coming up in strength and power when the Papacy was wounded by the sword, and its dominion was taken away fifty-nine years ago. The great wonders called spirit manifestations, began more than nine years ago, and will have their final end under the vials of God's wrath. Every other point which you have enumerated under this head that looks so much like putting the coming of Christ in the future, and so formidable for us to watch for, have a place for their fulfillment assigned them in the time of trouble after Christ takes his seat on the white cloud, and the vials of God's wrath will be falling on the wicked. The case of every mortal soul will have been decided weeks and months before the events you name can have their fulfillment, except the wonders above noticed, which bring the world to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.

"5. Much has been said of late of the loud cry of the third angel. Can that cry be made before the beast is fully developed?"

Yes. For the whole message will be in the past and the world in the time of trouble such as never was before the beast (two-horned beast) can be developed. JOSEPH BATES. Battle Creek, Mich., June 1st., 1857.