p. 4 | THE 2300 DAYS by Editor

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 7, 1857

THE 2300 DAYS.

By Editor

What takes Place when they Terminate?

It has appeared to us not a little strange that on a subject claiming so much attention as this has, so little thought should apparently be bestowed by some upon the question above proposed. All are fast being driven to some definite conclusion on this question; and we hope that after a little, there will be less wild and reckless speculation in regard to it, than there has been for some time past.

Two points, the seventh and the twentieth of Artaxerxes, are the only ones which can be taken for the commencement of this period. And since it terminated in 1844, as it would, commencing in the seventh of Artaxerxes, 457 B. C., for which we think there is abundant evidence, every year has been more or less prolific of new points set for its termination. As point after point has passed, the matter has been extenuated and extenuated, upon every imaginable ground that human ingenuity could invent, till now the most distant point, the present year, to which it can possibly extend, has been reached, and we wait to see, when this is past, where their landing point will be.

But what has been the cause of all these efforts to prolong the days? Simply this: It is assumed (for we must consider it entirely an assumption) that the Lord must come at the end of the days. When therefore the time in 1844, to which the mass of testimony pointed as the termination of that period, and on which all Adventists were agreed up to that date, passed by, it followed that if the prophecy located the appearing of the Saviour in the clouds of heaven at the end of those days, they had not then ended.

Upon this ground but two positions then remained to be taken: either to give up the movement as a delusion, or to extend the days still further into the future. The Advent Herald, perceiving that there was no testimony, historical or scriptural, by which they could be shown to reach beyond the Fall of '44, provided they commenced with the seventy weeks of Dan. ix, simply detached them from that period, (by which alone we have any clue to their commencement,) and set them adrift; and it has prudently refrained since then from assigning any date for their termination: designing apparently to wait until time shall bring us unmistakably to their close, when we can readily, if curiosity so prompt us, calculate when they commenced. This is one way of prolonging the days.

But there is another class to which we more especially refer, who have been more consistent in one thing; namely, in not endeavoring to separate the seventy weeks from the 2300 days, but less consistent in another; and that is, in endeavoring to remove the starting point, so as to bring their termination to some point in the future. To this course the Crisis still adheres; although it is evident from the spirit of its articles, that the writers themselves have but very little faith in their own positions, and fail to inspire any in others. Such expressions as this, "If they do not end this Spring, I expect they will in the Fall," betray an utter lack of confidence in the minds of those who make them, and show that they are groping their way through a labyrinth of mere conjecture and uncertainty.

Point after point, as we have said, has been set, and passed; but their advocates, nothing daunted by their passing, which shows again that they put no great faith in their own teaching, have been ready to gad about and set another. To such an extent has this been carried that we can look upon it in no other light than mere trifling with the prophetic scriptures. Against such a course, we enter our solemn protest. What is, what must be, its effect, upon the community at large? Most disastrous! The Advent movement in the eyes of the people is turned into a mere farce! Their confidence is destroyed in anything that teaches the near coming of Christ; and their ears are closed from perhaps ever hearing the truth on this subject, wherever it may lie. Men should, at least, pause and seriously consider before rushing headlong in a course leading to such results as these, the effects of which may be for eternity. Again we protest against it.

But what should have been done? We answer that the movements which we have been considering, and the confusion that has arisen on this subject since 1844, need not, and we honestly think would not, have taken place, if candid attention had been given to the question proposed at the head of this article.

What are we to expect at the end of the prophetic period of the 2300 days? Is it said that the Lord shall then come? We answer, No. But it is said. The prophecy reads that then the Sanctuary shall be cleansed. Very well, we believe it; but wherein does this prove that the Lord will then appear the second time? It is answered. The earth is the Sanctuary, it is to be cleansed by fire, and that takes place at the coming of Christ. To these assertions we object. The earth, we know is to be purified by fire, but when does this take place? Peter tells us that it is reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. When does the perdition of ungodly men come? Answer. At the second resurrection, 1000 years from the first. Rev. xx. We aver therefore that the renovation of the earth by fire will not take place at the second coming of Christ, but 1000 years after; and hence it has no connection with the 2300 days.

But here is not the root of the difficulty. This lies, we think, in considering the earth, or any part of it, the Sanctuary. Where is the testimony that the earth is the Sanctuary? The definition of the word, and its usage throughout the Scriptures, forbid such an application; for of the 146 times that the word occurs in the Bible, it is not once applied to the earth. Only two or three texts are ever urged with any confidence as applying to the land of Canaan; but these upon a moment's consideration will be seen to harmonize with the other passages, which almost uniformly refer to the typical tabernacle on the earth, or to the true Sanctuary pitched not by man, of which the former was but a figure or pattern.

We do not design to enter here into any particular argument on the Sanctuary. It is sufficient for our purpose in this article to deny positively the correctness of that theory which would make it the earth or any part of it. We wish all adherents to that view, whose eyes may fall upon these lines, to know that their belief is here called in question and denied; and we would respectfully request them to consider this a sufficient reason for a careful and thorough re-examination of the subject on their part. The truth is what we all want; for error will benefit none of us; and the truth, carefully and scripturally sought after, may be learned; for the wise shall understand. We have heretofore called upon that class of Advent believers called Timeists, for their evidence that the Lord would appear at the end of the 2300 days. We have not seen it presented. Again we put the question, What do you expect to transpire when the days end? The Lord will not then come: there is no such promise. But another work entirely is there located; namely, then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed. And, we repeat, could it be shown that the period extends to the present year, you are doomed to disappointment, if you embrace in your expectations the coming of the Lord.

The present year will soon be past. What position will you then take? Will you disconnect the seventy weeks and 2300 days, as the Herald has done? or will you admit that the prophecy contemplates another event than that which you have expected? If the latter, you will doubtless be willing to go back, and admit its termination where the weight of evidence conspires to place it—in the seventh Jewish month of 1844.

We cannot admit that any prophecy has failed, or that the great movement on the Advent doctrine in the past, was not in the main correct. We believe rather that according to the word of God, the cleansing of the Sanctuary there commenced; that the closing work of our great High Priest in the tabernacle above for the salvation of men, has since then been going on, and will soon be closed up forever. We know that many do not credit, and some are disposed to ridicule, the idea of a Sanctuary in heaven; but we see not how any can thus regard the subject after an intelligent reading of the books of Leviticus and Hebrews; after beholding the earthly tabernacle which is expressly declared to be a figure of the true, and after studying the work of the priests on earth, who, as the Apostle tells us, ministered unto the example and shadow of heavenly things. Heb. viii. By this we are brought down into the "little while," during which we are admonished by the Apostle to have patience; for, says he, he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. By this alone can the prophetic word be harmonized, and the past explained. This establishes the present, and flashes its glorious light into the future.