p. 28 | Our Weak Points

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 22, 1863

Our Weak Points.

It will be news to those who have a clear understanding of the present truth, to learn that there are any very weak points in our system of belief. It will surprise them still more to learn what, by some, are considered our weak points. One who has been long connected with the Advent movement, but who has never believed many of the doctrines advanced in the Review, not long since remarked, "I consider that one of your weak points"—he was speaking of the three messages of Rev. xiv.

The three messages one of our weak points! But these messages are the very foundation, the life and power, of the work in which we are engaged—a work attended thus far with results over which, if it be truth, we have reason greatly to rejoice. And is it so, that the very foundation of our work is one of our weak points? Have we been building on weakness? Have we been all along fancying that we were strongest where we are weakest, and that that position was one of our citadels of strength, which can be most easily assailed? This is so, if the estimate which our opponents place upon this subject is correct. One of two conclusions, therefore, follows: either they have not sufficiently examined this portion of our belief, and are deceiving themselves in regarding it one of our weak points, or we are deceiving ourselves in regarding it as one of the clearest and best defined truths which we have to present. Let us see how this is.

We do not propose to enter into any extended argument on the application of the first, second, and third angels' messages, which already form the subject of an able pamphlet issued at this Office, but only to take a stand-point which all must acknowledge to be correct, and from that draw two or three inevitable conclusions. This will be sufficient to test the matter of our strength or weakness here; for if from any acknowledged or established premises, two or even one evident and necessary conclusion can be drawn, it forms a breastwork of truth, which all the hosts of error will never be able to scale or scatter.

1. First, then, it will be admitted that Rev. xiv, 6–14, brings to view a series of consecutive events—events which follow each other in order, and in close connection. We speak not now of the rest of the chapter, or of the book of Revelation, as a whole, which is composed of many distinct chains of events. This is enough for our present purpose, and surely there is no break in the order of events embraced in verses 6–14 of chap. xiv.

2. The royal personage seen, according to verse 14, upon the great white cloud, will be admitted by all to be a symbol of the Son of man, and to apply to him at the time of his second advent in the clouds of heaven. Here, then, we have a fixed and definite event, as a point from which to reason. The second coming of Christ is brought to view in verse 14. Here we take our stand. We now inquire for the events that immediately precede the appearance of the Saviour upon the white cloud. Going back in the record, which, as we have seen, is consecutive in the order of its events, we find that the last work that precedes the coming of Christ, is represented by an angel flying through the midst of heaven, with a message of mercy and warning to the inhabitants of earth. Examining still further, we find this to be the third of a series of angels, the second of which follows the first, and the third the second, in immediate connection. Hence we call the last, the third angel's message. Now, wherever the first angel's message commenced, or wherever that or the second applies, one fact will stand out clearly to the comprehension of all, and that is, that the third message reaches to the second coming of Christ; or as near to it as probation extends, and its warning can be applicable to the world. This conclusion is sustained by the testimony beyond the possibility of contradiction. We repeat it: The third angel's message, whatever it is, and wherever it commences, extends to the coming of Christ.

Let the reader now make an application of these facts. Adventists of all classes who object to our application of the messages, believe that the Lord is coming in a few years. We would ask them, then, this one question: Where is the third angel's message which goes forth previous to that event, and extends to it? If the Lord is very soon coming, as they claim, then it must be that a work symbolized by the third angel's message is being accomplished; for inspiration has put nothing into the prophecy by mistake, and nothing but what will be accurately fulfilled. But if they persist in denying that the third message is now going forth, they may at once cease preaching the coming of the Lord nigh at hand; for since such a message is to go forth previous to the coming of Christ, if that message is not yet being fulfilled, Christ's coming is thrown off into the indefinite and uncertain future. Can we come to any other conclusions? Verily not. If our opponents will endeavor to extricate themselves from this dilemma, they may find that what at first seemed like a weak point, turns out to be a position of invincible strength.

A word as to what is symbolized by the third message, may be in order. Inasmuch as these angels have the gospel to preach, and the preaching of the gospel, literally, is not done by angels, but is committed unto men, we believe it is conceded by all classes that these angels must symbolize a body of religious teachers. We are not standing on disputed territory, therefore, when we say that the third message must represent a body of religious teachers, going forth with the warning of that message, and proclaiming the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Is such a message being given? and by whom? As for the majority of those who profess the Advent faith, they spurn from them the essential features of the faith of Jesus, and believe that the commandments of God have either been abolished or changed. They are not therefore proclaiming the commandments of God and faith of Jesus. They certainly are not giving the third angel's message. But there is another class who are proclaiming these very things, and who claim to be fulfilling the prophecy.

But says an objector, the agents which fulfill prophecy do not know it at the time; and your claim that you are fulfilling the third message, would be an evidence to me, that you are not. In reply we deny the validity of the objection, simply referring as a conclusive refutation to the case of John the Baptist, who knew that he was fulfilling prophecy, and also what prophecy he was fulfilling.

Two conclusions here present themselves, one of which must be accepted by our opponents. They can take that which is most agreeable to their feelings: If Seventh-day Adventists are not giving the third angel's message, that message is not being given; and if it is not being given, the coming of Christ is postponed to an indefinite period.

Brethren, if the doctrine of the soon coming of the Saviour is not a weak point, neither is the message which immediately precedes and heralds that glorious event.