THE SIXTY-NINE WEEKS AND 2300 DAYS.
By Hiram Edson
We are now more than two years past the disputed ground in chronology for the ending of the 2300 days, and some, from the consideration of this fact, admit that they terminated in 1844, but are unwilling to admit the solemn and glorious truths which of necessity follow. Others, to avoid the truths consequent upon the termination of the days in ’44, deny the fact of their being ended in the past, and endeavor to remove the landmark of the crucifixion, from the midst, (middle,) of the week of confirmation, back to the end of the sixty-nine weeks. The false fabric built on this basis was exploded in the spring of 1850. And now some are ready to give up the connection between the eighth and ninth chapters of Daniel, rather than admit the days ended, and the truths which of necessity follow. Others, unwilling to give up the connection of Dan. viii, and ix, yet, to avoid the fact of the days being ended, think it can be clearly proved that the 2300 days and the 6000 years end together. But no proof is even attempted; but another calculation is made from these wrong premises for the ending of the 2300 days in the spring of 1851. Then the calculation based upon the crucifixion being at the end of the sixty-nine weeks, somehow or other, is made to stretch forward one year from the spring of 1850, to the spring of 1851. But this calculation is certain to fail. The pretended argument for removing the crucifixion from the middle of the week of confirmation, back to the end of the sixty-nine weeks, is Heb. ix, 16, 17. “For,” say they, “a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” To this pretended argument, we reply, that the manifestation of the MESSIAH, his death as a testator, and his testament to come in force are separate events, one following the other in order. Paul, in Heb. ix, 16, 17, uses a common business transaction, familiar to us all, to illustrate the confirmation and bringing into force the new covenant. The figure is as follows. A man executes and confirms his will before witnesses chosen by himself to testify to the same after his death. Then after the testator dies, the witnesses are called upon to testify concerning the will, and the will is annulled, made void, or confirmed and established according to the testimony in the case. Then after this it takes effect and becomes of force. Now let us look at the reality illustrated in this figure. And first Jesus is anointed and manifested as the Messiah, at the end of the sixty-nine weeks, as we shall hereafter show. He then confirms the covenant before witnesses, (chosen before of God, see Acts x, 36—41,) three and a half years, then causes the “sacrifice and the oblation to cease,” in the middle of the week of confirmation, by dying as the testator. Then after his resurrection he appears to his chosen witnesses, tells them to “wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me.” “Tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.” “John, indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” This was to qualify them to be suitable witnesses in confirming and establishing his will and testament. Mark this: The new covenant was to be made and confirmed with the house of Israel. On one occasion a Gentile woman petitioned Jesus to have mercy on her, but he would not answer her. His disciples requested him to send her away. He answered them, “I am NOT SENT BUT to the lost sheep of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL.” He said to the woman, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs.” And when he sent forth his disciples to preach, he said to them, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This they strictly adhered to, “preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only,” until they had confirmed the covenant three and a half years, which brought them to the end of the week of confirmation. Thus the word “BEGAN to be spoken (three and a half years) by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us (three and a half years) by them that heard him.” Heb. ii, 3. At the end of the week, Cornelius and Peter have visions, and while Peter thought on his vision, “the Spirit said unto him, Behold three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them DOUBTING NOTHING, for I have sent them.” Thus God made choice of Peter that the Gentiles should FIRST hear the word of the gospel, by his mouth and believe. See Acts xv, 7. And Peter was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, but went; and when he had come to the house of Cornelius, “he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Here then, for the FIRST TIME, he preached the gospel to the Gentiles, and the result was glorious. But some of Peter’s brethren were tried with him for going to the Gentiles. Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and when they had heard him through, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, “Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” And Paul and Barnabas also waxing bold, said to the Jews, It was necessary that the word of God should FIRST have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldst be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. Under the new covenant dispensation all the families of the world were to be blessed. But the Gentiles were held as strangers and foreigners, until the week of confirming the covenant had expired; then the word was sent to them, and they were permitted to become fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.—Here then, at the END of the seventieth week, the new testament comes into full force, and not at the end of the sixty-nine weeks. Seventy weeks were determined upon the Jews and their city to finish their transgression, &c., at the end of which the kingdom of God was taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. See Matt. xxi, 43. The sixty-nine weeks were to reach unto the MESSIAH THE PRINCE. “Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the MESSIAH THE PRINCE shall be seven weeks and three-score and two weeks.” MESSIAH signifies ANOINTED. To anoint then, constitutes the MESSIAH the Christ. This is the only definition of the term MESSIAH. The time when God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with POWER, will mark the termination of the sixty-nine weeks. We will notice a few texts on this point. Acts x, 36—42. “The word which God sent INTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL preaching peace by Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all. That word I say ye know, which was published throughout all Judea, and BEGAN from GALILEE, after the Baptism which John preached; how God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him, and we are WITNESSES of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto WITNESSES chosen BEFORE of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. John’s testimony is, ‘And I knew him not: but that he should50be made MANIFEST to ISRAEL, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.—And I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is HE which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw and bare record,’ &c.” It is clear that previous to this time Jesus was not known, or manifest to John, nor Israel, as the MESSIAH. Neither do the Scriptures recognize him as the Messiah previous to this point of time. But from this point they begin to recognize him as such. See John i, 41. Andrew said to Simon, We have found the MESSIAH; which is, being interpreted, the Christ. [margin, the ANOINTED.] Again, when Jesus talked with the woman of Samaria at Jacob’s well, “The woman saith unto him, I know that MESSIAS cometh, which is called Christ;” “Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee AM HE.” John, iv, 25, 26. On another occasion He said to his disciples, “But whom say ye that I am?” “Peter answered, Thou art the CHRIST.” He answered Peter, “Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Matt. xvi, 15—17. And when he was demanded of the high priest whether he was the Christ, “Jesus said I am.” Mark xiv, 61, 62. After Jesus was anointed, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted forty days, he then returns in the power of the Spirit (into which he had been anointed) into Galilee, and there was delivered to him the Book of the prophet Esaias, and he opened it and read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, BECAUSE HE HATH ANOINTED me to preach the gospel, &c.” Luke iv, 1—18. Here in Galilee is where Jesus BEGAN to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God, Saying, THE TIME IS FULFILLED. Mark i, 9—15. Here “the fullness of the time was come, when God sent forth his Son.” Gal. iv, 4, “Saying hear ye him,” and from this point Jesus began to preach, &c. The sixty-nine weeks was the fullness of the time here fulfilled. For no other time is given to reveal the point of time for the manifestation of the Messiah. From the above considerations it is perfectly clear that the sixty-nine weeks ended when Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power and BEGAN to preach the Gospel of the kingdom which was A. D. 27. And he caused “the sacrifice and oblation to cease,” in the middle of the seventieth week, by the sacrifice of himself, A. D. 31. And the seventieth week ended when the gospel was sent to the Gentiles, A. D. 34. The seventy weeks, 490 years, terminate then in A. D. 34, 1810 years added fill up the 2300 years, which terminated in 1844. Amen. HIRAM EDSON. THE STANDARD.
By David Arnold
When I take a view of all that has been written and published to elucidate and set in order the clear light that now shines with such brilliancy upon "the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus," or "the law and the testimony," I feel that nothing from my feeble pen can be added to make the light more clear, or potent. There is, however, one idea connected with the present truth, which I do not recollect to have seen written or published. The Lord hath said by Isaiah, [chap. lxii, 10,] "Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway, gather out the stones, lift up a STANDARD for the people." From this chapter we learn that God will have a people on the earth, just before he comes with his reward, that he calls "the daughter of Zion," "The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord;" they shall also be called, "Sought out, A city not forsaken." He also says "thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name." They shall also "be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God." He also says of this people, "Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken; . . . for the Lord delighteth in thee," and "as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." For this people, just before the Lord comes with his reward, and makes them "a crown of glory," and "a royal diadem," a standard is to be lifted up. The definition of standard, according to Butterworth, is "a banner, flag, or colors carried in time of war, an ensign." Perhaps it may properly be said that no associated body of persons for any length of time maintain their association without a standard. The political, moral, and religious associations, all have a standard around which they rally, and for which they contend. In this chapter the KING OF KINGS commands a standard to be lifted up for a people destined to higher honors than to receive all the crowns of earthly emperors, or the diadems of imperial monarchs. Around this standard the daughter of Zion is to rally, and under this banner she is to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," "until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth." Then shall those who have fought under this standard, "no more be termed forsaken," but they shall be made "a praise in the earth."—Then the Gentiles shall see their righteousness and all kings their glory. Then they shall receive those glorious names, and titles, by which the King of Glory is pleased to designate them. In view of the glorious results of rallying around, and contending under this standard, I am led to inquire— I. What is this standard to be lifted up for the people? II. Who are required to lift it up? and III. When is this standard to be lifted up? I. What is the standard? John while in the isle of Patmos, in holy vision, hears the proclamation of three messages to them that dwell on the earth, preparatory for, and leading to the coming of Christ on the "white cloud." This coming is the same as the one mentioned in connection with our text;— "Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold his reward is with him, and his work before him." John in connection with the third and last message, before the appearance of the white cloud, brings to view two classes of persons, each with their appropriate mark, ensign, or standard.— One class pays homage to the "beast and his image," by receiving their mark, or ensign in their forehead, [public profession,] or in their hand, [some of their works,] while the other class utterly refuses to pay any adoration, reverence, or respect for the mark of the beast, and its two-horned dragon-mouthed associate, but choose rather to patiently wait the arrival of the white cloud, and its adorable guest. They take for their standard "the commandments of God," and the testimony or "faith of Jesus." See Rev. xii, 17. Isaiah [viii, 20] holds up this standard as a true test by which to try all the children of light, and the children of darkness.— "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them." John and Isaiah were viewing each the same things. John saw the saints patiently waiting. Isaiah says of the saints, "I will wait upon the Lord, . . . and I will look for him." John views it under the third and last message, just before the reaping time. Isaiah places it after the shut door, where "the testimony" is to be bound up, and "the law" sealed "among my disciples."—[Not among the Gentile world.] This is "the seal of the living God." Rev. vii, 1—3. He also places it just before the wicked are "driven to darkness." The law and the testimony, or the commandments of God and testimony of Jesus, is the only true standard under which the disciples, or true saints are to rally, preparatory to the battle of the great day. This is the standard to be lifted up to the people, to the daughter of Zion, while the way is prepared, the highway cast up, and the stones and stumbling blocks are cast out. II. Who are commanded to lift up a standard? The sixth verse says, "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night; ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence." Yes, God has a few chosen and tried, whom he has called out and placed upon the battlements, as faithful sentinels, to proclaim the third angel's message, and lift up the standard, and say, "If any man worship the beast, [papal,] or his image," [protestant,] by keeping the day they have instituted for a Sabbath, and neglect to keep the "Sabbath of the Lord our God," he "shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God," soon to be poured out without mixture of mercy. On the other hand blessed are those who patiently wait, and "keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." They are also saying down here "to the end51of the world," to the daughter of Zion, "Behold thy salvation cometh," &c. See verse 11. III. When is this standard to be lifted up? To the same watchmen who are required to lift up the standard, "the Lord hath proclaimed, [where?] unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh," &c., the only appropriate time and place for the cry, just before he comes to reward each as their work shall be.—John introduces the standard under the third and last message, previous to the coming of Christ on the white cloud. Thus we have a definite and clearly defined standard, and God has chosen watchmen and placed them on the walls, to prepare the way, and lift up and hold out the true standard to the people, and say to the daughter of Zion, Thy King cometh having salvation for all who "keep the commandments of God," and have "the faith of Jesus," and all in their place where the prophets placed them in the order of prophetic events. O, how brilliant is the light that now illuminates the path that shines more and more even to the perfect day. O ye Laodiceans, awake! awake! and no longer be deceived by those who once were leaders to the Advent flock, but now they tread down the rich pastures, and foul the deep waters with their feet. God says, he will judge between small cattle of lambs and kids, and the great he-goats. [See margin.] What a fearful doom awaits those who have led the flock astray from the true standard. O, be entreated to no longer follow these false leaders, but rally around the true standard, now raised, which is destined to triumph over all others; the standard of King Jesus, around which all must rally if ever they are numbered with the 144,000, which are to stand upon Mount Zion with the Lamb. O, fly! fly! Tarry not in all the plain. Keep all the commands of God. Not nine only, remember there is ten of them, and a breach of one will cut you off from being numbered with those "who keep the commandments of God," and "have right to the tree of life," &c. Also get "the faith," or "testimony of Jesus," by which you may learn his true position in the heavenly Sanctuary, and confess your sins, that they may be blotted out while the day of atonement lasts; for in a few days he will put off his priestly robes, and put on "the garments of vengeance." Then all who are not found under the true standard, sealed with the law, will be ranked under the banner of the enemy, and must feel the withering blast of "the four winds" let loose, and the awful anguish of "the seven last plagues" which are to desolate the earth. “That awful day will surely come,
The appointed hour makes haste.” Fulton, Oswego Co., N. Y. [Letter from Bro. Edson.]
By HIRAM EDSON
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—Please send me a few more copies of No. 5, containing the article on “the perpetuity of the law of God,” by Bro. J. N. Andrews. I have long wanted to see something on this most glorious theme. I fully believe that the two great principles on which ALL the law and the prophets HANG, viz., love to God and our neighbor, have existed parallel with the existence of created intelligences, and have been the great ruling principle of God’s government over all his created intelligent beings. Angels have ever been governed by this great principle. Angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, most certainly violated this great principle of God’s government. Cain violated the law of love to his brother, or neighbor. See 1 John iii, 11, 12. Had not the precept, “Thou shalt not kill,” existed, how could Cain have been convicted of evil or sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law,” and “where no law is, there is no transgression.” God said of Abraham, that he obeyed his voice, and kept his charge, his COMMANDMENTS, his statutes, and his LAWS. (in the broad sense.) And thirty days before the law was spoken from Mount Sinai, the Lord said unto Moses, that he would prove the children of Israel whether they would keep his law or no. And he proved them by sending them manna; but some obeyed not, and the Lord said unto Moses, “How long refuse ye to keep my COMMANDMENTS and my laws, (in the broad sense,) for see that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath.” Mark this: COMMANDMENTS and LAWS are synonymous terms. O how false the assertion of our opponents, that the law of God never existed until given from Sinai! It has existed parallel with God himself; and has been, and will be the ruling principle of his government as long as God and his created intelligences exist.—The holy perfect law of God is the principle of his own being, the principle of his right to rule his own creation. The law of God is the only principle by which he claims superiority over his created intelligent beings, and demands of them love and adoration. To abolish and disannul the law of God would abolish and make void the government of God over all worlds. Talk of abolishing and disannulling and improving the law of God which was already perfect, holy, just and good!! As well talk of abolishing, or improving God’s own existence, and the principle of his own being. For the holy, perfect law of God is but the second edition of himself. John has said, “In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD. The same was in the beginning with God.” Again, [1 John ii, 7,] “The OLD COMMANDMENT (or LAW, for they are synonymous terms) is the WORD which ye have heard from the BEGINNING.” Word, commandment, and law are synonymous terms in these texts. This is clear from the face of the text, viz., “The old commandment is the word, which ye have heard from the beginning.” See also Ch. iii, 11, 12, “For this is the message (margin commandment) that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, &c.” Here we have it in clear terms. The message or commandment, or law of love to one another, was from the BEGINNING. And who will say that the law of love to God did not exist from the beginning? Well then, on these two HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS. Enoch, Jacob, Joseph and many others were prophets before the law was delivered from Mount Sinai. How could they have hung on the law of love to God, and their neighbor, if no such law existed in their day? In Jer. xxxi, 31—33, we learn that a new covenant was to be made with the house of Israel, but not according to the covenant made with them in Horeb, when they were led out of Egypt. But the one law is the basis, or foundation of both covenants. This is understood by the text, “I will write MY LAW in their hearts,” &c. No idea of making a new law is intimated, and nothing like annulling any portion of it, nor of improving, re-enacting, or making new his law. But the language is, “I will write MY LAW,” in broad terms. And we learn [ii Cor. iii, 3] that the law which was the basis of the covenant made in Horeb, and was written in tables of stone, is the same that is written in fleshly tables of the heart, and the one law is the basis of both these covenants. From this fact also we learn that the one perfect law of God, which is holy, just and good, is the basis of a plurality of covenants. How foolish the assertion then of our opponents, that the law of God did not exist until given from Mount Sinai, because it is said in Deut. v, 3, “The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us who are all of us here alive this day.” Oh how clear that all this warfare against the law of God is from the “carnal mind, which is enmity against God and is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be.” “So then they that are in the flesh (or carnally minded) cannot please God. And to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Paul said, “The law is spiritual,” and he delighted in, and served the law of God. And David said, “O how love I thy law,” and “great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them.” Amen. Port Gilson, (N. Y.) Feb. 22, 1851. To Correspondents
By Editor
To Correspondents.—1. In writing, let everything of a business nature, such as the names of those who desire to receive the Review and Herald, be put in a place by itself, not mixed up with other matters. 2. Let the name and Post-office address, (i. e. the town, County, and State,) be distinctly given. Every letter in each word should be plainly written. Some names are so badly written that we are not able to find them out. Between the name and the address, a comma (,) should always be inserted, that it may be seen what pertains to the name, and what to the address. 3. Let everything be stated explicitly, and in as few words as will give a clear expression of the writer's meaning. The 2300 Days and the Sanctuary
By Editor
To IRA FANCHER.—Your communication is received. A press of other duties has prevented us from noticing it sooner. Having the fullest conviction that your view of the 2300 days, that they extend to, and terminate this spring, is erroneous, and subversive of the Advent faith, we cannot publish it. If we believed that the 2300 days extended to the Second Advent, and that the cleansing of the Sanctuary was the burning of the world, or the removing of the curse from it, or any portion of it, then we should probably search for the end of the days in the future, or renounce the Advent faith. But there is no evidence that the earth, or any portion of it, is the Sanctuary. You cannot bring one text of Holy Scripture to prove this view of the Sanctuary, so commonly held by Adventists. Do you call to your aid Ex. xv, 17; Ps. lxxviii, 54, and Isa. lxiii, 18? We assure you that these texts do not prove what they are said to prove. When compared with each other, and with their connections, it will be seen that they alone afford sufficient proof that God's Sanctuary, under the old, or new dispensation, is not the earth or any portion of it. [See Review and Herald No. 4.] We admit that if the earth, or the land of Canaan is the Sanctuary of Dan. viii, 14, then you are right in looking for the termination of the 2300 days in the future. But as there is no Bible proof of it, and as there is abundant evidence that the days have ended, and that the Sanctuary of which Christ is a Minister, or Priest, is now being cleansed, your view is all wrong, and perfectly calculated to ruin those who still adhere to it. It is true that your time will soon expire; but if we judge of the future by the past, we may expect that when this spring passes, some will still endeavor to prolong the 2300 days, and look to some future date for their termination. We believe that the “Advent Herald” is correct in commencing the 70 weeks and 2300 days B. C. 457, and in placing the crucifixion in the “midst” [middle] of the 70th week, in the spring of A. D. 31; consequently the end of the 70 weeks in the autumn of A. D. 34. You see that this view does not fail to terminate the 2300 days in the autumn of A. D. 1844. You do not fail to see the “nakedness” of their position, while they still adhere to the unscriptural view that this earth, or any portion of it, is the Sanctuary; for they have a blank space of six and a half years, with nothing to cover it. But we assure you that your position is, in reality, no better than that of the “Herald.” With you, we believe that the Bible gives us definite time, and that it was to be understood, and preached, and with it the world was to be warned. But we do not believe that God designed that such work should be made with the 2300 days as has been, since 1844, in setting some six or eight different times for their termination, with little or no evidence. God does not have to mend his work, and do it over again and again. The Angel, with the “everlasting gospel,” [Rev. xiv, 6, 7,] who proclaimed “the hour [period or time] of His judgment,” did not misunderstand his message from 1840 to 1844. That trumpet of alarm did not give an uncertain sound. That proclamation had all the marks of the work of God, and we are far from admitting that that Angel started with a wrong date, therefore it has become necessary that his message should be corrected some six or eight times! He that has given us time has also taken care of chronology; and when the right time came, removed the “seal” so that the “vision” might be understood, believed, preached, and the world warned. We did understand the “vision,” the right time was proclaimed, and God set his seal to it. Amen. Do not think us harsh and unchristian when we, honestly and in love, tell you that this work of removing the “land marks,” and following on from one point of time to another to find the end of the 2300 days, like a man following his shadow, dishonors the Advent cause, destroys true faith, offends God, and if persisted in, will lead to certain ruin. We invite you to turn your attention to a more excellent way. Once more read the fourteenth chapter of Revelation, and mark well the messages of the first, second, and third Angels. Notice with care the message of the third, which introduced the “commandments of God,” which are the ten commandments, and nothing more nor less. Compare this with Chap. xii, 17. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God,” &c. A remnant is a small part, and the last end.—Therefore, the remnant of the seed of the woman must be that “little flock,” the last end of the church, at the coming of Christ, to whom it is the “Father’s good pleasure” to give the “kingdom.” The dragon is wroth, because they keep the “commandments of God.” You can keep and teach nine of God’s immutable laws throughout the length and breadth of the dragon’s dominion, yet his wrath will not be kindled, if you leave out the fourth, the one that embraces the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. No one will oppose you in teaching and observing nine of the commandments of God; for they are universally admitted to be binding, and are professedly observed by the churches. But just teach and “do” the fourth commandment, and the dragon’s ire is at once stirred against you. Then, we say, that the reason why the dragon was to be wroth with the “remnant,” the “little flock” who are waiting for Jesus, is because they were to keep the Sabbath, as well as the other nine commandments of God. Those who oppose the observance of ALL of the commandments, and call the law of God “a yoke of bondage,” a “miserable rickety old law,” &c., and give the idea that those who keep it are fallen from grace, and are in the road to perdition, will meet all this again in the Judgment. Hear what the “Alpha and Omega” says of those who “keep the commandments of God.” “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” This testimony is worth more to us, than that of all those who hate the Sabbath of the Lord. But it is not our object to dwell on the Sabbath question at this time; we refer you to our publications on this subject, and also the cleansing of the Sanctuary. Compare them with the Scriptures, and we trust you will not fail to see the fulfillment of prophecy in our Advent experience, that the 2300 days have ended, that the Sanctuary in Heaven is now being cleansed, that we are in the time of the third angel’s message, and that the Sabbath of the Lord our God should be observed. The following remarks on the 70 weeks, and the 2300 days, from the “Advent Herald,” are full of truth and interest, and should be carefully studied by all our readers. It will be seen that this view establishes one of the main pillars of the present truth. “To CORRESPONDENTS. W.—Should we receive a communication in which it was earnestly claimed that four and five make ten, backed by arguments, conclusive to the writer, but of no weight to our mind, what would be our duty respecting its publication? It might be claimed that a free interchange of thought might evolve light on the subject, and we might be pained to refuse the friend who wished to see his article in print. Yet could we publish it? Should we do so, it would not only expose his want of comprehension, but would reflect on our own understanding, and show our unfitness for the station in which we are placed, which requires that we detect and expose fallacious reasoning, and give no place to statements which are not facts. * As men do not naturally like to be shown to be mistaken, to point out mistakes is no pleasant duty. And as it is always more agreeable to gratify a friend, than to refuse his communication, to reject such is often a painful duty. “Now the above applies to your, and all the communications we have received, or seen elsewhere, attempting to assign a new date for the termination of the seventy weeks. There are certain chronological points which have been settled as fixed; and before the seventy weeks can be made to terminate at a later period, those must be unsettled, by being shown to have been fixed on wrong principles; and a new date must be assigned for their commencement based on better principles. “Now, that the commencement of the reign of ARTAXERXES LONGIMANUS was B. C. 464-3 is demonstrated by the agreement of above twenty eclipses, which have been repeatedly calculated, and have invariably been found to fall in the times specified. Before it can be shown that the commencement of his reign is wrongly fixed, it must first be shown that those eclipses have all been wrongly calculated. This no one has, or ever will venture to do. Consequently the commencement of his reign cannot be removed from that point. “The seventy weeks must date from some decree for the restoration of Jerusalem. Only two events are named in the reign of ARTAXERXES for the commencement of those weeks. The one is the decree of the seventh year of his reign, and the other, that of the twentieth. From one of these, those four hundred and ninety years must reckon. As his reign began B. C. 464-3, his seventh year must have been B. C. 458-7; and his twentieth B. C. 445-4. If the seventy weeks date from the former, they cannot terminate later than A. D. 34; and if from the latter, they cannot have terminated earlier than A. D. 46-7. Consequently you cannot terminate them in A. D. 41, as you do, without first showing the inaccuracy of the astronomical calculations. “In addition to the above, sixty-nine of the seventy were to extend to the MESSIAH, the Prince. It does not read that they are to terminate when he is called the Prince, or that he is to begin to be the Prince when they terminate. They were to extend to the MESSIAH—the words, THE PRINCE, being added to show who was signified by the MESSIAH. Sixty-nine weeks of years are four hundred and eighty-three years. Beginning these with the seventh of ARTAXERXES, they extend to A. D. 26-7; dating from the twentieth, they terminate in A. D. 39-40. Was there anything in either of these years which would make the words, ‘unto MESSIAH the PRINCE,’ appropriate? When Jesus was baptized of JOHN in Jordan, a voice was heard from heaven acknowledging the SAVIOUR as the SON of GOD, in whom the Father was well pleased. Consequently HE was ‘the MESSIAH—the Prince,’ whose coming had been predicted. With that baptism the SAVIOUR commenced the work of his public ministry—the MESSIAH the Prince had then come, as it was predicted he should at the end of sixty-nine weeks. When he was acknowledged as the Son of God—the MESSIAH—he went into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled.’ The time then fulfilled, must have been some predicted period. There was no predicted period which could then terminate, but the sixty-nine, or seventy weeks. Did either of these then terminate? We have seen that the former, reckoned from the seventh of ARTAXERXES, as it is fixed by astronomical calculations, would end in A. D. 26-7; and A. D. 27 we find is the precise point of time when the SAVIOUR must have been about thirty years of age, when he was baptized of JOHN, and declared the time fulfilled. At the first passover the SAVIOUR attended, which could not have been later than the spring of his second year, the Jews told him that the temple had then been forty-six years in building—reckoning back forty-six years from A. D. 28, they began B. C. 17, which is the precise year when HEROD began the work of rebuilding the temple. From the eclipse which marked the death of HEROD, before which the SAVIOUR had been born, his birth could not have been later than B. C. 4, which would make him about thirty at the very time of his baptism of JOHN. Such a concurrence of chronological, astronomical, and historical testimony, can only be set aside by testimony still more conclusive. Your argument that he was not called a prince till after his crucifixion is of no weight; for the Jews could not have crucified “the Prince of life,” as PETER accused them, if he was not the Prince of life till after his crucifixion. - “But what was to occur in the midst of the week? The ‘sacrifice and oblation’ was then to cease. Those Jewish ordinances could only cease actually or virtually. They did not actually cease till A. D. 70. They ceased virtually only at the crucifixion; they then ceased to foreshadow the sacrifice then offered. Was that in the midst of the week? 3 1-2 years from A. D. 27 bring us to the spring of A. D. 31, where DR. HALES has demonstrated the crucifixion took place. The week during which the covenant was confirmed, was that in the ‘midst’ of which the sacrifice and oblation virtually ceased. Consequently it could not extend beyond A. D. 34—the latest time to which seventy weeks from the seventh of ARTAXERXES LONGIMANUS could reach.
“As those chronological points, on which the whole question turns, are unnoticed in your article, to publish it would only tend to throw doubt and uncertainty on that which is well established,—the same as if we should question whether two and two make four.”