Life Matters

In the last chapter we observed how Daniel spoke of this horn power that would arise and trample the Sanctuary worship system of Christ under foot by altering the key elements of the worship system from the invisible back to the visible, but in an altered form to the original. We observed that this power was the Roman church. Amongst many things it altered, it tried to change the law of God in two critical areas, removing the second commandment which protected against idolatry and visible worship and then the fourth commandment which pointed to the author of life and the source of blessing.

In Daniel 8, the question was raised, how long would this power continue? The answer came “Unto 2300 days; then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed (restored).” We will pinpoint the end of this time period shortly, but first we want to look at the events that led to the culmination of the 2300 days.

The restoring of the Sanctuary would require a process of recognizing that all the elements of the Sanctuary system were in heaven in the invisible realm. This process began with the Reformation of the 16^th century.

a. The Reformation Starts Recovery of the Invisible View

Around the time of the 16^th century some men were beginning to really question the Biblical integrity of the Roman Church. Up until this time very few people had Bibles or could read for themselves and they simply trusted the leaders of the church to guide them on spiritual matters. But around this time, the printing press was invented and books began to multiply quickly. The Bible was being mass produced in a number of languages much to the anger and frustration of the Roman Church. Among those who were studying the Bible carefully was Martin Luther.

A central feature of the Roman Church was the Mass. The Mass was a ceremony where the priest would summon the person of Christ down from heaven into the bread of communion. By eating this bread, the believer would have forgiveness and absolution from their sins. This ceremony took the focus completely away from the true work of Jesus in heaven. It also caused people to visibly see Jesus in the communion wafer. This wafer was actually worshipped by the church as God, a clear violation of the commandment against idolatry.

Martin Luther responded after careful study of the Bible:

“The Mass in the Papacy must be the greatest and most horrible abomination, as it directly and powerfully conflicts with this chief article, [Jesus died and rose again for our Justification] and yet above and before all other popish idolatries it has been the chief and most specious. For it has been held that this sacrifice or work of the Mass, even though it be rendered by a wicked (and abandoned) scoundrel, frees men from sins, both in this life and also in purgatory, while only the Lamb of God shall and must do this.” Martin Luther, The Smalcald articles, page 10.

As Luther continued to write and present, several men began to see the state of captivity the church was in. Martin Luther even penned a book called The Babylonian Captivity, in which he pointed out many of the false teachings that were enslaving the minds of the people.

The historian J.A Wylie made a very interesting assessment of what was occurring during this time:

“Instead of the hierarchy whose reservoir of power was on the Seven Hills, whence it was conveyed downward through a mystic chain that linked all other priests to the Pope, much as the cable conveys the electric spark from continent to continent, they restored the universal priesthood of believers. Their fountain of power is in heaven; faith like a chain links them to it; the Holy Spirit is the oil with which they are anointed; and the sacrifices they present are not those of expiation, which has been accomplished once for all by the Eternal Priest, but of hearts purified by faith, and lives which the same divine grace makes fruitful in holiness. This was a great revolution. An ancient and stablished order was abolished; an entirely different one was introduced.” The History of Protestantism, by Rev J.A. Wylie, Vol 1, page 843.

This statement clearly identifies the issue. The Roman system had turned the people from the fountain of life and had developed its own fountain which does not produce life.

Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

The reformers turned their minds toward heaven and where the true source of power was coming from. They connected themselves to Jesus the true Priest and prayed directly to him for power and strength. The Church could have been a channel of blessing to point people to Christ in the heavenly Sanctuary, but instead they stood in the way of the people and blocked their minds from seeing the truth.

The Reformation under Luther, Tyndale and others did begin a work of restoration of the invisible worship of the Sanctuary system. But there were many things that still needed addressing. The church had taken people so deeply into darkness that it would take quite a while to come out. The reformers restored the work of Jesus as a priest to the heavenly realm but they did not discover the need for the Sanctuary system to also be in heaven. Thankfully God would call a people out to point to the Sanctuary being in heaven as a fulfillment of the prophecy concerning the 2300 days.

b. The Scattering, Indignation and Gathering of God’s People.

The close of the 2300 days mentioned in Daniel 8:14 contains another clue in verse 19 of the same chapter.

Dan 8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

It mentions that the 2300 days would also be the end of the indignation. This indignation takes us back to the time of Israel and the promises of the blessings for faithfulness and curses for a failure to cling to the worship elements that would keep Israel connected to the channel of blessing.

The book of Deuteronomy gives us the context for this indignation or anger that takes place in Daniel 8. It is connected to the covenant that God made with Israel to keep His commandments and faithfully worship according to the Sanctuary system given.

Deu 29:9-15 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do. … 13 That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; 15 But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day:

If Israel would do this, the channel of blessing and protection would stay open, but if they did not, then their children would be raised without a sense of blessing and would be in danger of becoming tyrants or feel a strong temptation to become like other nations rather than be different. This process would cause incredible pain to the families of Israel and this process God referred to as His anger or indignation. It is the people who cause this to take place, but God takes responsibility for the events, because He does not step in to prevent what happens.

Deu 29:16-28 (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; 17 And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) 18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; 19 And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: 20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. 21 And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law: 22 So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it; 23 And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: 24 Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? 25 Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: 26 For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: 27 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: 28 And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.

As we have studied, Israel did forsake the covenant and they worshipped other gods and exposed their children to the worthlessness that comes from the curse of being outside the channel of blessing. As part of this indignation, Israel would be allowed to be scattered. The scattering of Israel would take away the leadership of Israel that was meant to act as a channel of blessing. The scattering of Israel would take this blessing channel away and the sheep would then be without an appointed shepherd. The fatherless and the widows would not have a fatherly figure to bless them and so the curse would be extended. This scattering is mentioned in a number of places:

Lev 26:27-33 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; 28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. 29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. 30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you. 31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours. 32 And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. 33 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

This scattering certainly took place under the Assyrians and Babylonians.

Isa 10:5-6 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Jer 9:13-16 And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein; 14 But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them: 15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink. 16 I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.

Even though Israel forsook God and turned to other gods, the Lord promised through his prophets that He would Gather Israel again the second time.

Isa 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

When would this gathering take place? You might have noticed that God said that He would punish Israel seven times for their sins. In reference to prophetic time, this seven times amounts to 2520 years.

Israel was divided into two kingdoms after Solomon. The northern kingdom was taken into captivity by Assyria in the year 723 B.C. and the king of the southern kingdom – Manasseh, was taken into Babylon in 677 B.C.

2Ch 33:11 Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

If we add 2520 years to the dates 723 and 677 we have the dates 1798 and 1844. The year 1798 we have discovered is significant because the Pope was taken captive in this year and a great revival in the study of Daniel took place as a result, seeking to understand this highly significant event.

This indignation would stretch beyond the time of literal Israel right through to the time period of spiritual Israel. The sequence of this indignation is outlined in Daniel 10 to 12.

Daniel 11 speaks of the various powers through the ages that would dominate God’s people and prevent them in various ways from worshipping God faithfully. Daniel 11:36 speaks directly of the Roman Church and its connection to the indignation

Dan 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

Students of Daniel 11 understand that the time sequence flows from about 539 B.C. under Medo-Persia right through to the end of the world. This shift from literal Israel to spiritual Israel is important. The New Testament writers clearly presented the spiritual concept of Israel:

Rom 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Gal 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

After Christ came and taught the people, citizenship in God’s kingdom was not based on birth, but on the spiritual teachings of Christ, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Just as literal Israel was scattered by literal Babylon; so spiritual Israel was scattered by spiritual Babylon. This whole time process would take 2520 years and would end in 1844.

At this time God would gather Israel the second time, just like He did the first time. The first time He gathered Israel out of Egypt, He gave them His commandments, and He gave them a Sanctuary and guided them by the prophet Moses into many other important truths concerning health, education and civil life. To gather Israel the second time, means He would do all this again. And this is what happened around the time of 1844.

c. The Rise of the Advent Movement

One of the men that were studying his Bible very carefully after 1798 was William Miller. Miller had been a Deist, one who believed that God was an absentee landlord. One who created the world and then left man to his own devices. But after fighting in the American Militia at the battle of Plattsburgh and seeing a greatly outnumbered force of Americans defeat the well-ordered British, he began to wonder about whether God did involve Himself in human affairs, for it seemed impossible to him that the Americans should have won that battle.

As William Miller studied, he laid down some very important rules for interpretation. As he was not affiliated with any of the existing churches of his day, he was not directly influenced by their teachings. William Miller saw the importance of a consistent method of interpreting Scripture. He alone with his Deist friends originally believed the Bible to be full of errors and inconsistencies. After his experience at Plattsburgh, he felt he needed to see if he could harmonise all these inconsistencies. To do this, he needed a consistent method of Bible study. If he could use a method that was consistent and then unravel all the apparent inconsistencies of the Bible, he would have found the answers he was looking for. A full list of William Millers rules of interpretation is included in the Appendices, but we will mention a few here.

RULE I.

Every word must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible.

RULE II.

All Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by a diligent application and study.

RULE IV.

To understand doctrine, bring all the Scriptures together on the subject you wish to know; then let every word have its proper influence, and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in an error.

RULE V.

Scripture must be its own expositor, since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound it to me, and he should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed or wisdom is my rule, not the Bible.

RULE VI.

God has revealed things to come, by visions, in figures and parables, and in this way the same things are oftentime revealed again and again, by different visions, or in different figures, and parables. If you wish to understand them, you must combine them all in one.

By a careful and a consistent method, William Miller began studying Daniel 8 and began pondering the meaning of the 2300 days.

He noticed that a starting date for the 2300 days had not been given and that at the end of Daniel 8, Daniel still had not understood the vision concerning this time period. Through a series of connections between Daniel 8 and 9, he saw that the starting time for the seventy weeks of Daniel 9 was also the starting period for the 2300 days.

Like the seventy week prophecy, consistent application demanded that the 2300 prophetic days also be seen as 2300 years. The staring date for the seventy weeks was 457 B.C. When William Miller first made the calculation, he included a 0 year in the transition from B.C. to A.D. This led him to the year 1843.

William Miller had also faithfully studied out the prophecies concerning the indignation and had determined that the “seven times” of Lev 26 also concluded in this year of 1843. The added prophecies of the 1290 and 1335 years found in Daniel 12 also connected this date. A detailed analysis of these prophecies is beyond the scope of this book, but William Miller determined that the 1290 years finished in 1798 and that the 1335 years starting from the same time, finished in 1843.

William Miller was amazed that he had several lines of prophecy all finishing in 1843, using a consistent method of Bible study.

Immediately after making this discovery, he felt compelled to share his findings with the world, but like Moses he was fearful and did not want to do it. He thought he might be wrong and wanted to make sure. This discovery was made in 1818 after 2 years of solid Bible study, but William Miller spent another 12 years trying to see if his reasoning was flawed in some way. He looked for every possible reason to disprove what he had found, but he could not find anything significant.

Finally in 1831 after wresting with the Lord, he started to preach. He began small at first, but after a few years, he began preaching in major cities and towns.

William Miller preached that the cleansing of the Sanctuary in 1843 must be the coming of Christ to gather His people. It is true that God would gather His people, but there had to be a restoration of truth concerning the law and the Sanctuary before this would occur.

After the passing of 1843, Miller and the many thousands that now believed realized that the “0” year had been incorrectly added and the actual date was 1844 not 1843.

This message was carried to every mission station in the world and other scholars besides William Miller had also discovered the end of this time period; every where people were called to account. The message went forward that the hour of God’s judgment had come and that they needed to get ready.

Sadly the Millerites were disappointed because Jesus did not return in 1844. They were right about the date but wrong about the event. Just as literal Israel needed to come out of Egypt, learn the truth about the Sanctuary, the Law and the Sabbath and then go into the Promised Land, so spiritual Israel had to do the same.

i. Restoration of the Heavenly Sanctuary

After the great disappointment of the Millerites, many of those who professed to believe in the movement fell away. But a small group of Bible students after much prayer and searching of heart began to realize that the event at the end of the 2300 days was a work that Jesus had to do in heaven in a heavenly Sanctuary. A man by the name of Hiram Edson, connected the work described in Daniel 7 concerning the judgment of the of the horn power with events described in Hebrews 8 concerning the heavenly Sanctuary. He also saw the connection to Revelation 14 and the hour of judgment that was described there.

Heb 8:1-2 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

In the year 1844, the heavenly Sanctuary was restored in the minds of a group of Christian believers. The recovery of this Sanctuary truth ended the scattering of Israel and the gathering could now begin. There could be no gathering of Israel without the Sanctuary in its proper place. Now that this small group of Christians was now looking to the heavenly Sanctuary, they could now begin to once again receive the channel of blessing.

ii. Restoration of the Law of God

The object of the Sanctuary was to write God’s law on our hearts, so the channel of blessing from God could be protected. This group of people, now called Adventists, began to see the importance of the law of God more than ever before, not because it was written on stone thousands of years ago, but because the law was now residing in heaven in the Sanctuary. It was no longer an event that occurred in the past, but something that was very current. The experience of God’s people seeing the law of God is described by John when he says:

Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.

A recognition of the law of God led them to another important discovery – the Sabbath.

iii. Restoration of the Sabbath

Now that the Adventists were looking towards the heavenly Sanctuary and the work that Jesus was doing in heaven; their minds were directed to the passage in Daniel 7:

Dan 7:9-10 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

For Israel, this work of judgment occurred once a year in the Most Holy Pace. The parallel passage in Daniel 8 gave more clues to what this event was about.

Dan 8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

The judgment in Israel was the cleansing of the Sanctuary. It was one and the same event. This judgment was based around the law residing in the ark in the Most Holy Place. This concept of judgment was further developed by a recognition of the warning angels of Revelation 14 who come just before the second coming to warn of the judgment.

Rev 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

The description of judgment in Rev 14 is directly connected to a worship of the one who made the heavens and the earth. The only place where this concept is revealed in the context of the law and the judgment is the 4^th commandment concerning the Sabbath.

The restoration of the Sabbath opened once again the minds of the people to the source of the channel of blessing. The channel of blessing could not flow properly without a clear understanding of where life comes from and how it is maintained. It is the Sabbath commandment that teaches us these things.

iv. Restoration of the State of the Dead and Second Coming

The belief in the Sabbath caused the Adventists to see God as the only source of life. This caused them to question the belief in the immortality of the soul. The other reason they had to look at this teaching is that they now believed in a time when a judgment would take place in heaven. The commencement time as we noticed took place in 1844. It was during the judgment that it was determined who would receive eternal life and who would not.

Most Christians believed that when believers died they went straight to heaven, but this would be impossible if the judgment began in 1844. They then noticed what Jesus said at the end of Revelation:

Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

The reward of eternal life would not be granted until the second coming of Christ at the end of the world. Therefore people could not receive their reward until Christ came in the clouds of glory. Notice what the Bible says:

1Thess 4:15-17 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The Bible clearly says that when Christ returns, the dead are raised first and then those who are alive are caught up together with them. The Lord must descend first to receive His faithful people before they rise to heaven.

Job 14:10-13 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

As Job states, that man will not rise again until the heavens be no more and that event occurs at the second coming.

2Pet 3:10-12 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

The state of the dead was a vital truth to break the lie of the serpent which stated that you would not surely die. It also reinforced the truth that life only comes from God and that we can only receive it in a close relationship with Him.

v. Restoration of the Father and Son Relationship

The other vital truth that became apparent to the Adventists was that the passages in Daniel 7 spoke of two Beings in the heavenly Sanctuary that operated in the judgment.

Dan 7:9, 13,14 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. … 13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

This dominion that was given to Christ is a parallel of the rock that smashed the image in Daniel 2. The judgment of Daniel 7 describes the recovery of the church of Christ and the ushering in of a family relational kingdom that would never pass away. The era of the worthless ruling tyrant would end! Praise God.

But as we mentioned, the Bible describes the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man as working in a literal Sanctuary in heaven. This fact caused the Adventists to really think about the relationship between the Father and the Son. Notice what James White, one of the founders of the Adventist movement, said about this:

Says the prophet Daniel, "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hairs of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire." Chap.vii,9. "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him, and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom." Verses 13, 14.

Here is a sublime description of the action of two personages; viz, God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ. Deny their personality, and there is not a distinct idea in these quotations from Daniel. In connection with this quotation read the apostle's declaration that the Son was in the express image of his Father's person. "God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person." Heb.i,1-3.[1]

“The Most Holy, containing the Ark of the Ten Commandments, was then opened for our Great High Priest to enter to make atonement for the cleansing of the Sanctuary. If we take the liberty to say there is not a literal Ark, containing the Ten Commandments in heaven, we may go only a step further and deny the literal City, and the literal Son of God. Certainly, Adventists should not choose the spiritual view, rather than the one we have presented. We see no middle ground to be taken.” [2]

To correctly understand the statements in Daniel 7, the Father and Son had to be understood as two separate persons otherwise it would not make sense. Their view of God was interpreted through their understanding of the heavenly Sanctuary system.

The Church of Rome who had blocked the channel of blessing by confusing the minds of people regarding the law, the Sanctuary and the state of the dead developed a very strange view of God which they called the Trinity. Three persons in one substance, a strange mystical union that defies reason and must just be accepted as beyond understanding – and that is exactly what it is.

This view of God that Rome called the Trinity made it impossible to believe in the work of the Sanctuary in heaven. To reclaim the heavenly view of the Sanctuary system, God’s people would need a correct understanding of the personages in Daniel 7 otherwise they would never see it and the gathering could not begin. There are many who conclude that the view of these early Adventists was wrong and needed developing. There is always room for development, but the key point is that to understand the Sanctuary teaching correctly, the Father and Son relationship had to be understood correctly and any development that occurred had to be in line with a correct view of the Father and Son relationship.

The other reason that their relationship needed to be understood was that it retrieved a correct view of headship and submission principles. Adam and Eve were made in the image of the Father and the Son. The image involved the headship and submission principles. The channel of blessing could not flow correctly with an incorrect view of the divine submissive agent. The divine submissive agent as we noted is Christ and thankfully, the awareness of the work in the heavenly Sanctuary restored all of these vital points.

d. A Solid Platform

The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. The Sanctuary, the law, the judgment, the state of the dead and the second coming all connected together to build a platform upon which spiritual Israel could be gathered. The final warning message to bring people on to this platform is found in Rev 14:6-12. It is commonly called the Three Angel’s Messages and each message is like a step that leads you onto the solid platform.

Through the Advent Movement, God had laid a platform to gather His people and re-establish His family kingdom principles. The way was now prepared for the protective principles of the law to be fully written in the heart so that we might be enabled to give glory to Him that made the heavens and the earth.