The Seventh-day Adventist Church holds a unique system of eschatological (or end-times) beliefs. Adventist eschatology, which is based on a historicist interpretation of prophecy, is characterised principally by the premillennial Second Coming of Christ. Traditionally, the church has taught that the Second Coming will be preceded by a global crisis with the Sabbath as a central issue. At Jesus' return, the righteous will be taken to heaven for one thousand years. After the millennium the unsaved cease to exist as they will be punished by annihilation while the saved will live on a recreated Earth for eternity.
The foremost sources are the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation. Jesus' statements in Matthew 24 for instance, as well as multiple other Bible verses are also used. The classic Adventist commentary on the end-times was Uriah Smith's Daniel and the Revelation.Daniel and the Revelation The writings of Ellen G. White have also been highly influential, particularly the last part of her book The Great Controversy. "Prophecy seminars", developed since the mid-20th century, have been a key popular source.
Basis Fundamental beliefs The eschatological teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church are summarized in the final five of the denomination's 28 fundamental beliefs:Seventh-day Adventist Church. (n.d.). Fundamental Beliefs. Retrieved 24 August 2020, from www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental-beliefs/
24. Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary 25. Second Coming of Christ 26. Death and Resurrection 27. Millennium and the End of Sin 28. New Earth
According to a 1985 survey, 29% of North American Adventist lecturers nominated eschatology as the area of greatest contribution by Adventists to then-current theology. This ranked second only to wholism.
Biblical basis and perspectives Seventh-day Adventism derives its eschatological teachings in large part from its interpretation of the apocalyptic Bible books of Daniel and Revelation, as well as Jesus' end-times sermon found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Mainstream Adventism interprets biblical prophecies using the historicist method, which utilises the day-year principle; some of the prophecies of Revelation are yet to be fulfilled.
A 2004 official statement remarks: Adventists' "sense of identity and calling grows from an understanding of Bible prophecies, especially those concerning the time immediately preceding the return of Jesus."
Hermeneutics Adventists believe the Christian church is the historical continuation of the Old Testament Israel as God's people, centered around Jesus, and that Old Testament end-time prophecies about Israel will be fulfilled more broadly.Cottrell, R. (1955). The Role of Israel in Old Testament Prophecy. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary. LaRondelle, H. (1997). Understanding Israel in Prophecy. Ministry, 70:6, pp. 5–8. LaRondelle, H. (2007). Israel in Biblical Prophecy. Ministry 79:1, pp. 17–21. (This stands in contrast to dispensationalism, a popular conservative Christian view, which sees a prominent place for the nation of Israel in the end-times). Adventist hermeneutics categorically rejects preterism, futurism and idealism as proper hermeneutical systems of interpretation of Bible prophecy.
Ellen White and SDA pioneers The writings of Ellen G. White have been highly influential in the formation of Seventh-day Adventist eschatology, particularly the final chapters of her book The Great Controversy.
The classic interpretation was Uriah Smith's book, known by its abbreviated title as Daniel and the Revelation. It was affirmed by Ellen White,White, statements compiled in Colporteur Ministry, chapter "Chap. 20 – Our Large Message Books", p123. An early minister A. C. Bordeau claimed White had a vision that God is "leading his mind by His Spirit, and an angel is guiding his hand in writing" the book (quoted in a letter from J. S. Washburn to Meade MacGuire on February 18, 1923; as quoted on a website). The White Estate states this is "seriously undercut by the historical facts." "Statements Mistakenly Attributed to Ellen G. White", accessed April 2010 "and had an unrivaled influence on [Adventist] prophetic teaching." It was based on his earlier works Thoughts, Critical and Practical, on the Book of Revelation (1867), and Thoughts, Critical and Practical, on the Book of Daniel (1873).Thoughts on Daniel [...] 2nd ed. (1883) online. The book was revised several times during Smith's life and afterwards."Uriah Smith". Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, pp. 1355–1356. Hagerstown, Maryland: Review and Herald, revised ed., 1976. As reproduced on a website. The Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia states, "Although a creative writer, he also borrowed from contemporary and early expositors for his materials, especially in his interpretations of prophecy."
Historicist interpretation of prophecy Prophecies of Daniel Adventists teach that Historicism (including the day-year principle) is the correct viewpoint in interpretation, as well as the traditional belief of the almost all Protestant Reformers. Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 14:2 (Fall 2003), pp. 15–43; JATS 17:1 (Spring 2006), pp. 180–208. Hans LaRondelle, "The Heart of Historicism". Ministry 77:9 (September 2005), pp. 22–23, 25–27. Kai Arasola, The End of Historicism: Millerite Hermeneutic of Time Prophecies in the Old Testament. Uppsala: University of Uppsala, 1990. Historicism as a method of interpreting prophecy has been challenged by some interpreters.Raymond F. Cottrell, The Sanctuary Doctrine – Asset or Liability? Part 6.
Image of Daniel 2
The background to Adventist eschatology is found in the book of Daniel, which has strong thematic and literary links to Revelation. A key passage is the interpretation of king Nebuchadnezzar's vision of a statue in Daniel 2. The sequence of world kingdoms is interpreted by Adventists as representing in turn Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (pagan Rome and later papal Rome). The feet of iron and clay in the vision are understood to represent the nations of Europe subsequent to the breakup of the Roman empire. The Seventh-day Adventists follow the Historicist interpretation of the statue.
ChapterParallel sequence of prophetic elements as understood by SDA HistoricistsPastPresentFutureDaniel 2HeadGold(Babylon)Chest & 2 armsSilver(Media-Persia)Belly and thighsBronze(Greece)2 LegsIron(Pagan Rome &Papal Rome)Feet & ToesClay & Iron(Present Global Power)RockGod's unending kingdomleft to no other people
This interpretation is not unique to Adventists and was held by multiple expositors in the 18th and 19th centuries.For example, see Isaac Newton's expositions of Daniel; or Canon Edward Hoare of Canterbury Cathedral, Rome, Turkey and Jerusalem. Hatchards, 1876
Since iron and clay are materials that cannot form a durable structure, Adventist scholars interpret this as the multiple short-lived attempts throughout European history to form an empire such as the Holy Roman Empire, Napoleonic France, Nazi Germany, The European Union.
Chapter 7 – The 4 beasts and Judgement Paraphrase of the prophecy of Daniel 7 by arranging prophecy phrases parallel to given interpretation.
Survey of prophecy
This survey section consists of paraphrases and quotations of the significant texts. During the reign of Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon, Daniel experiences a dream or vision. It has been fifty years since the vision of chapter 2.
Comparison of Daniel 2, 7 and 8 ChapterParallel sequence of prophetic elements as understood by HistoricistsPastPresentFutureDaniel 2HeadGold(Babylon)Chest & 2 armsSilverBelly and thighsBronze2 LegsIron2 Feet with toesClay & IronRockGod's unending kingdomleft to no other peopleDaniel 7Winged LionLopsided Bear4 Headed /4 WingedLeopardIron toothed beastw/Little HornJudgment sceneBeast slainA son of man comes in cloudsGiven everlasting dominionHe gives it to the saints. see verses 13, 14, 22, 27Daniel 82-horned Ram(Media-Persia)Uni- / 4-horned Goat4 Winds (Greece)Little HornA Master of IntrigueCleansing of SanctuaryLeads to:(Kingdom of God)
Eschatological events In traditional mainstream Adventist teaching, the end times consists of four distinct episodes: The Investigative Judgment, beginning in 1844 and ending at the close of probation The "time of trouble", beginning at the close of probation and ending at the second coming of Jesus The millennium The destruction of sinners and new earth
Events prior to 1844 The Roman Empire was a world power active during the ministry of Jesus. Adventists believe the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 was a partial fulfillment of Jesus' end-times discourse in Matthew 24.
The empire continued several centuries into the Christian era, when it was ultimately replaced by the papacy. The papacy is identified with the "man of sin" of 2 Thessalonians, the "Antichrist" of 1 John and the "little horn" of Daniel chapters 7 and 8. It is believed that the Roman Catholic religion grew into a corruption of original, authentic Christianity. Among other things, it is considered to have changed the church's day of worship from Saturday to Sunday.
The "1,260 days", "42 months" or "time, times and dividing of time" of apocalyptic prophecy are equated, and are interpreted as 1260 years, based on the day-year principle. This has traditionally been held to be the period AD 538 to 1798, as the era of papal supremacy and oppression as prophesied in Revelation 12:6, 14–16.Ellen White, The Great Controversy, p. 266. "Chap. 15 - The Bible and the French Revolution". This period began with the defeat of the Ostrogoths by the Roman General Belisarius. In Adventist belief, this was the last of three Germanic tribes (including also the Heruli and the Vandals) to be defeated by Rome (see , and other passages). The period ended with the successes of Napoleon of France; specifically, the capture of Pope Pius VI by General Louis Alexandre Berthier in 1798, which was a blow to the papacy. This capture of the pope by the French army was understood as the "deadly wound" of .Ellen White, The Great Controversy, p. 439. "Chap. 25 - God's Law Immutable".Samuele Bacchiocchi believes a more significant humiliation was in 1870 when king Victor Emmanuel II of Italy captured Rome; "But there is no reason to debate over which of the two dates (1798 or 1870) have affected more adversely the papacy, because neither of the two events have significantly weakened the worldwide influence of the papacy." He interprets the healing of the wound as the Lateran Treaty with Italian Prime Minister Mussolini in 1929 Today a number of Adventist scholars believe the end-points cannot be given precisely, because the history was more of a gradual rise and fall; however the mainstream view does support a period of 1260 years.For instance the Adult Bible Study Guide, The Gospel, 1844, and Judgment, 3rd quarter 2006, lesson 4 "Daniel 7", section "Time, Times, and Dividing of Time" for July 19, p. 34. Quote: "If we date the beginning of papal Rome to the late fifth, early sixth century, 1,260 years later brings us to the late eighteenth, or early nineteenth, century." A minority view by Samuele Bacchiocchi is that the rise to "supremacy" and the "downfall" of the papacy are events spanning a larger time, and cannot be pinned to such points in time.
After the end of the 1260 days, and prior to 1844, several significant events took place. In 1755 a massive earthquake hit Lisbon. On May 19, 1780, northeastern America experienced a day of extraordinary darkness followed by a blood-red moon that night. On November 13, 1833, a spectacular Leonids meteor shower occurred. These three events were thought to be a fulfillment of , paving the way for the final events of history.
Three Angels' Messages