APPENDIX to Chapter 6
In moments when faith falters,
APPENDIX
One scholar makes the following
observation relative to Chapter 6:
The problem for Adventists with
1844 is not the details of the
chronology (the 457 BC date, the
day for a year etc) but the
continuation with time. For our
pioneers 1844 (that is, the
investigative judgment) was a brief
act of God that interfaced closely
with the Second Advent. The
intervening 160 years now
separates 1844 from the Second
Advent and gives it an
eschatological stance somewhat
independent of the Second Advent.
Hence it is becoming difficult for
Adventists to give 1844 an
eschatological meaning that does
not overshadow the biblical
emphasis on the two advents of
Christ. In other words it is now
difficult for us to call 1844 the
“pre-advent” judgment in any
meaningful way. You do not seem
to sense this difficulty or really
addressed it. This is not just the
problem of some esoteric scholar;
many Adventists are not
particularly moved by an event in
heaven 160 years ago that has
changed nothing on earth. It is odd
that Adventist historicism has this
crucial date not on earth but in
heaven – that’s Platonism not
historicism isn’t it? It is at the end
of the day a pastoral as much as a
theological challenge.
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we must admit to these sentiments.
Dr Ford expressed the same concerns
in 1980 (see page 18).
The laborious trek across year-day,
457 BC etc in this work has been for
a reason. Internet material abounds
repeating Dr Ford’s 1980
propositions (see Chapter 10) so this
work has endeavored to address each
of Dr Ford’s points honestly. For
many these propositions are still
topical. Folk such as Dale Ratzlaff
(“The Cultic Doctrine of Seventh-day
Adventists”) continue to ventilate
1980 issues without admitting that
most issues have been addressed.
There are some considerations about
1844 which have helped me
personally. May I share them?
1. If the apostles lived today their
frustration would exceed ours.
They were expecting the
Advent 1,972 years ago.
2. Events such as 9/11, the Bali
bombing, the Iran earthquake
and the late 2004 Asian
Tsunamis, add pre-advent
urgency to 1844. Students of
Bible prophecy see end-time
significance in these events.
Events such as this are quickly
forgotten but the terror is not.
The world today is on edge in
anticipation of more of the
same. Against prophecy,
events such as these for me
revitalize 1844 as pre-advent
phenomena.
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 APPENDIX to Chapter 6
3. The judgment of the wicked is
to occupy 1000 years. 160
years for the judgment of the
righteous must be considered
against that scale.
4. 1844 tucks into ‘time of the
end’ schema depicted in
Daniel, the Olivet Discourse,
2 Thessalonians and events in
Revelation. It is one more peg
in the ground nestled many
amongst others that casts our
day in the time of the end.
5. 1844 adds urgency to gospel
proclamation and is calculated
to galvanize listeners to
penitence.
6. It is arguable that 1844 is
evidence of Adventism’s
divine sponsorship.
7. 1844 indeed points to a
heavenly event. The origin of
evil occurred many thousands
of years ago, also in heaven’s
sanctuary. Evil began and will
end in the heavenly sanctuary
for it is the place of God’s
throne. These reasons
harmonise the 1844 heavenly
event with the drama of the
ages. The earthly veil is a
glass darkly which be-clouds
our view. For those with faith,
an event in heaven is just as
exciting as an event on earth.
8. The Second Advent is as close
as our next heart-beat and in
the event of our untimely
death, the Advent is only one
sleep away.
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9. The pioneers looked at the
investigative judgment as a
brief act of God interfacing
closely with the Second
Advent. Intermittent
acceptance of justification by
faith may explain the
continuing delay. In recent
decades this truth become
more widely proclaimed with
a loud voice. Technology
advancing at exponential pace
will finish the work in months.
Global warning must outrun
global warming.
10. August 2003 brought into
effect the EU Working Time
Directive. Article 5 legislates
a weekly rest period to include
Sunday. This civil legislative
action follows on from the
Vatican’s 31 May 1998
Apostolic letter, in which
Section 67 recommends civil
legislation to ensure Sunday
sacredness. USA Bishops
voted on Nov 15 2004 to join
the USA evangelical alliance
called ‘Christian Churches
Together USA’. Since 1844,
the SDA Church has warned
these phenomena would occur
in the last days.
These points add dimension to 1844.
While some nit-pick at theological
gnats, the fast-moving sweep of
current events confirm the credibility
of Ellen White’s ‘The Great
Controversy’. She also foretold the
events in 10. She wholeheartedly
supported 1844 and the investigative
judgment and must be taken more
seriously than her embittered critics.
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