sanctuary message

Old and New Testament Eras of Prophecy

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In the history of the great controversy, from the fall of Adam to the close of probation, there have been three eras of prophetic manifestations.

  1. First Era: The Old Testament Era. The manifestation of the spirit of prophecy during Old Testament times began when Moses wrote the first books of the Bible around 1500 B.C. The book of Malachi was written about 400 B.C. The most important purpose of the Old Testament prophecies was to prepare a people to receive Jesus as the Lamb of God, who was to shed His blood to ratify the covenant made with the Father before the foundation of the earth (Revelation 13:8) to redeem the fallen race.
  2. Second Era: The New Testament Era. This era of biblical prophecy began about A.D. 50 when the first books of the New Testament were written by Paul. The book of Revelation, written by the apostle John, was completed in about A.D. 95. The purpose of this era of prophecy was to introduce a people to the heavenly sanctuary and Jesus’ ministry from A.D. 31 to the close of probation. This era revealed the apostasy that would take place in the Christian church, the opening of the investigative judgment and the closing scenes of the great controversy.
  3. Third Era: The Second Advent Movement. These prophecies came from about A.D. 1845 to about A.D. 1915. One purpose of this prophecy was to prepare the world for the close of the investigative phase of the judgment, the close of probation. Another purpose of this era of prophecy was to prepare a people for the restoration of the kingdom of glory. These are the purposes of the Spirit of Prophecy during the Second Advent Movement.

Each era of prophecy has equal inspiration; all are equal in their level of importance. We will see how each of these eras fulfilled its purpose. Each succeeding era adds more light to our understanding of the new covenant—the great plan of redemption. In the third era of prophecy our understanding of the new covenant and the ministry of Jesus in the sanctuary of the new covenant reaches the full light of day.

  1. Old Testament Era of Prophecy

This era of prophecy pointed forward to the death of Jesus on the cross, the crowning trial and final test of the disciples, the ratification and establishment of the new covenant and the opening of the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven in A.D. 31, three days after Jesus was crucified. We will gain an understanding of what happened to the disciples and how they learned this truth, because they certainly did not know it when Jesus died on the cross.

“To man the first intimation of redemption was communicated in the sentence pronounced upon Satan in the garden.”

“Adam and his companion were assured that notwithstanding their great sin, they were not to be abandoned to the control of Satan. The Son of God had offered to atone, with His own life, for their transgression.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 65, 66.

“Heavenly angels more fully opened to our first parents the plan that had been devised for their salvation.” Ibid. It was revealed to them that “the law of Jehovah is the foundation of His government in heaven as well as upon the earth. … Not one of its precepts could be abrogated or changed to meet man in his fallen condition; but the Son of God, Who had created man, could make an atonement for him. As Adam’s transgression had brought wretchedness and death, so the sacrifice of Christ would bring life and immortality.” Ibid., 66, 67.

From the beginning of the Old Testament, God assured them that Jesus would come to pay the penalty for their sins. To help them keep focused on this covenant, the system of sacrifices was given to Adam. The sacrificial system did not start with the sanctuary on earth—it began outside the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were instructed that the sacrifice represented Jesus Christ who was going to come to this earth and ratify the covenant for them.

“The sacrificial offerings were ordained by God to be to man a perpetual reminder and a penitential acknowledgment of his sin and a confession of his faith in the promised Redeemer. … To Adam, the offering of the first sacrifice was a most painful ceremony. His hand must be raised to take life, which only God could give. It was the first time he had ever witnessed death, and he knew that had he been obedient to God, there would have been no death of man or beast. As he slew the innocent victim, he trembled at the thought that his sin must shed the blood of the spotless Lamb of God.” Ibid., 68.

Right at the beginning of the Old Testament, we see the sacrificial system pointing to the cross. That was a daily witness to them through all of the Old Testament.

The sacrifice of Christ, to establish and ratify the new covenant, became the focal point of God’s people from Adam to the death of Jesus on the cross. The book of Genesis gives us a record of the faithfulness of the patriarchs to the sacrificial system. We see it after the flood with Noah. With Abraham the covenant was renewed in a special way. Isaac and Jacob continued the sacrificial system.

At the time of the Exodus, the sacrificial offerings were expanded into a sanctuary with daily and yearly services and other special days of worship. The books of Exodus and Leviticus are almost wholly devoted to the instruction of these services.

Again we find in Isaiah 53 a clear picture of the purpose of Christ’s first advent, the covenant and Christ’s sacrifice.

“But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. …

“He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:5, 6).

This is a clear picture of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus.

“After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great … because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:5–7, 11, 12.

The 70-week prophecy foretold Christ’s death. The book of Daniel gives a clear picture of Christ’s trial and crucifixion.

“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. … He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering.” Daniel 9:24, 27. (Emphasis added.)

Here we find in these prophecies of the Old Testament that Jesus was going to come as the Lamb of God to give His life to ratify the covenant.

With all of this prophetic information, why didn’t God’s people recognize Jesus when He came? History tells us that the church stepped off the true foundation and the leaders established another set of fundamental beliefs that were not in harmony with the Scriptures. Instead of looking for the Lamb of God to ratify the covenant and deliver them from their sins, they replaced Him with a Messiah that they hoped would deliver them from the control of the Romans. This change of emphasis replaced the true foundation with a false one and led the whole church astray. Thus they did not recognize the Lamb of God when He came to ratify the new covenant.

Even the disciples did not know what was happening. During His ministry, Jesus tried to help them understand that He had come to be a sacrifice, the Lamb of God, that would pay the penalty for their sins, but the false foundation prevented them from getting the message straight. This misapplication of Scripture brought the disciples to their crowning trial and final test.

“Compassionate Redeemer, who in the full knowledge of the doom that awaited Him, tenderly smoothed the way for the disciples, prepared them for their crowning trial, and strengthened them for the final test!” The Desire of Ages, 394.

When Jesus went through His trying experience in Gethsemane, His trial and death upon the cross, the disciples were scattered, confused and discouraged. Peter even denied Him. Why? Because they did not understand what was taking place. They had misinterpreted the Old Testament Scriptures that had clearly revealed the plan of redemption. Jesus understood their situation, but He continued to go about His work to fulfill the terms of the new covenant and open the holy place of the sanctuary in heaven.

By His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus ratified and established the new covenant. The third day after His crucifixion He ascended to heaven to open the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven. The disciples, grieving and confused, did not know what was happening. When the body of Jesus was gone from the tomb, they still did not understand. When Jesus spoke to Mary after His resurrection, and she recognized Him, she moved forward as if to embrace His feet to worship Him. Notice what happened:

“Christ raised His hand, saying, Detain Me not; ‘for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.’ …

“Jesus refused to receive the homage of His people until He had the assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father. He ascended to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard the assurance that His atonement for the sins of men had been ample, that through His blood all might gain eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men.” (Emphasis added.) Ibid., 790.

Immediately, Jesus came back to this earth to give the news to the disciples, who should have known what was happening, and to reveal to them the true foundation of their faith. When He talked with two of the disciples on the way to Emmaus, the first thing He did was to rebuke them for not knowing the truth.

“He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25–27.

The Old Testament contained all the information they needed to know about the cross and about Christ’s ratification of the new covenant, but because they listened to the leaders who had stepped off the true foundation, they did not know what was going on. That was the cause of their crowning trial and final test.

When Jesus finished explaining the Scriptures to them, they understood the plan of salvation and why Christ had come. Their whole experience was turned upside down. Instead of being sad, they now had a message of hope to give to the world. When they understood that the covenant was ratified, they went to the world with the message of Christ’s ministry as their high priest in the daily service in the heavenly sanctuary. It was so powerful that a few years later a Gentile commented that this message was “turning the world upside down.”

When this message of the new covenant is correctly understood it will turn the world upside down.

  1. New Testament Era of Prophecy

This era of prophecy began with the ascension of Jesus in A.D. 31. It was to point the people to the holy place and later to the most holy place of the sanctuary in heaven where Christ was ministering in their behalf.

Forty days after His resurrection, when Jesus ascended the second time, God wanted the world to know that Jesus had paid the price on Calvary. Acts 1:9–11 gives us a clear picture of this ascension. The disciples, with many others, were there watching.

The New Testament also tells us about His arrival to the holy place of the sanctuary in heaven. Revelation chapters 4 and 5 give us a picture of the celebration prepared to receive Jesus when He entered the heavenly courts upon His arrival from this earth. In vision, John was watching this celebration. All of a sudden, he “saw a Lamb as if it had been slain standing in the center of the throne.” Revelation 5:6. Ellen White describes the same scene. She portrays how the angels sang and escorted Him into the sanctuary. All the hosts of heaven are there to welcome the Redeemer. They are eager to glorify their beloved Commander.

“But He waves them back. Not yet; He cannot now receive the coronet of glory and the royal robe. … He approaches the Father, with whom there is joy over one sinner that repents; who rejoices over one with singing. Before the foundations of the earth were laid, the Father and the Son had united in a covenant to redeem man if he should be overcome by Satan. They had clasped Their hands in a solemn pledge that Christ should become the surety for the human race. This pledge Christ has fulfilled. … The compact had been fully carried out.” The Desire of Ages, 834.

From His ascension in A.D. 31 to October 22, 1844, Jesus served in the holy place of the sanctuary in heaven.

If this message was turning the world upside down, why didn’t the people in the second advent movement know where the sanctuary was? An apostasy had taken place in the church. During the Dark Ages, the knowledge of the ministry of Christ in the daily service of the heavenly sanctuary was wiped out. The leaders in the church again changed the foundation of faith and established a false gospel in its place. Jesus and the New Testament writers warned the people about the “man of sin” who would oppose the daily ministry of Jesus in heaven.

The disciples asked Jesus what would be the sign of His coming. Jesus answered, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4, 5.

John the revelator tells us, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.” I John 2:18.

The New Testament writers called the time they lived in the last hour, or the time of the end. Peter refers to the apostasy that would come before the time of the end when he says, “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.” II Peter 2:1.

Paul also had much to say about this. He says, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel.” Galatians 1:6, 7.

Stepping off the foundation of the sanctuary and the covenant, they were introducing a different gospel. Paul continues in verse 7, “which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.”

The gospel we know is the new covenant—the plan Jesus and the Father made to restore us to the kingdom of glory. Paul says these people are deserting that very gospel. This apostasy was putting aside the sanctuary message of Christ’s ministry in the holy place. This apostasy spread and deepened and the New Testament continues to warn us.

The messages to the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 explain this apostasy from the loss of the first love in the Ephesus church to the Thyatira church. God wanted the people to know that they should not drift from the foundation of truth—the sanctuary message—but they did not heed the warning.

Revelation 6:1–8 about the four horses is a graphic description of the apostasy and Satan’s attack against that early Christian church, and they could not withstand his attack. They should have been able to resist it because God promised the disciples, “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations” (II Peter 2:9). The sanctuary message was lost so that in the 1840s nobody even knew where the sanctuary was.

When it reached the depths of apostasy in A.D. 538, Satan was in control of the church (Revelation 13:2), and he introduced the pope as head of the church. The Christians should have kept in mind that Jesus Christ, ministering in the holy place of the sanctuary in heaven, was the head of the church. However, they gave in to Satan’s deception and looked to the pope instead.

“Faith was transferred from Christ, the true foundation, to the pope of Rome. Instead of trusting in the Son of God for forgiveness of sins and for eternal salvation, the people looked to the pope, and to the priests and prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were taught that the pope was their earthly mediator and that none could approach God except through him; and, further, that he stood in the place of God to them and was therefore to be implicitly obeyed.” The Great Controversy, 55.

By the time of the second advent movement in the 1840s, the church had lost all knowledge of the sanctuary in heaven and began to teach that the earth was the sanctuary. Daniel 8:9–15 says that the little horn would be successful, would throw truth to the ground and would prosper in everything it did. He succeeded in wiping out the knowledge of the ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary.

This brought on the great disappointment in 1844. These people should have known the truth; it was all available to them, but they allowed the church to distract them and take them on a different path.

“Like the first disciples, William Miller and his associates did not, themselves, fully comprehend the import of the message which they bore. Errors that had been long established in the church prevented them from arriving at a correct interpretation of an important point in the prophecy. Therefore, though they proclaimed the message which God had committed to them to be given to the world, yet through a misapprehension of its meaning they suffered disappointment.” Ibid., 351, 352.

In 1844 when the first angel’s message came to give the gospel of the sanctuary message and to proclaim the judgment hour message to begin, which would take place in the most holy place, the whole Protestant world rejected it. What a warning that is to us!

The New Testament prophecy, with the help of a few references from the Old Testament, was to prepare the world for the opening of the judgment in the most holy place on October 22, 1844. In these references, we find the information that restores the knowledge of the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven.

Daniel 8:14 set the date for the most holy place to open. They should have known what was to take place at the end of the 2300 years.

Revelation 14:6 announced the proclamation of the eternal gospel—the message of the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven. They did not know the meaning of the true gospel.

Revelation 14:7 announced the judgment to begin and the transition of Jesus from the holy place to the most holy place. They did not have a clue about the heavenly sanctuary, but they should have known. It was revealed in the New Testament.

They could have gone back to Daniel 7:9 and 10, which pointed forward to this judgment. It says, “The court was seated and the books were opened.” The Ancient of Days is the Father—the Judge. Christ enters as the Mediator. All of the heavenly angels are witnesses. It could not have been any clearer, but they had been led off the platform of eternal truth.

The announcement to the Philadelphia church (Revelation 3:7, 8) very clearly pointed out that Christ was moving from the holy place to the most holy place. He closed the door to the holy place and opened the door to the most holy place. The people did not know what that meant because they had been deceived.

Not only that, Paul wrote the whole book of Hebrews to explain that Christ had gone to the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven to be their high priest—their mediator. Even though the information was there, the people could not understand what was going on.

The parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1–12) tells specifically about God’s invitation to the wedding banquet. To prepare for this event, they were to put on a wedding garment—a robe of righteousness, the character of Christ—and they were to understand that it was through His ministry in the most holy place that they were to obtain that robe of character. But they had lost sight of Christ and His ministry in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary.

The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–12 is a description of the attitudes of the people toward the gospel—the new covenant. Some were wise and accepted the warning. The rest were foolish and allowed the leaders of the church to direct them to false fundamental beliefs. Had they studied and known the Scriptures as it was their privilege to do, they would not have been disappointed on October 22, 1844, when they expected Christ to come to this earth. It was their privilege to know the truth just like it was the privilege of the disciples to know about the sacrifice of Christ in the first advent. Because the leaders of the church had led them off the foundation, they were disappointed.

So we see that the New Testament era of prophecy was not received any better than was the Old Testament era of prophecy. Fortunately, in both of these situations they had an opportunity to get back on the platform of eternal truth after their test.

In the third era, we are going to notice something that is frightening.

To be continued …

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New International Version.)

Maurice Hoppe is Director of the Steps to Life training programs and a member of the Steps to Life Board. The Training Program for Ministers and Church Leaders is a correspondence course that prepares individuals to serve as pastors or Bible workers. Preparing for the Final Conflict is a correspondence course for the laity. Both of these courses teach present truth that will be an anchor for the soul during the storm of opposition and persecution just ahead. He and his wife also have a correspondence course offered through Revelation Ministry. He can be contacted at: mauricehoppe@stepstolife.org.

Second Advent Era of Prophecy

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The second advent era of prophecies began in about A.D. 1845 and continued to about A.D. 1915. The purpose of this era of prophecy is to prepare the world for the close of probation and the restoration of the kingdom of glory. The spirit of prophecy in the second advent movement places much emphasis on the purification of God’s people and the putting away of sin. It gives a detailed account of the day of atonement process in the most holy place of the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven and the application of Christ’s blood to atone for the confessed sins of His people.

We have seen how Satan led the Jewish church to misapply the Old Testament prophecies. We have seen the successful attack Satan made against the “daily ministry” of Jesus in the holy place.

In the second advent movement, in our day, Satan is continuing his all-out war against the ministry of Jesus in the most holy place of the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven.

Revelation 12:17 says, “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”

Today Satan is making his final attack against the sanctuary message. The devil is prowling around “like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” I Peter 5:8. He is destroying the faith of the people in the testimony of Jesus—the spirit of prophecy—as revealed in the life and writings of Ellen G. White, and misconstruing the whole sanctuary message. We know that the remnant —“the woman,” the church—obey the sanctuary message because they obey the commandments of God which are located in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. They have gone to Jesus, have confessed their sins, and Christ has given them power to obey the truth. Notice what Ellen White said about this warfare in a morning talk at Battle Creek, Michigan, January 29, 1890:

“We want [need] to understand the time in which we live. We do not half understand it. [In 1890 she says the people did not understand 50 percent of the time in which they live.] We do not half take it in. [How much do you understand of the sanctuary message today?] My heart trembles in me when I think of what a foe we have to meet, and how poorly we are prepared to meet him. The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ.” The Review and Herald, February 18, 1890.

What happened to the Jews at the first coming of Christ? They did not accept Jesus as their Saviour and His ascension to open the holy place of the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven. We have the same attitude today in the second advent movement as the Jews had during the first advent. They should have understood the work of Jesus in the daily service. We should today understand the work of Jesus in the most holy place of the sanctuary in heaven.

In 1844 the sanctuary message was not understood. But Daniel 8:14 says that it will be restored to its rightful state, and that has been fulfilled.

Daniel 8:14 RSV says, “And he said to him, ‘For two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.’ ” The New American Standard Bible (NASB) says: “And he said to me, ‘For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.’ ” This has been completely fulfilled. Many today do not know much about the heavenly sanctuary.

Today we have a complete record of the pioneer’s research on the sanctuary message and what they believed. The Great Controversy has four full chapters on this message:

Chapter 23, pages 409–422, “What is the Sanctuary?” is a record of the development of the pioneer’s understanding of the sanctuary. Chapter 24, pages 423–432, “In the Holy of Holies,” completely explains Christ’s ministry in the judgment. Chapter 25, pages 433–450, “God’s Law Immutable,” outlines the pioneers’ understanding as to what is involved in the sanctuary message. They understood that the Three Angels’ Messages were a warning to the world not to reject the teaching regarding the ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary. Chapter 28, pages 479–491, “Facing Life’s Record,” presents crucial information regarding our records that are being reviewed in the most holy place during the investigative judgment in our day.

In addition, much more information about the sanctuary is given throughout The Great Controversy. Additional information is found in Patriarchs and Prophets, 343–358; 634–637; The Desire of Ages, 785–801; Acts of the Apostles, 38, 39, 593–602 and Early Writings, 54, 55; 232–236; 237–239; 250–260 which include the first, second and third angels’ messages.

Why should we be in trouble with our understanding of the sanctuary message when all of this information concerning the ministration of Jesus in the sanctuary in heaven is available to us? We are told that Satan is conducting a war against this message. (See Revelation 12:17.) The following is a list of some of the battles he has directed in his effort to destroy these precious truths.

  1. The 1888 General Conference in Minneapolis. This is more tragic in light of the fact that in 1888 the first complete addition of The Great Controversy was published. At that conference, the book was available which contained these four chapters and all of the other information. It was their privilege to make plans to distribute this precious truth to the world at that conference. But this did not happen.
  2. By the turn of the century pantheism was introduced into the second advent movement. Dr. Kellogg began to teach pantheistic concepts to the sanitarium staff. The significance of this is important when you understand that the sanitarium staff had a larger business than the General Conference. It had more people, more employees and more finances than the General Conference itself. The Battle Creek Sanitarium also had a wider sphere of influence. Through Dr. Kellogg’s writings and through students who were trained under him, pantheistic theories spread everywhere. Pantheism teaches that God is in everything. He is in the book, the pew, in nature and in ourselves—all we need to do is to improve the god within us and we will be like God. Thus pantheism obviates the need for an intercessor and makes Christ’s role as high priest pointless. The church was so confused on the sanctuary message that they could not fight the battle, so God took it into His own hand and in 1902 burned down the sanitarium. They could not understand why it burned, so they planned to rebuild it. The officers of the General Conference asked Dr. Kellogg to write a book on medical missionary work to raise funds for a new sanitarium but on one condition. He was not to put anything in there about pantheism. This resulted in the book, The Living Temple.

Ellen White was instructed to tell the leaders not to print that book. Against her counsel, the manuscript was sent to the Review and Herald for publication; they set the type and were ready to run the presses. On December 29, 1902, the Review and Herald Publishing Association burned down. God was fighting the battle Himself to get His church back on the right foundation. Dr. Kellogg was not to be defeated; he went to another publisher in Battle Creek and had the book published himself.

  1. The church had not recovered from this battle when, in 1905, A. F. Ballenger came from England with a whole document on the sanctuary to present to the General Conference. In that document, he asserted that there was no sanctuary in heaven and that the atonement was completed at the cross.

In 1905 Ellen White wrote, “I declare in the name of the Lord that the most dangerous heresies are seeking to find entrance among us as a people, and Elder Ballenger is making spoil of his own soul. … There is not truth in the explanations of Scripture that Elder Ballenger and those associated with him are presenting. The words are right but misapplied to vindicate error.” Manuscript Release No. 760, page 4.

That is exactly what the Jews did in the first advent; that is exactly what the Protestant churches did in the early advent awakening. They accepted error; they misapplied the Scriptures. The article continues,

“God forbids your course of action—making the blessed Scriptures, by grouping them in your way, to testify to build up a falsehood.

“Let us all cling to the established truth of the sanctuary. … The men who have lost their hold on the truths of the sanctuary question … had better pray more and talk less. I testify in the name of the Lord that Elder Ballenger is led by satanic agencies and spiritualistic, invisible leaders.” That was written in 1905. Ellen White died in 1915. Her battle was over, but 15 years later a statement of 22 fundamental beliefs was written in 1931 containing men’s explanations of the Scriptures. It was changed quite a few times, but in 1980, it became an official document of the Seventh-day Adventist church. This document, with the church manual, has become the equivalent of a creed, just like the rest of the Protestant churches have and this statement of beliefs has been changed quite a few times since then.

  1. During this same time Desmond Ford attacked the sanctuary message. He asserted that the atonement was completed at the cross. He basically denied the whole sanctuary message with the same end result as A. F. Ballenger.

However, that was not the end of Satan’s battle against the sanctuary message.

  1. The Evangelical Compromise – Dr. Walter Martin, an Evangelical Christian apologist, published a book in 1955 on cults, in which he indicated his opposition to Adventist teachings in a brief paragraph in the inaugural edition of his book The Rise of the Cults (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1955). Word got to the General Conference that Seventh-day Adventists were being presented to the public as a cult. They did not want that to happen. They wanted to be considered a mainline church. Negotiations were started with Dr. Walter Martin and Dr. Donald Barnhouse on how to state the fundamental beliefs so that the church could be accepted as a mainline church. In his book, Our Evangelical Earthquake (Harvestime Books, Altamont, Tennessee, 2009), Vance Farrell has documented these negotiations and the whole history of that apostasy and fundamental beliefs.

The whole idea of Christ’s blood to atone for sin in the heavenly sanctuary had to be deleted to become a mainline church because of the Evangelicals’ objection to that doctrine and to the first angel’s message.

  1. Spiritual Formation – Today we are in the midst of the worst apostasy yet. Spiritual formation is sweeping the churches. Seventh-day Adventist universities and ministers are being trained and offered degrees in these spiritualistic teachings, which goes directly against the sanctuary message and Christ’s work in the heavenly sanctuary.

We are in a swirl of apostasy today. But we can claim the promise that the sanctuary message will be restored.

“For the past fifty years every phase of heresy has been brought to bear upon us, to becloud our minds regarding the teaching of the Word—especially concerning the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, and the message of heaven for these last days as given by the angels of the fourteenth chapter of Revelation. … But the waymarks which have made us what we are, are to be preserved, and they will be preserved as God has signified through His Word and through the testimony of His Spirit.” Ibid., 7.

No matter how bad the apostasy gets, there will be a remnant that will preserve the new covenant and sanctuary messages.

“He calls upon us to hold firmly, with the grip of faith, to the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable authority. Manuscript 44, 1905.” Ibid.

“The third angel closes his message thus: ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus’ (Revelation 14:12). As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place.” Early Writings, 254.

“The third angel was pointing them to the most holy place, and those who had had an experience in the past messages were pointing them the way to the heavenly sanctuary. Many saw the perfect chain of truth in the angels’ messages, and gladly received them in their order, and followed Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who understand and receive them will be kept from being swept away by the many delusions of Satan.” Ibid., 256.

This anchor—this “perfect chain of truth,” the sanctuary message—is the foundation and central pillar of the Christian faith. Cling to this “perfect chain of truth”—lay hold on that anchor.

These truths “opened to view a complete system of truth, connected and harmonious, showing that God’s hand had directed the great advent movement and revealing present duty as it brought to light the position and work of His people.” The Great Controversy, 423.

“The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill.” Ibid., 488.

If you do not have a clear understanding of the sanctuary message, begin to study it diligently now, because you cannot be a worker for God in the time of the latter rain without understanding it. It is that critical.

The sanctuary message will be restored and will be the center and focus of the latter rain.

“Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures and who have received the love of the truth will be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive. By the Bible testimony these will detect the deceiver in his disguise. To all the testing time will come.” Ibid., 625. “As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. … Then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed.” Ibid., 624.

This is the great final test. We will not have time to get the message straight after the close of probation. We need to get on the right foundation now while Christ is still our Mediator in the heavenly sanctuary.

This is urgent, because we are told that probation will close sooner for the faithful believers, before the loud cry. Those who stand on the true foundation of the new covenant and its sanctuary are sealed at the beginning of the loud cry when the latter rain—the power and glory of the Holy Spirit—is poured out in full measure on the true people of God.

“The light that was shed upon the waiting ones penetrated everywhere, and those in the churches who had any light, who had not heard and rejected the three messages, obeyed the call and left the fallen churches.” Early Writings, 278.

“The time of God’s destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched; his hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time.” The Review and Herald, July 5, 1906.

“While the door is closed to those who would not enter” refers to the foolish virgins that come up to the time of the latter rain and find they are not on the foundation of the sanctuary truth. They do not know what it is about, and they have misconceptions about the sanctuary message.

There is a powerful false sanctuary message today. The difference between the true and the false is simply an understanding of the atonement process during which Christ blots out the sins of His repentant people in the heavenly sanctuary.

The false message talks about Christ’s ministry in the holy place. It may even talk about His ministry in the most holy place and the cleansing of the sanctuary, but it does not talk about the need for confession and separation from sin now. Probation is soon to close and there is little time to get ready. The third angel’s message is all about the new covenant—the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12). We need to give the true third angel’s message that points people to the heavenly sanctuary. If you have not been to the heavenly sanctuary and confessed your own sins, it is impossible to give the third angel’s message. I plead with you today to get on the right foundation with Jesus Christ—the foundation of the new covenant and the sanctuary of the new covenant, Christ’s ministry in the most holy place—and the seven pillars of the faith that rest on this eternal truth. These truths provide an anchor for you, and this anchor will hold during the time of storm soon to break upon us.

The third era of prophecy has been given to help the people in the second advent movement prepare for the time when their name will come up in the judgment, for the close of probation and for eternal life. Each era of prophecy fulfills a specific purpose in the great plan of salvation.

(Emphasis in quoted references has been added. Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New International Version.)

Maurice Hoppe is Director of the Steps to Life training programs and a member of the Steps to Life Board. The Training Program for Ministers and Church Leaders is a correspondence course that prepares individuals to serve as pastors or Bible workers. Preparing for the Final Conflict is a correspondence course for the laity. Both of these courses teach present truth that will be an anchor for the soul during the storm of opposition and persecution just ahead. He and his wife also have a correspondence course offered through Revelation Ministry. He can be contacted at: mauricehoppe@stepstolife.org.

The Heavenly Sanctuary

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The finishing of the mystery of God involves the opening of the second apartment of the temple in heaven wherein is the ark of God’s testament. This is the place where our Lord finishes His priesthood; hence this apartment of the heavenly temple must be the place of that tribunal at which the righteous are acquitted, their sins blotted out, and themselves accounted worthy of the kingdom of God. The temple of God in heaven, and especially its second apartment, is therefore worthy of our most attentive study. The Scriptures contain many explicit testimonies to the existence of the heavenly temple.

“Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is; and let the Lord God be witness against you; the Lord from His holy temple. For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of His place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.” Micah 1:2, 3. (See Psalm 11:4; 2 Samuel 22:7, 8. See also Psalm 18:6, 7; Isaiah 6:1–4.)

“And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” Revelation 11:19. (See Revelation 14:17, 18; 15:5; 16:7.)

Two Holy Places in Heaven

The heavenly temple consists of two holy places. This is proved by many conclusive arguments. The first of these is drawn from the statements respecting the tabernacle erected by Moses. When God called Moses into the mount to receive the tables of the Law (see Exodus 24:12), He first bade him make a sanctuary that He might dwell among them and that the priests might minister in His presence. (See Exodus 25–28.) He also bade him to make an ark to contain the tables of the Law, to be placed in the second apartment of the sanctuary. This building consisted of two holy places (see Exodus 26), and both itself and its sacred vessels were made like the pattern showed in the mount. (See Exodus 25:9.)

“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle; for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.” Hebrews 8:5. (See also Exodus 25:40; 26:30; Acts 7:44.)

The tabernacle thus constructed was a pattern of the heavenly temple. Thus Paul bears testimony:

“It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” Hebrews 9:23, 24

This establishes one plain, incontrovertible argument, that the heavenly temple has two holy places. The temple erected by Solomon furnishes the second argument, and it is of the same character as that drawn from the tabernacle. The temple was a larger and grander building than the tabernacle and differed from it in being an immovable structure; but it was constructed on the same plan, in that it was an edifice consisting of two holy places with sacred vessels of the same kind and occupied with the very same ministration as that which had previously served in the tabernacle. (See 1 Kings 6–8.) This building with its two holy places was a pattern of the heavenly temple, as the words of David and of Solomon declare:

“Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlors thereof, and of the place of the mercyseat, and the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things.” “All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.” 1 Chronicles 28:11, 12, 19

This is a second decisive argument that the heavenly sanctuary has two holy places. The third is drawn from the fact that the plural term “holy places” is used in the designation of the greater and more perfect tabernacle.

The Way of the Holy Places

Thus when Paul says, as expressed in our common version (see Hebrews 8:2), “A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man,” it is literally in the original, “a minister of the holy places.” And thus also when we read respecting the heavenly temple, “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing,” it is literally in the Greek, “the way of the holy places.” Hebrews 9:8. So also where we read of the greater and more perfect tabernacle, in verse 12, that Christ “entered in once into the holy place,” it is also literally “holy places.” Again, in verse 24, we read in our common version the same thing, literally rendered, “the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true,” which last word is plural in the original, showing that there are holy places in the heavenly temple. And again in Hebrews 10:19, the term “holiest” is not, in the original “holy of holies,” as in chapter 9:3, but simply “holy places.” These passages form a most convincing argument that there must be two holy places in the heavenly temple. A fourth argument is found in the fact that each of the two holy places of the heavenly temple is definitely set forth in the description of that building not made with hands.

The first apartment is identified by the things which it contains. When John was called in vision to ascend to the place of God’s throne, the heavenly temple, a door was opened in heaven and the throne of God was revealed to his view. This is manifestly the door of the heavenly temple, for the throne of God which it discloses to view is within that temple. (See Psalm 11:4; Revelation 16:17.) That it was the first apartment of that temple into which he looked is evident from what he saw therein. “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thundering and voices; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” Revelation 4:5. Here is a plain reference to the seven lamps which burned in the first apartment of the earthly sanctuary. (See Leviticus 24:2–4.)

And again, when the seven angels receive the seven trumpets, the scene of vision is still the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. Thus we read:

“And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.” Revelation 8:2, 3

The golden altar stood in the first apartment of the sanctuary, i.e., in the same room with the candlestick on which were the seven lamps. (See Exodus 40:24–26.) The place of God’s throne at the time when the book with the seven seals was delivered to Christ, and also when the seven trumpets were given to the seven angels, is the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. But when the seven vials are delivered into the hands of the seven angels who have the duty of pouring them out, the second apartment of the heavenly temple is opened and they come out from thence to execute the wrath of God upon men. This opening of the holiest takes place under the seventh trumpet.

The Temple Opened

“And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened; and the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth forever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.” Revelation 15:5–8

This opening of the heavenly temple, which is followed by the pouring out of the unmingled wrath of God, is an event connected with the closing up of human probation. And it is certain that we have in this case the opening of the holiest of all, here called the tabernacle of the testimony. The expression, “tabernacle of the testimony,” is a familiar term taken from the Old Testament and is precisely equivalent to “tabernacle of the ten commandments.” In proof of this, take the use of this term in the Bible. We begin with the first use of the Hebrew word gehdooth, and trace it through the books of Moses. Thus it occurs for the first time in Exodus 16:34: “Aaron laid it up before the testimony.” That is to say, he laid up the pot of manna before the ark of the Ten Commandments. (See Hebrews 9:4.) The next is Exodus 25:16: “Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.” This was the Ten Commandments. (See Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 10:4, 5.) Again, “In the ark thou shalt put the testimony,” (see Exodus 25:2), i.e., the Ten Commandments. (See 1 Kings 8:9.) And now the ark itself takes its name from what was put in it. “The two cherubim’s which are upon the ark of the testimony.” Exodus 25:22. “And thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony; and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. And thou shalt put the mercyseat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.” Exodus 26:33, 34. Here we have the ark of the Ten Commandments assigned to the most holy place of the tabernacle and the mercyseat placed over the ark. Presently we shall find that this testimony gives name to the tabernacle itself. As we read onward we find in Exodus 27:21; 30:6, 26, 36; 31:7, 18; 32:15; 34:29, the terms “testimony,” “tables of testimony,” “ark of the testimony,” each time by testimony meaning definitely the Ten Commandments. The term, “tabernacle of testimony,” occurs for the first time in Exodus 38:21.

The Second Apartment

Thus we see that the testimony of the Almighty gives name to the tables on which it was written, to the ark in which the tables were placed, and to the tabernacle itself, whose second apartment received the ark. Next, we thrice read of the ark of the testimony. (See Exodus 39:35; 40:3, 5.) And now we are brought to the acts of Moses in setting up the sanctuary. It is said in Exodus 40:20, “He took and put the testimony into the ark,” i.e., he put the Law of God therein. Then he placed the ark itself within the tabernacle and covered the ark of the testimony by hanging up the second veil. (See Exodus 40:21.) In Leviticus 16:13, the mercyseat is said to be upon the testimony. In Leviticus 24:3, the veil which hides the ark is called the veil of the testimony. Next, we read of the tabernacle of the testimony in Numbers 1:50, 53. Next, of the ark of the testimony. (See Numbers 4:5; 7:89; Joshua 4:16.) Next, of the tent of the testimony (see Numbers 9:15), and of the testimony itself. (See Numbers 17:10.) Next, of the tabernacle of witness, or testimony (for the two words are synonymous). (See Numbers 10:11; 17:7, 8; 18:2.) In all of these texts, it is certain that the Ten Commandments are called the testimony and that they give name to the tables, to the ark, to the veil, and to the tabernacle, especially to the second apartment.

This term has, therefore, a well-defined meaning in the Scriptures. By the testimony, the tables of the testimony, the ark of the testimony, the veil of the testimony, and the tabernacle of the testimony, are meant respectively the Ten Commandments. The term, “tabernacle of witness,” or “testimony,” does therefore definitely signify the tabernacle of the Ten Commandments. Now it is remarkable that this term occurs twice in the New Testament. In Acts 7:44, the tabernacle of witness, i.e., of the Ten Commandments, is mentioned, referring to the earthly sanctuary; and in Revelation 15:5, the heavenly sanctuary is designated by this same term, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven; and we have proved conclusively that this is equivalent to the temple of the tabernacle of the Ten Commandments in heaven.

This text is therefore a plain reference to the most holy place of the heavenly temple and to the Law of God deposited therein, which gives name to the building. This apartment of the heavenly temple is opened just prior to the pouring out of the plagues. But we have a second statement of the opening of the most holy place of the temple in heaven. Thus we read of the events under the seventh trumpet:

“And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” Revelation 11:19

Here is disclosed to our view the second apartment of the heavenly temple, and here is shown the grand central object, which gives name to the tabernacle itself. It is the ark of God, sometimes called the ark of the covenant, or testament (see Numbers 10:33; Hebrews 9:4), and sometimes the ark of the testimony (see Exodus 25:22). It is because the heavenly temple contains the ark of God’s testimony that it is itself called the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven. And the ark itself is not empty; it contains what Revelation 11:19 calls God’s testament and what Revelation 15:5 calls “the testimony in heaven.” These two terms must signify the Ten Commandments and cannot signify anything else.

The Work of Judgment

The existence of the temple in heaven and the fact that it has two holy places, like the sanctuary of the first covenant, have been clearly proved. The judgment work in the second apartment remains to engage our attention.

When Paul says, in Romans 2:6, that God “will render to every man according to his deeds,” he adds in the next verse this important statement: “To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.” Now it is manifest that this work of rendering to every man according to his deeds can only be wrought after the examination of those deeds in the judgment. It must be in consequence of the decision of the judgment that the things promised are rendered to men. It is also evident that the gift of immortality is one of the things thus rendered. As the righteous receive this gift in the very act of being resurrected from the grave, it is certain that the decision of the judgment passes upon them before the voice of the archangel and the trump of God awaken them to immortal life.

This part of the judgment work takes place where our Lord finishes His priesthood; for His last work as Priest is to secure the acquittal of His people and to obtain the decision that their sins shall be blotted out. We have learned from the Scriptures that the heavenly temple has two holy places. A further examination will evince the fact that there are two parts to the ministration of Christ and that His last work is at the tribunal of His Father in the tabernacle of the testimony, where it is determined who shall receive immortality.

The Levitical Example

The Levitical priests served “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” Hebrews 8:5. The most important part of the service pertaining to the earthly sanctuary was that which was performed within the second apartment on the tenth day of the seventh month. (See Leviticus 16.) This is generally considered as typifying the events of the whole gospel dispensation. But we think the evidence conclusive that this chapter is a typical representation of that part of our Lord’s work which is embraced in the hour of God’s judgment, or in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he begins to sound.

The sixteenth chapter of Leviticus is devoted solely to the work of finishing the yearly round of service in the earthly sanctuary. This was wrought on the great day of atonement and was of the most impressive character. First, the high priest was solemnly admonished that he was such only in a typical sense and not such in reality. For on this day, which was by far the most impressive of all and when he entered the most holy place of the sanctuary, he must put on the plainest and humblest dress, laying aside that splendid dress which the law prescribed for him to wear on other occasions. (See Leviticus 16:4 compared with Exodus 28.) He was also to make a public acknowledgment of his own sinfulness by proceeding to offer a sin offering for himself. (See Leviticus 16:3, 6, 11–14.) No part of this can be typical of our Lord’s work, for it was expressly designed to impress upon the mind the infirmity and sinfulness of the high priest.

But this being accomplished, the high priest entered upon that work which directly shadowed forth the work of atonement. He took from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering. (See Leviticus 16:5.) On these two goats he was to cast lots; one lot was for the goat to be sacrificed and one for the scapegoat. Then he slew the goat upon which the lot fell for a sacrifice, and with his blood he entered into the second apartment of the sanctuary. This blood he sprinkled before the mercyseat and upon it. He did this for two purposes: (1) to make atonement for the people; (2) to cleanse the sanctuary by removing from it the sins of the people of God. Then the high priest returned into the first apartment and cleansed the altar from the sins of the people. The sanctuary being cleansed, the high priest comes out of the door of the building, and, having caused the live goat to be brought, he lays both his hands upon his head and confesses over him all the transgressions of the children of Israel in all their sins. These he puts upon the head of the goat and sends him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness. The goat thus sent bears away all their iniquities into a land not inhabited. (See Leviticus 16:7–10, 15–22.)
The End

The Final Generation, part 4

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The religious journal, Christianity Today, states in the March 3, 1958 issue that “the Adventists today are contending vigorously that they are truly evangelical. They want to appear to be so regarded.” Mentioning this book Questions on Doctrines, it says that this “is the Adventist answer to the question whether it ought to be thought of as a sect or a fellow evangelical denomination.” It states further that “the book” is published in an effort to convince the religious world that we are evangelical and one of them.

This is a most interesting and dangerous situation. As one official who was not in favor of what was being done stated to me: “We are being sold down the river.” What a sight for heaven and earth! The church of the living God, which has been given the commission to preach the gospel to every creature under heaven and call men to come out of Babylon, is now standing at the door of these churches asking permission to enter and become one of them. How are the mighty fallen! Had their plans succeeded, we might now be a member of some evangelical association and no longer a distinctive Seventh-day Adventist Church, in secrecy “sold down the river.” This is more than apostasy. This is giving up Adventism. It is the rape of a whole people. It is denying God’s leading in the past. It is the fulfillment of what the Spirit of Prophecy said years ago: “The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. . . . Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement.” Selected Messages, book 1, 204.

“’Be not deceived; many shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.’ We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature.” Ibid., 197.

“When men standing in the position of leaders and teachers work under the power of spiritualistic ideas and sophistries, shall we keep silent, for fear of injuring their influence, while souls are being beguiled? . . . Those who feel so very peaceable in regard to the works of the men, who are spoiling the faith of the people of God, are guided by a delusive sentiment.” Series B, no. 2, 9, 11.

“Renewed energy is now needed. Vigilant action is called for. Indifference and sloth will result in the loss of personal religion and of heaven. . . . My message to you is: No longer consent to listen without protest to the perversion of truth. . . . We must firmly refuse to be drawn away from the platform of eternal truth, which since 1844 has stood the test.” Selected Messages, book 1, 195, 196, 199, 200.

“I hesitated and delayed about the sending out of that which the Spirit of the Lord impelled me to write. I did not want to be compelled to present the misleading influence of these sophistries. But in the providence of God, the errors that have been coming in must be met.” Ibid., 205.

“What influence is it that would lead men at this stage of our history to work in an underhanded, powerful way to tear down the foundation of our faith—the foundation that was laid at the beginning of our work by prayerful study of the Word and by revelation? Upon this foundation we have been building for the past fifty years. Do you wonder that when I see the beginning of a work that would remove some of the pillars of our faith, I have something to say? I must obey the command, ‘Meet it!’” Ibid., 207, 208.

All this was written to meet the apostasy in the alpha period. We are now in the omega period which Sister White said would come and would be of a “startling nature.” Her words are even more applicable now than then. It is time to stand up and be counted.

Christ’s death on the cross corresponded to the moment when on the Day of Atonement the high priest had just killed the Lord’s goat in the court. The death of the goat was necessary; for without its blood, there could be no atonement. But the death itself was not the atonement, though it was the first and necessary step. Sister White states that the “atonement commenced on earth.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 261. Says the Scripture: “It is the blood that maketh atonement.” Leviticus 17:11. And, of course, there could be no blood until after the death had taken place. Without a blood ministration, the people would be in the same position as those who on the Passover slew the lamb but failed to place the blood on the doorposts. “When I see the blood,” said God, “I will pass over you.” Exodus 12:13. The death was useless without the ministration of the blood. It was the blood that counted.

It is the blood that is to be applied, not “an act,” “a great act,” “a sacrificial act,” “an atoning act,” “the act of the cross,” “the benefits of the act of the cross,” “the benefits of the atonement,” all of which expressions are used in Questions on Doctrine, while any reference to the blood is carefully avoided. It is not an act of any kind that is to be applied. It is the blood. Yet in all of the one-hundred pages dealing with the atonement, in the book, not once is the blood spoken of as being applied or ministered.

Blood Atonement

Here are some expressions from the Spirit of Prophecy in regard to the blood atonement:

“Jesus was clothed with priestly garments. He gazed in pity on the remnant, then raised His hands, and with a voice of deep pity cried, ‘My blood, Father, My blood, My blood, My blood.’” Early Writings, 38.

“He appears in the presence of God as our great High Priest, ready to accept the repentance, and to answer the prayers of His people, and through the merits of His own righteousness, to present them to the Father. He raises His wounded hands to God, and claims their blood-bought pardon. I have graven them on the palms of My hands, He pleads. Those memorial wounds of My humiliation and anguish secure to My church the best gifts of Omnipotence.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 261, 262.

“The ark that enshrines the tables of the Law is covered with the mercy seat, before which Christ pleads His blood in the sinner’s behalf.” The Great Controversy, 415.

“When in the typical service the high priest left the holy on the Day of Atonement, he went in before God to present the blood of the sin offering in behalf of all Israel who truly repented of their sins. So Christ had only completed one part of His work as our intercessor, to enter upon another portion of the work, and He still pleaded His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners.” Ibid., 429.

Christ is “now officiating before the ark of God, pleading His blood in behalf of sinners.” Ibid., 433.

“Christ, the great High Priest, pleading His blood before the Father in the sinner’s behalf, bears upon His heart the name of every repentant, believing soul.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 351.

“As Christ at His ascension appeared in the presence of God to plead His blood in behalf of penitent believers, so the priest in the daily ministration sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice in the holy place in the sinner’s behalf. The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the Law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement.” Ibid., 357.

The Final Atonement

“The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son. Christ was to complete His work, and fulfill His pledge to ‘make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.’” The Desire of Ages, 790.

When Christ says in His High Priestly prayer, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” (John 17:4), Sister White comments: “He had wrought out a righteous character on earth as an example for man to follow.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 260.

In working out this righteous character, Christ demonstrated that it could be done. But could others do the same? That needed to be demonstrated also.

Character is not created, it is developed through manifold tests, temptations, and trials. God at first gives a light test, then a little stronger one until, little by little, resistance to temptations grows stronger. After a time, certain temptations cease to be temptations.

Holiness is not attained in a day. “Redemption is that process by which the soul is trained for heaven.” The Desire of Ages, 330. A man may gain victories every day but still may not have attained. Even Paul had to admit, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.” Undaunted he exclaims, “But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12.

Christ had pledged to make men overcomers. It was no easy task, but the work of atonement was not finished until and unless He did it. Out of the last generation, out of the weakest of the weak, Christ selects a group with which to make the demonstration that man can overcome as He overcame. In the 144,000, Christ will stand justified and glorified. They prove that it is possible for man to live a life pleasing to God until all conditions and that man can at last stand “in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor.” The Great Controversy, 614. As a husband and wife are one, so now are Christ and the church. The at-one-ment, the true atonement, the final atonement, the complete atonement has been made. “The family of heaven and the family of earth are one.” The Desire of Ages, 835.

The 144,000

Practically all Adventists have read the last few chapters in The Great Controversy which describe the fearful struggle through which God’s people will pass before the end. As Christ was tried to the utmost in the temptations in the wilderness and in the garden of Gethsemane, so the 144,000 will likewise be tried. They will apparently be left to perish, as their prayers remain unanswered as were Christ’s in Gethsemane when His petitions were denied. But their faith will not fail. With Job they exclaim, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Job 13:15.

The final demonstration of what God can do in humanity is made in the last generation who bear all of the infirmities and weaknesses which the race has acquired through six thousand years of sin and transgression. In the words of Sister White, they bore “the results of the working of the great law of heredity.” The Desire of Ages, 49. The weakest of mankind are to be subjected to the strongest of Satan’s temptations, that the power of God might be abundantly shown. “It was an hour of fearful, terrible agony to the saints. Day and night they cried unto God for deliverance. To outward appearance, there was no possibility of their escape.” Early Writings, 283.

According to the new theology which our leaders have accepted and are now teaching, the 144,000 will be subjected to a temptation immeasurably stronger than any that Christ ever experienced. For while the last generation will bear the weaknesses and passions of their forefathers, they claim that Christ was exempt from all of these. Christ, we are told, did not inherit any of the passions “that corrupt the natural descendants of Adam.” Questions on Doctrine, 383. He was, therefore, functioning on a higher and altogether different level from men who have to battle with inherited passions; hence, He does not know and has not experienced the real power of sin. But this is not the kind of Saviour that I need. I need One who was “in all points tempted like as we are.” Hebrews 4:15. The “substitute Christ” which our leaders present to us, I must reject and do reject. Thank God that “we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Ibid.

Indictment Against God

But more than even this is involved in the new theology; it places an indictment against God as the Author of a scheme to deceive both men and Satan. Here is the situation:

Satan has consistently maintained that God is unjust in requiring men to obey His Law, which he claims is impossible to do. God has maintained that it can be done; and to substantiate His claim, offered to send His Son to this world to prove His contention. The Son did come, kept the Law, and challenged men to convince Him of sin. He was found to be sinless, holy, and without blame. He proved that the Law could be kept and God stood vindicated; His requirement that men keep His commandments was found to be just. God had won, and Satan was defeated.

But there was a hitch in this; for Satan claimed that God had not played fair, He had favored His Son and had exempted Christ “from the inherited passions and pollutions that corrupt the natural descendants of Adam.” Questions on Doctrine, 383. He had not only exempted mankind in general, but Christ only. That, of course, invalidated Christ’s work on earth. He was no longer one of us who had demonstrated the power of God to keep men from sinning. He was a deceiver of whom God had given preferred treatment and was not afflicted with inherited passions as men are.

Satan had little difficulty in having men accept this view; the Catholic Church accepted it; in due time, the Evangelicals gave their consent; and in 1956, the leaders of the Adventist Church also adopted this view. It was the matter of “exemption” that caused Peter to take Christ aside and say, “Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee,” which so raised the wrath of Christ that He told Peter, “Get thee behind Me, Satan.” Matthew 16:22, 23. Christ did not want to be exempt. He told Peter, “Thou savourest not the things that be of God.” Ibid. So some today savor not the things of God. They think it merely a matter of semantics. God pity such and open their eyes to the things that be of God. With the surrender of the Adventist leaders to the monstrous doctrine of an “exempt” Christ, Satan’s last opposition has surrendered. We pray again, may God save His people.

The Bible is mostly a record of the protest of God’s witnesses against the prevailing sins of the church and also of their apparent failure. Practically all protesters sealed their testimony with their blood, and the church went on until God intervened. All Paul hoped was that he might “save some.” I Corinthians 9:22. Practically all of the apostles died martyrs, and Christ they hanged on a tree. It took forty years before the destruction came; but when God intervened, He did thorough work.

This denomination needs to go back to the instruction given in 1888, which was scorned. We need a reform in organization that will not permit a few men to direct every move made everywhere in the world. We need a reform that will not permit a few men to handle finances as is not being done. We need a reform that will not permit men to spend millions on institutions not authorized by the vote of the constituency, while mission fields are suffering for want of the barest necessities. We need a change in the emphasis that is given to promotion, finances, and statistics. We need to restore the Sabbath School to it rightful place in the work of God. We need to put a stop to the entertainments and suppers that are creeping in under the guise of raising money for good purposes. We need to put a stop to the weekly announcements in church that are merely disguised advertisements. This list could be greatly enlarged.

But all of these, while important, are, after all, only minor things. We need a reformation and revival most of all. If our leaders will not lead in this, “then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place.” Esther 4:14. I am of good cheer, praying for the peace of Israel.

Letters to the Churches, The Heavenly Ministration of Christ

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“Letters have been coming in to me, affirming that Christ could not have had the same nature as man, for if He had, He would have fallen under similar temptations. If He did not have man’s nature, He could not be our example. If He was not a partaker of our nature, He could not have been tempted, as man has been. If it were not possible for Him to yield to temptation, He could not be our helper. It was a solemn reality that Christ came to fight the battles as man, in man’s behalf. His temptation and victory tell us that humanity must copy the Pattern; man must become a partaker of the divine nature.” Review and Herald, February 18, 1890.

We were appalled to learn that in some way these evangelical clergymen have had enough influence over our leaders to cause the Voice of Prophecy and Signs of the Times to trim their sails to “avoid charges that have been brought against them by evangelicals.” This is terrifying news. These organs are instruments of God, and it is unbelievable that the leaders should permit any outside influence to affect them. In this great sin against the denomination has been committed that can be blotted out only by deep repentance of the guilty parties, or in lieu of this, that the men concerned, quietly resign from holy office.

Our members are largely unaware of the conditions existing, and every effort is being made to keep them in ignorance. Orders have been issued to keep everything secret, and it will be noted that even at the late General Conference session (1958), no report was given of our leaders’ trafficking with the evangelicals and making alliances with them. Our officials are playing with fire, and the resulting conflagration will fulfill the prediction that the coming Omega “will be of a most startling nature.”

Seven times, I have asked for a hearing, and I have been promised one, but only on condition that I meet privately with certain men and that no record be given me of the proceedings. I have asked for a public hearing, or if it is to be a private one, that a tape recording be made, and that I be given a copy. This has been denied me. As I cannot have such a hearing, I am writing of these messages which contain, and will contain what I would have said at such a hearing. Can the reader surmise the reason why the officers do not want the hearing I ask?

I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I love this message that I have preached for so long. I grieve deeply as I see the foundation pillars being destroyed, the blessed truths that have made us what we are, abandoned.

According to the minutes of the Board of Trustees at the White Estate, it was on the first day of May, 1957, when two men, members of the committee which had been appointed to write the book which came to be known as Questions on Doctrine, were invited by the board to meet with them to discuss a question that had received some consideration at a meeting the previous January. It concerned statements made by Mrs. White in regard to the atonement now in progress in the sanctuary above. This conception did not agree with the conclusions reached by the leaders of the denomination in counsel with the evangelicals.

At these conferences with the evangelicals, they objected to our teaching on the Investigative Judgment which Dr. Barnhouse characterized as “the most colossal, psychological, face-saving phenomenon in religious history.”

Dr. Barnhouse reported that he and Mr. Martin heard the Adventist leaders say flatly, that they repudiated all such extremes. This they said in no uncertain terms. Some of their earlier teachers taught that Jesus’ atoning work was not completed on Calvary, but instead that He had been carrying on a second ministerial work since 1844. The Adventist leaders also stated that they did not believe this teaching.

About the time when the two men first visited the vault, a series of articles appeared in the Ministry, which claimed to be “the Adventist understanding of atonement, confirmed and illuminated and clarified by the Spirit of Prophecy.” In the February issue, 1957, the statement occurs that the “sacrificial act on the cross (is) a complete, perfect and final atonement for man’s sin.” This pronouncement is in harmony with the belief of our leaders as Dr. Barnhouse quoted them. It is also in harmony with a statement signed by a chief officer in a personal letter: “You cannot, Brother Andreasen, take away from us this precious teaching that Jesus made a complete and all-sufficient atoning sacrifice from the cross. . . . This we shall ever hold fast, and continue to proclaim it, even as our dear venerated forefathers in the faith.

It would interesting if the writer would produce proof of his assertion. The truth is that our forefathers believed and proclaimed no such thing. They did not believe that the work on the cross was complete and all sufficient. They did believe that a ransom was there paid, and that this was all-sufficient; but the final atonement awaited Christ’s entrance into the most holy in 1844. This the Adventists have always taught and believed, and this is the old and established doctrine, which our venerated forefathers believed and proclaimed. They could not teach that the atonement on the cross was final, complete and all sufficient, and yet believe that another atonement, also final, occurred in 1844. Such would be absurd and meaningless. Paying the penalty for our sins was, indeed, a vital and necessary part of God’s plan for our salvation, but it was by no means all. It was, as it were, placing in the bank of heaven, a sum sufficient and in every way adequate for any contingency, and which could be drawn on by and for each individual as needed. This payment was “the precious blood of Christ, as of the lamb, without blemish and without spot.” I Peter 1:19. In his death on the cross, Jesus “paid it all;” but the precious treasure becomes efficacious for us only as Christ draws upon it for us, and this must await the coming into the world of each individual; hence, the atonement must continue as long as people are born. Hear this:

“There is an inexhaustible fund of perfect obedience accruing from His obedience. How is it, that such an infinite treasure is not appropriated? In heaven, the merits of Christ, His self-denial and self-sacrifice, are treasured up as incense, to be offered up with the prayers of His people.” General Conference Bulletin, vol. 3, 101, 102, Fourth Quarter, 1899.

Note the phrases: “inexhaustible fund,” “infinite treasure,” “merits of Christ.” This fund was deposited at the cross, but not “used up” there. It is “treasured up” and offered up with the prayers of God’s people. And especially since 1844 is this fund drawn on heavily as God’s people advance to holiness; but it is not exhausted, there is sufficient and to spare. Here again, “He, who through His own atonement, provided for them an infinite fund of moral power, will not fail to employ this power in their behalf. He will impute to them His own righteousness. . . . There is an inexhaustible fund of perfect obedience accruing from His obedience. . . as sincere, humble prayers are sent to the throne of God, Christ mingles with them the merits of His own life of perfect obedience. Our prayers are made fragrant by this incense. Christ has pledged Himself to intercede in our behalf and the Father always hears His Son.” Ibid.

When we pray, this very year of 1959, Christ intercedes for us and mingles with our prayers “the merits of His own life of perfect obedience. Our prayers are made fragrant by this incense . . . and the Father always hears His Son.”

Contrast this with the statement in Questions on Doctrine, 381: “(Jesus) appeared in the presence of God for us. . . . But it was not with the hope of attaining something for us at that time or at some future time. No! He had already obtained it for us on the cross.” [Emphasis his.] Note the picture: Christ appears in the presence of God for us. He pleads, but He gets nothing. For 1800 years He pleads, and gets nothing. Does He not know that He already has it? Will no one inform Him that it is useless to plead? He Himself has “no hope” of getting anything now or at any future time, and yet He pleads, and keeps on pleading? What a sight for the angels! And this is representative of Adventist teaching! This is the book that has the approval of Adventist leaders and is sent out to the world to show what we believe. May God forgive us.

Thank God this is not Adventist doctrine! Hear this from Sister White, as quoted above: “Christ has pledged Himself to intercede in our behalf and the Father always hears His Son.” This is Christianity and the other is not!

Shall we remain silent under such conditions? Asks Sister White.

“For the past 50 years every phase of heresy has been brought to bear upon us . . . especially concerning the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. . . . Do you wonder that when I see the beginning of a work that would remove some of the pillars of our faith, I have something to say? I must obey the command, ‘Meet it.’” Series B, No. 2, 58.

Again: “The enemy of souls that has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church would be discarded. The fundamental truths that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. . . . Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement.” Ibid., 54, 55.

“Shall we keep silent for fear of hurting their feelings? . . . Shall we keep silent for fear of injuring their influence while souls are being beguiled?. . . My message is: No longer consent to listen without protest to the perversion of truth.” [Emphasis ours.] Ibid., 9, 15.

Ellen White makes definite pronouncements in regard to the atoning work of Christ now in progress in the heavenly sanctuary. For example, “At the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844, Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to perform the closing work of atonement, preparatory to His coming.” The Great Controversy, 422. “Christ had only completed one part of His work as our Intercessor to enter upon another portion of the work, and He still pleaded His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners.” Ibid., 429. At “the opening of the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary in 1844, (as) Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement, they saw that He was now officiating before the ark of God, pleading His blood in behalf of sinners.” Ibid., 433.

“Christ is represented as continually standing at the altar, momentarily offering up the sacrifice for the sins of the world. . . . A Mediator is essential because of the continual commission of sin. . . . Jesus presents the oblation offered for every offense and every shortcoming of the sinner.” Manuscript 50, 1900.

These statements are definite. It was at the end of the 2300 days, in 1844, that Christ entered the most holy “to perform the closing work of the atonement.” He had ONLY COMPLETED ONE PART OF HIS WORK as our Intercessor” in the first apartment. Now He “enters upon another portion of the work.” He pleads “His blood before the Father.” He is “continually standing at the altar.” This is necessary “because of the continual commission of sin.” “Jesus presents the oblation for every offense and every shortcoming of the sinner.” This argues a continuing, present atonement. He offers up “momentarily.” “Jesus presents the oblation offered for every offense.” “He ever liveth to make intercession for them..” Hebrews 7:25.

It is presumed that when the two men stated that they had “become acutely aware of E. G. White statements which indicated that the atoning work of Christ is now in progress in the sanctuary,” that they had read the quotations here given and perhaps others. In view of this knowledge, what did they suggest should be done? Would they change their former erroneous opinions and harmonize with the plain words of the Spirit of Prophecy? No, on the contrary, they “suggested to the trustees that some footnotes or Appendix notes might appear in certain of the E. G. White books clarifying very largely on the words of Ellen White, our understanding of the various phases of the atoning work of Christ.” Minutes 1483.

The claim which Questions on Doctrine makes, that she means what she does not say, effectively destroys the force of all she has every written. If we have to consult an inspired interpreter from Washington before knowing what she means, we might better discard the Testimonies altogether. May God save His people. [Months later when the vote was taken by the White Estate Board, the request mentioned above was not granted.]

The men who visited the vault on May 1, stated clearly that they had discovered that Mrs. White taught plainly “that the atoning work of Christ is now in progress in the heavenly sanctuary.” On the other hand, the Ministry of February, 1957, stated the very opposite. It said that the “sacrificial act on the cross (is) a complete, perfect and final atonement for men’s sins.” Questions on Doctrine attempts to reconcile these opposing views by stating that whether one “hears an Adventist say, or reads in Adventist literature—even in the writings of Ellen G. White—that Christ is making atonement now, it should be understood that we mean simply that Christ is now making application,” etc., 354, 355. It is clear that if the atonement on the cross was final, there cannot be a later atonement also final. When we therefore, for one hundred years, have preached that the day of atonement began in 1844, we were wrong. It ended 1800 years before. The hundreds of books we have published; the more than a million copies of Bible Readings we have sold; the millions of handbills we have distributed saying that it was “court week in heaven,” were all false doctrine; the Bible instruction we have given the children and the young ministry and which they have imbibed as Bible truth, is a fable. Uriah Smith, Loughborough, Andrews, Andross, Watson, Daniells, Branson, Johnson, Lacey, Spicer, Haskell, Gilbert, and a host of others stand convicted of having taught false doctrine; and the whole denomination whose chief contribution to Christianity is the sanctuary doctrine and Christ’s ministry, must now confess that we were all wrong, and that we have no message to the world for these last days. In other words, we are a deceived and deceiving people. The fact that we may have been honest does not alter the fact that we have given a false message. Take away from us the sanctuary question, the Investigative Judgment, the message of the 2300 days, Christ’s work in the most holy, and we have no right to exist as a denominated people, as God’s messengers to a doomed world. If the Spirit of Prophecy has led us astray these many years, let us throw it away.

But no! Halt! God has not led us astray. We have not told cunningly devised fables. We have a message that will stand the test and confound the undermining theories that are finding their way in among us. In this instance, it is not the people that have gone astray except as they have followed the leaders. It is time that there be a turn-about.

It is now more than four years ago that the apostasy began to be plainly evident. Since that time there has been a deliberate attempt to weaken the faith in the Spirit of Prophecy, as it is clear that as long as the people revere the gift among us, they cannot be led far astray. The time for action has come. The time to open up the dark corners has arrived. There must no longer by any secret agreements, no compact with other denominations who hate the law and the Sabbath, who ridicule our most holy faith. We must no longer hobnob with enemies of the truth, no more promise that we will not proselytize. We must not tolerate leadership which condones tampering with the writings entrusted to us, and stigmatizes us as belonging to the lunatic fringe, those who dare disagree with them. We must no longer remain silent. To they tents, Oh Israel!