WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN 1844
By: Martin Eldon
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Web-site: www.babylonforsaken.com
1st Printing Sept. 2003
All Scripture is taken from the King James Bible unless otherwise noted.
ASV – American Standard Version
BBE – The Bible in Basic English
DBY – Darby Bible
GNB – Good News Bible
GWTB – God’s Word
JPS – Jewish Publication Society Bible
NCV – New Century Version
NLT – New Living Translation
LXX – Septuagint
RSV – Revised Standard Version
RV – Revised Version
WEY – Weymouths Translation
YLT – Youngs Literal Translation
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN 1844?
How shall we explain the doctrine of 1844 that has changed so much over the years in the mind of the Adventist Denomination? I will give but a short summary for the details would take pages and pages, which I will not devote to this particular study. But the reader if he wishes to see the greater of details can read my article that is entitled ‘The Shut Door’*. Here is the summary. A Baptist Preacher named William Miller preached that Jesus Christ would return to gather His saints and to destroy the earth in the year 1843. He preached this message mostly in the North Eastern United States, though the message had its followers in small numbers in the West and South. It also reached up into Canada, and to a portion of Europe. He based his calculation upon 15 points of prophecy, the most significant being the ‘2300 days’ of Daniel chapter eight. When Jesus did not return in 1843, William Miller recalculated his findings, and said the Lord would definitely return in October of 1844. Those of you familiar with Gods word can see that Mr. Miller was teaching contrary to the instructions of Christ; for Christ had warned us that no man knows the day of His return. Jesus also plainly stated that He would not return till the gospel was published in all nations. The continent of Africa, India, the Middle East and China had not yet received the word of God. If Mr. Miller had heeded the warning of Jesus, he would not have preached a message with the exact date of Christ’s return.
In 1844, there were about 50,000 in North America who believed that Jesus indeed was returning that October. History bares witness that Christ did not return, and when the day came and passed most of these people returned to their nominal churches. Even William Miller himself finally admitted that he was wrong, and that no prophecy was fulfilled in the year of 1844. Yet there were a few in the Advent movement who would not admit their mistake; they held that something had indeed happened in 1844. Jesus didn’t come to the earth, but He entered into the ‘Most Holy Place’ of the Heavenly Sanctuary; where He would do His final work of ‘cleansing’ for His Saints, but the poor sinner and backslider and the Christian who heard Miller’s message, and did not accept it were forever shut out from the mercy of GOD. O.R.L. Crosier (who later admitted his doctrine was in error) was the first to print this view, which was substantiated by the “visions” of Hiram Edison and one Ellen White. With this a new date for Christ’s return was given, and that was the year 1851. Again history bares witness that Jesus did not return in that year either; so their doctrine was again modified. They then began to teach that all those who heard the message of Miller and rejected it were eternally lost, but every one else could be saved, IF they believe that in 1844 that Jesus entered the Most Holy Place to begin making atonement for the transgression of his people, or in other words the person had to believe that no sin was blotted out of the heavenly record books until 1844. They taught those who did not acknowledge this and tried to pray to God, were actually praying to Satan {DS, March 14, 1846 par. 1}.
Dear reader, I would hope that these men and women were sincere in their beliefs when they spread this message, but unfortunately as sincere as they may have been they were sincerely wrong. I can come to no other conclusion; yet there are so many who have placed their faith in a group of people who would not admit that the message they taught was wrong, and they sincerely believe that 1844 was the greatest event in the plan of Salvation since the day of Pentecost! It is to them, and to all who wish to know the truth about this doctrine that I write this. I am sure there are going to be people who simply from reading the introduction, will be ready to lay this study down and call it a work of Satan. I ask you dear reader to read this article through, pull out your Bible and your Bible alone and pray that GOD will show you the truth from His Word. My friend if you interpret the Bible through the writings of Sister White, then you are no better than the Catholic who must interpret the Bible through their church tradition. I pray that you will be a Berean, and that you are noble enough toward GOD that you will be willing to study and see if these things that I write are so.
*See Appendix A
WHICH ROOM OF THE SANCTUARY DID JESUS ASCEND TO?
Before we begin this section I would like to explain that I am indeed a believer in the heavenly sanctuary and the work of Jesus Christ as our High Priest, which is essential to the salvation of man. These things are not questionable to the Bible believer. Yet I am certain that the Adventist Doctrine, which teaches that Jesus did not enter the Most Holy Room of the Heavenly Sanctuary until the year 1844 is a dangerous false doctrine that is not based upon the Bible. I believe the Bible is very clear on the subject of where Jesus Christ ascended; He ascended into the heavens to sit at the right hand of GOD. He is now in the heavenly temple or sanctuary making intercession for His children. To understand this heavenly temple we can simply look at the scale model, which is the earthly sanctuary. The earthly sanctuary consisted of two rooms, the first called the holy place, which contained the lamp stand, the table of shewbread, and the altar of incense. The second which is called the Most Holy Place or the Holiest of All, contained the ark of the covenant (which held the 10 commandments), which had the mercy seat above it, and was overshadowed by two angels. Most will readily agree that the Mercy Seat represents the throne of GOD. Thus if Christ ascended to the right hand of GOD, to appear in His presence for us, then He entered the Most Holy Place.
Yet there are those who believe and teach that Christ did not enter the Most Holy Place at His ascension, but only recently entered there. They tell us the throne was moved into the first compartment until 1844, when it was moved back into the Most Holy Place.
The question is dear reader, does the Bible support such a doctrine? Let us investigate; the chief point made in the book of Hebrews is the fact that Christ as our High Priest is at the right hand of God’s throne.
"Now in the things we are saying, the chief point is this: We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man." Hebrews 8:1 (RSV)
The next question is, which apartment of the heavenly sanctuary contains the throne of God? Which apartment is the "throne room" of Jehovah?
In the Mosaic sanctuary, the pattern of the true tabernacle, the throne of God abode in the second apartment, which is seen in the following verses.
"Let them make me a tabernacle that I may dwell among them." Exodus 25:8.
"And thou shalt put the mercy seat ABOVE UPON THE ARK, and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony which I shall give thee. And THERE will I meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are UPON THE ARK of the testament, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." Exodus 25:21-23.
Inasmuch as the Mosaic tabernacle was a shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, it follows that the "throne-room" of God in the heavenly sanctuary is in the second apartment.
How do the SDA teachers explain this undeniable truth? They simply teach that throne was moved to the first room when Christ ascended. Now think dear reader, if GOD’s throne, which was established above the Ark of the Covenant was moved, then the Most Holy Place was left empty, void of all furniture for 1800 years. This is not biblical and this also does violence to the type by putting all the furniture of the heavenly sanctuary in one apartment and leaving the Holy of Holies empty.
Other Adventist teachers have suggested that God left the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place, as He set in the first room of the sanctuary for 1800 years. This idea brings up several valid questions; which Brother Ballenger posed in his book “Cast out for the cross of Christ” 1909, I will repeat his questions.
“1st. If God moved His throne into the first apartment at the ascension of Christ, and left the sacred ark enshrining His law and covered by themercy seat, did He move the center of salvation away from the law and mercy seat into another apartment?
2nd. Did God minister pardon for eighteen centuries from a throne which was not the mercy seat but which was separated from that mercy seat by a separating veil?
3rd. Did God minister the gospel for eighteen centuries from a seat whose foundation was not his eternal law, from a throne which was divorced from that law by a veil of separation?
4th. Did God pardon sin from another seat than the one which is the habitation of justice and judgment?
5th. If God could minister the gospel for eighteen centuries divorced from the law, why can He not continue to do it; as taught by the No-Law advocates?
6th. Did Christ as High Priest plead His blood for eighteen centuries before a throne whose foundation was not the broken law which demanded the transgressor's blood?
7th. Did Christ minister His blood before a throne where mercy and truth did not meet together, and where righteousness and peace did not kiss each other?
Does the reader not see that this doctrine which moves the throne from the Holy of Holies into the first apart-ment, divorces God and His Son from the mercy seat and the law, and changes the center of God's government and gospel from the mercy-covered law in the Holy of Holies to the first apartment which according to the type never contained either law or mercy seat; and that for a period of eighteen hundred years?” (IBID)
WHERE IS THE THRONE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION
An attempt is often made by SDA theologians to find scriptural proof that Christ sat upon the throne with His Father in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary until 1844. The Scriptures that they use are the following:
"And behold there was a throne set in heaven and one sitting upon the throne. . . And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne." Revelation 4:2,5. R.V.
"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 8:3
It is argued by SDA theologians, that inasmuch as the candlestick and the altar of incense were articles of the first apartment of the earthly sanctuary, then John had to be peering into the first compartment of the heavenly sanctuary; and in that first compartment, he saw the throne of GOD!
Yet this conclusion isn’t necessary; one may just as consistently argue that since the ark or the typical abode of the throne was always in the second apartment, then the altar and candlestick had to be moved into the second compartment since John saw all three at the same time. Yet both of these explanations are faulty.
No doubt the candlestick and altar were in the exact position they occupied in Moses’ Sanctuary, and the throne was in its exact position also. For the Candle stick and the altar were always considered to abide “Before the ark” or throne. "the golden altar for incense before the ark" (Exodus 40:5).
The reader now may ask, how could John see both the throne and the altar at the same time, since there is a veil that separates the two rooms? For the simple reason, when Christ died the veil of the earthly temple was torn in two, to symbolize the rending of the heavenly veil; so that the Great High Priest may enter through the veil with his own blood; to appear in the presence of GOD for us. And now dear reader we must not think that the Church of Christ had been separated from the throne of Grace for 1800 years by a thick curtain; but rather WE HAVE FREE ACCESS to the throne, through the person of Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 10:19-23 ¶ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
DOES HEBREWS TEACH JESUS ENTERED THE SECOND COMPARTMENT
The casual reader of the book of Hebrews will quickly see that the writer taught that Christ entered the Most Holy place at His ascension; yet the supporters of the 1844 doctrine tell us that if we look at the ‘Greek’ in the book of Hebrews we will see that He merely entered the first compartment. I would like for you dear friend to see if this is so… Does the Greek support this doctrine, or does it teach that Christ entered the Most Holy Place at His ascension?