- Sep 23, 2005
- 31,991
- 5,854
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
Daniel 7 does not show an investigative judgment of individual professed believers
Adventists assert that Daniel 7 shows a pre-advent judgment on professed believers in God. However, when reading Daniel 7 it is clear the judgment is on the beasts/nations and the little horn, not on professed believers of God. After describing the first three beasts, we see:
7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
9 “I watched till thrones were ]put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;
10 A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated,
And the books were opened.
11 “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
This is a judgment on powers. The beast was slain. The others had their dominion removed. God has always judged nations throughout time. This does not picture a judgment on individual professed believers.
Nor does this describe the Adventist investigative judgment notion that Ellen White expresses:
So in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and takes place at a later period. Great Controversy Chapter 28
In Daniel 7 you have judgment on nations that the Adventist church identifies as Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, etc. Babylon and Persia, etc. were certainly not all professed followers of God. This does not meet the criteria that Ellen White spelled out. And it is a judgment on powers, rather than individuals.
Later in the passage we see the following statement about the saints:
22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
The saints are delivered from the beast by the Ancient of Days. They are here stated as a group. And this statement summarizes all the way to them possessing the kingdom, which is after the second coming.
The beast is killed at Jesus' coming:
Revelation 19:19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
The summary statement in Daniel 7:22 extends to the time of this incident of the killing of the beast, and beyond. Which means that it extends beyond the second coming, to the time when the saints inherit the kingdom.
And the plain texts indicate that while God judged the beast prior to its destruction, the judgment of the saints happens at Jesus' coming.
Rom 14:10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;
Rom 14:11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
Rom 14:12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
We stand before the judgment seat
We bow
We confess
We give an account.
You cannot stand, bow, confess or give an account if you are not present, as in the Adventist IJ. This is an in-person judgment before Christ.
1Co 4:5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
Jesus discloses the purposes of the heart when He comes.
These texts all spell out that there is an individual judgment, but it is at the second coming of Christ, and occurs in person before Him.
Adventists assert that Daniel 7 shows a pre-advent judgment on professed believers in God. However, when reading Daniel 7 it is clear the judgment is on the beasts/nations and the little horn, not on professed believers of God. After describing the first three beasts, we see:
7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
9 “I watched till thrones were ]put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;
10 A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated,
And the books were opened.
11 “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
This is a judgment on powers. The beast was slain. The others had their dominion removed. God has always judged nations throughout time. This does not picture a judgment on individual professed believers.
Nor does this describe the Adventist investigative judgment notion that Ellen White expresses:
So in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and takes place at a later period. Great Controversy Chapter 28
In Daniel 7 you have judgment on nations that the Adventist church identifies as Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, etc. Babylon and Persia, etc. were certainly not all professed followers of God. This does not meet the criteria that Ellen White spelled out. And it is a judgment on powers, rather than individuals.
Later in the passage we see the following statement about the saints:
22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
The saints are delivered from the beast by the Ancient of Days. They are here stated as a group. And this statement summarizes all the way to them possessing the kingdom, which is after the second coming.
The beast is killed at Jesus' coming:
Revelation 19:19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
The summary statement in Daniel 7:22 extends to the time of this incident of the killing of the beast, and beyond. Which means that it extends beyond the second coming, to the time when the saints inherit the kingdom.
And the plain texts indicate that while God judged the beast prior to its destruction, the judgment of the saints happens at Jesus' coming.
Rom 14:10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;
Rom 14:11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
Rom 14:12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
We stand before the judgment seat
We bow
We confess
We give an account.
You cannot stand, bow, confess or give an account if you are not present, as in the Adventist IJ. This is an in-person judgment before Christ.
1Co 4:5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
Jesus discloses the purposes of the heart when He comes.
These texts all spell out that there is an individual judgment, but it is at the second coming of Christ, and occurs in person before Him.
Upvote
0