Keep on Preaching

After the Great Disappointment, a remnant of Adventists continued to faithfully dig into Scripture, and God blessed them. Did Christ not, after all, do the same for His disciples on the road to Emmaus, when “He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27)? And were their eyes not “opened”? (v. 31).

Further study revealed to the Adventists that they had gotten the date correct but the event wrong. The sanctuary did begin to be cleansed in 1844, but the sanctuary is not a symbol for the earth—it is the literal sanctuary in heaven. Scripture confirms it: After His resurrection, Christ ascended to the heavenly sanctuary (Daniel 7:13; Acts 1:9–11) and has, ever since, been at work in it as our High Priest (Hebrews 8:1, 2; 9:11, 12). Scripture tells us that in order to cleanse the sanctuary, the high priest must enter into the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary (Leviticus 16).

The Adventists’ belief in Christ’s soon advent was correct, but they had erred in its timing. The apostles’ belief in Christ as the Messiah was correct; it was their understanding of His mission that was in error. Christ is the Savior of the world, and He is coming back soon. That message was never wrong.

Just as the apostles were commissioned by Christ to boldly proclaim the gospel to the then-known world (Matthew 28:19, 20), so did Christ command the Adventist remnant to “prophesy again” (emphasis added). Do you believe in the advent message? Then Christ’s call is for you.

What is that message? We’ve learned that, originally, the Adventists preached the first and second angels’ messages of Revelation 14. Thus, it follows that we are to proclaim these same messages again—but also the full three angels’ messages. Indeed, in today’s verse, this proclamation is to go to “many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings,” a direct reference to the three angels’ messages, which are likewise to be preached “to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6).

Lord, I have experienced many disappointments but lift my thoughts heavenward and fill my life with the power of the Holy Spirit to share Your Word with others.

For Further Study: Psalm 119:46; Mark 13:9–11; 1 Corinthians 14:3

Key Bible Texts

And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. (Revelation 10:11 KJV)