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Pre-Advent Judgment
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Ron Corson
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Nov 19, 2004 19:10 PST
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After listening to both the Pineknoll and Amazing Facts SS lessons I
can't help but wonder what happened to exogesis. Both studies began with
the assumed fact that traditional SDA's views on Daniel 8 are
incontrovertable. Of course we are the only denomination in history that
has these views. It is frustrating.
The lesson says for WEDNESDAY November 17
"Vindication and Condemnation: The Little Horn, the Saints and the
Pre-Advent Judgment
If the judgment in Daniel 7 is really about the saints, why is it
depicted in the context of the persecuting little horn?
Good question, and the answer, very briefly, can be found in the Hebrew
concept of justice and judgment, which involves not only the vindication
of the innocent but the punishment of the guilty. The little horn does
its evil against God's people; ultimately, there is a judgment that not
only vindicates the Lord's people—" 'and judgment was passed in favor of
the saints' " (Dan. 7:22, NASB, emphasis supplied)—but that bring the
wicked little horn to final justice: "But the judgment shall sit, and
the [the saints] shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy
it unto the end" (vs. 26).
In other words, in the context of the pre-Advent judgment, the depiction
of the demise of the little horn, the symbol of evil, makes perfect
sense. It's no mystery that they are linked. It's typical in the Hebrew
understanding of justice, judgment, and vindication: All occur together.
"
This is really all we know. The horn power is what is judged. It is not
the people of God...the memory text that is used is taken out of context
and inserted here again out of context. There is no Biblical mention of
books which record the sins or actions of people. In fact according to 1
Cor 13 love keeps no record of wrongs. There is also no mention in the
Bible of other unfallen Beigns other then angels. And Angels are the
servants of God and not in the business of questioning God. Satan does
but there is no record of any other angels doing that. So it is a big
leap to assume that this whole scene is an investigative judgment for
the sake of the unfallen universe of which the Bible is silent. The
verses the lesson uses to try and support it view have never in all the
history of Christianity until the SDA's been used to say there are
unfallen worlds. Certainly such an idea was entirely foreign to the
writers of the Bible.
(Dan 7:23 NIV) "He gave me this explanation: 'The fourth beast is a
fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all
the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down
and crushing it.
(Dan 7:24 NIV) The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this
kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier
ones; he will subdue three kings.
(Dan 7:25 NIV) He will speak against the Most High and oppress his
saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be
handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
(Dan 7:26 NIV) "'But the court will sit, and his power will be taken
away and completely destroyed forever.
After listening to the Amazing Facts lesson I heard how the power would
be temporarily taken away. Despite what verse 26 says. Because the Bible
does not fit their pre-advent judgment they seem to often feel that they
can discount it. But that is only eisegesis and it should always be
avoided because it is a type of false logic.
Hopefully I will have more time for next week's lessons. Just remember a
few of the Biblical facts as opposed to the lessons and traditions which
are found in poor suppositions based upon a face saving device by early
SDA's to explain why their Bible interpretations did not come to pass.
And read the passage in 1 Peter below and see just how deceptively the
lesson has used it. Context is always important.
"(1 Pet 4:15 NIV) If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or
thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.
(1 Pet 4:16 NIV) However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be
ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
(1 Pet 4:17 NIV) For it is time for judgment to begin with the family
of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who
do not obey the gospel of God?
(1 Pet 4:18 NIV) And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"
(1 Pet 4:19 NIV) So then, those who suffer according to God's will
should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do
good."
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