Questions to Ask Seventh-Day Adventists

Israel

Seventh-day Adventists believe they have replaced the Jews as Israel. They do not believe the natural Jews have a place in God’s plan any more. Consider the following prophecies about natural Israel and ask Adventists how the scriptures can apply to them.

• The land of Palestine will be given back to natural Israel forever (Jer. 32:31­-34; Ezk. 36:19-24; 37:21-28). When did the Adventists ever have the land before?
• In the latter days, Israel will be brought back to their land from among the nations where God scattered them for disobedience to His law and command­ments (Isa. 11:10-16; Jer. 31:10; Ezk. 28:25; 36:21-38; Hos. 5:15). When were Adventists scattered from the land of Israel for their disobedience?
• In the latter days, Israel will not be two nations any more (Ezk. 37:19-28). When were Adventists ever two nations?
• In Romans 11, Paul testifies that “all Israel shall be saved” (Rom. 11:26). The Israel of whom Paul is speaking has the following characteristics: “Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and dogged down thine altars” (v. 3). “God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear” (v. 8). They have been cast away that reconciliation might be available to the world (v.15). “Because of unbelief they were broken off’ of the olive tree of God’s blessings (v. 20). When have any of these things been true of Adventists?

The earth during the millennium

Adventists teach the saved will go to heaven for 1,000 years while Satan controls the earth.

• Before Jesus’ birth, Gabriel said to Mary: “The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:30-33). Where is the throne of David but in Jerusalem? Who is the house of Jacob but the Jewish people?
• Isaiah prophesies: “In the last days…out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares…nation shall not lift up sword against nation” (Isa. 2:2-4). If these events will not occur during the millennium, when will they occur?
• Revelation 20:2-5 speaks of Satan being bound during the millennium “that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled.” Who are the nations that he will not be deceiving and who will be deceived at the end of the 1,000 years?
• The saved reign with Christ a thousand years. Whom do they reign over?
• Zechariah claims, “Every one that is left of all nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 14:16). Has this ever happened? When will it happen if not during the millennium?

Calling Jesus “God the Creator”

Adventists teach that Jesus is God who in Genesis 1:1 “created the heaven and the earth.” They support this with Genesis 1:26: “Let us make man in our image.”

Using the same word “God,” which in original Hebrew is Elohim, how was Moses “god” to Pharaoh in Exodus 7:1? Why were angels called “God” (Gen. 32:24-30; Judg. 6:22; 13:6-21; Hos. 12:3-4)? Why were judges of Israel referred to as “gods,” in Psalms 82:1-7 cited by Jesus (John 10:30-36)?

A holy and most holy place in heaven

Adventists believe that prior to 1844, Jesus was in the holy place in heaven. “In 1844, Christ entered into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary just as the earthly priest entered the most holy place (into God’s presence) in the earthly sanctuary on the day of Atonement.” When he did so, Jesus supposedly atoned for the sins of the church and began the “Investigative Judgment.” (Quotes are from Adventist Bible Commentary.)

• If Christ did not enter the presence of the Father until 1844, what does the Bible mean: “By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us…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” (Heb. 9:12,24)? Why doesn’t the “presence of God” equal the most holy place in the physical tabernacle?
• “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:12, cf. Eph. 1:20). Was the “right hand of God” in another compartment in heaven? How could Christ get any closer to the presence of God than to be sitting at His right hand?

Cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary

Adventists believe that in 1844, Jesus had to cleanse the heavenly sanctuary using Daniel 8:14 as support.

• The Hebrew word in Daniel is “nitsadaq” which means “justify, vindicate, avenge” (Strong’s Concordance). What in heaven needs cleansing? Christ’s atoning blood washed our sins 1900 years ago (Rev. 1:5; 7:14). So what was vindicated?

Necessity of keeping seventh-day sabbath

Seventh-Day Adventists believe that Saturday is the true sabbath God gave to man to be kept from the days of Adam and is binding on all believers today.

• If the sabbath law is binding on Gentile believers, why is it termed, “the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones…a ministration of condemnation” (II Cor. 3:3-14)?
• The priests worked twice as hard on the sabbath. Where was their rest? (Lev. 8:35-36). Are Christians not the “royal priesthood,” ministering seven days a week? (I Peter 2:5,9).
• Paul warns: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days” (Col. 2:16). Why would he say this if it were a deliberate sin not to keep the seventh-day sabbath?
• If the sabbath is to be a special day of worship to the Lord, why would Paul say, “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Rom. 14:5)?

Questions and comments would be welcome. Write to:

Bible Truth,
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Armstrong, BC
Canada VOE 1B0.