Not The Millennium Falcon…Just The Millennium
I can't help myself, the inner teacher comes out. In writing out my notes for an outline I realized that a lot of people do not actually take the time to know what they believe or espouse to believe. I admit that this was me, as of 6 years ago I started on a journey and never could I have imagined where I am at today. So, be fully prepared to be inundated with random facsimiles on theology, beliefs, and ideas as I wrap up some video content outlines, and a book project for the publisher.
Today's theological thought comes to the realm of eschatology.
Seventh-day Adventism and the Millennium...
There are 4 dominant views within Christianity regarding the eschatology of the world, end times, and the millennium mentioned in Revelation.
Dispensational Premillennialism
Historical Premillennialism
Amillennialism
Postmillennialism
With the popularity of the film series ‘Left Behind’ and it’s accompanying books, as well as the rise in Social Media Commentators and preachers espousing words like rapture, tribulation, prophecy, the end of times is at the forefront of many people’s thoughts. Interestingly enough, whenever I have surveyed Seventh-day Adventist members, many have an idea of what the end times look like, however, eight to nine out of ten do not actually know what Seventh-day Adventist eschatology actually comprises.
Dispensationalism or Dispensational Premillennialism is probably the newest eschatological school of thought, having been developed in the early nineteenth century and coming into popularity in the 1860’s. Historical Premillennialism is the oldest eschatological school with discourses dating back to the end of the first century AD.
So, what do Seventh-day Adventist’s believe as far as eschatology and does this relate to the other schools of Christian eschatology?
Is Jesus the Eschaton?
Yes, eschaton is the Greek word meaning the catalyst or causation for the last times, or as we in the modern English world would say, the end times. All schools believe in Jesus as the catalyst that brings about the End.
Will Jesus physically return?
Yes, all schools of thought believe Christ will return physically to this pale blue dot of a planet called Earth in a second advent.
When will Jesus return?
Seventh-day Adventists believe in a hybrid between Historical Premillennialists and Amillennialists. There is a believed time of intense persecution of Christians, especially Sabbath observant Christians by a collective of secular entities and Sunday observant entities, led by Roman Catholicism. However, it needs to be noted that the intensity of this persecution is contradicting and localized to the United States, and brought about by the passing of a ‘Sunday Law.’ The most popular basis for an intense persecution rivaled by the Middle Ages and the late Roman empire’s persecuting efforts is based off Ellen White’s vision as described in A Word to the Little Flock, from 1847. Over time, the intensity of the persecution was considerably lessoned and is then described as merely being a nuisance to Sabbath keeping Christians, especially Seventh-day Adventists. This is seen in one of Ellen White’s final and authoritative instructions in Testimonies vol. 9, Chapter 28. Here, Ellen White instructs, via a prophetic vision again in 1909, that as Seventh-day Adventists there is to be every effort to have religious services on Sunday, and to observe Sunday as a day of rest, outlined by the ‘Sunday Law,’ while still observing Saturday as Sabbath.
Does the rapture and second advent occur at the same time?
Yes. Seventh-day Adventists are in agreement with Historical Premillennialists, Amillennialists, and Postmillennialists. Dispensational Premilleninialists believe the rapture occurs before 7 years (pre-tribulation rapture) or 3.5 years (mid-tribulation rapture), then the second coming of Christ.
Will there be a literal 1,000 year millennium?
Yes. It should be noted that no eschatological school agrees on what the millennium described in Revelation looks like and where it takes place. Dispensational and Historical schools believe in a literal 1,000 years, however that occurs on earth. The other two schools hold to a figurative time. Seventh-day Adventists believe that the millennium occurs in a very literal sense of 1,000 years, but up in heaven. Dispensationalists and Seventh-day Adventists agree that the righteous come back to earth after a rapture.
Who is saved?
Christians. Here is where many Seventh-day Adventists get into arguments, threats of apostasy, and being Jesuit plants, among other accusations. Most Adventists hold the belief that only Adventists will be saved, admitting that a few 'ignorant' Christians who did not have the chance to accept the truth of the Seventh-day Adventist message will also be saved. However, this view is again based on earlier views and writings by Ellen White. Later views and writings of Ellen White describe Sabbath keeping Christians and not simply Seventh-day Adventists alone as being saved, along with many sincere Sunday observant Christians, even many Catholics. Ellen White even describes seeing a great many ‘nominal’ Seventh-day Adventists facing eternal judgement.
