The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

Prophecy not Sealed

The uninformed say they are unlearned, and therefore cannot understand the prophecies. On the other hand, many of the educated, and some of them among the ministry, say: “The prophecies are sealed, and cannot be understood. We all know that the book of Revelation is a sealed book.” GSAM 29.1

In the Revelation, the beloved John was given a special command not to seal the book. ²⁴ Also in this book a blessing is pronounced upon those that “hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.” ²⁵ How could the things contained in a sealed book be kept if they were not, and could not be, understood? The Lord said by Moses, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” ²⁶ GSAM 29.2

That the Lord designed the prophecies of Daniel to be understood is evident from his words to his disciples respecting them. We read: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him understand),” ²⁷ that virtually says, Understand Daniel the prophet. GSAM 29.3

The Lord exposes the fallacy of the claim that prophecy cannot be understood, in these words: “The vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed: and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” ²⁸ Had the people to whom the prophet here refers followed the sure word of prophecy, they need not have drifted away from God’s law, and substituted for his precepts the commandments of men. GSAM 29.4