The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4
IV. Systematic Exposition of Daniel Emerges
An epitome of Smith’s systematic interpretation of prophecy, first of Daniel and then of the Revelation, must suffice. This is drawn from the early editions of his verse-by-verse commentaries, Thoughts on Daniel and Thoughts on the Revelation—hence specific page reference will not be given. (For the over-all view of his entire exposition, and for comparison with the other pioneer Adventist expositions, see comprehensive tabular chart on pp. 1118, 1119.) PFF4 1117.2
1. FOLLOWS CLASSIC PROTESTANT PATTERN ON Daniel 2
Drafting upon the imposing strength of centuries of tested exposition, Smith follows the standard Historical School interpretation for Daniel 2—the four successive world kingdoms, from Babylon’s symbolic head of gold on down to the iron legs of Rome, with the feet and toes standing for the ten kingdoms, first medieval and then modern, into which Rome was divided after the breakup. 24 The stone, he held, is Christ’s kingdom, soon to be set up by divine interposition, apart from human agency, at His glorious second coming. 25 It then becomes the great eternal “mountain”—the everlasting kingdom of God that fills the earth and has no end. This sequence of kingdoms, and their climax, was foundational to all succeeding outline prophecies. PFF4 1117.3
Picture 2: DANIEL: LEADING POSITIONS OF PRINCIPAL SABBATARIAN ADVENTISTS - 1844-1875
Unlike the composite positions of any previous period or group of expositors, there was virtually no variance of belief on the fundamental points of all major aspects of Daniel, as is evident from a scrutiny of this tabular listing of the positions of the Sabbatarian Adventists. Upon careful review, the interpretation of Daniel was taken over almost intact from the final positions of the scholarly Millerite writers in the seventh-month phase of the movement. That involved the culmination of Daniel’s grand line of time in the autumn of 1844, instead of within the Jewish sacred year “1843.” And all related or consequent changes were made accordingly. A few explanations will clarify: The general abbreviations are essentially the same, but “H-V-O,” under the “3 Horns” of Daniel 7, stands for “Heruli, Vandals, Ostrogoths.” No page in the text is cited, as these positions are often gathered from various pages, and details on the chart are frequently from supplemental writings-books, pamphlets, periodicals, and occasionally a manuscript. Differences were minor-whether the “daily” be paganism, or the high priestly ministry of Christ; and whether the king of the north, of Daniel 11:45, be the Papacy or Turkey. On essentials there was unity. More study was given by the sabbatarian adventists to the book of revelation than had been the case with the millerites. Painstaking consideration was given to all its component prophecies-the seven churches, seals, trumpets, witnesses, and the earthquake, the symbolic women, beasts, angelic messengers, and vials, Babylon and its fall, the millennium and the new earth. But this was more for the perfecting and revision of detail, as the rugged outlines had been built up through the centuries. The area of special study and development was Revelation 13 to 17, and more particularly the specifications embraced in the third angel’s message. These involved the identity of the second as well as the first beast, the image, mark, number, and name, the time of the plagues, and the duration of the torment. In the matter of the millennium the location of the saints during the thousand years had special consideration, and aspects of the new heaven and new earth. Theirs was basically a reaffirmation of the clearly established positions of the centuries, and now the related end events of the several prophecies all climaxing in the last days. They strove for a consistent and harmonious understanding of the whole.
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2. Daniel 7-FROM BABYLON TO LAST JUDGMENT
The four living beasts of Daniel 7, for generations past likewise believed by Protestant scholars to symbolize the same four world powers, are so interpreted by Smith, with the ten horns standing for the same ten kingdoms emerging from Rome’s breakup, and with the Little Horn as the cunning and powerful Papacy, 26 as most early Protestants had most vigorously held, both in the Old World and in the New. The three opposing horns that were plucked up are listed as the Ostrogoths, Vandals, and Heruli. The three and one-half “times,” also as commonly recognized, constitute the special period allotted in prophecy for the Papacy’s spiritual supremacy, extending, according to Smith, from A.D. 538 to 1798, thus ending with the French proclamation of Rome as a republic, the brief imprisonment of the pope, and the abolishing of the power of the Papacy for a short time. Transcendent judgment scenes close this vital chapter, the great assize taking place just before the end. Such was the climax of this second great outline prophecy. PFF4 1120.1
3. Daniel 8-FROM PERSIA THROUGH TO THE ADVENT
The ram and swift-moving he-goat of Daniel 8, identified by Daniel himself as symbols of Medo-Persia and Grecia, with the goat’s “notable horn” as Alexander the Great, fade into the background before the exploits of the “exceedingly great” horn, conceded both logically and historically to be Rome, pagan and papal. The “daily” Smith personally believed to be the paganism of Rome. And the vast 2300 year-day period extended, he believed, from the autumn of 457 B.C. to the autumn of A.D. 1844. The events extending from that time to the end embrace the cleansing of the sanctuary, or investigative judgment, the close of human probation, the second advent of Christ, the resurrection of the righteous dead, and the translation of the righteous living. This was the culminating and key prophecy for the Adventists, and upon this all were agreed. PFF4 1120.2
4. 70 WEEKS CLIMAX WITH CHRIST’S MINISTRY
The 70 weeks of years clearly reach to the Messiah, as hundreds of illustrious scholars, both Catholic and Protestant, had insisted. Even the Jews held them to be years. These, Smith taught, extend from 457 B.C. to A.D. 34, and constitute the first segment of the 2300 year-days—“cut off” for the Jews—and leading to the first phase of Christ’s high priestly ministry, which began in the heavenly sanctuary, just after His atoning death and ascension in the “midst” of the seventieth week of years. This, Smith held, occurred in the spring of A.D. 31-the seventieth week extend ing from the autumn of A.D. 27 to the autumn of A.D. 34. This too had previously been taught by many and various scholars. PFF4 1121.1
5. Daniel 11-FIXES UPON TURKEY AS KING OF NORTH
On Daniel 11, Smith took the “willful” king to be France at the time of the French Revolution-an ascendant atheistical power operative near the beginning of the “time of the end.” And the later king of the north, he came to believe, is now Turkey, which occupies the territory once held by the original king of the north, and includes Syria, Thrace, and Asia Minor. In this he differed from White and certain other Adventist writers. PFF4 1121.2
6. Daniel 12-PORTRAYAL OF CONVERGING LAST EVENTS
According to Smith, in Daniel 12 the closing events include the king of the north as coming “to his end,” Christ ceasing His high priestly ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, with the attendant close of probation. Then follow the time of trouble, the falling of the seven last plagues, the breaking up of the nations, the special resurrection, the return of Christ in power and glory, the general resurrection of the righteous, and entry upon the millennial thousand years as set forth in the Apocalypse. And then, at their close, comes the resurrection of the wicked. The 1260 days are the allotted years of special papal supremacy, previously assigned by many as from A.D. 538 to 1798. And Smith believed the related 1290 days to be years from A.D. 508—when he understood that paganism gave way to the Papacy—likewise ending in 1798, at which time the medieval supremacy of the Papacy terminated. PFF4 1121.3
The 1335 years were similarly believed to begin with A.D. 508 and to end in 1843—Miller’s original, unrevised position. 27 And the “time of the end” Smith reckoned as beginning in 1798. This too had been held by many. His was therefore a balanced synthesis of the views of the ablest scholars of the centuries, buttressed by the best investigation of the recent decades. 28 Such was Smith’s systematic exposition of Daniel—and Smith was the outstanding expositor of the early Seventh-day Adventists. PFF4 1122.1