BEWARE THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT: A CUNNINGLY DEVISED FABLE! By Pastor Leonardo Balberan

 

The Investigative Judgment doctrine, unique to Seventh-day Adventism, claims that in October 1844, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary to begin a pre-Advent judgment of professed believers. Rooted in a failed prediction by William Miller that Christ would return in 1844, this theology was salvaged by Ellen White and her circle by spiritualizing the prophecy into a celestial investigative process. This article exposes the Investigative Judgment as a theological construct built upon flawed hermeneutics, misused Hebrew and Greek terms, and a complete misreading of both the covenantal context of Scripture and the finished work of Christ. It aims to dismantle the doctrine through rigorous lexical, exegetical, historical, and contextual scrutiny.

I. THE FLAWED FOUNDATION OF OCTOBER 1844: CORNFIELD THEOLOGY

The origin of the Investigative Judgment doctrine is not a product of sound biblical exegesis but of disappointment and crisis management. After Miller's prediction that Christ would return in October 1844 failed, a small group of followers, while walking through a cornfield (not a Bible college), claimed to receive a new revelation. They proposed that instead of Christ returning to earth, He transitioned into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary to begin a judgment. This reinterpretation was not driven by scriptural evidence but by the need to preserve credibility after a failed prophecy. Thus, it is rightly called "cornfield theology." It was born not from the inspired Word, but from desperation and a desire to preserve a religious movement. No New Testament author mentions a delayed judgment starting in heaven centuries after the ascension of Christ.

II. DANIEL 8:14: HERMENEUTICAL ABUSE AND LEXICAL MISUSE

The centerpiece of the Investigative Judgment doctrine is Daniel 8:14: "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." SDA theology interprets the "sanctuary" as the heavenly sanctuary and the "cleansing" as Christ's beginning of investigative judgment. This interpretation collapses under honest scrutiny.

A. Lexical Analysis: "Cleansed" (Hebrew: וְנִצְדָּק wəniṣdaq)

The SDA interpretation insists that the word "cleansed" (as in Yom Kippur purification) supports their sanctuary motif. However, the Hebrew word used here is צָדַק (tsadaq), meaning to justify, make right, or restore, not the word typically used for ritual cleansing, which would be טָהֵר (taher). The Septuagint renders Daniel 8:14 as καὶ ἀδικία ἀρθήσεται, meaning that unrighteousness shall be removed, which indicates moral vindication, not liturgical cleansing. There is no lexical basis to tie Daniel 8:14 with Leviticus 16 or the Day of Atonement.

B. Contextual Analysis

Daniel 8 is a vision about the Medo-Persian and Grecian empires. The “little horn” arises from one of the four horns of the goat (Greece), not from the fourth beast of Daniel 7. It clearly represents Antiochus IV Epiphanes, not Rome, and certainly not a yet-to-be-revealed antichrist. The 2,300 evenings and mornings in verse 14 refer to the duration of desecration of the temple, which historically aligns with the desecration by Antiochus from 171 to 165 BC. The term “evenings and mornings” corresponds to the daily sacrifices (Exodus 29:38-39), not years. There is no scriptural warrant to convert these to 2,300 years. This day-for-a-year principle is applied arbitrarily and inconsistently.

III. THE MISUSE OF THE DAY-FOR-A-YEAR PRINCIPLE

The SDA use of Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34 as support for converting prophetic days into years is exegetically irresponsible. Both contexts are punitive, symbolic, and restricted to specific prophetic acts. The Bible never applies this method to Daniel 8:14. Moreover, the seventy weeks prophecy in Daniel 9 is a separate vision that came after Daniel 8, not an interpretive key to it. They are linked thematically by the sanctuary, but not chronologically or exegetically in the way SDA doctrine insists.

IV. COLOSSEUM OF ERROR: COLOSSEUM OF TEXTUAL COLLAPSE

A. Hebrews 9 and 10: The Death Blow to Investigative Judgment

Hebrews 9:12 says, "He entered once for all into the holy places… having obtained eternal redemption." The Greek word for “entered” is εἰσῆλθεν (eisēlthen), an aorist tense verb, indicating a completed past action. Jesus entered the Most Holy Place at His ascension, not in 1844. Verse 24 affirms, “Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands…but into heaven itself.” There is no two-phase entry. Hebrews 10:12 states, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.” The perfect tense in Greek (ἐκάθισεν) emphasizes a finished, ongoing reality. No room for a delayed atonement or ongoing investigative phase remains.

Hebrews 9:26 says Christ appeared “at the end of the ages” (ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων) to put away sin once and for all by the sacrifice of Himself. This definitively puts the finality of atonement at the cross, not in an 1844 heavenly courtroom.

V. HISTORICAL BLINDNESS AND COVENANTAL IGNORANCE

The SDA doctrine ignores the entire biblical theology of the New Covenant, which does not center on repeated ceremonial patterns but on the finished work of Christ. Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:6-13 declare the Old Covenant obsolete. The Ten Commandments, being the core of the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 34:28), are not carried over as a binding legal code. The New Covenant is written on hearts, not stone tablets (2 Corinthians 3:3), and is mediated by Christ, not by angels or Levitical priests.

Galatians 3:24-25 declares that the Law was our tutor until Christ came. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under that tutor. The term “until” (ἄχρι) marks a definite end point. Those who hold to a continuing investigative process tied to Sinai principles are clinging to a system that Paul says has been surpassed and fulfilled.

VI. THE JUDGMENT IN THE NEW COVENANT

Romans 8:1 declares, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The word κατάκριμα means legal condemnation. Christ’s atonement has already settled the matter judicially. In John 5:24, Jesus said, “Whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life.” The verb μεταβέβηκεν (has passed) is a perfect tense, a completed past action with continuing results. This dismantles any idea of a future investigative process deciding salvation.

The final judgment described in Revelation 20 is declarative, not investigative. The names in the Book of Life are not evaluated posthumously to determine eligibility but are recorded because of Christ’s righteousness imputed to believers. There is no pre-Advent probation period in the apostolic teaching.

VII. THE GOSPEL IS FINAL, NOT CONDITIONAL

The Investigative Judgment doctrine is a theological scaffolding that collapses under the weight of sound biblical interpretation. It imposes a conditional, fear-based uncertainty upon the believer that contradicts the assurance offered in the New Covenant. It denies the telos (goal or fulfillment) of the law in Christ (Romans 10:4) and replaces grace with a system of spiritual insecurity.

The October 1844 reinterpretation of prophecy is not prophetic insight but crisis-driven revisionism. It bears all the hallmarks of theological desperation rather than biblical illumination. The New Covenant has no room for cornfield theology and no need for a secondary phase of atonement. Christ's blood speaks a better word, one of finality, assurance, and complete justification.

To cling to Investigative Judgment is to refuse the veil-lifting light of the gospel and to camp at Sinai long after the cloud has moved to Calvary.

Is Today’s Israel Still God’s Chosen People? A Doctrinal Position from Former Adventists Philippines

Introduction

The question of modern Israel’s status in God’s redemptive plan continues to stir debate among Christians, especially in light of ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts and prophetic speculation. Many claim that Israel, as a nation, remains God’s chosen covenant people and that modern geopolitical events involving Israel fulfill end-time biblical prophecy.

The Former Adventists Philippines (FAP), embracing a consistent Partial Preterist, New Covenant Theology (NCT), and Reformed Arminian framework, holds a biblically grounded perspective on this issue, centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ and the nature of the New Covenant.

Romans 11:25–29 in Context

The Apostle Paul, in Romans 9–11, addresses the tragic unbelief of ethnic Israel and God’s sovereign purposes through it. In Romans 11:25–29, he reveals a “mystery” — that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has entered the kingdom.

Many have interpreted “all Israel will be saved” (v. 26) to mean either a future national conversion of Israel or ongoing prophetic significance for modern ethnic Israel. However, from the Partial Preterist and NCT perspective:

• “All Israel” refers to the totality of God’s elect people, including both believing Jews and Gentiles, united under the New Covenant in Christ.

• The promises made to Israel in the Old Covenant era were fulfilled in Jesus Christ and now apply to those who are in Christ by faith.

As Paul earlier clarifies:

"Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac." Romans 9:6-7 (CSB)

This establishes a distinction between ethnic Israel and the spiritual Israel of God — the Church.

The Partial Preterist Interpretation

Partial Preterists affirm that many of Israel’s prophetic promises and judgments, including those involving national Israel, were fulfilled in the first century, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (cf. Matthew 24:34).

Romans 11 addresses:

• The hardening of Israel in Paul’s day

• The inclusion of Gentiles into the covenant blessings

• The eventual salvation of elect Jews who come to faith in Christ

The “all Israel” being saved is not a reference to modern Israel as a political nation but to the full number of the redeemed from both Jews and Gentiles under the reign of Christ.

New Covenant Theology: The One People of God

New Covenant Theology teaches that the Old Covenant has been abolished (Hebrews 8:13), and God’s promises now find their fulfillment in the New Covenant community — the Church.

According to NCT:

• There’s one people of God: those united to Christ by faith, regardless of ethnicity.

• Ethnic Israel no longer holds special covenantal status apart from faith in Jesus.

• The designation “chosen people” is now applied to the Church, both Jewish and Gentile believers.

As Paul writes:

"And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:29 (CSB)

Reformed Arminianism and Salvation for All Peoples

Reformed Arminian theology upholds both God’s sovereign election and human responsibility. Within this view:

• Israel’s hardening was judicial, partial, and purposeful — to open the way for Gentile inclusion.

• Individual Jews, like Gentiles, can still be saved through faith in Christ alone.
  
  
• God’s call remains open to ethnic Israelites, but they have no distinct redemptive advantage apart from the gospel.

"Since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him." Romans 10:12 (CSB)

Doctrinal Conclusion

The Former Adventists Philippines affirm the following:

• Modern ethnic Israel, as a political nation, is not God’s chosen covenant people today.
  
  
• The promises made to Israel under the Old Covenant were fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

• Under the New Covenant, the Church — composed of both believing Jews and Gentiles — is the true people of God.

• Salvation is available to all people, including ethnic Jews, but only through repentance and faith in Christ.

• Modern events involving Israel, while significant politically and historically, are not fulfillments of biblical prophecy in the eschatological sense.

Supporting Scriptures

Romans 9:6-8 (CSB)

"Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring." 

Romans 11:25-29 (CSB)

"I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins. Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs, since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable." 

Galatians 3:28-29 (CSB)

"There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise." 

Hebrews 8:6-13 (CSB)

"But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one. But finding fault with his people, he says: See, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah — not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. I showed no concern for them, says the Lord, because they did not continue in my covenant. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And each person will not teach his fellow citizen, and each his brother or sister, saying, “Know the Lord,” because they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them. For I will forgive their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins. By saying a new covenant, he has declared that the first is obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old is about to pass away." 

Galatians 6:16 (CSB)

"May peace come to all those who follow this standard, and mercy even to the Israel of God!" 

Ephesians 2:11-22 (CSB)

"So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh — called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit." 

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:9-10 (CSB)

Final Word

While loving and praying for all people, including ethnic Jews, Christians must resist sensationalist prophecy claims and hold fast to the sufficiency of Christ’s work and the unity of His New Covenant people. The hope for Israel, like all nations, is found in one place: the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (CSB)

Revelation’s Seven Last Plagues: The Former Adventists Philippines Perspective

Introduction

The seven last plagues of Revelation 15–16 are among the most graphic and severe judgments depicted in apocalyptic literature. Many modern interpreters assign these events to a future, global apocalypse. However, the Former Adventists Philippines, following the partial preterist biblical perspective, interpret these plagues as judgments historically poured out upon apostate Israel in the first century. Specifically, these plagues correspond to the calamities experienced during the Jewish War (AD 66–70) and Jerusalem’s destruction. Seen through this lens, the seven plagues are covenantal sanctions from Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, unleashed upon a rebellious covenant people for rejecting the Messiah.

The Bowls of Wrath as Covenant Curses (Revelation 15:1-16:1)

​"Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven last plagues; for with them God’s wrath will be completed. I also saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, its image, and the number of its name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God. They sang the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the Lamb:

Great and awe-inspiring are your works, Lord God, the Almighty; just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you because your righteous acts have been revealed.

After this, I looked, and the heavenly temple ​— ​the tabernacle of testimony ​— ​was opened. Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. Then the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

​"Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, 'Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” Revelation 15:1 - 16:1 (CSB)

Revelation 15 introduces the seven angels bearing the last plagues, which “complete the wrath of God” (Rev. 15:1). The Former Adventists Philippines view these as the climactic phase of God’s judgment on apostate Israel. The imagery draws heavily from Old Testament covenant curse passages like Leviticus 26:21-33 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68, where God promises to bring increasingly severe judgments upon Israel for persistent rebellion.¹ The sanctuary imagery (Rev. 15:5-8) also signals a covenantal lawsuit, echoing Isaiah 66:6, where God’s judgment proceeds from His temple against His enemies, identified in this context as first-century Jerusalem.

Relevant Verses and Commentary:

Leviticus 26:21-33: God warns of escalating plagues for covenant-breaking Israel.²

“If you act with hostility toward me and are unwilling to obey me, I will multiply your plagues seven times for your sins. I will send wild animals against you that will deprive you of your children, ravage your livestock, and reduce your numbers until your roads are deserted.

“If in spite of these things you do not accept my discipline, but act with hostility toward me, then I will act with hostility toward you; I also will strike you seven times for your sins. I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a pestilence among you, and you will be delivered into enemy hands. When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and ration out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied.

“And if in spite of this you do not obey me but act with hostility toward me, I will act with furious hostility toward you; I will also discipline you seven times for your sins. You will eat the flesh of your sons; you will eat the flesh of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, cut down your shrines, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless bodies of your idols; I will reject you. I will reduce your cities to ruins and devastate your sanctuaries. I will not smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices. I also will devastate the land, so that your enemies who come to live there will be appalled by it. But I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw a sword to chase after you. So your land will become desolate, and your cities will become ruins." Leviticus 26:21-33 (CSB)

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 lists curses—including disease, sword, and siege—that prefigure Revelation’s plagues.³

Isaiah 66:6: Judgment issues forth from the temple, typified in Revelation 15:5–8.⁴

"A sound of uproar from the city! A voice from the temple —the voice of the LORD, paying back his enemies what they deserve!" Isaiah 66:6 (CSB)

"After this, I looked, and the heavenly temple—the tabernacle of testimony—was opened. Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. Then the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed." Revelation 15:5-8 (CSB)

The First Four Plagues: Natural and Societal Collapse (Revelation 16:2-9)

"The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image. 

The second poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like that of a dead person, and all life in the sea died.

The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. I heard the angel of the waters say,

You are just the Holy One, who is and who was, because you have passed judgment on these things. Because they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, you have given them blood to drink; they deserve it! I heard the altar say, Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and just are your judgments. 

The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun. It was allowed to scorch people with fire, and people were scorched by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God, who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory." Revelation 16:2-9 (CSB)

The first four bowls affect the land, sea, rivers, and heavenly bodies. The Former Adventists Philippines understand these not as cosmic or ecological disasters on a global scale, but as symbolic representations of societal and national collapse during the Jewish War. The “sores” of the first plague (Rev. 16:2) reflect moral and spiritual corruption, consistent with Deuteronomy 28:27’s curse of boils. The polluted sea and rivers (Rev. 16:3-4) mirror the death and bloodshed in Galilee and Judea during Roman military campaigns, while the scorching sun (Rev. 16:8-9) symbolizes intensified persecution and judgment.⁵

Relevant Verses and Commentary:

Deuteronomy 28:27: Threatens Israel with incurable sores.⁶

“The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, tumors, a festering rash, and scabies, from which you cannot be cured." Deuteronomy 28:27 (CSB)

Luke 21:20-24: Jesus predicts Jerusalem’s siege and slaughter, matching the blood imagery.⁷

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that its desolation has come near. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Those inside the city must leave it, and those who are in the country must not enter it, because these are days of vengeance to fulfill all the things that are written. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for there will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will be killed by the sword and be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." Luke 21:20-24 (CSB)

Malachi 4:1: A day comes when the wicked burn like stubble, reflected in the sun's plague.⁸

“For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble. The coming day will consume them,” says the LORD of Armies, “not leaving them root or branches." Malachi 4:1 (CSB)

The Fifth and Sixth Plagues: Political and Military Devastation (Revelation 16:10–16)

"The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues because of their pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they did not repent of their works.

The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming from the dragon’s mouth, from the beast’s mouth, and from the mouth of the false prophet. For they are demonic spirits performing signs, who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle on the great day of God, the Almighty. “Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who is alert and remains clothed so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame.” So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon." Revelation 16:10-16 (CSB)

The fifth bowl targets the beast’s throne, darkening his kingdom (Rev. 16:10). The Former Adventists Philippines identify the beast as apostate Jewish leadership allied with Roman authorities. The darkness represents the utter collapse of religious and political order in Jerusalem during the siege, fulfilling Matthew 24:29, where Jesus predicts the “darkening” of Israel’s leadership. The sixth plague dries up the Euphrates (Rev. 16:12), a metaphor for removing Jerusalem’s defenses, allowing invading forces—symbolized by the kings from the east—to enter. Josephus records how the Roman armies breached the city’s defenses, paralleling this imagery.⁹ The unclean spirits (Rev. 16:13-14) symbolize demonic deception leading Jewish leaders to stubbornly resist Rome, hastening their destruction.

Relevant Verses and Commentary:

Matthew 24:29: Describes the fall of Israel’s rulers as the darkening of heavenly bodies.¹⁰

“Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken." Matthew 24:29 (CSB)

Isaiah 11:15: The drying of a river to allow armies entry, a type fulfilled in Revelation 16:12.¹¹

"The LORD will divide the Gulf of Suez. He will wave his hand over the Euphrates with his mighty wind and will split it into seven streams, letting people walk through on foot." Isaiah 11:15 (CSB)

The Seventh Plague: Jerusalem’s Final Destruction (Revelation 16:17-21)

"Then the seventh poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, 'It is done! ” There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since people have been on the earth, so great was the quake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; he gave her the cup filled with the wine of his fierce anger. Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared. Enormous hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe." Revelation 16:17-21 (CSB)

The seventh bowl is the climax, bringing God’s judgment to its conclusion. A great earthquake (Rev. 16:18) divides “the great city”—identified by the Former Adventists Philippines as Jerusalem (cf. Rev. 11:8)—into three parts, symbolizing its political and religious fragmentation during the siege. It connects the enormous hailstones (Rev. 16:21) to actual Roman catapult stones used during the final assault, as Josephus recounts how stones weighing over a talent (75–100 lbs) were hurled into the city.¹² The symbolic and literal destruction represents the full outpouring of the covenant curses promised in Deuteronomy 28:49–68.

Relevant Verses and Commentary:

Revelation 11:8: Calls Jerusalem “the great city where also their Lord was crucified.”¹³

"The nations were angry, but your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to your servants, the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth." Revelation 11:18 (CSB)

Deuteronomy 28:49–68: Predicts foreign siege and citywide devastation.¹⁴

"The LORD will bring a nation from far away, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down on you like an eagle, a nation whose language you won’t understand, a ruthless nation, showing no respect for the old and not sparing the young. They will eat the offspring of your livestock and your land’s produce until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine, fresh oil, young of your herds, or newborn of your flocks until they cause you to perish. They will besiege you within all your city gates until your high and fortified walls, that you trust in, come down throughout your land. They will besiege you within all your city gates throughout the land the LORD your God has given you.

“You will eat your offspring, the flesh of your sons and daughters, the LORD your God has given you during the siege and hardship your enemy imposes on you. The most sensitive and refined man among you will look grudgingly at his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children, refusing to share with any of them his children’s flesh that he will eat because he has nothing left during the siege and hardship your enemy imposes on you in all your towns. The most sensitive and refined woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her refinement and sensitivity, will begrudge the husband she embraces, her son, and her daughter, the afterbirth that comes out from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else during the siege and hardship your enemy imposes on you within your city gates.

“If you are not careful to obey all the words of this law, which are written in this scroll, by fearing this glorious and awe-inspiring name — the LORD, your God — he will bring wondrous plagues on you and your descendants, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses. He will afflict you again with all the diseases of Egypt, which you dreaded, and they will cling to you. The LORD will also afflict you with every sickness and plague not recorded in the book of this law, until you are destroyed. Though you were as numerous as the stars of the sky, you will be left with only a few people, because you did not obey the LORD your God. Just as the LORD was glad to cause you to prosper and to multiply you, so he will also be glad to cause you to perish and to destroy you. You will be ripped out of the land you are entering to possess. Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. You will find no peace among those nations, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despondent spirit. Your life will hang in doubt before you. You will be in dread night and day, never certain of survival. In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening! ’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning! ’ — because of the dread you will have in your heart and because of what you will see. The LORD will take you back in ships to Egypt by a route that I said you would never see again. There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.” Deuteronomy 28:49-68 (CSB)

Josephus, Wars, 5.6.3: Describes massive stones hurled into Jerusalem, like the hailstones in Rev. 16:21.¹⁵

"The engines, that all the legions had ready prepared for them, were admirably contrived; but still more extraordinary ones belonged to the tenth legion: those that threw darts and those that threw stones, were more forcible and larger than the rest, by which they not only repelled the excursions of the Jews, but drove those away that were upon the walls also. Now, the stones that were cast were of the weight of a talent, and were carried two furlongs and farther. The blow they gave was no way to be sustained, not only by those that stood first in the way, but by those that were beyond them for a great space. As for the Jews, they at first watched the coming of the stone, for it was of a white color, and could therefore not only be perceived by the great noise it made, but could be seen also before it came by its brightness."

Conclusion

The Former Adventists Philippines, drawing from the partial preterist biblical perspective, interpret Revelation’s seven last plagues as symbolic and historical judgments poured out upon apostate Israel in the first century. These plagues echo Old Testament covenant curses for rebellion, manifested concretely during the Jewish War and Jerusalem’s siege. Far from prophesying future cosmic calamities, these passages testify to God’s faithfulness in executing judgment upon a covenant-breaking people while vindicating His faithful church, thus completing the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant order.

Endnotes:

1. David Chilton, The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Tyler, TX: Dominion Press, 1987), 386–389.

2. Leviticus 26:21-33, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

3. Deuteronomy 28:15–68, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

4. Isaiah 66:6, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

5. Kenneth Gentry, Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation (Atlanta: American Vision, 1998), 303–305.

6. Deuteronomy 28:27, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

7. Luke 21:20-24, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

8. Malachi 4:1, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

9. Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, 6.4.5; cited in Chilton, Days of Vengeance, 392.

10. Matthew 24:29, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

11. Isaiah 11:15, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

12. Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 5.6.3.

13. Revelation 11:8, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

14. Deuteronomy 28:49–68, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

15. Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 5.6.3.

FAP Q&A: "Can you show Messiah's words as the reason you and your church or denomination observes Sunday instead of Sabbath? No, You Can't!"

We’d like to thank a viewer who goes by the name @mbrown6837 for submitting a question through our YouTube channel, Investigating Adventism. Here is our response.

"You 'First-Day' promoting pastors, can you show Messiah's words as the reason you and your church or denomination observe Sunday instead of the Sabbath? No, you can't! Let me remind you that over 3500 years ago, Moses was given the message directly from the Most High that when the Prophet/Messiah came, they were to LISTEN TO HIM. This same message has been repeated multiple times, even in the NT; a voice from heaven told those present at the Messiah's baptism to LISTEN TO HIM. Even after His death and resurrection, the Apostles quoted that we are to LISTEN TO HIM.

The apostles's doctrines, Acts 2:42, could not have been different than His, or they would have been called out as hypocrites! If you think your pastor has a bible verse where Messiah SAID, or that there were those who HEARD HIM SAY He abolished the Sabbath and substituted Sunday, 

Please come back here and share it with us all! What scriptures do you use to show that Jesus said to reject the Sabbath for Sunday? "

Response:

Excellent—thank you for bringing this up. This is a classic argument frequently wielded by Sabbatarian groups like Seventh-day Adventists, Hebrew Roots followers, and others, and it deserves a clear, biblical, and Christ-honoring response.

The Messiah did not come to "renew" the Old Covenant Sabbath but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17) and to inaugurate a New Covenant where the sign is no longer the seventh day but Himself—His death and resurrection. And the apostles, acting on His authority and commission, established the pattern of gathering on the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week, in honor of His resurrection.

1. Messiah Didn’t Reinstate Sabbath Legalism—He Declared Himself Lord of the Sabbath.

No, Jesus never said, "Keep Sunday." But neither did He command Christians under the New Covenant to keep the Old Covenant Sabbath. In fact, in the Gospels, Christ deliberately challenged and redefined the Jewish Sabbath restrictions, declaring:

"For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:8 (CSB)

By calling Himself the "Lord of the Sabbath," Jesus was asserting authority over it—meaning He alone had the power to fulfill it, reinterpret it, or set it aside within His New Covenant.

Jesus never reaffirmed the Mosaic Sabbath as binding upon His New Covenant church.

2. The sign of the New Covenant is Christ’s resurrection—not the Sabbath.

Under the Old Covenant, the Sabbath was a "sign between God and Israel" (Exodus 31:13, Ezekiel 20:12). 

“Tell the Israelites: You must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the LORD who consecrates you." Exodus 31:13 (CSB)

"I also gave them my Sabbaths to serve as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I am the LORD who consecrates them." Ezekiel 20:12 (CSB)

But Jesus instituted a "New Covenant in His blood" (Luke 22:20). 

"In the same way, he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." Luke 22:20 (CSB)

The early church consistently met on "the first day of the week" because:

• Jesus "rose from the dead on the first day." (Luke 24:1-7)

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? ” asked the men. “He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’? ” Luke 24:1-7 (CSB)

• Jesus "appeared to His disciples on the first day." (John 20:19, 26)

"When it was evening on that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you." John 20:19, 26 (CSB)

• The Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost—a Sunday (Leviticus 23:15-16 places Pentecost always on the day after the Sabbath—i.e., Sunday)

“You are to count seven complete weeks starting from the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the presentation offering. You are to count fifty days until the day after the seventh Sabbath and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD." Leviticus 23:15-16 (CSB)

• The apostles met for breaking bread and preaching on the first day. (Acts 20:7)

"On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight." Acts 20:7 (CSB)

• Paul instructed collections for the church to be gathered on the first day (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)

"Now about the collection for the saints: Do the same as I instructed the Galatian churches. On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come."1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (CSB)

• John received the Apocalypse vision on the Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10)—universally understood in the early church as Sunday.

Important: The apostles, who were told by the voice from heaven to "Listen to Him" (Matt. 17:5), obeyed His fulfillment of the Law and resurrection-centered gospel, not the perpetuation of Old Covenant types and shadows (Colossians 2:16-17).

While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him! ” Matthew 17:5 (CSB)

"Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ." Colossians 2:16-17 (CSB)

3. The New Testament Teaches the Sabbath is a Shadow Fulfilled in Christ

"Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ." Colossians 2:16-17 (CSB)

The inspired apostle Paul, a hearer of Christ by divine revelation (Galatians 1:11-12), taught that the Sabbath was "a shadow," not the substance. And those shadows pointed to "the rest in Christ" (Hebrews 4:9-10).

"Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his." Hebrews 4:9-10 (CSB)

4. If You Want to ‘Listen to Him,’ Listen When He Says the Law Would Be Fulfilled in Him

"He told them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Luke 24:44 (CSB)

This includes the Sabbath, a ceremonial sign pointing to "rest in Christ" (Hebrews 4:9-11). To “Listen to Him” means to recognize that in His death and resurrection, He established the New Covenant and fulfilled the Old (Hebrews 8:13).

"By saying a new covenant, he has declared that the first is obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old is about to pass away." Hebrews 8:13 (CSB)

5. The Apostles, Obeying Christ’s Commission, Shifted the Pattern of Gathering

As Acts 2:42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” And those teachings, as we see by example in Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2, and Revelation 1:10, reflect Sunday gatherings—not Seventh-day Sabbath-keeping.

Summary:

No, Jesus did not say, “Keep Sunday.” Nor did He command to perpetually keep the seventh-day Sabbath. What He did was fulfill the Law (Matt. 5:17), proclaim Himself Lord over the Sabbath (Matt. 12:8), establish a New Covenant (Luke 22:20), rise on the first day (Luke 24:1), and authorize His apostles to govern His church under His new covenant authority (Matt. 28:18-20).

To “Listen to Him” is to receive His fulfillment of the Law and follow the pattern of New Covenant worship centered on His resurrection, which the apostles themselves instituted.

Therefore, no Christian is bound to keep the Old Covenant Sabbath as Israel did. We are called to live in the substance: Christ.

Former Adventists Philippines’ official position:

"We uphold the Lord’s Day (Sunday) as the apostolic day of Christian worship, not as a legalistic Sabbath substitute, but as a joyful commemoration of Christ’s finished work and resurrection. The Sabbath was a shadow—Jesus is the reality."

Revelation Chapters 10–12 from the Former Adventists Philippines Perspective

Introduction

Revelation chapters 10 to 12 represent a pivotal interlude within the book’s judgment sequence, providing theological explanation and covenantal context for the catastrophic events described in preceding and subsequent chapters. The Former Adventists Philippines adopt a partial preterist reading of these chapters, holding that their primary fulfillment occurred in the first century, specifically in connection with the Jewish War (AD 66–70) and the transition from Old Covenant Israel to the New Covenant church. This interpretation understands these visions not as forecasts of distant end-time scenarios but as highly symbolic portrayals of God’s covenantal judgments and the preservation of His people amid persecution.

 Revelation 10: The Angel and the Little Scroll

In Revelation 10, John witnesses a mighty angel descending from heaven, holding a little scroll. The Former Adventists Philippines interpret this figure as a symbol of Christ's authoritative messenger proclaiming the imminent fulfillment of judgment upon apostate Israel. The angel’s declaration that “There will no longer be a delay" (Rev. 10:6) signals the impending fall of Jerusalem, which Jesus Himself foretold in Luke 21:20-24.

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that its desolation has come near. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Those inside the city must leave it, and those who are in the country must not enter it, because these are days of vengeance to fulfill all the things that are written. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for there will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will be killed by the sword and be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." Luke 21:20-24 (CSB)

The little scroll, reminiscent of Ezekiel 2:9–3:3, represents the prophetic message that John is commissioned to deliver—a message of bittersweet nature, bringing vindication to the faithful and destruction to the unrepentant.¹

"So I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me, and there was a written scroll in it. When he unrolled it before me, it was written on the front and back; words of lamentation, mourning, and woe were written on it. He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he fed me the scroll. “Son of man,” he said to me, “feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I am giving you.” So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth." Ezekiel 2:9 - 3:3 (CSB

This chapter emphasizes the covenantal lawsuit motif wherein God formally indicts Old Covenant Israel, now apostate, and prepares to vindicate the martyrs’ blood (Rev. 6:9-11).

Relevant Verses and Commentary:

Luke 21:22: Jesus calls the fall of Jerusalem the fulfillment of all that is written, affirming the nearness of judgment.²

"Because these are days of vengeance to fulfill all the things that are written."Luke 21:22 (CSB)

Ezekiel 3:3: Ezekiel consumes a scroll of lamentation, typifying John’s role in proclaiming both doom and deliverance.³

“Son of man,” he said to me, “feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I am giving you.” So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth." Ezekiel 3:3(CSB)

Revelation 11:Measuring the Temple and the Two Witnesses

Revelation 11 continues the judgment motif as John is instructed to measure the temple, altar, and worshippers, leaving the outer court unmeasured, which symbolizes the judgment. The Former Adventists Philippines identify this scene with the first-century Jerusalem temple, which faced destruction in AD 70. The measuring signifies God’s protection of the faithful remnant within the broader apostate nation, paralleling Ezekiel 40–43’s temple vision. The two witnesses, understood symbolically rather than as literal figures, represent the faithful prophetic witness of the church—both Jewish and Gentile believers—during the years leading up to Jerusalem’s fall. Their testimony during the forty-two months (Rev. 11:2-3), a period matching the Roman siege of Jerusalem (AD 67–70).⁴

"But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.” Revelation 11:2-3 (CSB)

Their martyrdom (Rev. 11:7-10) and resurrection (Rev. 11:11-12) symbolize the church’s apparent defeat under persecution, followed by vindication and triumph. This correlates with Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:9-14 of severe persecution before Jerusalem’s judgment. The “great city” where the witnesses are slain is identified as Jerusalem, “where also their Lord was crucified” (Rev. 11:8), confirming the chapter’s first-century context.

"Their dead bodies will lie in the main street of the great city, which figuratively is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified." Revelation 11:8 (CSB)

Relevant Verses and Commentary:

Matthew 24:9-14: Jesus predicts persecution and apostasy before Jerusalem’s end.⁵

“Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:9-14 (CSB)

Ezekiel 40–43: The prophet measures a temple, typifying divine judgment and preservation.⁶

 Revelation 12: The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

Revelation 12 presents a cosmic conflict portrayed through symbolic imagery. The Former Adventists Philippines interpret the woman as faithful Old Covenant Israel, through whom the Messiah was born (Rev. 12:1-5), in harmony with Isaiah 66:7-9.

Before Zion was in labor, she gave birth; before she was in pain, she delivered a boy. Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day, or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her sons.

“Will I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it? ” says the LORD; “or will I who deliver, close the womb? ” says your God." Isaiah 66:7-9 (CSB)

The male child, who is caught up to God and His throne, is Christ Himself, reflecting His ascension and enthronement (Acts 1:9; Psalm 110:1). The dragon, explicitly identified as Satan (Rev. 12:9), seeks to destroy both Christ and His people.

The woman’s flight into the wilderness for 1,260 days (Rev. 12:6) parallels the church’s preservation amid the Roman-Jewish conflict, consistent with Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24:15-22 for believers to flee to the mountains. The Bible connects this period with the same forty-two months of Revelation 11, representing the final phase of the Jewish War.⁷ The war in heaven (Rev. 12:7-12) symbolically describes Satan’s defeat through Christ’s redemptive work, particularly at the cross and resurrection (John 12:31), culminating in the judgment upon apostate Jerusalem, Satan’s earthly ally.

Relevant Verses and Commentary:

Isaiah 66:7-9: A woman gives birth before labor pains, typifying Israel’s role in bringing forth the Messiah.⁸

“Will I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it? ” says the LORD; “or will I who deliver, close the womb? ” says your God." Isaiah 66:7-9 (CSB)

John 12:31: Jesus proclaims Satan’s judgment through His crucifixion.⁹

"Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out."John 12:31(CSB)

Matthew 24:15-22: Jesus urges flight at Jerusalem’s desolation, echoed in Revelation 12:6.¹⁰

"The woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, to be nourished there for 1,260 days." Revelation 12:6 (CSB)

“So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place” (let the reader understand), “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. A man on the housetop must not come down to get things out of his house, and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For at that time, there will be great distress, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect." Matthew 24:15-22 (CSB)

Conclusion

The Former Adventists Philippines, following the interpretive trajectory of partial preterists, affirm that Revelation 10–12 chiefly describes God’s covenantal dealings with Old Covenant Israel in the first century. These chapters symbolically recount the imminent judgment on apostate Jerusalem, the church’s prophetic witness and persecution, and the decisive victory of Christ over Satan’s dominion. Far from forecasting remote future events, these passages declare the covenantal transition from the Old to the New, the vindication of Christ’s saints, and the establishment of His kingdom, accomplished historically through the events of AD 70.

References:

1. David Chilton, The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Tyler, TX: Dominion Press, 1987), 252–254.

2. Luke 21:22, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

3. Ezekiel 3:3,  Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

4. Kenneth Gentry, Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation (Atlanta: American Vision, 1998), 245–247.

5. Matthew 24:9-14, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

6. Ezekiel 40–43, ESV.

7. David Chilton, The Days of Vengeance, 282–284.

8. Isaiah 66:7-9, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

9. John 12:31, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

10. Matthew 24:15-22, Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

Refuting the Seventh-day Adventist Misuse of Socrates Scholasticus’ Statement on Sabbath Observance

In discussions about early Christian worship, one passage is often quoted by Sabbatarian groups, including Seventh-day Adventists, to argue that the majority of early Christians supposedly kept the Sabbath well into the fourth and fifth centuries. The statement comes from Socrates Scholasticus, a fifth-century church historian. Here’s what he wrote:

“For although almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the Sabbath of every week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and at Rome, on account of some ancient tradition, have ceased to do this.” (Ecclesiastical History, Book 5, Chapter 22)

At first glance, this seems like a powerful statement supporting widespread Sabbath observance. But when examined carefully and within context, it doesn’t say what the SDAs claim. Let’s unpack this, point by point.

1. The “Sacred Mysteries” Means the Lord’s Supper, Not Legal Sabbath-Keeping

The phrase “celebrate the sacred mysteries” refers to the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper, not to keeping the Sabbath law of rest and abstinence from labor. In the early centuries of Christianity, some congregations gathered on Saturdays to partake of the Lord’s Supper, while many others, especially in major apostolic centers like Rome and Alexandria, had already moved this observance to Sunday, in honor of the resurrection.

This is a vital distinction because Socrates Scholasticus was reporting liturgical customs, not doctrinal obligations or law-keeping. Holding a Eucharist service on a Saturday doesn’t equate to observing the Sabbath commandment as it was given to Israel under the Mosaic Covenant.

As Socrates himself says elsewhere in the same chapter, there were various customs regarding when people met, some churches assembling both on Saturday and Sunday. It reflects local practice, not the binding authority of Sabbath law.

2. The Example of Rome and Alexandria Carries Theological Weight

Interestingly, the two cities Socrates names as having ceased Saturday gatherings were Rome and Alexandria — the most authoritative and doctrinally significant churches of the ancient Christian world. Rome, being the church traditionally founded by Peter and Paul, and Alexandria, one of the leading intellectual and theological centers of early Christianity.

If these two apostolic churches had long ago ceased Sabbath gatherings “on account of ancient tradition,” this indicates that the shift away from Sabbath customs was not a fourth-century innovation, as Adventist mythology often claims. Instead, it was an apostolic-era practice grounded in the belief that the resurrection of Christ marked a new covenant order, with Sunday — the Lord’s Day — becoming the central day of Christian worship.

3. The Broader Patristic Evidence Contradicts Sabbatarian Claims

Far from upholding Sabbath law, the early church fathers consistently rejected legal Sabbath-keeping. 

For example:

Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110 AD) wrote:

“If then those who had walked in ancient practices attained unto newness of hope… no longer observing Sabbaths but fashioning their lives after the Lord’s Day, on which also our life rose through Him.” (Letter to the Magnesians 9)

Justin Martyr (c. 150 AD) stated:

“We all hold our common assembly on the day of the sun… because it is the day on which Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead.” (First Apology 67)

The Didache (c. 80-100 AD), one of the earliest Christian manuals, instructs:

“But every Lord’s day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving.” (Didache 14:1)

These and numerous other witnesses confirm that Sunday worship, not Sabbath observance, was the normative practice for Christians from the apostolic age onward.

4. Liturgical Diversity Was Normal in the Early Church — Legalism Was Not

It’s important to understand that the early church allowed for local diversity in worship practices without viewing them as law. Some churches gathered on Saturday evenings or Sunday mornings. Some continued meeting on Saturdays for practical or transitional reasons, especially in heavily Jewish regions. But none of these assemblies were framed as legal Sabbath-keeping.

Paul’s teaching in Colossians 2:16-17 makes it clear:

"Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ." Colossians 2:16-17 (CSB)

The very fact that churches exercised freedom about meeting days shows that the Sabbath law was not binding on Christians.

Final Thought

In conclusion, the misuse of Socrates Scholasticus’ statement by Sabbatarian apologists ignores the historical, theological, and contextual realities of early Christian worship. Socrates was simply describing regional customs in Eucharist observance, not prescribing Sabbath-keeping as a law. The consistent testimony of early church history affirms that Christians worshiped on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, in joyful celebration of Christ’s resurrection, freed from the ceremonial shadows of the Old Covenant.

To use Socrates Scholasticus to prop up Sabbatarianism is not only poor exegesis but poor history.

SDAs & The Sabbath: ALL Your Assumptions ARE WRONG!

FAP Indoctrination Series #6: "The Sabbath and the Lord’s Day"

Lesson Objective

To show the Sabbath as a ceremonial Old Covenant shadow fulfilled in Christ, and explain why Christians gather on the Lord’s Day.

Opening Prayer (5 minutes)

The leader or volunteer asks for wisdom and understanding of biblical rest in Christ.

I. The Sabbath in Creation, the Mosaic Law, and Christ’s Fulfillment (10 min)

Creation: God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3)

"On the seventh day, God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation." Genesis 2:2-3(CSB)

Commentary:

a.) The noun “Sabbath” does not appear in Genesis 2.

In the Hebrew text of Genesis 2:2-3, the verb shābat (שָׁבַת) is used, meaning “he ceased” or “he rested.” However, it is important to note that the noun form “Sabbath” (שַׁבָּת, shabbāṯ) does not occur here. The day is simply called the seventh day — God’s day of rest, not a Sabbath day instituted for man.

In fact, mankind is not mentioned in connection with this rest; it is God alone who ceased from His creative work.

b.) The first occurrence of the noun “Sabbath” is in Exodus 16.

It was not until Exodus 16:23-30, in the context of gathering manna before the giving of the Ten Commandments, that the term “Sabbath” appears for the first time in Scripture. This shows that the Sabbath as an institution and command for man began with the nation of Israel under Moses, not at Creation.

c.) God’s seventh-day rest was not a 24-hour day.

In Genesis 1, the account of the six days of creation follows a pattern:

"And there was evening and there was morning, the first day." (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31).

This evening-morning formula is conspicuously absent on the seventh day.

This omission suggests that God’s rest is not a mere 24-hour cycle but an ongoing state of rest from His creative work, continuing beyond the literal Creation week.

d.) God’s seventh-day rest extends throughout history.

This ongoing rest is referred to in later Scriptures:

Psalm 95:11 — speaking of Israel’s failure to enter God’s rest in the days of Moses and Joshua.

"So I swore in my anger, 'They will not enter my rest.” Psalms 95:11(CSB)

Hebrews 4:3-10 — explaining that God’s rest (not the weekly Sabbath), which began on the seventh day in Genesis 2, still remains open for believers to enter by faith in Christ.

"For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what he has said, So I swore in my anger, 'They will not enter my rest,' even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And on the seventh day God rested from all his works. Again, in that passage, he says, They will never enter my rest. Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, he again specifies a certain day, today. He specified this, speaking through David after such a long time: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his." Hebrews 4:3-10 (CSB)

Summary:

The seventh day in Genesis 2 was God’s cessation from creation, not a Sabbath ordinance for man. The Sabbath command was later given to Israel alone under the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 16, Exodus 20). The absence of the “evening and morning” phrase signals that God’s rest continues, ultimately pointing to the spiritual rest believers find in Christ (Hebrews 4:9-10).

2. Mosaic Law: The Sabbath given as a sign between God and Israel (Exodus 31:16-17)

"The Israelites must observe the Sabbath, celebrating it throughout their generations as a permanent covenant. It is a sign forever between me and the Israelites, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.” Exodus 31:16-17(CSB)

3. Fulfillment in Christ: The Sabbath was a shadow pointing to Christ, now fulfilled in Him (Colossians 2:16-17)

"Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ." Colossians 2:16-17 (CSB)

Illustration: A road sign pointing toward a destination. Once you arrive, you no longer follow the sign, but embrace the reality it pointed to.

II. The New Testament Pattern of Sunday Gatherings (10 min)

The early Church gathered on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day, in honor of Christ’s resurrection.

• Acts 20:7: Believers gathered to break bread on the first day.

"On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight." Acts 20:7 (CSB)

• 1 Corinthians 16:2: Offerings collected on the first day.

"On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come." 1 Corinthians 16:2(CSB)

Revelation 1:10: John refers to "the Lord’s Day."

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet." Revelation 1:10 (CSB)

III. Christian Freedom from Sabbath Law-Keeping (10 min)

• Romans 14:5-6: Believers have liberty regarding days.

"One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. Whoever observes the day observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God." Romans 14:5-6 (CSB)

• Galatians 4:9-11: Warning against returning to legalistic observances.

"But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? You are observing special days, months, seasons, and years. I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted." Galatians 4:9-11(CSB)

• New Covenant believers find rest not in a day, but in a Person — Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:9-10).

"Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his." Hebrews 4:9-10 (CSB)

 

IV. Decision Time (5 min)

Will you continue clinging to the Old Covenant sign, or find your true Sabbath rest in Christ?

Closing Prayer (5 min)

Thank the Lord for the rest provided through Jesus, our eternal Sabbath, and for the freedom to worship Him daily, especially in joyful assembly on the Lord’s Day.

For more inquiries, contact us:

Email: formeradventist.ph@gmail.com

Website: formeradventistph.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/formeradventistph

Phone: 09695143944

Sabbath vs. Sunday: The Didache Settles the Debate for Early Christians!

FAP Indoctrination Series #5: The Five Solas of the Reformation

Lesson Objective:

To explain the Five Solas as the biblical foundation for the Christian faith and contrast them with Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) legalism and authority claims.

Opening Prayer (5 mins.)

Thank God for the Reformation and the recovery of the gospel. Ask for wisdom and open hearts to understand the Five Solas.


Main Points and Commentary

1. What are the Five Solas?

The Five Solas are five Latin phrases that summarize the Reformers’ core theological convictions about salvation and authority in the Christian life:

• Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)—The Bible is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (CSB)

• Solus Christus (Christ Alone)—Salvation is accomplished by Christ’s mediatorial work alone (Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5).

"There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (CSB)

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus," 1 Timothy 2:5 (CSB)

• Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)—We are saved by God's grace alone, not by any human effort (Ephesians 2:8-9).

"For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (CSB)

• Sola Fide (Faith Alone)—Justification comes by faith alone, apart from works of the law (Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16).

"For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." Romans 3:28 (CSB)

"And yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified." Galatians 2:16 (CSB)

• Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be the Glory)—All of life and salvation are for God's glory alone (Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
  
  
  "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:36 (CSB)
  
  
  "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 (CSB)
  
  

2. Why Did the Reformers Recover These Truths?

During the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church had obscured the gospel through traditions, indulgences, mediators, and a salvation system mixed with works. The Reformers sought to restore the pure, biblical gospel by returning to these five non-negotiables:

1. The Bible, not church tradition, was to be the ultimate authority.
2. Christ's finished work, not rituals or priests, was the basis of salvation.
3. Grace, not human merit or sacraments, was the means of salvation.
4. Faith alone, not faith plus works, secured justification.
5. And all of this was for God’s glory, not man’s religious achievement.

3. How SDAs Subtly Deny Each One in Practice?

Though SDAs claim to be evangelical in doctrine, they deny these solas in subtle, practical ways:

Illustration: The House of the Gospel

Imagine a house standing firmly on five strong, immovable pillars. These are the Five Solas. Remove one, and the house becomes unstable. Remove two or three—it collapses entirely. The Reformers rebuilt the church on these pillars because without them, Christianity crumbles into a religion of man-made effort, authority, and merit. Likewise, if you let SDA teachings undermine one sola, the true gospel crumbles.

Decision Time

Will you embrace these foundational gospel truths—leaving behind the legalism, human authority, and merit-based salvation system of Adventism—and trust solely in the finished work of Christ, as revealed in Scripture?

✅ Yes, I will stand on the Five Solas of the Reformation and the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.

❌ I am not yet ready to decide.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the clear truth of Your Word and for the grace poured out through Jesus Christ alone. We confess that many have added to Your gospel, placing burdens where You have offered rest. Lord, help us to stand firm upon the pillars of the Reformation—Scripture alone, Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone—and to live for Your glory alone. May we forsake every teaching that exalts man and cling to the finished, sufficient work of our Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Lesson Summary:

Title: The Five Solas of the Reformation

Key Lesson: Christianity stands on five gospel pillars recovered by the Reformers, all of which SDA theology subtly undermines.

Call: Embrace these Solas and reject the legalistic gospel of Adventism.

For more inquiries, contact us:

Email: formeradventist.ph@gmail.com

Website: formeradventistph.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/formeradventistph

Phone: 09695143944

FAP Indoctrination Series #4: What is the True Gospel?

 

Lesson Objective

To define the biblical gospel as the good news of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in the finished work of Christ alone, apart from law-keeping, religious performance, or denominational loyalty.

Opening Prayer (5 minutes)

Ask the Lord to open hearts to His saving truth and for clarity about the sufficiency of Christ’s work.

I. What Does “Gospel” Mean? (5 min)

Definition:

The word gospel means “good news.” It’s the message that sinners can be reconciled to God not by what they do, but by what Christ has done.

Key Verse:

"Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (CSB)

II. The Gospel in Contrast to SDA Teaching (10 min)

Biblical Gospel:

• Salvation is entirely by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (CSB)

• Justification is by faith alone (Romans 3:28)

"For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." Romans 3:28 (CSB)

• Christ’s death fully atones for sin (Hebrews 10:10-14)

"By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. He is now waiting until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified." Hebrews 10:10-14 (CSB)

• Assurance is found in Christ’s finished work (John 5:24)

“Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life." John 5:24 (CSB)

SDA Gospel:

• Faith + law-keeping = salvation
• The Investigative Judgment decides final salvation
• No assurance until end-time vindication
• Sabbath observance is central to the final test

Illustration:

Two ladders: one reaching heaven by Christ alone, the other by endless climbing through works. Which will reach the top?

III. The Elements of the True Gospel (10 min)

• God’s Holiness and Man’s Sin (Romans 3:23)

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 (CSB)

• Christ’s Perfect Life and Sacrificial Death (2 Corinthians 5:21)

"He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB)

• His Resurrection as Victory over Sin and Death (Romans 4:25)

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." Romans 4:25 (CSB)

• Salvation Offered as a Free Gift (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9)

"For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (CSB)

"For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (CSB)

• Received by Faith Alone, Not by Works (Romans 4:5)

"But to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness." Romans 4:5 (CSB)

IV. Decision Time: Which Gospel Will You Trust? (5 min)

Ask participants:

• Have you believed the biblical gospel?
• Or are you still trusting in faith plus works and religious performance?

Closing Prayer (5 minutes)

Thank God for the simple, powerful, and sufficient gospel that saves all who believe.

For more inquiries, contact us:

Email: formeradventist.ph@gmail.com

Website: formeradventistph.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/formeradventistph

Phone: 09695143944