Seventh Day Adventist

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Isaiah 24:1, 3, 19

 

"Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof."

"The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word."

"The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly."

 

Problem:

 

These verses are cited by S.D.A.'s in support of their belief that the earth will be desolate for a thousand years during which time Satan will be "circumstantially bound" on the earth. (The righteous will have been taken to heaven). A S.D.A. publication comments as follows:

"The implication is almost unavoidable that the destination of the righteous at the second advent is heaven - not the earth from which they are removed at the last trump." ¹

"Satan's followers have all been destroyed at the second advent. The righteous . . . are removed from his [Satan's] domain. The earth is in utter desolation, with dead bodies everywhere . . . Satan is consigned by divine fiat to the earth, there for one thousand years to ponder on the results of his rebellion against God." ²

Solution:

1. If the earth is to become completely desolate who are the "few men left"? (vs. 6). Why is every house shut up so that none can enter? (vs. 10). Who is crying in the streets for lack of wine? (vs. 11 ). Who is it that sings for joy? (vs. 14).
   
2. Isaiah refers to the LORD of hosts reigning in mount Zion, "and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously." (vs. 23). This time is referred to by Isaiah in chapters 2 and 65. Both of these passages require the continued existence of mortal people on the earth. Note the following: Isa. 2:3 (these are not righteous immortals since they go to Jerusalem to learn cf. Zech. 14:17); Isa. 65:17-20 (the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed likewise indicates the continued existence of mortal nations on the earth.)
   
3. The saints will not be removed to heaven. "They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Rev. 20:6). This reigning, will be on the earth: "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:10).
   
4. The apparently absolute expressions of desolation on the earth must, therefore, be read in a limited sense. This conclusion is further indicated by noting parallel expressions in Jer. 44:2,6 in which Jerusalem is referred to as a desolation with no man dwelling therein, yet Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and husbandman. (Jer. 52:16).
   
5. God will not leave the earth utterly desolate with no inhabitants since "the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done." (Gen. 8:21).

Footnotes:

1. Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine, (Washington: Review and Herald Publishing Ass., 1957), p. 495. Return
   
2. Ibid., p. 492. Return