The Adventist Way of Life

As Christian Seventh Day Adventist’s we believe that the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem bagen with King Artaxerxes decree in the year 457BC.

 Biblical author Uriah Smith stated: “The years of Artexerxes reign are among the most easily established dates of history. The Canon of Ptolemy, with it’s list of kings and astronomical observations, the Greek Olympiads, and allusions in Greek history to Persian affairs all combine to place the 7th year of Artexerxes at 457BC” (The prophecies of Daniel and the revelation, p208, Uriah Smith).

 Let’s look at the Bible text found in the book of Ezra which mentions this incident;

Ezr 7:12;  “Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

[13] I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

[14] Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;

[15] And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,

[16] And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:

[17] That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

[18] And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

[19] The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.

[20] And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house.

[21] And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,

[22] Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

[23] Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

[24] Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

[25] And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.

[26] And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.”

 We must understand that before this decree there were two others given which helped and started the process of COMPLETE restoration.

 The apostate, Desmond Ford  a former Christian Seventh Day Adventist has stated;

“The problem is that the Adventist case for 1844 asserts that the decree for rebuilding Jerusalem is predicated in Daniel 9:25 on the decree of Artaxerxes in Ezra 7. But Ezra 7 says nothing whatsoever about rebuilding Jerusalem! Nor does any other passage attribute the building of the city to Artaxerxes or to Ezra. The whole Adventist case for 1844 depends upon missing evidence!”

 The confusion is that Desmond Ford [along with a few other Adventist "scholars"] does not understand that the first two decrees began the PROCESS of RESTORATION which was finalized in this final decree. These other two decrees had a part in the restoration of Jerusalem, as they commissioned a return of the Jews to Jerusalem and rebuilding to start. It’s really that simple.

 As Adventist Christians we believe that one of the rules of Biblical interpretation is, “context controls meaning” and of course any Scripture taken out of context is a “pre-text”.

 So we must let the WHOLE BIBLE interprete itself, a Law of Adventist Christians. It was this final decree that allowed for religious law making and tax immunity to the priests. Thus, the PROCESS was complete.

 God works out many things through PROCESS. He creates circumstances for things to UNFOLD. Most all prophetic fulfillment’s happen through a PROCESS. We get glimpses of the end result. In a sense it is through this process that God teaches us to LISTEN to Him and to develope a RELATIONSHIP with Him.
 

 Written by Eric W. King [December 2nd 2007]

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