Why Is My Wife Scared of Revelation?
I have a question. My family has been going to a community church, and the pastor is doing a sermon series on Revelation. My wife has skipped church since the series started. She says Revelation scares her. I’ve done studying about Adventists, and I’ve studied Revelation, but I’m not sure what scares her. What can I say to her? Is there a video I can watch or a book to better understand?
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Adventism is an eschatological religion, and all of its main tenets are anchored to their interpretation of Revelation, including their commitment to the seventh-day Sabbath.
Of course, their beliefs do not actually come from the book of Revelation but from the prophet’s interpretations and her use of Revelation to bolster her eschatology, but Adventists have a deep, visceral reaction to the books Daniel and Revelation. Many Adventists become physically sick or have abdominal pain if confronted with studying these books. The demonic twists Adventism has made to the understandings of these books has effectively obscured them from Adventist members. The fear is physically overpowering for many, and for others the tendency is simply to zone out and not hear or see when the books are studied.
Revelation has been used over the years to teach Adventists that a national and an international Sunday law will be passed at the end of time that will give everyone (including Christians) permission to hunt and kill seventh-day Sabbath-keepers.
Revelation has been used over the years to teach Adventists that a national and an international Sunday law will be passed at the end of time that will give everyone (including Christians) permission to hunt and kill seventh-day Sabbath-keepers.
I think the best way for your wife to begin to desensitize is to begin hearing Christians doctrines discussed from a Christian perspective with Adventist sensitivity. Has she ever listened to the Former Adventist Podcasts? I have a feeling they would be very helpful to her. I would actually suggest that she begin with the first ones and work through them.
Our series on the covenants (which is necessary for understanding the new covenant position of the law and especially of the Sabbath) would likely be really helpful to her, because we talk about how Adventists understand these things and then how the Bible actually presents them. Podcast numbers 26, 27, 29, 31, 33, and 35 walk through the covenants, and then our series through Hebrews beginning with #37 would be really important for her to hear.
Our series on the 28 Fundamental Beliefs would also be helpful, and eventually, she could really benefit from walking with us through our Daniel series and then our current series through Revelation. The books are so much more clear and accessible and NOT SCARY than we learned. The false investigative judgment was anchored to Daniel, and the Three Angels’ Messages of Adventism were assigned to Revelation 14:6–10. The Adventist interpretation is simply NOT in the text, and Adventists use Revelation 14 and its mark of the beast passage to teach that going to church on Sunday is the mark of the beast. Of course, this idea came straight from Ellen, not Revelation, but Adventists use Revelation to anchor this belief into members’ consciences.
If possible, I would read Galatians with your wife; there is so much to unpack that she likely can’t even articulate. And I would definitely try to get her to listen to the podcasts…you might even listen yourself to the same ones she goes through so you can talk about them.
The podcasts can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/former-adventist/id1482887969
We also have them on YouTube as audio files, but the various series through Bible books are grouped there: https://www.youtube.com/@FormerAdventist/playlists
The 28 Fundamental Beliefs are also grouped here: https://blog.lifeassuranceministries.org/2021/10/04/inspecting-adventisms-fundamental-beliefs/
How Can I Tell What Is “Godly”?
I found your podcast and website and wanted to reach out, although to be honest, I’m not sure where to start.
I grew up half-Adventist (one parent was, one wasn’t; we went to two churches).
In college, I tried to find different Christian groups because my childhood churches never seemed quite right, but a lot of things happened in college related to religion that has left me rather confused and mentally unwell (although, to be fair, I don’t know how much that contributed to it), and post-college I became more and more convinced that Ellen White is not reliable.
Although I listen to a few preachers from different denominations online now and then, and some of what they say sounds true, I have a hard time trusting teachers and people in general after these past experiences.
So I don’t feel comfortable jumping into yet another group or going to any church anymore at the moment. And yet I’ve heard that God’s design is for people to be in a community with believers, so I’m trying to figure out how you can tell what is or isn’t a godly community and what “believer” entails.
I stumbled on your podcast a while ago and have listened to your series on “inspecting Adventism’s beliefs.” Some of what you said makes sense, some of it, to be honest, I don’t think I really understood.
I’m not entirely sure why I’m reaching out except to say I wonder if you know anyone in a similar situation or who has gone through/past a similar situation who has advice or would be open to questions?
I’m not entirely sure why I’m reaching out except to say I wonder if you know anyone in a similar situation or who has gone through/past a similar situation who has advice or would be open to questions?
No worries if not; I have had experiences in the past where certain questions trigger people, so sometimes I don’t ask.
For now, I’m just trying to read the Bible for myself and see if that brings any clarity.
Thanks for reading; hope you have a good week!
—VIA EMAIL
Response: First, I want to say that reading the Bible is the very best thing you can do to retrain your brain to a biblical view of reality. I would make sure, in addition to reading through the Bible just for the sake of the big picture (which we didn’t get in Adventism) that you read Galatians, Hebrews, Ephesians, Romans, and John. In fact, get a notebook and literally copy Galatians into it. Just do a few verses a day—and ask the Lord to teach you what He already nows He wants you to understand.
Ask God to lead to you to the church where He knows you need to be to be taught Scripture and to grow in Him.
Second, the struggle to find a church is real. Ask God to lead to you to the church where He knows you need to be to be taught Scripture and to grow in Him. Find a church where the preacher opens the Bible and preaches from the Word; wherever the gospel of the Lord Jesus and His cross is central, where the Trinity is honored and believed, and where the Bible is honored as God’s inerrant word, you can find true growth and fellowship. I would avoid churches that focus on the Holy Spirit/charismaticism because the gospel of Jesus Christ is the central point of our salvation, and the Holy Spirit is sent to speak of and to make much of the Lord Jesus, not Himself.
Although we are not currently publishing a printed version of Proclamation! magazine, all our back issues are online here: https://www.lifeassuranceministries.org/
We have also added your name to our weekly Proclamation! email updates. You may need to add the email address LifeAssuranceMinistries@gmail.com to your contacts in order for the email not to be directed toward your Spam folder. These emails will arrive every Friday. Archived articles are available at ProclamationMagazine.com.
You might also enjoy our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/FormerAdventist/featured
Also, you might like to subscribe to our podcasts here; many say these help them unpack the Adventism hidden in the recesses of their minds: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/former-adventist/id1482887969
If you are interested in joining our Friday evening FAF Bible Study at 7:0 Pacific Time, just email FormerAdventist@gmail.com and request a Zoom link.
Help Needed Regarding Michael the Archangel
I’ve recently encountered online discussions regarding whether or not Jesus has another name: Michael the Archangel. Can you explain this issue?
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Michael the Archangel is a created being. Jesus is the Lord God who created Michael and all creation.
Here are a couple articles that should help:
- May 4–10, 2024 - May 2, 2024
- We Got Mail - May 2, 2024
- April 27–May 3, 2024 - April 25, 2024