The debate over Last Generation Theology, in particular the question of whether Jesus’ coming can or cannot be hastened or delayed by the spiritual preparedness or lack thereof on the part of His people, continues to evoke interest and controversy in contemporary Adventism. Whether the attention to this subject is affirmative or critical, I hold this new interest to be a most positive development for the church.
This is because, whether folks admit it or not, Last Generation Theology represents the heart of the Seventh-day Adventist message. The book of Revelation declares, in a passage central to Seventh-day Adventist proclamation:
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17).
This passage calls to mind a verse in the Old Testament from a very end-time oriented chapter in the book of Zephaniah:
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid (Zeph. 3:13).
Like the earlier verse from Revelation, the above verse is reflected in another Revelation passage, describing those translated to heaven without seeing death at the coming of Jesus:
And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God (Rev. 14:5).
And as the third angel’s message closes in the same chapter, we find this declaration:
Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (verse 12).
But the focus of the present article will be the question of whether or not God’s people have the power, through active cooperation with divine grace, to hasten or delay the return of Jesus. Some have alleged that the idea of God’s people either delaying or hastening the second advent is based merely on one Bible verse and one Ellen White statement [1]. The two passages to which they refer, of course, are the statement by the apostle Peter about “looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God” (II Peter 3:12), and the following well-known statement by Ellen White:
Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.
It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:12, margin) [2].
Still others would have us believe that the word “hasting” (II Peter 3:12) merely means to look eagerly for the Lord’s coming, not to make it happen sooner [3].
But is this the true meaning of the language Peter is using here? Moreover, is the concept of Jesus’ return being hastened or delayed by His people grounded solely in a single Bible verse and/or a single Ellen White statement?
Let’s consider the evidence.
The Bible Evidence
First of all, the word translated “hasting” in Second Peter 3:12 is the same word (in various forms) found in a number of New Testament passages—in Luke 19:5,6, for example, where Jesus invites Zacchaeus to “make haste” and come down from the tree; in Acts 20:16, where the apostle Paul “hasted” so as to be in Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost; and in Acts 22:18, where Paul recounted the Lord’s warning early in his ministry to “make haste” and get out of Jerusalem due to the opposition Paul was facing. Without question, this word means to “hurry it up,” not merely to look eagerly or desire earnestly for something.
This explains why at least nine major modern translations of the Bible show a rendering of Second Peter 3:12 identical to—and in some cases stronger than—what we find in the King James Version. The phrase “hasting unto the coming” (KJV) is rendered “hastening the coming” by the New King James Version (NKJV), the Revised Standard Version (RSV), the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) the English Standard Version (ESV), and the New American Standard Bible (NASB). The New International Version (NIV) uses the phrase “speed its coming,” the New English Bible (NEB) says, “work to hasten it on,” the New Living Translation (NLT), says, “hurry it along,” and Today’s English Version (TEV, sometimes called the Good News Bible), says, “do your best to make it come soon.”
Jesus spoke of the process of character development with regard to the Second Coming in a parable we find in the Gospel of Mark:
And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground:
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself: first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come (Mark 4:26-29).
Notice how preparation for the harvest is a process, not something that happens all at once. Any farmer or gardener understands that you don’t harvest produce till it’s ripe. The sickle goes in “when the fruit is brought forth.” Not before.
The apostle James speaks of how the timing of the second advent is comparable to the farmer who awaits the ripening harvest:
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (James 5:7-8).
The apostle John likewise understood this principle, and brings it into focus in the book of Revelation. In chapter 7 of this book we see how the spiritual unpreparedness of God’s people is responsible for holding up the last phase of the final crisis and thus the return of Jesus:
And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God, and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads (Rev. 7:1-3).
Elsewhere in Scripture this sealing imagery is linked with the Holy Spirit’s presence in the heart as the guarantee, or earnest, of His work in us (see II Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30). We also read that the Spirit’s inward presence enables us to be “filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19). This is the reason Ellen White declares, in discussing preparation for the final sealing:
Those who receive the seal of the living God, and are protected in the time of trouble, must reflect the image of Jesus fully [4].
Continuing with the harvest theme, we find that following the proclamation of the three angels’ messages in Revelation 14, the harvest of the earth—not yet ripe in the first verses of chapter 7—is now fully ripe:
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.
And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap; for the time is come for Thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped (Rev. 14:14-16).
What does it mean for the harvest to be ripe? Other Bible passages help us understand. The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes total sanctification on the part of Christians as a prerequisite for the return of our Lord:
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Thess. 5:23).
But thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Tim. 6:11-14).
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure (I John 3:2-3).
The Ellen White Evidence
When Ellen White declares, “When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own,” that “it is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:12, margin) [5], this is but the tip of a very large iceberg so far as Ellen White’s eschatology is concerned. So far as the delay and hastening of Jesus’ coming by God’s people is concerned, this theme is reflected in a large number of very clear Ellen White statements:
By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord’s return. We are not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God. 2 Peter 3:12, margin. Had the church of Christ done her appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would before this have been warned, and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth in power and great glory [6].
But before that (second) coming, Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations.” Matthew 24:14. His kingdom will not come until the good tidings of His grace have been carried to all the earth. Hence, as we give ourselves to God, and win other souls to Him, we hasten the coming of His kingdom [7].
There is nothing that the Saviour desires so much as agents who will represent to the world His Spirit and His character. There is nothing that the world needs so much as the manifestation through humanity of the Saviour’s love. All heaven is waiting for men and women through whom God can reveal the power of Christianity…. It is the privilege of every Christian, not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of the Saviour.
If the church will put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness, withdrawing from all allegiance with the world, there is before her the dawn of a bright and glorious day. God’s promise to her will stand fast forever [8].
God had committed to His people a work to be accomplished on earth. The third angel’s message was to be given, the minds of believers were to be directed to the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ had entered to make atonement for His people. The Sabbath reform was to be carried forward. The breach in the law of God must be made up. The message must be proclaimed with a loud voice, that all the inhabitants of earth might receive the warning. The people of God must purify their souls through obedience to the truth, and be prepared to stand without fault before Him at His coming….
For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord’s professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years [9].
Dear brethren and sisters, Christ is soon to come. Will He find you ready and waiting? The bridal lamps must be kept trimmed and burning. His chariot wheels have been delayed because of His long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life [10].
Had the people of God believed Him and been doers of His word, had they kept His commandments, the angel would not have come flying through heaven with the message to the four angels that were to let loose the winds that they should blow upon the earth crying, Hold, hold the four winds that they blow not upon the earth until I have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads. But because the people are disobedient, unthankful, unholy, as were ancient Israel, time is prolonged that all may hear the last message of mercy proclaimed with a loud voice. The Lord’s work has been hindered, the sealing time delayed. Many have not heard the truth. But the Lord will give them a chance to hear and be converted, and the great work of God will go forward [11].
The long night of gloom is trying, but the morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found unready. God’s unwillingness to have His people perish, has been the reason for so long delay [12].
I know that if the people of God had preserved a living connection with Him, if they had obeyed His Word, they would today be in the heavenly Canaan [13].
We may have to remain here in this world, because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel; but for Christ’s sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequence of their own wrong course of action [14].
Conclusion
The above Bible verses and Ellen White statements should conclusively demonstrate for any honest inquirer that according to both inspired sources, the timing of the second advent is determined by the divinely-empowered perfecting of character—or lack thereof—on the part of God’s end-time people. In light of the above, we find ourselves both shocked and saddened by such statements as the following from leading thinkers in contemporary Adventism:
The last generation of believers has no power to determine the time of probation’s close by their performance. To finalize the big cosmic issues and close the drama of the great controversy is God’s prerogative alone [15].
While we wait, we must not fall into another mistaken notion: thinking that the timing of the second coming is dependent on us reaching some standard of perfection [16].
Such statements force us to the choice of deciding who we will believe: Uninspired scholars, dedicated and sincere though they may be? Or the written counsel of God (Isa. 8:20; Acts 17:11)?
REFERENCES
1. Jiri Moskala and John C. Peckham (eds.), God’s Character and the Last Generation (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Assn, 2018), pp. 215,261.
2. Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69.
3. See Kendra Jo Haloviak, “Can We Hasten the Advent?” Adventist Review, Jan. 2, 1992, pp. 13-15; Reinder Bruinsma, In All Humility: Saying No to Last Generation Theology (Westlake Village, CA: Oak & Acorn Publishing, 2018), p. 161; Dear Aunt Sevvy, “Aunty, is Jesus waiting to return until Adventists become sinless?” Adventist Today, Sept. 19, 2022 https://atoday.org/aunty-is-jesus-waiting-to-return-until-adventists-become-sinless/
4. White, Early Writings, p. 71.
5. ----Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69.
6. ----The Desire of Ages, pp. 633-634.
7. ----Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pp. 108-109.
8. ----Acts of the Apostles, pp. 600-601.
9. ----Selected Messages, vol. 1, pp. 67-69.
10. ----Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, p. 266.
11. Ibid, vol. 15, pp. 292-293.
12. ----Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 194.
13. ----Evangelism, p. 694.
14. Ibid, p. 696.
15. Moskala and Peckham (eds.), God’s Character and the Last Generation, p. 202.
16. Ibid, p. 260.
Pastor Kevin Paulson holds a Bachelor’s degree in theology from Pacific Union College, a Master of Arts in systematic theology from Loma Linda University, and a Master of Divinity from the SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He served the Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for ten years as a Bible instructor, evangelist, and local pastor. He writes regularly for Liberty magazine and does script writing for various evangelistic ministries within the denomination. He continues to hold evangelistic and revival meetings throughout the North American Division and beyond, and is a sought-after seminar speaker relative to current issues in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He presently resides in Berrien Springs, Michigan