The sanctuary view: January 1847 to fall 1848

Toward the middle of 1846, the only remaining Adventists who still held to the prophetic significance of 1844 followed Crosier’s view of the extended atonement. Very quickly, under the influence of Joseph Bates, most adopted the seventh-day Sabbath, thus, by this time, the movement would more appropriately be termed Sabbatarian Adventist.UEGW 171.4

Beginning in January 1847, Bates linked the Sabbath to the heavenly sanctuary through studying Revelation 11:19 and 14:12. This had particular relevance to the Most Holy Place, where the ark of the covenant containing the law of God is revealed. Central to the law of God was the Sabbath, which deserved special attention because it had been neglected and points to worship of God as Creator and therefore has end-time importance. ^{27Joseph Bates, The Seventh Day Sabbath, a Perpetual Sign From the Beginning to the Entering Into the Gates of the Holy City, According to the Commandments, 2nd ed. (New Bedford, MA: Benjamin Lindsey, 1847), iii, iv.} The Sabbath, therefore, became “present truth” with eschatological significance.UEGW 171.5

During 1847 the shut door began to be defined in terms of the heavenly sanctuary, and specifically the door between the Holy Place and Most Holy Place. The Bridegroom view, based on a symbolic interpretation of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25, became a secondary argument, thus allowing for the developing sanctuary understanding to become dominant. This necessarily gave new emphasis to Jesus’ continued work as a high priest, resulting in an increasing discontinuity between the earlier idea of a shut door for “sinners” and the growing realization of the need for an evangelistic proclamation of the Sabbath.UEGW 171.6