The Great Controversy as Biblical Metanarrative

The concept of a cosmic conflict between good and evil has long served as a central interpretive lens within Seventh-day Adventist theology. Yet critics have sometimes argued that the motif functions as an imposed metanarrative rather than one that emerges organically from the biblical text. At the same time, some Adventist presentations risk allowing the conflict motif to overshadow the centrality of the cross.

This research will explore how the cosmic conflict theme arises from the canonical witness of Scripture when interpreted through a Christ-centered lens. Beginning with the rebellion imagery of Genesis 3 and Isaiah 14, continuing through the ministry of Christ, and culminating in the apocalyptic visions of Revelation, the biblical narrative portrays redemption as the decisive revelation of God’s character before the watching universe. When disciplined by the cross and the broader canonical context, the Great Controversy motif functions not as speculation but as a theological framework that integrates the sanctuary, the kingdom of God, and the final restoration of creation.