September 29, 2023 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Greetings, friends. Today as we continue our journey through the book, The Great Controversy, we will be looking at Chapter 22, titled, “Prophecies Fulfilled.” If you are new to this series or have not yet downloaded this marvelous book, I encourage you to get your free copy today at greatcontroversyproject.org [Insert: greatcontroversyproject.org].
As we have seen in previous chapters, a man named William Miller, along with many others around the world, was diligently studying the Bible, especially the prophecies of Daniel. Based on those biblical studies, he, along with many others, concluded the Lord’s coming was soon; in fact, it was imminent.
As they studied the 2,300-day timeline, the longest prophecy in the Bible, they realized that up to that point, the prophecy had been fulfilled right on time. In 457 B.C. the decree of Artaxerxes was given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem; Jesus was baptized in AD 27 and crucified in AD 31, just as the prophecy predicted. Stephen was stoned in AD 34, indicating the opening of the Gospel to the Gentiles. This, too, came at the exact time given in the prophecy.
As they reviewed the keynote verse of Daniel 8:14, they were sure that it, too, would be fulfilled right on time. “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
Counting again from the decree of Artaxerxes to restore and rebuild Jerusalem in 457 B.C., they came to the astonishing conclusion that the end of this time prophecy would come in 1844 A.D.
Following the common belief of the time, that the Bible here referred to the earth as the sanctuary to be cleansed, they concluded it must mean Christ was coming and would cleanse the earth with fire. This would take place, they believed, in the spring of 1844.
When Jesus did not come at that time, many were keenly disappointed. Some went into fanaticism, and, as described in The Great Controversy, they “rejected the word of God as the one infallible guide and, claiming to be led by the Spirit, gave themselves up to the control of their own feelings, impressions, and imaginations” (p. 395).
You see friends, when we reject the Word of God as our guiding light, and instead depend upon our own feelings and impressions, we can easily be led astray.
Fortunately, among the early Advent believers, there were some who continued searching the Scriptures, “examining anew the evidences of their faith and carefully studying the prophecies to obtain further light. The Bible testimony in support of their position seemed clear and conclusive . . . and though [they] could not explain their disappointment, they felt assured that God had led them in their past experience” (The Great Controversy, p. 391).
As they continued to earnestly pray and study, the believers were led to encouraging passages, such as Habakkuk 2:3,4—”For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry”, and Ezekiel 12:21, 25—“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, “The days are prolonged, and every vision fails”? . . .’For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days . . . I will say the word and perform it,’ says the Lord God.”
Another comforting passage of Scripture for these faithful believers was found in the parable of the ten virgins as recorded in Matthew 25. As they studied this passage, they realized that just as in the parable, there seemed to be a delay in the Lord’s coming. Nevertheless, they were determined to not give up hope, knowing that His Word would be fulfilled.
But perhaps one of their most important discoveries came when they realized that the decree of Artaxerxes, which formed the starting point for the 2300-day period, went into effect in the autumn of the 457 B.C.; not at the beginning of the year, as they had previously thought. Taking this into account, they then realized that the fulfillment of this prophecy would take place in the autumn of 1844, rather than the spring.
With this important realization, the believers studied even more deeply. As they continued examining the Scriptures, they realized how the types relating to the first advent of Christ had been fulfilled on exactly the specified day. They also saw how the Old Testament types pointed to the autumn as the time when the event represented by the “cleansing of the sanctuary” must take place. The believers then understood that in the same way, the types relating to the Second Advent must be fulfilled at the time pointed out in the symbolic sanctuary service.
According to the Mosaic system, the cleansing of the sanctuary, or the great Day of Atonement, occurred on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month, as outlined in Leviticus 16:29-34. Therefore, they concluded, Christ, our great High Priest, would appear on that Day of Atonement to purify the earth by destroying sin and sinners, and to bless His waiting people with immortality.
In the year 1844, the tenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish Calendar fell on October 22. With joyful solemnity, the Advent believers concluded that this, indeed, would be the day in which this prophecy would be fulfilled, and Jesus would come.
Although they misunderstood the event to take place, these careful Bible students were absolutely correct in calculating the timeline of this prophecy. Something amazing began on October 22, 1844, that will soon finish, and then Jesus will come.
We will be talking more about this momentous event in upcoming videos, but as we consider these important matters, I invite you to pray with me just now.
Father in Heaven, Thank you for the prophecies of the books of Daniel and Revelation, the prophecies that are so clear and accurate. We thank you that down through the ages, everything has been fulfilled according to the time prophecies at the allotted time. And now, as we are in the very end of time, with no more specific date prophecies, we realize Jesus’ soon return is imminent. Lord, we lean upon you completely, upon your grace, upon your righteousness, your justifying righteousness, your sanctifying righteousness, to help us to become more and more like Jesus as we look forward to His soon coming. Thank you for hearing us in this prayer. In Jesus’ name, we ask it. Amen.