William Miller predicted that Christ would return to earth sometime between March 21, 1843 to March 21, 1844. He reached this date by adding 2300 years to 457 B.C.
Note: 457 B.C. was the year King Artaxerxes issued his command to restore and to build Jerusalem.
He said the Lord would come “some time between the 21st of March, 1843, and March 21, 1844 {The Autobiography of Elder Joseph Bates 276.3}
1843, and March 21, 1844. I have never, for the space of more than twenty-three years, had any other time preached or published by me; I have never fixed on any month, day, or hour, during that period; I have never found any mistake in reckoning, summing up, or miscalculation; I have made no provision for any other time; I am perfectly satisfied that the Bible is true, and is the Word of God, and I am confident that I rely wholly on the blessed Book for my faith in this matter. {Memoirs of William Miller 181.1}
Those uninformed of the Adventist history often say that William Miller miscalculated by adding year ZERO to his prophetic calculations, saying: from 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. there is only 1 year but Miller counted 2. But this understanding has no grounds due to several reasons:
As stated by William Miller himself, he has been preaching the same dates for 23 years, can this error escape his eyes for all these years?
As stated by Joseph Bates along with thousands of God's people, they were all eagerly looking forward to March 21, 1844, even if this error escapes the eyes of Miller, can this error escape the eyes of all?
As stated by Ellen White, the Adventist were not disappointed in 1843, but in the Spring of 1844: "The 2300 days of Daniel 8:14, which all believed to extend to the second coming of Christ, had been thought to end in the spring of 1844" {Story of Redemption Page 369}
If William Miller did not overcount year Zero, then what was his mistake?
Mistake #1, William Miller relied on the Jewish Calendar and not the Biblical Calendar. The Jewish Calendar begins the year based on the Solar Equinox (March of 1844). Whereas the Biblical Calendar begins the year following the Abib, the ripening of Barley in the land of Israel (April of 1844).
Mistake #2, William Miller did not connect the cleansing of the sanctuary to the Great Day of Atonement that occurs every Autumn of the Biblical year and not Spring.
To correct the above errors, God gave His people understanding during the Exeter Camp meeting that took place in July, 1844. This understanding is also known as the light of the Midnight Cry. Those that have received this precious light of the Midnight Cry will understand what lead to the first disappointment in the Spring of 1844, and those that have not received the light of the Midnight Cry will continue to believe that William Miller, Joseph Bates, James White, Ellen White along with thousands of other believers did not know how to do math.
At this, I raised my eyes and see a strait and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the City, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the first end of the path, which an angel told me was the Midnight Cry. This light shone all along the path and gave light for their feet so they might not stumble. {The Day-Star January 24, 1846, Letter from Sister Harmon}
コメント