Gilbert Jorgensen’s Weblog

[Editor’s note: All 15 Proofs as well as William Miller’s 1843 chart (that Ellen White said was just as God wanted it) are also available in my Library at DefendingTheGospel.com.]

In part 1 we identified that the foundation for Adventism is laid in Ellen White’s comprehensive endorsement of William Miller’s methods and message. If Miller was right, so was Ellen G. White.

In part 2 we carefully examined what Ellen White said about William Miller and saw that her endorsement of William Miller was comprehensive. We found that Ellen White unequivocally stated that Miller was guided by God in his methods, his conclusions, and his message.

Part 3 began an examination of William Miller’s 15 proofs (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) that Ellen White said constituted a “a perfect chain of truth” (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, p. 129).

Much of the material covered in this series is explained in much greater detail in Cultic Doctrine by Dale Ratzlaff. Dale has done a masterful job with the facts clearly laid out before the reader to evaluate. I consider this book to be invaluable in understanding how the 1844 Sanctuary doctrine and the 1857 Investigative Judgment doctrine came to be in the first place. No matter what your theological perspective, this book presents the historical backdrop in a gripping, easy-to-read, narrative. This is one of those books that you will be unable to put down until you complete it. If you don’t have it, you should order it today.

As Dale points out in chapter 4, “William Miller: His Methods and Message”

Did he really discover “a perfect chain of truth,” as Ellen White stated? The stakes are high for Adventists. If Miller was wrong, then Ellen White was equally wrong.

Let’s examine proof #8 of William Miller’s “Time Proved Fifteen Different Ways”

EIGHT: It can be proved by Daniel 7:6,7: “And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swear by him that liveth forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” The question is asked, How long to the end of these wonders? These wonders are to the resurrection. See 2nd and 3rd verses: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever.” The answer is given by the angel, who informs Daniel it shall be for a time, times, and a half, and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all will be finished. Ez. 12:10-15: “Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them. Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity. And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulders in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of Chaldeans, yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there. And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.” Jer. 15:4: “And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.” This scattering begun, when Israel was scattered by Esarhaddon, and when the king of Judah, Manasseh, was carried to Babylon, B.C. 677. Thus they continued to be a people scattered, by the kings of the earth, until they fled into the wilderness in A.D. 538, which makes 1215 years. There they remained in the wilderness a time, times, and a half — which began A.D. 538, and continued until A.D. 1798. The kings of the earth then had power, and the time, times and a half of the scattering of the holy people is filled up by 45 years, being the remainder of the 1215, making in all 1260 years, under the nations or kings, and ending in the year 1843, — which is the fullness of times. Eph. 1:7,10: “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensa¬tion of the fullness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:” .. when the people of God, both among Jews and Gentiles, will no more be scattered, but gathered in one body in Christ.

As Dale Ratzlaff notes in Cultic Doctrine

As I read the above “proof” I had to shake my head and say, “How can he do that?” And then, “He can’t do that!” There are a number of tenuous assumptions behind some of these connections. The year 538 plays a key role in several of Millers “proofs” but:

It is not easy to convince people of a date which is not generally attested in secular history. [Arasola, The End of Historicism, p. 133]

The quote from Ephesians seems to have nothing to do with Daniel, Jeremiah or the time of the second coming. Most believe this refers to what Christ did at the cross and at the resurrection rather than with some time prophecy pointing to 1843. This is another broken link in the “perfect chain of truth.”

Ellen White said God chose William Miller, guided his mind, his methods of Bible study, his conclusions, his charts, his mission, and more.

Next time we will begin examining William Miller’s proof #9. In it he uses the reign of Papacy to determine the date for Christ’s second coming in 1843.

Things are not going well for Ellen White. We have examined 8 of 15 proofs and found them all to be faulty.