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, 8) 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 #9 of William Miller’s “Time Proved Fifteen Different Ways”

NINE: It can be proved by Daniel 12:11-13: “And from the time that the daily sacrifices shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”

The number 1335 days, from the taking away of Rome Pagan, A.D. 508, to set up Rome Papal, and the reign of Papacy, is 1290 days, which was exactly fulfilled in 1290 years, being fulfilled in 1798. This proves the 1335 days to be years, and that Daniel will stand in his lot in A.D. 1843. For proof texts, see Dan 11:31: “And arms shall stand on his part, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.” 2 Thess. 2:6?8: “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” Job 19:25: “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

As Dale Ratzlaff notes in Cultic Doctrine

To come up with this “proof” Miller assumed the end of the 1290 days to be the year 1798 when the Pope of Rome was taken captive. He, and Adventists as well, call this date “the time of the end.” From this date, Miller, using the day-equals-a-year method, figured back and came to 508. His method was then to look for something in 508 which could be a key event. In Gibbon’s popular history of the Roman empire he found that:

Anastasias sent pope the title and insignia of patrician and consul and conferred the appellation of Agustus. [Arasola, The End of Historicism, p. 135]

This appeared reasonable to Miller and his associates. Now Miller simply added 45 years, the difference between 1335 and 1290, to the date of 1798 and he came up with 1843.

This method reminds me of my experience in high school physics. We occasionally would practice what we called “dry labbing.” We would figure out what the lab results were supposed to be by the formulas, then when we took our measurements in the lab, we would make sure they agreed with the conclusions we already had reached. When we did this we were not practicing good science. Neither was Miller practicing good Bible interpretation. This “proof” is not a solid 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 #10. As Dale notes, it uses “wild proof-texting. The unwarranted assumptions here are almost too numerous to mention.”

Things are not going well for Ellen White. We have examined 9 of 15 proofs and found them all to be faulty.