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.

Today we will begin examining William Miller’s “perfect chain” of biblical truth, the foundation for his 1843 message.

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 begin by examining William Miller’s 15 proofs that Ellen White said constituted a “a perfect chain of truth” (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, p. 129).

Here is proof #1 of William Miller’s “Time Proved Fifteen Different Ways”

ONE: I prove it by the time given by Moses, in the 26th chapter of Leviticus, being seven times that the people of God are to be in bondage to the kingdoms of this world; or in Babylon, literal and mystical; which seven times cannot be understood less than seven times 360 revolutions of the earth in its orbit, making 2520 years. I believe this began according to Jeremiah 15:4, — “And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem,” and Isa. 7:8, “For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Resin: and within three score and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people,”– when Manasseh was carried captive to Babylon, and Israel was no more a nation,– see chronology, 2 Chron. 33:9, “So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel,”– the 677th year B.C. Then take 677 out of 2520, leaves A.D. 1843, when the punishment of the people of God will end.

Do you have any questions? If so, the perhaps William Miller’s famous 1843 chart will clear things up. This comes from our Library at DefendingTheGospel.com.

This chart is especially significant to us because Ellen White wrote in Early Writings, p. 74

I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and that it should not be altered; that the figures were as He wanted them. Early Writings, p. 74

She also wrote

I also saw that God was in the proclamation of the time in 1843. It was His design to arouse the people and bring them to a testing point, where they should decide for or against truth. Early Writings, p. 232

Let’s examine more closely the points that William Miller makes in his first proof. First he says

I prove it by the time given by Moses, in the 26th chapter of Leviticus

Let’s see what Leviticus 26:18 says

And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. Leviticus 26:18 (KJV)

William Miller’s first "proof" also uses as a critical part of this "perfect chain of truth"

which seven times cannot be understood less than seven times 360 revolutions of the earth in its orbit, making 2520 years.

and

Then take 677 out of 2520, leaves A.D. 1843, when the punishment of the people of God will end.

I hope you understood that.

As Dale Ratzlaff notes in Cultic Doctrine

This "proof" is a classic nineteenth-century illustration of proof-texting running wild. The context of the proof texts are ignored and supporting texts are linked together haphazardly.

This says nothing about the second coming of Christ. Not only that, but this is not even a time prophecy at all. The word “times” is not in Hebrew, and the emphasis of this passage is on the degree of punishment, not the length of time of punishment.

This first proof is totally invalid and makes a mockery of sound biblical interpretation. If this is one of the links in the “perfect chain of truth,” it is a broken link.

Truly amazing!

Next time we will examine William Miller’s proof #2. It uses the "allegorical method of interpretation". I’ll bet you have never heard of that one before. We certainly have to give William Miller credit for trying!