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) 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 #4 of William Miller’s “Time Proved Fifteen Different Ways”

FOUR: It is proved, also, by the sign of the Sabbath. Ex. 31:13 ?17: “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore: for it is holy unto you. Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done, but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.” Heb. 4:4, 9?11: “For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise: And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.” “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

As God was six days creating the old heavens and earth, and rested on the seventh; so it is a sign Christ will also labor six days in creating the new heavens and earth, and rest on the seventh. How long is a day with the Lord? Peter tells us in his 2 Epistle 3:8: But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” If, then, a thousand years is a day with the Lord, how long has Christ been to work creating the new? I answer, if we will allow the Bible to make us a chronology, we shall find this year, 1843, the 6000 years from Adam’s fall will be finished. Then the Anti-typical Sabbath of 1000 years will commence. Rev. 10:6: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

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

It is proved, also, by the sign of the Sabbath. … Six days may work be done, but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord.

I’ll bet you are wondering how anyone can take that statement, and arrive at the date of 1843 for the Lord’s second coming. Keep reading…

As God was six days creating the old heavens and earth, and rested on the seventh; so it is a sign Christ will also labor six days in creating the new heavens and earth, and rest on the seventh. How long is a day with the Lord? …

One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

… if we will allow the Bible to make us a chronology, we shall find this year, 1843, the 6000 years from Adam’s fall will be finished. Then the Anti-typical Sabbath of 1000 years will commence.

I hope you were able to follow William Miller’s logic.

As Dale Ratzlaff notes in Cultic Doctrine

It appears that anytime the number seven is mentioned in Scripture it becomes a prophecy of the second coming. I have written at length on the topic of the Sabbath in Sabbath in Christ, with a whole chapter dedicated to this reference in Hebrews. Neither Exodus 31 nor Hebrews 4 could be construed to be a time prophecy of the second coming. Here again we see allegorizing and proof-texting running wild. This is not a link in “a perfect chain of truth,” but a blatant misuse of Scripture.

Three more "proofs" and we will be to Proof #7, the Daniel 8:14 proof that the Seventh-day Adventist Church trots out as the reason for its existence.

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

It’s shocking to think that this is the logic that Ellen White fully endorsed, and by extension that of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. To quote Fundamental Belief #18, The Gift of Prophecy.

This “gift” is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen. G. White . As the Lord’s messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction.