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) 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 #6 of William Miller’s "Time Proved Fifteen Different Ways"

SIX: I prove it by Hosea 6:1-3: “Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us; in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” This prophecy is the two days of the Roman Kingdom, in its Imperial, Kingly and Papal form, with its great iron teeth, tearing and persecuting the people of God; the third day is the same as 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;” when the people of God will live in his sight, “live and reign with him a thousand years.” If, then, the third day is a thousand years, then the two days are of equal length. When did the two days begin? Ans. When the Jews made a league with the Romans. See Hosea 5:13: “When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.” Dan. 9:23: “And after the league made with him, he shall work deceitfully; for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.” 1 Maccabees 8, 9. This league was confirmed and ratified, and the Grecian kingdom ceased to rule over God’s people B.C. 158 years. Then add 158 to 1842, and we have 2000 years, or two days; as Peter says, 2 Peter 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.” And 1843 is the first year in the 3d thousand years, or 3d day of the Lord. The world has stood since the fall of man 2000 years under the Patriarchs; 2000 years under the Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Grecian; and 2000 years under the Roman Pagan, Papal and Kingly.

Why are we going over these proofs in such great detail? It is important to fully understand the glowing endorsement that Ellen White, and by extension the Seventh-day Adventist Church, gave to William Miller. This fond admiration and for, and close identity with, William Miller has not dimmed over the years. I have a copy of the video series called "Keepers of the Flame". Near the beginning of the series William Miller is introduced as he prayerfully seeks the Lord’s direction in giving his message. The next in this series of William Miller’s proofs, Proof #7, is the one that uses as its key text Daniel 8:14. This text is the one text to which Seventh-day Adventists still cling “as the central pillar of Adventism.” We will study that "proof" next time.

It’s fascinating also to see 1 Maccabees 8, 9 used as part of the basis for this proof. Ellen and James White both quoted from the apocrypha to support their positions. Ellen wrote that the Lord showed her …

I saw that the Apocrypha was the hidden book, and that the wise of these last days should understand it. (Manuscript 4, 1850)

For now, let’s examine more closely the points that William Miller makes in this sixth proof. First he says

I prove it by Hosea 6:1-3

I get dizzy just trying to follow his logic. Come to think of it, the same thing happens trying to follow Clifford Goldstein’s logic about the Investigative Judgment (of the righteous), and an 1844 completion of Christ’s ministry culminating in a physical heavenly sanctuary.

And here we have some more of William Miller’s "inspired" logic!

Then add 158 to 1842, and we have 2000 years, or two days

Of course 1842 won’t work for the year of the Lord’s second coming, and so William Miller had to do some "fine-tuning."

And 1843 is the first year in the 3d thousand years, or 3d day of the Lord.

As Dale Ratzlaff notes in Cultic Doctrine

Miller was very fond of this prophecy and referred to it as “a pearl of great price, lying deep in the waters of prophecy.” A pattern running through Miller’s interpretive method is that of linking one invalid assumption to another invalid assumption and then attempting to draw out divine “truth.” As a chain is no stronger than its weakest link, so conclusions built upon assumptions are no stronger than their weakest assumption. When several disconnected texts must be pulled together and interpreted using a string of invalid, linking assumptions in order to “prove” what cannot be proved by contextual study, something is wrong. The most—or should it be least—one can say in evaluating this type of Bible “study” is that it is foolhardy, if not outright dangerous and deceptive.

Next time we will begin examining William Miller’s proof #7. That is the one that references the verse in Daniel 8:14 that the Seventh-day Adventist church considers critical to its unique identity.

Things are not going too well for Ellen White. We have examined 6 of 15 proofs and found them all to be faulty. Are there any of these first 6 that have convinced you that anything at all was to happen in 1843? Or 1844? Or 1851? These three dates were used in succession as the early band of advent believers lead by Ellen White’s visions attempted to set date after date for the "close of probation" and the Lord’s second coming.

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.