Great Disappointment Wasn't "The End" of Story
How William Miller's Mistake Became the Seed for a New Church
Jul 7, 2009
William Miller was a Baptist preacher who attracted a great following in the 1840s for his interpretation of Bible prophecies that, in his mind, pointed to the Second Coming of Jesus in 1843 or 1844. Miller based his prediction on an interpretation of Daniel 8:14, and certain other time prophecies in Scripture.
Miller finally pinned down October 22, 1844 as the date of Christ’s return, but when October 23 arrived with no sign of Jesus, most of Miller’s followers returned to their mainstream congregations and simply went on with their lives.
The Early Adventists
A small, scattered group of Adventists, as they were called, struggled to make sense of what had happened, or failed to happen, on October 22. They were called Adventists because they looked forward to the Advent or Second Coming of Jesus. They had believed the Bible held the key to predicting His return.
- The Adventists had studied the time prophecies in Daniel 8 and 9 over and over again. They believed the 2300 day prophecy in Daniel 8:14 had to refer to the time between the command to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem around 457 BC, alluded to in the book of Ezra, and the Lord’s return.
- They reasoned that the days in Daniel 8:14 referred to literal years, as Miller had taught. They could see no error in Miller’s time reckoning.
What Was the Cleansing of the Sanctuary?
To this group of disappointed Adventists, a correct understanding of Daniel 8:14 was the key to unlocking Miller’s mistake. In the King James Bible, the only English translation available in 1844, Daniel 8:14 reads, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
- Miller had taught that the earth would be destroyed in the lake of fire at Jesus’ coming, and that this event was the one pictured in Daniel 8:14.
- The early Adventists in the fall of 1844 reasoned that if Miller’s time reckoning was correct, it was the event symbolized by the cleansing of the sanctuary that must have been wrong.
Hiram Edson Receives a Vision
Much like William Miller, Hiram Edson was a fervent religious believer from a farming background. Edson was an early leader in the Advent movement both before and after the Great Disappointment. Much like the other Adventists, he had waited expectantly for Jesus to return to earth on October 22, 1844.
- When Christ failed to return as expected, Edson spent the night in his barn, praying for guidance along with a few fellow believers.
- The following morning, as he walked across a corn field, Edson said he saw a vision of Jesus moving from the holy place to the most holy place of the sanctuary in heaven, to "cleanse the sanctuary." Instead of returning to earth as expected, Edson said Jesus moved through the heavenly sanctuary that day to begin a new phase of his ministry.
Edson's testimony has become one of the most revered statements in all Adventist history, often referenced in support of the sanctuary doctrine, an interpretation of Daniel 8:14 unique to the SDA Church.
The Formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
In the years following the Great Disappointment, early Adventists "awakened" by the preaching of Miller and others went back to their Bibles for more light and guidance on how to worship and live their lives.
Scattered across the country, some in these loosely affiliated groups joined together to form the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, which was organized in 1863. Prominent church pioneers included Mrs. Ellen G. White, who was regarded as a prophetess by the denomination, and whose writings continue to inspire and influence church leadership today.
The SDA Church Today
The worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church has over 17 million members, according to Wikipedia. Membership has steadily grown, with churches in over 200 countries. Though William Miller was incorrect in trying to predict an exact date for Jesus' return, his Bible study methods influenced the early leaders of the SDA Church, and his belief in the infallibility of Scripture is still a prominent theme in church doctrine today.
Sources:
Hiram Edson. 2003. Connecticut Valley Adventist Church. 6 July 2009 <http://www.connecticut-adventist.org/Bible_Study/Pioneer_Stories/hiram_edson.html>.
White, Ellen. The Great Controversy Ended… Siler Springs, MD: Better Living Publications, 1990.
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