William Miller was the founder of the Advent movement in the USA, the forerunner of the Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as others such as the Seventh Day Adventists. You may now read his "25 Reasons Christ Must Come in 1843," first published in 1838, but going to: http://www.gospelcom.net/chi/pastwords/chl028.shtml .
A reading from William Miller
by Justin 7 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Nathan Natas
Here's the text from that link:
Tell me if it smells familiar.
W hat signs are now fulfilling which are given us by Christ, the Prophets or Apostles, of his second coming and glorious reign? And,
1. Christ tells us, Matt. xxiv. 14, ?this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness, and then shall the end come.? Is not this sign already accomplished? Bible translated into more than 200 different languages; missionaries sent among all the nations known to us on the globe, and reformation succeeding reformation in every town, nook or corner in this land. The gospel has now spread over the four quarters of the globe. It began in Asia. In the apostles? days that quarter was full of light. From thence it went into Africa, and for a number of centuries, Africa stretched out her hands unto God. Europe, too, has had a long visitation of gospel blessings, and now America, the last quarter of the globe, is reaping a harvest of souls for the last day. The gospel, like the sun, arose in the east, and will set in the west.
2. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit and last reign of grace. Daniel tells us after Bonaparte should come to his end, and none should help him, xii. 1, ?And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people.? This I have shown in a former lecture is the same angel that stood upon the waters of the river, clothed in linen. Daniel xii. 6. Also the same angel that John saw, Rev. x. 1-6, standing his right foot upon the sea and his left upon the earth, and in his hand a little book open. This angel told John that he must ?prophecy again before many people, and nations, and tongues, and kings;? meaning that the gospel must again be published, as it had been in the apostolic days. And then would this angel lift his hand to heaven and swear by him that liveth for ever and ever, that time should be no longer. Again, James says v. 7,8, ?Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.? And now, can any man who has any knowledge of the present times, deny that God has poured out his spirit in a remarkable manner for twenty years past. Has not the gospel been spread in as rapid and extensive a manner as in the apostolic day? Has not opposition and persecution of the kings of the earth, of the woman that sitteth in many waters, the sea, been in a great measure kept in check and powerless, by some invisible power, some mighty arm, until the servants of God should be sealed, the latter rain of grace descend, and God's purposes completed concerning this latter day? Here, then, we have a clear and visible sign that the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
3. Many running to and fro. This is another important and evident sign of the end. Daniel xii. 4, ?But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro.? Whether the prophet means to be understood ?many shall run to and fro? in a religious sense, or in a civil or temporal sense, or whether he means in both, is perfectly immaterial for my purpose. All must acknowledge that his text is remarkably fulfilled in this day, in either point of view. If it means missionaries of the cross, no man can dispute the fulfillment. See the heralds of salvation crossing and re-crossing on every part of the habitable globe. If it means common travelers, or the rapid means of travel, still our text holds good, and the fulfillment obvious. No man, unless he is willfully ignorant, can deny that his sign is not actually and literally fulfilled.
4. The great increase of knowledge, given in the same text as above. ?Even to the time of the end many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.? View this in any point you please, whether theological or scientifical, it is literally true; in this day of invention and improvement, knowledge increases. What of the fifty different moral societies which have become general in the Christian world? Is there no increase of knowledge in our Bible societies, Sabbath schools, tract societies, temperance societies, and a catalogue of others for moral reform? What can we say of all the inventions n the arts? What of all the improvements in science? In all this is it not very evident that this sign is now fulfilling to the very letter?
5. The great increase of riches, and desire for laying up worldly treasures, as described by James v. 1-3, ?Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you: your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth eaten: your gold and your silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.? When, since the writer of this epistle was on our earth, has there been such an increase of gold and silver and treasures of this life, as at this day? Our rich men are laying up their gold, silver and treasures in abundance. But as though this individual exertion for riches would not completely fulfill our text, they have entered into all manner of companies and monopolies to ?heap treasure together.? When, in the history of the work, cant here be shown so many banking institutions as now? When so much insurance capital as is heaped together at this day? Are not our rich men perfectly infatuated with stocks of all kinds? and monopoly is the order of the day. To grind down the poor and heap treasure together for the last days. Can any man who has any knowledge of these things deny that this sign of the last days is not evidently accomplished? Go to, ye rich men, weep and howl, for your miseries are come upon you.
6. The unwillingness of men to hear sound doctrine, taught us by Paul, 2 Tim. iv. 1-4, ?I charge thee, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.? My brethren, need I say one word on this passage? There is none of you so blind but you see that his passage does actually describe the most fashionable preaching at the present day. How many thousand do run after that kind of preaching which is only relating fables, and that doctrine which gives all power to man?
7. Scoffers saying where is the promise of his coming? as Peter informs us in his 2 Epistle, iii. 3,4, ?Knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all thing continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.? A right understanding of this text would show us at once that many of us who fancy we are in the highway to heaven, are belonging, to this class of scoffers. First, they walk after their own lusts, that is after their own carnal notions concerning the coming of Christ. They say all things will continue as they were from the creation; they must have a temporal millennium; man must be married and given in marriage; the world will not be burnt, and my Lord delayeth his coming, some say a thousand years, and some say 365,000 years, and all the moral change that takes place on our earth will be performed by the agency of man. Therefore many scoff and ridicule the idea that scripture tells us of the second coming of Christ, the manner, object and time. And many are willingly ignorant, will not hear or read on this subject.
8. Perilous times, as described in 2 Tim. iii. 1-7, ?This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having the form of godliness but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.?
What better description of domestic and public society could we expect from the most close observer of private characters, domestic circles and public societies of our times, than is here given? One would conclude, had he found this in any other book but the Bible, that it was a modern writer, well acquainted with the human heart and the generations now on the earth.
9. ?Departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats.? Thus Paul tells Timothy, 1 Epistle, iv. 1-3, ?Now the spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,? &c. This, we must acknowledge, has been and is now fulfilling. The whole almost of the Christian world have departed or changed their faith within fifteen years; seducing spirits are evidently at work, hypocrites are multiplying among us; Roman Catholics, Shakers, Pilgrims, Fanny Wright, Owen and others forbid to marry. Roman Catholics and many others among us are teaching to abstain from meats and drinks, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
10. False teachers making merchandise of the gospel See 2 Peter ii. 1-3. ?But there were false prophets also among the people; even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction; and many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of, and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of your, whose judgments of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not.? The apostle then goes on to show that as it was in the days of Noah and Lot, so it would be in the days of these false teachers, one generation would not pass off before the judgment would overtake them, who make merchandise of the gospel, and like Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousness.
11. Jude gives us a sign, 4 to 19 verses inclusive, ?How they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts; these by they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.? Some preachers deny the agency of the Spirit in regeneration.?
12. Christ gives a sign in Luke xxi. 25-28, ?And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking for those thing which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; and then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.
13. Christ gives another sign in Matthew xxiv. 23, 24, ?Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not, for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.? There can be no doubt of this sign being fulfilled.
14. The fulfillment of the parable of the ten virgins--the midnight cry has gone forth from every quarter of God's moral vineyard, ?Behold, the bridegroom cometh.? The world has been and are now ?trimming their lamps;? witness the Bible translated into all languages, the Bible societies sending Bibles to every nation and family on the earth, the Sabbath schools and Bible classes studying its sacred precept.
15. The scattering of the holy people and division of sects, as prophesied of by Daniel, xii. 7, ?And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.? This prophecy is now fulfilling in a remarkable manner. Not one sect who profess holiness, but are divided and subdivided into contending schisms, and that, too, within twenty years.
16. The division of the political world, as prophesied of by John. Rev. xvi. 12-16. ?And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs, come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, for they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty?--and 19th verse, ?And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell.? That these spirits are political is evident from the fact that they come out of the mouth of the dragon, (kinds,) and beast, (catholic,) false prophet, (Mahometan,) and unclean, signifying they are not holy things. This prophecy is now accomplishing. What nation within our knowledge, is not already divided into three political parties? None which is in any way known to your speaker.
17. The church has fulfilled her 1260 years in the wilderness, spoken of in Rev. xii. 6, 14, ?And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score days.? These days were evidently accomplished in 1798, since which time the protestant church has enjoyed privileges even in the city of nations, the Roman empire, and, according to Daniel, forty-five years will complete the whole plan of redemption.
18. The two witnesses prove that the 1260 years are ended; for it is evident that the Old and New Testament are not now hid nor kept from the common people, but have arose from their dead state, and are now performing the office God designed they should, conveying light to the world. They are not clothed in sackcloth, but through the missionaries of the cross and Bible societies, are testifying to the world of Christ and his second coming.
19. The civil power of Antichrist is destroyed, and the 1260 years in which she was to rule over kings and tread the church under foot, was completed in 1798, when the French army took the Pope a prisoner, and erected Italy into a republic; since which time the Pope has exercised but little or no power over kings or the protestant church, and she is evidently sinking by the weight of her own corruptions.
20. It is very evident that the sixth trumpet has sounded, and the 391 years will be completed in 1839, when the seventh trumpet will begin to sound, and the mystery of God will be finished, all that he hath declared to his servants the prophets. If the fall of the eastern empire at Constantinople was included in the sixth trumpet, which all the principal commentators whom I have consulted agree in, and that trumpet was prepared to sound an hour, a day, a month, and a year, which makes, according to the reckoning of time in John's prophecy, 391 years and 15 days, then the sixth trumpet is almost finished. The whole appearance strengthens this exposition of the text, for the power of the Turks has diminished more rapidly within fifteen years, than any politician, however anxious he could have been for the event, could have anticipated.
21. The opening of the sixth seal, revealed in the 6th and 7th chapters of Revelation, was opened in the French revolution, and carries us through a sealing time unto the opening of the seventh sea, which ushers us before the judgment seat of God. No one can deny but that since the revolution in France, a sealing time has passed; many have been born into the spiritual kingdom of Christ, more than has ever been known in the same period of time since the apostle's days. This seal, then, is evidently opened, and is a strong evidence that the book of life will soon be opened, and the dead will be judged out of the things written in the books.
22. The sixth vial was poured out about the year 1822, when the Ottoman power began to be dried up. This is an important sign that we are on the brink of the judgment day. Rev. xvi. 12, ?And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the waters thereof were dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.? This preparation is for the last great battle, which will take place at the pouring out of the seventh vial, in the year 1839 or 40. At the pouring out of the seventh vial a voice from the throne will pronounce the word, it is done. The kingdoms of the earth and governments of the world will be carried away, and their places not found. Every writer of any note will and have applied this vial to the Turkish government, and of course must acknowledge that this vial is poured out, for the power of the Turkish government is but little more than a name, and the strength of the Ottoman power dried up.
23. The two days which Hosea speaks of, and Christ declares he will heal and bind up, that Daniel's fourth kingdom will tear and wound the people of God, meaning the Roman two days, meaning two thousand years, will be accomplished in the year 1843, as we have shown you in our lecture on that passage, Hosea vi. 1-3. The evidence of the Roman government now being in existence is very conclusive. The kingdoms, or ten horns, into which Rome was divided at the fall of the western empire, are all in existence except the three which were swallowed up by the little horn. And the little horn, although much of her power is taken away, yet she is reserved to be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming. And it is a remarkable circumstance that these seven kingdoms are yet standing almost in the same situation they were when first divided, although revolution after revolution has passed over the western empire, yet they have stood shock after shock for more than thirteen centuries. This is strong evidence that this Roman government will exist under the little horn and the remaining seven kingdoms, until the 2000 years are fulfilled, which will be in AD 1843. For beginning the Roman kingdom, when Rome became masters over the Grecian empire, and became connected with the Jews by league, drove the Grecian army from before Jerusalem, in the year 158 BC, would end at the same time in the year 1843 in which it began in the year 158 BC, being two days of two thousand years, the third day the people of God would live in his sight, or live and reign with Christ a thousand years. And as Christ says in Luke, they should be perfected.
24. Another evidence is Daniel's resurrection at the end of the 1335 days. This evidence is very plain and evident, for Daniel says, xii. 11-13, ?And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.? This cannot be the Jewish sacrifice; for if so then it must have been fulfilled about five hundred years past, and as no event took place then which would warrant us in so understanding it, I can see no rational objection to understand this daily sacrifice to mean Pagan rites and sacrifices, which was the original beast of which the abomination of desolation was only an image, and as I have shown in a former lecture, was to continue six hundred and sixty-six years; and as Paul tells us that when he was taken out of the way the man of sin would be revealed, agreeing in the language with Daniel. I think the proof is strong that from the taking away of Pagan worship, AD 508, to the end of the Papal civil power, would be 1290 years, which would end in the year 1798, and thus agree with all of John's numbers in Revelation. And then Daniel says, or the angel to Daniel, ?Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.? Thus add 1335 to 508, will bring us down to the year AD 1843. ?But go thou thy way till the end be, for thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.? And ?Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.? Then Daniel will stand in his lot, and Job will stand on the earth in the latter day.
25. Daniel's vision of 2300 days long. I have in some former lectures shown clearly that Daniel's vision concerning the four great monarchies which were or were to come, included the whole history of the world so far as God saw fit to reveal it, down to the judgment day, and the coming of the Son of man in the clouds. I then showed that the question was asked, how long should be this vision? The answer was given, 2300 days. I then proved that days were to be counted years, by the command of God, by the example of Jacob, and by the fulfillment of a part of the vision. I then showed you when this vision began by the angel Gabriel's own declaration, who was commended to instruct Daniel in to the vision. According to this instruction I showed you that 490 years were accomplished of this vision, to a day, at the crucifixion of Christ, both events happening on the 12th day of the first month, 490 years apart. And then I inquired that if 490 years of 2300 was fulfilled when our Savior was crucified, how much of the vision remained after his death? I answered 1810 years. I then inquired what year after his birth that would be? and the answer was in the year 1843. I then begged the privilege, and do now, for any person to show me any failure of proof on this point, or where possibly according to scripture there may be a failure in the calculation I have made on this vision? I have not yet, by seventeen years? study, been able to discover where I might fail.
Therefore, my dear hearer, I shall now with a few closing remarks, leave you to your own reflections.
The Jews had twenty-one signs in the scriptures given them of the first coming and person of Jesus Christ, yet many rejected him as an impostor. You say if you had lived in that day you would have believed, and you in your hearts condemn them as a hardened race of unbelievers, and notwithstanding their great to piety, you say they were justly denounced by our Savior as a generation of vipers and a band of hypocrites. But, my hearers, be careful your won hearts do not condemn you for your unbelief in the signs which the prophets, Christ and the apostles have given you as tokens of this second coming and the judgment day. I have brought from the word of God twenty-five signs of his second coming, end of the world and judgment day, and all apparently fulfilled within the age of many present, or fulfilling now before your eyes. And do you believe? Many of you profess to be pious; many of you say Lord, Lord! But do you believe his word? Are you willing to risk your life, your character, your all, on his word? or are you fearful and unbelieving? Now is the time to try men's souls. Now if you wish to be sure, examine closely, and see whether your faith will stand in the day of trial which is coming; yes, has already come, in a thousand ways to draw you from the gospel of Christ to another new gospel, which is not the gospel of God. ?Can ye not discern the signs of the times?? Let me give you one rule by which you may know a false doctrine. They may have many good things in their creeds, they may be very plausible in their arguments, and after all deceive you. But examine them closely and you will find they will deny, ridicule, or try to do away some prominent doctrine of the Bible, such as the divinity of Christ, his second coming, office of the Holy Spirit, eternal punishment, doctrine of grace, election, conviction for sin, regeneration, repentance, or faith. And when you hear or see them make light or scoff at any thing of this kind in the work of God, go not after them, nor bid them God speed. "Can ye not discern the signs of the times?"
And to you, impenitent friend, God has at all times given you warning of his approaching judgments. If you repent, believe his word, and break off your sins by righteousness, he is faithful and just to forgive you your sins. Why not take warning by the past? Is there no example for you? Look at the antediluvian world, Sodom and Gomorra, Nineveh, Babylon, Jerusalem, and the once enlightened Asia, now worse than in heathenish darkness. Will God punish nations, and not individuals? This cannot be, for nations are composed of individuals, and God is just, for he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness. ?Can ye not discern the signs of the times?? Will God's word fail of being accomplished? Can you show a single instance? Why not listen, then, to the warnings and admonitions to the calls and invitations, to the examples and precepts contained therein? "Can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Will God cut off the unbelieving Pharisee for not discerning the signs of the times, and let you with twofold more light, go free? No: how can ye escape, if you neglect this great salvation? Watch, then, "the signs of the times." I say, watch.
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bavman
very interesting
bav
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BluesBrother
*** g00 4/8 p. 10 What Does It All Mean? ***
"A feature especially prevalent in our time is this one: "Men will be . . . lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God." (2 Timothy 3:2, 4) One example of this is that people want sensual pleasure, but they do not want the responsibility of living with one marriage partner for a lifetime. The result has been a tidal wave of wrecked family relations, unhappy and rootless children, single parents, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Another aspect of the sign is that "men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money." (2 Timothy 3:2) According to the German magazine Die Zeit, "the motor of [today?s economic] system is selfishness." More than ever before, the pursuit of money is the most important thing in many people?s lives. In this selfish pursuit, other values are "
whereas in 1838 Wm Miller said :-
8. Perilous times, as described in 2 Tim. iii. 1-7, ?This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having the form of godliness but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.?
What better description of domestic and public society could we expect from the most close observer of private characters, domestic circles and public societies of our times, than is here given? One would conclude, had he found this in any other book but the Bible, that it was a modern writer, well acquainted with the human heart and the generations now on the earth.
Same difference??
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Double Edge
And to think that he lived and preached over 160 years ago thinking that the "Kingdom's" coming was imminent.
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Carmel
Heck the Pharisees were looking for a Messiah 2000 years ago and if we believe that Jesus fulfilled that role, then He was in their midst and scoffers couldn't see it. They're still looking for the "Messiah" the "Lord of Hosts", "the Gory of God", the "Spirit of Truth", etc...
carmel
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hubert
Gee, I thought I was reading a Watchtower book!
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M.J.
Hubert: you were reading a Watchtower book's great-grandaddy.