WHO WAS WILIAM MILLER AND WHAT WAS THE GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT? A Baptist preacher William Miller (1782-1849 AD) predicted the 2nd coming to be sometime between 1843 and 1844, but it didn’t happen Many lost their faith in the Bible since they thought Miller had accurately predicted the Daniel 8 prediction of 2300 days and nights until the sanctuary (i.e. the temple which would be overthrown by the “little horn” who would claim to be equal to God) would be restored. Now Milller used the day=year principle (which isn’t always proper to use but is at other times) to start with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem in 457 BC and going forward 2,300 years to get a date for the 2nd coming around 1843-1844. He convinced several hundred thousand Christians in different denominations along the East coast that his interpretation of Daniel 8 was correct. Many sold their possessions prior to 1843 and waited on their rooftops for Jesus to return in 1843, but it didn’t happen even up to 1844. Where did Miller go wrong in his interpretation of Daniel 8?

THE DANIEL 8 PREDICTIONS WOULD BE FUFILLED AT THE END TIME? If I may, here is what I think Daniel 8 was really predicting. One clue is the phrase “the end” and the “final period of the indignation at the appointed time of the end”. Gabriel told Daniel when this would all be fulfiled: 8:17 “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.” 8:¹⁹ And he said, “Behold, I am going to inform you of what will occur at the final period of the indignation, because it pertains to the appointed time of the end.” When was this appointed time of the end? In the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple. He also predicted “the end”: 24:¹⁴ This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” That end, along with all the events predicted in the chapter, would have to happen within the generation of those he was speaking to at that time. Matthew 24:³⁴ Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” The Greek word for “generation” is genea and it always refers to a 40 year period or the people living in a 40 year period when used in the New Testament. So “the end” that Jesus predicted had to come about within the next 40 years after he made the predictions in Matthew 24. So he is not talking about the end of the world. He is talking about the end of the Jewish Age, the end of the old covenant (Hebrews 8:13, written about 60 AD, predicted that the old covenant was “about to disappear” and it did when the temple was destroyed in 70 AD), the end of the old heavens and earth (i.e. the Jewish system of God ruling the earth; Peter predicted the destruction of the old heavens and earth, i.e the Jewish system, that would occur in 70 AD even though many wrongly think Peter is predicting the literal burning up of the earth). All those things would indeed occur 40 years after Jesus predicted them when the Romans destroyed the temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD. The gospel was indeed preached to the whole world by 70 AD as confirmed by Paul in Colossians 1:23 “the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven.” The apostle Peter, in. about 60 AD, said in 1 Peter 4:⁷ The end of all things is near.”, so he is also by inspiration predicting the end of the Jewish Age and old covenant. Peter wrote this about 60 AD and “the end” happened in 70 AD.

DANIEL 7,8 THE LITTLE HORN: Daniel predicts the coming of the “little horn”. Daniel 8:⁹ And out of one of them came a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land. ¹⁰ It grew up to the heavenly lights, and some of the lights, that is, some of the stars it threw down to the earth, and it trampled them. ¹¹ It even exalted itself to be equal with the Commander of the army; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was overthrown.” This little horn would be a Roman emperor who would overthrow the sanctuary (i.e. the temple) and claim to be equal to God. The “little horn” of Daniel 7 and 8 is the Roman Emperor Titus who did indeed allow himself to be worshipped as god. He is the one who led the Romans in the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD. Titus is the one Daniel predicted to overthrow the sanctuary (i.e. the temple) in Daniel 8:¹¹ It (the little horn) even exalted itself to be equal with the Commander of the army; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was overthrown.” Titus was also the “man of sin” in “2 Thessalonians 2:³ No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” Paul added: 2:⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work”, proving that this man of sin was someone living at the time of writing of 2 Thessalonians in 52 AD. Only Titus fits this description of the man of sin.

WHEN WAS THE 2300 DAYS PROPHECY FULFILLED? So what about the 2300 evenings and mornings for the santuary to be restored in Daniel 8:14 For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be properly restored”? Miller said that was the 2300 years from 457 BC to 1843 AD. I think this refers to an actual 2300 days, not 2300 years. I believe that it refers to the 7 years of the final period before 70 AD, i.e. 63 AD to 70 AD (7 years x 360 days/year is about 2300 days).

DANIEL 9:24-27 THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION AND THE 70 WEEKS PROPHECY: Daniel had predicted in Daniel 9:24-27 that a prince would destroy the city of Jerusalem and the sanctuary (the temple) at the end of the famous 70 weeks prophecy. He called that event the “abomination of desolation”. Jesus, again in Matthew 24, told us when that prediction was fulfilled. Matthew 24: ¹⁵ “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place.” That had to happen within that generation, within the next 40 years (Matthew 24:³⁴ Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”) If not, then Jesus is a false prophet just as the Muslims, uneblieving Jews, and atheists claim. But it was fulfilled in 70 AD. Back to Daniel 9. Daniel broke down the 70 weeks into 3 periods: the first 7 weeks, the next 62 weeks, and then the final 70th week. At the end of the 70th week the abomination of desolation would occur, which Jesus said was fulfilled in 70 AD. Even if we aren’t sure about the meaning of the timing in the breakdown into 7 weeks and 62 weeks, we can be sure when the 70th week ended. It ended with the abomination of desolation in 70 AD That means that all those who predict that the 70th week is still to be fulfilled in our future are wrong.

THE 70TH WEEK BROKEN INTO TWO PARTS: I believe that the day=year principle can be properly applied to the 70th week which means the 70th week was 7 years. It would be the 7 years from 63-70 AD. Daniel even predicted that something would happen in the middle of the 70th week. Daniel 9:²⁷ And he (the prince to come who would destroy the city and sanctuary) will confirm a covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering.” I believe this prince is Titus who did the “abomination of desolation” of the temple in 70 AD The period between 63-70 AD was broken down into 2 parts. The first 3 1/2 years from 63-66 AD was a period when the Jews and Romans were still “getting along”. The Jews even had a daily offering for the emperor in the temple up to 66 AD. AI: “the Jews stopped daily sacrifices for the Roman Emperor in Jerusalem in 66 AD, an act seen as open rebellion and a primary trigger for the First Jewish-Roman War, initiated by Zealots led by priest Eleazar, signifying defiance against Roman rule despite Rome’s official tolerance for Jewish religious practices like these imperial offerings.” That stopping of the offering in 66 AD would be in the middle of thet last 7 year period before 70 AD, just like Daniel predicted.  Then the Jewish-Roman War begin in 66 AD and lasted 3 1/2 years leading up to the final abomination of desolation in 70 AD. The book of Revelation, which was written before 70 AD, predicted that last 3 1/2 year war leading up to the final destruction of the city and temple. Revelation 11:1 Then there was given to me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. ² Leave out the courtyard which is outside the temple and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations (i.e. the Romans); and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months”  42 months is 3 1/2 years. Daniel 12 also spoke of this same 3 1/2 years from 66-70 AD. Daniel 12:⁴ And thou, O Daniel, hide the things, and seal the book till the time of the end (i.e. the same “end” of the Jewish Age in 70 AD that Jesus predicted)” (Young’s Literal Tsl). 12:7 After a time, times, and a half, and at the completion of the scattering of the power of the holy people (i.e. the Jews who were killed by the Romans, about one million according to Josephus) by Titus and the Romans in 70 AD).” This “time, times, and half of a time” matches the 3 1/2 years from 66-70 AD during which this scattering of the power of the holy people, the Jews, was fulfilled.

DANIEL 12: THE END OR TIME OF THE END, THE UNPARALLELED TRIBULATION OF THE JEWS, AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD IN 70 AD: Daniel 12:⁹ And he saith, `Go, Daniel; for hidden and sealed [are] the things till the time of the end.” Daniel 12:¹¹ and from the time of the turning aside of the perpetual [sacrifice], and to the giving out of the desolating abomination, [are] days a thousand, two hundred, and ninety.” This “desolating abomination” in vs 11 can only be the same “abomination of desolation” in Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15, which was the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. That was also the “end time” predicted by Daniel and by Jesus (Matthew 24:15). Daniel was told, Daniel 12:¹³ But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will rest and rise for your allotted portion at the end of the age.” If this end of the age was in 70 AD, how did Daniel “rise at the end of the age”? The answer is found in Daniel 12:1 “Now at that time (i.e. the “end time just discussed in Daniel 11:35, 40 at which time the abomination of desolation would occur, 11:31) Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. ² And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.” Jesus predicted that same unparalleled destress on the Jewish people in Matthew 24:²¹ For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again.” That tribulation had to occur within the next 40 years (24:34 within that generation) and did indeed occur with horrible suffering by the Jews at the hands of the Romans from 63-70 AD. AI: “Flavius Josephus extensively documented the severe suffering, internal strife, famine, and massacres among Jews leading up to and during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD, portraying widespread moral decay and lawlessness as divine punishment, with atrocities committed by Jewish factions (Zealots) against each other, creating conditions for the horrific famine and violence described in The Jewish War.” But what about the holocaust in WWII? 7 millions Jews were killed by Hitler. Was that not worse than the one million killed by the Romans in 70 AD? I believe that Jesus is specifically predicting the tribulation on the Jewish nation while the nation was still God’s holy nation and kingdom. That ended in 70 AD as God took the kingdom from the Jews and gave it to a spiritual kingdom, the church. Matthew 21:⁴³ Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit (i.e. to the church).” Peter told the scattered Jewish Christians, ⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (1 Peter 2:9). The holocaust was not a tribulation sent by God. to punish the Jews as His old covenant theocratic nation. The holocaust was a horrible suffering of the Jews but not one predicted by the prophets or by Jesus.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE OLD COVENANT DEAD IN 70 AD: Back to Daniel 12:² And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.” This predicted resurrection of the righteous and the wicked was also to occur at the end time in 70 AD. All the dead of the old covenant were kept in the hadean world, waiting for their resurrection in 70 AD to receive their final sentencing of eternal life or eternal damnation. That is the place probably that Jesus referred to in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 12 with a place of temporary safety in “Abraham’s arms” for the beggar Lazarus and torment for the rich man in Hades. Daniel 12:2 predicted a resurrection of the old covenant dead to occur at the end of the age in 70 AD. Did that happen? Yes it did. This is the resurrection Paul spoke of in Acts 24: ¹⁵ having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, [that] there is about to be a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous.” The Greek translated by Young’s Literal Tsl as “about to be” is the Greek word mello, which always in the new testament refers to something about to happen or a place someone is about to come to. So Paul is saying that the resurrection of the dead was about to happen as he spoke. Was he a false prophet or just mistaken? Of course not. He is talking about the Daniel 12:2 predicted resurrection of the old covenant dead that would occur in 70 AD. Paul is saying that predicted resurrection was about to happen when he spoke. He said that in about 60 AD and the resurrection of Daniel 12:2 occurred in 70 AD, so that fits the “about to happen” prediction of Paul. Daniel would be raised in 70 AD to receive his reward of eternal life. 12:¹³ But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will rest and rise for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

I know this is long and tedious reading. You might not even be interested in William Miller’s failed prediction. You might not even be interested in where he went wrong in his interpretation of Daniel 8. You might not believe that my interpretation of Daniel 8 is correct. But I do hope that this article has spurred some to do a deeper study of Daniel8, Matthew 24, and Revelation.

In the next blog, I will discuss the main religious group that came out of the Great Disappointment of 1843, i.e. the 7th Day Adventists. They put an interesting twist on that event and added some things that shoud be discussed. Until next time