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. That came to be called “The Great Disapppointment”. 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 that would be overthrown by the “little horn” (who would claim to be equal to God) would be restored. Now Miller 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. My last blog article “The Great Disappointment of 1843 and Daniel 8” gives my interpretation of the 2300 days if you care to read it.

But this article deals with the 7th Day Adventists religion. AI: “After the 1844 “Great Disappointment,” a group of Adventists, including Ellen G. White, James White, and Joseph Bates, continued studying prophecy, focusing on the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) and Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, eventually organizing formally in 1863 in Battle Creek, Michigan. A remnant of these Adventists concluded the date was correct but the event was the beginning of Christ’s final judgment in heaven, not His earthly return. Key figures like Joseph Bates and Ellen G. White emphasized the biblical seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) as part of this “present truth,” alongside the soon-coming “advent” (return) of Jesus. Believers in these distinct doctrines officially organized as the “Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1863.”

ELLEN G. WHITE AND THE GREAT CONTROVERSY. “Ellen G. White was a foundational prophet and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, providing visionary guidance, shaping core doctrines, and inspiring global mission through prolific writings and counsel that unified early believers and established the church’s identity, particularly in areas like health, education, and lifestyle, influencing its growth into a worldwide movement. She wrote extensively about the imminent Second Coming of Jesus, encouraging believers to prepare, but she never set a specific date after the failed 1844 Millerite predictions. Her book The Great Controversy details the cosmic struggle between Christ and Satan, from its origins in heaven to its conclusion on Earth, covering Christian history (the The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White, a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, details the cosmic struggle between Christ and Satan, from its origins in heaven to its conclusion on Earth, covering Christian history (covering the The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White, a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, details the cosmic struggle between Christ and Satan, from its origins in heaven to its conclusion on Earth, covering Christian history (covering the Reformation, Protestantism, Wycliffe, Huss, and Luther), prophecies to be fulfilled toward the end of the earth’s history, and Seventh-day Adventist doctrines, serving as a key text in Adventist theology about sin, redemption, and the final conflict. Perhaps you found a copy of The Great Controversy placed in your mailbox by the SDAs.

SABBATH KEEPING. The book highlights the Sabbath (Saturday) as a central point of controversy, with the enforcement of Sunday observance leading to the final conflict. Keeping the Sabbath became a core doctrine of the SDA movement, and still is. Seventh-day Adventists strictly observe the Sabbath, keeping it on Saturday (the seventh day) from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, as a holy day of rest, worship, and fellowship, based on the Fourth Commandment and the example of Jesus, distinguishing it from Sunday worship. They rest from secular work, focus on spiritual activities like church services, nature, family, and Bible study, and see it as a memorial of creation and a sign of God’s covenant.”

INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT AND UNCLEAN MEATS: “Another key doctrine is Investigative Judgment, or Sanctuary Doctrine, which states that since 1844, Christ has been examining the lives of professed believers in the heavenly sanctuary to determine who is worthy of eternal life. Ellen G. White taught that in 1844, while Jesus did not return to earth for his 2nd coming as William Miller predicted, Jesus in 1844 moved from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place in the heavenly sanctuary to begin an “Investigative Judgment” of believers’ lives. Investigative judgment would end just before Jesus’ future 2nd coming. Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) do not eat pork, along with other “unclean” meats like shellfish, based on biblical dietary laws in Leviticus 11, viewing these prohibitions as health principles to glorify God and prepare for Jesus’ return, though vegetarianism is also strongly encouraged.

I think that covers the history and main doctrines of the SDA movement. Let’s examine the doctrines.

1 Sabbath keeping. Yes the Jews were commanded to “observe the Sabbath and keep it holy” (the 4th of the 10 commandments of Exodus 20). But Gentiles were never commanded to keep the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a special sign between God and Israel. Exodus 31: ¹⁶ So the sons of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to celebrate the Sabbath throughout their generations as a permanent covenant.’ ¹⁷ It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.” SDAs teach that the Sabbath was kept from the beginning in b/c of this verse in Genesis: “Genesis 2:² By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” But Nehemiah 9 says that God made known the Sabbath to the Jews on Mt Sinai. Nehemiah 9:13 Then You came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven; you gave them just ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments.¹⁴ So You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, and gave them commandments, statutes, and law, through Your servant Moses.” In Genesis 2:2-3 Moses is simply telling why God chose the Sabbath as a special day for the Jews but he is not saying that Sabbath keeping began in the Garden for all people. We don’t read of any of the patriarchs keeping the Sabbath in the book of Genesis. Yes, Jesus was a Jew still living under the Law so He kept the Sabbath. The Law of Moses was in effect for the Jews up to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. Paul, even as a Jewish Christian, kept the Law and the Sabbath. But Gentile Christians were never required to keep the Law of Moses or the Sabbath. Nor are we Gentile Christians required to keep the Sabbath today. It is fine if Christians decide to keep the Sabbath today, but they should not bind Sabbath keeping on Gentile Christians or condemn them for worshipping on Sunday. Paul told Christians not to judge each other over observance of days. Romans 14:⁵ One person values one day over another, another values every day the same. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ The one who observes the day, observes it for the Lord.” Many Gentile Christians see a great benefit in keeping the Sabbath today.

DID CONSTANTINE START SUNDAY WORSHIP? SDAs believe that the Roman Catholic Church and Constantine (4th century) changed the Sabbath worship to Sunday associating that with the mark of the beast in Revelation, linking it to Satan and sun worship. Christians began worshipping together on Sunday, as 2nd century church history confirms, b/c Sunday was the day Jesus arose from the dead. early Church Fathers like Justin Martyr 160 AD)and Ignatius (early 2nd century) in the 2nd century explicitly documented that Christians regularly met for worship on Sunday, the “Lord’s Day,” to commemorate Jesus’ resurrection, shifting from Jewish Sabbath practices for most believers. Paul was specifically speaking of the weekly collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem to be collected every Sunday (the first day of the week) in 1 Corinthians 16:Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you are to do as well. ² On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save as he may prosper, so that no collections need to be made when I come.”  That does confirm that the Corinthian Christians were assembling on Sundays every week to take the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11)and edify one another. So Constantine did not start Sunday worship in the 4th century as SDAs claiim.

2 Not eating unclean meats like pork (Leviticus 11). The law of not eating unclean meats was a law given to Jews, not Gentiles. It was not a law given to Gentiile Christians under the new covenant which replaced the old covenant. Paul said that Christians can eat anthing God created as long as they give thanks for it. 1 Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, ² by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, ³ who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; ⁵ for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.” Paul specifically condemned those who bind food restrictions on new covenant Christians. If any Christians choose to not eat unclean meats, that is fine; they just should not condemn others who do eat unclean meats like pork. SDAS should be commended for their emphasis on healthy eating, but not on the false reason they use (Leviticus 11) as a basis for their teaching.

3 Investigative judgment. Hebrews 9 refutes this doctrine. Hebrews presents Jesus as our High Priest. The writer says that Jesus, at the time of writing, had already entered the Holy of Holies in heaven to offer his blood to the Father as the sacrifice for out sins. That would have occurrred after he was riased and ascended to the Father. Hebrews 9:¹¹ But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; ¹² and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place (i.e. the Most Holy Place where the Father dwells) once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a holy place made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; ²⁵ nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Holy Place (again, the Most Holy Place where the Father dwells) year by year with blood that is not his own. ²⁶ Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” The Levitical, Aaronic High Priest entered the Most Holy Place into the presence of God, the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant, to offer blood to cleanse the sins of the nation on the Day of Atonement each year. Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in heaven once for all time after he arose and ascended to the Father. That had already happened by the time Hebrews was written in about 60 AD and not in 1843. The whole doctrine of investigative judgement was simply an attempt to reinterpret the failed prophecy of the Great Disappointment instead of just calling it what it was, i.e. a prediction by a false prophet William Miller. The date 1843 has nothing to do with the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy or of Jesus entering the Holy of Holies in heaven in 1843.

IS THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS MOVEMENT A CULT: There are about 24 million SDAs worldwide in 210 countries and territories. AI: ” Seventh-day Adventists teach that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, emphasizing that it’s a free gift received by believing in His atoning sacrifice, not earned by works, though obedience to God’s law is seen as the natural fruit and evidence of this saving faith, not its cause. They believe Jesus’ perfect life, death, and resurrection provide the only means for forgiveness, justification, and eternal life, vindicating God’s law while offering mercy.” Is the SDA movement a cult? That is a debated topic. Having a latter day prophetess Ellen G. White is a sign of a cult, but their belief in salvation by grace through faith makes them more mainstream Protestantism. There laws on Sabbath keeping, not eating unclean meats, and even investigative judgment would not necessarily make them a cult unless they made those laws a source of division and condemning all other Christian denominations.