Jeff,
I had often wondered what the ‘disappointment’ would be for God’s people in the last days if we consider that the Millerite time period will be repeated. I think that the following quote helps us to see a highly probable explanation of the coming disappointment. What are your thoughts? WS.
“As the disciples were mistaken in regard to the kingdom to be set up at the end of the seventy weeks, so Adventists were mistaken in regard to the event to take place at the expiration of the 2300 days. In both cases there was an acceptance of, or rather an adherence to, popular errors that blinded the mind to the truth. Both classes fulfilled the will of God in delivering the message which He desired to be given, and both, through their own misapprehension of their message, suffered disappointment.” The Great Controversy, 352.
Response
Brother WS,
I cannot be sure, for when the disappointment is illustrated in prophetic history, as it is in several places, those who are disappointed never seemed to understand it in advance. We are required to know there is a disappointment coming, for this is evident in Revelation ten.
That being said, I have my best educated guess at what the disappointment will be, but it is only that. I believe the disappointment that happens to God’s people immediately after the arrival of the Sunday law is the recognition by those who are sealed that they are standing alone. First let me deal with Revelation ten.
Sister White tells us the seven thunders of verse four of Revelation ten represent the history of 1840 through 1844, and that the seven thunders also represent “future events that will be disclosed in their order”. The seven thunders represent the repetition of the Millerite time-period of 1840 through 1844, in the time-period when the 144,000 are developed. We are now in that time-period.
But the seven thunders, and therefore this truth of the repetition of that history and the Millerite history itself, has been sealed up, until here at the end of the world. The Millerites had the book of Daniel unsealed unto them, the 144,000 have the seven thunders unsealed. As Christ unseals this prophetic truth He is bringing to light some very profound understandings. Some of them are truths that we have held for 150 years that now have a different perspective.
For instance in verse ten, of Revelation ten, we have taught from the beginning of Adventism that John represented the Millerites in the verse. He had taken the book and ate it, and it was sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his stomach. This is a correct understanding, but it is only the secondary understanding, for John here is representing a people who knew in advance that the book would be sweet, but that it would become bitter. Verse nine is clear on that subject:
And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
John was told before it happened that the book would first be sweet and then become bitter. John represents the Millerite experience in a secondary sense, but in agreement with Revelation ten and the seven thunders, he primarily represents the 144,000 who are awakened by God’s prophetic word from their Laodicean experience, then prepare their characters for the seal of God, and at the Sunday law suffer a disappointment.
“If God has ever spoken by me, the time will come when you will be brought before councils, and every position of truth which you hold will be severely criticized.” Testimonies, volume 5, 716.
“It does not seem possible to us now that any should have to stand alone; but if God has ever spoken by me, the time will come when we shall be brought before councils and before thousands for his name’s sake, and each one will have to give the reason of his faith. Then will come the severest criticism upon every position that has been taken for the truth. We need, then, to study the word of God, that we may know why we believe the doctrines we advocate. We must critically search the living oracles of Jehovah.” Review and Herald, December 18, 1888. Jeff.
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