The Two Disappointments
There Is in the Bible two disappointments which has had an impact on Christianity due to misconceptions which has fuelled a wrong understanding of two biblical events which happened in the first century and the nineteenth Century.
I’m going to start with the second disappointment first. This event which happened in the nineteenth century was actually prophesied that this would happen. In the nineteenth Century, a man, a farmer, who was studying his Bible, came across the book of Daniel. Up till this time the book of Daniel was sealed, no biblical scholar could fully understand this book. There is a prophecy in Daniel 12:4 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, and knowledge shall be increased.
At this time knowledge began to increase, especially in the scriptures. Bible scholars all around the world through their increased understanding of the Scriptures, started to read Bible passages formally thought too hard to understand. The Holy Spirit was impressing and convicting on their minds, truths that they formerly could never really understand.
William Miller
William Miller around 1840 discovered a passage in Daniel 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
As he began to read and study this passage, he began to have a view of the world ending and Jesus second coming. Although William Miller through his studying this passage began to be convinced that by the calculation of a prophetic day, each day for a year, that from the starting date of 457 BC and counting down 2300 prophetic days brought the timing of the cleansing of the sanctuary came to A.D. 1843 and after further study ending up at 1844. And this news went viral around the world. It was not just in America but also over in Britain and other countries, certain Biblical Scholars came to the same conclusions. That Jesus was about to return.
When the Christians heard the message that Jesus was about to return in Just a few years time, they began to rejoice and praise their Lord. Everyone was waiting for their Lord to come in the clouds of glory. As 1844 was drawing near, they let their crops lie in the fields un-reaped, leaving the weeds to take over. They neglected their homes, their work, their trades and live stock because they thought that they would be taken, and no need to reap their fields or worry about working, for the world would be destroyed by fire.
And as they waited on that fateful day of October 22, looking heavenwards for the first glimpse on Jesus coming for His elect, their Saviour, to take them back to the Mansions prepared for His saints. But no Jesus came that day. So what happened for Jesus not to appear in the heavens on that time?
One was that William Miller when he read in Daniel 8:13 and 14, that at the end of the two thousand three hundred day prophesy, that the sanctuary would be cleansed. That the earth would be destroyed by fire.
At that time in history the belief was that the earth was the Sanctuary. And the cleansing of the sanctuary must be the destruction of this world by fire. And from about 1840 – 1844 this message that Jesus was about to return on October 22, 1844 was the sweetest message ever received.
The message went viral, all around the world, it was being preached everywhere, particularly in America. This was termed the great awakening.
Two Misconceptions
Two misconceptions happened on that day. Firstly it was prophesied That this would happen in Revelation chapter 10.
9 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.
10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
When the people heard the message that Jesus was about to return they ate it up, and would have tasted as sweet as honey in their mouths? And when Jesus did not return which they believed, as Revelation 10 says that it turned bitter in their stomachs.
Many of those believers began to leave the flock and became some of the church’s bitterest critics, and began to mock them that still stood firm, realizing that they may have made a mistake. That the earth was not the Sanctuary after all. After further studying their Bibles and from a vision that was seen by Hiram Edson going through a cornfield, he saw Jesus entering into the Heavenly Sanctuary to start a new phase of His ministry.
Hebrews points out that Jesus when He ascended into heaven began His High-priestly ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.
Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Obviously the date was right, but the event was wrong in their thinking. And as the Prophecy stated in Revelation 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
The mistake that they made and many Christians are still doing so by date setting of Jesus return. But the words of Jesus says in Matthew 24 that the day of the Lord is unknown.
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Jesus makes it quite clear that no one knows the day or the hour of his coming. Right throughout history man has endeavored to predict the exact time of Jesus coming and has failed, causing many to lose faith through disappointment.
So it is nothing new. even the disciples asked Jesus just before His ascension ? Notice what Jesus said? Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
It is not for us to know the times or the seasons in this case restoring Israel. But it also can apply to Jesus coming, and that is the mistake many Christians in the past have made, and even today there is a persistence of trying to work out the exact time of the last day coming of the Lord by some.
Jesus said something to us so that we do not make the same mistake.
John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
So what is Jesus saying to us? Wait until a prophecy comes to pass, then you will believe. Any prophecy that is yet to come, that is yet to be fulfilled, we should wait till it comes. If one tries to work out the prophecy before it takes place, would be completely unreliable, it would be just guessing.
The signs that Jesus told His disciples that would take place which we are seeing today are coming to pass. When we read Matthew 24, there are any amount of signs that the Lord is near, even at the doors. But as the Lord has said:
Matthew 24: 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
So what happened back in 1844 was the misconception of the prophecy. There was nothing wrong with the date. It was the wrong understanding of the event. That Jesus went into the sanctuary in heaven and began a new phase of His ministry.
in Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Here we see Jesus as our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, and we are invited to come boldly into His presence to obtain mercy and grace to help us when we need Him most.
Many Christians today believe that everything ended at the cross when Jesus said that it is finished. What was finished? wasn’t His heaven sent mission to come and save mankind from eternal death. Now He has become our Great High Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary to deal with our fallen nature.
Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
This is His High Priestly work to save His people.
As we have learned about the earthly Sanctuary, there are two apartments. The first apartment is called the holy place, and the second apartment is called the most holy place. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He began His ministry as High Priest in the first apartment. And in 1844 he went into the second, the most holy place to begin a new phase of ministry, to cleanse the sanctuary of sin, which is the final work for our salvation.
First Misconception.
Now we come to the first disappointment. The same issue as the second disappointment. That there was a misconception, an error in the minds of Israel about their Messiah. Right throughout Jesus ministry to Israel the Jewish leaders misunderstood His service among them, and was criticized constantly by their rulers. Often they would set traps to try to make Jesus say things against the Romans that were governing over them. The problem was their misunderstanding His work. They were teaching the people that when their Messiah would come, He would take over the throne of David, and would destroy the Roman army and set up a new kingdom of Israel, to rule not only in their own right, but would eventually rule the world. In other words their Messiah would come and save Israel. But Jesus had a different objective, and that is to save the world, not Just Israel.
Even His own Disciples misunderstood His mission. In one occasion Jesus was accused of eating with tax collectors and sinners.
Matthew 9:10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
The fact is that we are all sinners saved by the grace of God.
Jesus did not come down to this earth to save just Israel, He came to save the world. That means Jews and Gentiles. For God so loved the world, not Just Israel.
John the Baptist said: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of “Israel.” Is that what He said?”
No, He said the world.
The Jews wanted a political leader to free them from the Roman yoke and give them complete autonomy to rule in their own stead.
Even His Disciples seemed to think that Jesus was going to some day take the throne of David and rid the Romans from their land and become their king. But when Jesus told them that He was going to be betrayed and be crucified, and then on the third day be raised, what did Peter do?
Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
Why did Jesus rebuke Peter in front of His Disciples? Who was working behind the scenes? Peter was not Satan. Satan was working through Peter. Jesus took Peter aside to rebuke him in front of the Disciples who had the common belief at that time, that they were expecting that Jesus was at some time in His ministry to take the throne of David.
It was the final days of Jesus passion week. On Sunday Jesus told His Disciples to fetch Him a donkey, and a colt to ride upon.
This was a fulfillment of Bible prophesy.
Matthew 21:1
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. Zechariah 9:9.
Apparently this was not the first time that a king was to ride on a mule to claim the thrown in Israel.
There was an incident in the Old Testament where Solomon rode his father’s mule to his Coronation.
1Kings 1:32 And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.
Can you imagine why when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on the colt, that they came out with palm branches to welcome their king?
But by the time Thursday came, they realized that Jesus was not going to rise up and free Israel from the Romans, they began to protest against Him and had Him Crucified on a Roman Cross.
It was after the crucifixion. Two of the Disciples were walking to Emmaus.
Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.
Notice that when Jesus came among them, He asked them why were they so sad?
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
They trusted and hoped that Their Messiah would redeem Israel at this time. They still had a misconception about their Messiah who would come and free them from the Roman yoke. But Jesus came to free the world of sin and destroy Satan’s Yoke.
So the Disappointments were built on the misconception that they would be free from the Roman yoke to rule in their own stead, free from Rome. and the other about the second coming and free them from Satan’s yoke, by Jesus second coming, to rule with Him a thousand years up in heaven.
So those who criticize SDA Church because it started with a great disappointment. But do not realize that the Christian Church also began through a great disappointment.
So we see here that Bible prophecy is sure. It is not the word of God that is the problem, but man’s interpretation that is faulty and can be misapplied by human reasoning. And this was the case with Daniel’s prophecy of the 2300 days. With all the things that are happening in this world today, all the signs are all about us that Jesus’ coming is near, even at the door. So let us watch and pray that we are not taken by surprise And be lost. As Jesus has said: “Watch and pray.” That we are not taken unawares. That we will be ready when Jesus comes to take us back with Him when we meet Him in the air. Amen!
Amen.
