The Imminent Second Coming of Jesus: Prophetic Events and Interpretations

1. Lesson 7 for May 18, 2024 Lesson 7 for May 18, 2024

3. As prophetic events unfolded, people around the world began to investigate and preach about the imminent Second Coming of Jesus. Among them were Johann Albrecht Bengel (1687- 1752), in Germany; Manuel Lacunza (1731- 1801), in Chile; William Miller (1782-1861), in North America; Joseph Wolf (1821-1845), who carried the message to Africa, Egypt, Abyssinia, Asia, Palestine, Syria, Persia, Uzbekistan and India. They, and others who had written previously, came to the same conclusion: Jesus would return in the mid-19th century! The Second Coming : The blessed hope. How will Jesus come? William Miller: How to interpret the Bible. The prophetic time. The prophecy of the 2,300 days.

5. “Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13) Since Jesus promised to return (Jn. 14:1 Since Jesus promised to return (Jn. 14:1- -3), this has been the hope of all believers to this day (Titus been the hope of all believers to this day (Titus 2:13). 2:13). This hope is reflected in both the creed of the Roman This hope is reflected in both the creed of the Roman Catholic Church and same as the Orthodox Church; It Catholic Church and same as the Orthodox Church; It is also taught by the Anglican Church; and so taught is also taught by the Anglican Church; and so taught Luther, Calvin, and the other reformers. Luther, Calvin, and the other reformers. 3), this has What makes the Second Coming of Jesus What makes the Second Coming of Jesus such an eagerly awaited event? such an eagerly awaited event? Signals the Signals the end of end of illness, illness, suffering suffering and death and death It means the It means the end of end of poverty, poverty, injustice injustice and and oppression oppression End fights, End fights, conflicts conflicts and wars and wars Open the doors Open the doors to a world of to a world of peace, peace, happiness and happiness and eternal eternal communion with communion with God God

6. During the 19th century, Protestants distorted During the 19th century, Protestants distorted the doctrine of the 2nd Coming by teaching that the doctrine of the 2nd Coming by teaching that Jesus would establish an earthly kingdom of a Jesus would establish an earthly kingdom of a thousand years of peace (premillennialism), or thousand years of peace (premillennialism), or that there would be a period of a thousand years that there would be a period of a thousand years of peace before the 2nd Coming of peace before the 2nd Coming (postmillennialism). (postmillennialism). would be preceded by the 2nd Coming, and that would be preceded by the 2nd Coming, and that this would be: this would be: However, the reformers taught that the millennium However, the reformers taught that the millennium Visible Visible . “Every . “Every eye will see him” eye will see him” (Rev. 1:7; Mt. (Rev. 1:7; Mt. 24:27) 24:27) Literally Literally . “I am coming quickly” coming quickly” (Rev. 22:20) (Rev. 22:20) . “I am Glorious Glorious . The dead . The dead will rise, the will rise, the living will be living will be transformed, and we transformed, and we will ascend with will ascend with the Lord (1Thes. the Lord (1Thes. 4:13 4:13- -18; 18; 1Co 1Co . 15:51 . 15:51- -55) Audible Audible . “With a . “With a command, with the command, with the voice of an voice of an archangel, and with archangel, and with the trumpet of God” the trumpet of God” (1Thes. 4:16; (1Thes. 4:16; 1Co. 15:52) 1Co. 15:52) 55)

8. “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little” (Isaiah 28:10) Based on the words of Isaiah (Is . Based on the words of Isaiah (Is . 28:9 28:9- -10), William Miller decided to 10), William Miller decided to make the Bible his own interpreter. make the Bible his own interpreter. Starting from Genesis, he studied Starting from Genesis, he studied every biblical passage. If its every biblical passage. If its meaning was not clear, he looked for meaning was not clear, he looked for the solution in some other biblical the solution in some other biblical passage. passage. Beasts represent Beasts represent kingdoms (Dan. 7:17, kingdoms (Dan. 7:17, 23) 23) The winds represent The winds represent destruction (Jer. destruction (Jer. 49:36) 49:36) In this way, the Holy Spirit In this way, the Holy Spirit illuminated him until the Bible was illuminated him until the Bible was clearly opened before him. clearly opened before him. Water represents Water represents multitudes (Rev. multitudes (Rev. 17:15) 17:15) When he came to the prophetic When he came to the prophetic passages, he discovered that the passages, he discovered that the same principle could be applied same principle could be applied there as well: there as well: Women represent Women represent churches (Ez. 23:4; churches (Ez. 23:4; 2Co. 11:2) 2Co. 11:2) Applying these Applying these principles, Miller principles, Miller was surprised by was surprised by his discoveries. his discoveries. Days are literal years Days are literal years (Num. 14:34; Ezek. (Num. 14:34; Ezek. 4:6) 4:6)

9. “He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated”” (Daniel 8:14 NIV) Considering that, in Miller's time, the Earth was thought Considering that, in Miller's time, the Earth was thought to be the sanctuary, he deduced that the prophecy about to be the sanctuary, he deduced that the prophecy about its purification (Dan . 8:14) indicated the time of the its purification (Dan . 8:14) indicated the time of the Second Coming of Jesus. Second Coming of Jesus. He noted that Gabriel had explained to Daniel all the He noted that Gabriel had explained to Daniel all the details of the vision: details of the vision: The ram = Media and Persia (Dan. 8:20) The ram = Media and Persia (Dan. 8:20) The goat = Greece (Dan. 8:21a) The goat = Greece (Dan. 8:21a) The broken horn = Alexander and his successors (Dan. The broken horn = Alexander and his successors (Dan. 8:21b 8:21b- -22) The little horn = Rome, in its political and religious The little horn = Rome, in its political and religious phases (Dan. 8:23 phases (Dan. 8:23- -25) However, the 2,300 days were left unexplained (Dan. 8:26 However, the 2,300 days were left unexplained (Dan. 8:26- - 27). 27). Years later Gabriel was sent again to explain that point to Daniel (Dan. Years later Gabriel was sent again to explain that point to Daniel (Dan. 9:21 9:21- -23). He explained that there was a certain or “cut off” period, and 23). He explained that there was a certain or “cut off” period, and that it would begin with “the going forth of the order to restore and build that it would begin with “the going forth of the order to restore and build Jerusalem” (Dan. 9:24 Jerusalem” (Dan. 9:24- -25 ). If Miller found this order, he would find the 25 ). If Miller found this order, he would find the beginning of the 2,300 days/years. beginning of the 2,300 days/years. 22) 25)

10. “And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them” (Ezra 7:25) In the seventh year of Artaxerxes, king of In the seventh year of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, an order was issued for Ezra to go to Persia, an order was issued for Ezra to go to Jerusalem and have sufficient political Jerusalem and have sufficient political autonomy to complete the restoration of the autonomy to complete the restoration of the city (Ezra 7:7, 11 city (Ezra 7:7, 11- -14, 20 14, 20- -21, 24 the year 457 BC the year 457 BC 21, 24- - 25). It was 25). It was As the 70 As the 70- -week prophecy indicates, it took week prophecy indicates, it took Jerusalem 49 years to be completely Jerusalem 49 years to be completely rebuilt, and 434 more years passed until rebuilt, and 434 more years passed until the arrival of the Messiah (Dan. 9:25). the arrival of the Messiah (Dan. 9:25). This calculation places the baptism of This calculation places the baptism of Jesus in the year 27 AD, and the end of the Jesus in the year 27 AD, and the end of the 70 weeks in the year 34 AD. 70 weeks in the year 34 AD. calendar together, Miller concluded that calendar together, Miller concluded that the Second Coming of Jesus would occur the Second Coming of Jesus would occur sometime in the year 1843. sometime in the year 1843. Putting the pieces of the prophetic Putting the pieces of the prophetic After discovering that it had not been After discovering that it had not been taken into account that, in history, there taken into account that, in history, there is no year “zero”, it was determined that is no year “zero”, it was determined that Jesus would come in 1844. Jesus would come in 1844.

11. “Seventy weeks are cut off for your people and your holy city” (Daniel 9:24 RV2000 ) “Until two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be cleansed.” 2,300 years 2,300 years 1 week 1 week 3½ 3½ years years 7 weeks 7 weeks 48 48 years years 62 weeks 62 weeks 434 years 434 years 1,810 years 1,810 years 3½ 3½ years years 408 BC 408 BC 457 BC 457 BC 31 AD 31 AD 34 AD 34 AD 1844 AD 1844 AD 27 AD 27 AD anoint anoint ed ed jesus jesus Crucifi Crucifi ed ed Jesus Jesus Esteba Esteba n n stoned stoned Gospel Gospel to the to the Gentiles Gentiles Rebuilt Rebuilt Order of Order of Artaxerxe Artaxerxe s s Purificat Purificat ion ion of the the sanctuary sanctuary 70 weeks 70 weeks 490 years 490 years of

12. “One of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the Bible is that of Christ's second coming, to complete the great work of redemption. To God's pilgrim people, so long left to sojourn in the “region and shadow of death,” a precious, joy-inspiring hope is given in the promise of His appearing, who is “the resurrection and the life,” to “bring home again his banished.” The doctrine of the second advent is the very key-note of the sacred Scriptures.” EGW (The Great Controversy, pg. 299) EGW (The Great Controversy, pg. 299)

13. “All we have to do with is this one day. Today we must be faithful to our trust. Today we must love God with all the heart and our neighbor as ourselves. Today we must resist the temptations of the enemy, and through the grace of Christ gain the victory. Thus we shall watch and wait for Christ's coming. Each day we should live as if we knew that this would be our last day on this earth. If we knew that Christ would come tomorrow, would we not crowd into today all the kind words, all the unselfish deeds, that we could?” EGW (In heavenly places, December 14 p.355) EGW (In heavenly places, December 14 p.355)