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Saturday, May 19, 2018

The Time of The End (Chapter. 4)




The Midnight Cry





Matt. 25:5,6: "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered...And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him."

Events Leading Up to the Midnight Cry
The prophecy which seemed most clearly to reveal the time of the second advent was that of Dan. '8:14: 'Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.'...Miller accepted the generally received view, that in the Christian age the earth is the sanctuary, and he therefore understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary foretold in Dan. 8:14 represented the purification of the earth by fire at the second coming of Christ." —GC 324-325.
William Miller found the literal personal coming of Christ to be plainly taught in the Scriptures. —GC 321

Wm. Miller First Taught Christ's Coming Between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844
Miller wrote: "...I am fully convinced that sometime between March 21st, 1843, and March 21", 1844, according to the Jewish mode of computations of time, Christ will come..." —William Miller, Signs of the Times„ Jan. 25, 1843, p. 147.

First Disappointment
"When the time passed at which the Lord's coming was first expected—in the spring of 1844—those who had looked in faith for His appearing were for a season involved in doubt and uncertainty...Many continued to search the Scriptures." —GC 391.

Discovered a Tarrying Time—Spring to Fall, 1844
"The coming of Christ, as announced by the first angel's message was understood to be represented by the coming of the bridegroom....

"By the tarrying of the bridegroom (Matt.25:5-7) is represented the passing of the time when the Lord was expected, the disappointment and seeming delay. (Spring to Fall, 1844)" —GC 393-394.

Tarrying Time Predicted by Habakkuk and Jesus
"When the year 1843 entirely passed away unmarked by the advent of Jesus, those who had looked in faith for His appearing were for a time left in doubt and perplexity. But notwithstanding their disappointment, many continued to search the Scriptures, examining anew the evidences of their faith, and carefully studying the prophecies to obtain further light....

"Their faith was greatly strengthened by the direct and forcible application of those scriptures which set forth a tarrying time. As early as 1842, the Spirit of God had moved upon Charles Fitch to devise the prophetic chart, which was generally regarded by Adventists as a fulfillment of the command given by the prophet Habakkuk, to 'write the vision, and make it plain upon tables.' No one, however, then saw the tarrying time which was brought to view in the same prophecy. After the disappointment the full meaning of this scripture became apparent. Thus speaks the prophet: Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.' —Hab. 2:2,3.

"In the parable of the ten virgins, Matthew 25, the experience of Adventists is illustrated... While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.'

"The widespread movement under the proclamation of the first message, answered to the going forth of the virgins, while the passing of the time of expectation, the disappointment, and the delay, were represented by the tarrying of the bridegroom....

"The preaching of the first message in 1843, and of the midnight cry in 1844, tended directly to repress fanaticism and dissension." —SR 366, 367,368.

Midnight Cry of Matt. 25:5-7 Given When They Discovered Their Mistake
"'While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.' (Matt.25:5-7) In the summer of 1844, midway between the time when it had been first thought that the 2300 days would end (spring of 1844), and the autumn of the same year, to which it was afterward found that they extended, the message was proclaimed, in the very words of Scripture, 'Behold the Bridegroom cometh!'

"That which led to this movement was the discovery that...the 2300 years terminate in the autumn of 1844 [October 22)....

"The 'midnight cry' was heralded by thousands of believers. Like a tidal wave the movement swept over the land. From city to city, from village to village, and into the remote country places it went, until the waiting people of God were fully aroused." —GC 398-400.

Midnight Cry Given from Summer to Autumn, 1844
"In the summer and autumn of 1844, the proclamation, 'Behold the Bridegroom cometh' was given." —GC 426.

Midnight Cry United with and Gave Power to Second Angel's Message
"Near the close of the second angel's message, I saw a great light from heaven shining upon the people of God....And I heard the voices of angels crying, 'Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him.'

"This was the midnight cry, which was to give power to the second angel's message.... Angels were sent to the humble, devoted ones, and constrained them to raise the cry, 'Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him!.'....

"In every part of the land, light was given upon the second angel's message, and the cry melted the hearts of thousands....A mighty work was accomplished by the midnight cry. The message was heart-searching, leading the believers to seek a living experience for themselves." —EW 238.

Midnight Cry Separated God's eople From False Churches
"In many churches the message was not permitted to be given, and a large company who had the living testimony left these fallen churches. A mighty work was accomplished by the Midnight cry." —EW 238.

No Ascension Robes in Their Solemn Expectation of Christ's Advent
"With unspeakable desire those who had received the message watched for the coming of their Saviour. The time when they expected Him was at hand. They approached the hour with calm solemnity. They rested in sweet communion with God....For some weeks preceding the time, worldly business was for the most part laid aside. The sincere believers carefully examined every thought and emotion of their hearts....There was no making of 'ascension robes,' but.... their white robes were purity of soul....

"God designed to prove His people. His hand covered a mistake in reckoning of the prophetic periods." —GC 373.

Prepared People to Receive Second Angel's Message and Sanctuary Truth
The midnight cry...was to prepare them to enter with Jesus by faith into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. And by rejecting the two former messages, they have so darkened their understanding that they can see no light in the third angel's message, which shows the way into the most holy place." —EW 260-261.

Midnight Cry Gives Light to Guide to Heaven
"I raised my eyes and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the City, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the beginning of the path, which the angel told me was the Midnight Cry. This light shown all along the path, and gave light for their feet so they might not stumble. If they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe." —EW 14.

Perfection of the Message
"Of all the great religious movements since the apostles, none have been more free from human imperfection and the wiles of Satan than was that of the autumn of 1844." —GC 401.

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