A Disappointment Greater Than the Great Disappointment

 

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The term “Great Disappointment” is a household name among Adventist and Religious historians. It refers to the events of October 22^nd, 1844. During this time, the heralds of the gospel met a disappointment. Many could not bounce back from it. 

William Miller was an American farmer and a Bible student. He was the champion of the early Advent Movement, beginning from around 1835. From a diligent and painstaking study, he concluded that Christ’s second coming was on October 22^nd, 1844.

This is the book he studied while applying the principles of here a little, there a little, and scriptures being its own interpreter: 

"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? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed" (Daniel 8:13-14, KJV).

Based on the typical sacrificial system, it was clear that the Cleansing of the earthly sanctuary, also known as the Day of Atonement, signified judgment.

This can be well understood if we consider what was expected of God’s people during the Yom Kippur:

"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.  And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people" (Leviticus 23:26-30, KJV).

The day of Atonement was heralded by the feast of trumpets, which had trumpets being blown for ten days. This was meant to call forth God’s people to get ready for the day of Atonement.

On this day, the sins of the people—which had been symbolically transferred to the Holy place of the sanctuary—were to be cleansed. This annual service took place in the Holy of Holies, the second chamber of the Sanctuary.

Anyone who didn’t join in preparation for the Day of Atonement, by soul searching and repentance, was cut off. This signifies judgment; hence the Day of Atonement was also called the Day of Judgement. 

William Miller understood the Sanctuary to be on the earth. He concluded that Christ was coming again to cleanse the earthly sanctuary. He believed this would finally deal with the problem of sin.

People convicted of the Great Prophetic Waymarks enlisted themselves into the Advent movement. Most did this due to fear of the consequences of sin, not out of a love for God. The day came and ended, and Christ didn’t come.

A few people who experienced the disappointment had the following to say: 

Ellen White

“With bated breath, the Adventists, no fewer than 50,000 and probably nearer 100,000 scattered largely across the northeastern portion of North America, arose to greet the eventful day, Tuesday, October 22, 1844. Some sought vantage points where they could peer into the clear heavens, hoping to catch a first glimpse of the coming of their returning Lord. When would Jesus come? The morning hours passed slowly. Noon came, then midafternoon. Finally, darkness settled upon the earth. But it was still October 22, and it would be till midnight. At last, that hour came, but Jesus did not come.

Their disappointment was almost beyond description.” 

[Brief Biography of Ellen White]

 Hiram Edson

“Edson gave a vivid account of how they looked for the coming of the Lord “until the clock tolled midnight. Then our disappointment became a certainty.”

Our fondest hopes and expectations were blasted, and such a spirit of weeping came over us as I had never experienced before. It seemed that the loss of all earthly friends could have been no comparison. We wept and wept till the day dawn.” 

[Biography of Hiram Edson]

The great disappointment was indeed great and heartbreaking. We can see how much pain it was for the Advent movement. The scoffers had nothing more to lose than what they had lost when they made decisions out of fear. Most of them confessed that they had not believed the testimony of the millerite movement.

Nevertheless, the true students of the Bible went ahead to study their Bibles. After careful study, they realized that Christ was relocating to the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. The earthly sanctuary was a type of the heavenly one.

This means, from 1844 to date, we are on the antitypical day of atonement. This will culminate with a general close of Probation when Christ finishes the ministry in the Most Holy place.

Disappointment of Jewish Nation

Before this, the greatest disappointment recorded in the pages of history was that of the Jews. They had a different expectation of the Messiah other than the man of Calvary. They expected temporal salvation from the Romans and renewal of Jewish supremacy.

The disciples, having been part of the team, especially had their hopes of being administrators in the temporal kingdom blasted. Their hopes began dying when they saw Him giving Himself to the soldiers. Their hopes finally died when they saw Him on the cross. The Jews were disappointed in a Saviour from sin instead of a Saviour from the Roman Yoke. 

But there is a disappointment more painful than these two. Which one is that? 

The Greatest Disappointment of All Time

It is unfathomable to realize that there is something worse than the 1844 experience. 

 "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie" (Revelation 22:14-15, KJV ).

Outside of the new Jerusalem, there will be the greatest heartbreaks of all time.

Great men who have spent all their lives opposing God will realize their folly just too late to correct allegiance. False prophets, who have closed the Scriptures and forced their congregants to imbibe erroneous theories, will be torn by their angry victims who will be saying, “If it was not for you, we would have believed the truth of the Bible.”

Parents who have come between their children and God, committing their untrained feet further and further away from the truth, will not withstand the vehement choler of their children.

Usurpers of power, who have claimed an illegitimate position of mediator between man and God, will be disappointed. Before being incinerated by the hellfire, their victims will reduce them to bits and pieces.

Those who have been Christians only in name will wish they had been true to their high calling. While Jesus receives sinners, He won’t do this forever. There comes a time when justice demands that people take the side they have chosen. 

As we commemorate 180 years (as of 2024) since the great disappointment, we should be preparing. What will come upon the world will be an overwhelming surprise. The disappointments of the Jews, the disciples, and the early Adventists, are not anywhere to be compared with the one coming on the final day.

The greatest disappointment of all time is coming; you better get you ready?

The Lord is coming, Are you ready?