the great controversy-第66部分
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off？ As the 2300 days was the only period of time mentioned in chapter 8； it
must be the period from which the seventy weeks were cut off； the seventy
weeks must therefore be a part of the 2300 days； and the two periods must
begin together。 The seventy weeks were declared by the angel to date from
the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem。 If the
date of this commandment could be found； then the starting point for the
great period of the 2300 days would be ascertained。
In the seventh chapter of Ezra the decree is found。 Verses
12…26。 In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes；
king of Persia； 457 B。C。 But in Ezra 6：14 the house of the Lord at Jerusalem
is said to have been built 〃according to the commandment ＇〃decree；〃 margin＇
of Cyrus； and Darius； and Artaxerxes king of Persia。〃 These three kings； in
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originating； reaffirming； and completing the decree； brought it to the
perfection required by the prophecy to mark the beginning of the 2300 years。
Taking 457 B。C。； the time when the decree was completed； as the date of the
commandment； every specification of the prophecy concerning the seventy
weeks was seen to have been fulfilled。
〃From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks； and threescore and two
weeks〃namely； sixty…nine weeks； or 483 years。 The decree of Artaxerxes
went into effect in the autumn of 457 B。C。 From this date； 483 years extend
to the autumn of A。D。 27。 （See Appendix。） At that time this prophecy was
fulfilled。 The word 〃Messiah〃 signifies 〃the Anointed One。〃 In the autumn of
A。D。 27 Christ was baptized by John and received the anointing of the
Spirit。 The apostle Peter testifies that 〃God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Ghost and with power。〃 Acts 10：38。 And the Saviour Himself
declared： 〃The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me； because He hath anointed Me to
preach the gospel to the poor。〃 Luke 4：18。 After His baptism He went into
Galilee； 〃preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God； and saying； The time
is fulfilled。〃 Mark 1：14； 15。
〃And He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week。〃 The 〃week〃 here
brought to view is the last one of the seventy； it is the last seven years
of the period allotted especially to the Jews。 During this time； extending
from A。D。 27 to A。D。 34； Christ； at first in person and afterward by His
disciples； extended the gospel invitation especially to the Jews。 As the
apostles went forth with the good tidings of the kingdom； the Saviour's
direction was： 〃Go not into the way of the Gentiles； and into any city of
the Samaritans enter ye not： but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel。〃 Matthew 10：5； 6。
〃In the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to
cease。〃 In A。D。 31； three and a half years after His baptism； our Lord was
crucified。 With the great sacrifice
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offered upon Calvary； ended that system of offerings which for four thousand
years had pointed forward to the Lamb of God。 Type had met antitype； and all
the sacrifices and oblations of the ceremonial system were there to cease。
The seventy weeks； or 490 years； especially allotted to the Jews； ended； as
we have seen； in A。D。 34。 At that time； through the action of the Jewish
Sanhedrin； the nation sealed its rejection of the gospel by the martyrdom of
Stephen and the persecution of the followers of Christ。 Then the message of
salvation； no longer restricted to the chosen people； was given to the
world。 The disciples； forced by persecution to flee from Jerusalem； 〃went
everywhere preaching the word。〃 〃Philip went down to the city of Samaria；
and preached Christ unto them。〃 Peter； divinely guided； opened the gospel to
the centurion of Caesarea； the God…fearing Cornelius； and the ardent Paul；
won to the faith of Christ； was commissioned to carry the glad tidings 〃far
hence unto the Gentiles。〃 Acts 8：4； 5； 22：21。
Thus far every specification of the prophecies is strikingly fulfilled； and
the beginning of the seventy weeks is fixed beyond question at 457 B。C。； and
their expiration in A。D。 34。 From this data there is no difficulty in
finding the termination of the 2300 days。 The seventy weeks490
dayshaving been cut off from the 2300； there were 1810 days remaining。
After the end of 490 days； the 1810 days were still to be fulfilled。 From
A。D。 34； 1810 years extend to 1844。 Consequently the 2300 days of Daniel
8：14 terminate in 1844。 At the expiration of this great prophetic period；
upon the testimony of the angel of God； 〃the sanctuary shall be cleansed。〃
Thus the time of the cleansing of the sanctuarywhich was almost
universally believed to take place at the second adventwas definitely
pointed out。
Miller and his associates at first believed that the 2300 days would
terminate in the spring of 1844； whereas the prophecy
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points to the autumn of that year。 （See Appendix。） The misapprehension of
this point brought disappointment and perplexity to those who had fixed upon
the earlier date as the time of the Lord's coming。 But this did not in the
least affect the strength of the argument showing that the 2300 days
terminated in the year 1844； and that the great event represented by the
cleansing of the sanctuary must then take place。
Entering upon the study of the Scriptures as he had done； in order to prove
that they were a revelation from God； Miller had not； at the outset； the
slightest expectation of reaching the conclusion at which he had now
arrived。 He himself could hardly credit the results of his investigation。
But the Scripture evidence was too clear and forcible to be set aside。
He had devoted two years to the study of the Bible； when； in 1818； he
reached the solemn conviction that in about twenty…five years Christ would
appear for the redemption of His people。 〃I need not speak；〃 says Miller；
〃of the joy that filled my heart in view of the delightful prospect； nor of
the ardent longings of my soul for a participation in the joys of the
redeemed。 The Bible was now to me a new book。 It was indeed a feast of
reason； all that was dark； mystical； or obscure to me in its teachings； had
been dissipated from my mind before the clear light that now dawned from its
sacred pages； and； oh； how bright and glorious the truth appeared！ All the
contradictions and inconsistencies I had before found in the word were gone；
and although there were many portions of which I was not satisfied I had a
full understanding； yet so much light had emanated from it to the
illumination of my before darkened mind； that I felt a delight in studying
the Scripture which I had not before supposed could be derived from its
teachings。〃Bliss； pages 76； 77。
〃With the solemn conviction that such momentous events were predicted in the
Scriptures to be fulfilled in so short a space of time； the question came
home to me with mighty
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power regarding my duty to the world； in view of the evidence that had
affected my own mind。〃Ibid。； page 81。 He could not but feel that it was
his duty to impart to others the light which he had received。 He expected to
encounter opposition from the ungodly； but was confident that all Christians
would rejoice in the hope of meeting the Saviour whom they professed to
love。 His only fear was that in their great joy at the prospect of glorious
deliverance； so soon to be consummated； many would receive the doctrine
without sufficiently examining the Scriptures in demonstration of its truth。
He therefore hesitated to present it； lest he should be in error and be the
means of misleading others。 He was thus led to review the evidences in
support of the conclusions at which he had arrived； and to consider
carefully every difficulty which presented itself to his mind。 He found that
objections vanished before the light of God's word； as mist before the rays
of the sun。 Five years spent thus left him fully convinced of the
correctness of his position。
And now the duty of making known to others what he believed to be so clearly
taught in the Scriptures； urged itself with new force upon him。 〃When I was
about my business；〃 he said； 〃it was continually ringing in my ears； 'Go and
tell the world of their danger。' This text was constantly occurring to me：
'When I say unto the wicked； O wicked man； thou shalt surely die； if thou
dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way； that wicked man shall die in
his iniquity； but his blood will I require at thine hand。 Nevertheless； if
thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it； if he do not turn from his
way； he shall die in his iniquity； but thou hast delivered thy soul。〃
Ezekiel 33：8； 9。 I felt that if the wicked could be effectually warned；
multitudes of them would repent； and that if they were not warned； their
blood might be required at my hand。〃Bliss； page 92。
He began to present his views in private as he had opportunity； praying that
some minister might feel their force and devote himself to their
promulgation。 But he could not
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banish the conviction that he had a personal duty to perform in giving the
warning。 The words were ever recurring to his mind： 〃Go and tell it to the
world； their blood will I require at thy hand。〃 For nine years he waited；
the burden still pressing upon his soul； until in 1813 he for the first time
publicly gave the reasons of his faith。
As Elisha was called from following his oxen in the field； to receive the
mantle of consecration to the prophetic office； so was William Miller called
to leave his plow and open to the people the mysteries of the kingdom of
God。 With trembling he entered upon his work； leading his hearers down； step
by step； through the prophetic periods to the second appearing of Christ。
With every effort he gained strength and courage as he saw the widespread
interest excited by his words。
It was only at the solicitation of his brethren； in whose words he heard the
call of God； that Miller consented to present h
