Joshua V. Himes · Boston, 14 Devonshire Street · 1843
SYNOPSIS OF
MILLER’S VIEWS.
I.—I believe Jesus Christ will come again to this earth.
PROOF.
John xiv. 3: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Acts, i. 11: Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner, as ye have seen him go into heaven.
1 Thess. iv. 16: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Rev. i. 7: Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
II.—I believe he will come in all the glory of his Father.
PROOF.
Math. xvi. 27: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Mark viii. 38: Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels.
III.—I believe he will come in the clouds of heaven.
PROOF.
Math. xxiv. 30: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.
Mark xiii. 26: And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds, with great power and glory, xiv. 62: And Jesus said, * ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Daniel vii. 13: I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
IV.—I believe he will then receive his kingdom, which will be eternal.
PROOF.
Dan. vii. 14: And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom, that which shall not be destroyed.
Luke xix. 12, 15: He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom,5then he commanded those servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
2 Tim. iv. 1: I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.
V.—I believe the saints will then possess the kingdom forever.
PROOF.
Dan. vii. 18, 22, and 27: But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Math xxv, 34: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Luke xii. 32; xxii. 29: Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me.
1 Cor. ix. 25: And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
2 Tim. iv. 8: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to6me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
James, i. 12: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
1 Pet. v. 4: And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
VI.—I believe at Christ’s second coming the body of every departed saint will be raised, like Christ’s glorious body.
PROOF.
1 Cor. xv. 20, 23, 49. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. But every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits; afterwards they that are Christ’s at his coming. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1 John iii. 2: Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
VII. — I believe that the righteous who are living on the earth when he comes, will be changed from mortal to immortal bodies, and with them who are raised from the dead, will be caught up to meet the Lord in7the air, and so be forever with the Lord.
PROOF.
1 Cor. xv. 51—53: Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Philip. iii. 20, 21: For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
1 Thess. iv. 14—17: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
VIII.—I believe the saints will then be presented to God blameless, without spot or wrinkle, in love.
1 Cor. iv. 14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise us up also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
Eph. v. 27: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Col. i. 22: In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy, and unblamable, and unreprovable in his sight.
Jude, 24: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
1 Thess. iii. 13: To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
1 Cor. i. 7, 8: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
IX. — I believe when Christ comes the second time, he will come to finish the controversy of Zion, to deliver his children from all bondage, to conquer their last enemy, and to deliver them from the power of the tempter, which is the devil.
PROOF.
Deut. xxv. 1: If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
Isa. xxxiv. 8; xl. 2, 5; xli. 10 to 12: For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. Speak ye comfortably9to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded; they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee; they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.
Rom. viii. 21 to 23: Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth, and travaileth in pain together until now; and not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Heb. ii. 13 to 15: And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage.
1 Cor. xv. 54, 26: So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Rev. xx. 1 to 6: And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit,10and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
X. — I believe that when Christ comes he will destroy the bodies of the living wicked by fire, as those of the old world were destroyed by water, and shut up their souls in the pit of woe, until their resurrection unto damnation.
PROOF.
Ps. l. 3; xcvii. 3; Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
Isa. lxvi. 15, 16: For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to11render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many.
Dan. vii. 10: A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
Mal. iv. 1: For behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Math. iii. 12: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Math. xiii. 41 to 42; 49, 50: The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
1 Cor. iii. 13: Every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is.
1 Thess. v. 2, 3: For yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
2 Thess. i. 7 to 9: And to you who are troubled, rest with us; when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ;12who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
1 Pet. i. 7: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
2 Pet. iii. 7, 10: But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also; and the works that are therein, shall be burned up.
Isa. xxiv. 21, 22: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
Jude, 6, 7; 14, 15: And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorr[h]ah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Rev. xx. 3, 13, 14, 15: And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him,13that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
John v. 29: And shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Acts, xxiv. 15: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
XI.—I believe, when the earth is cleansed by fire, that Christ and his saints will then take possession of the earth, and dwell therein forever. Then the kingdom will be given to the saints.
PROOF.
Psa. xxxvii. 9 to 11, 22, 28, 29, 34: “For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.14The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.”
Prov. ii. 21 to 22; x. 30: For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
Isa. lx. 21: Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
Matt. v. 5: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Rev. v. 10: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
XII.—I believe the time is appointed of God when these things shall be accomplished.
PROOF.
PROOF.Acts. xvii. 31 : Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained: whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Job. vii. 1; xiv. 14: Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of a hireling? If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Psa. lxxxi. 3: Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
Isa. xl. 2: Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,15and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. (See margin.)
Dan. viii. 19; x. 1; xi. 35: And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
Hab. ii. 3: 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.
Acts. xvii. 26: And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitations. See Gal.iv.
XIII.—I believe God has revealed the time.
PROOF.
Isa. xliv. 7, 8. xlv. 20, 21: And who, as I shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, and let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else besides16me; a just God and a Savior; there is none besides me.
Dan. xii. 10: Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Amos iii. 7: Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
1 Thess. v. 4: But ye brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
XIV.—I believe many who are professors and preachers will never believe or know the time until it comes upon them.
PROOF.
Jer. viii. 7: Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle, and the crane, and swallow, observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.
Matth. xxiv. 50: The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of.
Jer. xxv. 34,—37: Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard; for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture. And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
XV.—I believe the wise, they who are to shine as the brightness17of the firmament, Dan. xii. 3, will understand the time.
PROOF.
Eccl. viii. 5: Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
Dan. xii. 10: Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
wise shall understand. Math. xxiv. 43 to 45; xxv. 4, 6 to the 10: But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready : for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 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. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil : for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so ; lest there be not enough for us and you : but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came ; and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
1 Thess. v. 4: But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1 Pet, i. 9 to 13: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and18the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you, by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ:
XVI.—I believe the time can be known by all who desire to understand and to be ready for his coming. And I am fully convinced that some time between March 21st, 1843, and March 21st, 1844, according to the Jewish mode of computation of time, Christ will come, and bring all his saints with him; and that then he will reward every man as his work shall be.
PROOF.
Math. xvi. 27: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Rev. xxii. 12: And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.