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harmonized with every collateral passage； it ceased to be a difficulty。 Thus
whenever he met with a passage hard to be understood he found an explanation
in some other portion of the Scriptures。 As he studied with earnest prayer
for divine enlightenment； that which had before appeared dark to his
understanding was made clear。 He experienced the truth of the psalmist's
words： 〃The entrance of Thy words giveth light； it giveth understanding unto
the simple。〃 Psalm 119：130。
With intense interest he studied the books of Daniel and the Revelation；
employing the same principles of interpretation as in the other scriptures；
and found； to his great joy； that the prophetic symbols could be understood。
He saw that the prophecies； so far as they had been fulfilled； had been
fulfilled literally； that all the various figures； metaphors； parables；
similitudes； etc。； were either explained in their immediate connection； or
the terms in which they were expressed were defined in other scriptures； and
when thus explained； were to be literally understood。 〃I was thus
satisfied；〃 he says； 〃that the Bible is a system of revealed truths； so
clearly and simply given that the wayfaring man； though
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a fool； need not err therein。〃Bliss； page 70。 Link after link of the chain
of truth rewarded his efforts； as step by step he traced down the great
lines of prophecy。 Angels of heaven were guiding his mind and opening the
Scriptures to his understanding。
Taking the manner in which the prophecies had been fulfilled in the past as
a criterion by which to judge of the fulfillment of those which were still
future； he became satisfied that the popular view of the spiritual reign of
Christa temporal millennium before the end of the worldwas not sustained
by the word of God。 This doctrine； pointing to a thousand years of
righteousness and peace before the personal coming of the Lord； put far off
the terrors of the day of God。 But； pleasing though it may be； it is
contrary to the teachings of Christ and His apostles； who declared that the
wheat and the tares and to grow together until the harvest； the end of the
world； that 〃evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse；〃 that 〃in the
last days perilous times shall come；〃 and that the kingdom of darkness shall
continue until the advent of the Lord and shall be consumed with the spirit
of His mouth and be destroyed with the brightness of His coming。 Matthew
13：30； 38…41； 2 Timothy 3：13； 1； 2 Thessalonians 2：8。
The doctrine of the world's conversion and the spiritual reign of Christ was
not held by the apostolic church。 It was not generally accepted by
Christians until about the beginning of the eighteenth century。 Like every
other error； its results were evil。 It taught men to look far in the future
for the coming of the Lord and prevented them from giving heed to the signs
heralding His approach。 It induced a feeling of confidence and security that
was not well founded and led many to neglect the preparation necessary in
order to meet their Lord。
Miller found the literal； personal coming of Christ to be plainly taught in
the Scriptures。 Says Paul： 〃The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with
a shout； with the voice
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of the Archangel； and with the trump of God。〃 1 Thessalonians 4：16。 And the
Saviour declares： 〃They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of
heaven with power and great glory。〃 〃For as the lightning cometh out of the
east； and shineth even unto the west； so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be。〃 Matthew 24：30； 27。 He is to be accompanied by all the hosts of
heaven。 〃The Son of man shall come in His glory； and all the holy angels
with Him。〃 Matthew 25：31。 〃And He shall send His angels with a great sound
of a trumpet； and they shall gather together His elect。〃 Matthew 24：31。
At His coming the righteous dead will be raised； and the righteous living
will be changed。 〃We shall not all sleep；〃 says Paul； 〃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。〃 1 Corinthians 15：51…53。 And in his letter
to the Thessalonians； after describing the coming of the Lord； he says： 〃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。〃
1 Thessalonians 4：16； 17。
Not until the personal advent of Christ can His people receive the kingdom。
The Saviour said： 〃When the Son of man shall come in His glory； and all the
holy angels with Him； then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory： and
before Him shall be gathered all nations： and He shall separate them one
from another； as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats： and He shall
set the sheep on His right hand； but the goats on the left。 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。〃 Matthew
25：31…34。 We have seen by the scriptures just given that when the Son of man
comes； the dead are raised incorruptible and the living are changed。 By this
great
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change they are prepared to receive the kingdom； for Paul says： 〃Flesh and
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God； neither doth corruption inherit
incorruption。〃 1 Corinthians 15：50。 Man in his present state is mortal；
corruptible； but the kingdom of God will be incorruptible； enduring forever。
Therefore man in his present state cannot enter into the kingdom of God。 But
when Jesus comes； He confers immortality upon His people； and then He calls
them to inherit the kingdom of which they have hitherto been only heirs。
These and other scriptures clearly proved to Miller's mind that the events
which were generally expected to take place before the coming of Christ；
such as the universal reign of peace and the setting up of the kingdom of
God upon the earth； were to be subsequent to the second advent。 Furthermore；
all the signs of the times and the condition of the world corresponded to
the prophetic description of the last days。 He was forced to the conclusion；
from the study of Scripture alone； that the period allotted for the
continuance of the earth in its present state was about to close。
〃Another kind of evidence that vitally affected my mind；〃 he says； 〃was the
chronology of the Scriptures。 。 。 。 I found that predicted events； which had
been fulfilled in the past； often occurred within a given time。 The one
hundred and twenty years to the flood （Genesis 6：3）； the seven days that
were to precede it； with forty days of predicted rain （Genesis 7：4）； the
four hundred years of the sojourn of Abraham's seed （Genesis 15：13）； the
three days of the butler's and baker's dreams （Genesis 40：12…20）； the seven
years of Pharaoh's （Genesis 41：28…54）； the forty years in the wilderness
（Num