William Miller, greatly disappointed While apocalypse theories surrounding Y2K and Hale-Bopp inspire hysteria, they are certainly nothing new. In fact, on this date in 1844, based on his interpretation of Daniel 8:14, Baptist preacher William Miller predicted that the world would end. Thousands of Miller's followers stayed up all night, waiting for the Second Advent. When October 22, 1844, came and went, Miller's miscalculation became known as the "Great Disappointment." Fortunately, early Adventist Hiram Edson had a vision on October 23. It explained that the previous day was actually when Jesus began his final "investigative judgment" to determine who would be eligible for salvation. This reinterpretation gave rise to the 15 million-strong Seventh-day Adventist Church (not to mention to some delicious innovations in vegetarian cuisine). Other post-Millerites determined that the second coming would occur in 1873, and they went on to form the Jehovah's Witnesses. Meanwhile, the Mayan calendar estimates that the world will end on December 21, 2012. At the risk of sounding insensitive, we hope that anyone rooting for that doomsday will also experience a Great Disappointment. Suggested Sites... The Great Disappointment - we're still here? Uh-oh. A Brief History of the Apocalypse - various doomsdays through the ages. The Heaven's Gate Cult - who is left to maintain this website? Y2K Bug Fails to Bite - a look back at when our world almost ended.

Directory categories: Biblical Prophecy, Seventh Day Adventist Church, History of Christianity, Religion, Catastrophism

Archived under: American History, Predictions, Prophecy, Religion, Spirituality

Post a comment (2) | Email this posting