Life on earth is full of disappointments. How many times have you looked forward with great expectation to something that had seemed to be so inviting and so promising, only to be let down when your hopes failed to materialise?
There was one well-known event in Church history which took place 162 years ago and which became known as 'the Great Disappointment.' It started with a Baptist preacher by the name of William Miller who lived in the Northeastern part of the United States. In August 1831 Miller was fully convinced, after studying the Bible intensely for 7 years, that he had discovered the exact time when Jesus Christ would return from Heaven - 21st March 1844. This preacher sincerely believed with all his heart that God had called him to go forth to proclaim this as earnestly and as widely as possible. For 12 years Miller and his associates laboured hard to warn as many people as they could that Christ would return and judge all the world on the 21st of March 1844. They stirred up such great excitement as they preached to large audiences, that a growing movement of over 50,000 followers was soon born.
But the predicted date came and went and nothing happened. William Miller and his followers were disappointed. But one of his associates by the name of Samuel Snow went through Miller's calculations and realized that there was a mistake - the actual date of Christ's return was seven months later, on 22nd October 1844. Both men claimed that there was no possibility of a mistake this time. Anyone who rejects their message would most definitely be lost. The movement grew again, this time sweeping over the land with the velocity of a tornado, and many Millerites believed that God was the power behind this mighty movement. The signs of Christ's coming were just too plain to be doubted. Magazines were printed, heralding the return of Christ. Newspapers printed regular reports of Millerite meetings.
But the Bible clearly says that nobody knows the hour when Christ will return, it will be unexpected, like a thief in the night.
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