The Grains of Ezekiel 4

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INTRODUCTION:

The book of Ezekiel has remained one of the most symbolic and difficult to understand of all the books of the Bible. Anciently, the Hebrew forbids anyone under the age of 30 to read it. This book has baffled and confounded scholars and theologians since it was written (597-588 B.C.) and has remained so until the latter days when “ knowledge shall increase” and an understanding should arise in God’s appointed way. This study will reveal a special 430 years prophecy and the meaning of this probationary period of time and its special significance to the SDA church in history.

PRAYER THOUGHT:

But the student of the word of God should seek to understand the bearing of one passage upon another until the chain of truth is revealed to his vision. As veins of precious ore are hidden beneath the surface of the earth, so spiritual riches are concealed in the passages of Holy Writ, and it requires mental effort and prayerful attention to discover the hidden meaning of the word of God. Let every student who values the heavenly treasure put to the stretch his mental and spiritual powers, and sink the shaft deep into the mine of truth, that he may obtain the celestial gold,--that wisdom which will make him wise unto salvation.  {CE 100.2}

Is this Book Historic or Prophetic?

Read: Ezek. 4:1-8

Ø Must be prophetic, message was directed to all 12 tribes, scattered since 721 B.C.

Ø A future tense is used in verse 13.

Ø Ezekiel himself, not a Gentile king, is told to besiege the city.

Ø Ezekiel did not understand the vision himself, 3:15

Ø Judah spent 70 years in captivity, not 40.

Why the symbolism of a siege and warfare?

Ø The Jews of Ezekiel’s day had suffered bitter and traumatic experiences of siege and warfare because of their sins. God uses familiar experiences to teach and bring home vital truths.

Ø The church is shown having rebelled and become so far separated from God that in order to save her, He has to do battle with her to effect a great revival and reform.

Symbol Key for verses 1-3

Ø Jerusalem – city, the church (Matt. 5:14; Mic. 6:9)

Ø Tile – everlasting material, a people (city) that shall live forever/

Ø Lay Siege – invade with and army of reformers and compel it to surrender.

Ø A Fort – make sure that none escape, good or bad.

Ø Set a Camp – establish a HQ from which to carry on the work.

Ø Battering Rams – leaders hammering/battering with clear, cutting, convincing truth.

Ø Iron Pan – virtual wall of separation.

Ø Israel and Judah – Protestants/SDA’s respectively.

Ø Set Thy Face Toward the Siege – undertake this reform like a great army general. Stay focused and let nothing distract you.

Ø Thine Arm…Uncovered – signifies that the might of the reformation would be revealed.

The time Prophecy of verses 4-6

Ø A period of 430 years is shown in two sections: the 390 and 40 years, respectively, for Israel and Judah. Using the day for a year principles, Ezekiel’s lying down and bearing their iniquity during this time indicates a special of grace allotted to the church during which time God is also disciplining them for their unfaithfulness.

Ø During this period God expects that the church will attain righteousness by faith. Ezekiel is a type of Christ who bears His children’s iniquity.

 When did this Prophecy begin?

At the start of the reformation showing God attacking the church during the latter part of the Dark Ages to besiege and rescue her as she had grievously fallen from His grace. The reformation began in 1500 A.D. when Martin Luther began calling God’s people back to the truths that had been lost sight of.

The Meaning of the Four grains:

Grains represent spiritual food that was feed to God’s people in six stages (courses) during the time of the reformation. Christianity is mainly built upon these 6 doctrines. Food often represents Spiritual truths (Jer. 15:16; Ezek. 3:1-2). 

The Meaning of the Grains

 Wheat-Justification by Faith  (Martin Luther - Lutherans) 

As wheat is the first necessity to man's physical diet to keep him healthy, just so faith is the first necessity in man's spiritual diet, for "without faith, it is impossible to please God" (Heb. 11:6). 

🌾 Prophetic Insights on Wheat — Justification by Faith

Focus: Martin Luther and the Reformation (Lutherans)
Theme: God's progressive revelation of truth in the Protestant Reformation

🔹 1. Symbolic Meaning of Wheat in Scripture

Wheat in the Bible symbolizes:

• True believers who receive and grow in truth (Matt. 13:24–30).

• Those justified by faith, who bear fruit of righteousness (John 12:24; James 3:18).

• God’s preserved remnant, separated from tares in harvest (Matt. 13:39; Rev. 14:14-16).

“Let both grow together until the harvest…”
— Matthew 13:30

🔹 Prophetic Application:
Wheat represents the true children of the Reformation, particularly those who accepted and lived out justification by faith, as taught by Martin Luther.

🔹 2. Martin Luther and the Message of Justification by Faith

“The just shall live by his faith.” — Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17

Martin Luther rediscovered the gospel truth that salvation is by faith alone, not by penance or works. This doctrine challenged the corrupt teachings of Rome and initiated the Protestant Reformation (1517 A.D.).

SOP Insight:

“God had raised up Martin Luther to stir the church from the slumber of death. He was chosen to herald the truth that salvation is wholly of grace, a gift of God, through faith in Jesus Christ.”
— GC 120

“A great work was to be accomplished in behalf of the Reformation... Luther was the man for his time.”
— GC 120.2

🔹 3. Justification by Faith—Foundation of Reformation Wheat

Luther's message centered on Romans 1:17:

"The just shall live by faith."

This revived doctrine is the core of the wheat that grew amidst the tares of papal error.

SOP Insight:

“Through the Scriptures, God had called Luther to proclaim the great truths of justification by faith.”
— GC 190

“It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy.”
— SC 62.2

🔹 4. Wheat vs. Tares: The Reformation Conflict

The parable of wheat and tares (Matt. 13) reveals the prophetic timeline:

• Wheat = Those who receive the gospel truth (like justification by faith).

• Tares = Counterfeit Christians or false doctrines sown by Satan.

Though Luther sowed wheat, the Reformation churches (e.g., Lutheran) later compromised or stopped progressing, becoming stagnant or part of Babylon (Rev. 14:8; GC 389.2).

“The Reformation did not, as many suppose, end with Luther. It is to be continued to the close of this world’s history.”
— GC 148

🔹 5. Wheat—Sanctified by Truth, Not Just Justified

Luther’s doctrine of justification by faith was truth for that time, but not the final truth. The wheat must grow to full maturity, including sanctification and the third angel’s message.

SOP Insight:

“Luther was only the beginning. Precious light was yet to shine forth.”
— GC 148.2

“Justification is wholly of grace; sanctification is the work of a lifetime.”
— FLB 116.5

🔹 6. Wheat in Prophecy—First Fruits and Final Harvest

• Wheat = 144,000 (Rev. 14:4-5) — first fruits purified through the three angels’ messages.

• Wheat = Great Multitude (Rev. 7:9) — final harvest gathered by latter rain and loud cry.

The work begun by Luther in sowing wheat (truth) will be finished by the remnant church, who embrace both justification and sanctification, preparing for the heavenly garner (Luke 3:17).

🔹 7. Conclusion: Progressive Truth and the “Wheat” People

Martin Luther was God's instrument in restoring the truth of justification by faith, symbolized by wheat in its early stage. The final harvest includes:

• Those who continue in truth (John 8:31).

• Who walk in present truth (2 Pet. 1:12).

• Who are purified, sanctified, and sealed (Rev. 7:3).

“The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”
— Proverbs 4:18

📝 Summary Chart

Symbol/Truth

Meaning

Source

Wheat

Justified, faithful believers

Matthew 13:24–30

Luther's Message

Justification by faith

Romans 1:17; Hab. 2:4

SOP Support

“Salvation is wholly of grace…” — GC 120

Great Controversy

Wheat Harvest

Final purification & sealing of God’s people

Rev. 14:14–16

Progressive Truth

Reformation must continue to end-time truth

GC 148; SC 62

Barley - Holy Spirit  (John Knox - Presbyterian) 

As barley is the second necessity in man's physical diet to keep him healthy, just so the Holy Spirit is the second necessity in man's spiritual diet, for before He can work in our lives, we must believe that He exists. In Judg. 7:13, 14 a cake of barley overturn the Midianite tent, showing that God represents the barley as the Holy Spirit.·  

🌾 Prophetic Insights on Barley — The Holy Spirit

Reformation Type: John Knox (Presbyterian Movement)
Spiritual Symbol: Holy Spirit (Barley)

🔹 1. Symbolic Meaning of Barley in Scripture

In the Bible, barley was:

• The first grain to ripen in Israel, harvested at Passover (Lev. 23:10-14).

• A symbol of first fruits and spiritual renewal.

• Less valued than wheat, but essential to survival and diet (John 6:9).

• Judges 7:13–14 links barley to a divine force overthrowing enemies.

“Behold, I dreamed a dream, and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian…”
— Judges 7:13

🔸 Prophetic Insight:

The barley loaf in Gideon’s vision prophetically symbolizes the power of the Holy Spirit working through the humble to overthrow spiritual enemies, just as the Holy Spirit empowered reformers like John Knox to challenge religious tyranny.

🔹 2. Barley and the Holy Spirit – Spiritual Necessity

Just as barley is the first grain of harvest and a key element of physical survival:

• So is the Holy Spirit the first divine agent to convict, guide, and empower the believer (John 16:7-13).

• The Holy Spirit prepares the groundwork for revival and reformation.

“Before He can work in our lives, we must believe that He exists.”
— Hebrews 11:6; Romans 8:16

SOP Insight:

“The Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative, but divested of the personality of humanity, and independent thereof. Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally... but through the Spirit, the Saviour would be accessible to all.”
— DA 669.2

🔹 3. John Knox – A Barley Loaf Reformer Empowered by the Spirit

John Knox (c. 1514–1572), the father of Scottish Presbyterianism, was a man filled with boldness and power, not from self, but from the Holy Spirit. His spiritual battle was not by sword, but by the Spirit and truth.

“Give me Scotland or I die!” — John Knox’s prayer

SOP Parallel:

“In every age God has sent His servants to rebuke sin both in the world and in the church... They bore a message which was to them the savor of life unto life or of death unto death.”
— GC 606.1

Knox, empowered like Gideon’s barley cake, helped topple the papal tent in Scotland and ignite spiritual reform under the power of the Spirit.

🔹 4. Barley and the Firstfruits — Anointed Work of the Spirit

Barley’s connection with the wave sheaf (Lev. 23:10–14) shows:

• The first-fruits of the harvest belong to God.

• The Holy Spirit is given to the firstfruit people, those revived and reformed first (Acts 2:1–4; James 1:18).

The Presbyterian Reformation, though not the final movement, was part of the first spiritual harvest through the early rain of the Spirit.

SOP Insight:

“Wherever the need of the Holy Spirit is a matter little thought of, there is seen spiritual drought, spiritual darkness, spiritual declension and death.”
— TM 507.1

“It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.”
— John 6:63

🔹 5. Barley Loaf Overturns the Enemy

Judges 7:13–14 shows that the barley loaf tumbled into the Midianite tent and overturned it. This humble symbol points to:

• A Spirit-led movement, often underestimated.

• God's unexpected agents of victory, like Knox, used to overthrow false systems.

Application:

The barley loaf = Holy Spirit-empowered truth
Midianite tent = religious oppression/idolatry

Just as Luther’s wheat was the doctrine of justification by faith, Knox’s barley was the bold preaching in the Spirit, calling for:

• Simplicity of worship

• Scripture as supreme authority

• Prayer-led, Spirit-filled leadership

🔹 6. Final Application — Barley in the Latter Rain Harvest

In the final movement:

• The Holy Spirit (barley) must fall afresh in early and latter rain (Joel 2:23).

• God’s people will overthrow spiritual Babylon not by might, but by the Spirit (Zech. 4:6).

“We are not to wait for some future time when, through a special endowment of spiritual power, we shall receive a miraculous fitting up for soul-saving. It is now that we are to yield our hearts to God, that we may be made vessels unto honor.”
— Ev 701.2

📝 Summary Table

Symbol/Theme

Meaning

Reference

Barley

Power of the Holy Spirit (firstfruit harvest)

Lev. 23:10-14; Judg. 7:13-14

Barley Loaf

Spirit-led reformer (e.g., John Knox)

Judges 7:13-14

Holy Spirit’s Work

Conviction, transformation, power

John 16:7-13; Zech. 4:6

John Knox

Bold Spirit-filled Reformer (Presbyterian)

History / GC 250-252

SOP on Spirit

“The Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative...”

DA 669.2; TM 507; GC 606

Application Today

Revival, spiritual battle, latter rain

Joel 2:23; Zech. 4:6

🌾 Closing Thought

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.”
— Zechariah 4:6

The barley reformation through John Knox is a prophetic symbol of the Spirit’s power in humble vessels, preparing the way for the final outpouring of the Spirit in the latter rain.

Beans - Salvation by Grace  (John Wesley - Methodist) 

As beans are the third necessity in man's physical diet to keep him healthy, just so Grace is the third necessity in man's spiritual diet. Beans have been perverted by adding pork, and the meaning of grace has been perverted by so-called Christians which lead to a presumptuous trampling of His precepts.

🌱 Prophetic Insights on Beans — Salvation by Grace

Reformation Type: John Wesley (Methodist Movement)
Spiritual Symbol: Grace
Health Parallel: Beans are the third vital nutrient in the physical diet — just as grace is the third vital element in the spiritual life.

🔹 1. Symbolic Meaning of Beans in Scripture and Prophetic Typology

Beans are:

• A protein-rich legume, vital for strength and endurance.

• In the Bible, beans were part of the humble, nourishing diet (Ezekiel 4:9).

• Perverted in modern diets when mixed with pork (unclean meat) — symbolizing spiritual corruption when grace is misused.

Spiritual Typology:

• Beans = Grace — nourishing, empowering, and sustaining.

• Pork = Presumption and sin (Lev. 11:7; Isa. 66:17).

• Beans + Pork = False gospel: grace mixed with lawlessness.

🔹 2. Salvation by Grace — The Heart of the Gospel

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
— Ephesians 2:8

Grace is:

• Unmerited favor from God (Romans 3:24).

• The power to overcome sin (Titus 2:11-14).

• Not a license to sin (Romans 6:1-2).

SOP Insight:

“It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour’s matchless love... This love awakens the heart of the receiver.”
— SC 44.2

“The grace of Christ is to control the temper and the voice. Its working will be seen in politeness and tender regard shown by brother for brother.”
— COL 102.1

🔹 3. John Wesley — Grace Leading to Holiness

John Wesley (1703–1791), founder of the Methodist Movement, brought a balanced message of salvation by grace that produces holiness, not presumption.

Wesley believed:

• Grace is not cheap forgiveness, but empowering love.

• True grace leads to moral transformation (sanctification).

• Christians must cooperate with grace in daily obedience.

SOP Parallel:

“In the lives of those who follow Him, the grace of God is revealed. That grace transforms the character.”
— MH 37.1

🔹 4. Beans Perverted with Pork — A Symbol of Cheap Grace

Modern Christianity has perverted grace:

• Teaching that God’s grace covers sin without victory.

• Denying the necessity of obedience and sanctification.

• Resulting in lawlessness and presumption.

“Turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness...”
— Jude 1:4

“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.”
— Romans 6:1-2

SOP Warning:

“The doctrine that it makes no difference what men believe, is one of Satan’s most successful deceptions.”
— GC 520.2

“The righteousness of Christ is not a cloak to cover unconfessed and unforsaken sin...”
— FLB 136.6

🔹 5. Grace as the Third Necessity in the Reformation Diet

Luther (Wheat) – Justification by faith
Knox (Barley) – The Holy Spirit
Wesley (Beans) – Grace leading to sanctified life

Wesley brought the balance: grace not only pardons but empowers.

Prophetic Insight:

Beans, as the third necessity, represent empowering grace that brings:

• Spiritual maturity

• Practical godliness

• Love-driven obedience (John 14:15)

🔹 6. Final Warning: True Grace vs. False Grace

True Grace

False Grace (Beans with Pork)

Transforms and sanctifies

Excuses sin and lawlessness

Leads to obedience (Rom. 6:16)

Encourages passivity and indifference

Christ-centered and Spirit-empowered

Man-centered, self-indulgent

Reflects Wesley’s message

Reflects modern apostasy

“Christ died to save sinners, not in their sins, but from their sins.”
— DA 311.3

🔹 7. Practical Application: Grace Today and the Loud Cry

The third angel’s message demands a people who:

• Are saved by grace,

• Keep the commandments,

• And have the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14:12).

Grace prepares a people for:

• Sealing (Rev. 7:3),

• Latter rain (Joel 2:23),

• Translation without seeing death (1 Thess. 4:17).

📝 Summary Table

Symbol/Truth

Meaning

Reference

Beans

Grace — spiritual nourishment and strength

Ezek. 4:9; Eph. 2:8-10

Pork

Presumption, sin, unclean teaching

Lev. 11:7; Isa. 66:17

Beans with Pork

Perverted grace — gospel without obedience

Jude 1:4; GC 520

John Wesley

Grace that leads to sanctified living

History; MH 37

SOP on Grace

“Grace transforms the character.”

MH 37.1; SC 44.2; COL 102

🌱 Closing Thought

“The Lord is more willing to give His Holy Spirit to those who ask Him than are parents to give good gifts to their children... Grace is an attribute of God exercised toward undeserving human beings.”
— SC 52.2; AA 532.1

John Wesley’s prophetic role in the Reformation was to restore true grace — a grace that pardons, transforms, and empowers for a life of holiness and obedience.

Lentils - Baptism by Emersion (Alexander Campbell - First Day Baptists) 

As lentils, the fourth variety of food in man's physical diet is not so universally relished as beans, likewise Baptism by emersion is less commonly esteemed and practiced than Grace.

🌿 Prophetic Insights on Lentils — Baptism by Immersion

Reformation Type: Alexander Campbell (1788–1866) — Restorationist / First Day Baptists / Disciples of Christ
Spiritual Symbol: Baptism by Immersion
Health Parallel: Lentils are the fourth essential in the human diet—nourishing, though less appreciated—just like baptism, which is vital yet often neglected, misunderstood, or replaced by false substitutes.

🔹 1. Lentils in the Bible — A Humble Yet Vital Food

Lentils are:

• Protein-rich legumes, essential in ancient Middle Eastern diets.

• Featured in Esau’s exchange for his birthright — indicating their value and substance (Gen. 25:29–34).

• A food of simplicity and strength — often eaten in place of more appealing or luxurious fare.

“Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils…”
— Genesis 25:34

🔸 Spiritual Parallel:

Just as lentils are not universally relished, baptism by immersion is not universally practiced or understood. Yet both are essential for health and salvation.

🔹 2. Baptism by Immersion — A Biblical Ordinance

“We are buried with Him by baptism into death... that we should walk in newness of life.”
— Romans 6:4

Biblical baptism is:

• A full immersion in water (Greek baptizo = to dip, plunge, immerse).

• A symbol of death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3–6).

• A public declaration of faith and cleansing (Acts 2:38; 22:16).

SOP Insight:

“Christ made baptism the entrance to His spiritual kingdom. He made this a positive condition with which all must comply who wish to be acknowledged as under the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
— 6T 91.2

“Baptism is a most solemn renunciation of the world… it is not to be entered into without clear understanding and genuine repentance.”
— Evangelism, p. 307

🔹 3. Alexander Campbell — Restorer of Biblical Baptism

Alexander Campbell (early 1800s):

• Emphasized baptism by immersion as essential to the Christian life.

• Stood against infant sprinkling and ritualistic practices.

• His movement helped restore the primitive church practice of baptism as seen in Acts.

SOP Parallel:

“Through the great Reformation the Scriptures were opened to all. But there were still many important truths to be revealed.”
— GC 148.2

Campbell fulfilled part of this progressive restoration—restoring the ordinance of immersion, preparing the way for further light in the sanctuary, Sabbath, and sealing messages.

🔹 4. Why Baptism is Less “Relished” — Like Lentils

• Many prefer substitutes (sprinkling, infant baptism) for true baptism.

• Baptism requires repentance, public confession, and spiritual rebirth—things the carnal nature resists.

• Some view baptism as merely symbolic and undervalue its covenantal role in salvation.

SOP Insight:

“There is no evidence of true repentance unless it works reformation. If he restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, confess his sins, and love God and his fellow men, the sinner may be sure that he has passed from death unto life.”
— SC 59.3

🔹 5. Baptism’s Role in the Full Reformation Diet

Symbolic Food

Truth Restored

Reformer

Wheat

Justification by Faith

Martin Luther

Barley

Holy Spirit

John Knox

Beans

Salvation by Grace

John Wesley

Lentils

Baptism by Immersion

Alexander Campbell

Baptism, though often neglected, is a divinely instituted step that seals the initial covenant with Christ.

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”
— Mark 16:16

🔹 6. Baptism and the Final Restoration

• Baptism is not just a ritual but a spiritual birth into God's remnant body.

• It prepares souls for sanctification, sealing, and translation (Rev. 7:3; 14:4–5).

• The true remnant church must restore all divine institutions, including true baptism.

“The truths that were not accepted during the Reformation will be proclaimed with power in the loud cry.”
— GC 390–392

📝 Summary Table

Symbol/Truth

Meaning & Role

Bible & SOP Reference

Lentils

Humble, necessary nourishment

Genesis 25:34; Ezekiel 4:9

Baptism by Immersion

Burial with Christ, spiritual rebirth

Romans 6:3–6; Acts 2:38

Campbell’s Role

Restoration of biblical baptism

GC 148; Church history

SOP on Baptism

Entrance to the spiritual kingdom

6T 91.2; Ev 307

Modern Distortion

Substitution with sprinkling or symbolism

Jude 4; 2 Tim. 3:5

🌿 Final Thought

“Baptism is a most solemn renunciation of the world... The vows made at baptism... should be sacredly kept.”
— Ev 307.1

Though not universally relished, baptism by immersion is essential in God's plan of salvation. Like lentils in the physical diet, it strengthens, nourishes, and completes the initial phases of the spiritual life, preparing for the harvest of saints ready for the kingdom.

Millet - the 2300 days (William Miller - First Day Adventists) 

Millet, the fifth grain, is neither commonly known nor used, and is generally regarded as of little worth, likewise the 2300 days is known and believed by only a few and considered of little value as a Bible doctrine.

🌾 Prophetic Insights on Millet — The 2300 Days

Historical Figure: William Miller (1782–1849) — First-Day Adventist Preacher
Spiritual Symbol: The 2300 Days Prophecy (Daniel 8:14)
Health Parallel: Millet is the fifth grain—unfamiliar, underappreciated, yet nourishing. Likewise, the 2300 days prophecy is one of the least understood and least valued, yet vital to God’s final work.

🔹 1. Millet in the Bible — A Humble but Nutritious Grain

Millet appears in Ezekiel 4:9, part of a divinely prescribed diet during a symbolic siege:

“Take thou also wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel…”
— Ezekiel 4:9

Though rarely mentioned, millet is:

• Hardy, resilient, and nourishing.

• Associated with trial and endurance, symbolizing a message of testing.

🔹 2. The 2300 Days Prophecy — “Then Shall the Sanctuary Be Cleansed”

“Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
— Daniel 8:14

This prophecy spans from 457 B.C. to 1844 A.D., pointing to:

• The beginning of Christ’s final phase of High Priestly ministry in the Most Holy Place.

• The judgment hour message (Rev. 14:6–7).

• The cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and purification of the church.

Yet, like millet, this doctrine:

• Is little known.

• Rejected or ignored by the majority of Christians.

• Viewed as obscure or irrelevant—yet it is present truth for this time.

🔹 3. William Miller — The Preacher of the Millet Message

William Miller:

• A Baptist farmer who became the pioneer of the Advent Movement.

• Preached the 2300-day prophecy beginning in the early 1800s.

• Understood its end in 1844, though misinterpreting the event (expecting Christ’s return).

SOP Insight:

“God sent His angel to move upon the heart of a farmer who had not believed the Bible... He led him to search the prophecies... and he saw that the inhabitants of the earth must be warned.”
— EW 229.1

“God designed to prove His people. His hand covered a mistake in the reckoning of the prophetic periods.”
— GC 353.1

Miller’s “millet” message tested the world, revealing who loved truth for truth’s sake.

🔹 4. Why the 2300 Days (Like Millet) Is Rejected

• It exposes false theology, especially the false sanctuary doctrine of Romanism.

• It calls for self-examination and investigative judgment.

• It reveals a heavenly work that contradicts popular Christianity’s focus on earthly prosperity and instant salvation.

“The subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of 1844.”
— GC 423.1

Just like millet is ignored in favor of tastier grains, the 2300-day prophecy is overlooked in favor of more pleasing doctrines like prosperity, rapture theology, and once-saved-always-saved.

🔹 5. The Sanctuary and Investigative Judgment — Core of Present Truth

The 2300-day prophecy reveals:

• That Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in 1844 (Heb. 9:24; Rev. 11:19).

• That judgment has begun for the house of God (1 Peter 4:17).

• That God's people must be cleansed and sealed before probation closes (Mal. 3:1–3; Rev. 7:1–4).

SOP Insight:

“The correct understanding of the ministration in the heavenly sanctuary is the foundation of our faith.”
— Letter 208, 1906 (Evangelism, p. 221.2)

“The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men.”
— GC 488.1

🔹 6. Millet and the Fivefold Reformation Diet

Grain

Truth Restored

Reformer

Wheat

Justification by Faith

Martin Luther

Barley

Power of the Holy Spirit

John Knox

Beans

Grace that transforms

John Wesley

Lentils

Baptism by Immersion

Alexander Campbell

Millet

2300 Days – Sanctuary Message

William Miller

Like the fifth food in Ezekiel’s prophetic meal, the 2300-day truth is part of the final spiritual diet for God’s remnant people.

🔹 7. Final Application: The Millet Message in the Loud Cry

• The sanctuary truth, symbolized by millet, will be proclaimed again with latter rain power (Rev. 14:6–7; 18:1–4).

• The judgment hour message will distinguish wheat from tares.

• Those who reject the millet truth today will stumble in the final test.

“Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour’s mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God.”
— GC 488.2

📝 Summary Table

Symbol/Truth

Meaning / Role

Reference

Millet

Uncommon but nourishing — the Sanctuary truth

Ezekiel 4:9

2300 Days

Judgment hour message and cleansing of the sanctuary

Daniel 8:14; Heb. 9:24

William Miller

Restored the understanding of prophetic time

EW 229; GC 324–426

SOP on Sanctuary

“Foundation of our faith”

Ev 221.2; GC 423–488

Modern Rejection

People prefer smooth messages, reject judgment truth

2 Tim. 4:3; Isa. 30:10

🌾 Closing Thought

“The 2300-day prophecy is one of the pillars of Adventism and a milestone of prophetic fulfillment, yet few cherish its value. But to the remnant, it is spiritual millet — humble, strengthening, and prophetic truth for this time.”

Spelt - Sabbath in connection with the Sanctuary (Ellen White - SDA) 

Spelt, the sixth grain, is an ancient cereal, and a little better known than is millet, likewise the Sabbath in connection with the Sanctuary is the most ancient of Bible doctrines and is a little better known than the 2300 days.

🔰 SPIRITUAL SYMBOLISM OF SPELT

• Grain Type: Spelt is an ancient grain, used in early civilizations but less common today.

• Spiritual Parallel: Like spelt, the Sabbath in connection with the heavenly sanctuary is an ancient doctrine rooted in Genesis and Exodus, but often neglected or misunderstood in modern Christianity.

🔑 KEY TEXTS – BIBLICAL FOUNDATION

1. Genesis 2:1–3 –
   “And on the seventh day God ended His work… and He rested… and sanctified it.”
   🔹 The Sabbath is established at creation — ancient and foundational, just like spelt.

2. Exodus 20:8–11 –
   “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy…”
   🔹 Reaffirmed at Sinai, linking it with creation and divine law.

3. Leviticus 19:30 –
   “Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.”
   🔹 Direct connection: Sabbath and Sanctuary go hand-in-hand in God’s law.

4. Hebrews 8:1–2 –
   “We have such an high priest… a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”
   🔹 Christ’s present ministry in the heavenly sanctuary underlines the ongoing relevance of the law — including the Sabbath.

5. Revelation 11:19 –
   “The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament…”
   🔹 The ark contains the Ten Commandments — showing the law, and the Sabbath, still matters in heaven.

📜 SPIRIT OF PROPHECY (EGW) CONFIRMATION

1. “The law of God, enshrined in the ark, is the great standard of righteousness.”
   — GC 433.3
   🔹 The law (including the Sabbath) is central in the heavenly sanctuary.

2. “The Sabbath is closely linked with the sanctuary service… It points to Christ’s work as Creator and Redeemer.”
   — PP 336.2; GC 488
   🔹 Ellen White affirms the prophetic connection between the Sabbath and sanctuary.

3. “The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men. It concerns every soul living upon the earth.”
   — GC 488.1
   🔹 Therefore, Sabbath observance, which is part of Christ’s ongoing sanctuary ministry, is also of universal importance.

🔍 PROPHETIC APPLICATION

• The Sabbath truth, rediscovered and emphasized by Ellen G. White and early Seventh-day Adventists, corresponds to the sixth grain — spelt.

• Ancient and divinely instituted, this doctrine was restored in the final phase of the Reformation to seal the remnant people (see Rev. 7:1–4).

• The neglect or rejection of this truth by most denominations corresponds to how spelt is mostly overlooked in modern diets — though nutritious and essential.

🕊️ MESSAGE TO LAODICEA (Revelation 3:14–22)

• The Sabbath-Sanctuary message is part of the final call to Laodicea — the lukewarm church — to “buy of Me gold” (faith and love), and see (spiritual discernment).

• It identifies the true remnant, who "keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev. 12:17).

🌾 SPELTS’ PROPHETIC DIETARY ROLE

Just as spelt represents a revived health grain, the Sabbath-Sanctuary truth is part of God’s last-day spiritual health message to restore His people and prepare them for the soon-coming judgment and kingdom.

📝 SUMMARY CHART

Symbol

Truth

Reformer

Relevance

Spelt

Sabbath + Sanctuary

Ellen G. White

Ancient, End-time restoration truth

Dietary Role

Ancient grain with modern benefits

Symbolic of returning to neglected Biblical truth

Spiritual Message

Law + Grace meet in the Sanctuary

Judgment-hour message (Rev. 14:6–12)

"All in one Vessel"  (Purified/Triumphant Church)

The "one vessel" in which all of these doctrines were put into before being "baked" (revealed and interpreted) is the Bible; after being "baked," the one "vessel" in which all of these doctrines are found is the Seventh-day Adventist church, which believes all of these doctrines.

🔥 Prophetic Insights on “All in One Vessel” (Purified/Triumphant Church)

Symbolic Fulfillment: The Final Church that Unites All Truth

📖 Biblical Foundation

Ezekiel 4:9

“Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and fitches [spelt], and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof…”

This prophetic act commanded by God to Ezekiel symbolically represents the combining of various divine doctrines in one vessel—indicating unity of all revealed truth in a purified form.

Jeremiah 15:16

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart…”

John 6:35

“I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger…”

The Word of God is symbolized by bread, and this bread in Ezekiel is made of seven ingredients, which prophetically represent the progressive restoration of truth through history, each “grain” tied to a doctrinal reformer. Once all are “baked” into one loaf, the bread becomes whole—symbolizing truth restored in full in one people, one vessel.

📚 Spirit of Prophecy (SOP) Insights

1. One Body, One Church – the Triumphant Church

“God has a church upon the earth, who are His chosen people… He is leading, not stray offshoots, not one here and one there, but a people.”
— Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 17

2. The Final Purified Church Will Possess All Truth

“The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated from the precious wheat.”
— Last Day Events, p. 180

3. One Fold, One Shepherd

“The message of Christ's righteousness is to sound from one end of the earth to the other... preparing the way of the Lord.”
— Testimonies to Ministers, p. 92

Just as the “vessel” in Ezekiel 4 holds the full ingredients of spiritual nourishment, the final church—purified, triumphant, empowered by the latter rain—will hold all doctrinal truths restored through the Reformation and sealed in the SDA movement.

🌾 Symbolic Interpretation (Shepherd’s Rod & Present Truth View)

Each grain in Ezekiel 4:9 represents a reformation truth God restored over the centuries through chosen messengers:

Grain

Doctrine Restored

Reformer

Wheat

Justification by Faith

Martin Luther (Lutherans)

Barley

The Holy Spirit

John Knox (Presbyterians)

Beans

Salvation by Grace

John Wesley (Methodists)

Lentils

Baptism by Immersion

Alexander Campbell (Baptists)

Millet

2300 Days Prophecy

William Miller (Adventists)

Spelt

Sabbath + Sanctuary

Ellen G. White (SDA)

These are progressive truths, restored over time, each vital to salvation, and now symbolically "put in one vessel" — the DAVIDIAN Seventh-day Adventist Movement, which is the antitypical "baking oven" where these truths are revealed, organized, and made spiritually edible for the final generation.

🔄 Final Baking: The Church Triumphant

While these doctrines are in the SDA church, they are not all accepted and lived by the majority. Thus:

• The "vessel" (church) must be purified before it becomes the Triumphant Church.

• The “baking” represents the process of judgment, purification, and final sealing (Ezek. 9; Rev. 7).

• After this process, the “vessel” becomes the final remnant, possessing all truth and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit (Rev. 18:1; Joel 2:28).

✨ Conclusion

The “One Vessel” represents the purified, triumphant church, which will:

• Contain all restored doctrines of salvation,

• Be the visible channel of God’s last warning message (Rev. 14:6–12; Rev. 18:1–4),

• Be composed of the sealed 144,000 (Rev. 7:1–8) who will lead a great multitude into truth,

• Reflect Christ’s righteousness fully (Eph. 5:27), and

• Finish the work on earth (Matt. 24:14; Isa. 66:19–20).

“Clad in the armor of Christ's righteousness, the church is to enter upon her final conflict… Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners…”
— Prophets and Kings, p. 725

🔥 Prophetic Insights on Ezekiel 4 – Final Church Reformation

🌾 1. The Perfect Match Between Grains and Doctrines

Each grain symbolizes a distinct doctrine restored in its time:

Grain

Doctrine

Messenger

Movement

Wheat

Justification by Faith

Martin Luther

Lutheran

Barley

Holy Spirit

John Knox

Presbyterian

Beans

Grace

John Wesley

Methodist

Lentils

Baptism by Immersion

Alexander Campbell

Baptist

Millet

2300 Days Prophecy

William Miller

First-day Adventist

Spelt

Sabbath + Sanctuary

Ellen G. White

SDA

👉 "Eat it as barley cakes" – Barley (Holy Spirit) is the base, showing that all truths must be accepted through the Spirit's guidance, not intellectualism or tradition (Zech. 4:6).

👉 "Put in one vessel" – The SDA Church is that “vessel” in which these restored doctrines were compiled, fulfilling the last-day call.

💨 2. “Baked on Dung Fire” – The Corruption of Truth

Ezekiel 4:12

“And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man…”

🔥 This represents the defilement of pure doctrine by human interpretation and tradition. Despite having correct foundational doctrines, the methods and spirit of teaching became corrupt—merchandising the gospel, institutional pride, and rejection of advancing light.

SOP Reference – 1T 471.2; 8T 250.2:

“My Father's house is made a house of merchandise… the divine presence and glory have departed!”

Like the dung fire, the church lost the power and purity of the Holy Spirit by tolerating worldliness, commercialism, and pride.

⚖️ 3. “By Weight and Measure” – Light Withheld

Ezekiel 4:10-11 speaks of eating and drinking sparingly:

• This signals that God allowed only partial light to be revealed and received at a time, due to the people's unreadiness (John 16:12).

• It also symbolizes a time of spiritual famine, a lack of progressive truth.

⏳ 4. 390 Years & the Turning Point in 1890

• Starting from 1500 AD (Luther’s discovery of the Bible at Erfurt), adding 390 years leads to 1890, the year the SDA Church rejected the message of Christ’s Righteousness by Jones and Waggoner.

SOP – 1SM 234.6:

“Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit…”

This rejection marks a spiritual crisis, after which:

• New light was withheld (“Ezekiel turned on his side” – fast begins).

• 40 years of silence followed (1890–1930), like Israel’s wilderness wandering.

📜 5. The Fast – 1890 to 1930: Spiritual Wilderness

During these 40 years:

• The church largely stagnated spiritually, focusing on institution-building.

• The message of Christ’s Righteousness was not fully embraced.

• SOP warns that light would be withheld (2T 606.1) unless the previous light is accepted and acted upon.

📩 6. The Message of 1930 – The Shepherd’s Rod

• In 1930, the message of The Shepherd’s Rod arrived through Victor Houteff.

• It claimed to be the continuation and expansion of the 1888 message, with emphasis on:

  • Righteousness by faith

  • Church purification (Ezekiel 9)

  • The sealing of the 144,000

  • The imminent judgment of the living

  • The establishment of the Kingdom of Glory on earth before the second coming

👉 This represents the resumption of divine light, as antitypical Ezekiel rose from his side.

⚠️ 7. The Danger of Laodicean Complacency

“Because thou sayest, I am rich… and knowest not that thou art wretched…”
— Revelation 3:17

• The SDA Church, while holding doctrinal treasure, is in a Laodicean condition.

• Rejecting further light, especially on righteousness, judgment, and purification, places members at risk of perishing in Ezekiel 9's slaughter.

SOP – TM 91.2:

“This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world… attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure.”

🌟 8. Urgency of the Present Hour

We are no longer in the “fast” or wilderness. Light has returned, and we must:

• Walk by faith, accepting all revealed truths

• Feed on the full bread – not just fragments

• Receive the seal of God, the “gold tried in the fire”

• Be among the purified remnant (144,000) who escape judgment and carry the Loud Cry (Rev. 18:1)

✅ Summary of Key Symbols

Symbol

Meaning

Barley Cakes

Spiritual truths made edible by the Holy Spirit

Baked with Dung Fire

Human interpretations corrupting truth

One Vessel

Final visible church (SDA) that holds the restored doctrines

By Weight & Measure

Truth revealed gradually, in limited measure

Fast (40 years)

1890–1930 spiritual drought after 1888 rejection

1930 Message

Shepherd’s Rod – continuation of righteousness by faith message

Laodicean Condition

Self-deception and rejection of advancing light

Ezekiel 9

Judgment of the living in the house of God

📖 Final Appeal: Feed on Heaven’s Full Diet

“The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message… It is the third angel’s message…”
— Testimonies to Ministers, p. 91

God calls His remnant to:

• Lay aside preconceived ideas

• Embrace present truth fully

• Be transformed by the righteousness of Christ

• Prepare for the final sealing and judgment

Perfect match between the nature of these grains and the corresponding doctrine.

*FDA – First Day Adventist

*SDA – Seventh Day Adventist

Characteristics

Ø “Eat as barley cakes” – barley symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Hence, these truths were to be received by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Ø “One vessel” – that all truths were compiled in one church (SDA).

Ø “Baked by dung fire” – defiled by private interpretations.

A great mistake has been made by some who profess present truth, by introducing merchandise in the course of a series of meetings and by their traffic diverting minds from the object of the meetings. If Christ were now upon earth, He would drive out these peddlers and traffickers, whether they be ministers or people, with a scourge of small cords, as when He entered the temple anciently "and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." These traffickers might have pleaded as an excuse that the articles they held for sale were for sacrificial offerings. But their object was to get gain, to obtain means, to accumulate.  {1T 471.2}

I was shown that if the moral and intellectual faculties had not been clouded by wrong habits of living, ministers and people would have been quick to discern the evil results of mixing sacred and common things. Ministers have stood in the desk and preached a most solemn discourse, and then by introducing merchandise, and acting the part of a salesman, even in the house of God, they have diverted the minds of their hearers from the impressions received, and destroyed the fruit of their labor. If the sensibilities had not been blunted, they would have had discernment to know that they were bringing sacred things down upon a level with common. The burden of selling our publications should not rest upon ministers who labor in word and doctrine. Their time and strength should be held in reserve, that their efforts may be thorough in a series of meetings. Their time and strength should not be drawn upon to sell our books when they can be properly brought before the public by those who have not the burden of preaching the word. In entering new fields it may be necessary for the minister to take publications with him to offer for sale to the people, and it may be necessary in some other circumstances also to sell books and transact business for the office of publication. But such work should be avoided whenever it can be done by others.  {1T 472.1}

God has not changed toward His faithful servants who are keeping their garments spotless. But many are crying, "Peace and safety," while sudden destruction is coming upon them. Unless there is thorough repentance, unless men humble their hearts by confession and receive the truth as it is in Jesus, they will never enter heaven. When purification shall take place in our ranks, we shall no longer rest at ease, boasting of being rich and increased with goods, in need of nothing.  {8T 250.1}

My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed! For this cause there is weakness, and strength is lacking."  {8T 250.2}

Ø “By weight and measure” – sparingly, not all of the light on the subject given at once.

What took place at the end of the 390 days?

Ø Adding 390 to 1500 the date Luther found the Bible at the University of Urfurt and began to his protest which brings us to the year 1890.

Ø This is the date that the SDA church generally rejected the message of A.T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner that brought to Minneapolis GC in 1888 and was rejected by the leadership. By 1890 the message by the general body.

An unwillingness to yield up preconceived opinions, and to accept this truth, lay at the foundation of a large share of the opposition manifested at Minneapolis against the Lord's message through Brethren {E.J.} Waggoner and {A.T.} Jones. By exciting that opposition Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to them. The enemy prevented them from obtaining that efficiency which might have been theirs in carrying the truth to the world, as the apostles proclaimed it after the day of Pentecost. The light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world. {1SM 234.6}

Finite men should beware of seeking to control their fellowmen, taking the place assigned to the Holy Spirit. Let no men feel that it is their prerogative to give to the world what they suppose to be truth, and refuse that anything should be given contrary to their ideas. This is not their work. Many things will appear distinctly as truth which will not be acceptable to those who think their own interpretations of the Scripture always right. Most decided changes will have to be made in regard to ideas which some have accepted as without a flaw. These men give evidence of fallibility in very many ways; they work upon principles which the word of God condemns. That which makes me feel to the very depths of my being, and makes me know that their works are not the works of God, is that they suppose they have authority to rule their fellowmen. The Lord has given them no more right to rule others than He has given others to rule them. Those who assume the control of their fellowmen take into their finite hands a work that devolves upon God alone.  {TM 76.2}

That men should keep alive the spirit which ran riot at Minneapolis is an offense to God. All heaven is indignant at the spirit that for years has been revealed in our publishing institution at Battle Creek. Unrighteousness is practiced that God will not tolerate. He will visit for these things. A voice has been heard pointing out the errors and, in the name of the Lord, pleading for a decided change. But who have followed the instruction given? Who have humbled their hearts to put from them every vestige of their wicked, oppressive spirit?

These terrible predictions they have not as yet carried out to the full; but if God spares their lives, and they nourish the same spirit that marked their course of action both before and after the Minneapolis meeting,  they will fill up to the full the deeds of those whom Christ condemned when He was upon the earth.  {TM 79.2}

The perils of the last days are upon us. Satan takes the control of every mind that is not decidedly under the control of the Spirit of God. Some have been cultivating hatred against the men whom God has commissioned to bear a special message to the world. They began this satanic work at Minneapolis. Afterward, when they saw and felt the demonstration of the Holy Spirit testifying that the message was of God, they hated it the more, because it was a testimony against them. They would not humble their hearts to repent, to give God the glory, and vindicate the right. They went on in their own spirit, filled with envy, jealousy, and evil surmisings, as did the Jews. They opened their hearts to the enemy of God and man. Yet these men have been holding positions of trust, and have been molding the work after their own similitude, as far as they possibly could. . . .  {TM 79.3}

The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel's message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure.  {TM 91.2}

There has been a departure from God among us, and the zealous work of repentance and return to our first love essential to restoration to God and regeneration of heart has not yet been done. Infidelity has been making its inroads into our ranks; for it is the fashion to depart from Christ, and give place to skepticism… The religion of many among us will be the religion of apostate Israel, because they love their own way, and forsake the way of the Lord. The true religion, the only religion of the Bible, that teaches forgiveness only through the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, that advocates righteousness by the faith of the Son of God, has been slighted, spoken against, ridiculed, and rejected. It has been denounced as leading to enthusiasm and fanaticism. {TM 467.2}

Ø This rejection caused Ezekiel to symbolically turn on his side which signified the withholding of new light for a time as he began to fast.

As the word of God is walled in with these books and pamphlets, so has God walled you in with reproofs, counsel, warnings, and encouragements. Here you are crying before God, in the anguish of your souls, for more light. I am authorized from God to tell you that not another ray of light through the Testimonies will shine upon your pathway until you make a practical use of the light already given. The Lord has walled you about with light; but you have not appreciated the light; you have trampled upon it. While some have despised the light, others have neglected it, or followed it but indifferently. A few have set their hearts to obey the light which God has been pleased to give them.  {2T 606.1}

What is the significance of the fast?

Ø It represent the absence of progressive truth(light) coming into the church during the 40 years from 1890-1930. A wandering in the wilderness. 

What message came to the church in 1930?

Ø The Shepherd’s Rod is the only message that arrived in 1930 and represents the return of the 1888 message of Christ’s righteousness.

Why do we need to feed on this spiritual food today?

Ø To attain the righteousness of Christ by faith now that antitypical Ezekiel is no longer lying down, i.e. bearing the iniquity of God’s people. Since the period of grace is over we need to now walk by faith or perish (see: Heb. 10:38-39).

Ø Those who fail to eat of this diet will remain in their Laodicean condition without the “gold tried in the fire” Being left without the seal of God they will perish in the judgment of Ezekiel 9. They will bear their own iniquity.

Summary:

We see that God cannot longer wink at our ignorance since we today have so much light. We must, therefore, walk by faith and reach the standard of righteousness in Christ that God desires for His people. The Shepherd’s Rod message came to help us walk by faith and become members of God’s kingdom of Glory.

Additional Readings:

There have been one and another who in studying their Bibles thought they discovered great light, and new theories, but these have not been correct. The Scripture is all true, but by misapplying the Scripture men arrive at wrong conclusions. We are engaged in a mighty conflict, and it will become more close and determined, as we near the final struggle. We have a sleepless adversary, and he is constantly at work upon human minds that have not had a personal experience in the teachings of the people of God for the past fifty years. Some will take the truth applicable to their time, and place it in the future. Events in the train of prophecy that had their fulfillment away in the past are made future, and thus by these theories the faith of some is undermined.  {2SM 102.2}

In preaching the doctrine of the second advent, William Miller and his associates had labored with the sole purpose of arousing men to a preparation for the judgment. They had sought to awaken professors of religion to the true hope of the church and to their need of a deeper Christian experience, and they labored also to awaken the unconverted to the duty of immediate repentance and conversion to God. "They made no attempt to convert men to a sect or party in religion. Hence they labored among all parties and sects, without interfering with their organization or discipline."  {GC 375.1}