Miller’s Works, vol. 1. Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology

REVIEW OF “A BIBLE READER” ON THE TWO WITNESSES, Revelation 11:8

DEAR BRO. HIMES: The rules which are given in the 13th No. of the “Signs of the Times,” by a “Bible Reader,” to interpret scripture, I believe to be good, and worthy to be known and read of all men. Therefore, I wish to apply his rules to the text in question, Revelation 11:8: “And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” MWV1 198.1

Now let me inquire of the Holy Spirit, - MWV1 198.2

1. What dead bodies? Spirit answers: The two witnesses, or testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 11:3-7: “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.” MWV1 198.3

2. What are those witnesses? Revelation 11:4: “These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” Zechariah 4.: The candlestick is there called the word of God unto Zerubbabel. Psalm 119:105: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” The olive-trees are sons of oil, the evidence for our faith in Christ. John 5:39: “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” The answer then is, the Scriptures. MWV1 198.4

3. Who killed the witnesses? The Spirit answers, John 5:7: “The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit.” What is the beast? Spirit answers, Revelation 17:3: “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” This beast had seven heads and ten horns. Now read Revelation 17:4-8: “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest, was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, (whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world,) when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” Daniel has explained this beast. Daniel 7:7 and 23: “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down and break it in pieces.” The answer then will be, in plain, simple language, “The Roman kingdom, while under the woman (or false church) or last head.” Revelation 17:13: “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast.” MWV1 199.1

What great city is this alluded to in the text? Spirit answers, Revelation 17:18: “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” Also Revelation 16:19: “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.” Again, Revelation 14:8: “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Then this great city is Babylon mystical; yes, or Rome under papal rule. Why is it called Sodom and Egypt? Because the Holy Spirit has made them an ensample or figure of other cities or nations that should afterwards live as they had lived. 2 Peter 2:6: “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly.” Jude 5-7: “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 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 Gomorrah, 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.” MWV1 200.1

Why does it say “where also our Lord was crucified?” Answer. If Sodom and Egypt are used figuratively in the text, which “the Bible Reader” must admit by his own exposition; then also must “where the Lord was crucified” be so used; for it says “where also;” i.e., in like manner as this place would sin like Sodom and Egypt, so would they crucify the Lord of glory afresh. Hebrews 6:6: “If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” In his mystical body, Colossians 1:24: “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” MWV1 201.1

How many streets were in this great city? Answer. Revelation 11:13: “And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Ten streets, agreeing with ten toes, ten horns, and meaning ten kingdoms. Revelation 17:12: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” MWV1 201.2

Were these witnesses only to be slain in one kingdom? No more. Revelation 11:9: “And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.” MWV1 201.3

Which of the ten kingdoms would do this; or in which would it be done? I answer, the Holy Spirit has not told us. This is only to be known when the subject matter is fulfilled. Here, “the Bible Reader” seems to be confused. He has gone into the city of Jerusalem, he is hunting for the street where Christ was crucified. Dear sir, you will never find it there. Go you out of the city on the mount that is paved with skulls; go where criminals suffer, if you would find where the Sodomitish rulers and Egyptian tyrants will persecute or slay the Son of God. Again, he is looking for Elijah to come; Christ says he has come already. “Have these astounding predictions ever been so fulfilled?” he inquires. I answer, they have. “Who has seen them?” Not the proud Pharisee; he had eyes, but he saw not. Why, he could not believe, although he saw the “astounding” miracles of our Savior. I know of many who have seen these things, and believed them too, and are now waiting for the consolation of Israel. But you say, “When?” I answer, in the French revolution, and since. ¹ “Where?” In France, in Europe, in America, and in all the world. “These astounding predictions,” these “amazing wonders,” have been, are now, and will be shortly fulfilled, or fulfilling, and will be seen by every eye. He closes with good advice; may we all go and do likewise. WILLIAM MILLER. Low Hampton, Oct. 20, 1840. MWV1 201.4