The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

IV. Dealing With a “Year-Day” Quibbler

Miller was also the constant object of criticism, slander, scoffing, and abuse. At times he was so aroused by the unfairness of the attack that he became extremely severe in his retorts. He was by nature a past master at irony and sarcasm, and occasionally gave expression to an impatience he afterward deeply regretted. Few have been called upon to bear the amount reproach that fell to his lot, though on most occasions he was severe without being discourteous. Aside from straight exposition, here is an example in forthright dealing with the quibble that the 2300 prophetic days of Daniel 8:14 merely mean literal days: PFF4 689.3

But/ says the critic, ‘it is “evenings-mornings.” ’ “No matter: all men seem to understand it days; for it is so translated in every language with which we are acquainted at the present day. Therefore, this can never be made plainer, if this compound Hebrew word should be criticized upon until the judgment shall set. I am sick of this continual harping upon words. Our learned critics are worse on the waters of truth than a school of sharks on the fishing-banks of the north, and they have made more infidels in our world than all the heathen mythology in existence. What word in revelation has not been turned, twisted, racked, wrested, distorted, demolished, and annihilated by these voracious harpies in human shape, until the public have become so bewildered they know not what to believe? ‘They have fouled the waters with their feet.’ I have always noticed where they tread the religious spirit is at a low ebb; it becomes cold, formal, and doubtful, at least. It is the mind of the Spirit we want, and God’s word then becomes spirit and life unto us.” ¹⁸ PFF4 690.1

Miller then proceeds to expound its meaning, on the year-day principle. PFF4 690.2

The words “evenings-mornings” convey to our mind the idea of days; thus this vision is 2300 days long,’ says the reader. PFF4 690.3

“es. But how can all this be?’ says the inquiring mind. ‘Can three kingdoms rise up and become great; from a small people become a strong nation; conquer all the nations of the earth, and then, in its turn, be subdued and conquered by a kingdom still more fortunate; and so on through three successive kingdoms, and do this in little over six years? Impossible.’ PFF4 690.4

“But God has said it, and I must believe. Now the only difficulty is in time.’ PFF4 690.5

“How can this be?’ PFF4 690.6

“Very well,’ says the dear child of God; ‘I remember me: God says I must “dig for the truth as for hid treasure.” I will go to work, and, while I am digging, I will live by begging. Father in heaven, I believe it is thy word; but I do not understand it; show me thy truth.’ PFF4 690.7

“I had rather have one humble prayer of this kind, with an English Bible in my hand, than all the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Bro. S. ¹⁹ ever knew. PFF4 690.8

“The child then takes the word day, and compares spiritual things with spiritual, to find what his heavenly Father means by days in a figurative sense. The first text he lights upon is in Numbers 14:34, ‘each day for a year.’ PFF4 691.1

” ‘May this not be it?’ says the child. PFF4 691.2

“He takes hold of it by faith, carries it home, lays it up in his cell of sweets, richer than a lord, and again goes forth in search of more. He now lights upon Ezekiel 4:6: ‘/ have appointed thee each day /or a year.’ He is now rich in very deed—two jewels in one cell. He does not stop to criticize, like a Stuart, and query, and reason himself out of common sense and reason too; but, Abraham-like, he believes, and lays up his treasure at home. PFF4 691.3

” ‘I see,’ says the child, ‘this use of days was so ordained by my Father in two cases; and two witnesses are enough. But I am not certain that I have a right to use these jewels in this place. I will go and beg, and dig again.’ PFF4 691.4

“In this excursion he lights on Daniel 9:23-27: ‘Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people.’ PFF4 691.5

” ‘Seventy weeks of what?’ says the critic. PFF4 691.6

” ‘I do not care a fig,’ says the believing child, ‘whether you call it days or years: I know how long it was in fulfilling.’ PFF4 691.7

” ‘How long?’ PFF4 691.8

” ‘Exactly four hundred and ninety years: from the decree given in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, four hundred and fifty-seven years before Christ, unto his death, thirty-three years after the birth of Christ, making exactly four hundred and ninety years, or seventy sevens of years of the vision.’” ²⁰ PFF4 691.9