101 Questions on the Sanctuary and on Ellen White

55. Revelation 9 and Josiah Litch

Ford states, “Litch’s application of Revelation 9:15 to August 11, 1840, was quite wrong, as he himself admitted in later years.” “Ellen White accepted the prophetic conclusions of Josiah Litch regarding August 11, 1840” (Ford, pages 659-660, 584). Did Mrs. White say much about the seven trumpets? QSEW 50.2

No. This is the only known reference to Revelation 9 in all of Ellen White’s writings and it appears, not in connection with an exegetical study of the Bible, but as part of her description of the Millerite movement. On the basis of his interpretation of Revelation 9:15 Josiah Litch predicted in 1838 that the Ottoman power would be broken in 1840. On August 1, 1840, he predicted that it would occur on August 11. What took place on that date confirmed the faith of multitudes in the Millerite interpretation of Scripture and gave the advent movement great impetus. QSEW 50.3

If Ellen White, in The Great Controversy, 334-335, means that John the Revelator’s prophecy was fulfilled on August 11, 1840, she would be giving support to Litch’s interpretation of Revelation 9:15. If she simply means that Josiah Litch’s prediction was fulfilled, then she is not necessarily supporting Litch’s interpretation of the text. QSEW 50.4

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary states, “Generally speaking, the Seventh-day Adventist interpretation of the fifth and sixth trumpets, particularly as touching the time period involved, is essentially that of Josiah Litch” (Volume 7, Page 796). Ministry magazine has suggested the dates 1453 to 1844 for the sixth trumpet instead of the period 1449 to 1840 assigned by Litch (Ministry, October, 1980, Page 4l.). QSEW 50.5