The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

III. Two Year Intensive Search for Bible Truth

For two years, from 1816 to 1818, the Bible became Miller’s constant study and meditation. He felt that God was a Being he could trust. But how could he know God except through the Bible? To find Him, and His will and plan for man, thenceforth became the supreme passion of his life. The Bible became his delight-a solid rock in the midst of the swirling stream of life. His unbelieving friends taunted him with being blind in his faith, just as he had done with others in the day of his own Deism. He had enjoyed propounding perplexing questions to Christians and triumphing over their discomfiture. Now he must receive the same, and meet the issue. “Give me time,” he calmly answered, “and I will harmonize these apparent contradictions.” So it was this challenge of the deists that drove him to intensive study of the Bible, together with his own strong determination to know for himself. PFF4 461.3

Laying aside all commentaries and preconceived opinions, he took his eighteen-dollar Bible and his eight-dollar Cruden’s Concordance, and with the marginal notes of the Bible and his well-worn histories, he devoted two entire years to intensive study of its sacred pages. So intense was this study that he often spent entire nights, followed by whole days, in study. He determined to examine the Bible systematically and methodically, and to find the answer to his questionings. So he began with Genesis 1:1, comparing scripture with scripture. He proceeded no faster than the meaning unfolded, as part was harmonized with part. This had also been the simple method of many great Bible students through the centuries, the tried and true Protestant method. At times Miller was delighted with truth that soon became apparent. At other times he was puzzled by the imagery of the prophecies, and was still troubled by seeming contradictions. This prolonged study eventuated in the formulation of a set of rules to be noted later. Symbols and metaphors became clear, and parables and similes were satisfactorily defined. He became profoundly and intelligently convinced that the Bible is “a system of revealed truth.” PFF4 462.1