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The Great Controversy
disciples, He replied: “If these should hold their peace, the stones
would immediately cry out.”
Luke 19:40
. Prophecy must be fulfilled.
The disciples were accomplishing the purpose of God; yet they were
doomed to a bitter disappointment. But a few days had passed ere
they witnessed the Saviour’s agonizing death, and laid Him in the
tomb. Their expectations had not been realized in a single particular,
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and their hopes died with Jesus. Not till their Lord had come forth
triumphant from the grave could they perceive that all had been foretold
by prophecy, and “that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again
from the dead.”
Acts 17:3
.
Five hundred years before, the Lord had declared by the prophet
Zechariah: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having
salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an
ass.”
Zechariah 9:9
. Had the disciples realized that Christ was going
to judgment and to death, they could not have fulfilled this prophecy.
In like manner Miller and his associates fulfilled prophecy and gave
a message which Inspiration had foretold should be given to the world,
but which they could not have given had they fully understood the
prophecies pointing out their disappointment, and presenting another
message to be preached to all nations before the Lord should come.
The first and second angels’ messages were given at the right time and
accomplished the work which God designed to accomplish by them.
The world had been looking on, expecting that if the time passed
and Christ did not appear, the whole system of Adventism would be
given up. But while many, under strong temptation, yielded their faith,
there were some who stood firm. The fruits of the advent movement,
the spirit of humility and heart searching, of renouncing of the world
and reformation of life, which had attended the work, testified that it
was of God. They dared not deny that the power of the Holy Spirit had
witnessed to the preaching of the second advent, and they could detect
no error in their reckoning of the prophetic periods. The ablest of their
opponents had not succeeded in overthrowing their system of prophetic
interpretation. They could not consent, without Bible evidence, to
renounce positions which had been reached through earnest, prayerful
study of the Scriptures, by minds enlightened by the Spirit of God and
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hearts burning with its living power; positions which had withstood
the most searching criticisms and the most bitter opposition of popular