Wm. Miller’s Exposition of the “Daily”

That this is the true meaning of this passage in “Early Writings” becomes still more evident when we state some views entertained previous to 1844 in the exposition of the “daily.” An examination of William Miller’s lectures and of the writings of other Advent believers in the publications of that time, shows that the following views were taught:-THD 4.3

1. The first beast of Revelation 13 was a symbol of pagan Rome. 2. The two-horned beast of Revelation 13 was a symbol of the Papacy. 3. The six hundred sixty and six (Revelation 13; 18) represented the duration of the life of the pagan Roman beast. 4. The commencement of this period was placed in b. c. 158, when it was declared that the league with the Jews was made. 5. The termination of this period of 666 years was obtained by subtracting 158 from 666, thus giving 508 a. d.THD 5.1

It will be seen at once that if the statement in “Early Writings” that “when union existed, before 1844, nearly all were united on the correct view of the ‘daily,’” means that they taught the correct interpretation of this subject, then we have some very serious readjustments to make in our present teaching. Since the rise of this third angel’s message it has been taught that the first beast of Revelation 13 was not pagan Rome, but papal Rome; that the two-horned beast was not the Papacy, but the United States; that the 666 years was not the duration of the life of the pagan beast, but the number of the name of the beast; that the Jewish league was not made in b. c. 158, but rather in b. c. 161. Furthermore, granting every other position to be true, if the 666 years commenced in b. c. 158, they would end in a. d. 509, not in a. d. 508.THD 5.2

There are two leading ideas connected with the “daily” in Daniel 8; one is the meaning of the “daily,” the other is the time period connected with the “daily” as indicated by the question, “How long shall be the vision concerning the daily?” etc. It is evident that this passage in “Early Writings” refers to the time period, and testifies that the view which made this period end in 1844 was “the correct view of the ‘daily.’” Any other interpretation of this instruction involves the most serious difficulties. It will be shown later in this leaflet that any effort to use this passage in “Early Writings” to maintain the view that the “daily” was paganism, and that it was taken away in a. d. 508, arrays the spirit of prophecy squarely against the united testimony of history.THD 5.3