Wednesday, January 14, 2009  The Midnight Cry

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Matt. 25:6.

It was quite natural for Miller and his followers to find themselves attracted to Jesus' great sermon on the Advent found in Matthew 24 and 25. But the parable of the 10 virgins found in Matthew 25:1-3 especially caught their attention. They saw their own movement and message in the passage. In the process they historicized the details of the parable.

Thus they saw the 10 virgins as humanity in general in its probationary state. The five wise virgins were believers in God, while the foolish ones unbelievers.

The lamps were the word of God, and the oil represented faith.

The marriage for them was the focal point of the parable. That was the time when Christ the birdegroom would appear in the clouds of heaven. The marriage was the great event toward which all history moved. The coming of the bridegroom was the hope that motivated them to sacrifice their means to support the preaching of their message.

The sleeping condition of the virgins for the Millerites indicated they apathy and ignorance of both Christians and unbelievers in the nearness and timing of the Advent.

The "'midnightcry,'" Miller wrote, "is the watchman, or some of them, who by the word of God discover the time as revealed, and immediately give the warning voice, 'Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.'" In other words, the midnight cry was the final wake-up call to get people ready for the arrival of the divine Bridegroom.

But not all would respond. Thus, as Miller saw it, the reaction to the proclamation of the midnight cry would produce a division between the wise and the foolish, between those who accepted the message and got ready for the approaching Bridegroom and those who kept on sleeping.

At the Second Advent itself the wise would enter into the kingdom with the Bridegroom. But for the rest "the door was shut." Miller saw the shutting of the door as the close of human porbation.

Thus the urgency of his message. People needed to be warned so that they could ready for the event of the ages.

That message is still of importance in our day. Miller may have been in error regarding the timing of the Advent, but the Second Advent itself is still the hope of the ages. And function of God's people continues to be to wake up sleeping sinners to the ultimate reality that our world will not last forever.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Luke 12: 30; Matt. 6:32, 33. I have come to open to you the kingdom of love and righteousness and peace. Open your hearts to receive this kingdom, and make its service your highest interest. Though it is a spiritual kingdom, fear not that your needs for this life will be uncared-for. If you give yourself to God's service, He who has all power in heaven and earth will provide for your needs(TFMB 99).