Bible Again

There is a prophecy in the Book of Habakkuk that explains how a vision was going to be made plain upon tables. In this article, we would like to examine this prophecy. Let us read the first four verses, and then we will discuss history to see how this prophecy was fulfilled.
“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarr4y, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” Hab. 2:1-4.
Habakkuk was a sentinel who was standing at his post of duty – a watchman of the House of Israel. We can understand who the watchmen are from Ezekiel chap. 3. Ezekiel was also a watchman. We learn whom the watchmen were sent to and whom were they to watch over:
“And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.” Ezek. 3:16, 17.
Herein we learn that in the Bible when someone is watching at his post of duty or is a sentinel, he is a watchman over the house of Israel – over the people of God. So he takes care of the people. If we read the next few verses or Ezekiel chap. 18, we will see that they also give warnings – they warn the people against committing sin.
The Bible says about Habakkuk that he was given a scroll to eat. Ezekiel was also given a scroll. These describe the experience that John the Apostle had in Revelation. All these statements regarding watching at the post of duty are related prophetically to the history of the great Advent movement of the 19th century.
In Revelation chap. 10 is represented a mighty angel coming down, immediately after the fulfillment of chapter 9. This is described pictorially in the chart that was published in 1850 by Ottis Nichols.
The pioneers of that movement viewed Revelation chap. 9 as relating to Islam in Bible prophecy. There are two time prophecies in this chapter. One of them is for five months. In the 1850 chart, it says that the first “woe” started on July 27, 1299, when Ottoman, the founder of the Ottoman Empire, made his first assail against the Greeks (Rev. 9:3-10).
Their strength – the strength of the locusts, of Islam – would harm men in the space of five months. According to the day-for-a-year principle that is based on Ezek. 4:6 and Numbers 14:34, one prophetic day equals one literal year. As we apply this principle, we learn that five months of 30 days each are equal to 150 days.
A Jewish month is based on the Lunar cycle. The Bible says:
“He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.” Ps. 104:19.
So according to the Lunar cycle that has 30 days in a month, and 5 months equal 150 days. Prophetically speaking, 1 day equals 1 year. So the period of 5 months equals to 150 years.
The first “woe” of Rev. 9 started with the battle of Nicomedia on July 27, 1299, when the Turks began to assail Constantinople – when the sultan Ottoman attacked the Byzantine empire.
The 150 years outlined in the prophecy ended in 1449 (1299 + 150 = 1449). The first “woe” started in 1299 and ended 150 years later, on July 27, 1449.
There is also another prophecy in the Revelation chap. 9. On the 1850 chart we read: “The sixth trumpet commenced at the end of the first woe. It continued for an hour, and a day, a month and a year.”
Prophetically speaking, 1 hour represents 15 days, 1 day represents a year, 1 month – 30 years, and 1 year – 360 years. The whole period is 391 years and 15 days.
So the second “woe” covers the period of 391 years and 15 days. When we add this period to July 27, 1449, we see that the second “woe” was to end on August 11, 1840. Then the Ottoman supremacy was to end.
This is important to understand because when we get to Rev. 10, the fulfillment of Rev. 9 has just finished. So the power of the Ottoman Empire had just been restricted. This is why the next verse (Rev. 10:1) must represent the year 1840.
The mighty angel came down from heaven in 1840 when the Ottoman supremacy ceased. This is of vital importance because at that time (1840) there was only one group of people who proclaimed with a loud voice the time prophecies and the message that the hour of God’s Judgement had arrived. These were the Advent people.
A worldwide movement had arisen, that consisted of representatives from different denominations and the reason why they were called Adventists is because they were preaching about the Coming of the Christ around the year 1843, based on the calculations of William Miller. Let us now look at Rev. 10:1 in order to understand the context.
The mighty angel came down from heaven at the end of Rev. 9 – in 1840 – when the Ottoman supremacy had ended. The reason why we connect it with the idea of a watchman and a little book is that the angel came down with an open book and asked the prophet John to eat it, just as Ezekiel did.
And just as the book that Ezekiel ate had the taste of honey, so the book that John ate was as sweet as honey.
“And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.” Rev. 10:1-3.
This scripture describes a worldwide movement – messengers reaching the densely populated areas represented by the sea (see Rev. 17:5) and also the less populated areas represented by the earth.
In the vision, John went to the angel to take the book. An angel in prophecy represents a messenger. What was the year when the angel came down, holding the little book? When did the prophetic message of the books of Daniel and Revelation receive power? When were those books open to the whole world so that they could understand them? When did this message reach the whole earth? In 1840, at the end of the second “woe” – the latter part of Rev. 9.
The book that was sweet as honey was eaten by John and Ezekiel. And what did Ezekiel become after eating it? A watchman. And what was said about Habakkuk who had two tables? That he is also a watchman.
This book was the means by which Habakkuk and Ezekiel were made watchmen of the house of Israel and through which the two tables were made. Here is the key point: The time when the prophets ate the book that was symbolized by the giving of the book by the angel is the movement of the 1840s when the people prophesied.
Therefore, the experience of Ezekiel in eating the book that tasted like honey and the experience of Habakkuk when he was made a watchman, having two tables (the 1843 and the 1850 chart) signify the same period that was marked by the eating of the book by John – the time when the angel came down and the book was open – the movement of the 1840s.
This is the early Adventism. The reason why we say this is because now we need to look for the fulfillment of the prophecy of Habakkuk and the two tables sometime after 1840, after the coming down of the angel and the eating of the book when the people were made watchmen. Let us go back to Habakkuk chapter 2, from verse 1 onward:
“I will stand upon my watch…” What does this mean? That he is a watchman. What does he do, being a watchman? He has to eat the little book that tastes like honey. And this happens at the end of the second “woe” after the angel comes down from heaven. So Habakkuk is prophesying about the Advent movement of the 1840s.
“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision…”
Did he say “preach the vision”? No, he said: “Write the vision.” So this would be the writing down of the vision that the Adventists were talking about. They had to publish it.
“…and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time [there are definite prophecies here], but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Hab. 2:1-4.
What were those tables that were made in the 1840s, on which the visions were recorded, so that they could be widely circulated? To show this, we will supply a quote:
“As early as 1842, the Spirit of God had moved upon Charles Fitch to devise the prophetic chart, which was generally regarded by Adventists as a fulfillment of the command given by the prophet Habakkuk, to write the vision and make it plain upon tables.” (The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, p. 242).
Very interesting! The early Adventist pioneers believed that the publishing of the 1843 chart was a direct fulfillment of the prophecy of Habakkuk. The chart is commonly called “The 1843 chart” because of the date when they believed that the time prophecies would end, though it was published in the year 1842.
So in the 1843 chart, we have a fulfillment of the prophecy of Habakkuk. There was a tarrying time, as we shall see, yet there was also a blessing pronounced on those who waited for the Lord.
In the above quote, we see that the 1842 chart is one of the two tables of Habakkuk. There was a mistake in that chart that the Lord hid with his hand so that it would not be seen.
The mistake lies in the issue of the “full year” (simply said), as because of a misunderstanding the calculations extended to 1843 instead of 1844. This way in order to count 2300 full years according to the vision of Daniel (chap. 8), we need to add 457 full years before Christ and 1843 full years after Christ. And to count from 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. would be only one year. And since the 2300 years began at a certain point (in the autumn) of 457 B.C., for the beginning of the prophetic period, they had to end at this same time in A. D. 1844.
The same is true of the 2520 years that date from 677 when Manasseh was taken captive. This period also had to end in 1844 (instead of 1843).
This chart is a part of the foundation of our faith which the pioneers built on since the message came. In “Early Writings” we read:
“I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and that it should not be altered; that the figures were as He wanted them; that His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until His hand was removed” (Early Writings, p. 74).
We learn about one mistake in two numbers – the 2520 and 2300 years were to end in 1844 instead of 1843, based on the need to add one year that was not taken into consideration.
When we understand what the mistake was – that it lay in the issue of the “full year” because of which the Adventists got to 1843, we realize that the two calculations in the lower part of the chart are still correct since they count from AD to AD. For example, 1335 + 508 = 1843.
However, the two calculations in the upper part are not correct and they should read “1844”. There is a reason why God allowed this to happen and we are going to discuss it later on.
In The Review and Herald of 1850, we read the following statement by James White regarding the 1843 chart:
“It was the united testimony of Second Advent lecturers and papers, when standing on “THE ORIGINAL FAITH,” that the publication of the chart was a fulfillment of Habakkuk 2:2, 3. If the chart was a subject of prophecy, (and those who deny it leave the original faith,) then it follows that B. C. 457 was the year from which to date the 2300 days. It was necessary that 1843 should be the first published time that “the vision” should “tarry,” or that there should be a tarrying time, in which the virgin band was to slumber and sleep on the great subject of time, just before they were to be aroused by the Midnight Cry.” (ARSH, December 1850, p. 13).
The Midnight Cry was given by Samuel S. Snow at the Advent camp meeting in Exeter, New Hampshire in August 1844.
According to the words of James White, the united testimony is that this chart is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Habakkuk and that those who reject it leave the original faith. This is of grave importance because those are those today who reject the 1843 chart and claim that it is of no relevance to us. With all due respect, we must say that any such person has left the original faith.
The First Angel’s Message of Revelation 14 reads:
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Rev. 14:6, 7.
This message of the angel represents the last mission of mercy to the world.
The original message of the apostles was:
“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” Acts 17:31.
Now the last message to the world is:
“Repent for the hour [time] of his judgment is come.”
Notice what James White says:
“The whole advent host once believed that publishing the visions of Daniel and John on the chart, from which the swift messengers lectured in 1842 and 1843, was a fulfillment of this prophecy; and the unbelief of those who doubt now, does not prove that we were all mistaken then. The passing of the time, and the perpetual backsliding and unbelief of Adventists has not changed this truth of God into a lie; but it remains truth still.” (TTAM, p. 2).
From what James White says, we learn that once the whole Advent host believed that the chart was a direct fulfillment of the prophecy of Habakkuk. The reason is that Habakkuk stated that the vision was for a certain time in the future. That time had come.
There are a few verses that confirm the statement of Habakkuk that there would be a tarrying time. The believers who were to experience this tarrying time were waiting for Jesus to come. We know this from Hebrews 10 where it says:
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith.” Heb. 10:35-38.
In fact, in Hebrews the apostle Paul quotes from Habakkuk chapter 2 and points out the tarrying time and that the just shall live by faith. This is exactly what happened with those who were waiting for Jesus to come in 1844. They were waiting for him who was to come and not tarry.
Matthew 25 describes a third witness of the tarrying time. Jesus told the parable of the ten virgins, all of whom fell asleep. A woman in Bible prophecy represents a church. So a virgin represents those in the church who have a pure faith.
Five of them were wise, though five were foolish. All of them had lamps. In Psalm 119:105 the Bible teaches that the Word of God is a lamp to our feet. 2 Peter 2:19 confirms that a lamp (or light) is the “more sure word of prophecy”.
Therefore, all the virgins – the Advent movement – professed that they had the Word of God and the prophetic truths. They were waiting for the advent of Christ (or the Second Coming). Yet five were foolish. Some had a preparation through the oil of grace – God’s Spirit – while others did not have such. While all were sleeping, the midnight cry was given that woke the virgins up, and the wise entered in with the Bridegroom.
Then the door was shut. This represents the coming of Jesus – not on the earth but in the Holy of Holies where one door was to be open – the door to the Holy of Holies in the heavenly sanctuary, and another door was to be closed – the door to the Holy Place. This took place on October 22, 1844, when the 2300 days closed and the ministration of Christ in the Holy Place was finished.
So the reason why this chart was a fulfillment of the prophecy is because the Bible says that before the virgins should wake up, the Bridegroom tarried, i.e. they had a tarrying time. The reason why he tarried was because they were waiting for his coming in 1843.