What does EGW write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "Ottoman Empire 1840: Prediction guided by God?"
Answer
The writings of the Adventists view the prediction concerning the Ottoman Empire in 1840 as a God‑guided demonstration of the reliability of biblical prophecy. In God's providence the precise fulfillment on August 11, 1840 served to confirm the prophetic time calculations and to give great power to the Advent message worldwide. The correct determination of the date by Josiah Litch and William Miller was seen as proof that the time of the end had come and that the sealing of the visions was now removed.
The Divine Confirmation of the 1840 Prophecy
When the event verified the correctness of this calculation, the way was prepared for the Advent message to proceed with powerful force. The prophecies were not only unveiled, but in God's providence a demonstration of the truthfulness of the method of calculation concerning prophetic times was given to the world.
In 1840 another remarkable fulfillment of prophecy aroused widespread interest. Two years earlier Josiah Litch... published an interpretation of Revelation 9 and predicted the fall of the Ottoman Empire, specifying not only the year but the exact day on which it would occur. According to this interpretation... the Turkish government would relinquish its independence on August 11, 1840.
Scholars and devout men have set times for the end in every age of the church... but they were mistaken in the times. We acknowledge all this. Yet there was a good reason. The vision was to be "sealed," and it was not for them to "know the times." But now the time of the end has come, and the fall of Ottoman supremacy could be correctly determined.
The exact fulfillment of this prophecy on August 11, 1840, when the Turkish government gave up its independence... was for many a striking proof that prophecy could be understood and that people were living in the time of the end.
That day ended the period of three hundred ninety‑one years and fifteen days that had been allotted to the continuation of Ottoman power; and where was the Sultan's independence? – THERE! Who had the supremacy of the Ottoman Empire in their hands? – The four great powers... Thus the prophecy was fulfilled to the letter.
- Ottoman Empire August 11, 1840
- Josiah Litch prophecy
- Revelation Chapter 9 time calculation
Original Sources (English)
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