August 7: CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT
So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” Revelation 10:9
It is interesting that in describing to John the effect following the “eating” of the little book, the angel mentioned the stomach-ache first. Like food, the word is “tasted” when it is first received. We must ask why the angel spoke of the stomach-ache first, and then the sweetness of the taste.
In one sense, this is an allusion to the Biblical precept of counting the cost (see Luke 14:28,33). Jesus Himself counted the cost of bringing salvation to our lost world. He willingly endured the very bitterest of experiences for the joy set before Him…! (Hebrews 12:2) You and I can hardly begin to imagine such love!
Two thousand years ago, the disciples of Jesus also experienced bitterness. They had joyfully come to know and love Him, yet still held tightly to the hope of overthrowing the Roman government along with an immediate establishment of the kingdom of Israel on earth. His ignominious death on the cross also put to death this misconception. The true followers of Jesus weathered this disappointment and came forth to preach of the risen, living Savior who would one day return and resurrect His faithful ones unto everlasting life.
In the decades between 1798 and 1844, an interdenominational effort coalesced, and preachers fervently preached the return of Jesus. As mentioned earlier, there was a very popular error that needed to be banished: Across all Protestant denominations, the idea that the earth was “the sanctuary” spoken of in the Scriptures had been propagated and widely accepted. Peter’s description of the day of the Lord (2 Peter 3:10) which includes destruction of the world by fire that very day, was mistakenly equated with the cleansing of the sanctuary spoken of in Daniel 8:14. But the two are not the same. They had correctly calculated the year of 1844, but did not understand what cleansing of the sanctuary meant.
When the second advent of Jesus did not happen in 1844, there was a crushing disappointment among God’s people. Afterwards, this time was labeled The Great Disappointment of 1844. Indeed, it was a bitter disappointment. Yet in checking all the dates against Bible prophecy, this particular year consistently came into view. The foundational truth that Jesus would soon return was laid. But it was only in learning the meaning of cleansing the sanctuary that the event of that date came into proper focus. We will continue to examine this teaching.
We must all learn to deal with disappointment. It has a humbling effect, but not to crush us! The sweetness of the promises found in Scripture buoy the sincere seeker of the Lord, lifting the gaze heavenward, and strengthening his step. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8)
“Whosoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish, lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him…” Luke 14:27-29