Before Jesus left his disciples, he told them, "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:3. People generally interpreted that statement to apply to all people who would follow his teachings after his ascension. The early Christians waited with anticipation, expecting this second coming to occur quickly. And when it didn't, they had to adjust to dealing with a largely non-Christian world that wasn't always sympathetic to their beliefs.
Since then, there have been times in the world's history when groups of Christian believers have again felt inspired and expectant that this time Jesus would return and bring them to a happier, holier place. These moments of anticipation often come when someone studies deeply the Bible's prophecies and gains an insight from them. One of these people was a self-educated farmer from New York State named William Miller. After serving in the War of 1812 he had a major conversion experience.
From this, he was inspired to develop a detailed interpretation of the Bible that predicted Jesus' second coming, or advent, would come around 1843. Since this was a time in the United States when religious revivals were common—historians refer to it as the Second Great Awakening—Miller's views didn't seem unusual. And they were spread widely by his publicist, who actually disseminated over five million pieces of literature. After further Bible study, one of his followers calculated the date for Christ's return to be October 22, 1844.
