A True Prophet of God
To find out if Ellen White was a true prophet of God, we first need to find out from the Bible what a true prophet was like. There are certain characteristics of a Bible prophet. So let’s take a look through them and then find out if Ellen White fulfilled these “marks of a prophet”.
Jeremiah 28:9 The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.
Note-A Prophet among you-The test of a Prophet EG White Estate,pp.103-The same consistency runs through the predictions of the second advent of Christ, the doctrines of God’s Creatorship, righteousness by faith, and all other Bible teachings. It was not difficult for God’s people in ancient times to apply this test to the messages of anyone who professed to possess the gift of prophecy. An outstanding example of how a prophet applied the test to another who claimed to be a prophet is found in Jeremiah 28.
In the fourth year of King Jehoiakim, Jeremiah, under inspiration, had foretold that the period of captivity of Judah in Babylon would be seventy years. Jeremiah 25:1, 11, 12. This was the first time the specific number of years had been revealed, but more than a century before, Isaiah had indicated that the desolation of the land should be for “many days and years.” Isaiah 32:9-14.
He foretold that the deliverance should not take place until the days of Cyrus (Isaiah 44:24 to 45:5), and that the Medes would help to bring about the downfall of Babylon, the glory of kingdoms (Isaiah 13:17-22).
In the fourth year of Zedekiah, eleven years after the prediction of the seventy years’ Captivity, Jeremiah was challenged by a professed prophet who said the deliverance would come within a brief period. The full story is recorded in Jeremiah 28. Hananiah declared that the Lord had spoken to him (verses 1, 2), that Babylon’s yoke would be removed from the neck of Judah within two years (verse 3), and that all the vessels of the Lord’s house would be returned to Jerusalem.
Jeremiah’s response contains a touch of pathos. “Amen,” he said, “the Lord do so.” Verse 6. “I hope the Lord will do it that way,” is the thought. “Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears; … The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him.” Verses 7-9.
What Jeremiah was telling Hananiah was this, “Hananiah, you have said that peace and restoration will come quickly. The older prophets have predicted war and evil for years to come. In order to know for certain which is right, we will have to see whose predictions are fulfilled.” Later Jeremiah faced Hananiah with the specific accusation that the Lord had not sent him (verse 15), and told him that because he was leading people to rebel against God he would die that year (verse 16). The chapter ends with the sad record, “So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.”
In his first encounter with Hananiah, Jeremiah made reference only to the predictions of the former prophets to confirm his own position that the restoration would be long delayed. It was not necessary that the Lord give him a special revelation that would condemn Hananiah. Jeremiah knew that if Hananiah’s message was out of harmony with what had been given earlier by men who had met the tests of a prophet, his message had not come from the Lord. Later his conclusion was confirmed by a revelation, and the word about the death of Hananiah was added. Here is a practical application of the test, “To the law and to the testimony.”
Jesus’ warning to His disciples again emphasizes the need for care in verifying the claims of any prophet to be certain they harmonize with Scripture.
After telling of the time of tribulation that might be expected, Jesus said, “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before.” Matthew 24:23-25. Then Jesus enumerated the signs that would indicate His coming was near. Any prophet in any age to come who talked of the second advent would be tested by these and all other statements of earlier prophets. When a person meets the test of harmonizing his messages with earlier divinely inspired predictions and teachings, then we are ready to apply other tests.
1906 San Francisco/Oakland earthquake.
Note-Let us now turn our attention to testing the ministry and gifts of Ellen White with our biblically based testing process.
A true prophet’s predictions will “come to pass” (Jeremiah 28:9).The fulfillments of this test in the ministry of Ellen are many, but one of the most startling may be the 1906 San Francisco/Oakland earthquake. Having received warnings of impending judgment upon the city for many years prior, she had her final and most detailed vision regarding its destruction on April 16, 1906. She saw houses “shaken like a reed in the wind” and buildings falling to the ground. “Pleasure resorts, theaters, hotels, and homes of the wealthy were shaken and shattered. Many lives were blotted out of existence, and the air was filled with the shrieks of the injured and the terrified. … It seemed that the forbearance of God was exhausted, and the judgment day had come.”
Historical accounts reveal that two days later there was no sign of impending doom until 5:12 a.m., when the San Andreas fault slipped over nearly 270 miles, crumbling the very foundations of the city.
In its wake, the quake left 490 city blocks in a state of total devastation and more than 225,000 homeless people, along with over 800 dead and 1,500 injured. Several insurance companies went bankrupt trying to meet the claims.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Micah 3:8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
Jeremiah 1:16 And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits (prophet). Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
NOTE–A prophet among you,pp.52.3-–presents a prophecy that was completely fulfilled only in the ministry of Jesus. It serves as a basic passage to help in understanding the work of a prophet. The heart of the matter is expressed in these words: “I … will put My words in his mouth; and presents a prophecy that was completely fulfilled only in the ministry of Jesus.
It serves as a basic passage to help in understanding the work of a prophet. The heart of the matter is expressed in these words: “I … will put My words in his mouth; and
So we have a list of charateristics that help us know if a prophet is truly a prophet of God. So the prophecies of a true prophet will of course come to pass.
A true prophet will not speak of themselves, but will bring glory to God. A true prophet will point out sin. A true prophet will speak of coming judgments. A true prophet will proclaim that Jesus came in the flesh as fully human, capable of sin. A true prophet will have a good Christian character. And a true prophet will be obedient to the will of God.
So does Ellen White fulfill these marks of a true prophet? Well, before we go on, the first thing I would like to confirm is that a woman CAN be a prophet of God. The reason I want to confirm this is because there are some people who reject Ellen White straight away because she is a woman, and they believe that God only uses men as prophets. Well, this thinking is in direct opposition to God’s Word, because there were a number of prophetesses in the Old Testament, including Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Noadiah.
So God DOES use women as His prophets also.
Any Prophets After Jesus?
Another point that some people raise against Ellen White is that there were to be no more prophets after the time of Christ Jesus. This we can deal with swiftly from the Bible.
Acts 11:27-28 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Ephesians 4:11-12 …’And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.’
1 Corinthians 12:28 ...’And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.’
Joel 2:28 …’And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.’
NOTE–(Christian Experience and Teachings of E G. White)–Restored in the Last Days–But the scriptures, while foretelling this dreadful apostasy, also plainly teach that just before the second coming of Christ, many will be rescued from the darkness of error and superstition.
Once more the earth is to be lightened by the glory of God. The pure truths of the Bible are to shine forth. And in this time of heavenly illumination marking the approaching end of the age, the gifts of the Spirit are again to be manifest in the true church. “It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” Acts 2:17, 18; Joel 2:28, 29.
So would God use prophets after the time of Christ Jesus? Most definately yes.
Did Ellen White Fulfill the Marks of a Prophet?
NOTE--Ellen White a prophet, and did she fulfill the marks of a true prophet from the Bible? Yes, in every way.The main point that many people focus on is the one to do with visions from God and prophecies, so we will focus on that point the most.
But let me confirm before we go into her visions and predictions, that Ellen White fulfilled all other points. If you read her writings, rather than take a text here and there out of context like many opposers do, you will see that Ellen White brought Glory to God and pointed the people to study the Bible first and foremost.
“The Lord desires you to study your Bibles. He has not given any additional light to take the place of His Word. This light [her own ministry] is to bring confused minds to His Word, which, if eaten and digested, is as the lifeblood of the soul.” (E.G.White, Selected Messages, book 3, p. 29)
“We must gather about the cross. Christ and Him crucified should be the theme of contemplation, of conversation, and of our most joyful emotion.” (E.G.White, Steps to Christ, P.103 – 104)
“Make Christ first and last and best in everything. Constantly behold Him, and your love for Him will daily become deeper and stronger as it is submitted to the test of trial.” (E.G.White, Testimonies, Vol.7, P.46)
“The object of all ministry is to keep self out of sight, and to let Christ appear. The exaltation of Christ is the great truth that all who labor in word and doctrine are to reveal.“ (E.G.White, Manuscript Releases, Vol.16, P.295)
As you can see, Ellen White’s main focus was Christ Jesus and to bring glory to God. She also devoted much writing to point out sin and proclaim God’s eternal law found in the ten commandments. She spoke much about the judgments that would come upon the world. And she truly declared that Jesus Christ was fully human on earth.
And what about her character? Did she live a good Christian life, in line with the Word of God? Take a look at the following comments:
NOTE--“She was absolutely honest in her belief in her revelations. Her life was worthy of them. She showed no spiritual pride and she sought no filthy lucre. She lived the life and did the work of a worthy prophetess.” (New York “Independent”, 1915).
“Mrs. White’s life far transcends the life of anyone I have ever known or with whom I have been associated. She was uniformly pleasant, cheerful and courageous. She was never careless, flippant, or in any way cheap in conversation or manner of life. She was the personification of serious earnestness regarding the things of the kingdom. I never once heard her boast of the gracious gift God had bestowed upon her, or of the marvelous results of her endeavors.“ (A. G. Daniells, A Co-Worker for 23 Years)
Ellen White was generous, kind, and honest. She exemplified the Christian virtues she wrote about. For instance, despite the potential of living extravagantly off the royalties of her written work, she passed much of it on to spread the gospel and further the kingdom of God. Financially supporting church projects, and helping students attend Christian schools.
And what about the effect of her writings upon those who read them with an open mind? Well, in reviewing the chief findings of the 1980 research done by the Institute of Church Ministry at Andrews University, it is noted that Seventh-day Adventists “who regularly study the writings of Ellen White are also more likely to be stronger Christians in their personal spiritual life and in their witness to their communities than those church members who don’t.” (Ministry, October 1982, p. 10)
Did Ellen White fulfill the marks of a true prophet? She certainly did. But we still need to take a look at her visions and predictions.
Predictions and Visions of Ellen White
NOTE–Ellen White had so many visions, of which you can read about in her volumes of writings, we could not go through them here. So we will share with you some of the most extraordinary predictions and visions from this humble woman of God.
But first let me clear up a common misunderstanding about Ellen White. Many people seem to believe that it was Ellen White who prophesied about Jesus returning in 1844. This is incorrect, as it was a man named William Miller who came up with this prediction from what He understood of Bible prophecy in the book of Daniel. This was concerning the(TAP AND OPEN FOR MORE- 2300 day prophecy), which reveals the beginning of God’s end time remnant church.
So now that is cleared up, let us take a look at Ellen White’s visions and predictions. To start with, where there any clear indicators concerning Ellen White’s visions that tell us they were of Divine origin? Yes there were. If you take a look at Daniel, chapter 10, you will see Daniel in vision and he says … “neither is there breath left in me.” So we could say that Daniel did not breathe while in vision. Take a look at what happened with Ellen White while in vision …
Dr. Drummond, a local physician who had once declared her visions were the product of mesmerism, jumped at the opportunity to examine her while in vision.
After giving her a thorough examination, he turned very pale and remarked, “She doesn’t breathe.” Skeptics would pinch both her nostrils and mouth, and even hold a mirror before her mouth while she was in vision. Both techniques proved that she simply didn’t breathe while in a vision, not even when she spoke!
In another incident, a physician named Dr. Brown claimed that her visions were the product of spiritualism, and that he could control them. When the opportunity arose, Dr. Brown examined her, but before it was complete, he turned deathly pale and began to shake. “She does not breathe,” he shuddered, making his way to the door. The people at the door said, “Go back, and do as you said you would; bring that woman out of vision.” But the doctor, sufficiently spooked, grabbed the doorknob. “Doctor, what is it?” the people at the door persisted. “God only knows,” he replied.
Let us get this one fact straight. These are eye witness accounts of what happened while Ellen White was in vision, which happened many times. And Satan DOES NOT have the power to stop someone breathing for such a long time (sometimes it was for HOURS!!) and keep them alive. This could ONLY be from God Himself.
So let’s take a look at her visions and predictions.
NOTE--VISION: – Another vison Ellen White had was concerning the civil war in America. The time she had the vision was 3 months before the civil war began, and she stated …
“There is not a person in this house who has even dreamed of the trouble that is coming upon this land. People are making sport of the secession ordinance of South Carolina, but I have just been shown that a large number of States are going to join that State, and there will be a most terrible war. In this vision I have seen large armies of both sides gathered on the field of battle. I heard the booming of the cannon, and saw the dead and dying on every hand.
Then I saw them rushing up engaged in hand-to-hand fighting [bayoneting one another]. Then I saw the field after the battle, all covered with the dead and dying. Then I was carried to prison, and saw the suffering of those in want, who were wasting away. Then I was taken to the homes of those who had lost husbands, sons, or brothers in the war. I saw there distress and anguish.” … Then she looked around the room to those who were with her and said … “There are those in this house who will lose sons in that war.” (E.G.White, Remarks at Parkville, Michigan, January 31, 1893) – General Conference Daily Bulletin., 2002, S. 37)
When Ellen White revealed this vision, the common view was that war was unlikely. And even if it came, it would be brief and result in few casualties. Yet what Ellen White said was fulfilled and extremely accurate.
NOTE–VISION: – In another vision, Ellen white even foretold the two great world wars, when she said …
“I was shown the inhabitants of the earth in the utmost confusion. There was war, bloodshed, want, privation, famine and pestilence, in the land … My attention was then called from the scene. There seemed to be a little time of peace. Then the inhabitants of the earth were again presented before me, and everything was in the utmost confusion again. Strife, war and bloodshed, with famine and pestilence, raged everywhere. Other nations were engaged in this confusion and war. War caused famine. Want and bloodshed caused pestilence. And then men’s hearts will fail them for fear, “and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” (E.G.White, Review and Herald, August 27, 1861.)
This vision was given to Ellen white some 50 years before world war I began in 1914. And look at the striking points of her vision. First, war would rage between the “inhabitants of the earth”. Then there would be a “little time of peace”. Then war would rage again, with “other nations” joining the war. And that these wars would cause great bloodshed and famine.
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World War I (1914-1918)
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Little Time of Peace (1918-1939)
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World War II (1939-1945)