All spiritual matters should be passed through the filter of God’s Word. Isaiah 8:20 says, ‘To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.’ Such a test helps us very quickly recognize who speaks the truth, who is misguided, who is mistaken, and who is lying. Any public publication or speech influences those who read or hear it. If the words are spoken by the will of God and in accordance with the truth, they may be reinforced by the Holy Spirit and presented to the human mind in all their depth. Yet the understanding of truth also depends on my spiritual perception and on my faith.
I believe that God gives the gift of prophecy to His Church and His people. The Bible contains many books written by people who possessed this gift, and all their prophecies were tested by earlier revelations. These prophecies also extend into the future in which we are now living.
By sharing my experiences and reflections on biblical truths, I may become an instrument in God’s hands through whom He will draw people to Himself and give them salvation. But I am not a prophet; I am an ordinary person who desires to do something for the glory of God.
A prophet is a person to whom God speaks with a special message, calling that person to deliver it precisely to those for whom it was intended. The presence of prophets in the last days also allows for the simultaneous presence of false prophets. Otherwise, Jesus would have told us not to listen to anyone because there would be no true prophets. But in His Word the Lord teaches us to test anyone who speaks in God’s name or delivers a message from God.
I believe that everything we study in this book undergoes careful examination, as each reader seeks to understand whether this teaching about love is from God. I am open to such testing and welcome those who undertake it. The last thing I would want is to become an instrument of Satan and lead you astray. Truth will not cease to be truth even when it is carefully examined and tested.
In His love for His children, at a definite time foretold by Him, God gave the world His prophet, who delivered His messages for seventy-one years and recorded them as instruction for us who live in the last days. The name of this prophet of God is Ellen White.
I know that many people who hear this name immediately respond by rejecting everything that comes from her without even trying to determine what, if anything, in her writings does not correspond with the truth.
Her writings possess prophetic authority and serve the Church as a source of comfort, guidance, instruction, and reproof. These writings also clearly establish that the Bible is the standard by which every teaching and experience must be tested.
My Christian life began in my heart through this author’s book The Great Controversy. I had read the Bible many times before, but I did not understand its meaning or think about my salvation. Through the writings of God’s messenger, however, my mind was illuminated by a wonderful light, and the Bible appeared in all its beauty as a living book. I found Jesus, entered into a covenant with God, and began to live a new life. I searched for God’s people who live according to biblical laws, and I found them.
My life has become very closely intertwined with the writings of Ellen White, and throughout all the time I have studied her books, I have found no errors or contradictions with the Bible. On the contrary, in her writings this author continually refers to the Bible as the firm foundation of all her prophecies. I do not understand the position of White’s opponents, who at times have not even read her writings or studied her prophecies, yet vigorously oppose her as a false prophet. I do not consider this a very wise approach. Truth and falsehood can be identified quite simply by comparing them with the Bible. If a prophecy about present events was spoken but did not come to pass, then that prophet may confidently be regarded as false. But all Ellen White’s predictions have been accurate, and some of them are being fulfilled before our eyes exactly as they were foretold.
In my studies and sermons, I always refer to the Bible, although I know many passages from the books of God’s messenger that explain particular truths more precisely. Nevertheless, I do not quote her writings, though I can recommend them for personal study.
The prophecies about the last days described in the Bible are rather general and are being fulfilled before our eyes. But God made provision to explain in greater detail in our time everything that will happen in our days and how it will happen, and He conveyed these details through Sister White, who recorded them in her writings. Now, when strange things are happening around us, many people want an authoritative answer concerning what is taking place, what will happen next, and what each person should do. Mistakes in answering these questions may prove fatal. Passing off one’s own conjectures as truth is very dangerous both for one’s own soul and for the lives of others. But the writings of Ellen White indicate very precisely what is happening, who is behind it, and what awaits us in the near future. I believe it is worth heeding these messages so that we may await Christ on the true foundation of faith and enter the right ark, whose doors will close very soon.
God is not opposed to our testing His prophets, but we must do so not on the basis of other people’s opinions, but on the basis of His Word set forth in the Bible and the accuracy with which the prophecies are fulfilled. If such a test has been passed successfully and no contradictions have been found, then we should heed the instructions of God’s messenger. In order to heed them, we must sit down and study what God is saying and what message He desires to convey to us.
Second Chronicles 20:20 says, ‘Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.’ These words reveal their power in the lives of those who heed the counsel of God’s messengers.
Some people are troubled that God chose a woman for such a role. But the Bible tells us that God also endowed women with the prophetic gift. If He decided to do so, He has the right.
Belief in the gift of prophecy and in the fact that God chooses certain people through whom to convey special messages is a foundation of my faith in God. We are promised that at the end of time the Lord will give prophetic dreams and visions through sons and daughters in order to instruct us (Joel 2:28).
God’s love draws me to know the truth about the last days. God desires me to understand what is happening and what to expect, while also preparing my character for Heavenly life. First Corinthians 13:2 says, ‘And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.’ When studying prophetic writings or possessing the gift of prophecy, I must still remember that without agape love I may be lost.
Love recognizes God’s voice in God’s prophecies and obeys it in everything. Love delights in obedience to the Lord’s will and joyfully heeds His warnings and counsel.
When I want to build a complex structure and have only a picture showing the appearance of the finished building, it is extremely difficult for me to understand how and by what means it is held together. But if I have a detailed plan, then I can build it.
Questions for Reflection
Please read Numbers 12:6; 2 Chronicles 20:20; Amos 3:7; Joel 2:28–31; Acts 2:14–21; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Hebrews 1:1–3; Revelation 12:17; 19:10; 22:9; 2 Peter 1:21; Exodus 7:1–2; Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 14:1, 3–4, 39; and 1 Thessalonians 5:19–20 in the light of this chapter. Did you learn anything new from this chapter? Why does God choose prophets? How can a true prophet be distinguished from a false one? Can I become a prophet myself if I greatly desire it? Do all people believe God’s prophets? Do prophets give us only good and pleasant prophecies? Which biblical prophets do you know who left us no written messages? Does Jesus possess the gift of prophecy? What should I do if I do not believe in any prophets other than the biblical prophets? Will I really perish? What happens to a person who rejects God’s messengers? What criteria must a prophet of God meet? Should the writings of God’s messengers be studied, or is it sufficient to study only the Bible?