Understanding Ellen White

Visionary experiences and pictorial depictions

There are thousands of times in Ellen White’s writings where she writes “I was shown” or “I saw.” Although she sometimes heard the divine messenger speaking, many of her visionary revelations were in the form of dynamic scenes or representations of people, places, and events either past, present, or future. She was also shown allegorical or symbolic portrayals or illustrative stories that were not usually actual events. At times, visions were repeated until she understood the real meaning of what she was seeing. Her understanding of what she was shown would often grow over time. ²⁰ In the inspiration process, she received divine help in understanding and in describing to others these representations. In some ways her experience was like Ezekiel, or Daniel, or John (in the book of Revelation). UEGW 39.1

Ellen White’s first vision was symbolic. She saw Jesus leading the people of God on a path to the New Jerusalem. She described aspects of what she was shown and then gave applications for the disappointed Millerites. ²¹ UEGW 39.2

Ellen White sometimes experienced things virtually that allowed her to correctly communicate God’s message. In her new earth vision during the spring of 1845, she was taken to the future and walked with Jesus in the re-created earth. She smelled the flowers, heard the sound of birds, felt the rapture of the redeemed. She also had the verbal explanations of Jesus while socially interacting with the redeemed. The tangible nature of the vision stopped just short of tasting the banquet of heaven with the fruit of the tree of life, and she was told to tell others what she had been shown. UEGW 39.3

In communicating these representations, she would often retell in her own words what she was shown with an interpretation. Many times these would be in the form of counsel to individuals or to the church. The interpretations were usually simple and direct. Here are two vivid examples: UEGW 39.4

The world was spread out before me and I saw darkness like the pall of death. What did it mean? I could see no light. Then I saw a little glimmer of light and then another, and these lights increased and grew brighter, and multiplied and grew stronger and stronger till they were the light of the world. These were the believers in Jesus Christ. ²² UEGW 39.5

To J. H. Kellogg, she wrote: UEGW 40.1

Many other scenes connected with your case have been presented to me. At one time you were represented to me as trying to push a long car up a steep ascent. But this car, instead of going up the hill, kept running down. This car represented the food business as a commercial enterprise, which has been carried forward in a way that God does not commend. UEGW 40.2

At another time you were represented to me as a general, mounted on a horse, and carrying a banner. One came and took out of your hand the banner bearing the words, “The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus,” and it was trampled in the dust. I saw you surrounded by men who were linking you up with the world. ²³ UEGW 40.3

Thus the divine thought would be conveyed through visionary experiences or pictorial depictions, which she would then share in a trustworthy manner under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. ²⁴ UEGW 40.4