101 Questions - About Ellen White and Her Writings

Part 3 - Questions About the End Times

Question 44: Could Christ have come before 1884? (“Christ Could Have Come”)

Do you know of any statements before 1884 that say that Christ could have come by that time if people had done their duty? 101Q 107.1

Here are a couple of references that qualify. 101Q 107.2

The long night of gloom is trying; but the morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found unready. God’s unwillingness to have His people perish has been the reason for so long delay (Testimonies for the Church, 2:194). [1868] 101Q 107.3

The angels of God in their messages to men represent time as very short. Thus it has always been presented to me. It is true that time has continued longer than we expected in the early days of this message. Our Saviour did not appear as soon as we hoped. But has the word of the Lord failed? Never! It should be remembered that the promises and threatenings of God are alike conditional. 101Q 107.4

God had committed to His people a work to be accomplished on earth. The third angel’s message was to be given, the minds of believers were to be directed to the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ had entered to make atonement for His people. The Sabbath reform was to be carried forward. The breach in the law of God must be made up. 101Q 108.1

The message must be proclaimed with a loud voice, that all the inhabitants of earth might receive the warning. The people of God must purify their souls through obedience to the truth, and be prepared to stand without fault before Him at His coming. 101Q 108.2

Had Adventists, after the great disappointment in 1844, held fast their faith, and followed on unitedly in the opening providence of God, receiving the message of the third angel and in the power of the Holy Spirit proclaiming it to the world, they would have seen the salvation of God, the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts, the work would have been completed, and Christ would have come ere this to receive His people to their reward (Selected Messages, 1:67, 68). [1883] 101Q 108.3

These are only part of a longer document that you can read on the White Estate Web site: http://www.WhiteEstate.org/issues/delay.html. 101Q 108.4