Jesus, Name Above All Names

Foreword

One cannot read the inspired writings of Ellen G. White without experiencing numerous encounters with Jesus. In the wide expanse of her literary output He is there. Around every corner and in every hidden place, glimpses of Jesus remind readers of Ellen White’s deep love for the Saviour and her constant desire to make Him known. JNN 5.1

In this devotional you will meet the Jesus whom Ellen White knew intimately. Her voluminous descriptions of Christ represent an anthology unlike that of any other Christian writer—past or present. Reading Ellen White’s counsels gives one the abiding sense that she lived a Christ-centered life and did so in the presence of Jesus. JNN 5.2

That Jesus would become so central to Ellen White’s life and work was by no means a foregone conclusion. As a young teenager she feared having to “endure the flames of hell forever” (Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 30, 31), but at the urging of her mother, she counseled briefly with Levi Stockman, a Methodist minister who had accepted Millerism. The teenager Stockman met was a struggling, forlorn believer, completely unsure of her salvation. Ellen White later wrote of that visit, “He knew there was hope for me through the love of Jesus” (Ibid., 36). “I had obtained more knowledge on the subject of God’s love and pitying tenderness, than from all the sermons and exhortations to which I had ever listened” (Ibid., 37). From that moment, the darkness smothering Ellen White’s growing faith lifted. Her spiritual life became transformed as she beheld Christ. JNN 5.3

Ellen White’s deepening love for her Redeemer can be seen through the amazing variety of names by which she referred to Jesus in her published writings—more than 840 in total. Space does not permit the inclusion of readings in which all the names are mentioned, so 365 of the best are captured here. The careful student of Ellen White’s writings can come to but one conclusion as to the Source of such a powerful collection of appellations: Ellen White was inspired. JNN 5.4

As you read Jesus, Name Above All Names, you will also meet the Jesus on whom Ellen White depended to fulfill her unique calling. In 1892 she called Him “my Tried Stone,” perhaps owing to the challenges she faced at the beginning of her sojourn in Australia. In other writings Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, Creator of Heaven and Earth, Giver of Every Good and Perfect Gift, and our Great Burden Bearer. To the distracted among us she wrote of One who is the Great Center of Attraction. To those broken by sin she offers the Complete Saviour, Great Intercessor, All-Powerful Mediator, and Captain of Our Salvation. For every need Ellen White has a Jesus! JNN 5.5

In this devotional, each reading features a reflection thought or question to help the reader apply to his or her life that day’s message. In addition, when words such as man, men, brethren, he, him, and his have been used as generic representations for the whole of humanity, we have changed many of these expressions to be more inclusive, while preserving Ellen White’s meaning and message. JNN 5.6

It is our hope that this devotional will introduce you to Jesus if you have yet to meet the One who gave His life for you. If you have already felt the loving touch of the Saviour, we are certain that each day’s reading will enrich your walk with Him. Sharing Jesus was the great heartbeat of Ellen White’s life and ministry. Our prayer is that this legacy will continue through you, until all call on Jesus—the name above all names. JNN 6.1

The Trustees of the Ellen G. White Estate®