The Gift of Prophecy (The Role of Ellen White in God’s Remnant Church)

Fulfilled prophecy

The proof of a true prophet lies, in part, in the fulfillment of his or her predictions (see 1 Samuel 9:6; Jeremiah 28:9; Lamentations 3:37). Although Ellen White’s work didn’t primarily consist of predicting the future, she did make a number of predictions that have been fulfilled in a remarkable way. For example, on March 24, 1849, Ellen White wrote about the mysterious knocking that began in 1848 in the home of the Fox sisters at Hydesville, New York: “I saw that the mysterious knocking in New York and other places was the power of Satan, and that such things would be more and more common, clothed in a religious garb so as to lull the deceived to greater security” (EW 43). A year later she wrote, “I was shown that by the rapping and mesmerism these modern magicians would yet account for all the miracles wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ” (EW 59). GP 62.3

One hundred years later, in 1948, the Centennial Book of Modern Spiritualism in America was published. It claims that “spiritualism, with its signs, wonders, visions, and healing gifts was the religion of the Apostles; of the post-apostolic fathers, and the primitive Christians.” Furthermore, it says, “A medium foretold the birth of Jesus, whose brief life on earth was filled with the performance of many so-called miracles which in reality were spiritual phenomena.” ⁴ GP 62.4

Critics at times claim that Ellen White was a false prophet because some of her predictions have not come to pass. For example, concerning a conference in 1856, Mrs. White declared, “I was shown the company present at the Conference. Said the angel: ‘Some food for worms, . . . some subjects of the seven last plagues, some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus’ ” (1T 131). All who were alive then have long since died; thus this prediction was not fulfilled. GP 62.5

However, before we accuse Ellen White of being a false prophet, we should remember Jonah. What was the message God gave to Jonah for the Ninevites? ” ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ ” (Jonah 3:4). Was Nineveh destroyed? No. Why not? Because the Ninevites changed their ways. The principle behind this story is the principle of conditional prophecy outlined in Jeremiah 18:7-10. GP 63.1

In the 1856 vision, God indicated to Ellen White that He wanted to bring in His kingdom within a short time, but events here on earth have delayed it. Therefore, in 1896 she wrote, “If those who claimed to have a living experience in the things of God had done their appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would have been warned ere this, and the Lord Jesus would have come in power and great glory” (RH, Oct. 6, 1896). And in the last volume of the Testimonies, published in 1909, she wrote, “If every soldier of Christ had done his duty, if every watchman on the walls of Zion had given the trumpet a certain sound, the world might ere this have heard the message of warning. But the work is years behind. While men have slept, Satan has stolen a march upon us” (9T 29). GP 63.2

Ellen White clearly understood the principle of conditional prophecy, “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 the threatenings of God are alike conditional” (Ev 695). If we apply the principle of conditionality to her 1856 vision, the problem disappears. GP 63.3