Ellen G. White: The Early Years: 1827-1862 (vol. 1)

Vision of Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary

Ellen had been in eastern Maine but a few days when, at Exeter, she was given the significant vision she described in two early letters. One, dated February 15, 1846, was to Enoch Jacobs; the other, dated July 13, 1847, was to Joseph Bates. Of this she wrote: 1BIO 78.1

It was then I had a view of Jesus rising from His mediatorial throne and going to the holiest as Bridegroom to receive His kingdom.—Letter 3, 1847. 1BIO 78.2

I saw the Father rise from the throne and in a flaming chariot go into the holy of holies within the veil, and did sit.... I saw a cloudy chariot with wheels like flaming fire. Angels were all about the chariot as it came where Jesus was; He stepped into it and was borne to the holiest, where the Father sat. Then I beheld Jesus as He was before the Father, a great high priest.—Letter 1, 1846 (see also The Day-Star, March 14, 1846). 1BIO 78.3

This historic vision, later included in her first book, Experience and Views, appears in Early Writings under the title “End of the 2300 Days.” Those present, she told Bates, “were all deeply interested in the view. They all said it was entirely new to them. The Lord worked in mighty power setting the truth home to their hearts.”—Letter 3, 1847. The full significance of that “truth” with its presentation of activities in the heavenly sanctuary could with profit be dwelt upon at length. 1BIO 78.4

She was to mention this vision from time to time, for it confirmed the results of Bible study—of which she knew nothing at the time—in western New York State on the part of Hiram Edson and O. R. L. Crosier, and is a key exhibit in the “shut door” matter. [See page 160 for more on this topic.] In a letter to J. N. Loughborough written August 24, 1874, she recounted: 1BIO 78.5

It was on my first journey east to relate my visions that the precious light in regard to the heavenly sanctuary was opened before me and I was shown the open and shut door. We believed that the Lord was soon to come in the clouds of heaven. 1BIO 78.6

I was shown that there was a great work to be done in the world for those who had not had the light and rejected it. Our brethren could not understand this with our faith in the immediate appearing of Christ. Some accused me of saying my Lord delayeth His coming, especially the fanatical ones. 1BIO 79.1

I saw that in ‘44 God had opened a door and no man could shut it, and shut a door and no man could open it. Those who rejected the light which was brought to the world by the message of the second angel went into darkness, and how great was that darkness.—Letter 2, 1874. 1BIO 79.2