101 Questions on the Sanctuary and on Ellen White
58. Discrepancies in Narrating Biblical Events
Ford says that Ellen White numbered Abraham’s allies wrong; she once said that God commanded Adam and Eve not to touch the fruit, then later wrote that these were Eve’s words, not God’s; she said that only eight souls received Noah’s message, but in another place said that there were others who believed and who helped build the ark (Ford, pages 612, A-253, 3 246). Ford also points out that Ellen White’s account of the daily ministration in the ancient sanctuary is not entirely accurate. (See Patriarchs and Prophets, 354.) Did Ellen White make mistakes of this nature and, if so, what do such discrepancies teach us? QSEW 52.4
Ellen White did not always narrate Biblical events with absolute accuracy, thus demonstrating that she was not inerrant. In this regard she had much in common with the Bible prophets, who also were not inerrant. Moses described Hobab as his brother-in-law (Numbers 10:29), so Judges 4:11 presents a problem. 1 Samuel 16:10, 11 indicates that David was Jesse’s eighth son, a different figure from that given in 1 Chronicles 2:15. Luke 3:36 mentions a Cainan who is not named in Genesis 11:12. Paul’s account of the ratification of the first covenant is not entirely in harmony with the Old Testament record. Compare Hebrews 9:19 with Exodus 24:3-8. QSEW 52.5
These and other similar difficulties that could be cited by no means prove that the Scriptures are unworthy of our trust. The Bible was not written to settle minute details of history, but to establish doctrine, and “for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible is an infallible guide to heaven, yet it was written by human beings who, in the providence of God, were sometimes permitted to err in their writing in matters not affecting anyone’s salvation. Likewise, Ellen White’s humanity was evident from time to time in her writing. QSEW 53.1