Ellen G. White and Her Critics

The Case of Eli

Again, take the words of “a man of God” who came to Eli to declare judgment against him because of the vile conduct of his sons. This “man of God” asked Eli if he remembered the promise that the Lord made to his family “when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house,” that they should serve as God’s priests. Then he follows with this reversal of the promise: EGWC 104.2

“Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.” 1 Samuel 2:30, 31. EGWC 104.3

Have sincere Bible students been disturbed by these reversals of God’s decrees? No. Or have they in any way lost confidence in the claims of the Bible prophets because their prophecies failed of fulfillment? No. And why? Because in view of Jeremiah’s words they read into each prediction an implied qualifying clause: EGWC 104.4