Editor’s Letter – The Law of Moses, Part III

Adventists believe that Ellen White was not only a prophet, but more than a prophet. Except for Jesus Christ there have only been three times in the history of the world, that we know of, that God has sent to His people a messenger who was more than a prophet. The first time was Moses. See Numbers 12. The second time was John the Baptist. See Matthew 11:9. The third time was when God sent a special messenger, to help His people prepare for the second coming of Christ. He sent Ellen G. White who said: “My work includes much more than the word ‘prophet’ signifies.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 32. Either she must be much more than a prophet, or a fraud.

Ellen White was given instruction that would enable God’s people to go all the way to the Holy City—all the way to the coming of Christ. Anything that is essential for us to know from the Bible to be ready for Jesus to come will be found, discussed or explained in her writings. “Your testimony is of a different character. It is to come down to the minutiae of life.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 608. So certainly something as important as whether or not we should keep the ceremonial law, or any part of it, would be pointed out. Following are a few of her statements on the ceremonial law:

“The ordinances which God Himself had appointed were made the means of blinding the mind and hardening the heart. God could do no more for man through these channels. The whole system must be swept away.” The Desire of Ages, 36.

“The great Teacher’s wisdom in limiting the measure of our researches in earthly directions, called the attention of all to his legislation from the very foundation of our world—to a code of morals, pure, simple, and practical, unencumbered by the long years of types and sacrifices, which passed away when the only true Sacrifice, Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was offered for the sins of the world. . . . These lessons discharge his followers from the bondage of the ceremonial law.” The Review and Herald, June 21, 1898.

“In this ordinance, Christ discharged his disciples from the cares and burdens of the ancient Jewish obligations in rites and ceremonies. These no longer possessed any virtue.” Ibid., June 14, 1898.

“It was Christ’s desire to leave to his disciples an ordinance that would do for them the very thing they needed—that would serve to disentangle them from the rites and ceremonies which they had hitherto engaged in as essential, and which the reception of the gospel made no longer of any force. To continue these rites would be an insult to Jehovah.” Ibid.