A People Preparing

In Luke 1:17, the angel said to Zacharias concerning his son, John the Baptist, “He will go before Him [the Messiah] in the spirit and power of Elijah … to prepare a people who are prepared for the Lord.” Jesus told His disciples that “Elijah has come already, and they did not know him” (Matthew 17:12), meaning John the Baptist was the Elijah prophet for the first advent.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful [or terrible or awesome] day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5, 6). Here again it is predicted that before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, God is going to send to us Elijah the prophet.

Again in the New Testament is predicted that before the coming of Christ in the last days, God’s people are going to have the gift of prophecy. Paul wrote, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful” (1 Corinthians 1:4–9, first part). Notice that the people waiting for Jesus to come will fall short in no gift; the testimony of Christ will be confirmed in them.

It is predicted again in Revelation the 12th chapter that God’s last day people are going to have the gift of prophecy. “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring [the remnant of her seed], who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (verse 17). The testimony of Jesus according to Revelation 19:10 is the spirit of prophecy. The dragon according to Revelation 12:9 represents the devil. A woman, all through Bible prophecy, in both the Old and New Testaments, represents a church. A pure woman represents a pure church and a harlot woman represents an apostate church.

Whole books of the Bible have been written with this symbolism; for example, the entire book Song of Solomon is a compacted, symbolic prophecy about Christ and the church. The first part of the book of Hosea is a prophecy concerning Christ and His church that has gone astray and committed harlotry. Ezekiel 23 is devoted to the church, where Israel and Judah are likened to two women who apostatized from the Lord.

The same symbolism is used in the New Testament. Paul said to the Corinthian church, “I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste [pure] virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2). In Ephesians he again uses the marriage relationship as a symbol of the relationship between Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:25–27). Revelation talks about the bride of the Lamb who has made herself ready for the marriage dressed in fine linen, clean and bright (Revelation 19:7, 8).

In the book of Revelation two women are represented, the harlot woman (Revelation 17) and the pure woman (Revelation 12). It says, “The dragon was enraged with the woman” (Revelation 12:17). Translating these symbols this would read: “The devil was enraged with the church, and he went to make war with the remnant [the last church], who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus [the spirit of prophecy].” According to Bible prophecy, God’s last day people will be a commandment keeping people. In the Hebrew language the fourth commandment with the Sabbath at its heart is the longest commandment of all, with 55 words. James says, “Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). The commandments are not ten laws, but one law.

James makes it clear what law he refers to by quoting the sixth and seventh commandments (James 2:11), and God refers to the ten commandments as one law all by itself (Exodus 24:12). Concerning this ten commandment law, in Deuteronomy 4:13, Moses told the children of Israel: “He [God] declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tables of stone.” The commandments are called God’s covenant. In Psalm 89:34, God says, “My covenant I will not break [profane], nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.”

When Jesus was on earth, He made the strongest statement possible about the ten commandments. He said, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle (just part of a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the smallest stroke in a Hebrew letter) of the law to fail” (Luke 16:17). This was spoken by the One who created the heavens and the earth and upholds them all by the power of His word. (See Hebrews 1:2, 3.) This means the One who has all power and authority would destroy the entire universe before He would allow a part of a letter of His law to fail. How audacious for any created being to think that the law is not important after Jesus makes a statement that strong. It is inconceivable that anyone could try to insult the Lord not only to change part of a letter but to change the longest commandment in the heart of the whole law.

In the book of Joel, it says, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. And I will show wonders [signs] in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and pillars of smoke [timeroth]” (Joel 2:28–30). The Hebrew word timeroth is smoke that comes up in a column and spreads out like a palm tree, a description befitting an atom bomb explosion. Twenty-five hundred years ago before atom bombs were invented, the Lord knew what would happen in the last days.

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord” (verse 31). Before Jesus returns, certain things are going to happen, a dark day, blood and fire and columns of smoke like palm trees. But during that time the Lord said He would pour out His Spirit in prophecy. He said your sons and daughters are going to prophesy.

“It shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls” (verse 32). When these things happen there will be deliverance and salvation in Mount Zion. Notice what it says in Isaiah 51:16, last part: “Say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’ ” Zion is God’s people.

There will be deliverance in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call (Joel 2:28–32). The remnant are the people who keep the commandments of God and have the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). When you determine who these people are, join them, for they have the truth that will open the doors of heaven to you.

“Elijah the prophet” appeared in the person of John the Baptist to prepare a people for the first coming of the Lord. The purpose of the Elijah prophet the second time is to prepare a people for His second coming.

Now is the time to take advantage of the writings of this “Elijah” prophet, the special messenger for the remnant church whose writings will help us be ready for the second coming of Christ.

No one eats a pickup load of food in one day, but over a year, the food you eat would fill that pickup. The same principle applies for spiritual knowledge. By reading just a few pages of spiritual food each morning and night you can easily read 1500 pages in a year. At that rate, in a few years you will have done quite a bit of reading. The more you read, the more you will enjoy the spiritual feast and keep coming back for more and still more.

Every wonderful gift the Lord gives to His people the devil perverts into something many people think is awful. People are often afraid to read the Spirit of Prophecy thinking God just wants to take things away from them, like not being able to eat what they want to eat, or do something they want to do, or wear the kinds of clothes they want to wear, or enjoy their entertainment. But He wants to replace the things that harm with habits that will benefit. Wouldn’t it be best to know now the changes that can be made so we will be fit for a holy atmosphere in heaven when Jesus returns?

Ellen White tells us that if we were to study our Bibles well enough, there would be no need of her writings. Interestingly, the man Elijah did not write any books like Isaiah or Jeremiah or Ezekiel. Elijah told Ahab his purpose: “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:18). Elijah’s purpose was to call people back to worship God and keep His commandments. This was also the purpose of John the Baptist and is the purpose of the writings of Ellen White. Those who despise these writings designed to draw the reader to the word of God actually despise the Bible also because the purpose of each is the same—to prepare a people to meet their Lord.

Jesus told a parable of ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13). The Elijah message, to get ready to meet the Lord, must be given before the virgins go out to meet the bridegroom because it was at midnight that the bridegroom came and only the faithful ones who had made the preparation of extra oil went into the banquet hall to the marriage feast.

When the ministry of John the Baptist began, the 70 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy were just about completed. This was to signal the Jews that the Messiah was about to come. The Elijah prophet was not sent to the Romans or the Greeks or the Egyptians; the Elijah prophet was sent to God’s professed people. In the same way, when the Elijah prophet came again, it came to those people who were looking for Christ to come the second time. The Elijah prophet arose among the people who were expecting the Bridegroom to come in the year 1844. God rose up his last day prophet, Ellen G. White.

People want to know if Ellen White passes the Bible test of a prophet because Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets” (Matthew 7:15). Notice, He did not say to beware of all prophets, but of false prophets. The test to see if a person has the true gift of prophecy is found in Isaiah 8:19, 20. It says, “And when they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums [familiar spirits], and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

Care must always be taken that the Scripture is not taken out of context. The Scripture here is not talking simply about preachers or teachers, but the test of a prophet. There are many preachers and teachers today who have still not come to the light of the true Sabbath of the fourth commandment who are preaching truth as they know it. Many of the Protestant reformers in the 16th century were also unaware of the true Sabbath, for they had not yet come to that knowledge. Also, none of those early Protestant reformers, Martin Luther, John Calvin, William Tyndale, to name a few, claimed to be prophets. The Lord used these faithful preachers to bring great blessings to the people of their time who were seeking for truth.

Isaiah’s test of a prophet is to see by which spirit that person is influenced. A false prophet is one who does not teach according to all the law and the testimony. A human teacher can make mistakes. That does not mean there is no light in what he says. We are given Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy to check out what we hear, and only believe what we find in inspired writings. “Truth, whether in nature or in revelation, is harmonious with itself in all its manifestations.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 258.

A true prophet under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is guided and directed by angels in heaven. Their message never contradicts what has already been established as the word of God. It will be in harmony with the law and the testimony.

Ellen White’s writings do not contradict the Bible. In fact, Ellen White says her work includes much more than that of a prophet. (See Selected Messages, Book 1, 32.) There have been three times that I have known of since the history of the world that God has sent to His people somebody who was more than a prophet. The first time was Moses. The second time was John the Baptist. Jesus said that he is more than a prophet (Matthew 11:9; Luke 7:26). The third time is Ellen White.

The book of Numbers reveals another test. The Lord, speaking to Miriam and Aaron, “Then He said, ‘Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face’ ” (Numbers 12:6–8, first part).

There are only a few cases in the Bible where we have record of the Lord speaking to a prophet in a vision and a dream. The most detailed description in all the Bible of this is Daniel’s vision (Daniel 10:1–17). Daniel said, “How can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me” (verse 17). Daniel asks, How is it possible for me to even be talking to you when there is no breath in me? Here is described the condition of a true prophet while in vision.

The word of any person claiming to be a prophet cannot be accepted unless they have had public visions and dreams that can be documented because of this Bible test. It must be seen that the prophet in a vision be not breathing.

Some experienced divers have trained themselves to hold their breath for a little over 3 minutes. To hold their breath much longer than that would cause you to eventually pass out and could cause brain damage.

Ellen White in vision did not breathe for periods of over 4 hours and many times in public she had visions that lasted up to 30 minutes. In the book, Prophet Of the End, Rene Noorbergen, documents some of these occurrences.

The work of a prophet must bear good fruit. In Matthew chapter 7 verses 15–20, Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous [plundering] wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad [rotten] tree bears bad [evil] fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

We are going through the shaking period in earth’s history and the history of the church. We are told that every wind of doctrine would be blowing. Ellen White has told us that the path of truth will lie so close beside the path of error that only by the Holy Spirit will you be able to tell the difference. When you look in her writings you see a balance which is absolutely astonishing, a balance to keep you from going off on tangents.

The writings of the Spirit of Prophecy produce good fruits in the church. When the members take heed of the counsel therein the church comes into harmony and into unity; it comes into line. The members all follow their great Leader and have the same goals. All kinds of problems in the church are solved.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 4:1–3).

This is an interesting test. Every single spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus is come in the flesh is not of God. John goes on to say that this is the way you will know it is the antichrist. The antichrist teaches that Jesus did not come in the flesh. In fact, it teaches that Jesus’ mother Mary was born from an immaculate conception whereby she did not inherit any original sin, therefore Jesus did not inherit any original sin; He was immaculate.

This is a principle teaching of the antichrist and is taught in almost all the Protestant churches. It has even found its way into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. But a true prophet will confess that Jesus came in the flesh. Now in the flesh is a technical term that refers to coming in a fallen nature, coming in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8). God sent His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Do not say that He came in sinful flesh, which neither Scripture nor Ellen White believe. The Scripture says, He came in the likeness of sinful flesh, but it also says that in Him is no sin (1 John 3:5). A true prophet will teach this. Ellen White does teach this.

I found a book in which one of our pioneers documented over 100 predictions Ellen White made that had already come to pass in his lifetime. Jeremiah said, “When the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent” (Jeremiah 28:9). Ellen White made many predictions some of which are coming to pass today.

The purpose of the Spirit of Prophecy is to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord. Our work is to get the three angels’ messages to the world. When they accept it and they have the Spirit of Prophecy, they can become part of God’s last day people.

Ellen White predicted that as we draw close to the end of time, the devil’s temptations on appetite would become more severe and more difficult to overcome. That could not be more apparent today.

In 1973, when I started going to the School of Health at Loma Linda University, we were taught in a basic nutrition class that in the United States at that time, we were having an epidemic of obesity. Our instructor said there was a higher percentage of grossly overweight people in the U.S. than in any other country in the world. In fact, it was so bad that there was slightly over 40 percent of Americans significantly overweight. Today it is far worse, with between 60 to 70 percent overweight. Health practitioners are concerned, knowing that the consequence of this obesity will be the skyrocketing incidents of diabetes, cancer, and all kinds of degenerative disease that could absolutely overload the functioning of the health care delivery system.

We are living in solemn times. We don’t know yet what is going to happen during the time of trouble, but we have been told that unless you are under the Lord’s care, it is going to be more awful than one can imagine. Everything that we think we have in place is going to break down. We’re living in the time just before that time and our only protection is that which comes from the Lord. If we had time to do the research, I believe that we would find thousands of predictions that Ellen White made that have been fulfilled but there are certainly hundreds.

Since World War II, the idea of the fast food industry has developed. Today, with fast food outlets open 24/7, you can eat anything you want any time of the day or night, unlike sixty years ago when restaurants were only open during mealtimes. Now, at 9:30 at night or even later, you often see cars lined up, waiting to get their late evening snack. That snack is not apples or oranges or grapes, but burgers and French fries, the very things that are making our country sick.

We are living in the sickest generation, and it has seriously affected our church. We ought to be preparing for heaven, changing our tastes to a heavenly diet, but many are suffering with preventable diseases the same as those in the world. We are a sick generation.  Ellen White said that if Jesus does not come, the human race would become extinct. Seventh-day Adventists have had the health message for over 150 years, but so few are prepared to put these principles into practice. God’s remnant people are the last people that God will have in this world. Concerning the second advent movement, He says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

At the end of time there will only be two groups of people: the remnant and those in spiritual Babylon. They will either be part of the second advent movement, or they will be in Babylon. The Lord has given us precious truth and it is this knowledge that is designed to get you out of this world. When you tell others about it, it can get them out of this world – alive. Study the overwhelming evidence, for it is precious truth for this last generation, not for us to hold onto jealously, but to share with others.

The world is going to end soon and when everything comes to pass and Jesus returns, I want to be one of the remnant. Do you? “In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls” (Joel 2:32).

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Do You Really Love Jesus? Part I

Do you love Jesus? Do you really love Jesus? I hope that you do, and I hope I do. I want to study with you one very important aspect of having love for Jesus which, if we understand it, will bring us into much more unity.

In Revelation 12:17 it says, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Is the devil extra mad at just those who keep the Ten Commandments? No. It is good to keep the Ten Commandments, but I tell you, there is more to it than just keeping the seventh–day Sabbath and the other nine commandments. It says, “…and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Some people, even those who claim to be Seventh-day Adventists and claim to believe in Ellen White, say that this verse is not a prophecy about Ellen White and the Spirit of Prophecy. Even though Revelation 19:10 says the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, some still deny this. If they do claim to believe in Ellen White, then let us see what Ellen White has to say about it.

As a true prophet, she does not go around bragging, claiming that this verse in Revelation is about her. True prophets do not brag. That is one of the marks of her being a true prophet. But consider this quote in Testimonies to Ministers, 114, “We have the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” She is referring to Revelation 12:17. But she continues, “We have the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, which is the Spirit of Prophecy.” So if you are going to believe in Ellen White, then you are going to believe that Revelation 12:17 is about the Spirit of Prophecy.

In Revelation 19:10 and Revelation 22:8, 9, John the Revelator starts to worship the angel, and the angel says, “No, worship God. I am thy fellowservant and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus and thy brethren the prophets.”

If you compare those verses, one verse puts in the testimony of Jesus and the other verse puts in the prophet, the testimony of Jesus and the prophets. That is all the prophets, of course, not just Ellen White, but other Bible prophets as well, constitute the testimony of Jesus Christ.

“Our work is to proclaim the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Selected Messages, book 2, 116. What is our work? It is to preach the law to the world, the seventh–day Sabbath, the Ten Commandments, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of Prophecy.

Two great errors of doctrine that are mentioned in The Great Controversy, 588 are the natural immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness. But there are really three fundamental subjects, according to Mrs. White, which are very important in the end time.

“The subjects of the Sabbath, the nature of man, and the testimony of Jesus are the great and important truths to be understood; these will prove as an anchor to hold God’s people in these perilous times.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 300.

What is important according to this quote? The Spirit of Prophecy, the testimony of Jesus, is very important. It is right up there with the Sabbath and the state of the dead.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5, 6.

If you have read the New Testament, you know what Jesus said John the Baptist was the Elias which was to come. In Luke 1:17 it even quotes from Malachi 4:6, “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.” So John the Baptist was a fulfillment of this Elijah prophecy. But it was not only John the Baptist who was to fulfill this prophecy, because the great and dreadful day of the Lord is primarily, throughout the Scriptures, referring to the Second Advent.

Elijah, the prophet before the Second Advent, was also to fulfill this prophecy of Malachi 4:5, 6. Once again Ellen White did not brag; never once did she say, “I am the Elijah prophet.” In fact, she never even said she was a prophet. This alone is pretty strong evidence, in and of itself, that she was a true prophet.

She not only knew her mission as a prophet; she knew her mission as a fulfillment of the Elijah prophecy. “To claim to be a prophetess is something that I have never done. If others call me by that name, I have no controversy with them.” “Others have called me a prophetess, but I have never assumed that title. [Do you see the humility?] I have not felt that it was my duty thus to designate myself.… [Now read carefully.] My work includes much more than this name signifies. …My commission embraces the work of a prophet. …It embraces much more than the minds of those who have been sowing the seeds of unbelief can comprehend.” “I know that many have called me a prophet, but I have made no claim to this title. …My work includes much more than the word ‘prophet’ signifies.” Selected Messages, book 1, 34, 36, 32.

Why is this important? What significance is this in relation to the Elijah prophecy? Well, in Luke 7:26, Jesus said, referring to John the Baptist, the second Elijah, “…what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.” This is the very same phrase that is referred to of Ellen White, “Much more than a prophet.”

John the Baptist was the second Elijah who was sent before the coming of the first advent of the Lord to prepare the way for the people to be ready. Scriptures regarding that may be found in Luke 1; Luke 3; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3, and John 1:23. John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way of the Lord and make straight the path.

Well, Ellen White, the third Elijah, was sent to prepare people for the Second Coming of Christ. “…the very means that God has chosen to fit up a people to stand in the day of the Lord.” Selected Messages, book. 1, 45. So she is what? preparing people to stand in the day of the Lord.

It is true that Jesus said of John the Baptist, “…Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” Matthew 11:11. Of course, that refers to greater in mission and message. We are all sinners; we are all equal through the cross, in that sense, but John had a greater mission and message than any among those born of women.

However, when Jesus said that, was Ellen White yet born? No, she had not yet been born. Notice what God said to Ellen White about her mission and message: “Dedicate yourself to the highest work ever committed to mortals.” Selected Messages, book 1, 39. Would that be higher than John the Baptist? Yes, it would.

Another way we know that Ellen White is the third Elijah is because the second Elijah came in fulfillment of the time prophecy of Daniel 8 and 9. 457 B.C. down to 27 A.D. is when John the Baptist came on the scene to prepare the way for the Messiah. Well, take the same time prophecy and 2300 days, 457 B.C. down to 1844, is when Ellen White received her prophetic mission shortly, after the disappointment.

But, some may say, Ellen White is not the Elijah prophet because she herself said, “Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears [Male or female? Male], men may say, ‘You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message.’” Selected Messages, book 1, 412.

So they say that she herself said that the Elijah prophet was yet in the future and that this prophet would be male in gender. However, if you examine the context of that statement, she was actually referring to the situation in the Minneapolis General Conference, 1888, the problems there and the people who were rejecting the authority of the Spirit of Prophecy. (See Ibid., 406–416.)

She was modestly referring to herself by saying, “is to come” (future tense) and “he” (male gender), she was speaking so that she was not bragging or saying, “I am the Elijah prophet, you are rejecting me.” Really, it was not Ellen White herself, it was the message from God, the testimony of Jesus that they were rejecting. (Also see Testimonies to Ministers,Appendix Notes for page 415, 534, 535.)

The male pronoun, “he,” also is used no doubt because the original Elijah the Tishbite was a male, as was John the Baptist. God even called two men before Ellen White, remember? But the apostle Paul said something similar in 2 Corinthians 12. He is addressing the very same subject—people who were undermining his apostolic and prophetic authority—and he is defending his authority as modestly as he can. (See also 2 Corinthians 9, 10, 11.)

Paul says, “I knew a man, . . . And I knew such a man, . . . How that he was caught up into paradise.” 2 Corinthians 12:2-4. Who was he talking about? Himself! The same type of situation as we just discussed with Mrs. White. Consider also the story of John the Baptist. The people came and asked him, “Are you Elijah?” What did he say? “I am not.” If John the Baptist can say, “I am not the Elijah prophet” and still be the Elijah prophet, surely Ellen the Adventist can say, “When he comes,” and still be the Elijah prophet.

Some people say that Ellen White was not really the Elijah prophet; but the Elijah prophet really includes all of God’s people at the end of time who are faithful and give the Three Angels’ Messages. Have you ever heard that? They claim that is the fulfillment of the Elijah prophet in Malachi 4. There are several Spirit of Prophecy quotes that seem to refer to that, also. But what you need to notice is the difference between the word “prophet” and the word “message.” We are all to help spread the Elijah message. We can all be Elijah messengers. None of us are the Elijah prophet. Ellen White was the Elijah prophet. (See Testimonies, vol. 3, 62; Prophets and Kings, 142, 186; Gospel Workers, 150; Early Writings, 233.)

We should look at Matthew 17:10, 11 also. Jesus here is referring to John the Baptist and the disciples are asking why the scribes say that Elias, or Elijah, must first come. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” Matthew 17:11.

Why did all things need to be restored? How long had it been since there was a living prophet? It had been about 400 years since Malachi, the last living prophet. The devil had had 400 years to twist the truth and deceive people more and more, so the Elijah prophet came to restore all things after a long period of no living prophet.

What about Ellen White? Was there a long period of no living prophet when Ellen White came? It was even longer. The world had gone through the Dark Ages. Ellen White came to restore all things. When you read the Spirit of Prophecy, you find that all of the things modern Christianity has twisted up are straightened out in the Spirit of Prophecy. Praise God, all things have been restored!

However, the next verse is even more important. “But I say unto you, That Elias [or Elijah] is come already, and they knew him [her] not.” Matthew 17:12. The same thing has happened; the very same thing, sad but true. That is another identification of a true prophet. Down through history, true prophets have not been readily accepted. They were stoned to death and rejected!

Let us look now at the Third Angel’s Message. What does that message include? The mark of the beast and the commandments of God (See Revelation 14:12.), but it is not just the Sabbath commandment, the commandments are plural. As we have already read in Revelation 12:17, the remnant not only keep the commandments but they have the testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy.

There are many Sabbath–keeping religions. Some religions believe the truth on the state of the dead. Neither one of those things make them Seventh-day Adventists or makes them ready for the Second Coming of Christ—as good as they are, in and of themselves.

Belonging to the General Conference does not make you a Seventh-day Adventist, either. The 2300 day prophecy of Daniel 8:14, the sanctuary, the cleansing of the sanctuary, the Three Angels’ Messages and the Spirit of Prophecy are the things that are unique to the Seventh-day Adventist message. They are very important if we are going to be prepared for the Second Advent of Christ.

That does not just mean you and me; it includes preparing others during the Loud Cry to be ready. “As the end draws near and the work of giving the last warning to the world extends [What would that be, giving the last warning to the world,—”Earth’s Final Warning,” the Loud Cry? ], it becomes more important for those who accept present truth [What would that be? the Three Angels’ Messages.] to have a clear understanding of the nature and influence of the Testimonies, which God in His providence has linked with the work of the Third Angel’s Message from its very rise.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 654. So what is linked to the Third Angel’s Message? The Testimonies. And it is more important, as the Loud Cry goes out, that people understand the nature and influence of the Testimonies.

“…the Testimonies have their place in the Third Angel’s Message.” The Ellen G. White, 1888 Materials, vol. 2, 684. “We had regarded the testimonies as interwoven with the Third Angel’s Message.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 13, 52.

In case it is not clear yet, look at this quote: “The proclamation of the Third Angel’s Message, the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus, is the burden of our work. The message is to be proclaimed with a loud cry, and is to go to the whole world.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 75. I do not know if it could get any clearer. Those giving the true Loud Cry are not only going to be presenting the Sabbath and the state of the dead, but they are going to be defending the Spirit of Prophecy.

Some think they are part of the Loud Cry. “These persons are disposed to conceal the fact that in connection [Notice this again.] with the work of the Third Angel’s Message the Lord through the Spirit of Prophecy has been communicating to His people a knowledge of His will. They think that the truth will be received more readily if this fact is not made prominent. [Have you ever heard that? Do not bring the Spirit of Prophecy out to these non-Adventists; just read the Bible to them; just quote the Bible.] But this is mere human reasoning.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, vol. 2, 808.

Let us look at the seriousness of the rejection of the Spirit of Prophecy, which is rampant among professed Seventh-day Adventists. I am sad to say that this is true everywhere I turn.

Many will profess to be a Seventh-day Adventist, profess to believe in the Spirit of Prophecy and to love Jesus. But do they really love Jesus, if they reject the Spirit of Prophecy and the Spirit of Prophecy is the testimony of Jesus? “…the Lord came to me in the night season and spoke precious words of encouragement concerning my work. . . . With regard to those who have turned from the light sent to them, He said: ‘In slighting and rejecting the testimony that I have given you to bear, it is not you, but Me, your Lord, that they have slighted.’” Testimonies, vol. 5, 688.

Who are they slighting? Jesus! It is not the testimony of Ellen White; it is the testimony of Jesus. They do not love Jesus as much as they say they do. Jesus said, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” Matthew 15:8.

“There can only be two classes. Each party is distinctly stamped, either with the seal of the living God, or with the mark of the beast.” Last Day Events, 215. In the end, you are either going to receive the seal of God or the mark of the beast. Many people are not only losing their salvation now, but many who are Saturday–keepers are going to lose their salvation and receive the mark of the beast because they have rejected the Spirit of Prophecy. They will not keep Sunday as the Sabbath, yet they will still receive the mark of the beast.

“Not all who profess to keep the Sabbath will be sealed.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 213. If you are keeping Sunday, are you professing to keep the Sabbath? No, so there are some who will be keeping Saturday, professing to keep the Sabbath, who will not be sealed, and they will receive the mark of the beast.

“When you find men questioning the testimonies, finding fault with them, and seeking to draw away the people from their influence, be assured that God is not at work through them. It is another spirit. . . . they find fault, and condemn the very means that God has chosen to fit up a people to stand in the day of the Lord.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 45. If we are not prepared to stand in the day of the Lord, we are not going to receive the seal of God. If we reject the testimonies, we are going to receive the mark of the beast.

“Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully. …Oh, how many… [are found] in the time of trouble without a shelter. …Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, . . . will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building.” Early Writings, 71.

We have already studied that John the Baptist was the second Elijah; Ellen White is the third Elijah. Those who rejected the testimony of John the Baptist were placed “where they could not readily receive the strongest evidence that He was the Messiah [Jesus]. Satan led on those who rejected the message of John to go still farther, to reject and crucify Christ.” Early Writings, 259.

To crucify Christ literally was the worst thing that has even been done and ever will be done. It was done by those who rejected the message of the second Elijah, and it is happening again, spiritually. We crucify Christ spiritually by rejecting Him and His testimony. Those who are rejecting the message of the third Elijah will not be ready for the Second Advent.

Not that it has not been clear enough already, but the more we read from the Spirit of Prophecy, the more it shows how very important this subject is and how serious it is that the people are undermining its authority.

“I saw the state of some who stood on present truth [In other words, they claimed to believe the Three Angels’ Messages and the Sabbath.], but disregarded the visions. . . . I saw it was a small thing to speak against the instrument [referring to Ellen White herself], but it was dangerous to slight the words of God. I saw if they were in error and God chose to show them their errors through visions, and they disregarded the teachings of God through visions, they would be left to take their own way, and run in the way of error, and think they were right, until they would find it out too late. Then in the time of trouble I heard them cry to God in agony, ‘Why didst Thou not show us our wrong, that we might have got right and been ready for this time.’ Then an angel pointed to them and said, ‘My Father taught, but you would not be taught. He spoke through visions, but you disregarded His voice.…’” Selected Messages, book 1, 40. Just like that quote we read before from Early Writings, people will come up to the time of the plagues and then see that they needed to be “hewed by the prophets.”

“The truths committed to me, as the Lord’s messenger, stand immortalized, either to convict and to convert souls, or to condemn those who have departed from the faith.…” Publishing Ministry, 359.

“My Saviour declared me to be His messenger. ‘Your work,’ He instructed me, ‘is to bear My word…. The messages for these last days shall be written in books, and shall stand immortalized, to testify against those who have once rejoiced in the light, but who have been led to give it up because of the seductive influences of evil.…’” Selected Messages, book 1, 32.

“What reserve power has the Lord with which to reach those who have… accredited the testimonies of the Spirit of God to no higher source than human wisdom? In the judgment what can you who have done this offer to God as an excuse for turning from the evidences He has given you that God was in the work?… You cannot neglect God’s messages of warning, and cannot reject them or treat them lightly, but at the peril of infinite loss.” Testimonies To Ministers, 465, 466.

People everywhere are treating the Testimonies lightly. Not only rejecting them, but also treating them lightly, puts the soul in peril.

“Through His Holy Spirit the voice of God has come to us continually in warning and instruction, to confirm the faith of the believers in the Spirit of Prophecy…. Those who are indifferent to this light and instruction must not expect to escape the snares which we have been plainly told will cause the rejecters of light to stumble, and fall, and be snared, and be taken.” Selected Messages, book 1, 41.

“One thing is certain [No question about it here; one thing is certain.]: Those Seventh-day Adventists who take their stand under Satan’s banner will first give up their faith in the… Testimonies of God’s Spirit.” Selected Messages, book 3, 84.

“Let not those who seek to hedge up my way and destroy the influence of my words, deceive themselves with the belief that they are doing God service. They are serving another master, and they will be rewarded according to their work…. Rebellion will exist as long as Satan exists.” Selected Messages, book 1, 72. What does she call this? “rebellion.” Undermining the authority of the Spirit of Prophecy, casting doubt upon it, is rebellion.

“When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts til he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 211.

Well, you say, what if someone does not even believe that Ellen White was a true prophet or qualifies as a true prophet? “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:18, 19.

They are already condemned if they do not believe. Light has come into the world. When Jesus was here, the light came in through John the Baptist and through Jesus Himself, and people were condemned if they rejected the light, regardless of whether or not they believed. It says, “He that believeth… is not condemned. He that believeth not is condemned….”

We are not talking about those who have not had the opportunity to study the question of whether Ellen White was a prophet of God. We are talking about those who have had the opportunity, but because they loved darkness rather than light, they say, “I do not believe that Ellen White was a true prophet.” They are condemned anyway and we cannot make the judgment as to whether they have had enough light or not. The principle, however, is very clear. “…because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.…” Hosea 4:6.

“If you feel just as safe in following your own impulses as in following the light given by God’s delegated servant, the peril is your own; you will be condemned because you rejected the light which heaven had sent you.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 688.

“These words were spoken to me: ‘Your work is appointed you of God. Many will not hear you, for they refused to hear the Great Teacher.’” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 29. Almost all of them rejected Christ, right? Does that justify them because they said I do not believe Christ is the true Messiah? No, we just read that. They are condemned anyway. “‘Many will not hear you, for they refused to hear the Great Teacher; many will not be corrected, for their ways are right in their own eyes.’” Ibid.

In fact, this has been a problem, not just since the days of Christ, but since Old Testament times. In Jeremiah 25:4, we read, “And the Lord hath sent unto you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not harkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.”

“And He said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against Me: they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house).…” Ezekiel 2:3-5.

Why is it that they were rebellious? It says, “…yet shall [they] know that there hath been a prophet among them.” Verse 5. We just read this same thing from the Spirit of Prophecy. Rejection of the Spirit of Prophecy is rebellion. That is what it says here, rejection of the prophets.

“Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.” II Chronicles 24:19. In II Chronicles 36:16 we are told, “But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.” Verse 17 says this rejecting the messages of the prophets is why He brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans and they were taken captive into Babylon.

Have carnal hearts changed in this day and age? No, sad to say, they have not. In fact, down through history the professed people of God have claimed to accept previous prophets and maybe even lived by what was written, but the present prophet has always been rejected.

The same thing is happening now. Previous prophets are accepted and believed, but when it comes to the present prophet, Ellen White, she is rejected.

“When once men have admitted doubt and unbelief of the testimonies of the Spirit of God, they are strongly tempted to adhere to the opinions which they have avowed before others…. The doubts indulged through ignorance, pride, or love of sinful practices, rivet upon the soul fetters that are seldom broken. Christ, and He alone, can give the needed power to break them.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 46. Praise God! Jesus can break the soul fetters!

Again, I can testify that this is true. When people admit with their mouth (or even worse in writing) doubts about the Spirit of Prophecy or things that the Spirit of Prophecy teaches, they are unwilling, in almost every case because of pride, to admit that they were wrong and to change and submit to the authority of the Spirit of Prophecy.

Let us get into some specifics. “The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish.’ (Proverbs 29:18.) Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God’s remnant people in the true testimony. There will be hatred kindled against the Testimonies which is satanic. The workings of Satan will be to unsettle the faith of the churches in them, for this reason: Satan cannot have so clear a track to bring in his deceptions and bind up souls in his delusions if the warnings and reproofs and counsels of the Spirit of God are heeded.” Selected Messages, book 1, 48.

In this quote we not only see the principle, the prophecy of the deception of making of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God in unsettling confidence, but it says Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways with the remnant people, who have their confidence unsettled.

In Part 2 we will look at some of the ingenious ways the devil has used to unsettle the faith of the remnant.

To be continued . . .