By John Thiel, mp3

The beautiful appeals of Jesus’ voice calling us and the deep emotional comfort that is found in the meditation of these words. We can hear His voice calling us; and as we come to Him, He draws us closer and answers us according to our inward need.

Though coming weak and vile,

Thou dost my strength assure;

Come unto Me and rest;

Lay down, thou weary one, lay down

Thy head upon My breast.

We have been trying to reach for someone we cannot see, someone that we couldn’t hear with our ears, someone that would seem to be elusive to our sense; yet we learnt that He does speak to us through His words. As it says in Isaiah, we are to search in the book of the Lord and all Christians believe that the Bible is indeed the book of the Lord. The closeness of the Lord to us is here brought to our appreciation:

Hearing the Voice of God

Isaiah 34:16 Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.

As you seek in the book of the Lord you will read what God has commanded and said. As you open the sacred pages of the Bible you can sense God very close to you.

Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

That precious comfort of reading the Bible and finding a very intimate relationship with God through the Bible, so that whatever questions arise in your heart that you need answers to, the answers can actually be found in an intimate fellowship with the Lord through His word.

As Christ lived the law in humanity, so we may do if we will take hold of the Strong for strength. But we are not to place the responsibility of our duty upon others, and wait for them to tell us what to do. {DA 668.4}

When we wait for other human beings to tell us what to do, this often happens: they say to me or to one of you, “Please, if you can see I am doing wrong, tell me so.” I balk every time I hear that. Who am I to go to my brother and sister who is not much older than me, or younger than me, and tell them what they should be doing? This is not God’s way. But we are called upon as ministers of the Lord to preach the word, so that everybody can hear it from the Lord; then you will go carefully and ponder about what the Lord says. As you do ponder about the word of God:

The Lord will teach us our duty just as willingly as He will teach somebody else. If we come to Him in faith, He will speak His mysteries to us personally. Our hearts will often burn within us as One draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch. {DA 668.4}

Here is a beautiful appreciation that our mind is exercised by, that Enoch walked with God, and he was not because God translated him. We, today, are living in a time in which we know that we are living in the last generation, according to prophecy, and we, like Enoch, need to know what it is to walk with God so that we can be translated as He was translated. Today we want to seek such a fellowship, such an intimate fellowship with Him through the help that Jesus has offered us just now; just like in the days of Enoch, the ability to walk with Jesus Christ so closely by understanding exactly what He wants to tell us to prepare us. Here apostle Paul is saying how happy he was that the grace of God which is given by Jesus Christ had an effect, it enriched them, by Him:

The Testimony of Christ Confirmed in You

1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and [in] all knowledge;

The beauty of the enriching of God in our life is the discovery of Him in knowledge, in the utterance…

1 Corinthians 1:6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

What we read here is more relevant for us today than it ever was in any past history. Of all the people who are waiting for the coming of the Lord, we are, are we not? Here it says that the testimony of Christ was to be confirmed in you, so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus. What does he say the testimony of Jesus is meant to do?

1 Corinthians 1:8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are to reach that goal, to be as holy as He is holy. As we are waiting for the coming of Jesus, and as we need to be blameless like Him, He is going to give us the testimony of Christ to confirm us, so that under this gift we might be confirmed unto the end. What a fellowship…

1 Corinthians 1:9 God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

What are we called to? Jesus wants to have that fellowship with us, especially in the last days, so that through that fellowship of walking and talking with Him, He may be able to present us blameless. You need a very strong influx in your life of the testimony of Christ, so that you can actually hear Him speaking to you, very crystal clear; you will know exactly what He wants you to do to be blameless when He comes, very emphatic. Didn’t Jesus say:

Matthew 28:20 … and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

This beautiful text in 1 Corinthians reemphasizes that wonderful promise. You’re going to have me with you at the end of the world; and I am going to give you my testimony, my personal communication with you, my fellowship. Examine this very carefully; the testimony of Christ must be confirmed in you, so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He
shall confirm you unto the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. For those who live at the end of the world, they must be blameless; they must be like Him at the coming of Jesus. We read it in Hebrews:

Hebrews 12:14 … and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

We must be holy, or else we can’t see the Lord.

1 John 3:2 … we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

What special gift is this, according to 1 Corinthians? That gift of the testimony of Christ; so that through the testimony of Christ He may confirm us and show us, in such a way, through His fellowship, that we will be blameless. That special gift, that testimony of Christ; what is the testimony of Christ that is here spoken of? Here, John the revelator, who was himself receiving a vision, falls down at the feet of the one who was in his vision, and this person says, “Don’t do that …”

Revelation 19:10 … I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus:

Here it is again, the testimony of Christ. Now what is it? What does he say it is?

Revelation 19:10 … worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

It makes sense, doesn’t it? “That you come behind in no gift”, what is one of the gifts that are given to the church?

1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets

That is one of the gifts; and we must not come behind in the church of this gift of prophecy, as we come close to the very end, because this gift of prophecy is necessary for us so that we can stand blameless before the Lord. In other words, it’s a detailed wording of Jesus to us, that we might know exactly what He wants me to do, and how close He wants to be to you and me, so that we can actually welcome Him when He comes in person. What a precious Biblical comfort is here contained, that we do not need any man to tell us when it comes down to the fine detail because He will help us in the last days.

The company of people who live in the last days are identified here. There in chapter 12 is the story of the birth of Jesus and how He was snatched up to heaven and Satan wanted to devour Him but He was snatched away; then the history of the church, right through to the very last days, and here we are today in verse 17:

Revelation 12:17 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.

There you’ve got the two texts together, the testimony of Christ and the testimony of Jesus, put them two together you have the testimony of Jesus Christ. They have the testimony of Jesus Christ, which is the Spirit of Prophecy; which is the gift that is going to prepare us to stand blameless when Jesus comes. The Spirit of Prophecy has been given to us to render us blameless at the day of the Lord. There is another scripture that talks about the day of the coming of the Lord, that the Lord will give us the prophet.

Elijah the Prophet

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 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.

We would expect then that ever since the Bible has identified the end of the world due, we would see a wonderful, powerful manifestation of the Spirit of Prophecy in the likeness of Elijah the prophet. Tell me, did you ever read any book in the Bible written by Elijah the prophet? Have you ever read any Bible book entitled “Elijah”? That’s a very important little point because many people today say, “I will only go by the Bible and the Bible only!” And what about Elijah the prophet that will come to the people in the last days? Are you going to reject Him because it’s not written in the Bible what he says? Something to think about… if God was to send us the Spirit of Prophecy in the last day, we would expect then that we are going to hear a prophet speaking to us, correct? Let’s examine it, let’s have a look. When you study Revelation, what are the dates that have to do with the end of the world? What is the first date that comes to your mind? 1798, the time of the end; so from 1798 we would expect that somewhere there, in the days afterwards, we would discover a rising of such a prophet. What’s another date that connects with the end of the world? 1844:

Daniel 8:17 … Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end [shall be] the vision.

Between 1798 and 1844, we would expect Elijah the prophet, correct? We would expect the revelation of that promise, of the Spirit of Prophecy. Let’s have a look at the history. You know that the Christian church, back in 1798 to 1844, was the church of Sardis that was addressed in 1798, which were the Protestant churches. Therefore you would expect that that church that existed in that time as God’s church would receive some visions of prophecy; and there we know the movement that began at the proclamation of the 2300 days prophecy in the first angel’s message. It began to be proclaimed after William Miller had studied it; in 1833 he began to preach and there was a great movement of Protestant people who were realizing that now is the time of the end. They were uniting their forces together, there were people like William Miller, there was William Foy, there were others together, Stockman and all these other different men, it was a whole team of them. Many people say it was just William Miller, oh no, it was a whole team of ministers. As these preachers were preaching the coming of 1844, which they believed was the coming of Jesus – You can appreciate why they thought that because 1798 was the time of the end, we had 1798 to 1844, “Well, it must be that it is in 1844 that He is coming.” So they expected that, and they preached that. – There, in that company, we would then expect that the Lord will then bring them a message through prophecy, through the Spirit of Prophecy. That is precisely what happened. J.N Loughborough here speaks about one of these preachers, his name was William Foy:

Appeals of the Spirit of Prophecy

In the year 1842 there was living in Boston, Mass., a well-educated man by the name of William Foy, who was an eloquent speaker. He was a Baptist, but was preparing to take holy orders as an Episcopal minister. The Lord graciously gave him two visions in the year 1842, one on the 18th of January, the other on February 4. These visions bore clear evidence of being the genuine manifestations of the Spirit of God. He was invited from place to place to speak in the pulpits, not by the Episcopalians only, but by the Baptists and other denominations. When he spoke, he always wore the clergyman’s robe, such as the ministers of that church wear in their services. {1905 JNL, GSAM 145.4}

Mr. Foy’s visions related to the near advent of Christ, the travels of the people of God to the heavenly city, the new earth, and the glories of the redeemed state. Having a good command of language, with fine descriptive powers, he created a sensation wherever he went. {1905 JNL, GSAM 146.1}

It would have been lovely to be under that ministry. What an experience, to hear somebody firsthand having had visions.

By invitation he went from city to city to tell of the wonderful things he had seen; and in order to accommodate the vast crowds who assembled to hear him, large halls were secured, where he related to thousands what had been shown him of the heavenly world, the loveliness of the New Jerusalem, and of the angelic hosts. When dwelling on the tender, compassionate love of Christ for poor sinners, he exhorted the unconverted to seek God, and scores responded to his tender entreaties. {1905 JNL, GSAM 146.1}

His work continued until the year 1844, near the close of the twenty-three hundred days. Then he was favored with another manifestation of the Holy Spirit, -a third vision, one which he did not understand. In this he was shown the pathway of the people of God through to the heavenly city. He saw a great platform, or step, on which multitudes of people gathered. Occasionally one would drop through this platform out of sight, and of such a one it was said to him, “Apostatized.” Then he saw the people rise to a second step, or platform, and some there also dropped through the platform out of sight. Finally a third platform appeared, which extended to the gates of the holy city. A great company gathered with those who had advanced to this platform. As he expected the Lord Jesus to come in a very short time, he failed to recognize the fact that a third message was to follow the first and second messages of Revelation 14. Consequently the vision was to him unexplainable, and he ceased public speaking. After the close of the prophetic period, in the year 1845, he heard another relate the same vision, with the explanation that “the first and second messages had been given, and that a third was to follow.” Soon after this Mr. Foy sickened and died. {1905 JNL, GSAM 146.2}

There we had the Spirit of Prophecy being appealed upon the heart of a man. But what did this man do? This man couldn’t understand the vision, and to what it would relate, because they expected Jesus to come, so he refused. Stop to think; if this man would have received the vision and proclaimed it, and the thousands of people heard that it was yet another step to take, what a disappointment would have been prevented. But this man wouldn’t because he didn’t like what he heard in the vision. Well, the Lord was very eager to make sure that the people got it, so there was another man that He came to visit, his name was Hazen Foss:

About this time there lived in Poland, Maine, a young man by the name of Hazen Foss, who firmly believed the Lord would come on the tenth day of the seventh month. He was a man of fine appearance, pleasing address, and quite well educated. A few weeks before the “midnight cry” ended, the Lord came near and gave him a vision, in which he was shown the journey of the advent people to the city of God, with their dangers. {1905 JNL, GSAM 182.1}

What a wonderful confirmation of 1 Corinthians, isn’t it? that the Spirit of Prophecy would come to confirm you in these last days.

Some messages of warning were given to him, which he was to deliver, and he had also a view of the trials and persecution that would consequently follow if he was faithful in relating what had been shown him. {1905 JNL, GSAM 182.1}

Yes, he was going to be persecuted for it.

He, like Mr. Foy, was shown three steps by which the people of God were to come fully upon the pathway to the holy city. Being a firm believer in the Lord’s coming “in a few more days” (as they then sang), the part of the vision relating to the three steps onto the pathway was to him unexplainable; and being naturally of a proud spirit, he shrunk from the cross, and refused to relate it. {1905 JNL, GSAM 182.1}

This was a few days before the disappointment. What a wonderful God, He has given them provision in the Spirit of Prophecy.

The vision was repeated the second time, and in addition he was told that if he still refused to relate what had been shown him, the burden would be taken from him, and be given to one of the weakest of the Lord’s children, one who would faithfully relate what God would reveal. He again refused. Then a third vision was given, and he was told that he was released, and the burden was laid upon one of the weakest of the weak, who would do the Lord’s bidding. {1905 JNL, GSAM 182.1}

The Spirit of Prophecy came upon two men; and if the first one would have received it we would have been illuminated today by that man, under the gift of the Spirit of Prophecy. But because he rejected it, there came a second man; and this man might have been the one who would have done what a prophet should have done, but he again rejected. What was God left with? Someone who would. I hear so many times today, “God only speaks through men, He doesn’t speak through women.” Well, He tried; He tried to speak through men, but these men, like men are, tended to be very cocky sure of themselves, and they didn’t believe what God was telling them to do. God would then come upon the weakest of the weak. What does the Bible call a woman? She is a weaker vessel.

The Weakest of the Weak

1 Peter 3:7 … giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel,

Not only was this woman the weaker vessel, but she was the weakest of the weak, that He would rest His vision upon. Therefore, we have the story here:

Miss Harmon was at that time in a very critical condition of health. For a number of weeks she had scarcely been able to speak above a whisper. One physician had decided that her trouble was dropsical consumption. {1905 JNL, GSAM 202.2}

What’s that? Tuberculosis.

He said her right lung was decayed, and the left one considerably diseased, and that her heart was affected. {1905 JNL, GSAM 202.2}

If your heart is affected, doesn’t it mean you have to die?

He said he did not think she could live but a very short time at most, and was liable to drop away at any time. It was with great difficulty that she could breathe when lying down. At night she obtained rest only by being bolstered up in bed in an almost sitting posture. Frequent spells of coughing and hemorrhages from the lungs had greatly reduced her physical strength. {1905 JNL, GSAM 202.2}

Doesn’t God provide an interesting instrument? The weakest of the weak. There she was in the home of this Mrs. Haines, and as they were praying together, the description was there were about five women there, praying before the Lord – That was after the disappointment now. – waiting to visit them with the Holy Spirit; and as they were praying, Ellen Harmon fell into vision. There she was given the exact same vision that William Foy rejected, that Hazen Foss rejected, the path of God’s people traveling up to the city with the three platforms; that was given to her. In all her weakness and all her incapacity, and in her poor education that she had suffered under, she did what the Lord told her to do. There is what the Lord told her to do. Besides having to give those visions to the people at that time and tell them the explanation of the disappointment, He then went on to speak with her, and He said this:

The Lord’s Messenger

Early in my youth I was asked several times, Are you a prophet? I have ever responded, I am the Lord’s messenger. I know that many have called me a prophet, but I have made no claim to this title. My Saviour declared me to be His messenger. “Your work,” He instructed me, “is to bear My word. Strange things will arise, and in your youth I set you apart to bear the message to the erring ones, to carry the word before unbelievers, and with pen and voice to reprove from the Word actions that are not right. Exhort from the Word. I will make My Word open to you. {1SM 32.2}

Notice carefully now:

It shall not be as a strange language. In the true eloquence of simplicity, with voice and pen, the messages that I give shall be heard from one who has never learned in the schools. {1SM 32.2}

What is it saying? The messages that “I give”, “I will make my Word open to you”, and “it shall not be as a strange language.” We live today at a time when the Bible is said to be difficult to be understood because it is an old language. What do they do nowadays? They come out with all the new versions that have been polluted because the churches that translate those versions have already fallen; so what do you expect from church ministers and people who are scholars in those fallen churches? to translate the Bible correctly? But now I’m going to speak through my servant, says Jesus; the Spirit of Prophecy will actually have its effect in the simplicity with voice and pen.

My Spirit and My power shall be with you. {1SM 32.2}

“Be not afraid of man, for My shield shall protect you. It is not you that speaketh: it is the Lord that giveth the messages of warning and reproof. Never deviate from the truth under any circumstances. Give the light I shall give you. The messages for these last days {1SM 32.3}

Doesn’t that sound like 1 Corinthians 1, that the gift of the Spirit of Prophecy would be there as the testimony of Jesus, so that you will be confirmed, and be without blame at the coming of the Lord?

Give the light I shall give you. 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.” {1SM 32.3}

Today we have books, don’t we? from the pen of Ellen G. White. God said, Jesus said to her, “it is not you that speaketh, it is I, and I have caused these books to be written so that they will stand immortalized”; so that those who want to be under the influence of the testimony of Jesus will hear Jesus speaking to them in such simple language that it cannot be mistaken. I love a personal relationship with Jesus. I love to be able to hear Him speak to me through His pages, so that I can understand it without any need for interpretation, just as it reads. So many people think that the Bible is so difficult to get the messages clear. Well, He says, okay, here is My word now, through the prophet, that will tell the people. Through the years, many, many doubts of E.G. White’s writings have been raised, through the history of Adventism. In fact, today Adventism has nearly, virtually ignored those books. They don’t present them anymore as the word of Jesus Christ to us. There are many that say, “How do we know that E.G. White was really inspired from the Lord? How do we know?” Well, you know, I was only a half-believer on E.G. White. Oh I loved Desire of Ages, I loved Steps to Christ, I loved all those devotional books, they were so lovely because I loved a relationship with Jesus. But when it came to the testimonies, when it told me there that I was to be a vegetarian, when it told me there that my clothing wasn’t right, when it told me there that I wasn’t doing the right thing in the world, that I was watching films and those other sorts of things, I just put her aside. “That’s not necessary. Jesus loves me as I am.” Oh He does too, but, what does it say there? “I want to speak to you, so that I can prepare you to be without blame at the coming of Jesus. That’s how you’re going to be there. That’s the only way that you’re going to get there, through me showing you.” So He says, “Here is the word; I am speaking to you through the words that are penned there by My servant, who was prepared to share it with you; the other two didn’t, this one was.” We want to ask the question, “How do we know that E.G. White was really inspired from above?” It’s very interesting, she herself challenged the people, and this is what she said:

From Above of From Beneath

Is this work of the last thirty-six years from above or from beneath? {1SM 27.1}

That’s exactly what my own challenge was, because I was putting her on the side; and I was challenged by certain people that I was studying with because I was thrown into chaos myself, “She is not of God. She was not of God, couldn’t be.” and they gave me all the different statements of the Spirit of Prophecy that appeared to contradict themselves. I was nearly swamped because I wasn’t fully on total submission to her writings. Therefore I was in a terrible state for at least one and a half to two years. When the reformation message came to me, I was ready to push that one out too, that was fanatical. Then, one day, the Lord came so close to me in a challenge:

Matthew 3:24    And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

Jesus was talking to the Pharisees because they said that Jesus was Beelzebub above. That really struck me, “Jesus they said came of the devil, and now these people are telling me that E.G. White came of the devil too. I had to think. Alright Lord, a kingdom divided against itself. E.G. White is either of the devil or she is of God, I’ve got to get this straight.” I want to share with you how the Lord helped me; and I thank God today that He helped me. First of all, here we are told very emphatically, “Be careful, if the Spirit of God is speaking, you may be in danger of quenching it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings. 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

“Alright Lord, show me.” That was my prayer. “I mustn’t quench this Spirit. I love the beautiful statements in Desire of Ages. I love those beautiful meditations of Waggoner and Jones (which were inspired by the Holy Spirit).” I already loved all that. “I love Steps to Christ, I love those books. Show me Lord; are they to be trusted in?” The Bible gives you some text of those who have spirits, familiar spirits.

1^st Test: To the Law and to the Testimony

Isaiah 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? 20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them.

Well, what did the Spirit of God upon E.G. White teach about the law? They were still Sunday keepers, remember? Then, in vision Sister White saw that the Sabbath had a halo around it, in the Ten Commandments; and indeed in the guidance of the Spirit of Prophecy, the believers there realized that they needed to become law-keepers, Ten Commandment keepers. The whole theology of “the law was done away with” was totally redirected by this revelation of Jesus Christ in the Spirit of Prophecy: The law and the testimony, the testimony of Jesus, the other prophets. Does she harmonize with the other prophets? In all our scripture research, she cannot be faulted. There are one or two different things that sometimes people fault, because they don’t know the scriptures deeply enough, but if you know the scriptures deeply enough, you know full well she harmonizes perfectly with the law and the testimony. Then, there is a second test. Yes, don’t believe every spirit; the spirit that moved E.G. White’s writings, was he from beneath or was he from above?

2^nd Test: The Spirit that Confesseth…

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

I want to draw your attention to the words “the flesh“. Do you know the word that came from the Greek that they translate the flesh from? It’s the word “sarx“, which means the spirit of the flesh, which means simple flesh.

1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

A wonderful test to apply to the very spirit that was behind the Spirit of Prophecy:

When Adam was assailed by the tempter in Eden he was without the taint of sin. He stood in the strength of his perfection before God. All the organs and faculties of his being were equally developed, and harmoniously balanced. {5BC 1081.5}

Christ, in the wilderness of temptation, stood in Adam’s place to bear the test he failed to endure. Here Christ overcame in the sinner’s behalf, four thousand years after Adam turned his back upon the light of his home. Separated from the presence of God, the human family had been departing every successive generation, farther from the original purity, wisdom, and knowledge which Adam possessed in Eden. Christ bore the sins and infirmities of the race as they existed when He came to the earth to help man. In behalf of the race, with the weaknesses of fallen man upon Him, He was to stand the temptations of Satan upon all points wherewith man would be assailed. . . . {5BC 1081.6}

In what contrast is the second Adam as He entered the gloomy wilderness to cope with Satan single-handed. Since the fall the race had been decreasing in size and physical strength, and sinking lower in the scale of moral worth, up to the period of Christ’s advent to the earth. And in order to elevate fallen man, Christ must reach him where he was. He took human nature, and bore the infirmities and degeneracy of the race. He, who knew no sin, became sin for us. He humiliated Himself to the lowest depths of human woe, that He might be qualified to reach man, and bring him up from the degradation in which sin had plunged him (RH July 28, 1874). {5BC 1081.7}

The nature of Christ; she contrasts Adam before the fall with the second Adam, Jesus, four thousand years after the fall. She puts Him down exactly the way that we read of Him in 1 John 4. He was in the likeness of sinful flesh. He was made sin for us, she puts it there. There, she passes that test perfectly.

The following is another very valuable test of the true prophet versus the untrue:

Deuteronomy 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?

How do we know that it is really the Lord that has spoken through E.G. White?

3^rd Test: If the Thing Follow Not…

Deuteronomy 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Now when you know it is a true prophet, then you better pay attention; but not if the thing that he foretells does not happen. I challenge you to examine E.G. White’s writings where she has foretold something, and how realistic that was in all reality later on. Her knowledge that had been given her in vision of the health reform has rendered the health people of today to declare her posthumously as way ahead of her time; they had recognized that the things that she had written were not studied and understood by the medical profession in her time.

Then there was a wonderful story which came through our messenger, and that is the story of this brother Pieter Wessels from South Africa became the first Sabbath-keeper that became an Adventist (Full story here). The story of this man was told, how he became an Adventist, he became an extremely wealthy man and he was known right across South Africa; in fact he owned a large ranch, among the many ranches that he owned, where the Kimberley diamond mines of today stand, he owned that. In the course of this story, this wealthy man, identifying the message of truth, began to spend his fortune on up building the Adventist message in South Africa. He built a health hospital, a health resort, according to the Spirit of Prophecy that it would be run. He continued to establish the church, he sent huge amounts of money to different parts of the world to raise the different institutions. In fact Helderberg College was actually paid for by him, in its first construction. As you go through this man’s experience he came to a point in time where he was asked by his worldly friends, “Could you put next to your hospital some rooms for us. You know we like to drink a little, and smoke a little, and we like to play a little cards. I know that you don’t want it in, but just do it next to it there, so that we can be cared for by the hospital and still be able to do what we want to do.” Before he had actually been asked to do that, a letter came in the mail from E.G. White telling him not to do it. She had written that long before he was actually asked to do so. But he refused to listen, he did build that. Warning after warning came from her, one letter, two letters, three, four letters; and at the fourth one he said, “Ah, this little old lady, what can she tell me?” From that time onwards, letter after letter came and he just threw them in the drawer, never opened them. As time went on, the hospital went down; they didn’t insure, therefore it was burnt down, it was gone. All the businesses that he had, all began to crumble; the last ranch that he had, he had to sell; several weeks after he sold it they found diamonds there; so he became a pauper. One of the laws was that after you’ve got to pay all your debts, you then had your own furniture that you could take with you, and that’s about all. He took this desk, with all the letters in it, and as it came out the door, it kicked over and out came all these all letters; so what he did he picked them all up, he put them in his top pocket and he went to this little old shack that he rented. There, that night, he opened these letters; and there in these letters from E.G. White was the full story of everything that transpired over his past several years where everything collapsed, everything in detail; that was all written before it happened, and he wasn’t going to listen. He broke his heart out before the Lord, he spent all night reading these letters. Then he decided that he would surrender to this Spirit of Prophecy, totally. He was restored again and he again gained a lot of wealth, but that hospital still stands today in ruins because it was written never again would there be a built on that property; and that’s all it is, ruins are standing there with the grass … (0:53:40), exactly as E.G. White had put it. There are many stories of this nature, E.G. White’s prophecies came true. According to this test she passed.

Finally, comes another test in reference to the false prophets that we must watch for; Jesus gives one more test. I wish Sister White was here today that we could actually come to know her because I would like to have met her personality according to this test:

4^th Test: By their Fruits…

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

You’re going to test the prophets for the fruits, what are the fruits? love, joy, peace, longsuffering, meekness, temperance, all those beautiful fruits of the Spirit. If you read Sister White’s personal wording and the way she handled everything, you will see and understand that she indeed had the fruits of the Spirit.

The Manifestations of a Prophet in Vision

Let us go through some other tests; those were the spiritual tests, which we know, from researching her texts with the Bible, that they harmonize perfectly; but there are some physicals tests, in regards to when Sister White went into vision. There are some Bible characters who went into vision, Daniel was a perfect example. We discover here what happened to him when he went into vision:

Daniel 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

What happened when he went into vision? He lost his strength. Then what else happened to him as he went into vision?

Daniel 10:17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

He said, “I can’t talk”; if you haven’t got any breath, how can you send your voice box vibrating? “How can I talk?” he said, “there is no breath in me.”

Daniel 10:18 Then there came again and touched me [one] like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,

Although he was all weak, he was strengthened by the strength given to him by this visionary person. Notice also the description of Balaam when he went into vision, with some more details there:

Numbers 24:2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding [in his tents] according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. 3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling [into a trance], but having his eyes open:

As he went into a trance, into a vision of God, what did he have? His eyes were open. Then we read the words of apostle Paul, who gives us another representation of when a person goes into vision. What is manifested there?

2 Corinthians 12:3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

What does he say? He went into a heavenly vision; and what did he know about his own body? Nothing. “I don’t know whether my body was with me or if my body was left here on earth. I don’t know what my body was experiencing.” Now we examine carefully how E.G. White’s visions were manifested in her person. Loughborough testified what he actually saw:

On that day I saw her in a vision that lasted over one hour. Since that time I have had the privilege of seeing her in vision about fifty times. I have been present when physicians have examined her while in this state, and I esteem it a pleasure to bear testimony to what I have seen and know. I trust a narration of the facts in the case may not be carelessly cast aside {1905 JNL, GSAM 204.1}

He’s asking us, “Be careful, don’t just cast it off as of none effect.”

… for the random supposition of those who have never seen her in this condition. {1905 JNL, GSAM 204.1}

Because if you would have seen her you would have been very much overwhelmed.

In passing into vision she gives three enrapturing shouts of “Glory!” which echo and re-echo, the second, and especially the third, fainter, but more thrilling than the first, the voice resembling that of one quite a distance from you, and just going out of hearing. For about four or five seconds she seems to drop down like a person in a swoon, or one having lost his strength; she then seems to be instantly filled with superhuman strength, sometimes rising at once to her feet and walking about the room. There are frequent movements of the hands and arms, pointing to the right or left as her head turns. All these movements are made in a most graceful manner. In whatever position the hand or arm may be placed, it is impossible for any one to move it. {1905 JNL, GSAM 204.2}

There is this frail, weakest of the weak, and you think you can push her arm but you find yourself being pushed back instead. Just imagine yourself in that circumstance.

Her eyes are always open, but she does not wink; her head is raised, and she is looking upward, not with a vacant stare, but with a pleasant expression, only differing from the normal in that she appears to be looking intently at some distant object. She does not breathe, yet her pulse beats regularly. Her countenance is pleasant, and the color of her face florid as in her natural state. {1905 JNL, GSAM 204.2}

Did you just have a description of the prophets Daniel, Balaam and apostle Paul? same story? In this book there are given different men who have tested her, people who didn’t believe in her; but by testing her in vision they couldn’t help but see that this was no ordinary visionary. The one person who really wanted to prove it carefully was Bourdeau, he actually became a Seventh-Day Adventist, he was a French person. He said, “I didn’t believe in her vision so I thought I’m going to really satisfy myself.” He watched her side and he observed as she was talking and lying there, she didn’t breathe, it was just like a corpse. Then to satisfy his mind, he pinched her nose shut, and her mouth shut, so that she could not breathe, inhale or exhale, for ten minutes, and it didn’t even touch her; she was just not even affected by it. That convinced him.

There is another testimony which qualifies perfectly that we had better pay attention to her because this was not from beneath.

At the close of an exhortation given by Mrs. White to a large congregation that had assembled at the Adventist meeting-house, the blessing of God rested upon her in a remarkable degree, and she was taken off in vision while seated in her chair. There was present a Doctor Brown, a hale, strong man physically, a spirit medium. He had said that her visions were the same as spirit mediumship, and that if she had one where he was, he could bring her out of it in one minute. An invitation was given for any who desired to do so to come forward, and by examination satisfy themselves as to her condition while in vision. The doctor came forward, but before he had half completed his examination, he turned deathly pale, and shook like an aspen leaf. Elder White said, “Will the doctor report her condition?” He replied, “She does not breathe,” and rapidly made his way to the door. Those at the door who knew of his boasting said, “Go back, and do as you said you would; bring that woman out of her vision.” In great agitation he grasped the knob of the door, but was not permitted to open it until inquiry was made by those near the door, “Doctor, what is it?” He replied, “God only knows; let me out of this house;” and out he went. {1905 JNL, GSAM 210.4}

What does that tell you? Is she from beneath or from above? If your answer is, “Alright, she’s from above.” What is your answer in reference to anything she has written by the dictates of the Holy Spirit? I want to declare to you that in my experience I have been confirmed in the Spirit of Prophecy; and I will preach and teach exactly what the Spirit of Prophecy has taught me. In this church, we are convinced that E.G. White is none other but the testimony of Jesus Christ, not her, but what she has written. If we would devour the writings of the testimonies, volume 1 to 9 – Oh, we love reading Desire of Ages, we love reading Patriarchs and Prophets, we love reading all those wonderful books of history, sometimes we start to think, “Oh, is she right or isn’t she?”- But when we start reading the testimonies, this cuts across our brain. Seventh-Day Adventists have told relentlessly, “I can’t stand some of the things she says because she makes me feel so terrible!” And they throw her books out; what are they saying? What does Sister White write?

The Reproof of His Love

“Yet now when I send you a testimony of warning and reproof, many of you declare it to be merely the opinion of Sister White. You have thereby insulted the Spirit of God. {1SM 27.1}

It is God that is speaking, not man. If we would pay attention to what Jesus is speaking, the beautiful relationship of Jesus that you and I may have will be enhanced and enriched if you will obey everything that you read under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the words that are given in those books. You might not be happy with what she says about the food you should eat, you might not be happy with what she says about the clothing you should wear, and the clothing you shouldn’t wear, but read it brethren and sisters! Don’t wait for someone else to tell you, read it for yourselves and let Jesus tell you! He will tell you that the clothes, and the food, and the worldly activities you engage in, you must give up, so that you will be ready to meet Him in peace and blameless. If we refuse, we do despite to His Spirit, and we will not be ready when Jesus comes; that’s what the Bible tells me. We all stand before this prophet, according to what the Bible says, you must fear him; and just because it’s a woman, don’t be put off. That frail woman lived up to ninety years of age when she was meant to die, not by her power; she was the weakest of the weak. We’re not listening to the mentality of the emotional woman, we are listening to what was inspired by the words of God to her; she was to be obedient and put down in writing what was shown her, none of her opinion.

We are challenged by the word of God, that when the Holy Spirit speaks, pay close attention to it, even if you don’t understand it, pay close attention to it. Remember: William Foy didn’t understand it, Hazen Foss didn’t understand it, and they rejected it because they didn’t understand it; so if you don’t understand something, will you reject it like they?

Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in [their] heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

What does that mean? Didn’t Jesus say, “Come unto me all ye that labour and I will give you rest”? Do we wonder why we are still restless inside of our soul? Believe the prophets, do what they say, and you will come to peace and to rest as Jesus meant it.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

The living God is speaking to us today. The person of the world will say, “Ugh, he’s gone over the hedge.” I want to tell you, if I wouldn’t have the Spirit of Prophecy today, I would be out in the world. It was the Spirit of Prophecy that saved me to hang on to my Jesus. As we continue together in this company, let us not do despite to the Holy Spirit, one: by expressing doubts of it; and two: by not listening and obeying it. I want to say to you, you will find rest unto your souls. Because as the world falls down around your ears, and there’s so much confusion, you don’t know how to act here, and you don’t know how to act there, and you don’t know how to act somewhere else; just read the Spirit of Prophecy and you will know. It seems so hard and it seems so harsh: it’s only hard and harsh because the people who refuse to obey are so close to you and it pulls on your heart’s strings, but who do you love more? What did Jesus say? “If you love them more than me, you are not worthy of me.”

Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

“…so do what I say, and then you will come through successfully.”

May God add His blessing to these words, to our consideration here, that we will worship the Lord as a very close Friend, someone with whom I can walk and talk and be comforted in His presence, it is my prayer, in Jesus’ name.

Amen.