A Divine-Human Process

Since our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned in the Garden of Eden, humanity has been cut off from direct communion with God. Yet God has continued, through many ways, to give us special light and help. Central to this revelation is the Bible, which came largely through the prophetic gift. The Bible promised that in postbiblical times God would continue to prophetically reveal Himself at times of His choosing, especially as we approach the second coming of Jesus (see Eph. 4:11-13; Joel 2:28-31).

Seventh-day Adventists believe that a clear example of this end-time revelation is found in the ministry and writings of Ellen G. White (1827-1915). Throughout her long life she received hundreds of prophetic visions and dreams, along with other special divine communications that connected people to Jesus and the Bible and brought encouragement. Her writings guided the church, various groups, and individuals at different times and in different ways.

From the beginning Ellen White was always clear that her writings were not additional Scripture. They were intended to lead people to the Bible as the foundational rule of faith and Christian experience.

A Divine-Human Process

Ellen White described the process of how revelation and inspiration occurred in the Bible. “The Bible, with its God-given truths expressed in the language of men, presents a union of the divine and the human.”[1] “The writers of the Bible were God’s penmen, not His pen. . . . It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired.” She would add that the writer, “under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind.”[2]

She explained that a similar process occurred in her own experience. God communicated with her through visions, dreams, and other means—pictures, scenes, sounds, thoughts, feelings, words, and even smells. Here are a few examples from her accounts.

Picture Representations

Ellen White’s first vision, in December 1844, was a vivid image. “While I was praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell upon me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world,” she wrote. “I turned to look for the Advent people in the world, but could not find them, when a voice said to me, ‘Look again, and look a little higher.’ At this I raised my eyes, and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the city, which was at the farther end of the path.”[3]

God has continued, through many ways, to give us special light and help.

In another vision, she described: “To me it was heaven, it was life, and then the world was spread out before me and I saw darkness like the pall of death. What did it mean? I could see no light. Then I saw a little glimmer of light and then another, and these lights increased and grew brighter, and multiplied and grew stronger and stronger till they were the light of the world. These were the believers in Jesus Christ.”[4]

W. C. White recalled how his mother received insight for the last part of The Great Controversy: “Some of you will remember that beautiful chapter in the last of Great Controversy in which is described the experience of God’s people who have been in dungeons and hiding places, and as they come, a voice sounds forth, ‘They come! They come! Holy, harmless, and undefiled.’ When Mother [Ellen White] was writing the last chapters of Great Controversy, she was heard three times in the night, uttering these words as the scene was presented to her over and over. One morning she said, ‘Now I have got it, I know where to place it. I have found its relation.’ ”[5]

Other Senses and Thoughts

In a revelation in 1901 God used the sense of smell. “While I was praying and was sending up my petition,” Ellen White noted, “there was, as has been a hundred times or more, a soft light circling around in the room, and a fragrance like the fragrance of flowers, of a beautiful scent of flowers.”[6]

Sometimes God communicated understanding or thoughts to her even while she was speaking publicly: “When I am speaking to the people I say much that I have not premeditated. The Spirit of the Lord frequently comes upon me. I seem to be carried out of, and away from, myself; the life and character of different persons are clearly presented before my mind. I see their errors and dangers, and feel compelled to speak of what is thus brought before me. I dare not resist the Spirit of God.”[7]

On various occasions, as Ellen White was writing, Jesus would come to her: “I arose early Thursday morning, about two o’clock, and was writing busily upon the True Vine, when I felt a presence in my room, as I have many times before, and I lost all recollection of what I was about. I seemed to be in the presence of Jesus. He was communicating to me. . . . Everything was so plain that I could not misunderstand. . . . Not an audible word was spoken to my ear, but to my mind. I said, ‘Lord, I will do as Thou hast commanded.’ ”[8] On another occasion she expressed: “At times I feel the power of God even in my flesh and yet I am not satisfied. I want to plunge deeper and deeper in the ocean of God’s love and be wholly swallowed up in Him.”[9]

The diverse special revelations she received, combined with her Bible study, reading, and life experiences, show that revelation and inspiration are indeed a divine-human process.

Ellen White’s books, articles, and manuscripts continue to bless millions of people today. Through these writings the Holy Spirit connects people to Jesus and the messages of the Bible. Her writings remain a special gift of light and blessing as we look for the soon coming of Jesus. Why not pick up one of her books and discover this for yourself?

[1] Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. vi.

[2] Ellen G. White, Selected Messages (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1958, 1980), book 1, p. 21.

[3] Ellen G. White, Early Writings (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1882, 1945), p. 14.

[4] Ellen G. White manuscript 16, 1894, in Selected Messages, book 3, p. 34.

[5] W. C. White, “The Visions of Ellen G. White,” W. C. White Statements Regarding Mrs. White and Her Work (remarks of W. C. White in Takoma Hall, Dec. 17, 1905).

[6] Ellen G. White manuscript 43a, 1901, in Ellen G. White, Letters and Manuscripts, vol. 16, p. 283, retrieved from https://egwwritings.org/book/b14066.

[7] Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1948), vol. 5, p. 20.

[8] E. G. White letter 36, 1896, in Letters and Manuscripts, vol. 11, p. 44, retrieved from https://egwwritings.org/book/b14061.

[9] Ellen G. White letter 26, 1850, in Letters and Manuscripts, vol. 1, p. 41, retrieved from https://egwwritings.org/book/b13961.