Friday: Further Thought – Old Testament Prophets
Daily Lesson for Friday 16th of October 2026
Not Perfect But Willing
As we have seen, the lives of Old Testament prophets make clear that it has never been easy to be God’s messenger. Ellen G. White experienced the same anxieties that biblical prophets felt. As we learned last Friday, she was young, shy, and in poor health when she received God’s call. While a second vision confirmed her call, Ellen Harmon (White) remained apprehensive about God’s call, writing:
“About one week after this the Lord gave me another view, and showed me the trials I must pass through; that I must go and relate to others what he had revealed to me; that I should meet with great opposition, and suffer anguish of spirit. . . .
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
This vision troubled me exceedingly. My health was very poor, and I was only seventeen years old. . . . I earnestly prayed that the burden might be laid on some other one. But all the light I could get was, ‘Make known to others what I have revealed to you.’ I was unreconciled to go out into the world. I had naturally but little confidence. . . . I looked with desire into the grave. Death appeared to me preferable to the responsibilities I should have to bear.”—Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, pp. 35, 36.
Did you notice that Ellen Harmon (White) would rather die than to accept her call? After much prayer and encouragement by fellow believers, she acquiesced and devoted the remainder of her life to following “[H]is bidding.”—Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, p. 38.
She would become the most influential voice to—and even of—the future Seventh-day Adventist Church. Nevertheless, Ellen Harmon (White) was human and had her own personal faults and physical trials, family challenges, and interpersonal struggles. Yet amid her humanity, we see a great lesson: God chooses imperfect people who are willing to serve Him.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Ellen G. White’s prophetic ministry would encourage believers and connect them to Bible truths. By 1860, she had played a leading role in the development of the fledgling Seventh-day Adventist denomination and its mission to proclaim the three angels’ messages to the world. God would lead these believers to organize the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1863. In later decades, Ellen G. White’s prophetic voice was influential in establishing the global Adventist health and educational systems. However, the most important contribution of her ministry is her writings, totaling approximately 100,000 pages. Ellen G. White’s inspired writings continue to speak throughout the world today.
To be honest, we don’t read the Old Testament prophets all that often. Or, we pick and choose the ones we do read because they back up the Adventist story. I am not sure when we last had a study of Obadiah or Joel. We love to quote key texts that are often taken out of context. Carmel and I read most of the minor prophets over a period of a couple of weeks a couple of years ago. The overall theme seems to be that Israel, or Judah, had apostatised, and the surrounding nations were going to punish them as a result. And mostly, Israel and Judah, took no notice and did their own thing anyhow.
It is actually quite discouraging until you realise that God was pretty persistent. That idea is summarised when Jesus was riding into Jerusalem.
In my birding experience, I have seen a Masked Lapwing bird carrying her chicks around under her wings. They look as though they have multiple legs. Interestingly, Masked Lapwing chicks are pretty naughty, and sometimes they ignore their mother calling them.
God is still calling, and being ignored, or drowned out by the modern idolatry noise.
The Old Testament prophets were men and women called by God to deliver His message, often appearing with the powerful declaration, “Thus says the LORD.” Their calls came in different circumstances: Moses was called at Horeb while tending sheep (Exodus 3:1–10), Samuel as a boy (1 Samuel 3:1–10), Isaiah through a heavenly vision (Isaiah 6:1–8), Jeremiah before birth (Jeremiah 1:4–10), and Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile (Ezekiel 1–2). Despite their different backgrounds, they shared one unique responsibility: to speak faithfully as God’s messengers and they all knew that the prophetic message was not their own invention, for the Lord condemned those who spoke their own words rather than His (Jeremiah 23:21, 32).
As much as God gave them His message, the prophets communicated it through their distinct personalities, experiences, and backgrounds. Ezekiel’s priestly background shaped his emphasis on the temple, while Amos drew illustrations from shepherding and agriculture (Amos 3:12; 7:14–15). Their experiences differed, but their authority came from God, who enabled them to confront sin, expose falsehood, call people to repentance, and restore fellowship with Him. Their ministry reminds us that a true prophet does not simply tell people what they want to hear but rather faithfully communicate what God has revealed, regardless of whether the message is popular or not (1 Kings 22:13–14).
Equally in recent times God called Ellen G. White in the same prophetic pattern and gave her a duty to remind the world and guide His people back to His Word and prepare them for Christ’s imminent return. Ellen understood her work as pointing people to Scripture, declaring, “The Bible, and the Bible alone, is to be our creed” (see The Great Controversy, p. 204). Her calling may be considered alongside the biblical principle that God gives spiritual gifts to build up His church (Ephesians 4:11–13) and the instruction to test prophetic claims rather than accept them uncritically (1 Thessalonians 5:20–21; Isaiah 8:20). As with the Old Testament prophets, the essential question is whether a message leads people to God, agrees with His revealed Word, and calls them to faithful obedience.
“But all the light I could get was, ‘Make known to others what I have revealed to you.’”
I found the correlation between Galatians 1:15, 16 [below] and the above quote from Sister White very profound, and also of comfort as a struggling Christian.
“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me … ”
It’s right that as Christians we “Be diligent to present [ourselves] approved to God” [2 Timothy 2:15], but ultimately, GOD’s son will be “revealed” in us when it pleases HIM … and the timing will be perfect …
Sometimes I wonder why God chose Ellen Harmon—a frail, frightened seventeen-year-old who felt so inadequate for the responsibility that she would rather have died than accept it. Yet perhaps her very weakness was part of the answer.
Her experience reminds me of Jeremiah, who also found the prophetic calling painful and at times wished he could escape the burden because of the people’s response to his message. Neither sought the office for prominence or recognition. God’s call rested upon them, and despite fear, weakness, rejection, and opposition, they remained faithful to the message entrusted to them.
God does not necessarily choose the person we would choose; He chooses the person through whom He can accomplish His purpose.
I grew up in this “town” called Seventh-Day Adventism and one of the things I could never forget is the quantum of brethren , especially those who were young persons, who apparently “lost their way”{ I used that phrase for lack of a better term} from reading the writings of Ellen White, especially the Testimonies.
I am making a serious appeal to the Administrators of the White Estate to immediately create – A Hermeneutics to the Ellen G. White’s writings. Especially the Testimonies.
In my life story I have personally faced challenges; particularly when I was young and my religious fervour was boundless ; in the application of her counsels.
This appeal I consider highly relevant and for lack of a better term – needed from a very long time ago.
It is interesting that The Lord told sister White that she would go through “great opposition and anguish of spirit” which apparently tended to discourage her, whereas Jesus told the disciples that,
“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now”
John 16:12 KJV
May I be bold and state that our God’s motives are solely focused on restoring His creation to reflect His Rightousness in the earth and all living things? No one ever received instructions from Him to condemn the world, only to safe it.
The life of Israel’s children during the Old Covenant was adjudicated by judges appointed to assess adherence to the Law regarding ‘righteousness’, as well as prophets. The new Covenant gives this responsibility to the Holy Spirit and the believer directly. God’s aim for His instructions is to foster our relationship with Him to establish Righteousness.
Establishing in mankind Righteousness unto Salvation has been God’s focus from the beginning. God’s approach changed, but not His purpose. Now anyone who has an ear to hear and a heart to receive can understand the Word of God spoken by His Holy Spirit. We are hearing, but do we apply it fully to our life?
Jesus confronted the pharisees and religious leaders of His time, accusing them of hypocrisy – Luke 1:47-48; Acts 7:52; Matt.23:34-37. Do we excuse our shortcomings of faith and trust because we do not understand ‘our calling’ properly? Do we hide behind the ‘prophets’, deferring the use of our gifts because we are unsure what it means to be called to Righteousness?
If there is anything I would consider having been neglected in our Christian education, it is for us to understand the work of the Holy Spirit properly. Then, God’s Word was given to the judges and prophets. It is now the responsibility of all who accept His Word to share it.
Is it possible that, by seeing a prophet’s work with too narrow a focus [as in ‘predicting the future’], we do harm to our spiritual wellbeing? By broadening its application to include all gifts of the Holy Spirit, do not all accepting and sharing their gift(s) become bearers/sharers of God’s Truth?
Are we afraid to listen/hear the voice of God in us because we do not rightly perceive ourselves as a vessel for God’s Holy Spirit? After much soul-searching, Ellen White eventually embraced her gifts – do we? 1 Cor.12:4-11; 1 Thess.4:4; James 4:8; 2 Tim.2:21; Rom.12:1; Acts 1:8; 1Cor.6:19-20; Acts 7:52.
There is no perfection in humanity. That’s why sometimes we wonder how the Son of God became one like us, but did not sin! Although we are sinners, God shows us His will, and if we follow, we are all entitled to become prophets too. What a privilege!
I became a Seventh Day Adventist in 1965. I was born and raised as a “Catholic” and became a Seventh Day Adventist when I read a pamphlet from a friend, who always carried Seventh Day Adventist Literature in his car. A statement in that pamphlet had the verse from the book of Daniel 7:25. The “Holy Spirit,” convicted me that what was written in this verse applied to “The Church” I was a member of.
For the first time in my life I reached out to God in prayer, even though I had my doubts about the existence of God. My prayer was short and simple: I said, “God, if you really exist, and this verse from the book of Daniel is from You, what do you want me to do with this information? I did not hear an “Audible Voice,” but I felt a “Very Strong Impression,” strong enough to be very “Equivalent to a Voice,” that said, “Join the Seventh Day Adventist Church.”
I told my friend about my experience and he relayed this to his Pastor and his Pastor told him to tell me, “To keep two Sabbaths in a row and he would baptize me and allow me to become a member of The Seventh Day Adventist Church.” I did just that and I was Baptized and given membership to The Seventh Day Adventist Church.
However, “One Quarter,” the Sabbath School Lesson was about “The Book of Hebrews.” I read that book from start to finish and found out that in Chapter 10:19,20 of that book, the Apostle Paul very clearly was counseling believers of his day to “Enter the Holiest by Jesus’ Blood and also through the veil which is Jesus very own flesh.” Since then, my question has been: “Why would Paul be counseling beliers of his day to do this when Jesus would not be there until 1844?”
The saving consequence of Jesus’ sacrifice and advocacy was always available right from the beginning. It was not something that began in 1844.
Dear Pete,
Thank you for sharing.
I trust your story is unusual because the minister who baptized you did not fulfill Christ’s commission which begins with “teaching them all things” that I commanded you. Keeping the correct day is not “all things” that Christ taught. Neither will keeping the correct day guarantee entry into heaven for anyone.
A comment on this blog isn’t enough to make up for what your pastor and your church should have done a long time ago – explain to you the basics of the heavenly sanctuary.
The Most Holy Place is heaven’s throne room, the dwelling place of God. After Jesus appeared to Mary in the garden, He ascended to heaven and entered the Most Holy Place to present His sacrifice to His Father. Heb. 4:14-16 tells us that, because of Jesus, we too can enter directly into His Presence through prayer.
The earthly sanctuary building was also meant as a dwelling place of God. He asked the Israelites to build Him a sanctuary that “I may dwell among you.”
In the sanctuary services, people needed a priest to help with their offerings, including the sin offerings, which symbolized Christ’s death for their sins. The priest transferred their sins to the sanctuary through the blood of the sacrifices, which represented Jesus. They could not do this themselves. They could not even enter the sanctuary, only the courtyard. But because Jesus is now our heavenly High Priest, we need no earthly intercessors, no priests. We can offer our prayer directly to God in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. (Heb. 4:14-16)
The tabernacle services were a sandbox enactment of the plan of salvation. Daily morning and evening offerings consecrated the people to God. Besides that, there were thank offerings, trespass offerings, sin offerings, burnt offerings, etc. Each was designed to teach something about Christ and His plan of salvation. But I’m glad the Son of God came to be one with humanity and instructed us in person, because the sanctuary services can look a bit complicated to modern eyes. But I digress.
Besides daily offerings and the other offerings I mentioned, the sanctuary *year* also included certain festivals that taught truths about the growth and life of the church. Instructions for each included specific offerings that also typified something about the plan of salvation.
The final service of the sanctuary year was the “Day of Atonement,” also known as the Day of Judgment. It was a day of covenant renewal, during which people either renewed their relationship with God, or they were separated from the congregation. After the services were complete, the priest blessed the people. Then the sins were removed from the sanctuary in type and placed on a “scapegoat” to be led into the desert by a “fit man
I think you were confused by not seeing a distinction between the heavenly sanctuary as a place were God dwells and the yearly schedule of services of the earthly sanctuary, which prefigured the whole span of the salvation work of Christ. That includes the time before the incarnation, the time after the incarnation and the time of judgment that is necessary before Christ comes to bring His people home. Looking at the schedule of sanctuary services is different from looking at the sanctuary as the place where God dwells.
It is logical that judgment must precede His coming to bring His people home. The angels need to know that the people Christ proposes to bring into heaven will not start the chaos of sin all over again. That’s why the record of each person who ever claimed to want to be with Jesus is examined to see whether their claim stands the test of obedience. Did they continue to choose Jesus? (“If you love me, keep my commandments.”)
The Day of Atonement was also the day that the sanctuary was “cleansed” of all the sins accumulated through the transfer of sin throughout the year. It prefigured the final “cleansing of the sanctuary” – the time when the universe will see that God is not responsible for sin or the death of sinners. The sins/blame will be removed from the heavenly sanctuary by the people who reflect the character of God, symbolized by the “fit man” who led Azazel into the wilderness in the typical sanctuary services.
We understand that in 1844, Christ’s Ministry moved from the Holy Place Ministry to the Most Holy Place Ministry, or the Day of Atonement. We also see this as the beginning of the “Last Days.” Christ remains our Intercessor, but He has also entered a special ministry of judgment and of perfecting His people to be ready for His Coming. When His people fully receive His righteousness in their characters, they can perform the action symbolized by the “fit man” in the earthly Day of Atonement ceremonies.
Unfortunately, your question is way off-topic from the lesson, but we published it because it is your testimony, and you appear to be asking an honest question. However, we also cannot have an extended discussion under this lesson.
Here’s a place to begin your own studies:
Light from the Sanctuary Lessons
Fundamental Belief 24: Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary
Sanctuary Study Resources
Please do not reply to this comment here. But feel free reply to it under “Sanctuary Study Resources” where I have reproduced most of this comment.