ELLEN G. WHITE

Who is Ellen G. White?

Who was Ellen G. White, and why do millions consider her writings of special value and significance?

There are many books available for purchase online about the Life and Work of Ellen G. White.

In brief, she was a woman of remarkable spiritual gifts who lived most of her life during the nineteenth century (1827-1915), yet through her writings she is still making a revolutionary impact on millions of people around the world. During her lifetime she wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles and 40 books; but today, including compilations from her 50,000 pages of manuscript, more than 100 titles are available in English. She is the most translated woman writer in the entire history of literature, and the most translated American author of either gender. Her writings cover a broad range of subjects, including religion, education, social relationships, evangelism, prophecy, publishing and nutrition. Her life-changing masterpiece on successful Christian living, Steps to Christ, has been published in more than 140 languages. Seventh-day Adventists believe that Mrs. White was more than a gifted writer; they believe she was appointed by God as a special messenger to draw the world’s attention to the Holy Scriptures and help prepare people for Christ’s second advent. From the time she was 17 years old until she died 70 years later, God gave her approximately 2,000 visions and dreams. The visions varied in length from less than a minute to nearly four hours. The knowledge and counsel received through these revelations she wrote out to be shared with others. Thus her special writings are accepted by Seventh-day Adventists as inspired, and their exceptional quality is recognized even by casual readers.

Ellen White herself noted, “The fact that God has revealed His will to men through His Word, has not rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the Spirit was promised by our Saviour to open the Word to His servants, to illuminate and apply its teachings” (The Great Controversy, p. 7).

THE WARNINGS

JULY 2, 1904

“Last night a scene was presented before me. I may never feel free to reveal all of it, but I will reveal a little. It seemed that an immense ball of fire came down upon the world and crushed large houses. From place to place rose the cry, “The Lord has come! The Lord has come!” Many were unprepared to meet Him, but a few were saying, “Praise the Lord!” “Why are you praising the Lord?” enquired those upon whom was coming sudden destruction. “Because we now see what we have been looking for.” “If you believed that these things were coming, why did you not tell us?” was the terrible response. “We did not know about these things. Why did you leave us in ignorance? Again and again you have seen us; why did you not become acquainted with us and tell us of the judgment to come, and that we must serve God, lest we perish? Now we are lost!”
(Ms102-1904)

JULY 3, 1904

“The night before last a very impressive scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire fall into the midst of some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard some say, “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know they would come so soon.” Others said, “You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.” On every side I heard such words spoken.”(Lt217-1904.12)

AUGUST 14, 1904

“While I was in Nashville, a scene was opened before me. A great ball of fire seemed to fall from heaven, and from it went forth flashes of light. When these flashes of light would strike a building, the building would burn like tinder. And then I heard someone say, “I knew that this was coming. These are the judgments of God that I knew were coming.” “You knew!” said another. “You were my neighbor. Why did you not tell me that these things were coming? Why did you not warn others?” (Ms154-1904.36)

SEPTEMBER, 10 1904
“The Lord is soon coming in the clouds of heaven with power and with great glory. His terrible judgments are soon to fall upon our world. Are we doing all we can to warn earth’s inhabitants of these things? While I was in the South a few months ago, I had a very impressive dream. I seemed to see a great ball of fire come from heaven and strike the earth. Great houses were in flames, and many were looking on in great distress. Some one said, “I knew that this was coming. I knew that God’s judgments were soon to fall.” “You knew that these things were coming?” said another. “Why did you not tell us? Why did you not warn us, and show us the prophecies, that we might also know?
(Ms158-1904.30)
JULY 5, 1904
“There was a scene presented to me. It was the night before the Sabbath. That is when that scene was presented. I looked out of the window, and there was an immense ball of fire that had come from heaven, and it fell where they were casting buildings with pillars, especially the pillars were presented to me. And it seemed as if the ball came right to the building and crushed it, and they saw that it was branching out, branching out, enlarging, and they began to cry and mourn and mourn, and wring their hands; and I thought some of our people stood by there, saying, “Well, it is just what we have been expecting; it is just what we have been talking about; it is just what we have been talking about.” “You knew it?” said the people. “You knew it, and never told us about it?” I thought there was such an agony in their face, such an agony in their appearance.”
(Ms152-1904.21)

 

JANUARY 21, 1905
“When I was at Nashville, I had been speaking to the people, and in the night season, there was an immense ball of fire that came right from heaven and settled in Nashville. There were flames going out like arrows from that ball; houses were being consumed; houses were tottering and falling. Some of our people were standing there. “It is just as we expected,” they said, “we expected this.” Others were wringing their hands in agony and crying unto God for mercy. “You knew it,” said they, “you knew that this was coming, and never said a word to warn us!” They seemed as though they would almost tear them to pieces, to think they had never told them or given them any warning at all.”
(Ms188-1905.13)

 

CONCLUSIONS

What can we conclude from these warnings?

1. An Immense Ball of Fire Will Come Down From Heaven and Strike the Earth

  • “an immense ball of fire came down upon the world” (Ms102-1904)
  • ” I saw an immense ball of fire” (Lt217-1904.12)
  • “A great ball of fire seemed to fall from heaven” (Ms154-1904.36)
  • “I seemed to see a great ball of fire come from heaven and strike the earth.” (Ms158-1904.30)

2. This Ball of Fire Will Settle in Nashville Where they were Casting Buildings with Pillars

  • “When I was at Nashville, I had been speaking to the people, and in the night season, there was an immense ball of fire that came right from heaven and settled in Nashville.” (Ms188-1905.13)
  • “there was an immense ball of fire that had come from heaven, and it fell where they were casting buildings with pillars, especially the pillars were presented to me.” (Ms152-1904.21)

3. From this Ball of Fire there are Flashes of Light and Flames Going Out Like Arrows

  • “A great ball of fire seemed to fall from heaven, and from it went forth flashes of light.” (Ms154-1904.36)
  • “there was an immense ball of fire that came right from heaven and settled in Nashville. There were flames going out like arrows from that ball;” (Ms188-1905.13)

4. The Ball of Fire & Flashes of Light will Destroy Large Beautiful Homes, Mansions and Buildings

  • “an immense ball of fire came down upon the world and crushed large houses.” (Ms102-1904)
  • “I saw an immense ball of fire fall into the midst of some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction.” (Lt217-1904.12)
  • “When these flashes of light would strike a building, the building would burn like tinder.” (Ms154-1904.36)
  • “Great houses were in flames, and many were looking on in great distress.” (Ms158-1904.30)
  • “There were flames going out like arrows from that ball; houses were being consumed; houses were tottering and falling.” (Ms188-1905.13)

5. The Ball of Fire comes right to the Building and Crushes it, then Enlarges

  • “And it seemed as if the ball came right to the building and crushed it, and they saw that it was branching out, branching out, enlarging,” (Ms152-1904.21)
  • Note: Based upon the information given in the dream, the ball of fire will fall “where they were casting buildings with pillars.” (Ms152-1904.21) In 1897 the Centennial Exposition was held in Nashville, TN. Surrounding the Parthenon were multiple temporary buildings made from brick, wood and plaster casts. Today, only the Parthenon remains and houses the largest idol in the USA; a 42-foot tall statue of Athena, called “the protector of cities.” This information in connection with that revealed in the dream, identifies the Parthenon building in Nashville as the most prominent building with pillars that best fits this description.

6. When this Event Takes Place, Some will think the Lord Has Come

  • “From place to place rose the cry, “The Lord has come! The Lord has come!” (Ms102-1904)
  • Note: Though some may think this event indicates the coming of Christ, but it is not. The impact of such an event may lead one to think this may be the Lord’s coming, but these destructive judgments are yet in mercy, to wake up the inhabitants of Earth that they might embrace the last messages of mercy as given by the Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 14:6-12, prior to the second coming of Christ (Revelation 14:14-16).

7. Seventh-day Adventists will know this Judgment is Coming, but Will Not Give the Warning

  • “a few were saying, “Praise the Lord!” “Why are you praising the Lord?” enquired those upon whom was coming sudden destruction. “Because we now see what we have been looking for.” (Ms102-1904)
  • “I heard some say, “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know they would come so soon.” Others said, “You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.” On every side I heard such words spoken.” (Lt217-1904.12)
  • “I heard someone say, “I knew that this was coming. These are the judgments of God that I knew were coming.” “You knew!” said another. “You were my neighbor. Why did you not tell me that these things were coming? Why did you not warn others?” (Ms154-1904.36)
  • “Some one said, “I knew that this was coming. I knew that God’s judgments were soon to fall.” “You knew that these things were coming?” said another. “Why did you not tell us? Why did you not warn us, and show us the prophecies, that we might also know?” (Ms158-1904.30)
  • “I thought some of our people stood by there, saying, “Well, it is just what we have been expecting; it is just what we have been talking about; it is just what we have been talking about.” “You knew it?” said the people. “You knew it, and never told us about it?” I thought there was such an agony in their face, such an agony in their appearance.” (Ms152-1904.21)
  • Note: Ellen G. White was a Seventh-day Adventist and therefore, we can know when she said “some of our people stood by there, saying, ‘Well, it is just what we have been expecting,’ that she was speaking of her own people, Seventh-day Adventists. Though a few Seventh-day Adventists have given the warning as they have been able, the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist church has taken no official position on these warnings nor to this day, have they made any official effort to proclaim or share them to my knowledge. Additionally, the Ellen G. White Estate, the organization responsible for the writings of Ellen G. White, has officially denied the dream concerning the ball of fire has anything to do with Nashville. They write on their website, “Some point to an unpublished sermon delivered in 1905 in which Ellen White described a dream she received several months earlier of seeing a ball of fire coming from heaven that “settled in Nashville” (Ms 188, 1905). Notably, she related the same dream seven other times between 1904 and 1909, but described the fiery ball as coming “down upon the world” or “the earth.” She made no mention of the city as a target in her report of the dream the very next day, or in later published sermons or writings. Taking into account all of her related statements, we do not believe she was singling out Nashville above any other city, but that she understood the scene to be representative of the widespread destruction the Bible predicts will occur prior to and at Christ’s return, and the need for every person to be spiritually prepared for that grand event.” Even though Ellen G. White writes “there was an immense ball of fire that came right from heaven and settled in Nashville,” the Ellen White Estate denies this warning has anything to do specifically with Nashville, and perhaps this is one reason why the Seventh-day Adventist church has made no official effort to share these warnings, thereby fulfilling the prophecy concerning those who were angry with the Seventh-day Adventists who knew these things were coming but did not give the warning, saying “They seemed as though they would almost tear them to pieces, to think they had never told them or given them any warning at all.”
    (Ms188-1905.13). 

8. Those Who Did Not Know This Judgment Was Coming Will be Enraged with the Seventh-day Adventists for Not Warning Them

  • “If you believed that these things were coming, why did you not tell us?” was the terrible response. “We did not know about these things. Why did you leave us in ignorance? Again and again you have seen us; why did you not become acquainted with us and tell us of the judgment to come, and that we must serve God, lest we perish? Now we are lost!” (Ms102-1904)
  • “You knew it?” said the people. “You knew it, and never told us about it?” I thought there was such an agony in their face, such an agony in their appearance.” (Ms152-1904.21)
  • “You knew it,” said they, “you knew that this was coming, and never said a word to warn us!” They seemed as though they would almost tear them to pieces, to think they had never told them or given them any warning at all.” (Ms188-1905.13)

9. Destruction Will Come Upon All Cities One After Another

  • “The wrath of God is preparing to come upon all the cities—not all at once but one after another. And if the terrible punishment in one city does not cause the inhabitants of other cities to be afraid and seek repentance, their time will come.” {Ms233-1902.4}

10. Nashville Will Be the First City to Receive these Judgments

  • Note: We can discern that Nashville will be the first city to receive these judgments because when these judgments fall upon Nashville it is a surprise. It is a surprise to the Seventh-day Adventists who knew this was going to happen because they said “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know they would come so soon.” {Lt217-1904.12} This event is also a surprise to others who are not Seventh-day Adventists because Ellen G. White wrote,  “Others said, “You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.” {Lt217-1904.12} Since both groups in this case are surprised with the judgment upon Nashville, and because these judgments will “come upon all the cities — not all at once but one after another,” we can therefore conclude, Nashville is the first among all the cities to receive this judgment.

11. These Judgments Upon the Cities Will be Judgments in Mercy

  • “The wrath of God is preparing to come upon all the cities—not all at once but one after another. And if the terrible punishment in one city does not cause the inhabitants of other cities to be afraid and seek repentance, their time will come.” {Ms233-1902.4}
  • “Many who have known the truth have corrupted their way before God and departed from the faith. The broken ranks will be filled up by those represented by Christ as coming in at the eleventh hour. There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God’s destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched; His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time.” {Lt103-1903.12}
  • Note: As severe as these judgments will be, God’s purpose is not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them by awakening them to their need to “seek repentance” and to bring before those who have had no opportunity to learn truth, the opportunity to do so.

WHAT SHALL WE DO?

CONFESS YOUR SINS, REPENT
& LET THE SAVIOUR IN!

  • “There is a great work to be done, and many are unready to engage in sacred service. The judgments of God are soon coming upon all our cities, and I desire that we shall all be prepared. I greatly desire that we shall confess our sins and be converted. If any of you desire to have your hearts softened and broken before God, it is best for you to clear the King’s highway this afternoon, without delay. It is best to prepare the heart for the reception of the Holy Spirit, that it may have free course in the entire being. It is best that you should open the door of the soul-temple and let the Saviour come in. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock,” the Saviour says. “If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” [Revelation 3:20.] {Ms95-1906.59}
  • “The wrath of God will come upon all cities, upon dwellings, upon large buildings, so suddenly that they who have the slightest intimation have no safety in dallying at all. They are to flee at once. We are living amid the perils of the last days. The wrath of God is preparing to come upon all the cities—not all at once but one after another. And if the terrible punishment in one city does not cause the inhabitants of other cities to be afraid and seek repentance, their time will come. When the Lord ariseth to shake terribly the earth, He will not cease until His work in punishment is done. The destruction will begin in certain places, and the destruction of life will be sudden and but few will escape. There is not to be given an encouraging thought that the gospel of Jesus Christ will be accepted by the large majority of men prior to His coming again the second time with power and great glory. I am instructed by revelation to say that most solemn and overwhelming judgments are determined upon all people who have the light before them in the Word of God, [but who do not follow it].” {Ms233-1902.3-4}

BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD

  • “In the night season I had a presentation. I did not seem to be in my own home in St. Helena. I was, I thought, awakened in the night with a great noise of cries of distress, and I saw the whole heavens lighted up. There were balls that looked like fire falling, and these balls looked as if full of arrows, and wherever they struck there were great calamities. Houses were set on fire, and no human effort could extinguish the flame. The earth quaked, and homes were falling with a crash. I heard the distressing screeching and praying. There was confusion everywhere. I said to someone, Do look. That is the most striking representation of what will be in the last day. Revelation 18. Voices were proclaiming the events taking place. Read and understand, for it will surely be. Chapter 19 of Revelation will ere long be fulfilled. Revelation 21. There were voices proclaiming the words of these chapters. With great power was the message given.
    Let every soul now put away their magazines and other fictitious reading. The Word of God believed and practiced is the only hope of the world. This chapter was presented to John as a living reality. Read and understand verses 1-4, verses 5-7. Where are we in this earth’s history? Will we be deceived by Satan’s sophistry? Or will we believe the Word of God? {Ms126-1906.14-15}

DO NOT PUT YOUR TRUST IN MEN WHO ARE NOT OBEDIENT TO MY WARNINGS

  • “In the night I was, I thought, in a room but not in my own house. I was in a city, where I knew not, and I heard explosion after explosion. I rose up quickly in bed and saw from my window large balls of fire. Jetting out were sparks, in the form of arrows, and buildings were being consumed; and in a very few minutes the entire block of buildings was falling, and the screeching and mournful groans came distinctly to my ears. I cried out, in my raised position, to learn what was happening: Where am I? And where is our family circle? Then I awoke. But I could not tell where I was, for I was in another place than home. I said, Oh Lord, where am I and what shall I do? It was as a voice that spoke, “Be not afraid. Nothing shall harm you.”
    I was instructed that destruction hath gone forth upon cities. The Word of the Lord will be fulfilled. (Isaiah 29:19-24) was repeated. I dared not move, not knowing where I was. I cried unto the Lord, What does it mean? These representations of destruction were repeated. Where am I? “In scenes I have represented that which will be; but warn My people to cease from putting their trust in men who are not obedient to My warnings and who despise My reproof, for the day of the Lord is right upon the world when evidence shall be made sure. Those who have followed the voices that would turn things upside down will themselves be turned where they cannot see, but will be as blind men.”
    These words were given me from (Isaiah 30): “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and for ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.” [Isaiah 30:8-15, quoted.] {Ms126-1906}