Ellen Chat Conversation

The gift of prophecy is described as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit that has been bestowed upon God's faithful throughout history to provide guidance, admonition, and instruction (1SG 2). This gift was notably present during the Jewish dispensation and reappeared to usher in the first advent of Christ through figures like Zachariah, Simeon, Anna, and John the Baptist (1SG 5). In the context of the remnant church, this gift is identified as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy intended to persist until the body of Christ reaches the unity of the faith (1TT 17.2).

Regarding the period following her own ministry, the writings indicate that the necessity for the spirit of prophecy has not been removed by any change in dispensation (1SP 16.2). It is specifically noted that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are most needed during the perils of the last days, and they will continue to be a vital resource until the controversy is ended and the redeemed behold God face to face (1SP 16.2). While Ellen White's work was characterized by visions and testimonies that addressed the past, present, and future, she cautioned against those who claimed that every believer would possess the gift of prophecy to the same extent as those currently receiving visions (5T 64.3), (3SM 340).

The church is warned to be vigilant regarding individuals who claim the prophetic office after her. Instruction was given to protect the church from "pretenders" by emphasizing that any genuine manifestation of the prophetic gift must bear its own credentials and be accompanied by clear, convincing evidence (2SM 62.3). While the outpouring of the Spirit in the "latter rain" involves diversities of operations, the gift of prophecy remains a living voice intended for the guidance of God's people in the closing days of earth's history (5MR 151.2).

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You might also want to explore:How can the church distinguish between a true and a false prophet according to Ellen White?What did Ellen White say about the "latter rain" and the gifts of the Holy Spirit?What is the relationship between the "testimony of Jesus" and the remnant church?

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“Spiritual Gifts, Volume 1 By Ellen Gould White The gift of prophecy, bestowed on God's faithful throughout history, most recently rested upon Ellen White, who conveyed the given messages in admonition and writing. Many of her earliest testimonies and views are published in the Spiritual Gifts volumes. Volume one of the series presents her original publication regarding the great controversy between God and Satan, in which is chronicled the fall of Lucifer in heaven, the work of patriarchs and prophets, the ministry of Christ Jesus, the powerful days of the apostolic church, the persecution of the Dark Ages, and a prophetic view of the great and final battle and triumphal victory of the God who is Love. Published by Battle Creek, MI: Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association ISBN: 978-1-61253-078-9 Citation: White, E. G. (1858) Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1. Battle Creek, MI: Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association. Retrieved from https://egwwritings.org/book/b104 Preface to Reprinted Edition Among the most treasured volumes in the libraries of many of the older Seventh-day Adventist workers are the early editions of the E. G. White books, particularly “Spiritual Gifts,” Volumes I-IV, published from 1858-1864. Through the passage of the years the fuller E. G. White presentations have replace these small original volumes, which have become quite rare and much sought after. As a service to a greatly expanding worker and student group these original printings are now reissued in facsimile form and made available to all who desire them. 1SG 2”

1SG 2

“The Trustees of the Ellen G. White Publications. Spiritual Gifts The gift of prophecy was manifested in the church during the Jewish dispensation. If it disappeared for a few centuries, on account of the corrupt state of the church towards the close of that dispensation, it re-appeared at its close to usher in the Messiah. Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, “was filled with the holy spirit, and prophesied.” Simeon, a just and devout man who was “waiting for the consolation of Israel,” came by the spirit into the temple, and prophesied of Jesus as “a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel;” And Anna a prophetess “spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” And there was no greater prophet than John, who was chosen of God to introduce to Israel “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” 1SG 5”

1SG 5

“Seventh-day Adventists understood, and today understand, Mrs. White's ministry as the “messenger of the Lord” to be in fulfillment of the prophecy of ( Revelation 12:17 and 19:10 ), that the remnant church “which keep the commandments of God” was to “have the testimony of Jesus”—“the spirit of prophecy.” They see in her work the gift of prophecy of which Paul speaks in ( Ephesians 4:9-13 ) placed with other gifts in the church “for the perfecting of the saints” and “the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith.” 1TT 17.2”

1TT 17.2

“The truth of God upon this subject is consistent and harmonious with itself, and with all divine truth. The spirit of prophecy, in consequence of the fall and man's separation from the visible presence of God, became a necessity. This necessity has not been obviated by any past change of dispensation. And no dispensation needs the gifts of the Holy Spirit more than the Christian age; and at no time in the long period of man's separation from God's visible presence, have they been so much needed as amid the perils of the raging tempests of the last days. But when the Redeemer shall come, the controversy be ended, the saints’ rest given, and they, all immortal, meet around the throne with angels, and face to face behold the glory of God and the Lamb, the spirit of prophecy will be numbered among Heaven's choicest blessings of the past. J.W. 1SP 16.2”

1SP 16.2

“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. You know how the Lord has manifested Himself through the spirit of prophecy. Past, present, and future have passed before me. I have been shown faces that I had never seen, and years afterward I knew them when I saw them. I have been aroused from my sleep with a vivid sense of subjects previously presented to my mind; and I have written, at midnight, letters that have gone across the continent and, arriving at a crisis, have saved great disaster to the cause of God. This has been my work for many years. A power has impelled me to reprove and rebuke wrongs that I had not thought of. Is this work of the last thirty-six years from above or from beneath? 5T 64.3”

5T 64.3

“Chapter 49—Can All Have the Gift of Prophecy? From time to time reports come to me concerning statements that Sister White is said to have made but which are entirely new to me, and which cannot fail to mislead the people as to my real views and teaching. A sister, in a letter to her friends speaks with much enthusiasm of a statement by Brother Jones that Sister White has seen that the time has come when, if we hold the right relation to God, all can have the gift of prophecy to the same extent as do those who are now having visions. 3SM 340”

3SM 340

“Two prominent cases involving claims to the prophetic gift are also presented here in the form of counsel given by Mrs. White to those directly or indirectly concerned. She was in an extremely delicate position in dealing with situations of this character, but in fulfilling her office as God's messenger, she was given instruction that protected the church from these pretenders to the prophetic office. She emphasized the point that the genuine manifestation of the prophetic gift would bear its own credentials, accompanied by ample clear, convincing evidence. 2SM 62.3”

2SM 62.3

“We call upon you to take your stand on the Lord's side, and act your part as a loyal subject of the kingdom. Acknowledge the gift that has been placed in the church for the guidance of God's people in the closing days of earth's history. From the beginning the church of God has had the gift of prophecy in her midst as a living voice to counsel, admonish, and instruct. We have now come to the last days of the work of the third angel's message, when Satan will work with increasing power because he knows that his time is short. At the same time there will come to us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, diversities of operations in the outpouring of the Spirit. This is the time of the latter rain.— Letter 230, 1908 , pp. 1, 2. (To Elder A. T. Jones, July 25, 1908.) 5MR 151.2”

5MR 151.2

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Based on the conversation history, the information suggests that the gift of prophecy is intended to remain with the church. Specifically: * **Continued Necessity:** The necessity for the spirit of prophecy has not been removed, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit "will continue to be a vital resource until the controversy is ended and the redeemed behold God face to face" (1SP 16.2). * **The Last Days:** It is noted that these gifts are "most needed during the perils of the last days" (1SP 16.2). However, the history also provides important qualifications regarding future claims: * **Vigilance:** The church is warned to be vigilant against "pretenders" who might claim the prophetic office. * **Extent of the Gift:** There is a caution against claiming that every believer would possess the gift to the same extent as those receiving visions (5T 64.3, 3SM 340). In summary, while the history indicates that the gift of prophecy is meant to continue as a vital resource until the end of the controversy, it does not explicitly name a successor or definitively state that another individual will occupy the office in the same way, focusing instead on the persistence of the gift and the need for caution against false claims. This covers the points mentioned in our previous discussion, though there may be additional aspects of this topic not yet explored.