Appearance in Crises and Crucial Moments of Salvation History

One can discover a pattern in the manner and timing of when God sent prophets. Prophets were called to their ministry at critical points in salvation history and in times of deep crisis. Usually the deeper the crisis, the greater the prophet. For instance, the prophets Elijah and Elisha ministered when Baalism and religious syncretism were very popular. Other examples include the beginning of the monarchy (Nathan, Gath), before the fall of the northern kingdom (Hosea, Amos), prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 587/586 B.C. (Habakkuk, Jeremiah), during the Babylonian exile (Ezekiel, Daniel), and after the return from the Babylonian exiles (Haggai, Zechariah). God was always seeking to help His people and encourage them to follow His instruction (Isa. 1:2, 3, 18, 19; Mic. 6:6-8).GOP 16.2

One can detect another pattern. Every time there was a crucial event in the plan of salvation or the fulfillment of a predicted prophetic period, prophets were sent by God: Noah (before the Flood with 120 years of grace, and afterward); Abraham (starting point for a new ministry to all nations); Moses (the Exodus from Egypt; the end of the 430-year stay in Egypt); Joshua (entering into the Promised Land); Samuel (beginning of the monarchy); Hosea and Amos (serving before the fall of the northern kingdom and Samaria in 722 B.C.); Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel (working before and during the Babylonian captivity); John the Baptist (ministering before the first coming of Jesus); and Stephen (witnessing in relation to the end of the 70-weeks prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27). ^{15Following this pattern related to the prophetic key events, it is no wonder that Ellen G. White was called to the prophetic ministry when the longest biblical prophecy of Daniel 8:14 concerning the period of 2300 evenings and mornings was fulfilled in harmony with the plan of salvation and the book of Daniel.}GOP 16.3