The Divine Presence In The Prophetic Message
However, on many occasions the prophetic visions and dreams are not accompanied by visible or audible signs of the divine Presence. In these cases, the only sign or identity of the divine origin of the communication is found in the message itself. In other words, the divine Presence is manifested in the very characteristics of the message the prophet is communicating.VOTS 49.3
As if placed in a “time machine,” prophets are taken to the remote past, or transported to the distant future. With relationship to the past, they obtain information never seen by archaeologists, geologists, or paleontologists. With relationship to the future, they offer information that the years or the centuries will eventually prove to be accurate. They have access to places and beings in the universe that are totally unknown, even to modern space scientists. As far as human history is concerned, they are witnesses to events that historians have not recorded. In relation to the secret lives of individuals, they have access to situations and circumstances known only to the people involved.VOTS 50.1
The last point mentioned in the previous paragraph, the communication to the prophet of events and circumstances that individuals keep secret, contains the essence of the divine Presence that makes that particular message something superhuman or supernatural. Hundreds of letters sent by Ellen White during seventy years of prophetic ministry contained this component that always caused astonishment and surprise to those involved. It is this ingredient that produced changes and reformation in the honest and sincere of heart, and that even the most rebellious had to accept as of divine origin because of the accuracy and truthfulness of the declarations referring to the deepest secrets of their lives.VOTS 50.2
Imagine for a moment the emotion—and probably the anxiety—of receiving a letter from a prophet that began like this:VOTS 50.3
In the last vision given me your case was presented before me. I have been waiting to see if you had a tender, sensitive, or a seared, conscience. I have had the following written out for a long time but have thought I would wait till you made some move yourself. I was shown that you have not lived up to the light. You have departed far from the light. The Lord has been following you with reproofs and counsel to preserve you from ruining your own soul and bringing a reproach upon His cause. I was shown that you have been retrograding rather than advancing and growing in grace and the knowledge of truth. VOTS 51.1
In many cases, the messages were more specific. Secret sins were revealed by God and communicated by the prophet to the person or persons involved. Undoubtedly, God’s purpose in revealing these circumstances was to give the individuals an opportunity to repent, to change their ways, and through the grace of God, begin a new spiritual life.VOTS 51.2
But there was an additional reason for revealing and communicating the secret problems of individuals—to serve as advice and admonition to others involved in the same circumstances. Paul declares that many of these revelations are “for our admonition” (1 Corinthians 10:11). Ellen White corroborates the biblical exhortation, stating:VOTS 51.3
If one is reproved for a special wrong, brethren and sisters should carefully examine themselves to see wherein they have failed and wherein they have been guilty of the same sin.... Many are dealing falsely with their own souls and are in a great deception in regard to their true condition before God. He employs ways and means to best serve His purpose and to prove what is in the hearts of His professed followers. He makes plain the wrongs of some that others may thus be warned and fear and shun those errors....VOTS 51.4
In a view given me about twenty years ago, I was then directed to bring out general principles, in speaking and in writing, and at the same time specify the dangers, errors, and sins of some individuals, that all might be warned, reproved, and counseled. I saw that all should search their own hearts and lives closely to see if they had not made the same mistakes for which others were corrected and if the warnings given for others did not apply to their own cases. If so, they should feel that the counsel and reproofs were given especially for them and should make as practical an application of them as though they were especially addressed to themselves. VOTS 52.1
As the apostle declares, the messages of divine origin are given “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Although accepting that correction is not an easy decision, those who do accept it receive the blessing of being guided directly by the Lord by means of His prophetic word. What an extraordinary reason to be grateful! Just think: the Lord is so concerned for a single soul that He takes the time to send special revelations to His servants to liberate them from going down the road toward perdition! To think that He has done it to prevent me from going down that road and to admonish me, personally!VOTS 52.2