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I would like to begin, rather unusually, with a few quotes from the writings of Ellen White. I typically use the Scriptures alone for my references when attempting to present a principle for our examination, but in this case the principle is one that is expressed in a phrase that she uses numerous times in her writings. In fact, it occurs so often within her books and manuscripts I am genuinely surprised that I haven’t heard it mentioned before to my recollection… not in discussing Adventism online, not in any of our previous studies, and not in any quotation compilations that I have read.
That phrase is the name of our study today, “The Living Oracles,” and because it is so often found in inspired writings, it would be good to examine its concept, if not its exact wording, in the Scriptures. It is clearly important for us to understand. As I said, though, I would like to start with three quotes from Mrs. White’s writings, to demonstrate that she actually uses the expression in three distinct ways.
The first, and most common use that she makes of the phrase “the living oracles” is in reference to the Bible. She writes, “We need, then, to study the word of God, that we may know why we believe the doctrines we advocate. We must critically search the living oracles of Jehovah.” [Review & Herald, Dec 18, 1888] Here, the “living oracles” is the impression that the Bible makes on our minds when we are not hearers only, but doers of the Word. It is our lives that give a testimony to the world of the meaning of the Scriptures, and this is what draws sinners close to the Cross. It is the reason why we believe.
The second use she makes of the wording is in the singular, and here she says, “Are they [the Church’s members] seeking for that perfect oneness that Christ prayed they should have? Have they indeed kept the words of the living oracle of God?” [Spalding and Magan Collection, p. 124] Here the expression applies, not to the words as written, but the One that gave the words. In another place, on page 28 of a collection called Ye Shall Receive Power, Yahshua is directly called “the Oracle of God.” The term itself, “oracle,” means speaker. An oracle is a mouthpiece of a divine Person; historically it referred to the priestesses of the Greek gods, but as a general term it certainly applies to Yahshua who was the very Word of Yahweh, especially when used in the singular by Mrs. White.
Finally, and of particular relevance to the latter-day Church, we read this, “It is not the large buildings erected for show that give character to the work, but the winning of souls to Christ. This seals the teacher as a living oracle, as Christ’s apostle. This will demonstrate that the work we are doing is of God. ‘By their fruits,’ Christ said, ‘ye shall know them.’” [Testimonies to Southern Africa, p. 77]
And so we see that the phrase may refer to the Scriptures, to Christ, and also to those who speak for Yahweh in this generation. And just as the word “oracle” comes from an ancient Latin word that signifies a “speaker,” so does the word “prophet,” except it comes to us from Greek. In meaning, they are the same.
We are speaking here of the living gift of prophecy. Whether it is quoting a relevant statement from the Bible, declaring the Testimony of Yahshua, or receiving a new revelation, it is all the same gift, provided from the beginning of the Creation to the very end of human history. As we quoted in our discussion after last week’s study, “And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Eph 4:11, 12)
Yahweh does not gift His gifts in vain, nor does He give them arbitrarily. What He gives is perfect, and what He gives is necessary for His people. Without the living oracles, there is no 144,000, for these are they that perfectly follow the Lamb wherever He goes – and the gift of prophecy, among these others listed here, is one of the tools to bring about this state of perfect spiritual Sabbath.
The way some, even within Adventism, deal with the verses about prophecy is how some Sunday-keeping Christians deal with the verses about the Sabbath. They see the fourth commandment among the set of ten, and they accept all of them except the one that bears the name of Yahweh as Creator. Similarly, they read of all these gifts to the New Testament Church, and they say, “Yes, evangelists, and pastors, and teachers, and even apostles… but prophets? No, that is for a past age; we are rich and increased with prophetic goods, and don’t need any new light.” They reject the very thing that bears the direct impress of the Divine, for a prophet in vision can say, “I, Yahweh, have declared this.” His Name is in them when they speak for Him; indeed, it is Yahweh speaking through the oracle; yet this is the one gift that Satan has worked the hardest to get people to avoid, ignore, or corrupt.
We can, to a degree, understand the caution. Yahshua said, after all, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Mat 7:15) And there have certainly been false prophets in Christianity, in Adventism, some of which gained world-wide attention for their visions and interpretations of Yahweh’s Word. We have spoken about prophecy before, establishing its importance to the last generation of Adventists, its New Testament validity, and its role in the events surrounding the close of probation. We don’t need to repeat that here; what I would rather do instead is to address that hesitancy surrounding modern day prophecy.
As with the Gospel itself, with so many counterfeits, how do you know the genuine? The fear of being misled appears to be one of the most stubborn barriers to being truly heard as an evangelist of the Biblical Gospel. When we meet people, online or in person, we know that they already have some experience with a Church. Because we are reaching out to them in the moment, we know that they already have some experience with a false church; and this is not being judgmental. The Scriptures tell us that there is only one Bride, and that She is united. Babylon has many daughters, but the Maiden Bride of Christ is One.
How do we know her? Because Her Husband is generous, and He has given her many gifts. The false Brides may have good-looking clothing, and fine jewelry. They may have large houses of stained glass and golden instruments. But what does the Bride have? She has apostles, and prophets, and teachers, and pastors, organizers and those who love to help others grow. She has a message that kills sin in the heart, and sets the captives free from sin now, today, not at some arbitrary point in the future. These are the gifts with which Yahshua’s Bride is adorned, and these are the riches that will not tarnish with time or with use.
One might think that within Adventism, we would be a little more open to the idea of prophetic gifts still alive within the Church, but we find that this is not often the case. They will accept Ellen White, but I think that even this has been a part of the problem. By that I mean, Ellen White has been treated within Adventism as if she were an Old-Testament, pre-Christ prophet. This was not the correct approach, and has damaged the view of many Adventists about what a prophet is supposed to be. Not only was Ellen White called because others were offered the gift and refused, but I also believe she was never intended to be the only one; others refused also, during her ministry, and we will not know their names until the 1000 years arrives.
Consider the way that prophets were treated before Yahshua’s first Advent: “And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, ‘Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Ba’al-peor.’” (Num 25:5)
Can you imagine reading that in a volume of Testimonies to The Church? And even if you point out that Churches don’t put their own members to death in this day and age (although they don’t have much of a problem imprisoning them from time to time), we don’t even find Ellen White calling for disfellowships or immediate penalties. After an examination, yes. After witnessing them reject warnings and admonitions, yes… but never that I recall only on the authority of a vision or word that she had received directly.
Now, consider the prophets of the New Testament: “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.” (1Cor 14:29) Prophets are to be a part of the natural operation of the Church; when it is working according to Yah’s will, there are no voices thundering from Sinai, only a still, small, orderly direction.
Here is another very important verse: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” (1Cor 14:37)
New Testament prophets are not authorities unto themselves. It is unfortunate, in a sense, that Ellen White came to be seen as an authoritarian figure within Adventism. That is not what she wanted. There are various times in her later writings when she expressed regret that her words had been taken as absolute measures of behavior in diet and dress, where conscience-led, Spirit-guided individuality ought to have been the standard. We find many Adventists today rejecting increasing light, such as the names “Yahweh” and “Yahshua” for the Father and Son, or missing out on great blessings like the appointed times, and all because “Sister White never told us to do these things.”
In the resurrection, Ellen White will sigh over what has been done with her name and writings in this generation. They have made of her too much, and too little, at the same time; there is no balance, because Yahshua has not been permitted to be the Example He was intended to be. All who are true prophets, true oracles, true messengers, will point to Christ alone as the Standard.
The Spirit of Prophecy is a gift for all who claim Christ’s testimony. As Revelation 19 tells us, the testimony of Yahshua IS the Spirit of Prophecy. This does not mean that everyone who speaks according to Yahshua’s Spirit will have a distinctive vision, or set of dreams. However, when they speak it is with the authority of the Creator. Not everyone will predict the future of the nation in which they live, but everyone with the Spirit of Prophecy, the Testimony of Yahshua, will say, as Paul did, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which Yahshua, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” (2Tim 4:7, 8)
That is the most important prophecy in the Bible. Why do I say that? Because it is a prophecy that all the redeemed are called to make. It is a confident, authoritative declaration of the future. I shall not fail, nor be discouraged. That is a prophecy. I have kept the faith, and will keep it until He appears to give me that crown that I know awaits me at the close of time. That is a prophecy. I may not be able to tell you your future, but I can declare with divine authority my own. This is the end-result of victory over sin – it is a prophetic certainty that we claim, completely free from doubt, and utterly disdainful of the idea that we shall fail. What the carnal Christians denounce as arrogance, we declare with humility as a testimony of the power of our Savior to keep us from falling, and not a boast of our own spiritual strength. The fact that we must keep clarifying this, that we are reliant entirely on Christ for our confidence, not trusting in holy flesh, but a Holy Spirit, is a testimony to how persistently Satan fights against this Gospel, clouding the minds of its opponents, confounding the reasoning of those who reject it, so that they accuse the brethren of sin for claiming the very thing that they themselves need the most.
The Spirit of Prophecy instructs us to take Christ at His Word, and let our lips declare that we have gained the victory. [cf. Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 517] It is a simple instruction, and easy to obey for those with humble faith. It is a baffling exception to the understanding of those who neither love holiness, nor desire freedom from sin. This is the dividing line between the two classes of humanity. The Sheep love this message. They hear Yahshua’s voice in it to them, individually, to their hearts… “Come, and take the blessing that I suffered and died to give you.” The Goats hear this and think, “No, that can’t be right… you have to be misunderstanding what she meant. How can we be so prideful as to declare that we have gained victory?” Like Cain, they look to their own works, and cannot understand why Yahweh will not accept the best they have to offer, the very finest results of their efforts. In Christ’s name, they have tried really hard to overcome self. In Jesus’ name they have exerted themselves to their utmost to deny temptation and avoid sin. But they have not Sabbathed. They have not rested in the sweet peace of the love of the Father and Son. They have not offered the Lamb that the Lord Himself has supplied. They have not rejoiced in the things that God has created for them, as on that seventh day, and accepted His pronouncement that everything He has made, including their re-created, born-again lives, is “very good.”
Whatever Yahweh makes is “very good.” If He has made your life, it is a “very good” life, not because of anything you have done, but because He is the One that has made it. Those who are born again have given Yahshua their lives, and He has given them in exchange a new life, one He has made for them. Then they rest, and it is “very good.” That is the Sabbath more fully, the Sabbath as it applies to our every moment.
That is what the Spirit of Prophecy teaches us, and not only the living oracles of the Scriptures, or of Yahshua’s earthly ministry, but of the work of His ongoing Spirit, through my voice today, and through your voice today, as you speak in His name. A member of Christ’s Church, a member of Christ’s Bride, is one of the living oracles. When we understand this, there is no temptation to worship the place where Moses was buried, or to seek relics of Yahshua’s time on earth, or to rely on the writings of Ellen White to guide your every decision. These are all idolatry. Yes, even truly blessed objects and people may be the focus of idolatrous obsession, because looking anywhere except up to Heaven, or at Christ in your own renewed heart, is to search for the Savior in an empty tomb. He is not among the dead, but along the living. He is not with those who sleep in the expectation of His return, He is with His People right now, at this very moment, and His living Testimony is the Spirit of Prophecy.
Let none be afraid to examine the claims of those who are Christ’s. When they speak of repentance from dead works, a life of freedom and victory, and unity with the Father, the Son, and with the Brethren, you know that you have found the right message. Even if not every point of doctrine is in perfect accord with your own understanding, you have found the right message. The People of Yahweh are not exacting, nor are they controlling. There is no papal spirit among those who have the living oracles, because we know that God’s Spirit is working in all those who love Him, to refine, to purify; and our arguments, however clever and conclusive, can only prepare the way for the Spirit to bring conviction and change.
Now some might say, “Hold on, if we don’t put Ellen White on a pedestal, if we don’t quote her statements for all our decisions, if we let freedom of conscience and individuality be the rule within the Spirit-led Church, won’t this lead to disorder? Won’t this lead to chaos? How can a Church hang together if differences in the understanding of our teachings are allowed? Isn’t that disunity? Doesn’t that confuse the message we are bringing to the world?”
I was speaking on Facebook just this week with an administrator of an Adventist page, and I was trying to explain to him the difference between a “doctrine” and a “principle.” He had no idea what I was talking about. Doctrines express principles. They reveal fundamental ideas in specific beliefs and practices. Doctrines can change over time, and with circumstances; like the sacrifices that pointed to Christ, for example. But principles are eternal. The 10 Commandments are perhaps the purest expression of principles in human behavior, pointing out righteousness in both actions and the motives of the heart.
Upon those 10 Commandments may be built many teachings, but as James tells us, each individual commandment is a part of a single, unified thought, so that “Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10) That is not a threat. That is not a warning that, “You better keep the Sabbath, or else!” That is an expression of the beauty of Yahweh’s Law, that there is one heart, one principle of agape-love, behind each of its various elements. Two verses later, James tells us that we will be judged by a Law of “liberty.” (verse 12) Those that are merciful receive mercy. Those that are patient receive patience. Those that are gentle are shown gentleness, even by that Perfect and Righteous Judge of all mankind.
How wonderful! And how different this all is from those zealots, including those within Adventism, who declare death, eternal, everlasting death, on those who don’t agree with them on diet, dress, feast-keeping, their personal view of the Godhead, and a host of other specifics. And I don’t want to give the impression that the Church is careless about any of these things. No, indeed, there will be strict observance of the principles of Christ in health, in modesty, in self-examination; but true conviction comes from within, from a genuine and living relationship with the Father and Son that has us eager to please Them, even to the point of sacrificing our lives for this Law of Liberty, should it come to that. This is not a loose, liberal interpretation of Christianity, but we do not sacrifice beauty for power. We do not swallow up love in legalism. We allow the Spirit of Christ to work as It is designed to work, not according to our designs.
This is why it prospers, why the Church is united, and powerful, and victorious, despite the fact that we don’t go around inspecting one another’s plates, cupboards and wardrobes. Nobody is standing on a hill pointing down at anyone else; we are all on equal ground, pointing up to the Savior. The divisions in the early Church came about because wicked men as led by Satan perverted the Gospel, not because the Apostles weren’t severe enough with their converts. Remember that.
And people have been rebuked in the CSDA Church, of course. Everyone here, from the oldest and longest-serving to the most recently baptized, has endured reproof for the sake of refining character. But never has it been with threats. Never has it been with undue harshness; instead, it has been an appeal. It has been a reminder of the principles to which we have committed ourselves. It has been an education in righteousness, offered in genuine love and concern. Whatsoever force felt is the conviction of the Spirit, working with us to kindle a perfect hatred of sin, a perfect love of righteousness, and genuine, fervent repentance from those things which we come to realize are contrary to Yahweh’s purpose for our lives.
This is what it looks like when there are living oracles among the people, when the Spirit of Christ abides in the Church, like the glory between the Cherubim. There is no one figure, in these New Testament times, like Moses. After the Cross, there ought never to have been one mortal’s name or voice exalted. Instead, all eyes are drawn to Christ, and His gifts are distributed among His people. Today is the prophecy of Joel fulfilled, which many quote, but few appear to truly anticipate, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28)
Today is the prayer of Moses fulfilled, which few, and very few, understand, “And Moses said unto him, ‘Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all Yahweh people were prophets, and that Yahweh would put His Spirit upon them!’” (Num 11:29) At long last, we say, “Amen.” At long last, after thousands of years, we receive Yahshua, that live-giving Spirit, and all receive His Testimony, the Spirit of Prophecy. All are confident, called to be confident, of their own future in the Everlasting Kingdom, and all are called to speak as living oracles, to bear that very Spirit about with them as they share what great things the Father and Son have done for us. This will cut through any debate. This will silence the voice of any controversy. This will draw sinners to the Cross, and seal us as the Eli-Yah people, who prepare the way, who straighten the paths, for the soon return of the Son of Yahweh.
David.