Ellen White: First Vision & Call to Ministry
Season 2 | Episode 8
Several weeks after the Great Disappointment,
Ellen was in the home of Mrs Haynes
when as all the young women knelt to pray,
God gave Ellen Harmon a vision.
He showed her the travels of the people of God to the city of God
and assured her that the light given before October the 22nd was genuine.
No explanation for the Great Disappointment was given,
but the assurance on its own was a huge encouragement.
[music]
A week later, God gave Ellen another vision
with the added injunction to 'tell the world what I have told you.'
Ellen was a timid, frail, and sickly young 17-year-old
and she wondered if she could possibly do what God was asking her.
The angel assured her that God would be with her,
that He would be her guide and her strength.
Ellen was willing,
but she wondered if the Advent believers would accept a message
from someone so young and in such poor physical condition.
[music]
That night there was a meeting at her house of the believers,
but feeling nervous and frightened,
she actually ran away from home
and went to a friend's house three or four miles away.
There she met a man named Joseph Turner who encouraged her
and told her that he was interested in hearing what she had to say.
She fled to an upstairs room and was there troubled
by a sense of duty and commitment mixed with fear.
Had God forsaken her?
At last she surrendered and promised that she would share once she got home
but when she got home, the believers had left and the meeting was over.
[music]
At the next meeting she gave an account of her vision in detail
and instead of being met with derision and scorn,
she found the believers happy to listen
and learn the reasons for their disappointment.
Afterwards, still feeling fearful,
she had a visit from her angel who said,
'Deliver the message faithfully; endure unto the end,
and ye shall eat the fruit of the tree of life and drink the water of life.'
[music]
Ellen committed herself to using the gift that God had bestowed upon her.
This gift was given to guide this small and fledgling group
through some hard times ahead.
There was no organized church, no recognized pastors,
no health care or education system, no official publications,
just scattered groups of believers
trying to make sense out the Great Disappointment experience
and be faithful to their understanding of God's Word.
[music]
The gift of prophecy would be pivotal
in helping this small group to pull through.
It would help to confirm what they had studied in God's Word
and let them know when they were on the right track.
It would be a beacon of light providing guidance and direction
and is one of the means that God has used to lead His people.
In Old and New Testament times the gift of prophecy has been used.
In 2 Chronicles 20:20 it says,
'Believe on the Lord your God and be established;
believe his prophets and you shall prosper.'
God has given us a great gift today.
Let us remember to prove all things and hold fast that which is good.