How Not to Test a Prophet

We must be very careful to use good evidence and not bad in the “testing” or “trial” of a prophet that Paul, John, and Ellen White call for. There are two basic kinds of evidence available to the Christian: (1) that which he sees, hears, and feels in the world around him, and (2) the written Word of God.HONL 9.5

Objective evidence is usually thought of as that which makes its primary appeal to the five senses, especially to the eye and the ear. For many, “seeing is believing.” But this is extremely dangerous when it comes to spiritual matters. For the person who is seeking to evaluate spiritual issues, the Word of God must take precedence over the “objective” evidence in the world around him-to the point that Ellen White, speaking of the “objective” miracles that Satan will perform in the last days, once asked, “Are the people of God now so firmly established upon His word that they would not yield to the evidence of their senses?” ^{20Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1950), 625. (Cited hereafter as GC) 28}HONL 10.1

It was against just such “objective” evidence that Jesus warned His disciples when, only a few hours before His crucifixion, His disciples asked Him for signs of His second coming. Four times in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew He used the words deceive or deceived in the context of detecting end-time false christs and false prophets. Verses 4, 5, 11, 24. And He pointedly remarked that these deceivers would seek to win their case by offering “objective” evidence: “great signs and wonders.” Verse 24.HONL 10.2

Ellen White illustrates the wrong use of objective evidence in a remarkably gripping two-page account of an as-yet-future event, “the crowning act in the great drama of deception,” the attempted counterfeiting of the second coming of Jesus Christ. ^{21The Great Controversy, 624, 625.} This counterfeit will especially appeal to the eye and the ear.HONL 10.3

Evidence appealing to the eye. Satan, whom Paul years ago characterized as “an angel of light” (see 2 Corinthians 11:14), will appear “in different parts of the earth” as “a majestic being of dazzling brightness,” ^{22The Great Controversy, 624, emphasis supplied.} strongly bringing to mind John’s description of the risen Christ who visited him on the island of Patmos. See Revelation 1:13-15. The aura of glory surrounding this pseudo-Christ will be “unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld.” Onlookers will see him lifting up his hands and pronouncing a blessing in the manner Christ adopted while on earth. And he then “heals the diseases of the people.” ^{23Ibid., emphasis supplied.} So much for the “objective” evidence which appeals to the eye.HONL 10.4

Evidence appealing to the ear. “His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody.” He speaks in “gentle, compassionate tones” words spoken by Christ while on earth and recorded in Scripture. ^{24Ibid., emphasis supplied.} So much for the “objective” evidence which appeals to the ear.HONL 11.1

Then in his assumed guise Satan claims that he really did change the Sabbath to Sunday. Perhaps this change wasn’t as well documented in Scripture as it might have been—but, who cares now? “Christ” is here, the people reason, and the living Lord certainly can supersede the written Word, can He not? Satan commands all to honor the first day of the week, and any who persist in clinging to the seventh-day Sabbath (now that “a greater than the temple” is here—see Matthew 12:6) are accused of blaspheming his name!HONL 11.2

How effective will all this “objective” evidence be? “This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion.” ^25Ibid.HONL 11.3

Now let it be said, clearly, that there is a place for objective evidence in spiritual matters, such as the physical phenomena associated with a prophet in vision: loss of ordinary strength (Daniel 10:8, 17), unconsciousness of immediate surroundings (Daniel 10:9; 2 Corinthians 12:1, 2), cessation of breathing (Daniel 10:17), eyes open but in a trancelike state (Numbers 24:3, 4, 16), the reception of supernatural strength (Daniel 10:18, 19), and the ability to speak aloud while in vision under certain circumstances (Daniel 10:15, 16).HONL 11.4

Ellen White did demonstrate these characteristics in vision: she talked without breathing, and held a large, heavy Bible above her head for an extended period of time during more than one early vision. These signs were impressive—as God doubtless intended them to be.HONL 12.1

But the church held then, as it continues to hold today, that these things were evidence, not proof. They were evidence that a supernatural agency was at work, but not proof of which power was at work, whether God’s Holy Spirit or that great unholy spirit, Satan. The phenomena themselves did not validate their origin. Ellen White’s authenticity as a true prophet had to be determined by biblical evidence.HONL 12.2

It is not at all surprising that, after describing the dazzling array of apparently objective evidence which Satan will employ in his counterfeit of the second coming, Ellen White immediately points out that this grand exhibition, when submitted to the evidence of the Word, proves spurious for two reasons. First, “the teachings of this false christ are not in accordance with the Scriptures” ^{26The Great Controversy, 625, emphasis supplied.} (he pronounces a blessing on those who have the mark of the beast; he claims that Sunday is sacred and Saturday is not). Second, Satan is not permitted to counterfeit the manner of the second coming. Scripture teaches that Christ will come “with clouds” (Revelation 1:7) and that at His return those who are saved will be “caught up ... in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Thus the “objective” phenomena of Satan’s counterfeit second coming, when tested by the objective Word of God, prove to be spurious.HONL 12.3

Immediately after making these strong points, Ellen White says with great force:HONL 13.1

Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures and who have received the love of the truth will be shielded from the powerful delusion [subjective phenomena] that takes the world captive. By the Bible testimony [objective evidence] these will detect the deceiver in his disguise. To all the testing will come.... Are the people of God now so firmly established upon His word that they would not yield to the [subjective] evidence of their senses? Would they, in such a crisis, cling to the Bible and the bible only? ^{27Ibid., emphasis supplied.}