There's a Bigger Issue at Stake...

By Hazel Holland

In Chapter 9: "Exposing a Sacred Cow", p. 107-109, there's a bigger issue at stake than the well documented fact that Ellen White (EGW) "borrowed" profusely from other authors without giving them credit.  This issue shows up best in "The Desire of Ages".  (See Dr. Fred Veltman's research on this subject here: http://www.ellenwhiteexposed.com/egw40.htm

The extra prophetic fill-ins in Desire of Ages serve a purpose because the New Testament is largely silent about Sabbath observance, but the Desire of Ages is not. Whether they realized it or not, it appears that the authors of DA were trying to reconcile the New Testament with the Sabbath. They were trying to harmonize Christ with the Law.  They were trying to show that Christ upheld the Law and that He intends for us to be obedient to the Ten Commandments, especially the Sabbath.

Thus the prophetic “fill-ins” serve to give divine credibility to this Ten Commandment-based account of the gospel. They showed through their further revelations that this re-reading of Scripture was the correct view.  Because it was also more emotionally moving, the belief in Sabbath/Ten Commandments became more emotionally fixed and entrenched inside of us.  How could it be wrong if it was so moving?   We thought DA made us appreciate Jesus and Scripture more.

However, the problem with the Ellen White “fill-ins” in DA is that they distract us from the main point of the message of Jesus.  One example of DA’s distracting fill-ins is about the parable of the Good Samaritan. Ellen White said it was a true story, not just a parable, and that the people in that recent event were standing among the listeners when Jesus was speaking. When Jesus finished speaking, EGW said that the Samaritan knew he was vindicated and the priest and Levite were convicted of their wrongdoing.

The problem with the Ellen White’s “fill-ins” is that they distract us from the main point of the parable by adding peripheral information that the Bible is silent about. The point of Jesus’ parable was that God values love and compassion more than He values ceremonial righteousness.  God saw the Samaritan who was theologically very incorrect as being more righteous than the priest and Levite who had “more truth”. 

In essence, this parable shows that righteousness does not come through the Law!!! But that is totally missed and not mentioned here!!!

Unfortunately because of the EGW “fill-ins” in DA, the “wow” shifted away from Jesus’ message to the extra knowledge EGW supplied. Readers of Scripture focus on and are in awe of Jesus, His love and His grace. But readers of “The Desire of Ages” often feel that they already know those things (Jesus, His love and grace) and that those things are somewhat elementary.

Many of us in Adventism have been more impressed by EGW’s further “revelations” and proud of our “bigger” picture. But the deeper insight is not deeper at all—it’s taken us deeper into error and totally misrepresented who Jesus is!!!

Anyone want to share their thoughts about this subject?

The "Old" Has Disappeared...

By Hazel Holland

The "old" has disappeared... and the "new" has come!

Jesus knows the hearts of His children.  He knows that many of us try to hold on to the old wineskin of old covenant law believing it to be better than the new wineskin of the new covenant gospel.  He knows that in the natural realm old wine does taste better than new wine. 

That was why the people at the wedding in Cana where Jesus performed His first miracle were so surprised when they tasted the new wine.  The old wine—the good wine was always served first, but at this wedding the best wine was served last!   

Do you see the prophetic picture?  Jesus was declaring Himself to be the New Wine—the Best Wine.   The Son of God was declaring Himself to be God’s final Word.

Although we have been accustomed to drinking “old wine,” believing the “old” is better, Jesus came to show us that the “new wine” of the new covenant gospel is far better than the old wine of old  covenant law.  He is defying our expectations just like He surprised the guests at the wedding feast by showing us that the new wine—what came later is better!  Indeed, the host of the wedding banquet did serve his best wine at the beginning.  

But like the glory of the new covenant (2 Corinthians 3), the New Wine surpasses the old!  We thought we had great wine through Moses, but it doesn’t begin to compare with the New Wine of the Spirit...

*Excerpt from "The Naked Truth...", p. 74.