by Patricio Menéndez

This article picks up with the core subject of my first article, but focuses mainly on one specific false doctrine and the branches that grew out of it.

Having been raised in the Seventh-day Adventist church I was raised to believe that Ellen G White was a true prophet and this prophet was proof that the Seventh-day Adventist church was in fact the Biblical "remnant' church. Concepts that are without any Biblical foundation.

Needless to say from the content of my first article I have learned that what I had been taught and believed for nearly forty years was, as it turns out, not exactly true.

To set up the following discussion on the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14 and the ensuing "Investigative Judgment" doctrine and relevant teachings I want to set up the history.

In the late 1830s and early 1840s many people concurred that using the "day for a year" principle the 2300 days prophesied by Daniel would end in October 22 of 1844. This was not and is not exclusively an early Adventist idea. The conclusions reached by each group or person vary. This was also a period of widespread spiritual revival and fanaticism. There was nothing unique or exclusive about the circumstances surrounding the founding of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Many denominations were born during that time. I don't think that I need to present a list since this is common knowledge.

As historic records show, after October 22, 1844, there followed a great "disappointment". Many of those who were the most vocal about the imminent return of Jesus refused to admit that they were wrong and sought alternative explanations.

At that time and in that area there was one united group of Sabbath keepers. As more and more people saw the false visions of Ellen White, her false testimonies, and her contradictions with the word of God, etc, that group split into two. Those who would not turn away from “sola scriptura” became the “Church of God 7th Day", and those who chose to follow Ellen White rather than the Bible became the Seventh-day Adventist church. The issue of separation was never about Biblical doctrinal understanding but about apostasy, the turning away from truth to follow a false teacher. The Seventh-day Adventist church is only one of many that “keep the Sabbath” and “have the testimony of Jesus”, the pointing of people to Jesus. The Seventh-day Adventist church does not have a monopoly on the Sabbath or on "truth".

The next round in this episode came in the form of paralleling this event with the parable of the Bridegroom given in Matthew 25. The doctrine was put forth that rather than Jesus coming to cleanse the sanctuary, which they interpreted as the earth, and to them meant the second coming of Jesus, the door of probation of the world had closed. They believed they were in a time of purification and that in seven years Jesus would come. Since this was the popular belief among early advent believers Ellen Harmon/White in her "visions" was shown by God that probation for the world had indeed closed and that there was no possibility of salvation for anyone not saved before October 22, 1844. This was as then called the "Shut Door" doctrine.

To address this issue directly, Ellen White had three recorded "visions" where she was shown by God that probation for the world permanently ended in 1844. After that date there was no possibility of salvation for anyone anywhere at any future time. You can read it in the periodical archives of the General Conference. The "Shut Door" doctrine based on the visions of Ellen White is the central teaching of the Seventh-day Adventist church and it was clearly stated that it cannot be separated from it. You take away the doctrine of the “Shut Door” and you destroy the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

If Ellen White was then and is today a "true prophet", based on these divine revelations given to her by God, no member of the Seventh-day Adventist church has any possibility of salvation.

There are only two options, either Ellen White is and was a true prophet and no Seventh-day Adventist today or anyone else anywhere in the world has any hope or possibility of salvation or Ellen White was a false prophet. There are no other options! If you have hope or promise of salvation there is no option but to admit, state, and/or confess, that Ellen White is today and always has been a false prophet. It is one or the other. Based on the visions of Ellen White you cannot have salvation and Ellen White as a true prophet.

How many false visions can a prophet have before they are clearly recognized as a false prophet?

How many times can a “true prophet” contradict the Bible?

By 1852 it was obvious that people were in fact being saved, that salvation was indeed still available. The Holy Spirit was still changing lives. As had happened in 1844 pride would not allow for the admission of error. That false doctrine was added to those already swept under the rug.

Since that doctrine had become obviously false another one had to be invented to cover it up and distract inquiring minds. Lie was added lie. Myth was added to myth. Error was added to error.

The next lie added to the mix was that Jesus did not atone for your sins on the cross but instead had transferred them to the heavenly sanctuary to atone for them latter in an "Investigative Judgment” that started in 1844. Once again this myth was perpetuated by the supposed visions of the prophet Ellen White.

"Instead of ... Daniel 8:14 referring to the purifying of the earth, it was now plain that it pointed to the closing work of our High Priest in heaven, the finishing of the atonement, and the preparing of the people to abide the day of His coming" (Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 58).

" This mighty Saviour has promised to come again, and to take his church to the mansions he has prepared for them. While he is in Heaven carrying on the work of intercession and atonement commenced on earth, his life and character are to be exemplified by his church upon earth." (Spirit of Prophecy volume 3, pg. 261).

"Jesus entered the most holy of the heavenly (sanctuary), at the end of the 2300 days of Daniel 8, in 1844, to make a final atonement for all who could be benefited by His mediation" (Early Writings, p. 253).

Ellen G White claimed every word she wrote came from God (Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, p. 293)!

Does the Bible agree or disagree with this?

"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. (the “spirit, of prophecy”) This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood" (Romans 3:21-25). NOTE: “Redemption that came” (past tense) in Paul’s day, not at some future time!

"Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:9-11). NOTE: “have now been (past tense) justified”. “Were (past tense) reconciled”. “Have now received (in the past) reconciliation”.

"In him we have ("have" is present tense) redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Ephesians 1:7).

"And the blood of Jesus, his son purifies us from every sin" (1 John 1:7). NOTE: “son purifies (present tense) us.” He did not wait and we do not have to wait 1813 years to be purified, reconciled, redeemed, atoned for! It was in the past finished! Completed!

"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him" (Romans 4:7-8). NOTE: there was nothing that Jesus was going to hold over your head in any “investigative judgment” at any time in the future.

The very foundation of the Christian faith is that the cross of Christ once and for all time atoned for the sins of man, reconciling him to God.

Rather than study the Bible people listened to the false visions and teachings of Ellen White which invariably only validated popular sentiment. There is not one original thought that ever came from the mouth or pen of Ellen White. Whatever was popular among her friends or self exalting is always what Ellen White saw in her "visions" which is why she was so often wrong.. .But where did this great deception start? What was it’s foundation? "The most important part of the daily ministration was the service performed in behalf of individuals. ... By his own hand the animal was then slain, and the blood was carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil, behind which was the ark containing the law that the sinner had transgressed. By this ceremony the sin was, through the blood, transferred in figure to the sanctuary" (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 354).

According to Ellen White the blood of the sacrifices for sin of individuals was taken by the priest into the sanctuary. This meant that it accumulated there and needed to be cleansed.

Blood was never taken into the Holy Place on a daily basis when a leader sinned (Leviticus 4:22-26), nor was it taken into any part of the sanctuary at all when any individual sinned (Leviticus 4:27-35).

Thus Ellen G White was in clear contradiction to the Bible by saying that the sins of the individual were "transferred in figure to the (Holy Place of the heavenly) sanctuary" "through the blood" sacrificed on a daily basis.

If the sanctuary on earth was a model of a literal heavenly sanctuary and the blood for the sins of the people was NOT taken into the earthly sanctuary how could this “sin” be cleansed in or from the heavenly sanctuary? If they were not taken into the earthly sanctuary, how could they be transferred symbolically or any other way into the heavenly sanctuary to be atoned for later or a second time" They were NEVER taken into the sanctuary and were atoned for on the cross. The whole premise for the investigative judgment is profoundly flawed and unbiblical.

How many false visions can a prophet have before being recognized as false?

How many times can a prophet contradict the Bible before being seen as a false prophet?

How many times can a prophet lie about their “visions” before being called a false prophet?

If it is acceptable for Ellen White to have false visions and contradict the Bible and still be classed as a true prophet, then every other “prophet” must be allowed the same indulgences!! You can NOT have one standard for Ellen G White and another totally different standard for every other prophet!!

Daniel 8:14 “unto 2300 days shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”

There are scores of books published on that one text, a bleeding chunk torn from the whole, but NONE of them include the CONTEXT!! Because of their disobedience to God. the Babylonians have conquered Israel and carried off many captives including Daniel. The sacred vessels of the temple are being used to worship pagan gods and in ultimate sacrilege they are offering pigs on the sacred alter to these pagan gods. Daniel, in Babylon, in anguish cries out to God, “How long are you going to allow this abomination to continue?” God tells Daniel that in 2300 days He is going to set things right. Exactly 2300 days latter, worship of the true God in the sanctuary in Jerusalem was restored, set right. The temple was cleansed. The people, then and there, knew of Daniel’s prophecy and saw in this it's fulfillment.

There are two texts that the Seventh-day Adventist Church bandies about to support 1844, Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:7. Both dealing with “a day for a year”. If you notice it is years reduced to days in one instance and multiplying time of days into years in the other. There is absolutely no justification to use this “day for a year” formula outside of the two given uses in the Bible. It is just as legitimate to apply the Seventh-day Adventist version of the “day for a year” principle to Jesus’ prophecy that he was going to be dead for three years rather than just the three literal days. It is just as legitimate to apply this to the millennium following the second coming reducing it to just 1000 days, two and three quarters years, as it is to apply it do Daniel 8:14. Those two texts, Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:7 are specific cases and can not in any way be used as a general rule for prophetic interpretation. This “day for a year principle is not mentioned or used in any prophetic book in the Bible! They cannot in any way be used to grasp at straws to manipulate the Bible to support clearly unbiblical doctrine.

There is no way to get the investigation of anything out of Daniel 8:14. There is no way to get the judgment of anything out of Daniel 8:14. There is no way to get the cleansing of a heavenly sanctuary out of Daniel 8:14. “sanctuary be cleansed” (set right) = “investigative judgment”?? That is a quantum leap of (mis)interpretation!! That is an example of incredible linguistic gymnastics! In addition to being unbiblical in and of itself this teaching denies the atonement of the cross of Christ. You can NOT have Jesus once and for all “taking away the sin of the world”, John 1:29, Heb. 9:26 washing them away with his own blood, nailing the record of our sins to the cross, Col 2:18, remembering them no more, Jer. 31:34, Heb. 8:12, 10:17 casting them into the depths of the sea Micah 7:9 etc. and incredibly after having done so, transferring your forgiven sins to heaven, where no sin can exist, and then judge you for them, hold them against you, atone for them latter!! That is NOT possible!! Either God completely forgives our sins and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from unrighteousness, 1 John 1:9 erasing the record of our sin completely or He doesn’t. Either Jesus completed atonement for our sin(s) on the cross when He cried out, "It is Finished!" and the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom, or he was NOT the Messiah!! You can NOT have it both ways!! This issue is that central and that critically important to faith.

We, all believers since the cross, have had an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ. For 1974 years since His resurrection, Jesus has been at the right hand of the Father before the throne in the "most holy place" Hebrews 8:1. Are you seriously going to contend that for 1813 years that believers did not have an advocate with the father because Jesus could not go or did not go into the "most holy place"? Are you seriously going to state that for 1813 years the followers of Jesus were "on their own" in terms of salvation or representation before their Heavenly Father? Are you honestly believing that His grace was sufficient only until 1844? No! Absolutely nothing changed in terms of our salvation or representation before the father in October 1844! Absolutely nothing changed in any way! There is and never was anything significant about that date! "And if any man sin, we have (present tense in John’s day) an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” 1 John 2:1

“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have (present tense at the time of writing nearly 2000 years ago) such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;” Hebrews 8:1 We absolutely did not have to wait till 1944 to have any high priest to administer an atonement that was entirely completed on the cross.

“Having (present tense) therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; having (present tense) an high priest over the house of God;” Hebrews 10:19-21 We absolutely did not have to wait till 1944 to have any high priest to administer an atonement that was entirely completed on the cross.

In the days of the Apostles, in the fist century AD, they recognized that Jesus was already gone to the right hand of the of the throne of God. They understood back then, in the first century AD, that they did not have to wait 1813 years for Jesus to go to the right hand of God to act as a high priest.

Ellen G White claimed every word she wrote came from God (Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, p. 293)!

"To obey the commandments of God is the only way to obtain (earn) His favor" (Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 28).

"If we walk contrary to God, He will walk contrary to us. Our only safe course is to render obedience to all His requirements, at whatever cost. (Testimonies vol. 5, p. 365)

"How can you educate your children in the things of God unless you first know for yourselves what is right and what is wrong; unless you realize that obedience means eternal life, and disobedience eternal death? (Australian Union Conference Record 09/1902)

"From what was shown me, there is a great work to be accomplished for you before you can be accepted in the sight of God" (Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 84).

"You have a great work to do. ... It is impossible for you to be saved as you are" (Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 316).

"Render entire obedience to His will. He will accept nothing short of this" (Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 237)

"As you are, you would mar all heaven. You are uncultivated, unrefined, and unsanctified. There is no place in heaven for such a character as you now possess. ... You are further today from the standard of Christian perfection ... than you were a few months after you had received the truth" (Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 465).

What a great prophetic message of hope!

But, is that gloom and doom what the Bible teaches?

"I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:6

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans. 3:23)

"All our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).

"Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Galatians 3:11).

" But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, (“disobedient, unrefined, unsanctified”) Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us (“disobedient, unrefined, unsanctified”) accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)

"Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4-5).

"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God" (Romans 15:7).

"God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them (the Gentile converts) by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:8-9).

Is not this "Good News"? Isn't this reason to rejoice and praise God?

"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:20

They had obedience down to a science. Outwardly the kept every letter of the law which according to Ellen White made them perfect and acceptable to God. To the people Jesus said this to it was a strange concept and removed all hope of their earning favor with God. Salvation does not come by obedience to a code of regulations. Salvation comes by accepting the completed atonement for sin, grace, on the cross by faith.

How many false visions can a prophet have before being recognized as false?
How many times can a prophet contradict the Bible before being seen as a false prophet?
How many times can a prophet lie about their “visions” before being called a false prophet?

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20 This applies to Ellen White.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 This “try the spirits” applies to Ellen White.

In Acts 17:11, the Bereans were complimented because they “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so”. They did not just blindly accept what they were told to believe or taught, but investigated, examined, tested, everything to verify that what Paul was saying was in fact the truth, in agreement with the Word of God. Why is it such reprehensible evil to examine the teachings of Ellen White to determine “whether those things were so”? Why is it the greatest sin in Adventism to obey God and “test the spirit”?

Seventh-day Adventists usually respond that her critics are taking her words out of context. When I first discovered the "contradictions" between Ellen White and the Bible I was outraged and verbally abusive to those making these unconscionable accusations. Quite in the manner of Jesus they simply told me to go and check it out. I was completely stunned and left reeling to discover that every single accusation was correct. They had not taken Ellen White out of context at all to make her appear to contradict the Bible. Ellen White, plain and simple, contradicted the Bible! There it was in black and white. I was left asking myself how I could not have seen that before. When I discovered the totally false visions and testimonies I was nauseated. To discover that the leaders of the SDA church of her day knew this and to protect their jobs and positions did nothing to correct this situation and push for the truth I was made sick.

The amount of concrete, black and white evidence against Ellen White is massive, staggering in its scope. The only support for her, as a prophet, is wishful thinking and anecdotal. And this is the Biblical basis for a prophet?

When the Bible says “In vain do you worship me teaching for doctrine the commandments (traditions/teachings) of men” Matt. 15:8,9 it is referring to more than just the convenient condemnation of other people's traditions, such as the conveniently easy to condemn tradition of sun-day observance, or Joseph Smith, but applies to the non biblical commandments/traditions of ALL denominations!!! It applies just as much to the SDA traditions and commandments to believe that Ellen G White is a true prophet and the commandments on pain of eternal damnation to believe her false teachings as it does to sun-day observance, tongues, transubstantiation, immortal soul etc., etc. That text is intended just as much to condemn self as others. "In vain do I worship ..." The Bible is a mirror for looking at oneself. It is not and never was intended for a tool to criticize and condemn others. This is also a role of “prophecy”.

It is such a tragedy that so much good and so much truth has to be so utterly discredited because of Ellen White! It makes me sick! This should never have happened! The Seventh-day Adventist Church should have been and could still be a powerful witness for truth to the world if and only if it rolls back the clock and undoes the massive error it made in the 1840s when it consciously and intentionally chose to turn it's back on the Bible to follow a recognized and obviously false prophet.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word (the Bible, NOT Ellen G White) is truth. John 17.17

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,... ( and Him only) but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua. 24.15 (and Him alone.)

“But the greatest of these, is love.” 1 Corinthians. 13:13 (all modern translations)

Saved by grace, God’s love, exclusively. All to Jesus I surrender.

"I have decided to follow Jesus, ... , no turning back, ...."

Pat

© 2005 Patricio Menéndez