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PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS
by ELLEN G。WHITE
17
PREFACE
THE PUBLISHERS SEND OUT THIS WORK FROM A CONVICTION THAT IT THROWS LIGHT
UPON A SUBJECT OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE AND UNIVERSAL INTEREST； AND ONE ON
WHICH LIGHT IS TO BE GREATLY DESIRED； THAT IT PRESENTS TRUTHS TOO LITTLE
KNOWN OR TOO WIDELY IGNORED。 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR；
BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS； BETWEEN THE POWER OF GOD AND THE ATTEMPTED
USURPATIONS OF THE ENEMY OF ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS； IS THE ONE GREAT SPECTACLE
WHICH IT IS REASONABLE TO SUPPOSE MUST ENGAGE THE ATTENTION OF ALL WORLDS。
THAT SUCH A CONTROVERSY EXISTS AS THE RESULT OF SIN； THAT IT IS TO PASS
THROUGH VARIOUS STAGES OF PROGRESS； AND END AT LAST IN A MANNER TO REDOUND
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE HIGHER EXALTATION OF HIS LOYAL SERVANTS； IS AS
CERTAIN AS THAT THE BIBLE IS A REVELATION FROM GOD TO MEN。 THAT WORD REVEALS
THE GREAT FEATURES OF THIS CONTROVERSY； A CONFLICT WHICH EMBRACES THE
REDEMPTION OF A WORLD； AND THERE ARE SPECIAL EPOCHS WHEN THESE QUESTIONS
ASSUME UNWONTED INTEREST； AND IT BECOMES A MATTER OF THE FIRST IMPORTANCE TO
UNDERSTAND OUR RELATION THERETO。
SUCH A TIME IS THE PRESENT； FOR ALL THINGS INDICATE THAT WE MAY NOW
CONFIDENTLY CHERISH THE HOPE THAT THIS LONG CONTROVERSY IS DRAWING NEAR ITS
CLOSE。 YET MANY NOW SEEM DISPOSED TO RELEGATE TO THE REALM OF FABLE THAT
PORTION OF THE RECORD OPENING TO OUR VIEW THE STEPS BY WHICH OUR WORLD
BECAME INVOLVED IN THIS GREAT ISSUE； AND OTHERS； THOUGH AVOIDING THIS
EXTREME VIEW； SEEM NEVERTHELESS INCLINED TO REGARD IT AS OBSOLETE AND
UNIMPORTANT； AND ARE THUS LED TO TREAT IT WITH NEGLECT。
BUT WHO WOULD NOT WISH TO LOOK INTO THE SECRET CAUSES OF SO STRANGE A
DEFECTION； TO DISCERN ITS SPIRIT； TO MARK ITS CONSEQUENCES； AND TO LEARN HOW
TO AVOID ITS RESULTS？ WITH SUCH THEMES THIS VOLUME DEALS。 IT TENDS TO FOSTER
A LIVING INTEREST IN THOSE PORTIONS
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OF GOD'S WORD MOST OFTEN NEGLECTED。 IT CLOTHES WITH NEW MEANING THE PROMISES
AND PROPHECIES OF THE SACRED RECORD； VINDICATES THE WAYS OF GOD IN DEALING
WITH REBELLION； AND SHOWS FORTH THE WONDERFUL GRACE OF GOD IN DEVISING A WAY
OF SALVATION FOR SINFUL MAN。 THUS WE ARE TAKEN DOWN IN THE HISTORY OF THIS
WORK TO A TIME WHEN THE PLANS AND PURPOSES OF GOD HAD BEEN CLEARLY UNFOLDED
TO THE CHOSEN PEOPLE。
THOUGH DEALING WITH THEMES SO EXALTED； THEMES THAT STIR THE HEART TO ITS
DEPTHS AND AWAKEN THE LIVELIEST EMOTIONS OF THE MIND； THE STYLE OF THE BOOK
IS LUCID； AND THE LANGUAGE PLAIN AND DIRECT。 WE COMMEND THIS VOLUME TO ALL
WHO TAKE PLEASURE IN STUDYING THE DIVINE PLAN OF HUMAN REDEMPTION AND WHO
FEEL ANY INTEREST IN THE RELATION OF THEIR OWN SOULS TO CHRIST'S ATONING
WORK； AND TO ALL OTHERS WE COMMEND IT； THAT IT MAY AWAKEN IN THEM AN
INTEREST IN THESE THINGS。
THAT ITS PERUSAL MAY BE BLESSED TO THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO READ； AND RESULT IN
TURNING THE FEET OF MANY INTO THE WAY OF LIFE； IS THE EARNEST PRAYER OF THE
PUBLISHERS。
19
INTRODUCTION
THIS VOLUME TREATS UPON THE THEMES OF BIBLE HISTORY； THEMES NOT IN
THEMSELVES NEW； YET HERE SO PRESENTED AS TO GIVE THEM A NEW SIGNIFICANCE；
REVEALING SPRINGS OF ACTION； SHOWING THE IMPORTANT BEARING OF CERTAIN
MOVEMENTS； AND BRINGING INTO STRONGER LIGHT SOME FEATURES THAT ARE BUT
BRIEFLY MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE。 THUS THE SCENES HAVE A VIVIDNESS AND
IMPORTANCE THAT TEND TO MAKE NEW AND LASTING IMPRESSIONS。 SUCH A LIGHT IS
SHED UPON THE SCRIPTURE RECORD AS TO REVEAL MORE FULLY THE CHARACTER AND
PURPOSES OF GOD； TO MAKE MANIFEST THE WILES OF SATAN AND THE MEANS BY WHICH
HIS POWER WILL BE FINALLY OVERTHROWN； TO BRING TO VIEW THE WEAKNESS OF THE
HUMAN HEART； AND SHOW HOW THE GRACE OF GOD HAS ENABLED MEN TO CONQUER IN THE
BATTLE WITH EVIL。 ALL THIS IS IN HARMONY WITH WHAT GOD HAS SHOWN TO BE HIS
PURPOSE IN UNFOLDING TO MEN THE TRUTHS OF HIS WORD。 THE AGENCY BY WHICH
THESE REVELATIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN IS SEENWHEN TESTED BY THE SCRIPTURESTO
BE ONE OF THE METHODS GOD STILL EMPLOYS TO IMPART INSTRUCTION TO THE
CHILDREN OF MEN。
WHILE IT IS NOT NOW AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING； WHEN MAN IN HIS HOLINESS AND
INNOCENCE HAD PERSONAL INSTRUCTION FROM HIS MAKER； STILL MAN IS NOT LEFT
WITHOUT A DIVINE TEACHER WHICH GOD HAS PROVIDED IN HIS REPRESENTATIVE； THE
HOLY SPIRIT。 SO WE HEAR THE APOSTLE PAUL DECLARING THAT A CERTAIN DIVINE
〃ILLUMINATION〃 IS THE PRIVILEGE OF THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST； AND THAT THEY
ARE 〃ENLIGHTENED〃 BY BEING MADE 〃PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY GHOST。〃 HEBREWS
10：32； 6：4。 JOHN ALSO SAYS； 〃YE HAVE AN UNCTION FROM THE HOLY ONE。〃 1 JOHN
2：20。 AND CHRIST PROMISED THE DISCIPLES； AS HE WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE THEM； THAT
HE WOULD SEND THEM THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A COMFORTER AND GUIDE TO LEAD THEM
INTO ALL TRUTH。 JOHN 14：16； 26。
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TO SHOW HOW THIS PROMISE WAS TO BE FULFILLED TO THE CHURCH； THE APOSTLE
PAUL； IN TWO OF HIS EPISTLES； PRESENTS FORMAL DECLARATION THAT CERTAIN GIFTS
OF THE SPIRIT HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE CHURCH FOR ITS EDIFICATION AND
INSTRUCTION TO THE END OF TIME。 I CORINTHIANS
12； EPHESIANS 4：8…13； MATTHEW 28：20 NOR IS THIS ALL： A NUMBER
OF CLEAR AND EXPLICIT PROPHECIES DECLARE THAT IN THE LAST DAYS THERE WILL BE
A SPECIAL OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT； AND THAT THE CHURCH AT THE TIME OF
CHRIST'S APPEARING WILL HAVE HAD； DURING ITS CLOSING EXPERIENCE； 〃THE
TESTIMONY OF JESUS；〃 WHICH IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY。 ACTS 2：17…20； 39； I
CORINTHIANS 1：7； REVELATION 12：17； 19：10。 IN THESE FACTS WE SEE AN EVIDENCE
OF GOD'S CARE AND LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE； FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
AS A COMFORTER； TEACHER； AND GUIDE； NOT ONLY IN ITS ORDINARY； BUT IN ITS
EXTRAORDINARY； METHODS OF OPERATION； CERTAINLY IS NEEDED BY THE CHURCH AS IT
ENTERS THE PERILS OF THE LAST DAYS； MORE THAN IN ANY OTHER PART OF ITS
EXPERIENCE。
THE SCRIPTURES POINT OUT VARIOUS CHANNELS THROUGH WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT
WOULD OPERATE ON THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF MEN TO ENLIGHTEN THEIR
UNDERSTANDING AND GUIDE THEIR STEPS。 AMONG THESE WERE VISIONS AND DREAMS。 IN
THIS WAY GOD WOULD STILL COMMUNICATE WITH THE CHILDREN OF MEN。 HERE IS HIS
PROMISE ON THIS POINT： 〃HEAR NOW MY WORDS： IF THERE BE A PROPHET AMONG YOU；
I THE LORD WILL MAKE MYSELF KNOWN UNTO HIM IN A VISION； AND WILL SPEAK UNTO
HIM IN A DREAM。〃 NUMBERS 12：6。 BY THIS MEANS SUPERNATURAL KNOWLEDGE WAS
COMMUNICATED TO BALAAM。 THUS HE SAYS： 〃BALAAM THE SON OF BEOR HATH SAID； AND
THE MAN WHOSE EYES ARE OPEN HATH SAID： HE HATH SAID； WHICH HEARD THE WORDS
OF GOD； AND KNEW THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MOST HIGH； WHICH SAW THE VISION OF THE
ALMIGHTY； FALLING INTO A TRANCE； BUT HAVING HIS EYES OPEN。〃 NUMBERS 24：15；
16。
IT THUS BECOMES A MATTER OF GREAT INTEREST TO INVESTIGATE THE TESTIMONY OF
THE SCRIPTURES CONCERNING THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE LORD DESIGNED THAT THE
SPIRIT SHOULD MANIFEST ITSELF IN THE CHURCH DURING THE PERIOD OF HUMAN
PROBATION。