The Undercover Adventist

  The lives of the Old Testament prophets remind us that being God’s messenger has never been easy. They faced fear, opposition, discouragement, and personal struggles. Ellen G. White experienced many of these same anxieties. She was only seventeen, shy, in poor health, and lacking confidence when she believed God was calling her to share what He had revealed. The thought of the responsibility frightened her so much that she prayed for God to choose someone else. Yet God continued to lead her, and eventually she accepted the call. She did not become a messenger because she was perfect or fearless. She became willing to obey despite her weaknesses. That is an important lesson for every believer. God has never needed perfect people before He could use them. Scripture is filled with imperfect men and women who struggled with fear, doubt, weakness, and failure. What mattered was their willingness to trust God and follow where He led. Ellen G. White would go on to become an influential ...

  In the Seventh-day Adventist understanding, Ellen G. White was regarded as having the spiritual gift of prophecy , rather than being a prophet in the same canonical sense as Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Daniel. Adventists believe her ministry was a manifestation of the biblical prophetic gift promised to God's people, intended to point people back to Scripture rather than replace Scripture. She did not write another Bible or claim that her writings were an addition to the biblical canon. Adventists have traditionally emphasized that the Bible remains the supreme authority and that her writings should be tested by Scripture. Her role was understood as providing counsel, encouragement, correction, and spiritual guidance to the developing Adventist movement. This distinction also fits well with the larger lesson about prophets: being called by God did not make a person perfect. The biblical prophets were human beings with weaknesses, and Ellen White likewise experienced physical difficult...

  Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  Old Testament Prophets  Lesson 3 - Thursday When People Speak for God Without God’s Message Jeremiah 14 describes a painful time in Judah. The land was suffering from a severe drought, the people were desperate, and they were looking to God for relief. Jeremiah recognized that the suffering was connected to Judah’s persistent rebellion against God. Yet while Jeremiah was faithfully delivering God's warning, other people were claiming to speak in God's name and giving the nation a very different message. These false prophets were saying that Judah would not experience the disaster Jeremiah had warned about. They offered reassuring words—peace, prosperity, and protection—without calling the people to repentance. Their message may have been much easier to hear, but it was not God's message. The Lord's response was serious. He told Jeremiah, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name" (Jer. 14:14). God had not sent these people, ...

  Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  Old Testament Prophets  Lesson 3 - Wednesday When God Calls, He Gives a Voice The Bible gives us several powerful examples of women who served in prophetic roles. Miriam is called a prophetess in Exodus 15:20. Deborah is identified as a prophetess in Judges 4:4. Huldah is called a prophetess in 2 Kings 22:14. And Nehemiah 6:14 even mentions a woman named Noadiah among those who claimed to be prophets. These passages remind us that the prophetic role in Scripture was not limited to men. God could call and use women to communicate His message, guide His people, and provide spiritual direction when it was needed. Huldah's story is especially significant because of the circumstances surrounding her ministry. During the reign of King Josiah, the Book of the Law had been discovered in the temple. When the king heard its words, he was deeply troubled because he realized how far the nation had wandered from God's commands. Josiah's officia...

  Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  Old Testament Prophets  Lesson 3 - Tuesday When God Speaks to Kings and Priests In the Bible, God established different roles for His people. Kings were responsible for governing, priests were responsible for ministry and worship, and prophets were called to communicate God's message. These roles were different, but none of them placed a person above God's authority. First Samuel 8 gives us an important example. Israel demanded a king because they wanted to be “like all the nations.” Samuel was displeased with their request and prayed to the Lord. God told Samuel to listen to the people, but also instructed him to solemnly warn them about what a king would do. Samuel faithfully delivered God's warning. This is one of the important functions of a prophet. A prophet was not simply someone who predicted the future. Prophets were God's messengers, called to speak His truth to leaders and ordinary people alike. When kings made wrong dec...

  Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  Old Testament Prophets  Lesson 3 - Monday Faithful Prophets Speak the Truth In 1 Kings 22, we see a striking contrast between faithful prophets and prophets who simply tell people what they want to hear. King Ahab wanted to know whether he should go to war against Syria. Four hundred prophets told him to go, assuring him that the Lord would give him victory. But Jehoshaphat was not convinced. He asked if there was another prophet of the Lord who could be consulted. There was one—Micaiah—but Ahab did not like him. Ahab said, “I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil” (1 Kings 22:8). That statement reveals something important. Ahab did not really want God's message; he wanted a message that agreed with what he wanted to hear. Micaiah eventually appeared before the king and was pressured to give the same favorable prediction as the other prophets. But Micaiah refused to compromise. He said, “As the LORD live...

  Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  Old Testament Prophets  Lesson 3 - Sunday Elijah Was Human, Just Like Us James 5:17 says, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours” (NKJV). That statement is easy to overlook, but it carries an important message. Elijah was a prophet of God who stood courageously before King Ahab, confronted the prophets of Baal, and witnessed God answer his prayer with fire from heaven. Yet James reminds us that Elijah was still human. He had weaknesses, emotions, fears, and moments when his faith seemed to grow weak. We sometimes imagine that people who are especially close to God must have an unusually strong faith all the time. But Elijah's story tells us otherwise. God used Elijah mightily, not because he was superhuman, but because he trusted a powerful God. His humanity did not disqualify him from being God's servant. This becomes especially clear in 1 Kings 19. After the dramatic victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah received a threat from Jezeb...

  There are times when life simply does not make sense. John the Baptist had faithfully preached the coming of Jesus, boldly confronted sin, and prepared people for the Messiah. Yet now he was sitting in prison, wondering why Jesus had not come to rescue him. Matthew 11:2–3 tells us that John sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” John’s question is remarkably honest. Even a faithful servant of God can experience moments of confusion and discouragement. John knew who Jesus was, but his circumstances did not seem to fit what he expected God to do. Sometimes we can feel the same way. We pray, try to do what is right, and trust God, yet something painful happens and we wonder, Why is God allowing this? Jesus did not condemn John for asking. Instead, He pointed John back to what God was doing: “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see” (Matthew 11:4). Jesus reminded him that the blind were seeing, the lame were walking, the sick ...

  Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  Lesson 3: Old Testament Prophets  You may use this for presenting and studying the current Sabbath School Lesson. > Download the Notes for Lesson 3: Video Old Testament Prophets     (Video is Below) Lesson 3 Daily Devotionals: Sunday:   The Humanity of the Prophets    Monday: Identifying True Prophets     Tuesday: Functions of Prophets     Wednesday: Women Prophets    Thursday: False Prophets    Friday Further Thought: Not Perfect But Willing          More Daily Commentaries to Come!     Sabbath School 4th Quarter Online: The Gift of Prophecy 

  Daniel 2 gives us a remarkable picture of history. King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of a great image representing a succession of earthly kingdoms. Daniel explained that Babylon would be followed by Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. After Rome, the prophecy described a divided world represented by the feet and toes of iron mixed with clay. Then comes the most important part: “In the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44, NKJV). What makes this prophecy so powerful is that the kingdoms described before God’s eternal kingdom actually came and went. Babylon did not last forever. Neither did Medo-Persia, Greece, or Rome. Human kingdoms rise with great power and confidence, but eventually they decline and disappear. Daniel 2 gives us a remarkable reason to take biblical prophecy seriously: God revealed the broad course of history before it happened, and history unfolded according to the prophecy. That should strengthen our con...

  Isaiah 53 is one of the clearest pictures of Jesus and His sacrifice found anywhere in Scripture. Written centuries before the Cross, it describes a suffering Servant who would be rejected, wounded, oppressed, and killed—not because of His own sins, but because of ours. Isaiah says, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5, NKJV). Jesus willingly took upon Himself what we deserved so that we could receive what we could never earn. Look at what Christ does for us in this chapter. He bears our griefs and carries our sorrows. He is wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,” and “by His stripes we are healed.” He bears our sins, remains silent before His accusers, gives His life as an offering for sin, and makes it possible for us to be counted among the righteous. Isaiah even says, “the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). That gives us an incred...

  Who Is Really First in Our Lives? When we think of idols, we may picture the statues and images worshiped by people in ancient times. But idols can take many forms today. Anything we allow to take God’s rightful place in our lives can become an idol. It might be money, possessions, entertainment, success, politics, relationships, careers, or even our own opinions. Even good things can become idols when they become more important to us than God. On Mount Carmel, Elijah confronted Israel with a simple but powerful question: “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21, NKJV). Israel had not completely rejected God. They were trying to have both God and Baal. Their problem was divided loyalty. That same temptation exists today. We can attend church, read the Bible, pray, and still allow something else to quietly control our hearts. We may trust our bank account more than God, seek approval from people more t...

  Genesis 15:6 gives us one of the clearest pictures of the gospel in the Old Testament: “And he believed in the Lord; and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Abram had been given an incredible promise from God—that he would have descendants as numerous as the stars. Yet, from a human perspective, the promise seemed impossible. Abram was getting older, and he still had no child. But instead of trusting what he could see, Abram chose to trust what God had said. Notice what God counted as righteousness. It was not Abram’s perfect performance, his accomplishments, or his ability to make the promise happen. Abram simply believed God. His faith was not merely believing that God existed; it was trusting that God would do exactly what He had promised. This is the gospel. We cannot make ourselves righteous by trying harder or by becoming good enough. Our salvation rests on Jesus Christ and what He has already done for us. Like Abram, we are called to believe God’s promise and plac...

  Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  The Call of a Prophet  Lesson 2 - Friday Further Thought    God calls prophets at specific times to deliver messages people need. Seventh-day Adventists believe Ellen G. White was called to a similar prophetic ministry in modern times, serving as a noncanonical prophet. Ellen Harmon received her first vision in December 1844, shortly after the Great Disappointment. Many Millerite Adventists had expected Jesus to return on October 22, 1844, based on their understanding of Daniel 8:14 and the biblical Day of Atonement. When Jesus did not return, thousands of believers were deeply disappointed and confused. Many wondered whether they had been completely wrong and whether they had misunderstood God’s leading. It was during this difficult time that God gave 17-year-old Ellen Harmon her first vision. Its message was one of hope and encouragement. The believers were shown as traveling toward the heavenly Jerusalem, with Jesus lead...

  Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  The Call of a Prophet  Lesson 2 - Thursday   Preparing the Way and Strengthening Faith John the Baptist had a very specific purpose in God’s plan. Mark 1:2–5 describes him as the messenger who came before Jesus to prepare the way for the Lord. His message was simple but powerful: repent, turn away from sin, and prepare your heart for the coming Messiah. John was not trying to draw attention to himself. His ministry pointed people away from John and toward Jesus. He called people to recognize their need for God and to be ready to receive the One who was about to begin His public ministry. John’s message reminds us that preparing the way for Jesus is not only something that happened in Bible times. We also need hearts that are open to Christ. Repentance is not about trying to earn God’s forgiveness. It is about recognizing our need for Him and turning toward the One who can forgive, restore, and transform us. John understood that ...

Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  The Call of a Prophet  Lesson 2 - Wednesday   A Witness in a Pagan World The story of Daniel gives us a powerful picture of what it means to be a faithful witness in a world that does not share our faith. Daniel lived and worked among powerful pagan kings, yet he never allowed his surroundings to determine his loyalty to God. Instead, his life became a living testimony to the God he served. In Daniel 2, after God revealed Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its meaning through Daniel, the king fell on his face and acknowledged Daniel’s God as “a God of gods, and a Lord of kings” (Daniel 2:47). Daniel did not take the credit for the revelation. He had already made clear that the wisdom came from God. His humility pointed people beyond himself to the One who truly deserved the glory. Years later, Daniel continued to have a reputation for wisdom and understanding. In Daniel 4:18, Nebuchadnezzar again recognized that Daniel possessed a special abil...

  Sabbath School The Gift of Prophecy  The Call of a Prophet  Lesson 2 - Tuesday Isaiah 53: The Cross Revealed Before It Happened Isaiah 53 is one of the clearest pictures of Christ’s suffering and death found anywhere in Scripture. Written more than 500 years before Jesus went to the cross, it describes Him as the suffering Servant who would be rejected, despised, wounded, oppressed, and finally led “as a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:3–7). Yet the prophecy goes far beyond simply predicting that the Messiah would suffer. It reveals why He would suffer. Isaiah says, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). His suffering was not because of His own sin. Jesus was innocent. He took upon Himself what belonged to us. Isaiah even says, “The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (verse 6). At the Cross, we see the fulfillment of this prophecy in a way that reveals the depth of God's love. Christ willingly stood in ou...