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Commentary on "The Widow of Zarephath: The Leap of Faith"
Day 3: Monday, December 6, 2010 - An Unusual Instrument
Overview
“True, the widow lived at ground zero of Baal worship (Phoenicia). But even before the arrival of Elijah, ‘she was a believer in the true God and had walked in all the light that was shining on her pathway.’—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 129. To paraphrase, the widow was in heathenism, but not of heathenism (see Ellen G. White, The Upward Look, p. 195).” (Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, Oct. Nov. Dec. 2010, page 131)
Problems
The quotation above is not in the regular quarterly. It is part of the teacher’s edition. Of course, anyone who is familiar with Prophets and Kings could find it easily.
The issue here is part and parcel of Adventism. Ellen White is, in practice, treated as having more authority than the Bible. In fact, her word counts for more than anything the Bible contains.
The author could just as easily have quoted 1 Kings 17:9 – “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” – and said, “Based on God’s own command to Elijah we can safely surmise that this woman had some kind of relationship with Him.” But that isn’t allowed. If I say it, then I’m speculating. If Ellen says it, then we have the very words of God.
To be fair, the lesson’s author does mention Verse 9 later on Page 131, but it is clear by context that the author does so only within the permission granted by the EGW quotation earlier on that page.
This belief is at the core of what makes Adventism cultic.
Thankfully, there also is a very good question asked in Monday’s lesson. “What similarities can you detect between 1 Kings 17:3, 4 and 17:8, 9?” (Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, Oct. Nov. Dec. 2010, page 128)
Regardless of anything else the lesson presents, this question actually gets at the nature of faith. First, there was no more unclean bird than the raven, and yet God used them to feed Elijah. Were they out gathering the equivalent of “road kill” for him? Although it is not recorded, I can imagine Elijah had a few words with God regarding this situation.
Second, as mentioned in yesterday’s lesson, this woman was a Phoenician. The Old Testament makes it clear Israel was to have nothing to do with them. As the lesson aptly points out, Jezebel herself was Phoenician. This situation can be nothing less than the harbinger of God’s conversation with Peter in Acts 10 regarding salvation going to the Gentiles.
Summary
- Sadly, the Seventh-day Adventist church insists on using Ellen White’s writings as their de facto bible. When push comes to shove it is not the Bible they use to prove a point, but EGW’s words. This, above anything else of a questionable nature in their theology, disqualifies the church from being truly Christian and evangelical.
- Gladly, the lesson’s author writes a key question regarding the means and methods God used to sustain Elijah through the drought. I must humbly acknowledge the truth of Paul’s words in Philippians 1:18 – “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice…”
Copyright 2010 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. November 15, 2010. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.
Official Adventist Resources
Standard Edition Study Guide Week 11
Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 11
Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Wk 11
Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings
