Here is the wording on the picture, repeated again with the Scriptures mentioned (all-caps added for emphasis):
Has a prophet ever DONE THINGS he should not have DONE, because he DID not realize such THINGS were WRONG to DO?
PROPHET SAMUEL ate and sacrificed at “THE HIGH PLACE” (1 Samuel 9:5-25). Later, people must have come to realize it was WRONG to eat “UPON THE MOUNTAINS” (Ezekiel 18:5-13), because the Bible mentions some kings who did right, though they had not removed “THE HIGH PLACES” (1 Kings 15:11-14; 2 Kings 12:2,3; 14:1-4; 15:1-4,32-35). Those kings DID all they knew to be right and had not realized that was WRONG. Once it was discovered eating UPON THE MOUNTAINS like the heathens DID was WRONG to DO, could people have used the excuse that it must be okay to still DO it, because PROPHET SAMUEL had DONE it before and had even recommended others (like Saul) DO it too (1 Samuel 9:19,24)?
Error introduced during apostasy, eventually comes to be considered okay, until at some point later it is recognized as WRONG (1 Kings 3:1-4; 14:22,23; 2 Kings 18:1-4,22; 23:8,15,19,20; 2 Chronicles 14:2-5). This is what had happened in Israel before PROPHET SAMUEL’s day, and it has happened in the years prior to our time also. Like SAMUEL DID, ELLEN WHITE observed some of THE WORLD’S HOLIDAYS; but SHE only honored the true God on them, as the faithful in Israel DID before (compare 2 Kings 17:9-12 and 2 Chronicles 33:12-17). SHE DID not realize DOING that was WRONG and, like SAMUEL, SHE recommended others DO it also. Fortunately, our Creator knows what His people understand and winks at their unintentional sins, but He does expect them to REPENT and DO differently after they have opportunity to know what is right and WRONG (Acts 17:30; James 4:17).
Has a prophet ever NOT DONE WHAT he should have DONE, because he DID not realize IT was something he should DO?
While reading the law in the days of Ezra, they found the command to MAKE BOOTHS FOR THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. So they DID THAT, which had NOT been DONE “since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun” (Nehemiah 8:17), due to apostasy (Deuteronomy 31:25-29; Judges 2:7-12). That includes when PROPHET SAMUEL lived, who would NOT have realized that obligation because of the apostasy.
Like that example, and for the same reason, ELLEN WHITE DID NOT realize the continued obligation to observe THE OTHER HOLY DAYS. Do you think we could be excused from obedience because SHE DID NOT understand?
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Do you think excuses that Ellen White observed the holidays and suggested doing so will be accepted today? Do you think excuses that she did not observe the Bible holy days will keep you from being obligated to follow the light for our day?
“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:11,12 KJV)
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Has a prophet ever DONE THINGS he should not have DONE, because he DID not realize such THINGS were WRONG to DO?
PROPHET SAMUEL ate and sacrificed at “THE HIGH PLACE” (1 Samuel 9:5-25).
“And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us. And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can show us our way that we should go. Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.) Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was. And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day IN THE HIGH PLACE: As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up TO THE HIGH PLACE TO EAT: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him. And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up TO THE HIGH PLACE. Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is. And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me UNTO THE HIGH PLACE; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons. And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. And when they were come down from THE HIGH PLACE into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.” (1 Samuel 9:5-25 KJV)
Later, people must have come to realize it was WRONG to eat “UPON THE MOUNTAINS” (Ezekiel 18:5-13), …
“But IF A MAN BE JUST, AND DO THAT WHICH IS LAWFUL AND RIGHT, AND HATH NOT EATEN UPON THE MOUNTAINS, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD. If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, And that doeth not any of those duties, but even HATH EATEN UPON THE MOUNTAINS, and defiled his neighbour’s wife, Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.” (Ezekiel 18:5-13 KJV)
… because the Bible mentions some kings who did right, though they had not removed “THE HIGH PLACES” (1 Kings 15:11-14; 2 Kings 12:2,3; 14:1-4; 15:1-4,32-35).
“And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. But THE HIGH PLACES were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.” (1 Kings 15:11-14 KJV)
“And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. But THE HIGH PLACES were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.” (2 Kings 12:2,3 KJV)
“In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah. He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did. Howbeit THE HIGH PLACES were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.” (2 Kings 14:1-4 KJV)
“In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done; Save that THE HIGH PLACES were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.” (2 Kings 15:1-4 KJV)
“In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. Howbeit THE HIGH PLACES were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.” (2 Kings 15:32-35 KJV)
Those kings DID all they knew to be right and had not realized that was WRONG. Once it was discovered eating UPON THE MOUNTAINS like the heathens DID was WRONG to DO, could people have used the excuse that it must be okay to still DO it, because PROPHET SAMUEL had DONE it before and had even recommended others (like Saul) DO it too (1 Samuel 9:19,24)?
“And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.” (1 Samuel 9:19 KJV)
“And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.” (1 Samuel 9:24 KJV)
Error introduced during apostasy, eventually comes to be considered okay, until at some point later it is recognized as WRONG (1 Kings 3:1-4; 14:22,23; 2 Kings 18:1-4,22; 23:8,15,19,20; 2 Chronicles 14:2-5).
“And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. Only the people sacrificed IN HIGH PLACES, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days. And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense IN HIGH PLACES. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great HIGH PLACE: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.” (1 Kings 3:1-4 KJV)
“And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. For they also built them HIGH PLACES, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.” (1 KIngs 14:22,23 KJV)
“Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. He removed THE HIGH PLACES, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.” (2 Kings 18:1-4 KJV)
“And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words), I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose HIGH PLACES and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.” (2 Kings 18:19-25 KJV)
“And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant. And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel. And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense IN THE HIGH PLACES in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people. And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove. And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled THE HIGH PLACES where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down THE HIGH PLACES of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man’s left hand at the gate of the city. Nevertheless the priests of THE HIGH PLACES came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren. And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire. And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. And THE HIGH PLACES that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile. And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men. Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and THE HIGH PLACE which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and THE HIGH PLACE he brake down, and burned THE HIGH PLACE, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove. And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words. Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel. And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria. And all the houses also of THE HIGH PLACES that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel. And he slew all the priests of THE HIGH PLACES that were there upon the altars, and burned men’s bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem. And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant. Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem. Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.” (2 Kings 23:1-25 KJV)
“And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and THE HIGH PLACES, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah THE HIGH PLACES and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.” (2 Chronicles 14:2-5 KJV)
This is what had happened in Israel before PROPHET SAMUEL’s day, and it has happened in the years prior to our time also. Like SAMUEL DID, ELLEN WHITE observed some of THE WORLD’S HOLIDAYS; but SHE only honored the true God on them, as the faithful in Israel DID before (compare 2 Kings 17:9-12 and 2 Chronicles 33:12-17).
“And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them HIGH PLACES in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves IN EVERY HIGH HILL, and under every green tree: And there they burnt incense IN ALL THE HIGH PLACES, AS DID THE HEATHEN WHOM THE LORD CARRIED AWAY BEFORE THEM; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.” (2 Kings 17:9-12 KJV)
“And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God. Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. NEVERTHELESS THE PEOPLE DID SACRIFICE STILL IN THE HIGH PLACES, YET UNTO THE LORD THEIR GOD ONLY.” (2 Chronicles 33:12-17 KJV)
SHE DID not realize DOING that was WRONG and, like SAMUEL, SHE recommended others DO it also. Fortunately, our Creator knows what His people understand and winks at their unintentional sins, but He does expect them to REPENT and DO differently after they have opportunity to know what is right and WRONG (Acts 17:30; James 4:17).
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” (Acts 17:30 KJV)
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17 KJV)
Has a prophet ever NOT DONE WHAT he should have DONE, because he DID not realize IT was something he should DO?
While reading the law in the days of Ezra, they found the command to MAKE BOOTHS FOR THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. So they DID THAT, which had NOT been DONE “since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun,” …
“And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.” (Nehemiah 8:17 KJV)
… due to apostasy.
“That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death? Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them. For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt [yourselves], and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.” (Deuteronomy 31:25-29 KJV)
“And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel. And Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, [being] an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that [were] round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.” (Judges 2:7-12 KJV)
That includes when PROPHET SAMUEL lived, who would NOT have realized that obligation because of the apostasy.
Like that example, and for the same reason, ELLEN WHITE DID NOT realize the continued obligation to observe THE OTHER HOLY DAYS. Do you think we could be excused from obedience because SHE DID NOT understand?
Do you think excuses that Ellen White observed the holidays and suggested doing so will be accepted today? Do you think excuses that she did not observe the Bible holy days will keep you from being obligated to follow the light for our day?
“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:11,12 KJV)
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