Dear Elder Fagal,

I have read those collections of reasonings and quotes on this question before and find myself asking why, since God knows the future, why does He have His prophets say things without adding the conditional clause, if it is expected to be supposed.

Since you may only have read the documents before and not in this present context, let me remind you of a Bible example that is germane: Jonah. I have never been able to find any explicit reference to conditionality in Jonah's prophecy. It seems to me that the wording is quite absolute: "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed." But it did not happen. We know that there was a condition there, and Jonah Himself seems to have feared that there was (see Jonah 4:2). I don't think I can answer the question of "why," but the Bible's own testimony seems clearly to indicate that God does sometimes work in this way.

I think you would agree that God knew the Israelites in Egypt were to wonder for 40 years in the desert with weak faith and only Joshua and Caleb would be alive to enter the promised land. In the same way it seems to me God knows, and has always known, the precise hour of Christ's second advent. it seems logical to me that God knows which group of the remnant and when they, with His assistance, will duplicate the character of Christ on earth to the universe. Since He knows the future in detail, why can't we assume that sometimes when no condition is mentioned He is just telling us of the future, allowing for the conditions that He knows will exist?

In other words, is every such promise or prophecy conditional or are some just telling us what the future will be?

As I understand it, the prophecies which tell of God's purposes for this world--such as to redeem it through Jesus and to return to claim it as His own--are not to be taken as conditional. But those which involve a response from man may well be subject to the conditional element.

Is it possible that the quote from the 1856 vision did not mean that someone alive then would be alive to be translated at the second advent? Or are we sure about that interpretation?

I don't see another way to understand it.

When I read the Prophets and Kings page 605 quote it seems to me, based on what is said in the preceding pages that the time of the end events that will be fulfilled and observed by those alive in 1917 or before, are the events of the final days of persecution which are the worst of earth's history, worse then during the days of the inquisition, which would not be referencing instances that occurred between 1844 and today. However, I know I could be wrong about my interpretation. But, I guess all of us are a little gun shy because of the impact of attackers of EGW.

You are correct to note that this is an interpretation you have brought to the statement. It is not what the statement itself says, is it?

Speaking of being gun shy, I am amazed that the EGWhite estate seems to think (based on what I read on their web page) that the words of EGW about the burning buildings in NYC that she saw in her 1903 or 1904 vision are not referring to the 9-11 attacks. What could be more plain about burning as pitch, firetrucks not able to help, and tall buildings that were supposed to be fireproofed? It seems a clear vision of the twin tower attack of 9-11. How could she have described what she saw with any more clear terms from her 19th century perspective? We are all a little too gun shy about EGW, in my opinion. Could it be because of our wondering in the wilderness?

Thanks for your time.
God Bless
Brother ___________

Many people have been struck by the obvious similarities between the events of September 11 and the statements Mrs. White made in Testimonies, vol. 9: tall buildings, buildings burning, firemen can't stop the destruction. But I will invite you to look again at the statements Mrs. White made to see whether they are the way an observer of the September 11 destruction would have described it.

You referred to part of it when you mentioned "burning as pitch," but you did not quote it precisely. What Mrs. White said was that she had seen buildings "consumed as if made of pitch" (p. 13). The imagery calls to mind something completely engulfed in flames, and burning up. Is that what happened on September 11? Friday I was in a store and saw a book on the September 11 attack on New York City. I looked again at the pictures. Really, only a few floors were on fire, where the jet fuel was burning. The towers were never completely engulfed in flames, to make the kind of scene that would cause Mrs. White to use the expression "consumed as if made of pitch." You were an eyewitness to the destruction in New York (on television at least, I suspect), but you did not use the terms she did, even when you were trying to. Your description was closer to the actual occurrence: "burning as pitch," but not "consumed as if made of pitch." I believe, then, that she was not seeing this event in vision, but another event.

Likewise the part about the fire engines. She wrote, "The fire engines could do nothing to stay the destruction. The firemen were unable to operate the engines." I know of nothing in the New York events which hinges on inoperable fire engines. Do you? We might try to read the events back into her statement by saying, "Oh, the fire was too high for the engines to reach it," but that's not what she said. She said the firemen couldn't operate the engines, and this was why they were powerless to stop the destruction. Again, what she said does not describe what actually happened in New York.

Even the mention of New York City in her report has been widely misunderstood. Did she say that the buildings she saw were in New York City? No, she said SHE was in New York City when she saw this vision. The tall buildings make us think of New York City, to be sure, and perhaps the events she saw were of New York City, but she does not say this. Here's what she wrote: "On one occasion, when in New York City, I was in the night season called upon to behold buildings rising story after story toward heaven." She did not give the location of the buildings.

Many people claim that Mrs. White predicted the San Francisco earthquake. It is true that three years before it happened, she reported that God's judgments would fall on San Francisco and Oakland and other wicked cities if they did not repent (see Last Day Events, p. 114). And two days before, she saw a vision of houses and buildings destroyed, falling to the ground (see Life Sketches, pp. 407-409). But did she specifically predict an earthquake to come on San Francisco? No. Neither would she remain silent and allow people to make that claim on her behalf. Notice what she said, and notice also her cautions regarding statements about New York City:

Since the San Francisco earthquake, many rumors have been current regarding statements I have made. Some have reported that while in Los Angeles, I claimed that I had predicted the San Francisco earthquake and fire, and that Los Angeles would be the next city to suffer. This is not true. The morning after the earthquake, I said no more than that "the earthquakes will come; the floods will come;" and that the Lord's message to us is that we shall "not establish ourselves in the wicked cities." {RH, July 5, 1906 par. 11} Not many years ago, a brother laboring in New York City published some very startling notices regarding the destruction of that city. I wrote immediately to the ones in charge of the work there, saying that it was not wise to publish such notices; that thus an excitement might be aroused which would result in a fanatical movement, hurting the cause of God. It is enough to present the truth of the Word of God to the people. Startling notices are detrimental to the progress of the work. {RH, July 5, 1906 par. 12} Under date of Aug. 9, 1903, I further wrote regarding this sensational report:-- {RH, July 5, 1906 par. 13} "How comes the word that I have declared that New York is to be swept away by a tidal wave? This I have never said. I have said, as I looked at the great buildings going up there, story after story, 'What terrible scenes will take place when the Lord shall arise to shake terribly the earth! Then the words of Rev. 18:1-3 will be fulfilled.' The whole of the eighteenth chapter of Revelation is a warning of what is coming on the earth. But I have no light in particular in regard to what is coming on New York, only that I know that one day the great buildings there will be thrown down by the turning and overturning of God's power. From the light given me, I know that destruction is in the world. One word from the Lord, one touch of his mighty power, and these massive structures will fall. Scenes will take place the fearfulness of which we can not imagine. {RH, July 5, 1906 par. 14} "But I have sent cautions to the brethren working in New York, saying that these flaming, terrifying notices should not be published. When my brethren go to extremes, it reacts on me, and I have to bear the reproach of being called a false prophet. . . . {RH, July 5, 1906 par. 15} "The destroying angels are today executing their commission. Death will come in all places. This is why I am so anxious for our cities to be warned. There is a work to be done by canvassing in our cities that has not yet been done. . . . The blessing of God rests on the workers who warn those that are unready to meet him. . . . Now is our time to work." {RH, July 5, 1906 par. 16}

When Mrs. White would not allow some to make claims for her regarding San Francisco's earthquake that were not true, should the White Estate make no comment when we believe that people are doing something similar about the events in New York City? The leadership at the home office felt that they should not keep silent, and so they have made the careful statements that you have seen. These are no "peace and safety" proclamations. All of us in the White Estate believe that September 11's events should be a "wake-up call" to God's people that we have little time to work, and more such troubles are coming. The events of September 11 are the *kind of thing* that Mrs. White saw, even if they are not the very events that she saw. We should be alert enough to discern the signs of the times, and act accordingly.

I hope this helps. Thank you for staying with me this long! God bless!

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William Fagal, Director
Ellen G. White Estate Branch Office
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI 49104-1400 USA
Phone: 616 471-3209
FAX: 616 471-2646
Website: www.WhiteEstate.org or www.egwestate.andrews.edu
E-mail: egw@aubranch.egwestate.andrews.edu