Many Christians think of the "visionary" model--God speaking
through prophetic visions and dreams--as the unique and only way God reveals His
will to the prophets. This model suggests visions of a supernatural character in
which the prophet exhibits signs of being controlled by a supernatural power.
Such signs as being breathless or with unusual strength--or lack of
strength--can be found in the testimony of Biblical prophets as well as in Ellen
White.[1]
The visionary model also includes experiences apart from visions and dreams,
such as theophanies, in which the real presence of a heavenly being is seen or
heard. Moses in the Midian desert and Joshua on the plains of Jericho received
their messages in person from real, present divine beings.[2]
In other instances, the eyes of the prophet are opened to see the unseen world
of the spiritual beings involved in the great controversy between good and evil.[3]
Visions are so real to the prophets that sometimes it is hard for them to
distinguish between vision and reality.[4]
They can tell the people, "I saw the Lord" and "I heard the voice
of the Lord" (Isa. 6:1, 8).[*]
Supernatural visions assure the honest and the sincere that God is speaking to
them through the voice and the pen of the prophets.
But the Bible includes several models of inspiration apart from the
visionary.
[*] Bible texts in this
article are from the New King James Version.
[1] For a Biblical
illustration of supernatural strength, see Judges 13-16. For lack of strength
while in vision, see Daniel 10:7-11. Many reliable witnesses state that Ellen G.
White was breathless while in vision.
[2] See Ex. 3; 4; Joshua
5:13-15.
[3] See 2 Kings 6:15-17.
[4] See 2 Cor. 12:1-4.