How Should We Interpret the Message? Hermeneutics, or Interpreting the Writings of Ellen G. White

Divine communication originates with God, as the term itself indicates. It is intended, however, for human beings who, since the entrance of sin, have perceptions of the great issues of life that are limited, and often completely contrary. The Bible tells us that the divine message can be misunderstood and misused (2 Peter 3:16). At the same time, the Holy Spirit offers help to those who honestly want to know the truth (Ephesians 1:17-19).

The way we perceive, interpret, and ultimately handle the message of God will determine whether the message accomplishes the divine objectives in communicating it. If the human receptor is not willing to receive the communication, or perceives it incorrectly, or rejects it because it does not meet his or her expectations or because it confronts the individual with changes in the traditional way of living, then God's purpose is not fulfilled, and this person is left to his or her own fate.

Hermeneutics is the word scholars use to refer to the procedures for interpreting writings of the past. In "Some Principles for Correctly Interpreting the Writings of Ellen G. White" is a set of hermeneutical principles that can help the reader better to understand the writings of Ellen G. White. Finally, in the Reference Library, one can find a fuller treatment of these principles in "Basic Rules of Interpretation--Internal and External."