Let us now consider the 2 basic relations of the vision itself.
[1] There is a very specific "Conference" {gathering of Official body of Adventists [
not yet so outwardly designated as Seventh-day Adventists officially,
1863/4] for those who do not know} to which the vision refers.
This was
not and
cannot refer to any future "Conference", but only
to that specific one,
in that specific year, with
those specific peoples, since the vision is definitive upon this point [underline and bold added by myself]:
"... At the conference a very solemn vision was given me. I saw that some of those present would be ..."
"... I was shown the company present at the Conference …"
This
"Conference" was the Conference held in
1856, as noted by the Ellen G. White Estate [
Link to Ellen G. White Estate "food for worms" article] and also in
Spiritual Gifts Volume 2; Page 207 -
http://text.egwwritings.org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=2SG&lang=en&pagenumber=207
[2] There are
3 groups pointed out at that Conference in the vision itself, and in the retelling of it:
Group 1 -
{A1} Angel of the vision says, "... Some food for worms ..." and
{A2} Ellen G White recounts later, "... I saw that some of those present would be food for worms ..."
Group 2 -
{B1} Angel of the vision says, "... some subjects of the seven last plagues ..." and
{B2} Ellen G White recounts later, "... some subjects for the seven last plagues ..."
Group 3 -
{C1} Angel of the vision says, "... some will be alive and remain upon the earth, to be translated at the coming of Jesus. ..." and
{C2} Ellen G White recounts later, "... and some would be translated to heaven at the second coming of Christ, without seeing death. …"
[3] Both the Angel and the Messenger of the Lord, Ellen G White, are in agreement about these things and these
3 groups and are not in disharmony at any point and we shall consider each of those three groups in a bit, along with a specific phrase therein.
Moving onto
the condition briefly, we shall consider that the coming of the LORD, the 2nd Advent, is immanent, but even though
God knows the exact time in which He has allotted and set for mercy and then Judgment,
the coming may happen faster than the allotted time by God, as it may be affected by the people of God, and thus there is a condition in which the vision could have been fulfilled sooner, rather than later as it now shall be. Two verses for the moment:
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:12
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14
Therefore, the vision is simply tarrying and will come to pass as it is written, and not failed {this will be demonstrated in a post to come, utilizing the Special Resurrection itself and a comparison of statements from the vision to the Scripture itself} -
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Habakkuk 2:3
The question immediately arises,
"How can the vision of a specific 1856 Conference of Adventists, and the specific people therein, that both the vision and angel references, tarry past all their going to their graves? Isn't it plain that Ellen G. White is in her grave and those that were at the Conference {though, I am only aware of speculative lists which exist put together by certain members present as to exact numbers/persons} are all long since laid in their graves?"
Before we answer these very serious questions, we need to declare, without obfuscation, that
"Yes, all who were present {whomever they all were exactly, as I am not aware of anyone that knew fully, though there was some general idea, several lists existing of that possible makeup} at that 1856 Conference specified by/in the vision are all laid in their graves. There are none of them that are presently breathing with us today."
However, instead of asking as Peter,
"...which is he that betrayeth thee?" and
"...Lord, and what shall this man do?"
We ought to receive the answer Jesus gave to Peter:
Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. John 21:22
Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? John 21:23
Therefore, like the disciples before, there has been an
ongoing misunderstanding about how the fulfillment of this
"food for worms" prophecy was to take place, especially of those that it was stated,
As the Angel of the vision said, "...some will be alive and remain upon the earth, to be translated at the coming of Jesus. ..."
or
As Ellen G. White later recounted, "...some would be translated to heaven at the second coming of Christ, without seeing death."
or
as some, hurriedly [and incorrectly] assume, that the vision is truly false or failed. But listen again to the words of John, gone before, and so like him, let us apply also in like manner, for the Testimony of Jesus, given through sister White, is Tested, Tried and True:
This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. John 21:24
