The Great Controversy: Why You Should Read It, and Where To Get It (for Free!)

The Great Controversy, a book by Seventh-day Adventist Church pioneer and founder Ellen G. White, is packed with details and insight about God’s love, His plan for humanity, and Jesus’ Second Coming. And it’s available (for free!) to download here (PDF and EPUD formats available).

And if you’re looking for more information about this life-changing book, here you’ll find:

Let’s start with the question that probably brought you here.

What’s The Great Controversy all about?

Jesus and Satan in dramatized battle, as discussed in the Bible as war in heaven started by Lucifer

In short, The Great Controversy describes the conflict between Jesus and Satan. According to the Bible, this conflict started in heaven with Lucifer (Satan) and will continue until Jesus mercifully ends Satan’s reign on this earth—then recreates the earth for those who have chosen His free gift of salvation and His example of unselfish love. 

Since before God created this earth, Satan has been stirring up doubt in the minds of those who will listen to his lies. He caused the first great deception by instilling doubt in the minds of ⅓ of the angels in heaven. Then he planted doubt in Adam and Eve’s minds. And he continues to attempt this with all of humanity. 

And the lie he tells?

That God’s character is untrustworthy. 

This book, then, walks readers through history. It highlights this conflict between good and evil, showing how Satan’s lies are destructive and how God’s goodness will ultimately prevail. From the origin of evil, to the time of trouble, to the Second Coming, God’s law of selfless love wins. 

Some of the historical moments and figures covered in this book include:

  • The destruction of Jerusalem
  • John Wycliffe
  • The Waldenses
  • Martin Luther
  • The French Reformation
  • The French Revolution

However, one of the things this book is known for is its discussion of the “last days” of our world. What will happen in the final days of the earth’s history? How does the Bible prepare us for this time? How will God deliver His people? And finally, how will the great controversy between Christ and Satan end?

These are some of the essential questions that this book answers, helping readers connect Bible prophecy to our own history. So if you want guidance in how the Bible answers these questions, then The Great Controversy is for you. 

And here are a few other ways this book can be a helpful resource.

Why should I read The Great Controversy?

A woman sits comfortably while reading the book, the Great Controversy by Ellen G. White

The Bible contains all the information you’ll need to understand the big picture of where our world is headed and why, and how things will end up. What this book provides is like a Bible study companion, walking you through Scripture and showing how some of these prophetic details have shown up throughout history. 

  1. The Great Controversy helps put the Bible into perspective. The Bible is full of amazing truths and prophecies. Ellen White’s book illuminates the truths of the Bible and shows how they are further confirmed and revealed in post-biblical events, often in ways we might not have expected. 
  2. The Great Controversy can help you through difficult times. Thinking about the end times can bring up feelings of anxiety or uncertainty. But this book reminds us that the end times are far more about our hope in Jesus Christ and the joy of the Second Coming than anything else.  
  3. The Great Controversy can deepen your relationship with Jesus. This book was written to help bring about a deeper understanding of who God is—learning to see all the ways that “God is love” (1 John 4:16), and how His goal is to reunite with us. 

The goal is to uplift and emphasize how God is trustworthy, His hand is seen throughout the history of the world, and His character is love, and love alone.

It’s no surprise, then, that the book’s content is so important to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which is where The Great Controversy Project comes in. 

What is “The Great Controversy Project” and how can you benefit from it?

The earth as seen from outer space with the Gospel symbolically being shared everywhere

The sole aim of The Great Controversy Project is to share this book with the world, whether that’s through distributing hard copies of the book or by sharing the free digital download.

The author herself said that it was part of God’s calling to her that the book should be shared with the world “without delay…because the warnings it contains are necessary for preparing a people to stand in the day of the Lord.”1

This statement is just as true today as when it was penned in 1891.

The benefits of reading this book are limitless, and its contents are life-changing. If you want to experience these things for yourself, all it takes is one click to download it for free. And, if you’re interested, learn more about the conflict the book describes.

Click here to download
Click here to learn more about the Great Controversy

  1. White, Ellen G., Manuscript 24, 1891 (https://greatcontroversyproject.org/) [↩]

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