Lesson 241 . The Gift of Prophecy

All spiritual matters should be passed through the filter of God’s Word. It is written in Isaiah 8:20: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Such a test helps us very quickly recognize who speaks the truth, who is deceived, who is mistaken, and who is lying. Every public publication or speech influences those who read or hear it. If these words are spoken according to God’s will and in harmony with the truth, they may be strengthened by the Holy Spirit and presented to the human mind in all their depth. But the understanding of truth also depends on my spiritual perception and my faith.

I believe that God gives His church and His people the gift of prophecy. The Bible contains many books written by precisely such people, and all their prophecies were tested by earlier revelations and also extend into the future in which we now live.

By sharing my experiences and reflections on biblical truths, I can become an instrument in God’s hands through whom He will draw people to Himself and give them salvation. But I am not a prophet; I am an ordinary person who desires to do something for the glory of God.

A prophet is a person to whom God speaks with a special message, calling him to deliver it exactly to those for whom this message was given. The presence of prophets in the last days also implies the simultaneous presence of false prophets. Otherwise, Jesus would have told us not to listen to anyone because there would be no true prophets. But the Lord teaches us in His Word to test every person who speaks in God’s name or delivers a message from God.

I think that everything we study in our school undergoes careful examination, as each of you desires to understand whether this teaching about love is from God. I am open to such examination and welcome those who undertake it. The last thing I would want is to become an instrument of satan and lead you astray. Truth will not cease to be truth even if it is carefully examined and tested.

In His love for His children, at a definite time foretold by Him, God gave the world His prophet, who delivered His messages for seventy-one years and recorded them as instruction for us who live in the last days. The name of this prophet of God is Ellen White.

I know that many who hear this name immediately react by rejecting everything that comes from her, without even trying to examine what in her writings might not accord with the truth.

Her writings possess prophetic authority and serve the Church as comfort, guidance, instruction, and reproof. These writings also clearly establish that the Bible is the standard for every teaching and experience.

My Christian life was born in my heart through this author’s book The Great Controversy. Before that, I had read the Bible many times, but I did not understand its meaning and did not think about my salvation. But through the writings of God’s messenger, my mind was illuminated by a wonderful light, and the Bible appeared in all its beauty as a living book. I found Jesus, entered into a covenant with God, and began to live a new life. I sought God’s people who live according to biblical principles, and I found them.

It so happened that my life is very closely intertwined with the writings of Ellen White. Throughout all the time I have studied her books, I have found no errors or contradictions with the Bible. On the contrary, in her writings this author constantly refers to the Bible as the firm foundation of all her prophecies. I do not understand the position of White’s opponents, who sometimes have not even read her writings or studied her prophecies, yet vigorously fight against her as a false prophet. I do not consider this a very wise approach. Truth and falsehood can be determined very easily by comparing them with the Bible. If a prophecy about events in the present was given but did not come to pass, then that prophet can confidently be considered false. But all of Ellen White’s predictions have been accurate, and some of them are being fulfilled before our eyes exactly as they were predicted.

In my studies and sermons, I always refer to the Bible, although I know many passages from the books of God’s messenger that explain particular truths more precisely. I do not quote her writings, but I can recommend them for personal study.

The prophecies about the last days described in the Bible are quite general and are being fulfilled before our eyes. But God made provision to explain in greater detail in our time everything that would happen in our days and how it would happen. He conveyed these details through Sister White, who recorded everything in her writings. Now, in our time, when strange things are happening around us, many people want authoritative answers to the questions: What is happening? What will happen next? What should I do? Mistakes in answering these questions can be fatal. Presenting one’s own conjectures as truth is very dangerous both for one’s own soul and for the lives of others. But the writings of Ellen White point very precisely to what is happening, who is behind it, and what awaits us in the near future. I think it is worth heeding these messages so that we may await Christ upon the right foundation of faith and board the right ark, whose doors will close very soon.

God is not opposed to our testing His prophets, but this should be done not on the basis of other people’s opinions, but on the basis of His Word set forth in the Bible and the accuracy with which these prophecies are fulfilled. If this examination is successful and reveals no contradictions, then we should heed the instruction of God’s messenger. To heed it, we must sit down and study what God is saying and what message He desires to convey to us.

It is written in 2 Chronicles 20:20: “... Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” These words have power in the lives of those who heed the counsel of God’s messengers.

Some people are troubled that God chose a woman for this role. But the Bible tells us that God also endowed women with the prophetic gift. If He decided to do so, He has the right.

Belief in the gift of prophecy and in the fact that God chooses special people through whom to deliver special messages is foundational to my faith in God. We are promised that at the end of time He will give prophetic dreams and visions through sons and daughters in order to instruct us. Joel 2:28.

God’s love draws me to know the truth about the last days. God desires me to understand what is happening and what to expect, while also preparing my character for heavenly life. It is written in 1 Corinthians 13:2: “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” When studying prophetic writings or possessing the gift of prophecy, we should still remember that without agape love we can be lost.

Love recognizes God’s voice in God’s prophecies and obeys it in everything. It loves obedience to God’s will and joyfully heeds God’s warnings and counsels.

When I want to build a complex structure but have only a picture showing the outward appearance of the completed building, it is very difficult to understand how it is held together and what supports it. But if I have a detailed plan, then I can build.

Homework 241

1. In the light of our lesson, please read Numbers 12:6; 2 Chronicles 20:20; Amos 3:7; Joel 2:28–31; Acts 2:14–21; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Hebrews 1:1–3; Revelation 12:17; 19:10; 22:9; 2 Peter 1:21; Exodus 7:1–2; Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 14:1, 3–4, 39; and 1 Thessalonians 5:19–20.

2. Did you learn anything new in this lesson?

3. Why does God choose prophets?

4. How can a true prophet be distinguished from a false one?

5. Can I become a prophet myself if I desire it very much?

6. Do all people believe God’s prophets?

7. Do prophets tell us only good and pleasant prophecies?

8. Which biblical prophets do you know who left us no writings?

9. Does Jesus possess the prophetic gift?

10. What should I do if I do not believe any prophets except the biblical prophets? Will I really perish?

11. What happens to a person when he rejects God’s messengers?

12. What criteria must a prophet of God meet?

13. Should we study the writings of God’s messengers, or can we limit ourselves to the Bible alone?