A publication of
Preparing A People Ministry

"The Gift of Prophecy" -a look at the prophetic gift in God's church.

"Building on Solid Rock"- Is the Trinity a biblical teaching? This booklet looks at this topic using statements from the Bible, Spirit of Prophesy and early Adventist pioneers.

"The Wondrous Love of God"- a biblical study on the Godhead. Is God really a "trinity?"

Orders may be sent to:

Bob & Peggy Boyd
Preparing A People
P.O. Box 382
Morris, MN 56267-0382

Any donations to help cover expenses are greatly appreciated.

Preface

A young American Indian was walking down the streets of New York City with a friend who lived in that huge metropolis. Suddenly he cried, "I hear a cricket!"

"Oh, you must be kidding," his friend replied.

"No, I hear a cricket. I do! I'm sure of it."

It was the noon hour on the streets of New York and the sounds of honking horns, squealing tires and the buzz of hundreds of voices filled the air. Surely he couldn't have heard the chirp of one lonely cricket thought his friend.

However, the young Indian boy repeated his words. "I'm sure I do." He listened attentively and then walked to the corner, crossed the street, looked around and headed for the other corner. Shortly, he came to a shrub in a huge cement planter. Gently he dug beneath the leaf and found a cricket.

His friend, astonished by the whole thing looked questioningly at his Indian friend.

"No, my ears are no different from yours. It simply depends on what you are listening for. Here, let me show you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change; a few quarters, some dimes, nickels and some pennies. Tossing the coins into the air he watched as they clattered on the concrete pavement. Every head within a block turned.

"You see what I mean? It all depends on what you are listening for."

Four thousand years ago on a place called the Mount of Olives, Jesus sat with His disciples. They were asking Him some very important questions. Jesus had just informed them that their beloved temple would be destroyed. In bewilderment at what this all meant they questioned Him further.

"…Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world?"

Matt. 24:3

The Lord proceeded to share with them some of the events that would soon affect their lives and mingled with them, the events that would take place just before He returned to earth in glory. Wars would come, nation against nation. Pestilence, famines, and earthquakes would increase. His people would be betrayed by their own family members, and some would be killed. Among the list of physical woes that would transpire God's people would also be tested with the words of false prophets.

"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Matthew 24:11

False prophets! Yes, the world has known its share of false prophets. All one has to do is stand in line at the grocery store and scan the headlines of those sensation papers that stare out at you to know that even today, on the verge of Christ's return, false prophets still abound.

This prediction surely is true! There are false prophets in abundance. It is interesting though that Christ's warning to us of false prophets suggests something very positive. You see, if He is taking the time to warn us of the false, there must be a true. Today, as we see the final scenes closing, this prophecy speaks to us with the assurance that the prophetic gift must be for our day.

In this booklet we would like to address this issue of the true prophetic gift. Why? It is our belief that Satan is working very hard to make this gift void for God's remnant people. As we get into our study we will see why.

It is not our intention to give an in depth study of the topic- that is for you to do. Our desire is to share what the Scripture says to us about this most precious gift and to help put this gift in its proper place in God's church. Some of the questions we hope to answer are:

· What exactly is the prophetic gift all about?

· Did every prophet call himself a prophet?

· Are those with the prophetic gift "perfect" people?

· Are they infallible?

· Did the church always recognize the prophetic gift?

· Were true prophets ever accused of being false?

Our young Indian said that what we "hear" depends on "what we listen for." How true that is. It is especially true as we contemplate this most precious gift to God's church. Perhaps because of the vast amount of false doctrine, false outpouring of God's Spirit and yes, false prophets, the true gift of prophecy is being smothered in misconceptions.

As we study, our desire is that you would ask yourself two questions. First, "What are you listening for?" Secondly, "Who are you listening to?"

We pray that through the confusion that floods the religious world today, we will be able to detect the true from the false.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27

One way that God speaks to His people is through His chosen vessels upon whom He has bestowed this unique gift. What a shame it would be to miss the counsel sent from God simply because we have a wrong conception of what this gift is and what it is not.

May the Lord bless our study together.

The Eyes of God's Church

"…When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men… And he gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:.."

Ephesians 4:8-12

For the Christian, these words are filled with some profound thoughts as we contemplate the gift of prophecy. The Apostle Paul says a lot in these few verses so I think this is a good place to begin our study.

First, Paul shares with us that God's people have been given special "gifts" to use in this life. Each one of us has at least one of these gifts. That in itself is an awesome thought! Paul also emphasizes that these special "gifts" are given to us directly by our Lord and Saviour. It is Christ who pours out the gifts to His people. What a marvelous thought! It is obvious from looking back into the Old Testament that these "gifts" existed before, but in a special sense they were poured out to a waiting church on the day of Pentecost.

Secondly we see that not everyone received the same gift. Some were apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, etc. I Cor. 12:28 lists other gifts. The gift of prophecy is only one of the various gifts given to men. Some from God's church were selected by Christ Himself to possess this gift just the same as some have gifts of teaching, healing, helps or any other gift. That fact alone should help us put the gift of prophecy in proper perspective. It is one of the gifts! Please keep that in mind as we continue.

In speaking of this, Paul compares the church, with its various gifts, to the human body. Each part of the human body has a special function. Each part is needed for the body to work at optimum capacity. Thus, each gift in the church is needed and fills a special place, yet each with its own separate function. Listen to how he explains it.

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ…..For the body is not one member, but, many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the learning? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members everyone of them in the body, as it hath pleased him." I Cor. 12:12-18

In simplified language, Paul is telling us that we just don't all have the same job to do. God decides; after all, He knows better than anyone else who is fit to carry out a certain work. One of the appointed tasks in the church is the prophetic calling and it is God alone who chooses who will fill that task. Think about that for just a minute. If it is God who chooses a person for this or any other task, then it is a serious matter to reject a person whom the Lord has called to fill an appointed work in His church, whatever work it is.

Perhaps we can see just how serious a matter it is to reject this particular gift when we understand exactly what a prophet does. The book of I Samuel gives us a good clue.

"Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer."

I Sam. 9:9

If we go back to Paul's analogy of the church being likened to the human body, what part of the body do you think the prophet would correspond to? Of course, we would say the eyes. He was called a "seer" because God used this person to share with His church what lay ahead. Part of the prophet's gift was to be able to "see" what was to come. Some prophets didn't receive visions but simply spoke what God told them to. In a sense they also were "seeing" because their words confirmed what lay ahead.

Now, how important are your eyes? People who lose their eyesight have to walk around in darkness don't they. Blindness is a handicap to an individual. Though many blind people function extremely well in society, they can't live up to the full capacity of life because of this handicap. Actually, the same applies to any handicap. Whatever part of our bodies we lose, even down to the big toe, the body doesn't function to optimum capacity. Spiritually speaking then, what happens to God's church when they reject a gift in one of its members? What happens to us as individuals when we fail to recognize a gift God has given to another part of the body? What about rejecting the prophet, the eyes of the church? No matter what our intentions or our profession, we will be somewhat handicapped in our walk with God won't we? You have heard the words, "No man is an island?" Well, I think that thought applies very well as we contemplate spiritual gifts in the body of Christ. We just won't reach our full capacities as God's people if we reject the abilities of those God has placed in our lives to help us grow to maturity. It becomes a serious matter. Let's move on.

Getting back to Ephesians, Paul told us very clearly what the purpose of these gifts was; for the "perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

The word "perfecting" means to bring to completion. Paul is telling us that these various gifts are needed in order for God's children to become totally and completely the reflection of the loving character of their Lord. They are needed to build up the body of Christ. How long are they needed? "Till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man.." What do you think? Are we there yet? It sounds to me like the gifts Christ poured out on His church are here to stay and will be needed to the very end of time. All of them; including the prophetic gift. The prophet Amos says:

"Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

Amos 3:7

So how important is the prophetic gift to God's church? How important are the eyes to the body? The gift is very, very valuable and not to be despised. Take the time to analyze what happened time after time to God's church down through the ages when the prophet's words were rejected. Look at the struggles and disasters that could have been avoided had the people understood the importance of the "eye" to the body! Also, think for a moment about those God has placed in your life who possess different abilities than you. How have they helped you grow in your walk with the Lord? What if you had never noticed their abilities; how would it have affected your walk with God? Now, what if God bestowed the prophetic gift on an individual and you rejected that gift? Could it hinder your growth in the Lord? It's something to think about!

Our question now is, how can we know the true prophet from the false? How can we be sure that someone really possesses the prophetic gift? To answer that question we are going to let the lives of some of the prophets themselves speak to us. I think we will find some very interesting facts to help us.

The Prophets Speak

The crowds gathered to listen to this most unusual man. Clothed in camel's hair, his simple dress stood out in stark contrast to the robes of the religious leaders of the day. "Repent ye, for the Kingdom of God is at hand." Matt. 3:2 His message was straight and to the point. The Scripture says of John the Baptist,

"For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esais, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Matt. 3:3

Truly John was a voice crying in the wilderness. His mission; to prepare the way of the Lord. His job was to lift the people's minds and hearts heavenward so they would be prepared to meet the Messiah. In keeping with that mission he openly stated;

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matt. 3:11,12

John was to lead the people to see their need; Jesus would purge the people of sin, transforming them into His likeness.

Faithfully John went about all the region proclaiming the Messiah was at hand. When Jesus came to him for baptism, John showed his understanding of who this man was.

"But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and thou comest to me?" Matt. 3:14

He knew this was the Messiah they had all been waiting for; the One for whom he had been preparing the way.

Sometime later we find John languishing away in a prison cell. Despite his previous acceptance that Jesus was the Messiah, doubt was now sweeping over him. Was this man truly the Messiah? Wasn't he supposed to set up a kingdom and defeat the Roman army? Though John had boldly declared Jesus as the "Lamb of God," he himself seemed not to understand the full impact of those words. Now, needing reassurance, John sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him plainly:

"…Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" Matt. 11:3

Doubt! Discouragement! Was John a prophet? Do prophets ever show weaknesses such as doubt and discouragement? Do prophets ever misunderstand the words they have been given to speak?

Jesus lovingly told the disciples to relate to John that the blind received their sight, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed and the ears of the deaf were opened.

Then, turning to the multitudes he talked of John.

"What went ye out to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in king's houses. But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto to you, and more than a prophet." Matt. 11:7-9

Yes, John was a prophet, even though he had become discouraged; even though he didn't fully understand the mission of the Messiah, nor even the full impact of his declaration that Christ was the "Lamb of God." John was given a calling; he fulfilled it faithfully.

Did John ever call himself a prophet? No! When asked by the priests and Levites who he was, note his reply.

"….Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? That we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord…"

John 1:21-23

Christ proclaimed John to be a prophet. John himself never called himself that. He was the "voice;" a messenger. Was he the "eye" of the church? Yes, he beheld in Christ something no one else saw; divinity.

How did people treat this "voice?"

"John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil." Matt. 11:18

That is quite a harsh statement to make of someone don't you think? Then, Matthew 14 shares with us that John was beheaded for his straight testimony against sin. The prophet wasn't treated very well, was he! John was a prophet of God, actually Jesus said he was "more than a prophet." That's quite a testimony of someone's life.

So, what made John a prophet? What clues do we find in John's life that give us some insight into what the prophetic call is and is not?

First, let's remember that though John is listed as a prophet, he himself never called himself one. In his eyes, he was a messenger delivering a message that he was compelled by God to give .

Second, he was a human being subject to doubt and discouragement just like you and me.

Third, his work was always to point others to the Messiah. "He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30

Fourth, John didn't always understand fully the work he was called to do. His conception of what the Messiah would do was not complete.

Lastly, some saw John as a prophet and others saw him as a strange man who ate differently, dressed differently, talked foolishly about prophecy concerning the Messiah and was far too bold in exposing sin. Still others weren't sure what to think.Does John fit into your conception of what a prophet is and is not? Hopefully he does! But, perhaps our next man might not!

* * * *

One of the most interesting prophets listed in Scripture is the prophet Jonah; perhaps because we can relate more easily to a man who seems to be so much like us.

You know the story well. Jonah was asked by God to deliver a very important message. "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah…" the book starts out. He was to go to Nineveh and "cry against it." Not a pleasant task considering Nineveh was well known for its wickedness. Jonah's response? Run away! There was no way he was going to do that job!

As the story unfolds we see Jonah boarding a ship bound for Tarshish. While at sea, a storm comes up and Jonah, knowing full well that he was the cause, tells the men on board to throw him into the sea so they would be safe. Not knowing how else to save themselves, they cast Jonah into the sea where he is swallowed by a "great fish." After three frightening days and nights in the belly of this fish, he is vomited up on dry land. Needless to say, that experience changed his mind about delivering the message the Lord had asked him to give. I suppose most of us can relate to Jonah's experience a little. The "great fish" we meet in life have their way of helping us straighten out our thinking.

So, a second time, the Lord spoke to Jonah and said:

"Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." Jonah 3:2

Jonah's task? Just say what the Lord told him to say. This time Jonah obeyed and preached, saying:

"Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." Vs. 4

Now, let's notice something extremely interesting here. The word "overthrown" in the Hebrew means, "to turn about, to change, return, be converted, to the contrary." So the message that Jonah was delivering for God was a proclamation that a change was about to come to the wicked city of Nineveh. They were going to be turned away from their wicked ways! The Scripture goes on to say,

"So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them." Jonah 3:5

The king's response then followed:

"Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? Jonah 3:9

Scripture shares with us that God saw their works and he "did it not." In other words, God's loving protection remained with Nineveh and the city was spared for a time. You see, the message Jonah was to deliver was a prophecy of restoration. God knew the people of Nineveh would repent. Yet, both the king and the prophet Jonah were sure Nineveh was going to be destroyed. Now, notice Jonah's reaction to the Lord's dealing with the people of Nineveh:

"But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil." Jonah 4:1,2

Jonah wasn't too terribly happy with the way things turned out. Can't you just see Jonah throwing up his hands and saying, "I knew it. I knew you wouldn't destroy them if they repented. You are too loving for that." Interesting that Jonah knew that God was loving, kind and merciful and yet he was upset that God restored the city instead of allowing destruction to come upon it. Imagine a prophet being upset about God's redeeming love! Jonah goes on to show just how upset he was.

"Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live." Vs. 3

Jonah was a little despondent don't you think? After all, he could have been accused of being a false prophet! What he declared didn't happen, or at least he thought it didn't. Remember, God's message was one of promised restoration. So, Jonah preached what the Lord told him to, yet he himself didn't understand the message in its fullness.

As the story ends we see Jonah going out of the city and setting himself down on the ground. God comes to His prophet and with tender patience tries to help Jonah understand more completely the love He has for all mankind.

The book ends with these intriguing words:

And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherin are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?" Jonah 4:11

Jonah had missed much in understanding God's long suffering love. He pouted, he complained, he felt sorry for himself. Jonah sounds as human as you and me. He lacked understanding! So what made Jonah a prophet then? How could this man who had so many obvious character flaws have been a prophet of God? Remember, God alone knows each one of us. Sometimes I think God chooses which gifts to bestow on us based on what will help us best perfect our own characters. Whatever the reason, God selected Jonah to deliver a message and he did it. Jonah was the "voice" of God to his people. He prophesied about an event that was to take place, even though he himself didn't understand the message completely. Despite his weaknesses, God gave him the prophetic gift to accomplish a task that needed to be done.

So, what does the story of Jonah teach us about the gift of prophecy? Once again we see that though Jonah is listed as a prophet, he never claimed to be one. He was a prophet because he delivered a message from God. Like John the Baptist's, it was a message to return to the Lord.

Did Jonah get things right all the time? No, he didn't even truly understand the message he was giving; he was just delivering it. Nor, did he totally understand the character of the God he served. Was Jonah a man who had victory over his weaknesses? Obviously not. He ran away from his calling at first; he pouted, complained, got angry, felt sorry for himself, and obviously must have been struggling with pride since he seemed so worried about his reputation. Hardly characteristics we would think a prophet should possess.

Yet, Jonah is listed in Scripture as a prophet of God. Christ himself announced that Jonah was indeed a "voice" for Him.

"….And evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas;…" Matt. 12:39

Isn't it amazing that a prophet of God could have weaknesses just like you and me; weaknesses that needed to be purged from him, just like ours do?

* * * *

Let's take a brief look at just a few more individuals chosen by God to be given the gift of prophecy. Jeremiah was a man who, unlike Jonah and John, was directly told by God that he was chosen to be a prophet.

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." Jer. 1:5

Humbled by this proclamation, Jeremiah replied,

"Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child."

Jer. 1:6

Jeremiah never asked for this gift; he felt unworthy and unable to perform the task the Lord had chosen him for. Yet, the Lord had chosen him and would speak through his chosen vessel.

"Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak."

Jer. 1:7

Jeremiah teaches us a valuable lesson about the prophetic gift and every gift for that matter. When God chooses a vessel to work through, He is the one who will perform the work. The prophetic calling is no different. In this case God told him directly he had been chosen to possess that gift. In chapter 23:37 he acknowledges that he is indeed a prophet of God. His job was simply to proclaim to the people the words of God. He was to be the "eyes" for the church, sharing what dangers lay ahead of them if they didn't allow God to direct their paths.

How was Jeremiah treated? Even though they acknowledged him as a "voice" for God, the people chose not to listen.

"Then said they, "Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah: for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words." Jeremiah 18:18

Can you imagine God's professed people knowing that this was a prophet of God, deliberately refusing to listen to the warnings and counsels being given? They would "smite him with the tongue." In other words, they would be saying all kinds of incorrect and character damaging things about Jeremiah. What a shame that so many people listened to these false words instead of listening to the prophet himself to decide whether he was right or wrong. I suppose we would have to ask "what were these people listening for? And who were they listening to?

Well, what else happened to this prophet? Yes, he was beaten and put in prison and he too went through a period of doubt and discouragement.

"O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil: because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay."Jer. 20:7-9

In seems as if Jeremiah feels the Lord has left him! Surely he was a discouraged man. All he had done was deliver the messages of reproof and warning God had asked him to deliver and this is what he got in return! Eventually he was released only to be thrown back in the dungeon again. Thankfully he was rescued by a friend who acknowledged God's word being spoken through him.

So, this time we see a man who was told by God at the beginning that this was the calling he had for him. Jeremiah was to be a prophet. Why did he tell Jeremiah and yet not John or Jonah? Perhaps it was because of all that he was to endure during his long life as a prophet of God. Regardless, Jeremiah still fell into discouragement. Some saw him as God's voice, others did not.

* * * *

What about Moses and Aaron? Were they prophets? Moses never called himself a prophet but Hosea does.

And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved." Hosea 12:13

Moses was a prophet because he spoke the words God told him to and because he saw things others didn't. Was he perfect? No, we know that despite his sound character he did make mistakes; for example, striking the rock when the Lord told him to speak to it to bring out water. Moses, yes, we can see him as a prophet, but surely not Aaron! How could a man who built the golden calf while Moses was up on the mountain talking to God be considered a prophet?

"And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharoah: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharoah, that he send the children of Israel out of his land." Ex. 7:1,2

Moses received the words from God to speak and Aaron was the one who communicated them to Pharoah.

So, in a sense, he was also a prophet.

Well, the list could go on. There was Ezekiel who was taken in vision to the very courts of heaven and gazed into the throne room. Yet, he did act a little strange at times. He said and did things no one understood; including himself. So, with Ezekiel, we see another aspect of the prophetic gift; some prophets received visions. The Lord took Ezekiel in vision to behold sights he struggled to describe, let alone understand. Privileged to behold a picture of the throne room in heaven, Ezekiel describes what he saw. In chapter 1 we see God's throne room described in symbolic language. We remember also the vision of the valley of dry bones. (Eze. 37) Then there were those interesting living parables that he played out. Lying on his left side for 40 days, then 40 days on his right side (Eze. 4:4); cutting his hair and then weighing it and binding some of it. (Eze. 5:1); Carrying his belongings out of his house, digging through a wall. (Eze. 12:1-5) I imagine there would have been a few who thought this man had succumbed to some mental disorder.

Then there was Hosea who took a whore for a wife and Daniel who saw in vision some of the events that would effect us down to the very end of time. Yet, he didn't understand the full meaning of those beasts that he was shown, nor the meaning of the man clothed in linen standing on the waters. (Dan. 12) Once again, his visions were given in symbolic language. Then there was Peter who was taken in vision and saw a sheet full of unclean animals descending from heaven (Acts 10) and Zechariah's visions in chapters 1-3. Again, visions rich in symbolism. Then there was John, who while banished to the island of Patmos, was "in the Spirit on the Lord's day." In other words, he was taken in vision. The entire book of Revelation, written in symbolic language, is a description of what John saw.

It is very interesting that the visions we looked at are all viewed in symbols. In other words, what the prophet saw was not to be taken literally; it represented something. For example, the beasts of Daniel represented kingdoms. This is an interesting point that I think we would do well to remember.

Were all the prophets men? No, there was Miriam whose hand was turned leprous because she rebelled against God's chosen leader, her brother Moses. We see Deborah as a prophetess and judge over Israel (Judges 4:4); Hulda (2 Kings 22:14), Anna (Luke 2:36) and Philip's daughters (Acts 21:9).

Surely God chose some interesting people to bestow the prophetic gift on. Some, you and I probably never would have thought should have been chosen. Always we need to remember that it is God alone who knows each one of us so intimately that he understands which gifts can be given to each person.

I hope we have looked at enough of God's prophets to get you started thinking about what the prophetic gift is and what it is not. Remember that Christ warned us about false prophets in the last days; so there must also be true ones. The question that seems to loom before us is whether our understanding of what constitutes the prophetic gift is accurate. If it isn't, we might accept the false prophet as a true one; or we might dismiss the true as being false.

So, let's see if we can put together a picture of what the prophetic gift is all about.

The spiritual gift which we call the gift of prophecy is only one of the gifts given to the church. The individual who receives this gift is likened to the "eyes" of the church because he/she sees what lies ahead and relates that to the people. The prophet also speaks for God delivering messages God deems as needed to guide his church, that they might walk "in the light" and not in "darkness.

Prophets are not necessarily "perfect" people. They are individuals like you and me who are growing in grace. Can they make mistakes? Yes, they can. They are not infallible. The prophecies they deliver are always truth; they must come to pass, but the person who delivers the message may not always understand what it means.

Neither the church nor the world will always accept the prophet or treat him well. Because we as humans may not always understand the words spoken by the prophet, we may be in a position to accuse him of being false when in fact he may be a true prophet. Sometimes it may be our lack of understanding of Scripture or perhaps our misconceptions of God's character that may be the problem- not the message of the prophet.

Some prophets knew they were prophets and said so. Others never referred to themselves as prophets but merely as delivering messages for God. The fact that they did not call themselves a prophet is not proof that they weren't.

Some prophets received visions and some did not. Those that did, were given a picture of events in symbolic language. Their visions were not to be understood literally, but were symbolic pictures of events or places.

Now, do these conclusions drawn from the lives of the prophets we looked at match up with the Scriptures description of what distinguishes between a true and a false prophet? Let's see.

"The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him." Jer. 28:9

Now, let's look at this statement closely because I believe that all too often we have misused it. First of all, let's realize that the Scripture implies to us that the fulfillment of the prophecy may take awhile. It says "when" it shall come to pass. Let's not be in a hurry to declare someone a false prophet because what he states doesn't happen immediately. Remember, it is God's time table, not ours.

Secondly, it is what the prophet speaks as directly coming from the Lord that is to be judged for accuracy. For example, if he states that peace will come, that is what your test of his prophetic calling is on. It is judged on the words the prophet says God directly told him to speak, only! That is an extremely important point to remember. Somehow we have gotten the idea that if a person is a prophet, every word out of their mouth must be directly from God and must be 100% accurate. That is misusing the prophetic gift! Only the words or the visions he claims were directly given by God are to be judged. John the Baptist didn't have everything totally figured out; nor did Jonah but their prophecies were accurate. I can't emphasize this point enough.

Another text that helps us is 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."

Isa. 8:20

If a person comes bearing a message from God, it must correspond with what Scripture teaches. That places a task upon us to be sure we truly do understand what the Scripture is saying. So often we think we do and yet we are so far off in our understanding. Please note that it is the "message" that must be perfect, not the messenger! If it was the messenger who must be perfect, we would have to erase a lot of names from the list of prophets.

But you say, what about the text that says:

"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. 7:20

Yes, that is surely a text that we can judge a prophet on. The Scripture goes on to talk about those who prophesy in His name as well, I might add, as those who have done other things "in His name." The context is at the end of the Sermon on the Mount where Christ has just been sharing what it is like to be a living example of God's love. Will God's true prophets exhibit Christ like qualities? Yes, they will. But, that doesn't mean that they will have necessarily gained victory over all of their weaknesses. Everyone who has given their heart to the Lord has been given at least one gift to use for God's glory. Why do we think that a prophet must be "totally perfected" and a teacher doesn't have to be?

Can we "inspect fruit?" By all means, but remember that "fruit inspection" should be done by you personally, not by what others say about the person. I'm afraid poor Jeremiah wouldn't have passed the test if it depended on some peoples perspective of his character traits. What others said about him, people who obviously were spiritually blind, would not have been very complimentary.

The prophetic gift is quite special. The "eyes" of God's church play an extremely important role as to the direction His people will take. Will they walk in "light" or in "darkness!" It's no wonder Satan attacks this gift perhaps more fiercely than any other. One of the ways he has attacked it most successfully is by confusing what the gift is and what it is not! Think about it! Are your views on the prophetic gift in harmony with the Scriptures or have you looked at the prophets as infallible people and thus misused this precious gift to God's church. It's a thought worth considering.

Is She or Isn't She?

"And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit."

Joel 2:28,29

Joel shares with us a prophecy of what will happen as the closing scenes of this age take place. God will use men, women and children to speak His words; the prophetic gift will be seen!

We know that on the day of Pentecost, Peter stated that the outpouring of God's spirit at that time was a partial fulfillment of this prophecy (Acts 2:17-21). How do we know that it is only a partial fulfillment? The setting of the prophecy is at the end of time! Therefore, we can expect that, as we stated earlier, God's prophetic gift will be with us all the way to the end! God will bestow the prophetic gift whenever He sees it is necessary.

So, who are the prophets of today? Has God chosen anyone in His church to be His "eyes" or doesn't the body need the "eyes" any more? It is an interesting question because so many people feel that this gift was not needed after Christ came to earth! Also, since Jesus walked the earth, there have been many who claimed to be prophets who simply didn't pass the test. Perhaps you can think of some yourself! This has also served to shed some doubt on the possibility of modern day prophets. But is it possible that God has chosen people since Bible times to possess this prophetic gift? I would say that we should be surprised if He hadn't. Remember, He does nothing unless He first reveals it to His prophets! If that is true, then is there anyone who can pass the test of a true prophet of God in modern times? Some say "yes" and some say "no."

We want to briefly look at one particular woman with you because in the past few years there has been quite a bit of discussion about whether she did or did not possess the prophetic gift. Many of you are already acquainted with the life and writings of Ellen G. White and are very familiar with the controversy that seems to be ever escalating as to the authenticity of her gift of prophesy. As we stated earlier, to reject a gift that is true can be detrimental to our spiritual growth as a body and as individuals; yet, to accept the gift as genuine and misuse it can be just as detrimental.

So, let's briefly review a few aspects of her life. Ellen was born in Gorham, Maine on November 6, 1827. She was a teenager during the years that William Miller and others were preaching of the soon coming of Jesus. When the time passed that had been set for the Lord to return (Oct. 22 1844), she was one of those who stayed strong in the Lord and held on to her belief in the soon coming of Christ. It was shortly after this disappointment in 1844 that she received her first vision. Mrs. White went on to have many visions over the span of her life and authored many books in which she shared messages for God's church. The subjects she received insight on ranged from such topics as education, child rearing and health, to last day events.

It is not our purpose to go into detail about any of her writings or messages that she directly related to God's church. That is for you to do. Also, it is not our purpose to prove to you whether she was a true prophetess of God or not. Our personal belief is that Ellen G. White did indeed possess the prophetic gift but this is something each person must decide for himself. Our purpose is to help us set biblical guidelines that can help clear up the "muddy water" that seems to be making it difficult for people to look at this gift objectively.

As we have listened to the enormous amount of controversy surrounding her, and have struggled with the issue ourselves, it has become increasingly clear that most of us have had such a misguided understanding of the prophetic gift that we have clouded the issue considerably. Years ago she stated that the "Testimonies" would be made of "none effect." How true that prophecy has become. Yet, the irony of the situation is that it seems to be those of us who have proclaimed her the most boldly, and used her writings the most frequently who have been the ones to fulfill that prophesy, at least in part. Yes, she has been accused of being a plagiarist, an evil woman who purposely misled people, and a senile old lady. She has been accused of proclaiming false prophesies and of getting her ideas for her books from other people. It somewhat reminds me of what the prophets of old had to endure. But, while it is true that these accusations have certainly made the testimonies of "none effect," perhaps the most damaging affects have come from people who fully believe in her prophetic gift, but use it wrongly. As we continue I think you will see what we mean.

Let's take some time now, to go back through our list of what we learned about what a prophet is and is not. As we do this, please keep in mind that Ellen White or anyone else who comes along that we might think possesses the gift of prophecy, should have the same fair and just treatment as we give the prophets of old in determining between the true and the false. Perhaps some of the questions you should be asking yourself as we go through this are, "Have I understood what the prophetic gift is really all about?" "Has my lack of understanding of God's character or my understanding of the Scriptures in general been a factor in my confusion about this issue?" "Could I be the one whose eyes are blind?" "Have I misused the gift and thus left myself open to doubt and discouragement?"

The Scripture says:

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." I John 4:1

So, test the prophet! Decide for yourself whether the prophet is true or false; but let's be sure our guidelines are biblically based and that our understanding of this gift is well in tact as we do it. So, with that in mind, let's go back over the criterion we found in the lives of the prophets themselves. Then you can judge for yourself if you have fairly viewed this woman and others who also might have been given the prophetic gift.

First, we understood that the prophetic gift was only one of the gifts given to the church. We likened this gift to the "eyes" of the church because part of their job was to help God's people see what would happen if they walked with the Lord and the dangers that awaited them if they didn't. The prophet spoke for God in directing His people. The one who possesses this gift would not have placed himself above anyone else in the church, recognizing that each has his role to fill. Like Jeremiah, Moses and others, they would have humbly accepted the task given, but not sought it. So, we can ask ourselves a question; "Was this Mrs. Whites position? Is this what she did for the church?"

Secondly, we stated that prophets are not perfect people. They are individuals like you and me who are growing in grace, in understanding and in love for God. They can and do make mistakes. They are not infallible people any more than those with the gift of teaching, helps or any other gift are. Hopefully we can let that thought sink into our minds.

One of the biggest arguments people seem to get caught up in is that Mrs. White did or said some things that they perceive as wrong. For example, let's take the interesting and often debated issue of observing Christmas. Some strongly disagree with the advise she gave about having Christmas trees in our home. She states, "Letters of inquiry have come to us asking, Shall we have a Christmas tree?" Mrs. White then goes on to state her opinion about this issue. She believed that there was no harm in taking an evergreen and decorating it in a suitable fashion. Some point to the fact that this is a pagan holiday and say a prophetess would have known better than to justify our participation in such an event. So, the question arises then, does every word proceeding from the mouth or pen of one who is said to possess the gift of prophecy count as proper ammunition to judge the prophet on? The answer is an unequivocal "NO." Those who have the gift of prophecy are people like you and me who are growing Christians. That means that they "haven't arrived yet" They may make mistakes, they may even write things down on paper that they will realize 10 years down the road they didn't understand completely. Some take these words on her opinion as to the validity of having a Christmas tree as being directly from God. That is not fair or true. It was her opinion as a Christian. It isn't my intention to say whether she was right or wrong, just to state that this was an opinion of a Christian woman. To take it any other way is a misuse of her writings.

Perhaps when we remember that she was a growing Christian just like the rest of us, we can understand better why Mrs. White's later writings of events as written in The Great Controversy may differ somewhat from her earlier writings on the same subject. I know many are always looking to see how people changed her writings and that may be so in some instances. But, is it at all possible that since she was a Christian like you and me, she added and subtracted some statements because of a deeper understanding of what the visions actually meant? It's called growth! I wonder what Jonah would have put down on paper if he had written a book describing his experience in Nineveh? For starters, we can be sure he would have somewhat misunderstood the message he was giving. He also would have not portrayed the character of God quite accurately would he? It would be interesting to know if Jonah ever really grew in his understanding of the God he served. I imagine he did, just like you and me.

So what then should we be able to judge of what Mrs. White wrote in trying to decide whether she is true or false. From our prophets we learned that it was the message that God directly gave them to proclaim or the vision they claimed came directly from God that should be judged. To be fair, that same test should apply to her as well as any other person who might yet arise that claims this gift. Now, what exactly do we mean. Well, when Mrs. White says: "God showed me," or "I saw in vision," or other language such as this, these and these alone should be tested for accuracy as to whether or not they actually take place. It is on these things that she is to be judged as having the prophetic gift or not. To read letters that Mrs. White wrote to her son Willie, or to take every word she wrote down in some of her fine writings and believe those words are infallible is a misuse of the prophetic gift and grossly unfair to her. As far as we can tell, this practice of quoting every word Mrs. White ever spoke as if it was gospel has been the greatest problem that has affected our acceptance of her. What a revelation it has been for many to realize she actually did say some things that maybe lacked full understanding. Our confidence in her prophetic gift has then been shaken. As a result, many have tossed her writings aside as false instead of asking themselves if perhaps the problem has been with their misguided understanding of the prophetic gift.

Another aspect to consider is where the prophet directs the attention! Does the prophet exalt himself or Jesus Christ. Are we pointed to the Scriptures as our guide or are we told to believe them as opposed to Scripture? We really didn't cover this thoroughly but simply alluded to this before. Remember though, that John said "He must increase and I must decrease!" So what about Ellen White? Did she send us to the Scriptures? What did she mean when she said she was the "lesser light?" Did she want us to quote her or did we just do it? If she claimed her own words to be equal or above the Scriptures, then we know she is false. If, however, she upheld the Bible as the source of truth and realized her frailty as a human being saved by grace, she then passes that test.

Well, what about character? We learned that not only were the prophets capable of not understanding everything exactly correctly, even misunderstanding the words they proclaimed for the Lord and not understanding the visions they were given, but that they had some pretty human character traits as well. Some showed doubt and discouragement; others pouted and complained. Some ran away from their calling and others showed some arrogance and pride; yet God bestowed on them the prophetic gift. So, do those who we are testing today as to their prophetic gift have to be "perfect" people; or can we assume that they too may have some weaknesses that needed the transforming power of God? What a shock it is for some to realize this woman wasn't "perfect." She had some character flaws that surfaced at times just like yours and mine. Does the fact she didn't have complete victory yet disqualify her for the prophetic gift? I think the answer should be obvious to us. No, it doesn't, any more than you would be disqualified from possessing one of the other gifts simply because you weren't "perfected" yet.

Yes, "By their fruits you will know them." But, remember, just because a person is not yet "complete" doesn't mean the fruit is bad! It always amazes me how perfect we expect others to be and yet how long suffering we want others to be with our imperfections. What was the direction of her life? Was Mrs. White's life one of love, peace and joy despite the fact she may have stumbled at times? Was her life one of service to God and to her fellow man? Inspect the fruit, but inspect it with "spiritual" eyes, and inspect it yourself! How easy it is for us to read what others have said about her, good or bad, and form our opinions. Friends, Jeremiah should be a lesson for us to realize that even "religious" people didn't have nice things to say about the prophet. And, if Jeremiah isn't enough to convince you, look at Jesus. The most respected men in the "church" said some pretty nasty things about our Lord. So, what then, can we do to inspect Mrs. White's life since she is not alive today? The only criteria that we can go on is to inspect what she wrote and test that! To form our opinions on what someone may write about her is to be unfair in our judgment. I certainly wouldn't want people to form opinions about me based on what someone else wrote about me and I don't think you would either. Inspect the fruit yourself! Let the words written speak for themselves as to her Christian character. As far as her prophetic status is concerned, remember that it is only what she claims God told her directly that can be used to judge her.

There is another aspect of this that comes to mind right now. We remember that when Jonah proclaimed to Nineveh that in 40 days they would be "overthrown," he truly believed he was prophesying that God would destroy Nineveh. We found out though, that Jonah had an incomplete understanding of the message he gave. Then there was John who proclaimed Jesus as the "Lamb of God," yet still had wrong conceptions of what God's kingdom was all about. We also remember the visions of Daniel and Ezekiel and how they grasped for words to describe what they saw and but faintly had an idea of what it all meant. So, the question we need to ask then is, would modern day prophets perhaps have some of those same problems? Is it possible that Mrs. White could receive visions directly from God and yet she herself not totally understand what those visions meant? Is it possible that in seeking to understand the meaning of some of the visions she received that her analysis of what they meant was not complete? Now I know some of you are not too happy with that statement but please remember that the lives of the Bible prophets would say that this is entirely possible. Remember, her job was to tell what she saw and speak what she was told to speak. Anything else she wrote or spoke of her own understanding and in her own words were simply the thoughts of a dedicated Christian woman. I know that is a hard saying for some to accept; but please consider it carefully. Please realize, that every word she wrote down in books such as the "Great Controversy" is not necessarily inspired. The vision would be inspired, but not necessarily her every word in interpreting the events-unless God told her directly what the visions all meant. I hope we can see the difference.

I might also add, that our lack of understanding should always be kept as an option for what we might consider "failed prophecies." When we look at a prophecy that she makes and say, "Well see, it was wrong," please remember that it is possible that we could be the ones who simply have misunderstood what the prophet said. It always amazes me how we can admit that she was correct with so very many prophecies and yet when one thing she says doesn't fit, at least in our thinking, we throw her out as "false." It is true that 100% of a true prophet's predictions should come to pass. But, please, when the one we are testing has a long list of accurate prophecies as Mrs. White does, shouldn't we be a little more careful than to throw her out because of a few WE think she has called incorrectly? Is it possible our understanding is flawed? Let's face it. There might have been a few people who labeled Jonah as a false prophet. Yet, he wasn't, was he!

We also remember that some of the prophets of old knew that they had been called to the prophetic office and acknowledged themselves as prophets; yet, some never claimed to be. Some have said that Mrs. White herself never claimed to be a prophetess and so they prefer to keep her in the position she gave herself; that of a "messenger." To claim to be a "messenger," however, is not to deny the prophetic gift given. John the Baptist called himself "the voice of one crying in the wilderness." We know from Scripture that Jesus claimed he was a prophet. Whether Mrs. White did or did not claim the gift of prophecy is not an indication that she did not possess it. The proof is in the validity of the messages she gave.

Lastly, we noted that some prophets were given visions and some were not. Mrs. White claims to have received many visions from God in her long life. Now please remember that in the Scriptures, those people we listed who were taken in vision were all shown events in symbolic language. Their visions could not be interpreted literally. Now, perhaps some prophets did receive visions that were not symbolic; that could be. However, please don't miss the point that if visions of the prophets of old were symbolic in nature, we must keep in mind that those received from a modern day prophet could be and most likely are also.

Some have thrown aside Mrs. White saying that some of her visions were not accurate or did not come to pass. However, many take her visions literally forgetting that it is entirely possible that what she saw was a vision given in symbolic language. For example, in her very first vision recorded in the book Early Writings she pictures the Advent people on their journey to the New Jerusalem. Are we to assume that this is literal? I think not. In another vision she talks of the angels entering the gates of heaven by presenting a golden card. Are we to assume that to get in and out of heaven the angels have to flash a card at the gatekeeper; or are we seeing symbolism used?

Is it possible that her visions are given in symbolic language, just like the prophets of old? Perhaps that is a thought we should think about as we read through books such as The Great Controversy where the last chapters portray the final events on this earth. It is very interesting to read her visions concerning the final events as found in Early Writings. These are the visions she expanded upon in the Great Controversy. Since this was a vision, is it possible that these too are rich in symbolism? It would be a shame to miss the true meaning of the visions given simply because we are looking at them literally when God was using a symbolic picture to say something of extreme importance to us. Just a thought.

As we said earlier, it is beyond the scope of this booklet to try to cover thoroughly the life and visions of Mrs. White. Our purpose has been to get us to think about this gift and put it in its proper perspective. We believe without a doubt that many are throwing away a very precious gift that God has given to His people simply because they have a faulty view of what the prophetic gift is and what it is not.

For years we have heard the warning from Mrs. White's pen that her writings would be made of "none effect." Is it a prophecy come true or was she really a fake? I guess you will have to decide that for yourselves. But, how sad it would be to pluck out the "eyes" God gave to you simply because of a lack of understanding about this gift!

As we near the end of all things some have asked the question, "Will another prophet arise to help us through the last days?" Well, I don't know. Perhaps right now there are others God is using to speak for Him that you and I are ignoring simply because of our preconceived ideas. What a shame that would be!

So, I ask you, "What are you listening for?" "Who are you listening to?" God has set in the church every gift needed to carry us to the promised land. Can you see the gifts in others? Are you a willing learner in the school of Christ? I hope so.

"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus."

Rev. 12:17

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Rev. 19:10

God's remnant people possess two traits; they are commandment keepers and they have the testimony of Jesus as given through His prophetic gift. It is a thought worth considering that God's true people, those who expect to be among the 144,000, the remnant, will be open to God's prophetic gift all the way to the end! By the way, being open to the gift means far more than simply acknowledging that someone possesses a gift; it means that we understand that this gift is something I can learn from and need personally to help me grow in grace. Revelation 14 says of the remnant that they "follow the Lamb" wherever He goes. If we are to follow Jesus all the way, we have to be open to His voice leading us. That means we have to be open to His voice speaking to us through individuals with the prophetic gift as well as directly being guided in His written and spoken Word. Reject the gift and you have rejected the voice of God! It's as simple as that!

Remember, the spiritual gifts given to God's church are for the "perfecting" of the saints. Each and every gift is needed to help our characters be brought to "completion" (perfection). If we want to be a part of that special group who totally reflects the character of Christ, we can't afford to reject any of the gifts God is using to polish us.

God's true remnant will know the true prophet from the false; they won't despise the true, nor be deceived by the false. Where do you stand? Can you detect the true from the false? Has your understanding of the prophetic gift been accurate or have you been judging under false guidelines? Let's make sure that our understanding of what constitutes this gift doesn't cloud our vision.

Remember our Indian friend who told us that what we "hear" depends on what we are listening for. As you contemplate the gift of prophecy, I ask you. "What are you listening for?" "Who are you listening to?"

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." I Thess. 5:18-23