INTRODUCTION
Before sin, God spoke directly to men (Gen. 2:16, 17). Sin changed the communication (Genesis 3:8 - 11). After the sin God used other means of connection, the most suitable for the gift of prophecy.
1. The Gift of Prophecy
1. "Through God who has spoken many times? Hebrews 1.1
"God, who at sundry times and in many ways formerly to the fathers by the prophets."
2. How God used His prophets? Amos 3:7.
"Because the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets."
3. Has God used only men as prophets?
Judges 4:4 "He ruled Israel at that time a woman, Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth.
2 Kings 22:14
"So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam Achbor Shaphan and Asaiah, the prophetess Hulda, wife of Salum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe, she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second part of the city and spoke with her. "
Acts 21:9 "This had four unmarried daughters who prophesied."
4. What is compared prophetic word? 2 Peter 1:19.
"We have the prophetic word made more sure you will do well to heed as a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."
2. prophetic communication modes
1. Who spoke directly to John on Patmos? Revelation 1:10, 11.
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last. Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches in Asia: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. "
2. What other ways God has spoken to the prophets? Numbers 12:6.
"And he said, Hear now my words. When among you a prophet of the Lord, him in a vision, talk to him in dreams. "
3. What vision was given to Peter? Acts 10:9 - 12.
" The next day, while they were on road and were approaching the city, Peter went to the roof to pray about the sixth hour. And he was very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and down something like a great sheet knit at the four corners was down to earth, in the which were all terrestrial quadrupeds and reptiles and birds of heaven. "
4. What prophetic dream was given to Joseph? Genesis 37:5 - 7.
"And Joseph dreamed a dream and told it his brethren: and they hated him even more. And he said, Hear now this dream I dreamed, Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold my sheaf arose and stood upright, and your sheaves gathered around and bowed to mine. "
3. What are the mission and duties of the prophet?
1. Delivering God's commands. 1 Samuel 15:1 - 3.
"Then Samuel said to Saul, the Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; A) "> ( A ) now, therefore, is attentive to the words of God. Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I will punish what Amalek did to Israel to him in the way when it came up from Egypt . Go then, and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that he has, and not spare them, kill men, women, children and suckling, cows, sheep, camels and donkeys. "
2. Report sins.
1 Samuel 15:8 - 19
"And he took Agag live the king of Amalek, but all the people killed by the sword. And Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle more, the animals fed, the lambs, and all the good, and would not destroy, but all that was vile and despicable destroyed. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, I regret that I have set up Saul to be king, he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel, and cried to the LORD all night. Samuel rose early to go to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Caramel, and behold a monument stood and turned, and went ahead and went down to Gilgal. So he came Samuel to Saul, and Saul said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, I have performed the Jehovah. Samuel said: "Well, what bleating sheep and lowing of the oxen which I hear with my ears? And Saul said, have brought from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God, and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Samuel said to Saul, "Let me declare to what the Lord told me this evening. And he said Di. And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own eyes, wast thou not made chief of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent you on mission and said, Go, utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Why Why then have not heard the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the eyes of the Lord? "
2 Samuel 12:1 - 7.
" The Lord sent Nathan to David, and coming to him, he said, were two men in one city, one rich and one poor. The rich man had many flocks and herds, but the poor man had but one lamb, which he had bought and nourished, and had grown up with him and his sons together, eating their snack and drank of his cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter. And there came a traveler unto the rich man and he spared to take of their sheep and their cattle to dress for the traveler who had come to him, but took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for him who had come to him. Then David's anger kindled greatly against the man, and said to Nathan, the Lord liveth, which hath done this thing shall surely die. And shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did so, and no mercy. Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. "
3. Being watchmen. Ezekiel 3:17 - 21.
" Son of man, I I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, hear, therefore hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked shall surely die and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. But if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness and his evil way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul. When the righteous turneth from his righteousness and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he will die, because you do not given him warning, die in his sin and his righteousness which he hath done shall not memory, but his blood I require at thine hand. But if thou warn the righteous not sin, and not to sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned, and thou hast delivered thy soul. "
4. Uttering sentences. 1 Samuel 15:22, 23.
" Y Samuel said: "The Lord takes pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. As the sin of divination is rebellion, and as iniquity and idolatry stubbornness. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he also has rejected you from being king. "
5. Bring about forgiveness. 2 Samuel 12:13, 14.
"David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David: The Lord also has put away your sin will not die. However, because by this deed you curse the enemies of Jehovah, the child is born to you certainly die. "
6. Prevent danger. Acts 21:10, 11.
"And we remained there some days, down from Judea a prophet named Agabus, coming to us, took Paul's belt and bound his feet and hands, said: Thus saith the Holy Spirit: This will bind the Jews Jerusalem to the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. "
7. reveal the enemy's plans. 2 Kings 6:8 - 12.
" Now the king of Syria warred against Israel, and consulting with his servants, saying In such and such place shall be my camp. And the man of God sent to the king of Israel: Behold, do not pass this place, because the Syrians are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God had said, and did so again and again to care. And the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this, and called his servants, he said: Would not you shew me which of us is the King of Israel? Then one of the servants said: No, my lord, but the prophet Elisha is in Israel, which declared the king of Israel the words that you speak in your most secret ".
8. Revealing the future. Daniel
2:28
"But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will befall you in the last days. Your dream, and visions that you had in your bed. "
Daniel 2:45" the way you saw the mountain stone was cut out without hands, that broke the iron, bronze, clay, silver and gold. The great God has shown the king what has come to pass hereafter: and the dream is true, and its interpretation. "
Daniel 7:1" In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, telling the main facts. "
9. Guide. Hosea 12:13.
" And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt, and a prophet was saved "
10. Educate.
2 Kings 6:1 - 3
" The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold, the place where we dwell with thee is narrow. Let us go to Jordan and take thence every man a beam, and let there where they dwell. And he said, Go. And one said, "Please go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. "
Jeremiah 29:19" For they heard my words, saith the Lord, I sent them by my servants the prophets, rising early and continuously, and you did not hear, saith the Lord ".
Jeremiah 32:33" And he turned his neck, and not the face, and when taught early and continuously, not listened to receive instruction. "
4. Possibility and danger of the false prophetic gift
1. What prediction did Jesus about false prophets? Matthew 24:24.
"For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."
2. How to distinguish true from false prophets?
1. His faith in Christ. 1 John 4:3.
"And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard is coming and even now already is in the world"
2 . Fulfillment of their predictions. Deuteronomy 18:21, 22.
"And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?, If the prophet speaks in the name of the Lord and not fulfilled what he said or come true, is the word that Jehovah has not spoken; spoke presumptuously that prophet, not afraid of him. "
3. Uncompromising messages. Isaiah 30:8.
"Come, now, writing this view on a table before them, and record it in a book, that is until the last day, forever and ever."
4. True love. Deuteronomy 13:1 - 3.
"If there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and if the sign or wonder that he spoke to you, saying, Let us go after other gods, who did not know, and let us serve you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God is testing you to see if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. "
5. Fruits of his life and ministry. Matthew 7:15 - 20.
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree can not bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits ye shall know them "
5. The Gift of Prophecy in the Remnant Church 1. What would be a feature of the Remnant Church? Revelation 12:17.
"Then the dragon was wroth with the woman, and he went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
2. What is the testimony of Jesus?
Revelation 19:10 "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, do not, I am your fellow servant, and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy . "
John 15:26 "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me."
3. What is enhanced permanence of this gift in the church? Ephesians 4:11 - 14.
"And he gave some, apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all reach unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so we are no longer children, tossed about by every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men in their deceitful craftiness the wiles of error. "
4. Jehoshaphat What advice applies to Israel today? 2 Chronicles 20:20.
"And when rose in the morning, went into the wilderness of Tekoa. And as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and ye be, believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper ".
AUXILIARY MATERIAL
prophets in the Bible:
- Mary sister of Moses and Aaron Exo.
15:20 - Deborah Jue.
4:4 - Hulda 2 nd King. 22:14, 2nd Chron.
34:22 - Ana Luc.
2:36 - Acts of Philip's daughters. 21:8, 9.
"Seer" : Also known as a prophet, seer, because "see visions" 1 Sam. 9:9, but not because they "see the future." Lev. 20:6, 27; 19:31; Deut. 18:10, 1 Sam 28:3, Isa 8:19; etc.
Prophetic Ministry of Ellen G. White
White Ellen Gould Harmon, was one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church began to have visions in 1844, at the age of 17. After passing the biblical tests studied, served in ministry for 70 years until his death 1915 years.
lived and worked in the U.S., Europe, Australia. Had over 2,000 views throughout his life. Never claimed the title of prophet, but did not object to those who so named it.
Biblical tests applied to it:
1. Agrees with the Bible . His writings include biblical texts tens of thousands, without contradicting the Word of God.
2. accuracy of predictions. Not many did, some are being met and others are to be fulfilled, but fulfilled and have done so with amazing accuracy.
2.1. The rise of modern Spiritualism. In 1890, spiritualism was decidedly anti-Christian, had just emerged. Ellen White said it would grow significantly by identifying it with one of the deceptions of the past days and that would be respectable in recent days. (PE p. 59)
2.2. Cooperation between Protestants and Catholics. During the life of Ellen White, was a gulf between Catholics and Protestants, including anti-Catholicism was important. Predicted changes in Protestantism that come close to both positions. Today it is famous ecumenical movement, World Council of Churches and Vatican Council II. (CS p. 628, 642).
2.3. Scientific facts before being believed and tested.
2.3.1. In 1884 he said that 9 / 10 part of the evil among children and young people are caused by poor diet (C Masters p. 411). This was confirmed in an article in Cambio 16 N ยบ 457 of 07.09.1980 blaming a lack of vitamins, taken from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
2.3.2. In 1865 he wrote that sunlight would enter homes and clean air. That was contrary to what was believed then (MS II p. 527). Some eighty years later, Dr. Lawrence P. Garrod, a professor of bacteriology at the University of London, said in the British Medical Journal 1:247, 1944, that sunlight kills bacteria, and is beneficial in the rooms.
2.3.3. In 1901 he wrote: "I am taking a little salt, and I always do, because by the light God has given me, I know ... is actually essential for the blood, I do not know the reason of it, but I give the instruction as given to me "(C Food p. 410). Science has given the reason, the amount of 5 gr. daily is recommended for healthy adults, and more consumption is harmful (The Book of Health p. 599).
2.3.4. In 1844 and 1905 said that excess salt was harmful and the use of pickles and spices (C Food p. 411). Today no one doubts the relationship between them and hypertension.
2.3.5. In 1869 Ellen White wrote about electric currents in the brain: "Anything that interferes the flow of electric current in the nervous system, thus weakening the vital powers and diminishing mental sensitivity, creates more difficulties to raise the moral nature "(Ed p. 209). In 1929 Hans Berger, a German psychiatrist, began publishing a small strange photographs consisting of wavy lines. The man claimed that they were electric currents. Since then, science is not in doubt, and now known as EEG.
2.3.6. In 1868 he warned about the danger of disease and even sudden death if fat used in significant quantities (C Food topic of "Grease"). Only a century later, in 1960 the American Heart Association began to recommend reducing dietary fat, especially saturated fat, to reduce the risk of heart attacks.
2.3.7. In 1865 Ellen White spoke about prenatal influences on the fetus. Underlined this idea in subsequent years, in his Healing Ministry 1905. In scientific circles refused this fact almost universal until 1954, when it completed a study on prenatal influence, work done by Dr. Ashley Montague, (Ladies' Home Journal, February 1954 p. 43) in the following practically the reasoning by Ms. White.
4. Recognition Christ's incarnation . Ellen White wrote extensively about Christ as Lord and Savior, His atoning sacrifice and work of intercession. His books are known Desire of Ages, Steps to Christ, Mount of Blessing and Christ's Grand Master.
5. The influence of his ministry . The church and the lives of those who followed his advice, reveal the impact of his life and message. Encouraged the establishment of publishers, schools, medical missionary work and global missionary outreach of the Adventist Church makes one of the largest Protestant missionary organizations and higher growth. His literary output includes more 80 books, 200 tracts and booklets and 4,600 articles published in various newspapers. His sermons, journals, special testimonies and letters include another 60,000 pages of manuscript material.
6. The Bible is the supreme rule. The founders of the Adventist Church's doctrines did not get through Ellen White, but its core beliefs developed through the study of the Bible. She would only confirm the correct conclusions to which they had come through the study. She believed and taught that the Bible is the supreme law of the Church, never intended to put his writings over or even the same height as the Word of God (PE p. 78).
7. His writings led to the Bible. "The Word of God sufficient to enlighten the mind more obscured, and can be understood by those who have a desire to understand. But nevertheless, some who profess to study the Word of God are in direct opposition to its plainest teachings. Then, to make men and women without excuse, God gives clear evidence and marked, in order to bring them back to the Word who have not followed "(2JT p. 279).
8. His writings clarify the Bible. "There are additional truths trotted out, but God has been simplified through the testimonies of the great truths and testimonies given ... writings are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed "(JT 2 p. 280, 281)
Because God has sent a prophet in every moment of crisis in the history of this world, and being at the gates of the return of Christ, would ignore the prophecies that he gave in Revelation and leave the world without a chance to be notified? " will do nothing the Lord God, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets " Amos 3:7. -------------
previous study: 9.1 The Work of the Holy Spirit .
- Going further: 9.2 prophet, modern?
Next study: 9.3 The Holy Spirit.
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