The Ever Living Spirit Of Prophecy

 

( QUESTION)

WHAT IS THE LIVING SPIRIT OF PROPHECY?

 

“Before Haggai and Zechariah were called to the prophetic office, many of the Jews returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, although the majority remained in Babylon; that is, the builders voluntarily went to build only because the captivity had ended, and because the king had decreed that the temple of God should be built.  But both the builders' and the king's efforts were a complete failure -- all came to naught.  Then it was that through His prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, God directed the work, and then it was that they quickly finished.  In other words, not before the Lord took the reins in His Own hands through the Spirit of Prophecy did the work prosper.  In fact, sacred history proves that nothing has ever prospered in God's work without the living Spirit of Prophecy in its midst.

 

“In conclusion, let us summarize the two main points which our study of the afternoon has definitely made clear to us: (1) That a work and movement similar to those of Zechariah's day is successfully to bring revival and reformation among God's people of today, that those who expect the promised blessings must whole-heartedly enter into it.  (2) That without the living Spirit of Prophecy in our midst, there can be no success in any revival and reformation, and that the sooner we know it the quicker we shall achieve our goal.” (1 TG # 10 pp20, 27)

 

ANS: A prophet.

 

“So important is the living Spirit of Prophecy in the church, as "the young" man's experience proves, that regardless of one's zeal, sincerity and integrity, he cannot rightly serve God without It, that even one's best work and intention is bound to be at cross purposes with God's.  It is therefore, high time for the church to start believing all the prophets have written, "knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.   For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Pet. 1:20, 21. (1TG #12 p17)

 

ANS: A prophet.

 

“Obviously, the remnant are those who are left after the earth opens her mouth and swallows up the flood.  They as a body keep the commandments of God, and have the living Spirit of Prophecy, the Spirit Who dictated the Scriptures, Who has led God's people into all Truth down through the ages, and Who still is.  Thus it is that the Dragon's wrath, and the Church's purity, caused by the Dragon's third defeat, are to bring the time of trouble such as never was. (2TG #16 p22)

 

“Then, too, it alone has the testimony of Jesus Christ -- the living Spirit of Prophecy in its midst (Rev. 19:10), -- the Spirit Who leads into all Truth, Who alone can rightly interpret the Scriptures (2 Pet. 1:20, 21).  Plainly, then, Inspiration would have you join no sect but this "remnant." (2TG #34 p20)

 

ANS: The Holy Spirit.

 

“Here is the Bible's own answer, which says that there is to be a people who will have the Testimony of Jesus Christ at the time the earth swallows up the flood, the hypocrites.  And since this incident is yet future, it shows that there is to be a prophet in the Church, for the Bible's own interpretation of "the Testimony of Jesus Christ," is "the Spirit of Prophecy" (Rev. 19:10).  The first part of chapter 19 you will note explains that the Spirit of Prophecy is brought to them by a man, a "fellow servant," and that those who receive him feel like worshiping him, but he directs them to worship God, not a man.

 

“The remnant that are left, the saints who were not swallowed by the Dragon's flood as the earth opened her mouth, you note have the "testimony of Jesus Christ," the living Spirit of Prophecy active in their midst.  The Church therefore will not sleep forever, the true people of God will awake to their poverty, they will profit at this rousing call, but the Dragon's flood will fill the bowels of the earth.

 

“Let now no one deceive himself by thinking that the Bible Itself is the active Spirit of Prophecy.  Let us be God's real people, logical thinkers, not bait hunters.  The Bible, you know, without the human channel, is as inactive as though It were but ink and paper.  Moreover, the Spirit, too, apart from man, is also inactive:

 

“He, too, works through the human agent.  Hence, without an inspired interpreter the concealed prophecies and the Spirit that unfolds them are inactive.  Moreover, how could it be said of one particular group having the Spirit of Prophecy, when all the sects in Christendom have the Bible? (2 TG #24 pp22, 23)

 

ANS: The Holy Spirit, a prophet and the word.

 

(QUESTION)

WHAT IS THE EVERLIVING SPIRIT OF PROPHECY?

 

“There is but one thing that consists of three such parts (two sheep and a young cow) that is capable of keeping the world alive, and that is the Bible -- unfolded by the Spirit of Prophecy, the Spirit that leads into all Truth.  The two sheep, not being young, and two of a kind, must be symbolical of the Bible Itself, both Old and New Testaments.  The cow being young and larger in size, is obviously symbolical of something of later origin, and more voluminous than the Bible itself.  Hence it is none other than the published works of the everliving Spirit of Prophecy -- the inspired interpretation of the Scriptures.” (2TG #20 p24)

 

ANS: The inspired word of God.

 

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Pet. 1:19-21.

“Did you mark what Inspiration says?  It plainly declares that the Scriptures are not privately interpreted -- not without the Spirit of God in the man, not by the man alone, and not without God's own appointment.  And the reason given, you note, is the very fact that prophecy did not come by the will of man, but by the will of the Spirit, through "holy men of God."  This, brethren, is Heaven's law and order.  And who are we to change it?  To put your trust in private interpretation is therefore to barter your soul to man.  Concerning such a perilous practice, the Lord commands:

 

“Since it now is clear as sunlight that the ever-unfolding, Inspired interpretation of the Scriptures is the ever-living Spirit of Prophecy, the eyes of the church at work (1 Sam. 9:9), then to be without these spiritual eyes is to try to walk, as it were, in dense darkness.

 

“The science of the process finds close analogy in that of the universally used electric current.  Electricity goes into action only when the live wire (the positive) comes in contact with the ground wire (the negative).  So it is that the church's contact with God's chosen instrument (the ground wire) fused to the Spirit of God (the live wire) -- which together represent the positive and the negative -- is what electrifies the church, and thus opens the line of communication between the church and Heaven. (2TG #45 pp6-8)

 

ANS: The holy Spirit and a prophet.

 

(QUESTION)

WHAT IS THE ACTIVE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY?

 

“Upon the death of Sister White, in 1915, the gift of Inspiration, the active Spirit of Prophecy, became quiescent, no longer manifesting Itself for a time. With the church thus cut off from the very source of its life, as was the Jewish church from the death of the prophet Malachi to the rise of John the Baptist, how could it maintain its vitality and growth? Hence, now as then, there has followed the same inevitable spiritual malnutrition and deformity, accompanied with a long train of woes.” (3 Ans. p60)

 

ANS: The Holy Spirit.

 

“Let now no one deceive himself by thinking that the Bible Itself is the active Spirit of Prophecy.  Let us be God's real people, logical thinkers, not bait hunters.  The Bible, you know, without the human channel, is as inactive as though It were but ink and paper.  Moreover, the Spirit, too, apart from man, is also inactive:

 

“He, too, works through the human agent.  Hence, without an inspired interpreter the concealed prophecies and the Spirit that unfolds them are inactive.” (2TG #24 pp23, 24)

 

ANS: The Holy Spirit, a prophet and the word.

 

(QUESTION)

WHAT IS THE EVER LIVING TESTIMONY?

 

“Not long ago a certain minister said: "My conception  of the Spirit of Prophecy is different from yours; the prophecies in the Bible are my Spirit of Prophecy."  Now so he must say if the Spirit of Prophecy were not ever-active.  But if the Spirit of Prophecy begins and ends with the Bible, then all Christians have the Spirit of Prophecy.  If this is so, though, why does the Revelation make a distinction between Christians who have the Spirit of Prophecy and those who do not?  This minister's idea is, to say the least, illogical, for it puts Revelation 12:17 and 19:10 in the realm of the meaningless.

 

“Throughout these pages, the Spirit of Prophecy has, by the prophetic Word, proved Itself invulnerable to attack.  It has vindicated Itself not as a voice beginning with Moses and ending before John the Baptist, but as the ever-living testimony, beginning with creation and continuing with the patriarchs Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac Jacob; then with the prophets; next with the apostles; and finally, with the messengers of the Lord in our own day and on.” (Tr. #6 pp46, 47)

 

ANS: A voice through a messenger.

 

"Where there is no vision, the people is made naked."

 

“Here in more extensive relief is the picture of a people who have indeed lost their "vision" (the supernatural guidance afforded by the living voice of the prophetic gift resident among them), but who realize it not. More amazing still, they have evidently introduced their own inventions (idols) as substitutes for the things of God. This they have done so gradually that they are quite as unaware of it as they are that many have not availed themselves of the volumes of the Spirit of Prophecy--their very "eye-sight." (1Ans. p71)

 

ANS: The living voice of a prophet.

 

“A "disciple" is one who follows Christ on and on in Divinely-revealed Truth which he accepts not because others do, or do not, but because the Father which is in Heaven has through His Spirit personally convinced him of it (Matt. 16:17) -- because independent of what others do or say he is personally persuaded by the Spirit.  And the "testimony" is His living Word passed on by His chosen and Spirit-filled messengers -- "the Spirit of Prophecy" at work (Rev. 19:10).” (2TG. #41 p21)

 

ANS: His living Word passed on by His chosen and Spirit-filled messengers.

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These references are quoted as proof that the Active / Everliving Spirit of Prophecy represents the Holy Spirit, a man and the Word.