Modern Revelation?

Questions to Consider:

• Does God speak today just as in ancient times?

• Does the Bible ever say that God would stop speaking to mankind at some point?

• Is the Bible the end of God’s revelation/scripture?

• Does the Bible ever say that scripture will be complete at some point?

• What are the purposes of revelation?

• What is God’s Biblical pattern of guiding His people?

• Do any passages support the end of revelation/scripture?

• Do any passages support the continuance of revelation/scripture?

VIEWS TO CONSIDER:

• EVANGELICAL VIEW: God spoke to mankind from time to time for thousands of years (before, during and after Jesus’ mortal life), but then all revelation ceased around the end of the first century and God will not speak to mankind again until the second coming.

• LATTER DAY SAINT VIEW: God spoke to mankind from time to time for thousands of years (before, during and after Jesus’ mortal life). God continues to do the same thing today, speaking through prophets and apostles just as in ancient times. He will continue to do so throughout the rest of man’s mortal existence on earth.

CONTENT:

• God speaks to his people (and we must listen)

• Purposes of revelation

• God has spoken to man in the beginning

• God spoke to Adam & Eve before the fall

• God spoke to Adam & Eve after the fall

• God spoke to Adam & Eve’s posterity

• God spoke to prophets for thousands of years (OT)

• Times when the Bible does not mention prophets/revelation

• God spoke to NT prophets before Jesus

• God spoke through Jesus

• God spoke through the apostles

• God spoke to NT prophets after Jesus’ death

• God called new witnesses after Jesus’ death

• Men are called to follow God's servants after Christ

• Future prophets in the last days

• God never changes

• God’s people could never have enough of God’s word

• Passages that might suggest an end of revelation (?)

GOD SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE (AND WE MUST LISTEN):

• Matt. 4:$ It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

• Isa. 48:16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I

• John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words

• Ps. 50:7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak

PURPOSES OF REVELATION:

• INSTRUCTION: “I will instruct thee”, Ps. 32:8

• FELLOWSHIP: “Enoch walked with God“, Gen. 5:24

• GUIDANCE: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet“, Ps. 119:105

• COMFORT: “Thou… hast… comforted me”, Ps. 86:17

• EXPRESS LOVE: “I have loved thee”, Jer. 31:3

• REBUKE: “Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord“, Heb. 12:5

• WARN: “Thou shalt surely die“, Gen. 2:17

• LIBERATE: “I am come down to deliver them”, Exo. 3:8

• TEACH GOSPEL: “Believe… and thou shalt be saved“, Acts 16:31

• PROPHECY: “Gather… that I may tell you“, Gen. 49:1

• CORRECT ERRORS: “I will… correct thee in measure”, Jer. 46:28

• REVEAL MYSTERIES: “The revelation of the mystery… secret”, Rom. 16:25

• GIVE NEW LIGHT: “Here a little, and there a little“, Isa. 28:10

GOD HAS SPOKEN TO MAN SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING:

• Acts 3:21 God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began

• Isa. 48:16 I have not spoken in secret from the beginning

• Luke 1:70 He spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began

GOD SPOKE TO ADAM & EVE BEFORE THE FALL:

• Gen. 2:16 the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat

GOD SPOKE TO ADAM & EVE AFTER THE FALL:

• Gen. 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life

GOD SPOKE TO ADAM & EVE’S POSTERITY:

• Gen. 4:6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?

• Luke 11:50-51 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias.

GOD SPOKE TO OT PROPHETS FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS:

• 4000 BC Adam (Genesis 2)

• 3760 BC Abel (Luke 11:50-51)

• 3138 BC Enoch (Jude 1:14)

• 2150 BC Noah (Genesis 7:1)

• 1750 BC Abraham (Genesis 20:7)

• 1600 BC Jacob (Genesis 28:11-16)

• 1532 BC Joseph of Egypt (XXX)

• 1314 BC Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10)

• 1250 BC Aaron (Exodus 7:2)

• 1250 BC Joshua (Joshua 1:1)

• 1250 BC Miriam (Exodus 15:20)

• 1200 BC Deborah (Judges 4:4)

• 1050 BC Samuel (1 Samuel 3:20)

• 1047 BC Daniel (Matthew 24:15)

• 1047 BC Gad (1 Samuel 22:5)

• 1010 BC Agur (Book of Proverbs 30:1)

• 1010 BC Asaph (2 Chronicles 29:30)

• 1010 BC David (Hebrews 11:32)

• 1010 BC Nathan (2 Samuel 7:2)

• 954 BC Azariah (2 Chronicles 15:8)

• 953 BC Ahijah (1 Kings 11:29)

• 953 BC Shemaiah (1 Kings 12:22)

• 950 BC Iddo (2 Chronicles 13:22)

• 927 BC Oded (2 Chronicles 28:9)

• 925 BC Hanani (2 Chronicles 16:7)

• 909 BC Jehu (1 Kings 16:7)

• 873 BC Elijah (1 Kings 18:36)

• 873 BC Jahaziel (2 Chr. 20:14)

• 873 BC Micaiah (1 Kings 22:9)

• 8521 BC Elisha (2 Kings 9:1)

• 851 BC Obadiah (Obadiah 1:1)

• 770 BC Jonah (2 Kings 14:25)

• 749 BC Zechariah, son of Berechiah (Zechariah 1:1)

• 730 BC Amos (Amos 7:14-15)

• 730 BC Hosea (Book of Hosea 1:1)

• 725 BC Isaiah (2 Kings 19:2)

• 710 BC Micah (Micah 1:1)

• 642 BC Huldah (2 Kings 22:14)

• 642 BC Nahum (Nahum 1:1)

• 640 BC Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:2)

• 640 BC Urijah (Jeremiah 26:20)

• 630 BC Habakkuk (Habakkuk 1:1)

• 627 BC Zephaniah (Zephaniah 1:1)

• 600 BC Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:3)

• 520 BC Haggai (Haggai 1:1)

• 520 BC Zechariah, son of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24:20)

• 500 BC Joel (Acts 2:16)

• 450 BC Malachi (Malachi 1:1)

TIMES WHEN THE BIBLE DOES NOT MENTION PROPHETS/REVELATION:

• Between Malachi and John the Baptist (OT & NT), approximately 400 years.

• 1 Sam. 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

• Amos 8:12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it

GOD SPOKE TO NT PROPHETS BEFORE JESUS’ DEATH:

• 1 AD Simeon (Luke 2:26)

• 1 AD Anna (Luke 2:36)

• 30 AD John the Baptist (Luke 7:28)

GOD SPOKE THROUGH JESUS:

• Heb. 1:2 God… hath… spoken unto us by His Son

• John 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak

• John 12:50 Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak

GOD SPOKE THROUGH THE APOSTLES:

• Acts 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen

• (Many passages to add here)

GOD SPOKE TO NT PROPHETS AFTER JESUS’ DEATH:

• 62 AD Manahen (Acts 13:1)

• 62 AD Barnabas (Acts 13:1)

• 62 AD Simeon Niger (Acts 13:1)

• 62 AD Lucius of Cyrene (Acts 13:1)

• 62 AD Agabus (Acts 21:10)

• 62 AD Philip the Evangelist (Acts 8:26) and four daughters (Acts 21:8, 9)

• 62 AD Silas (Acts 15:32)

• 62 AD Saul/Paul the Apostle (Acts 9:20)

• 62 AD Judas Barsabbas (Acts 15:32)

• 90 AD John of Patmos (Revelation 1:1)

• Future Two Witnesses in the latter days (Revelation 11:3)

GOD CALLED NEW WITNESS AFTER JESUS’ DEATH:

• Paul (Acts 9:20)

• Matthias (Acts 1:26)

MEN ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW GOD'S SERVANTS AFTER CHRIST:

• 1 Cor. 4:!6 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

FUTURE PROPHETS IN THE LAST DAYS:

• Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth

GOD NEVER CHANGES (Suggests that God will continue to speak to His people from time to time as He has since the beginning):

• Mal. 3:6 For I the Lord do not change

• James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change

GOD’S PEOPLE CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH OF GOD’S WORD:

• XXX

THE END OF REVELATION PASSAGES?:

The passages below are verses that some claim teach that the Bible is end of revelation and scripture, but which, when context is applied, in fact teach that God continues to guide his people through modern revelation.

ALL SCRIPTURE: 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

• Note: This passage speaks of the great spiritual benefit of studying God’s word as recorded in scripture (a principle that has been true in all ages where men had some of God’s words written down) – It does not teach that the canon of scripture would, years after this revelation, be closed. All scripture (whether ancient or modern) is given by inspiration of God.

MORE SURE WORD: 2 Peter 1:18-19 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 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.

• Note: Some Christians suggest that the “more sure word of prophecy” refers to the competed Bible as we have it today (suggesting that scripture is more sure that having living prophets/apostles). However, not only does this interpretation not match the context, it cannot be since seven books of today’s New Testament record had even yet to be written. Applying context, Peter is saying that they (he, James and John) “also“, like holy prophets of old as recorded in scripture, experienced a heavenly vision and heard the voice of God, a vision that Christians would do well to take heed of and to look to.

ALL THINGS: 2 Peter 1:3 His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.

• Note: Some Christians suggest that this to passage means that there is no more need for revelation or scripture since the NT saints had all things (the Bible) needed for life and salvation. However, such a view would not make sense, for such an interpretation would suggest that 2 Peter 1 would be the end of scripture. It could also be said that Christians in Peter’s time DID have all that they needed; So, what did they have? In addition to having the Holy Spirit and some scripture (through 2 Peter 1), they had living prophets, living apostles, modern revelation, an open canon of scripture, authorized servants to help unify the church in doctrine and practice and who could, with authority, ordain elders etc.

ONCE DELIVERED: Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints

• Note: Some Christians claim that “once given” in this passage means that the gospel was preached once, never again (therefore, the Bible is the end of revelation). However, the term simply means that it occurred in the past (that the gospel was revealed to them), it does not mean that it will never be preached again, just as “I once lost my glasses” doesn’t mean that I won’t lose them again. How do we know that this is how Jude was using it? Because he using it again two verses later in that way: “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye ONCE knew this…” They knew it once, but was trying to help them know it again.

REVELATION 22 WARNING: Rev. 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

• Note: Many Christians have interpreted this passage to teach that there will be no more revelation or scripture after the Book of Revelation. The points below show that such interpretation is not correct. Applying context, John (as did Moses of old, see below) is warning wicked and unauthorized men to not make changes to his own inspired book. Only God, through His authorized servants, can add to God’s word. God continued to speak to mankind after Deuteronomy and after Proverbs… that Biblical pattern suggests that He will speak to mankind after the Book of Revelation as well. See below:

• Deut. 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it (God added new revelations & scripture after this warning)

• Deut. 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it (God added new revelations & scripture after this warning)

• Prov. 30:5-6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar (God added new revelations & scripture after this warning)

• Context of John’s warning (“the words of the prophecy of this book“, “the plagues that are written in this book” etc.) indicate that John is speaking specifically of the book that he is writing, the Book of Revelation (which book is particularly a book of prophecy and of plagues), not of the 66 books that we call the Bible today). The 66 book compilation that we call the Bible today had not yet been compiled, perhaps not even written down yet. Even if all of those manuscripts were written somewhere, it is very unlikely that John had them all on the Island of Patmos in exile.