"And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others." 1 Corinthians 12:28.
Prophecy remains one of God's choicest gifts to His people. Through the ages the divine Revealer of truth has employed this primary avenue of communication between heaven and earth. The prophet speaks for God, who imparts His messages through special inspiration and revelation. The Bible writers have clearly stated that this gift of prophecy existed in the early apostolic church and that it would also exist in the last, or remnant, church.
You will discover the gift of prophecy in the early church! You will acquaint yourself with New Testament prophets! You will note the gift characterizing the last church!
Jesus pointed to John the Baptist as one of the greatest of the prophets. Luke 7:28. Christ referred to himself as a prophet. Matthew 13:53-57. He fulfilled the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15. God used Paul (2 Corinthians 12:1-5) and John (Revelation 1:1-3) as prophets. Both indicated that the testimony of Jesus or the gift of prophecy would be seen in the church that awaited the return of Christ.
In this lesson you will discover—
BIBLE TEACHING ABOUT PROPHECY
1. Did God appoint prophecy in the Christian church? 1 Corinthians 12:28.
1 Corinthians 12:28 (NIV) And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
2. Was the gift of prophecy to endure through the Christian era? 1 Corinthians 1:7; Ephesians 4:11, 13.
1 Corinthians 1:7 (NIV) Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12) to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13) until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
3. Did God give prophets to the Antioch church? Acts 13:1.
Acts 13:1 (NIV) In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
4. What other two prophets are mentioned in the time of the apostles? Acts 15:32.
Acts 15:32 (NIV) Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
5. What did the prophet Agabus prophesy? Acts 11:27, 28.
Acts 11:27-28 (NIV) During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28) One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)
6. Did God endow women with the gift of prophecy? Acts 21:7-9.
Acts 21:7-9 (NIV) We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. 8) Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9) He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
7. What test should be applied to a person's claim to be a prophet? Deuteronomy 13:1-4.
Deuteronomy 13:1-4 (NIV) If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, 2) and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," 3) you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4) It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
Note: If someone's message contradicts the teachings of the Bible, then God has not sent that person as His prophet. If this pretended prophet seeks to lead people to break God's commandments or to think lightly of them, this is positive evidence that he is not God's true prophet.
8. What general rule is given to test all prophets? Isaiah 8:20. (Use King James Version.)
Isaiah 8:20 (KJV) To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Isaiah 8:20 (NIV) To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.\
9. What test did Christ give for checking all prophets and teachers? Matthew 7:20-22.
Matthew 7:20-22 (NIV) Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
10. Is the gift of prophecy to appear before the coming of the Lord? Joel 2:28-31.
Joel 2:28-31 (NIV) 'And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29) Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 30) I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 31) The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
11. To what fact about Jesus Christ does the true prophet testify? 1 John 4:1-3.
1 John 4:1-3 (NIV) Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2) This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3) but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
12. What gift will characterize the last, or remnant, church? Revelation 12:17; 19:10. (Use King James Version.)
Revelation 12:17 (KJV) 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 Christ.
Revelation 12:17 (NIV) Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Revelation 19:10 (KJV) 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.
Revelation 19:10 (NIV) At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Note: The term "spirit of prophecy" occurs only once in the Holy Scriptures, but the meaning is equivalent to the "gift of prophecy." This is easily comprehended when we remember that prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Hence the last church will have a messenger, a heaven-ordained mouthpiece for God. Seventh-day Adventists believe this prophetic gift was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White.
HERITAGE TIE
The Gift of Prophecy
The following is a summary of the fundamental beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists regarding inspiration:
The Holy Scriptures
The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration. The inspired authors spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to humanity the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the definitive revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history. (Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20, 21.)
https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/god/holy-scriptures/
The Gift of Prophecy
The Scriptures testify that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and we believe it was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. Her writings speak with prophetic authority and provide comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction to the church. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Num. 12:6; 2 Chron. 20:20; Amos 3:7; Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10; 22:8, 9.)
https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/church/the-gift-of-prophecy/
Unless otherwise designated, scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION�. Copyright � 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.