4. Prophetic Ministry Level

Prophetic Ministry Level

I. God’s Purpose for His Church

Through centuries of persecution, conflict, and darkness, God has sustained His church. Not one cloud has fallen upon it that He has not prepared for; not one opposing force has risen to counterwork His work, that He has not foreseen. All has taken place as He predicted. He has not left His church forsaken, but has traced in prophetic declarations what would occur, and that which His Spirit inspired the prophets to foretell has been brought about. All His purposes will be fulfilled. His law is linked with His throne, and no power of evil can destroy it. Truth is inspired and guarded by God; and it will triumph over all opposition.

Wonderful is the work which the Lord designs to accomplish through His church, that His name may be glorified. {AA 13}

A. God Reveals His Will

God chose Israel to reveal His character to men. He desired them to be as wells of salvation in the world. To them were committed the oracles of heaven, the revelation of God's will. In the early days of Israel the nations of the world, through corrupt practices, had lost the knowledge of God. They had once known Him; but because "they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, . . . their foolish heart was darkened." Romans 1:21. Yet in His mercy God did not blot them out of existence. He purposed to give them an opportunity of again becoming acquainted with Him through His chosen people. Through the teachings of the sacrificial service, Christ was to be uplifted before all nations, and all who would look to Him should live. Christ was the foundation of the Jewish economy. The whole system of types and symbols was a compacted prophecy of the gospel, a presentation in which were bound up the promises of redemption. {AA 14.1}

B. Three levels of Prophetic

God purpose for His church is to demonstrate His character to the world with power from generation to generation. This could only be possible through the fulfillment of prophetic declaration which will be manifested among believers.

1. The Faith Level – Every believer operates on this level. This is all about edifying, building up, and encouraging others. Apostle Paul says, “For you call all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged .” 1 Cor. 14:31 - As by faith Abraham went forth at the call of God, "not knowing whither he went" (Hebrews 11:8); as by faith Israel followed the pillar of cloud to the Promised Land, so did these Gentiles go forth to find the promised Saviour. {DA 60.2}

2. The Gift Level – The Holy Spirit gives gifts to believers in different proportions, these are for encouraging, comforting and strengthening the church. This is more than just the faith level – it is a gift given specifically with the purpose from the Spirit of God. 1 Cor. 12:4-11

3. The Office Level – A prophet bestowed with authority to speak for God to the people in different ages. A function given by Jesus for a person to operate in for the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. Eph. 4:11-13; Eph. 2:20

Note:

1. The third level is same with the First Division of Prophet who had received a direct communication with God.

2. The first and the second level could be classified among the second Division because they don’t have that direct communication with God.

C. Prophetic Level Diagram

Top: Office of the Prophet

Middle: The Gift of Prophecy

Base: Prophecy in Faith

D. Some Will Trace Down the Prophetic Roll

God has a people upon the earth who in faith and holy hope are tracing down the roll of fast-fulfilling prophecy, and are seeking to purify their souls by obeying the truth, that they may not be found without the wedding garment when Christ shall appear.--Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 307.

Call attention to books dwelling on practical faith and godliness and to those that treat on the prophetic word. The people are to be educated to read the sure word of prophecy in the light of the living oracles. They need to know that the signs of the times are fulfilling. It is God alone who can give success either in preparing or in circulating our publications.-- Testimonies, Vol. 7, pp. 150-158. (1902.)

E. Present the Message for This Time

Let all have more to teach, to write, and to publish in regard to those things that are now to be fulfilled, and that concern the eternal welfare of souls. Give meat in due season to the old and the young, to saints and to sinners. Let everything that can be said to awaken the church from its slumbers be brought forward without delay. Let no time be lost in dwelling on those things that are not essential, and that have no bearing upon the present necessities of the people. . . . {CW 13.4}

They carefully examined the shreds of evidence of their faith and followed down through the reckoning of the prophetic periods, but could discover no mistake. The time had been fulfilled, but where was their Saviour? They had lost Him. {EW 243.2}

F. Understanding the Prophetic Scriptures

As the disciples searched the prophecies that testified of Christ, they were brought into fellowship with the Deity, and learned of Him who had ascended to heaven to complete the work He had begun on earth. They recognized the fact that in Him dwelt knowledge which no human being, unaided by divine agency, could comprehend. They needed the help of Him whom kings, prophets, and righteous men had foretold. With amazement they read and reread the prophetic delineations of His character and work. How dimly had they comprehended the prophetic scriptures! how slow they had been in taking in the great truths which testified of Christ! Looking upon Him in His humiliation, as He walked a man among men, they had not understood the mystery of His incarnation, the dual character of His nature. Their eyes were holden, so that they did not fully recognize divinity in humanity. But after they were illuminated by the Holy Spirit, how they longed to see Him again, and to place themselves at His feet! How they wished that they might come to Him, and have Him explain the scriptures which they could not comprehend! How attentively would they listen to His words! What had Christ meant when He said, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now"? John 16:12. How eager they were to know it all! They grieved that their faith had been so feeble, that their ideas had been so wide of the mark, that they had so failed of comprehending the reality. {DA 507.1}

G. Test of Faith

This test would reveal the strength of those who with real faith had obeyed what they believed to be the teaching of the Word and the Spirit of God. It would teach them, as only such an experience could, the danger of accepting the theories and interpretations of men, instead of making the Bible its own interpreter. To the children of faith the perplexity and sorrow resulting from their error, would work the needed correction. They would be led to a closer study of the prophetic word. They would be taught to examine more carefully the foundation of their faith, and to reject everything, however widely accepted by the Christian world, that was not founded upon the Scriptures of truth.

With these believers, as with the first disciples, that which in the hour of trial seemed dark to their understanding, would afterward be made plain. When they should see the “end of the Lord,” they would know that notwithstanding the trial resulting from their errors, his purposes of love toward them had been steadily fulfilling. They would learn by a blessed experience that he is “very pitiful, and of tender mercy;” that all his paths “are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.” {GC88 354.2}

H. Guided By Prophetic Revelation

A Great religious awakening under the proclamation of Christ's soon coming, is foretold in the prophecy of the first angel's message of Revelation 14. An angel is seen flying “in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” “With a loud voice” he proclaims the message, “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his Judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” [Revelation 14:6, 7.] {GC88 355.1}

The fact that an angel is said to be the herald of this warning, is significant. By the purity, the glory, and the power of the heavenly messenger, divine wisdom has been pleased to represent the exalted character of the work to be accomplished by the message, and the power and glory that were to attend it. And the angel's flight “in the midst of heaven,” the “loud voice” with which the warning is uttered, and its promulgation to all “that dwell on the earth,”—“to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,”—give evidence of the rapidity and world-wide extent of the movement. {GC88 355.2}

I. Prophecy shows Succession of Events

The message itself sheds light as to the time when this movement is to take place. It is declared to be a part of the “everlasting gospel;” and it announces the opening of the Judgment. The message of salvation has been preached in all ages; but this message is a part of the gospel which could be proclaimed only in the last days, for only then would it be true that the hour of Judgment had come. The prophecies present a succession of events leading down to the opening of the Judgment. This is especially true of the book of Daniel. But that part of his prophecy which related to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and seal “to the time of the end.” Not till we reach this time could a message concerning the Judgment be proclaimed, based on a fulfillment of these prophecies. But at the time of the end, says the prophet, “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” [Daniel 12:4.] {GC88 355.3}