p. 4 | Its Intervening Support by John O. Corliss

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 20, 1911

Its Intervening Support

By John O. Corliss

Tracings of the Prophetic Gift — No. 11

Its Intervening Support

J. O. CORLISS

Had a proper accounting been given to the design of the prophetic gift, it is altogether likely that the Christian church would not have permitted it to fall into desuetude. To regard that gift simply as an endowment by which to foretell future events, is to rob it of its proposed effectiveness, and consequently of its Heaven-bestowed honor. A moment’s thought will verify this statement. For a prophet to predict in brief form some general occurrence, without marking the effect it is likely to have upon the church, and also pointing out the necessary course to be pursued in view of its expected advent, the impression left upon minds could not, from the very nature of things, be permanent in its results.

Besides, with this single view of the purpose of prophecy, one is led to decide the merits of the gift by the nature of the fulfilment anticipated. Without sufficient divine illumination of mind, one is apt to place his own human estimate on the particulars of the outcome, and by this doubtful balance decide for or against the genuineness of the gift by which the prediction was put in circulation. This would be to place the reputation and the influence of the prophet at the mercy of unsanctified prejudice, and so bring to naught the purpose of the prophetic institution.

It is true that the power to predict the future belongs to the prophetic gift, but this manifestation is but to assist in making its principal purpose effective. To make this affirmation clear, it may be well to consider, first, that a true prophet is an oracle; that is, one who delivers divine communications; one who is God’s spokesman for the advancement of heavenly government in human hearts. He is chosen to be a “light” to the world in a special sense, as one of virtue, wisdom, and marked personal piety; indifferent to ordinary pleasures; free from personal vanity; independent in mode of life; fervent and earnest in exhortation.

Such a life places a prophet in the highest rank in God’s kingdom on earth. In this position he is enabled through the Spirit to interpret the divine will; to be a preacher of righteousness; to recall men from semi-apostasy, and so from darkness to light. This is not to be done unrestrainedly, or unrelated to the Word of God as delivered under inspiration in earlier times. God is the same from the days of eternity. Micah 5: 2. Principles which he teaches through chosen ones now must harmonize with those given by the mouth of all his prophets.

So, then, the proper first use of the prophetic gift is to confirm darkened, halting minds in the principles of God’s Word, lest they depart from the steadfastness of faith. The saddest thing to contemplate in the history of ancient Israel is the decline in their spiritual life when left without the prophetic gift. The priests of those days, while attending regularly to their appointed rounds of sanctuary rites, were nevertheless disgracefully influenced by the prevailing vices of their time (1 Sam. 2: 12-17); and because there was no open nor revealed vision, the people were left, each to follow in the way that seemed good to himself. Never did a nation stand in greater need of divine guidance than when Samuel was raised up to rebuke the evils of the age.

Later, when the people demanded a king by whom to be ruled, as were the nations around them, Samuel predicted the woful result of such a change. This prediction, however, was only to convert them from the present error of their way, and to lead them to rest in the provision of the Lord’s grace, which had always been so free to them. But even though God yielded to the demand for an earthly ruler, yet he could not consent to let Israel’s king lead his chosen people in the way of other nations.

The rapid spiritual decline of Israel had already determined that nation’s fate, were it to be left at that stage to human control. It was certain to be swallowed up by the heathen Philistines. 1 Sam. 9: 16. The measure by which to preclude pending disaster was quickly set in order. The most popular man in all Israel (1 Sam. 9: 20), Saul the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, was sent on a domestic errand, which led him to the city of Samuel’s sojourn, probably Ramah, in Ephraim, not far from the border of Benjamin. The prophet had been previously instructed of God to anoint Saul as king. This was done, and Saul was dismissed from the prophet’s presence with minute instructions regarding his immediate course and conduct.

As the newly anointed king turned away, his heart was miraculously changed, and he was thus prepared to serve the nation as God’s representative. Going on a short distance, he met a company of prophets, when the Spirit of God came upon him, and he at once joined them in prophetic utterances. Those present, knowing of Saul’s past irresponsible course, were greatly astonished at this manifestation of God’s power through him, and with evident amazement united in asking, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 1 Sam. 10: 11.

So while the people desired a king over themselves, rather than to be led by prophetic direction, they were, after all, to receive a king who was also to be a prophet. As by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, constantly speaking to them through his chosen instrument, so at every crisis in that nation’s history special interposition was provided for its preservation through the prophetic gift. Hosea 12: 13.

The history of Israel appears to vindicate the assertion of Jehoshaphat that to believe in God would establish the nation, and to believe his prophets would give prosperity. 2 Chron. 20: 20. For so long as they did this, they were a thriving and well-to-do people. But faith in God meant then, as now, to “seek the law at his mouth,” and to adhere to the principles enunciated by him in that law; namely, the righteousness of Jehovah. To forsake these meant to ignore the keeping power of him whose word they despised, and to make themselves a prey to every nation seeking their overthrow. Ps. 83: 4.

To prevent such a calamity, inspired couriers with direct messages from heaven were persistently and compassionately sent to that people, warning them not to forsake the path of virtue, and so follow the ways of heathen nations by which they were surrounded. But “they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” 2 Chron. 36: 16. Left thus of God, the Chaldeans came upon them, slew their young men, desolated their sanctuary, and carried into Babylonian captivity all those who escaped the sword.

Being in this way bereft of protection, the once proud and joyful nation sat down by the rivers of Babylon and wept, while their harps hung silent upon the overhanging willows. Ps. 137: 1, 2. Here the plowers plowed their backs with long furrows. Ps. 129: 3. In scorn and derision their captors asked them why they did not sing one of their former joyful songs of praise, until the captives were satiated with contempt (Ps. 123: 3, 4), or defiled bread, as expressed by the prophet when referring to the same time. Eze. 4: 12-17.

Although this was a sad state of affairs, there seemed to be something which weighed even more heavily on the minds of the captives, and that was the thought that this lamentation might have been averted by their own conduct. But now the king of Babylon had scattered

Israel, and “broken his bones;” that is, had put the power of that nation under restraint. Jer. 50: 17. Not only so, but Jerusalem, the city of the heavenly King, was left to languish, because her gates were destroyed, and her princes were among the Gentiles. Beyond all other calamities, the law was made void, and the prophets received no vision from the Lord. Lam. 2: 9. Because of this failure to hear God’s voice through his law and prophets, the elders sat upon the ground, with dust upon their heads, and all the people were bowed to the earth with grief, while tears of sorrow blinded their eyes.

It had been the mission of the prophets to save the people from this awful calamity. It was not enough for them to correct the faults of the common people; but they did not fear to point out the errors of kings, who were not answerable to human authority. The cases of Nathan and David in the matter of Uriah’s wife (2 Sam. 12: 7), and of Elijah and Ahab concerning the murder of Naboth (1 Kings 21: 19), serve to illustrate the fortitude with which the prophets of old were endowed. Such interventions with the Eastern kings of those days demanded great moral courage, since the persons of prophets were by no means legally inviolable. 1 Kings 19: 2; 22: 27; 2 Kings 6: 31.

Such history demonstrates that the prophet of God was, and still is, the appointed organ of heaven’s communication with earthly subjects, be they king or people. The fundamental idea that Jehovah guides his people by the word of direct revelation, is as old as the history of his dealings with humanity. Moses was not only a prophet, but a judge and a ruler as well. As history unfolds events, the prophetic gift is seen to stand out more fully as the organ of revelation, and as the type of one who is Jehovah’s mouthpiece, revealing his counsel (Amos 3: 7; Jer. 23: 22), and so ministering to Israel God’s gracious guidance, which distinguished that nation from all other peoples on the earth. Amos 2: 11; Hosea 12: 10, 13.

Mountain View. Cal.