The Gift of Prophecy by Stephen N. Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 13, 1906

The Gift of Prophecy

By Stephen N. Haskell

S. N. HASKELL

God has selected one gift as his mouthpiece—“the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord.” 2 Chron. 36: 12. This is illustrated by the relation of Aaron to Moses: “And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.” Ex. 7: 1. Moses was to speak unto Aaron and put words in his mouth, and then God promised to be with Moses’ mouth that he might speak the right words, and with Aaron’s mouth that he might translate correctly into the language of the Egyptians. Ex. 4: 15, 16.

God could not talk with man directly because of sin, but he could talk with his Son, and his Son could send an angel to communicate the message to a prophet, and the prophet could speak to the people. Rev. 1: 1. With all this divine help it is often difficult for the prophet to find words with which to express the message in language that can be understood by the people. When the apostle was caught up into paradise, he “heard unspeakable words, which it is not possible for a man to utter.” 2 Cor. 12: 4, margin. And yet this is God’s method of communicating to the human family.

The prophets of God are called in two ways. First, there are prophets that were ordained prophets and sanctified before they were born. Jer. 1: 5. This is because the conditions that would make them prophets were strictly followed by their parents. There are a few instances in the Bible that illustrate this. When God had a very important work for a prophet to do, angels were sent to give instructions that should be strictly followed by his parents. These being followed, the mold of character was given to the child, so he was ordained a prophet before he was born. Luke 1: 13-15.

Second, there were other men called to be prophets who did not have these qualifications, but they were called to the work to supply a want because of a lack on the part of others. God is never short of instrumentalities to accomplish his work. Amos was such a prophet, for we read that he said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit: and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go prophesy unto my people Israel.” Amos 7: 14, 15.

There is another consideration that should not be forgotten. Some men are more than prophets. To use the term “prophet” would be to limit their calling. John was more than a prophet. Paul was more than a prophet, for he possessed three gifts,—the gift of an apostleship, the gift of an evangelist, and the gift of prophecy. And yet of Paul it is said, he was as “one born out of due time;” and he claims that he was not worthy to be an apostle because he had persecuted the church of God.

These principles are most clearly laid down in the Bible. Many a prophet has taken the place of some one whom God previously called to prophesy; and then was laid upon him a twofold gift (Luke 19: 24, 25), and in some instances even more than this. When God gave the gospel in its proper setting in the third angel’s message, these principles were restored in the development of the spirit of prophecy. It is no marvel that the work of a prophet is not always appreciated, neither is it a marvel that his work is not comprehended. There are several reasons for this. One is that men are not spiritually minded, and “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2: 14. Some of the simplest things in nature can not be comprehended by man, neither can they be explained. Who can explain the growth of the grass, or how the lilies of the field grow?

There are many statements in the Bible which at first appear to be contradictory simply because the finite mind is unable to comprehend them, and yet experience testifies to their truthfulness. See John 3: 7-11. If some of these simple things in nature can not be comprehended, how much more so will it be with divine things! And yet it is absolutely necessary, if man would understand the workings of God, that he should at first believe,—believe it is God that speaks,—and then the way is prepared to understand what God says. God has not given his people the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. And the apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to “consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.” 2 Tim. 2: 7. Again, “I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.” 1 Cor. 10: 15. And again, the angel Gabriel, when the prophet failed to understand, said, “O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee.” Dan. 10: 11. We are to seek to understand the words of the prophet, to believe that his words are the words of God. Then the mind is in a condition for God to give it understanding. If men would believe God, it would open to their darkened minds floods of light.

Another consideration should be borne in mind, and that is that God does not always reveal everything to his prophet.

This is not always comprehended. When the Shunammite came to Elijah and caught the man of God by the feet, and Gehazi came near to thrust her away, “the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.” 2 Kings 4: 27. This principle has been an occasion of trial to some who believe in the spirit of prophecy, and they have concluded that the prophet made a mistake because he did not see both sides of the same question at once, and so did not comprehend the entire situation until after a further revelation was made to him. So it might be said that Moses made a mistake when there was no mistake. On a certain occasion he reproved the sons of Aaron, saying, “Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord? Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.” Lev. 10: 17, 18. Here it is supposed that Moses made a mistake because Aaron was justified in not eating the sin offering in the holy place. When Aaron explained to Moses how it really was, then “he was content.” Lev. 10: 19, 20. Did Moses make a mistake? He reproved Aaron justly, provided that circumstances were as he saw them or supposed they were, but when further information was conveyed to Moses, he saw that Aaron was justifiable. So in this God was vindicated, and Aaron justified. The same principle will explain the case of Nathan when he said to David, “Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee;” and afterward the Lord appeared to Nathan and sent him with a message to his servant David: “Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?” 2 Samuel 7. When God presented to Nathan the other side of this question, and he saw that because of certain experiences of David he was not a proper person to build the house, then the message was changed. There are many instances in the Bible concerning which, should they happen at the present day, men would say that the prophet contradicted himself, or that some one had influenced him.

There is still another principle which at times makes the words of a prophet appear untrue, what he says not taking place. God reveals what is in the heart to prevent the thing itself from happening. The prophet said to Gehazi, “Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive-yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men servants, and maid servants?” Gehazi had received only two talents of silver and two changes of raiment; but the prophet revealed what was in his heart to obtain from Naaman. 2 Kings 5: 20-27.

Isaiah was sent to Hezekiah, who was

sick unto death, “and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.” But when Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed unto the Lord and besought him that he would let him live, and wept with a great weeping, it came to pass even before “Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.” 2 Kings 20: 1-6; Isa. 38: 1-8. On this occasion God wrought a wonderful miracle to show that he had heard prayer. Did God change his mind? Did God make a mistake? Did the prophet Isaiah contradict himself? There are many instances of like nature that could be cited in the Bible.

The nearer we get to the end, and the closer the relationship we sustain to God, the more we shall see that God is with his people; and he says, “At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.” Jer. 18: 7-10. While it may not be possible for men to change all their habits in an instant, yet it is possible for them to repent of their sins, and God can forgive them because their attitude toward him is changed, and can send them a different message. This will explain many problems connected with the workings of the Spirit of God upon the human family.

The thoughts suggested above are worthy of the most careful study. They lead us to conclude, first, that we should be very careful not to criticize any prophet of the Lord; second, that the principles enunciated by the prophets should be studied that we may be able to understand how God works with the human mind; third, that we should never judge of the workings of God’s Holy Spirit from a human standpoint. “Canst thou by searching find out God?” Can the human reason ever fathom the purposes of God or the manner of his dealings with the human family? As he has dealt in the past, so will he deal even to the end of time. Because men can not comprehend this, they deny the Bible, deny God, and become infidels and atheists and deists; but these are principles which, when studied, will throw great light upon God’s dealings with the human family through the spirit of prophecy.

Oakland, Cal.