The “More Sure Word of Prophecy”—Its Purpose
1. What does the prophet say of God? “He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him.” Dan. 2:22. 2. Through whom does God reveal His purposes? “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7. 3. To whom does the revelation belong? “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE REVEALED BELONG unto US AND TO OUR CHILDREN FOREVER, that we may do all the words of this law.” Deut. 29:29. NOTE.—A prophet is “one who speaks as the inspired representative of a divine being; one who delivers divine messages, or interprets the divine will.”—“Standard Dictionary.” Prophecy, according to the same authority, is (1) “a prediction made under divine influence and direction; more loosely, any prediction or foretelling; (2) discourse delivered under divine inspiration or direction; something uttered by a teacher as the representative of God and for God.” The inspiration pertains rather to the words, the writing, than to the person. It is not the prophet, but the prophecy, that is inspired—God-breathed. Prediction of future events is therefore one of its great offices. It also reveals present conditions as God sees them, and the duty of His people in view of these conditions and of our relation to Him. 4. What does the apostle call this revelation of the future and of present duty? 5. “More sure” than what? What is the comparison? “More sure” than the evidences of the senses, seeing and hearing combined. See verses 16 to 18. NOTE.—The apostle declares that the making known of Christ’s second coming was not a “cunningly devised fable;” for God revealed what it meant in the vision of the transfiguration of Christ on the holy mount; and that glory they SAW, and God’s voice they HEARD, while they were with Him there. See Matt. 17:1-9. But more than this visible, audible evidence is God’s “more sure word of prophecy.” 6. In what shall we do well? “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed.” 2 Peter 1:19. 7. What is it designed to be for the children of God, and for how long? “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.” NOTE.—The time of sin in this world is known as the night, in contradistinction to the glorious reign of Christ to come, known as the day. The morning, or breaking, of that day, is the rising of the Sun of Righteousness, the second coming of the Master. To that coming day belong His children of light; and until that day dawns, and He comes into life and heart and experience of His people such as has never been known before, God’s prophecy lights their way. See Rom. 13:11, 13; 1 Thess. 5:1-8. 8. Did the prophets themselves always understand the things revealed? “And I heard, but I understood not; then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?” Dan. 12:8. 9. What reply was made to him? “And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.” Dan. 12:9, 4. 10. What would then occur? “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Dan. 12:4. 11. In view of the importance of prophecy, what admonition should we heed? 12. What should we do regarding claimed prophecies? 13. By what test are we to try the prophets? “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8:20. 14. What is the result of rejecting the prophecies of God’s Word? “And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by His messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling-place: 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. 36:15, 16. 15. What blessing is pronounced upon those who heed His prophetic word? “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Rev. 1:3. 16. What then is our duty and privilege? “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chron. 20:20.