THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.
By G.
The last word that our Lord had to say to the world was not spoken when He ascended to heaven. The New Testament is proof of that fact. For hundreds of years the Jews acted upon the principle that God had said all He had to say to men, and men themselves were to say the rest. When a new prophet arose, he was sure to be rejected by the masses; but the people who rejected the prophets sent to them were ever ready to build tombs for former prophets, and to otherwise nominally honor them. Thus they virtually said that the Lord had nothing more to reveal—they themselves were the depositaries of His will. Neither did the writings of the apostles fill up the sum of all that God might want to say to His people or to the world. True, the Scriptures were to be the basis of doctrine; all that purports to come from God must be tested by that Word, but the Lord never has declared that He has nothing more to say concerning His work in the earth. His promise is, “I am with you alway, even unto the end.” Again He says: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye can not bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak; and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you.” John 16: 12-14. The Holy Spirit is given to guide men in what they shall say and do, that their words and actions may be in harmony with what has been revealed heretofore. Timothy was to “preach the Word,” but he was to “be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine;” and this instruction is for the ministry for all time. It will always be true that without the Spirit of Christ His servants can do nothing. They can no more give the flock “meat in due season” to-day without the guidance of the Spirit than could His servants in former ages. The Lord, knowing that in all ages His true people would be subject to persecution, gives them special directions what to do when brought before magistrates. “When they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate; but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.” Mark 13: 11. To assume that the Lord has no more to say to His people directly, is to assume that they are no longer in need of His direct guidance, altho they may and do meet conditions and vicissitudes and phases of the Gospel message entirely different from the experiences and work of previous generations. When the Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, it was simply the beginning of that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. The effect on the disciples that day was that they spoke as “the Spirit gave them utterance.” But the prophet said: “It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy,” etc. There are other points in the prophecy that extend it to “the notable day of the Lord.” Now the “last days” did not end in the days of the apostles. “In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; . . . ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Tim. 3: 1-7. Why are they not able to come to the knowledge of the truth?—Because they deny the power—they reject the Holy Spirit; they deny the existence of the Spirit of prophecy. They can not understand what was written aforetime for their learning (Rom. 15: 4), and will not receive that which comes to them in the last days to guide them into the truth. Hence they are led into error. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils,” etc. 1 Tim. 4: 1. Christ gives us solemn warning against false christs and false prophets, that shall arise and deceive many. See Matt. 24: 4, 5, 23-25. This deception is to be especially in connection with His coming, and will have reference to that event. Therefore it will be in the last days; and Satan would have no use for false christs and false prophets if the true Christ and true prophets were not to be expected. When any phase of God’s work in the earth is about due, the deceiver is always on hand with his deceptions. There never is a counterfeit where there is nothing genuine to be imitated. If Christ were not to come again in person, if there were not to be prophets in the last days, if the church were not to be guided by the Spirit into all truth in the last days, then there would be nothing for the enemy to gain by such deceptions. It is because the Word of the Lord foretells these things that the adversary tries to misguide men through his counterfeits. Therefore the church can not afford to eschew the genuine Spirit of prophecy, for thereby the deceiver is thwarted in his purpose to lead them astray. “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thess. 5: 19-21. Note that the Word does not say, Despise not prophecies, as of the past; but prophesyings, as of the present. And the Lord has not neglected to leave us an infallible test by which we may know the true from the false: “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.