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The Gift of Prophecy

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Conclusion

The prophetic role is multifaceted. We discovered that prophets are people who are called by God to the prophetic ministry; they are His messengers and speakers for Him, the guardians of God’s theocracy and faithful morality, the servants of His covenant, and the genuine interpreters of the past, present, and future. They are watchers over God’s truth and not its inventors. They are the proclaimers of the divine word, and they represent God because the word of the Lord came to them. Prophecies were never delivered by magic or the process of divination (Num. 24:1). The content of their message was always the most important, and the stress was upon the word of the Lord. Prophets are a symbol of God’s presence, the voice of God among people. They lead people to a genuine covenantal relationship with the Lord. GOP 43.3

The teachings of a new prophet need to be in inner harmony and unity with the teachings of previous prophets. A prophet is more than a presenter of the right picture of God while correcting wrong perceptions. The prophetic role is very comprehensive: exegete of the past and predictor of the future, spokesperson for God, a person of insight (seer), a person of vision (vizier), a man of God, a man of the Spirit, a person of the Word, a servant of the covenant, a mediator, revivalist, reformer, pastor, evangelist/missionary, social reformer and educator, teacher of righteousness and guardian of the law of God. Prophets differ from priests or kings, and their functions are irreplaceable. However, not all roles need to be present in one prophet in order to function as a prophet or be recognized as one. In one word: a prophet is a representative of God to His people. Prophets help people make right decisions in their present situations of life. GOP 44.1

It was a deliberate choice of biblical writers to use sources—canonical or extracanonical, inspired or uninspired—in order to communicate God’s Word to humanity efficiently. They were people of their culture, and they employed the best literary devices to transmit faithfully the eternal message of God. Prophets used styles, concepts, language, and sources of their time in order to communicate competently with their contemporary audience. The purpose was mainly missiological. Biblical authors did not live in isolation, and they were in conversation with literature known in their time. They were using extra biblical material as a means to prove their own point of view, and they were also polemic or apologetic. They used contemporary literature, structures, and thoughts, because it helped them to articulate God’s message effectively and precisely. GOP 44.2

God’s inspiration was working in choosing the right words, concepts, and material that express biblical truth in a very efficient and beautiful way. Divine wisdom and human thoughts are put together in such a way, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, that the final result is the sure prophetic Word of God. The Holy Spirit guided the mind of these authors as the whole person was inspired to convey trustworthy inspired messages. Thus, it was to the advantage of the biblical authors to use different extra biblical material, since it enabled them to communicate well with their audience and/or readers. GOP 44.3

There are implications of my study for the ministry of Ellen G. White. It may be observed that her ministry fits well into the Old Testament view of different roles of the prophet. Another significant and unsurprising result of our study is that Ellen G. White’s confirmed use of extra- biblical materials should not be considered problematic, because Old Testament prophets, as well as New Testament writers, did the same. She might make mistakes in some spheres of her life, but we maintain that she did not err in matters of doctrine and in giving instructions for the practical life of faith (ethics), as Old Testament prophets did not make mistakes in matters that determine doctrine and practice. They do not err in predicting the future (even though classical prophecies are conditional) when they interpret the plan of salvation. What they state about the blueprint of redemption is solid. The purity of God’s revelation was guarded by the special work of the Holy Spirit, who is the ultimate author of God’s Revelation, which was transmitted to us by Inspiration through the prophets and the biblical writers. This is why the Bible is normative, foundational, and the highest authority in matters of doctrine (faith) and practice (behavior, ethics). 80 It is the infallible Word of God. “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isa. 40:8, NKJV). The Word of God stands forever because God stands forever. It means that those who stand with the Lord and His Word will stand forever with Him. GOP 44.4

True prophets are ambassadors for God. This is why those who listen to their voice prosper. We can fully trust God and His prophets. Our future depends on this trust. I am grateful for the gift of prophecy—for the firm word of prophets! But it can do good to us only if we pay close attention to the admonition of King Jehoshaphat: “Listen to me . . . ! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful” (2 Chron. 20:20). GOP 45.1