My Journey to Life, Step 21—The Gift of Prophecy

12. What does the Bible say about the presence of the gift of prophecy in God’s last (remnant) church before Jesus comes?

Just as God gave the gift of prophecy to John the Baptist to announce Christ’s first advent and ministry, so we may expect Him to send the prophetic gift again to help people understand what they must do to be saved at His Second Coming. The prophet Joel predicted a special outpouring of the prophetic gift. The first part of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28-31) described Pentecost, when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit enabled people to hear, believe, and accept Jesus as their Messiah. Likewise, after the predicted signs in the sun, moon, and stars the final outpouring of the Spirit will ripen the harvest of the earth that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Joel 2:32). (See Step 6—The Second Coming, Question #2). JTL21 13.1

Revelation 12:17 identifies the characteristics of God’s last group of faithful followers, described as “the remnant of her offspring.” They “keep the commandments of God [including the fourth] and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” The last part of Revelation 19:10 helps us understand that the “testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy,” i.e., the prophetic gift (Revelation 22:8-9). Though the expression “spirit of prophecy” can include all the biblical prophets to whom God has given messages; Seventh-day Adventists apply the term to the ministry of Ellen G. White. She was a prophet—or messenger as she preferred to be called—sent by God to prepare His remnant people for what is soon to come upon Earth. JTL21 13.2

Revelation 12 reveals that God’s people in the last days of earth’s history will experience the full wrath of the satanic dragon power as he engages in a final attempt to destroy them. To help us survive this most intense conflict of the ages, God in His great mercy gave us the assurance that we will not be alone. The testimony of Jesus, revealed through the Bible, and the Spirit of prophecy exhibited in the writings of Ellen White, guide individuals to align their life with Jesus. This unity with Him leads to the ultimate joy of joining Him for all eternity! JTL21 13.3