The Abiding Gift of Prophecy

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The Gift of Prophecy Essential

This theocratic government could not be administered by the Lord without a channel of communication between Himself and man. The gift of prophecy was that channel. It was the method by which Jehovah, the invisible King, revealed His will, made known His laws, selected His administrators, and raised up godly men to be His messengers, who were to receive from Him inspired messages for kings, princes, priests, and people. Following a clear statement regarding the nature of a theocracy and its administration, W. M. McPheeters says: AGP 70.3

“The realization of such an idea was only possible within the sphere of what is known as special revelation. Indeed, special revelation o! the divine will, through divinely chosen organs, to divinely appointed executive agents, is, itself, the very essence of the idea of a theocracy.” “The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,” Vol. V, art., “Theocracy,” p. 2965.

By the term “special revelation” the writer means the revelations given through the prophetic gift. AGP 71.1

During the time from Adam to Samuel, a period of nearly three thousand years, the divinely appointed leaders in God’s ideal government were patriarchs, prophets, elders, and judges. Some of these great leaders were brought into the world by special providences of God for a definite and extraordinary service He wanted to have rendered. Among these were Isaac, Moses, Samuel, and later, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and Paul. Others were appointed by the Lord as occasion required. AGP 71.2