The Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Church

In the Apostolic Church

The apostolic church also witnessed to a large degree the manifestation of the Spirit of prophecy. John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Savior, was a prophet. (Luke 1:76; 7:28.) Jesus Himself was a prophet. (Matthew 21:11; Luke 7:16.) After all, it was but natural that the gift should be revived as the time came for the Messiah to appear. At the birth of the Savior and of John the Baptist we find the revival of that gift; for both Anna and Elisabeth, as well as Simeon and Zacharias, gave evidence of definite inspiration from God in the prophetic gift. Peter Lange comments as follows: BSPC 85.5

“If the spirit of prophecy had departed from Israel since the time of Malachi, according to the opinion of the Jews, the return of the Spirit might be looked upon as one of the tokens of the Messiah’s advent.”—Commentary on the Holy Scriptures on Luke 2:26. BSPC 85.6

After the ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, divine gifts were manifested in the church. Among them was the gift of prophecy, and several members of the apostolic band, as well as others, received this special gift from the hands of the Lord. BSPC 85.7

John, the beloved disciple, had this gift bestowed in abundant measure, especially while on the Isle of Patmos. There amid the barren hills and ragged rocks he was privileged to see into heaven and to hear the divine messages of counsel for the church of God. He belonged to the noble order of the Lord’s holy prophets. (Revelation 22:9.) In the opening chapter of the Apocalypse he says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” One of the English translations gives the wording of this text, “I was in the Spirit of prophecy on the Lord’s day.” BSPC 86.1

Concerning Peter we are told that “looking down through the ages to the close of time, Peter was inspired to outline conditions that would exist in the world just prior to the second coming of Christ.”—The Acts of the Apostles, 535. BSPC 86.2

Paul, who became such a stalwart in the service of Christ, was endowed with many spiritual gifts; among them was the gift of prophecy. (2 Corinthians 11:5; 12:13; 1 Corinthians 14:18.) In his letter to the church at Corinth he reminds the believers that he had received many “visions and revelations of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 12:1.) These were of frequent occurrence, for he mentions having received an “abundance of the revelations.” (Verse 7.) When away in Arabia for three years (Galatians 1:17, 18) he was evidently given a number of direct communications from Heaven, not only concerning doctrine, but also regarding the future of the church. As to the truths he taught, he emphasized that they were revealed to him “by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:12), and that “by revelation he [God] made known unto me the mystery” (Ephesians 3:3). BSPC 86.3

“Paul could not tell all that he had seen in vision; for among his hearers were some who would have misapplied his words. But that which was revealed to him enabled him to labor as a leader and a wise teacher, and also moulded the messages that he in later years sent to the churches. The impression that he received when in vision was ever with him, enabling him to give a correct representation of Christian character. By word of mouth and by letter he bore a message that ever since has brought help and strength to the church of God.”—The Acts of the Apostles, 469, 470. BSPC 86.4

We read of Judas and Silas, two leaders of the apostolic church, that they also had the prophetic gift. (Acts 15:32.) Concerning them the Spirit of prophecy remarks: BSPC 86.5

“In Antioch, the church was favored with the presence of Judas and Silas, the special messengers who had returned with the apostles from the meeting in Jerusalem. ‘Being prophets also themselves,’ Judas and Silas ‘exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.’ These godly men tarried in Antioch for a time. ‘Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.’”—The Acts of the Apostles, 197. BSPC 87.1

Antioch, it seems, was blessed with a number of brethren who possessed the gift of prophecy. We read of Lucius, Barnabas, and Simeon in Acts 13A. Other names are mentioned in this verse, but Robertson, in his Word Pictures of the New Testament, says that the construction in the original language leads to the conclusion that it was these three that possessed the gift of prophecy. BSPC 87.2

Agabus also exercised the prophetic gift on certain occasions, as we see in Acts 11:27, 28; 21:10. Concerning him Matthew Henry, in his commentary, writes: BSPC 87.3

“A particular prediction of a famine approaching, delivered by one of these prophets, his name Agabus; we read of him again, prophesying Paul’s imprisonment, ch 21:10. Here he stood up ... and prophesied.... What he said was not of himself ... but he signified it by the Spirit, the spirit of prophecy.”—Matthew Henry’s Commentary, on Acts, vol. 3, p. 580. BSPC 87.4

Besides these there were certain women on whom this gift was bestowed. These, however, will be referred to in detail in the next chapter. BSPC 87.5