The Work of the Prophets

Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope

http://ssclassnotes.blogspot.com 

February 14, 2009
Larry R Evans 

Introduction 

David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons in their book UN Christian tell of the following incident:  “Several months ago, I was browsing the religious section at a bookstore.  As I stood there, checking out the titles, two young men and a young woman wandered into the same section.  It was obvious that the three twentysomethings were not searching for books. They were hanging out, discussing life, and joking as friends do.

       I was not particularly tuned in to their conversation, not really aware of what they were talking about until one of them said, ‘Oh, check this out.  It’s a Bible with a metal cover!’  That caught my attention.

       The young woman said, ‘What? What are you talking about?’

       ‘Yeah, look.  It’s a Bible encased in metal.’

       ‘Huh? What’s that for?’

       ‘How the heck should I know? Maybe it’s supposed to be indestructible.  Let’s see if it is.’  Then I heard the Bible hit the floor.

       ‘I guess not!’ They laughed, stuffing the battered book back on the shelf.  I saw them shuffle off to another part of the store.  Their conversation had already moved to a new topic.”  (p.21) 

Such is the secular scene today yet this is precisely the group we desperately need to reach with the gospel.  How can we?  If we are indeed a “prophetic movement”, as I believe we are, how are we to understand our work?  Is it all about methodology?  Where do we begin understanding our task—by examining an array of methods for outreach or by examining the message itself?  Popularity has never been the lot of prophets yet a review of approaches used by God is quite amazing.  Even with God-given approaches some prophets did not fare very well . . . yet the message was not halted. This quarter we are giving study to “The Gift of Prophecy” and this week we are looking at “The Work of the Prophets” and how they related to the gospel and the work God gave to them.    

Reflective Quiz

1.    Because of the importance of the Sabbath, it is understandable that less emphasis can be given to the gospel.  False  [Deut. 5:6,12-15; Jn 14:15; Mk 12:30,31]

At the heart of the work of every prophet, whether it be in the Old or New Testament, is some aspect of God’s plan to implement salvation.  In the story of Abraham and Isaac God made known that “He” would provide the offering (Gen 22:8) and thus save the life of Isaac.  John the Baptist announced that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah and that He was the One “who takes away the sin of the world.!” (Jn 1:29) The last message given to the world before Jesus’ comes is the proclamation of the “eternal gospel . . . to those who live on the earth.” (Rev. 14:6)  There is no Bible truth that can stand without being embedded in the gospel—including the Sabbath.  The very context of the Sabbath makes this clear.  In Genesis the Sabbath follows God’s activity with our response.  In both Exodus and in Deuteronomy the Sabbath commandment follows “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” (Ex.20:2; Deut. 5:6).  This same principle was the principle behind the words of Jesus when He said, “If you love me, you will obey what I have commanded.” (Jn 14:15 NIV)  The work of the prophets was built on this principle:  God’s offer of salvation comes before our own good deeds. There is no way that our deeds come even close to compensating God for what He has offered – nor does He want it to. (Eph 2:8-10)  The Sabbath proclaims the gospel clearly.  Sabbath abuse came when keeping the Sabbath was a leverage to get God’s blessing.  As one of God’s spokesman, Ellen White made it clear that “Of all professing Christians, Seventh-day Adventists should be foremost in uplifiting Christ before the world.” (GW 156)  She went even further:  “The sacrifice of Christ as an atonement for sin is the great truth around which all other truths cluster. . . . This is to be the foundation of every discourse given by our ministers.” (GW 315)  To speak about the Sabbath, the mark of the beast or times of trouble without this as our foundation is to do an injustice to the message entrusted to this prophetic message!

2.    Church organization is a  blessing and has always been received as such.  False  [Rev 12:1-10;Num 16:1-3;1 Ki 18:16-21; Jn 16:1-4]

To be organized sounds good but when it comes to organizing a group regardless of its size trouble can easily erupt. It often means submitting and letting someone else take the lead. It happened that way in Heaven!  Speaking directly of Babylon Isaiah also gives insight into Lucifer’s ambitions when he wrote:

Isa 14:12-15 

12 How you have fallen from heaven,

O morning star, son of the dawn!

You have been cast down to the earth,

you who once laid low the nations!

13 You said in your heart,

"I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne

above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,

on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.  

14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High."

15 But you are brought down to the grave,

to the depths of the pit. (NIV)

Then John in the book of Revelation spoke specifically of the outcome:

Rev 12:7-9

7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. (NIV)

From the very beginning there have been those who have fought against order and prophets throughout the centuries have had to stand firm.  During the first 20 years of our own church’s history there was no church organization.  There was no paid ministry.  Anyone could preaxch if they felt called and as a result, heresies prospered.  Church properties were held in the name of individuals which created the potential for many problems.  Sensing this problem Ellen White wrote:  “The danger of those traveling whom  God has not called, was shown me . . . I saw that this door at which t he enemy comes in to perplex and trouble the flock can be shut.  I inquired of the angel how it could be closed.  He said, ‘The church must flee to God’s Word and become established upon gospel order, which has been overlooked and neglected.” (EW 97,100)  It took another six years before a church name was adopted.  In 1861 a conference was organized and then in 1863 the General Conference was established.  

3.    Prophets, by their very calling, must expose secret sins to the public.  False  [1T 584,585]

It is true that the Bible clearly addresses sin in verses like Rev. 18

Rev 18:1,2,4

18:1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:

"Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!

She has become a home for demons

and a haunt for every evil spirit,

. . .

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

"Come out of her, my people,

so that you will not share in her sins,

so that you will not receive any of her plagues;

5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,

and God has remembered her crimes.”   (NIV) 

However, when it comes to private sins note how Ellen White dealt with them. 

“I stated that I had been placed in most disagreeable positions. When families and individuals were brought before me in vision, it was frequently the case that what was shown me in relation to them was of a private nature, reproving secret sins. I have labored with some for months in regard to wrongs of which others knew nothing. As my brethren see these persons sad,                                                             

and hear them express doubts in regard to their acceptance with God, also feelings of despondency, they have cast censure upon me, as though I were to blame for their being in trial. Those who thus censured me were entirely ignorant of what they were talking about. I protested against persons' sitting as inquisitors upon my course of action. It has been the disagreeable work assigned me to reprove private sins. Were I, in order to prevent suspicions and jealousy, to give a full explanation of my course, and make public that which should be kept private, I should sin against God and wrong the individuals. I have to keep private reproofs of private wrongs to myself, locked in my own breast. Let others judge as they may, I will never betray the confidence reposed in me by the erring and repentant, or reveal to others that which should only be brought before the ones that are guilty. I told those assembled that they must take their hands off and leave me free to act in the fear of God. I left the meeting relieved of a heavy burden.”  (1T 584-584)

The work of a true prophet is not a glamorous one.  It is a weighty responsibility and it often means bearing it under the rebuke and ridicule of others who see only a partial picture.  It should mean that we take even more seriously what they have written for us.

4.    The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a prophetic role to play similar to that of biblical prophets.  True   [1 Ki 18:16-19:18; Mal 4:5,6; Jn 3:1-12; Mt 17:10-13; Rev 14:6-13]

Often when we speak of the remnant, we think of a group of people who are identified by their obedience and loyalty to Jesus. (Rev. 14:12).  This is as it should be but in the context of the lesson for this week there is another aspect which we must not forget.  God’s call to come and become is not isolated from His command to go and share.(Matt 28:18-20). God sends prophets to prepare a people who in turn serve in much the same way as a prophet.  The gospel order to which we referred earlier is not simply about organization.  Rather it is organization for a purpose. The Church in all of its diversity represents loyalty to God, the Creator in contrast to the god of Babylon and his followers. The conflict begun in heaven finds a grand climax with God rescuing His people. (Rev 19:11-21)  The Church is mission driven because of its unique commissioning. It understands its role.  It will be the object of hatred and attacks just as prophets of old have been yet the remnant remain loyal to Jesus.

Scholars have seen the unique parallel of Elijah and that of the last day prophetic movement.

       1. 1 Ki 18:16-19:18 – Despite being accused of bringing trouble upon the land Elijah stands firm and issues the call:  How long will you waver between two opinions?  If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow Him.

       2. Mal 4:5,6 – Hundreds of years later Malachi speaks of the symbolic return of Elijah which in reality is a presupposition of apostasy.  The reemergence of Elijah suggests that apostasy has filled the land and that God once again sends a prophetic voice.  Malachi adds “before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

       3.  Jn 3:1-2 – The arrival of John the Baptist upon the prophetic and the identification of him by Jesus as an “Elijah” suggests that there was apostasy in the land and as did Elijah so John the Baptist issued a call to repent.  His call for repentance was the preparation for the coming of the Lord – the Messiah.

       4.    Rev 14:6-13 – The last message given to earth’s inhabitants prior to the coming of Christ is the call of Elijah – Fear God, step away from Babylon which is reminiscent of Elijah’s call to step away from the Baal priests.  The “baal priests” this time are able to call fire down out of heaven (Rev. 13:13) but God’s prophetic people remain loyal to Him for they bear the Testimony of Jesus which is the faithfulness and loyalty to God’s Word (Rev 14:12) despite the threats made against them.  This is not a fear tactic but an entreaty of the gospel of Jesus.  The prophetic message of the last days turns the hearts of the fathers to their children and the children to their fathers.  The heritage of Elijah’s call is echoed generations later.  The Elijah message is also spoken to the Laodicean Church and many awake to a new life in Christ. 

5.    The climax of the prophetic movement is seen as the “great multitude in heaven shouting:  ‘Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments.” (Rev 19:1)  The work of the prophet, the work of a prophetic movement, is not about them but about God.  The work of a true prophet exalts God, not the prophet.

Conclusion

The gift or Spirit of prophecy is not for the sensationalist.  Many would like to sensationalize the work of the prophet and that of the prophetic movement by majoring in fear tactics.  The prophetic work is not about predicting calamities though it is not devoid of such insights.  Rather, through the generations the work of the prophet has been to provide a clear, forthright call for loyalty to Jesus Christ regardless of the cost.  The days ahead will not be easy but loyalty is not an option.  From every angle that loyalty will be tested.  It is not impossible to be loyal because we do not enter into these times by ourselves.  The same God who will deliver us in the end stands with us as the Deceiver attempts to tear us from our moorings of faith.

Isa 43:1-3

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the LORD, your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; (NIV)