The manifestation of the gift of prophecy was not confined to the Old Testament. We have seen that it was among the gifts of the Spirit that were conferred upon the infant church. It is clear also that it was the purpose of God for this gift, with the others, to remain in the church to the very end. (Ephesians 4:8-14.)GoPH 44.1

The manifestation of the gift of prophecy in New Testament times is a fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy. Joel wrote:GoPH 44.2

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2:28.GoPH 44.3

It was this prophecy to which Peter directed attention as explaining the phenomena of Pentecost.GoPH 44.4

“These are not drunken,” he said, “as ye suppose, . . . but this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour [44] out My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” Acts 2:15-18.GoPH 44.5

Clearly the gift of prophecy did not expire with the days of the prophets of the Old Testament. At the very beginning of the work of Christ we are told of the prophecy of Simeon. (Luke 2:25-35.) “Anna, a prophetess,” was also at that time in Jerusalem, and praised God for the privilege of seeing the infant Redeemer. (Luke 2:36-38.) Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, is said to have “prophesied,” and his prophecy is given. (Luke 1:67-79.)GoPH 45.1

That the gift of prophecy was known and operative in the days of the apostles is clear from a considerable number of passages. The record is that there “came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world; which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar.” Acts 11:27, 28.GoPH 45.2

Some of the prophets of the New Testament are named by the writer of the Acts.GoPH 45.3

“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen.” Acts 13:1.GoPH 46.1

“And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.” Acts 15:32.GoPH 46.2

In Ephesus, when Paul baptized and laid his hands on certain disciples of the Lord, “they spake with tongues and prophesied.” (Acts 19:6.)GoPH 46.3

As in the Old Testament, so in the New, the gift was not given exclusively to men, but to women as well. Speaking of Philip, the evangelist, Luke writes:GoPH 46.4

“The same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.” Acts 21:9.GoPH 46.5

An incident in Paul’s ministry in which the gift manifested itself, is thus described: “There came down from Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.” Acts 21:10, 11. And we know it was a true prophecy.GoPH 46.6

Instruction for regulating the exercise of the gift of prophecy in the church by both men and women is given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:4, 5.GoPH 47.1

Believers are encouraged in 1 Corinthians 14:1-5, to desire and highly value the gift of prophecy, and instruction regarding its exercise is given in much detail in the remaining verses of this chapter.GoPH 47.2

Paul, in writing to the Ephesians, makes it plain that prophets were associated with the apostles of Christ.GoPH 47.3

“Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” Ephesians 3:5.GoPH 47.4

And the attitude that believers are to take towards this gift is thus stated:GoPH 47.5

‘‘Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 21. Some earnest believers, however, find certain passages of Scripture sources of perplexity in this connection. They are persuaded from the superficial perusal of them to believe that the gifts of the Spirit, especially that of prophecy, passed away with the apostles, and ceased with that generation. It will be helpful here to discuss these passages briefly, meanwhile asking God to shed light upon their true meaning.GoPH 47.6

One passage which has caused some to doubt the perpetuity of the gift of prophecy is this:GoPH 48.1

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” 1 Corinthians 13:8, 0.GoPH 48.2

Indeed, this passage does foretell the cessation of the gifts. It foretells also the vanishing away of knowledge. Rut the reader should not stop there in his reading but read on to learn when the gifts are to cease. The passage reveals this.GoPH 48.3

“But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall know even as also I am known.” 1 Corinthians 13:10, 11.GoPH 48.4

Hence it is clear that the gifts of the Spirit are to cease, and vanish away, only when “that which is perfect is come”; when we see “face to face”; when we “know even as also we are known.” That will be at the perfect day of the return of our Lord.GoPH 48.5

This verse, then, instead of being ambiguous, adds clear testimony to other passages, and shows that the gifts that God set in the church at the beginning to bring us all into the unity of the faith, will not be taken away from the church until their purpose is accomplished, until the faith and hope of the church are realized, until the surpassing glory of the immortal state shall far outshine the most brilliant displays of spiritual power and knowledge by the gifts of the Spirit in this mortal state.GoPH 49.1

The abolition of spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy, is also thought by some to be implied in the following language:GoPH 49.2

“I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life.” This passage cannot mean that all prophesying after John’s time must be false, and that God hereby states that He will never communicate anything after John’s time through the gift of prophecy. John himself wrote his gospel after these visions on the isle of Patmos. He did not thereby add to the words of the prophecy of the Book of Revelation.GoPH 49.3

This caution against adding to or taking from, does not refer to the Bible as a complete book, but to the Book of Revelation as a separate book. It was not to be changed as it came from the hand of the apostle. Equally true it is, of course, that no man has a right to add anything to, or take anything from, any of the other books of the Bible. But John, when he wrote the Revelation, was not adding to, or taking from, the book of Daniel, for instance.GoPH 50.1

Revelation corroborates Daniel, giving much additional light upon the subject matter of that book. The passage under discussion sounds a warning against altering the word of God. It does not mean that God has bound Himself to keep silence; He is still at liberty to speak, and to employ the gift of prophecy in speaking.GoPH 50.2

All the gifts, therefore, are still available to the church of God. They have not passed away or ceased. The church should still give heed to Paul’s earnest admonition:GoPH 50.3

“Follow earnestly after Love: yet delight in the spiritual gifts, but especially in the gift of Prophecy,” 1 Corinthians 14:1, Conybeare.GoPH 50.4

Chapter Five—The Importance and Benefit of the Prophetic Gift

Chapter Seven—The Voice of God to His Church