Young children love to play hide-and-seek. In fact, when we were young, we most likely played this game. You hid in places you were certain that you could not be found—either by your parents or by other children who were playing the game with you. The game ends when the person doing the searching finds those who are hidden.GOP 9.1

Since the fall of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3), human beings have been hiding from God, only the stakes in this game of hide-and-seek could not be higher. In the Garden of Eden God came in search of our first parents with the question “Where are you?” (verse 9, NIV). That question continues to echo down through human history. The Bible is filled with the record of God’s never-ending search for those He created, and today God continues to search for His children. God’s desire is to reconcile His lost children back to Himself, and one of the special means through which He communicates His offer of salvation to fallen humanity is divinely called prophets.GOP 9.2

The Gift of Prophecy in Scripture and History opens windows into this incredible story by providing insightful theological reflections on the prophetic gift as manifested at crucial moments in salvation history. As suggested by the title, the book is divided into two parts. Part I, Biblical Studies, gives an overview of the prophetic gift in the Old Testament (Jiří Moskala) and New Testament (Ekkehardt Mueller). Special attention is given to the subjects of prophetic revelation and inspiration (Ángel M. Rodríguez); how Bible writers quoted other Bible writings (Clinton Wahlen); the historical setting as seen through contemporary ancient Near Eastern literature (Elias Brasil de Souza); and how various writers dealt with and expressed emotions in their writings (Chantal J. Klingbeil and Gerald A. Klingbeil). This section also contains a thoughtful article that uncovers several of Ellen White’s insights into the original meaning of the biblical text (Richard M. Davidson); a chapter that grapples with what the expression “to prophesy” in 1 Corinthians 14 means (Larry L. Lichtenwalter); and a final one regarding the meaning of “spirit of prophecy” in the Revelation of John (Ranko Stefanovic).GOP 9.3

Part II, a series of Historical Studies, surveys how the gift of prophecy was understood in ancient and medieval Christianity (John W. Reeve and Rodrigo Galiza); by the Reformers of the sixteenth century (Denis Fortin); as well as in American religious history (Michael W. Campbell). Following this historical background, the discussion deals specifically with topics related to the prophetic ministry of Ellen G. White. There are helpful discussions regarding how early Sabbathkeeping Adventists accepted her as a true prophet (Theodore N. Levterov); her special witness to Jesus and Scripture (Merlin D. Burt); her emphasis and practical commitment to the sola Scriptura principle (Alberto R. Timm); how she used Scripture (Frank M. Hasel); and even her use of extrabiblical sources (Jud Lake). The final chapters deal respectively with Ellen White’s thoughts on mission (David J. B. Trim) and her personal commitment to service, as demonstrated by her “dedicated hands” (James R. Nix). The volume concludes with a chapter on how to make Ellen White relevant to third-generation millennials (Dwight K. Nelson).GOP 9.4

The overall content of the book is enriched by four appendices that comprise (1) the statements on the gift of prophecy found in the six versions of the Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists; (2) numerous statements of confidence in Ellen White’s prophetic gift voted by the delegates to various General Conference sessions; (3) the 1982 document entitled “The Inspiration and Authority of the Ellen G. White Writings”; and (4) Ted N. C. Wilson’s Sabbath morning sermon for the international Gift of Prophecy Symposium, Andrews University, October 15-18, 2015.GOP 10.1

The story of God’s never-ending search for His fallen creatures, including His use of special individuals whom He has called to be His prophets, reminds us that in our sinful state we all are lost. The wonder is that we all can be found thanks to God’s never-ending search for us, as described in The Gift of Prophecy in Scripture and History.GOP 10.2

—James R. Nix
Director, Ellen G. White Estate

Foreword

Acknowledgments