“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21.HOMI December 1891, page 269.1

One of the strongest proofs of the divinity of the word of God is the fulfillment of prophecy. Everybody knows that it requires supernatural skill to foretell future events. Men may conjecture, with a possibility that they may guess right, in part; but when events are recorded in detail, hundreds of years before they occur, men must admit that it is only by the power of God.HOMI December 1891, page 269.2

The reader may now hastily say: “That is all very well as far as prophecy is concerned, but it does not prove anything for the remaining portions of the Bible; it does not require the special power of God to enable one to write history; anybody can record what takes place before his eyes.” A little experience, or even a little reflection, will show any one that it is not as easy to write accurate history as some people imagine. It is one thing to describe a thing as it appears, and quite another thing to give the exact truth concerning it. but the whole question, so far as the Bible is concerned, is settled by a consideration of what is comprehended by the term “prophecy.”HOMI December 1891, page 269.3

First, what is a prophet? This is answered by a comparison of Exodus 4:10-16 and 7:1. We will summarize the first mentioned passage, and not quote it entire. The Lord had told Moses to go to Egypt to deliver his people, but Moses had objected because he was not eloquent. When the Lord removed this objection, by saying that he had made man’s mouth, thus implying that he can quicken the stammering tongue, Moses still begged off. Then the Lord told Moses that his brother Aaron was coming to meet him, and that he should speak with Aaron and put words in his mouth; “and I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.” The Revised Version renders this last, “He shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God.”HOMI December 1891, page 269.4

Now turn to Exodus 7:1: “And the Lord said to Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.” Aaron was a prophet to Moses, because he was his spokesman; he was in the place of a mouth to Moses. Therefore, a prophet is one who speaks for another; and a prophet of God is one who speaks for God, or through whom God speaks. It follows, also, that prophecy is anything that is spoken for God-whatever one speaks from God. Prophecy need not necessarily be a direct prediction of some future event; but if God speaks through a man, even to tell a thing that is past, that is prophecy. Recall the fact that the Samaritan woman perceived that Jesus was a prophet, because he told her what had already taken place. See John 4:17-19.HOMI December 1891, page 269.5

Read now Romans 15:4: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.” Also 1 Corinthians 10:11: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” The things that happened to the Israelites are recorded for our admonition; they were not written for their sake, but for our sake. In every circumstance in life we can find in the sacred history something that will exactly meet the case, and furnish instruction or reproof. The Scriptures equip a man for every good work. In the history of God’s dealing with his people in the past, we have warning and instruction for every possible circumstance that can arise in our experience.HOMI December 1891, page 269.6

Now compare the foretelling of the events that are taking place in these last days, with the recording of the history. In the history of God’s dealing with his people in the past, we have warning and instruction for every possible circumstance that can arise in our experience.HOMI December 1891, page 269.7

Now compare the foretelling of the events that are taking place in these last days, with the recording of the history. In the former we readily recognize supernatural power. We know that nothing less than divine wisdom could so accurately have foretold the things that are now taking place. Well, then, what but the same divine wisdom could have moved the men who wrote the historical narratives to select out of the events of hundreds of years just those things that should exactly fit when the things foretold should come to pass? Is it not clear that there is the same miracle in the one case that there is in the other?HOMI December 1891, page 269.8

Only divine wisdom can know the truth of what is taking place. Men look at things as they seem to be; God looks at them as they are. That in the Bible we have the exact truth concerning the things of the past, is shown by the fact that the record exactly fits the cases of all men in all times. The history was written by One who knows the heart of man and man’s needs. And no one but God could select, out of the multitudes of events, the things that cover every case, and not have a single unnecessary thing.HOMI December 1891, page 269.9

Inasmuch as divine wisdom and power are infinitely above human comprehension, we cannot compare miracles so as to tell which are greatest, and which are the least. The least of them, if there be any least, is infinite, but all infinities are equal to finite minds. So of the miracle of inspiration: we may not compare different portions of the Scriptures, and say that this required less of the power of the Spirit than that; for “who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?” Romans 11:34. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” It all came from the same Spirit of God. Therefore no man can any more compare or contrast two portions of Scripture than he can fathom the mind of God.HOMI December 1891, page 269.10

So we see that the spirit of prophecy is in all the revelation of God, from the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of the book of Revelation. Sacred history is prophecy. Since the world began, God has been speaking by the mouth of his holy prophets (Luke 1:70), and it was the prophets that wrote the history. It was the Spirit of Christ that was in the prophets. 1 Peter 1:11. Thus it was all “the testimony of Jesus;” and “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”HOMI December 1891, page 270.1

E. J. W.

November 1891