VIII. Prophetic Gift Restored in Remnant Hour

Accepting the apostle Paul’s admonition to “despise not prophesyings” (1 Thessalonians 5:30), they held that men were not to think or speak disparagingly of the prophets and their writings. Jesus Himself, the greatest prophet of all time-the one supreme, divine, and only infallible Prophet—was that Great Prophet of whom Moses wrote: “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.” (Deuteronomy 18:15.) He was frequently so recognized while on earth, and was called the “prophet of Nazareth,” “a great prophet,” “a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and the people.” (Matthew 21:11; Luke 24:19; Luke 7:16; Ephesians 4:11-14.) He revealed to man the will of God, the character of God, the love of God. He interpreted and fulfilled past prophecy; He illuminated the present; He opened the book of the future. And Holy Writ expressly states that when He ascended He “gave gifts unto men”—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers. (Ephesians 4:8, 11.) He placed the gifts of the Spirit in the church, where they were to be found among those waiting for the coming of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 12:4-10; 1:7.)PFF4 1044.2

Joel’s prophecy of an outpouring of the Spirit, to come upon all flesh (Joel 2:28)—that saw an initial fulfillment in the early church-Peter placed primarily in the “last days” (Acts 2:17), shortly before the “great and notable day of the Lord come” (Acts 2:19, 20). And the entire twelfth chapter of Revelation is, they understood, a history of the true church in her conflict with Satan, the dragon.PFF4 1044.3

They saw how the “remnant of her [the woman’s] seed”—the last period, or segment, or phase, of the church—would keep the “commandments of God” and have the “testimony of Jesus,” defined by the apostle as the “spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 12:17; 19:10.) And again the apostle couples with the “commandments of God” the inseparable “faith of Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12.) So the church of the last generation they believed to be characterized by restored obedience to the law of God blended with the faith of Jesus and the revived possession of the prophetic gift. The three were inseparable.PFF4 1045.1

1. IDENTIFYING EARMARKS OF REMNANT CHURCH

They held that these earmarks identifying the remnant church—the restoration of the “commandments of God,” the “faith of Jesus,” and the “spirit of prophecy”-were in their midst. ^{28See Introduction to Spiritual Gifts 1:15, 16.} When the church of the past had been deep in the “wilderness,” during the Dark Ages, only a whisper of the voice of the Spirit had occasionally been heard. But now, in the last days, they had confidence that the prophetic gift had been restored for the safety and guidance of the last-day church—a church built solidly on the Bible. Clues, suggestions, cautions, and early confirmations of truths that were dug directly out of the Scriptures—these were the contributions made by the Spirit of prophecy, but ever and only regarded as not replacing but pointing to and magnifying the Word. So they went on with greater assurance in open-minded study of the Bible. They walked in advancing light, ever alert for more light and truth, just as James White had written in 1847:PFF4 1045.2

“As we travel onward toward the Holy City, our burning lamps discover new objects: but we cannot see all at once. If we reject a little light, because we cannot see the whole clearly at once, it will displease our heavenly leader; and we shall be left in the dark. But if we cherish the light, as fast as it is our Lord’s will to open it to us, he will increase the light; and our souls will feast upon the opening truths of the blessed bible.” ^{29James White, A Word to the “Little Flock,” p. 6.}PFF4 1045.3

And theirs was a spiritual, Christ-centered emphasis. Vital godliness and the grace of Christ, in good balance, went hand in hand with doctrinal truth. Thus White again said:PFF4 1046.1

“It is no small thing to be a Christian. We must be pure in life and conversation here in time, if we would enter the Holy City.PFF4 1046.2

“The keeping of the fourth commandment is all-important present truth; but this alone, will not save any one. We must keep all ten of the commandments, and strictly follow all the directions of the New Testament, and have living active faith in Jesus. Those who would be found ready to enter the saint’s rest, at the appearing of Christ, must live wholly, WHOLLY for Jesus now.” ^{30James White, Letter in Present Truth, July, 1849, p. 6.}PFF4 1046.3

2. RELATIONSHIP OF BIBLE STUDY AND SPIRIT OF PROPHECY

Joseph Bates, James White, Hiram Edson, Stephen Pierce, ^{31STEPHEN PIERCE (1804-1883) was born in Vermont, residing later in Minneapolis and Iowa. A man of genuine piety and humility, he was an able Bible expositor and rose to the presidency of the Vermont and Minnesota conferences, and was corresponding editor of the Review and Herald. He was ever a friend of the poor and suffering. (A. D. Olsen, obituary in Review and Herald, Oct. 9, 1883, p. 637.)} and others such as J. N. Andrews, “searched for truth as for hidden treasure.” Ellen White often met with them. Here is her description of the Spirit of that quest:PFF4 1046.4

“Of ten we remained together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night, praying for light and studying the word. Again and again these brethren came together to study the Bible, in order that they might know its meaning.” ^{32E. G. White, Testimonies for the Church Containing Letters to Physicians and Ministers Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, 57.}PFF4 1046.5

One description of the form and process of study in those early days, reads:PFF4 1046.6

“We had to search and wait the opening of truth, receiving a ray of light here and a ray there, laboring and pleading for God to reveal truth to us. But now the truth is plain; its rays are brought together. The blazing light of truth when it is presented as it should be can be now seen and brought to bear upon the heart.” ^{33E. G. White, Ms. 3, 1854; quoted in Arthur L. White, Prophetic Guidance in Early Days, p. 15.}PFF4 1046.7

Throughout this entire time of intense searching, the Spirit of prophecy was a help-but only a help. No doctrine or interpretation of prophecy was initially discovered or disclosed 2through the Spirit of prophecy. The doctrines of the Sabbatarians were all founded upon Holy Scripture, so that theirs 3was a truly Protestant platform. James White had expressly J?stated this in 1847: “The bible is a perfect, and complete revelation. It is our only rule of faith and practice.” ^{34James White, A Word to the “Little Flock,” p. 13.}PFF4 1046.8

Of the relationship of the Spirit of prophecy thereto, Ellen White herself, after commending “the Word of God as the rule of your faith and practice,” said:PFF4 1047.1

“God has in that Word, promised to give visions in the ‘last days’; not for a new rule of faith, but for the comfort of His people, and to correct those who err from Bible truth.” ^{35E. G. White, Early Writings, 78.}PFF4 1047.2