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A Prophet Among You - Contents
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    The Prophet’s Relation to His Message

    Since the message was not the prophet’s own, it was not his to say what should be done with it when he had received it. There were times—no doubt many times—when the prophet did not understand the significance of the message entrusted to him. Particularly was this true when the communication contained predictions of future events. For instance, the Old Testament records hundreds of predictions pointing to the first and second advents of Christ. We have not yet seen the fulfillment of all of these, and we cannot fully understand any particular one of them until it has been fulfilled. It is possible that the picture flashed before the eyes of the prophet enabled him to grasp more fully than we can the meaning of some of the prophecies, but in speaking of the great objective of our faith, that is, the salvation of our souls, Peter says, “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” 1 Peter 1:10, 11. The prophets were students of their own prophecies in order that they might grasp all that it was possible for them to know at the time; but failure to understand a message did not excuse them from delivering it as God instructed them to do.APAY 65.2

    Again, there were occasions when the prophet was certain in his own mind that the people would reject the word that he was to bring to them. But the acceptance or the rejection of the message was not his responsibility. It was his duty to deliver the communication and leave the results with the Lord. When the Lord commissioned Ezekiel for his work, He gave as one of His reasons for sending the prophet to Israel, “For they are impudent children and stiff hearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, ... yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words.... And thou shalt speak My words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house.” Ezekiel 2:4-8. The attitude of the people constituted no excuse for the prophet to withhold his message.APAY 66.1

    On occasion the prophet was instructed exactly where he should go to deliver his message. “Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Jeremiah 26:2. Note that the prophet is instructed to give the complete message. To Jonah the word was, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it.” Jonah 1:2. Isaiah was instructed, “Go forth now to meet Ahaz; ... and say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted.” Isaiah 7:3, 4.APAY 66.2

    The Lord knew what He wanted done with the messages He sent. The prophets could not see the results of the delivery of these communications except as the Lord revealed them. Unaware, as they were many times, of the real significance of the words they were to deliver, their complete confidence in the One who had called them to the prophetic office is demonstrated repeatedly. They occupied places of prominence in the nation, for thousands of persons became aware of their words. Only a clear recognition of the fact that the messages were not their own, and a boundless confidence in their Author, could have given men the courage to stand before their own kings and before foreign rulers to proclaim the word of the Lord. Many of the proclamations were not complimentary and were likely to antagonize the listener against the prophet. A message of encouragement in the days of the restoration after the Babylonian Captivity summarizes well the relation of the prophet to his message: “Then spake Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.” Haggai 1:13. (Italics supplied.)APAY 66.3

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