By Julio Cesar Prado
“For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” Isaiah 60:2.
Many will remember the tremendous power outages that struck the eastern United States a few years ago. The most extensive one occurred on November 9 and 10, 1965, in Ontario, Canada. Seven northeastern states, including New York City, were plunged into the deepest darkness for hours. The phenomenon affected thirty million people and covered a surface area of 130,000 km2.
The same thing happened in New York City on July 13, 1967, when lightning struck a power plant, cutting all its lights and paralyzing the city for more than 24 hours. Thousands of people have been locked in the metropolis subway. Thousands more took to the street, broke windows, and set fires. More than 2,800 individuals were jailed, and the value of the stolen items was estimated at millions of dollars.
It’s very hard to imagine what happens in a situation you’ve never experienced. Elevators are stuck between floors, electrical equipment stops working, water purification facilities stall, cooling systems stop working, food decomposes, clocks stop, and emergency lights in hospitals run nonstop. It was as if New York had gone back to the beginning, in the days of creation when “the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:2).
New York only suffered a temporary loss of light, a lack of electricity, but the Bible describes a soul-destroying, catastrophic, spiritual darkness that will happen when people on earth show little regard for righteousness, truth, virtue, and faith and when people invalidate God’s commandments.
There are greater sources of spiritual light for our world. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalms 119:105). “O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.” (Psalms 43:3). “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.” (Proverbs 6:23). When men turn their backs on the revelations of God and the light that is contained in His law and the Bible, then surely darkness will cover the earth and dense darkness will cover the nations.
In order to secure additional light in these days of apocalyptic darkness, God has sent His people a special, safe light. “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2). The inspired light that God has given to His people is the Spirit of Prophecy. God had promised that the prophetic voice would be heard again among His people. “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: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28, 29). This prophecy must have its fulfillment “before the great and terrible day of the Lord come” (Joel 2:31). This gift has already arrived!
Many are familiar with Revelation 12:17, 19:10, and 22:9. According to these texts, we can conclude that the identifying marks of the church of the last days will be that they “keep the commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ.” The Testimony of Jesus Christ is the Spirit of Prophecy. Just like the Bible prophets, Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist church, was also given light in the midst of the darkness of these last days.
“Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chronicles 20:20.
0
0
0
There’s a question that frequently comes to my mind.
Throughout history, God has called prophets. At every crucial moment in the timeline of his people, a living prophet gave God’s words to those that would listen. This goes back to Adam, continued with Enoch, Noah at the time of the flood, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses at the time of the exodus… the list goes on and on to include Samuel, Elijah, all the “major” and “minor” prophets, John the Baptist, Stephen, Philip, John the Revelator and many more. Each was called at a moment when God’s people were about to face a stupendous crossroads. Without fail, each one had a message that is even more applicable now at the time of the end than at their own time.
Now the question… how can it be that just prior to the end of all things, the time to which all prophecies of scripture point, the time of the greatest tribulation ever known to mankind, that there would be no living prophet to convey God’s word to his people? I do not deny the value of the writings of Ellen G. White. She was inspired by the same Spirit that moved John the beloved to write the Revelation of Jesus Christ. I do not deny that we have already been given all we need between her writings and the volume of Scripture. Yet, God has always sent his messengers just prior to the time of great peril to his people so that they might hear the instruction necessary for their salvation, otherwise, all we would have would be the writings of Moses. Would you be receptive to someone claiming to have a message from God? Would I be able to put aside the doubt that has been implanted in my mind by so many false prophets which Satan has propped up claiming to be messengers from God, and simply weigh their words carefully and honestly to see it agrees with Scripture? What if the message rubs us the wrong way, as it frequently has throughout history when God sends his prophets? Would our pride prevent us from accepting a cutting truth that shows us we are on the wrong path (again, as has been almost universally the case throughout history)?
While this is a question for which I would like to get some responses from my fellow Advent Messenger brethren, I will confess that I am already convinced that there will yet be a living prophet(s), and that the message will be every bit as much from God as was Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost. The issue as I see it is to be ready to accept that message… because we’re not going to like it.
Brother in Christ to your reply , may God spirit lead as you study this word below. God bless
The Faith I Live By
HomeEGW WritingsDevotionalsThe Faith I Live By
286/367
Previous Next
Elijah and the Modern Church, October 11
Truths That Stand Out
God had promised that the prophetic voice would be heard again among His people. “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: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28, 29). This prophecy must have its fulfillment “before the great and terrible day of the Lord come” (Joel 2:31). This gift has already arrived!
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Malachi 4:5, 6.
The closing words of Malachi are a prophecy regarding the work that should be done preparatory to the first and the second advent of Christ.39The Southern Watchman, March 21, 1905.
Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent.40Testimonies for the Church 3:62.
Our message must be as direct as was that of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding the peril his life was in, he never allowed truth to languish on his lips….
In this time of well-nigh universal apostasy, God calls upon His messengers to proclaim His law in the spirit and power of Elias. As John the Baptist, in preparing a people for Christ’s first advent, called their attention to the Ten Commandments, so we are to give, with no uncertain sound, the message: “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” With the earnestness that characterized Elijah the prophet and John the Baptist, we are to strive to prepare the way for Christ’s second advent.41SDA Bible Commentary 4:1184.
The hour of God’s judgment has come, and upon the members of His church on earth rests the solemn responsibility of giving warning to those who are standing as it were on the very brink of eternal ruin.42Prophets and Kings, 716.
All can do something in the work. None will be pronounced guiltless before God unless they have worked earnestly and unselfishly for the salvation of souls.43Testimonies for the Church 5:395.
Your duty cannot be shifted upon another. No one but yourself can do your work. If you withhold your light, someone must be left in darkness through your neglect.44Testimonies for the Church 5:464.
The Lord has a place for everyone in His great plan.45Testimonies for the Church 9:37.
Thank you sister. Your post is a blessing.
I believe that the Lord will have his army of 144,000 prophets who will give the last message of warning to a perishing world. I believe that each one of us today has a responsibility as watchmen and must not hold our peace day nor night. Yet, I wonder, is there not to be a singular voice, like that of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Elijah, John the Baptist, etc. that will rightfully be able to say the words: Hear, oh house of Seventh-day Adventists, the word of the Lord…? It is so evident that this house has fallen into base idolatry. God sees it better than we do. Should those of us that are sighing and crying not expect a voice to declare “thus sayeth the Lord” as God has always provided? Surely, He will not do a new thing by keeping silent. Brother Roman is giving the trumpet a certain sound through this website, but even though he may have received this commission from God, I have not heard him say or seen him write that he had a message from God to give to the SDA denomination.
My question might be asked more succinctly as, where is the living Spirit of Prophecy today, or even in our lifetimes? If it is to be manifest to a greater degree and in greater power than ever before just prior to the end, then it stands to reason that it should be visible and audible between Sister White and the 144,000. I desire to find it that I might better understand God’s purpose and live according to his will.
Psalm 119:126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.
I believe the answer to this dilemma can be found in a few passages of Scripture:
Lamentations 2:9 KJV – Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.
Proverbs 29:18 KJV – Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Ezekiel 7:26 KJV – Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.
Revelation 12:17 KJV – And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
—————–
The Bible shows that there is a close connection between the visions that prophets receive and the law of God (the above verses). When God’s people disobey him and follow their own ways (Psalm 82:11-12), he does not send them prophets or visions. This is because he would be giving them guidance that they have already rejected. However, God does sometimes in love and compassion send prophets to warn his people, even if they have been disobedient. But eventually, he stops warning them, because he respects their free will (Genesis 6:3).
I believe that this is why God has not sent another living prophet to warn his people in our time. We may not know what is happening on a global scale, but we don’t IF God is already doing this on a much smaller scale, among the obedient.
Furthermore, in Amos 4:6-13, we see a basic principle that God uses in Scripture with His people: the idea that He’ll operate normally in certain areas and not others. Have a read as it’s quite eye-opening!
2 Corinthians 3:2 “Ye are are epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.” What message are you portraying? Matthew 5:14-16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Are you an angel of light glorifying your Father in heaven?
Louvado seja o Senhor por esta mensagem.
Amen!
Thanks for the complete information. You helped me.