THE ‘MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY’

1. THE ‘MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY’

2. burns for the guidance of souls • “The light of prophecy still burns for the guidance of souls, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it." It shines on the pathway of the just to commend, and on the way of the unjust to lead to repentance and conversion. Through its agency sin will be rebuked and iniquity unmasked. It is progressive in the performance of its duty to reflect light on the past, the present, and the future… “We are accountable only for the light that shines upon us. The commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus are testing us…” My Life Today, 42.

3. intensely interesting prophecies • “Increased light will shine upon all the grand truths of prophecy, and they will be seen in freshness and brilliancy, because the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness will illuminate the whole… “The Lord wants to impart to us increased light. He desires that we shall have distinct revealingsof His glory, that ministers and people shall become strong in His strength. When the angel was about to unfold to Daniel the intensely interesting prophecies to be recorded for us who are to witness their fulfillment, the angel said, "Be strong, yea, be strong." We are to receive the very same glory that was revealed to Daniel, because it is for God's people in these last days, that they may give the trumpet a certain sound.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 40.

4. The first place in our minds • Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.-Rev 1:3 • “The solemn messages that have been given in their order in the Revelation are to occupy the first place in the minds of God's people.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, 302.

5. These things should engross the whole mind • “I then saw the third angel. Said my accompanying angel, ‘Fearful is his work. Awful is his mission. He is the angel that is to select the wheat from the tares, and seal, or bind, the wheat for the heavenly garner. These things should engross the whole mind, the whole attention.’” Early Writings,118.

6. present truth • Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know [them], and be established in the present truth-2Pet 1:12. • “There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is "present truth" that the flock needs now.” Early Writings, 63.

7. close and decided. • One thing will certainly be understood from the study of Revelation--that the connection between God and His people is close and decided. {TM 114.5}

8. Our greatest need.. • A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs .To seek this should be our first work.-1 SM 121 • When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart. {TM 114.3}

9. Meat or Milk • Isaiah 28:9;Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.

10. Unskilful in the word • Hebrews 5:12-14-For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

11. For ye are yet carnal • 1 Cor 3:1-And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. • 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. • 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

12. Too late to feed on milk! • If those who have been in the church for weeks and months have not learned the straightness of the way, and what it is to be Christians, and cannot hear all the straight truths of the Word of God, it were better that they were cut off from Israel. It is too late in the day to feed with milk. If souls a month or two old in the truth, who are about to enter the time of trouble such as never was, cannot hear all the straight truth, or endure the strong meat of the straightness of the way, how will they stand in the day of battle? Truths that we have been years learning must be learned in a few months by those who now embrace the Third Angel's Message. {1MR 33.4}

13. more sure word of prophecy • 2 Pet 1:16-For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. • 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. • 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. • 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

14. The foundation of Paul’s faith • As Paul preached Christ in Damascus, all who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?" Paul declared that his change of faith had not been prompted by impulse or fanaticism, but had been brought about by overwhelming evidence. In his presentation of the gospel he sought to make plain the prophecies relating to the first advent of Christ. He showed conclusively that these prophecies had been literally fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. The foundation of his faith was the sure word of prophecy. {AA 124.3}

15. precious utterances of prophecy • Anna also, a prophetess, came in and confirmed Simeon's testimony concerning Christ. As Simeon spoke, her face lighted up with the glory of God, and she poured out her heartfelt thanks that she had been permitted to behold Christ the Lord. {DA 55.4} • These humble worshipers had not studied the prophecies in vain. But those who held positions as rulers and priests in Israel, though they too had before them the precious utterances of prophecy, were not walking in the way of the Lord, and their eyes were not open to behold the Light of life. {DA 55.5}

16. The disappointed disciples.. • Luke 24: 25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: • 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? • 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

17. The foundation of the disciples faith • Beginning at Moses, the very Alpha of Bible history, Christ expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Had He first made Himself known to them, their hearts would have been satisfied. In the fullness of their joy they would have hungered for nothing more. But it was necessary for them to understand the witness borne to Him by the types and prophecies of the Old Testament. Upon these their faith must be established. Christ performed no miracle to convince them, but it was His first work to explain the Scriptures. They had looked upon His death as the destruction of all their hopes. Now He showed from the prophets that this was the very strongest evidence for their faith. {DA 796.4}

18. foundation of the faith of Seventh-day Adventists. • Ministers should present the sure word of prophecy as the foundation of the faith of Seventh-day Adventists. The prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation should be carefully studied, and in connection with them the words, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." {Ev 196.2} • .. Let our ministers and teachers explain these prophecies to those whom they instruct. Let them leave out of their discourses matters of minor consequence, and present the truths that will decide the destiny of souls.--Gospel Workers, p. 148. (1915) {Ev 196.3}

19. things new and old • Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe [which is] instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure [things] new and old. Mathew 13:52 • To those who truly love God the Holy Spirit will reveal truths that have faded from the mind, and will also reveal truths that are entirely new. Those who eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God will bring from the books of Daniel and Revelation truth that is inspired by the Holy Spirit. They will start into action forces that cannot be repressed. The lips of children will be opened to proclaim the mysteries that have been hidden from the minds of men. {FE 473.2}