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Inspiration/Revelation: What It Is and How It Works

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    Chapter 1—Definitions

    Three terms in particular need adequate working definitions as we seek to understand biblical and modern prophetism. The following definitions may be helpful:IRWHW 45.9

    1. Inspiration. Biblical, prophetic inspiration may be said to be a process by which God enables a man or woman of His special choosing both to receive and to communicate accurately, adequately, and reliably God’s messages for His people. 8Indebtedness in deriving working definitions is acknowledged to Dr. Raoul Dederen’s “Toward a Seventh-day Adventist Theology of Revelation-Inspiration,” North American Division Bible Conference Notebook, 1974, pp. 1-20.IRWHW 45.10

    One sometimes tends to say of a particular painter, author, musical composer, or performing artist, “He was inspired!” Indeed, he may have been. But it was a different kind of inspiration from that which was possessed by the prophets of God. When Paul wrote to the young ministerial intern Timothy, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16), he chose to employ the Greek term theopneustos, which is a contraction of two other Greek words Theos (God) and pneuma (breath). What he was saying, literally, was “All Scripture is God-breathed.92 Timothy 3:16. Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright © 1978 by the New York International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Italics supplied. See also The Amplified Bible.IRWHW 45.11

    While some take this to be simply a delightful literary metaphor, yet it is also true—and significant—that while the prophet experienced the physical phenomena of the trancelike vision state, God breathed, literally; the prophet did not breathe while in this condition. 10See Daniel 10:17, also a subsequent discussion of physical phenomena which follows below.IRWHW 45.12

    The prophet’s inspiration is different in kind, rather than different in degree, from any other form of inspiration.IRWHW 45.13

    The apostle Peter adds to our limited biblical store of information on inspiration by stating that the prophets—these “holy men of God”—spoke as they were “moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). The Greek term Peter employs is pheromenoi, from phero: “to carry a load, to move.” Luke employed the expression twice 11Acts 27:17, 27. in describing the action of a tempestuous wind in “driving” a sailing vessel upon which he and Paul were traveling. The implication is clear: The prophets were “moved by the Divine initiative and borne by the irresistible power of the Spirit of God along ways of His choosing to ends of His appointment.” 12International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Chicago, IL: The Howard Severance Co., 1915), 3:479, 1480.IRWHW 45.14

    2. Revelation. Biblical, special revelation, we would hold, further, to be the content of the message communicated by God to His prophet in the process of inspiration. Adventists hold this content—the prophetic message—to be infallible (inerrant), trustworthy (all sufficient, reliable), and authoritative (binding upon the Christian).IRWHW 46.1

    This concept is predicted on three corollaries:IRWHW 46.2

    a) Man is unable, through his own resources or by his own observation, to perceive certain kinds of information;

    b) God is pleased to speak; and

    c) this act takes place and unfolds within human history. 13Dederen.

    God has revealed Himself, in a limited way, in nature, which gives us glimpses of His power, His wisdom, and His glory. But nature is unable to reveal clearly God’s person, His holiness, His redeeming love, and His everlasting purposes for mankind. Thus, supernatural revelation transcends the “natural” revelation of God in nature, and consists chiefly in God’s manifesting of Himself and His will through direct intercourse with humanity. 14Ibid.IRWHW 46.3

    God speaks! In the Old Testament Jeremiah speaks for all of the prophets when he testifies that “the Lord ... touched my mouth, And ... said unto me, Behold I have put my words in thy mouth” (chap. 1:9). In the New Testament Paul assures us that the Holy Spirit “speaketh expressly” (1 Timothy 4:1). Paul continues, elsewhere, to assure us that God reveals His mysteries to the prophets by revelation, which is a progressive work; 15Ephesians 3:3-5. Paul contrasts natural knowledge with information that is revealed by the Holy Spirit. This knowledge is attainable in no other way and from no other source. 161 Corinthians 2:6-14.IRWHW 46.4

    3. Illumination. Since the implied answer to Paul’s rhetorical question, “Are all prophets?” 171 Corinthians 12:29. is negative, there remains one further task of the Holy Spirit, if those not possessed of the prophetic gift are to grasp the will of God for them.IRWHW 46.5

    Illumination may be defined as the work of that same Holy Spirit who indicated God’s message to the prophet by which He now enables the hearer or reader of the prophet’s words to comprehend the spiritual truths and discern God’s message to himself.IRWHW 46.6

    This work of the Holy Spirit is comprehended in the words of Jesus to His disciples concerning the coming of the Comforter: He will teach you all things, 18John 14:26. He will remind you of Jesus’ words (the only current source of which is the writings of the prophets!), 19Ibid. and in doing this work He will guide you into all the truth the human mind is capable of comprehending. 20John 16:13.IRWHW 46.7

    Concerning the work of this illumination, Ellen White once spoke of the three ways by which “the Lord reveals His will to us, to guide us, and to fit us to guide others”: (a) through an understanding of what inspired writers through the ages have written for our admonition, (b) through providential circumstances (signs), and (c) through the direct impression of the Holy Spirit on the individual Christian’s mind and heart. 21Testimonies for the Church 5:512.IRWHW 46.8

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