INTRODUCTION: In the beginning, God surrounded man with evidences of His love. There was nothing lacking that could contribute to man’s happiness or well-being that had not been supplied. But man rejected all evidences of God’s love for him and chose to follow the tempter instead. This choice placed man in a state of rebellion against God and God could no longer talk directly with man. 1. How did God communicate with man in the Garden of Eden? Genesis 3:9 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 2. What effect did sin have on this relationship with man? Isaiah 59:2, Psalm 66:18 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 3. Why does sin separate us from God? Deuteronomy 4:23-24, Isaiah 33:14; Hebrews 12:29 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 4. What new means of communication did God open up to reveal His will to man? Hebrews 1:1, Hosea 12:10 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 5. What has God promised regarding His dealing with the human race? Amos 3:7 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 6. When God called Israel out of bondage to establish His covenant with them, through what instrument did He work? Hosea 12:13, Deuteronomy 18:18 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 7. Throughout the course of Israel’s history, what was generally the response of the people to these messages? Jeremiah 7:25-26, 2Chronicles 36:16 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: As they continually despised and rejected God’s messages, they became blind to the great truth of salvation from sin by a coming Saviour as prophesied in the sanctuary service. The words of the prophets were not comprehended. Therefore God ceased to speak through the prophets after about 400 B.C. (See Lamentations 2:9; Jeremiah 20:3, 12-16) Only with the coming of a greater light – the coming of Christ – was there hope.) 8. Who appeared just prior to Christ’s first coming? Luke 1:57, 63, Matthew 3:1-3 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 9. What two people confirmed Christ’s divine origin at birth? Luke 2:25-27; 36-38 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 10. By what name did Jesus refer to John the Baptist? Matthew 11:13-15 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 11. How did Jesus describe the work of John? Luke 7:26-28, Matthew 11:11 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 12. Was John the Baptist really Elijah? John 1:19-21 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 13. Elijah, like John the Baptist, did not write a book of the Bible. He was what was known as a “reformation” prophet, sent to bring the people back to the true worship of God. What was Elijah’s message? 1Kings 18:21 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 14. What had Israel forsaken that demanded a reformation? 1Kings 18:18 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 15. For what reason did Christ give His church the gift of prophecy? Ephesians 4:11-12 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 16. How long has God promised to continue sending prophets to His people? Ephesians 4:13 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: Unfortunately, the church has not yet come to the fullness of Christ, that is yet in the future. 17. What is the work of a prophet? 1Corinthians 14:3 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: The work of a prophet involves much more than the revealing of future events. 18. Besides men, upon whom else did this gift come in the New Testament? Acts 21:8-9 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 19. In what order of importance does Paul list this gift of prophecy? 1Corinthians 12:28 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 20. How did Paul instruct the believers in Thessalonica to regard prophesying? 1Thessalonians 5:20-21 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: Very soon following the establishment of the Christian church, all direct inspiration and prophesying appeared to cease. In studying the writings of the church fathers from the generation after the passing of the apostles, one is amazed at the inferior quality of the later works. These writings attempt to explain the mystery of the gospel through Greek philosophy; this attempt was described as foolishness by Paul. See 1 Corinthians 1:18-20; 3:19 21. What happens in the absence of prophesying? Proverbs 29:18 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 22. Had a lack of prophesy been foretold? Amos 8:11 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 23. With the Christian world trampling on God’s Sabbath and forsaking His commandments, as Israel was doing in Elijah’s day, will God again send another trumpet-like message calling upon people to choose between God and the Beast, as Elijah called Israel to choose between God and Baal? Revelation 14:6-13, Revelation 18:1-5 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ 24. Will God thus send another “Elijah-prophet” to go along with this “Elijah” message of Revelation 14? Malachi 4:5 THE BIBLE SAYS: ______________________________________________ NOTE: Though John the Baptist partially fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi 4:5, the “great and dreadful day of the Lord” is specifically referring to the second coming of Jesus and events leading up to it, and thus will find its major fulfillment then. Another messenger of the Lord will come to do two things: (1) Prepare God’s people to give His final message to the world, and (2) To help them be ready for His second coming, as John the Baptist prepared a people for Jesus’ first coming.) The people forgot the pure teachings of Christ, and false doctrines crept into the church. An apostate church could not well use the gifts given by Christ, and they disappeared from view. But the Scriptures reveal that there will be seen again the prophetic gift at the end of this world’s history. The subject of prophecy is important for us today, for God will not do anything that affects our welfare unless He reveals it through the prophetic gift Amos 3:7. How do you view prophecy? Do you believe that God can or will use a prophet to reveal His actions or desires for the church? MY RESPONSE TO CHRIST IS: □ YES □ UNDECIDED Email us at: admin@thebiblesays.net