Frenchy:
First, as you remember, Amos 3:7 says, Jehovah has to "reveal" His "confidential matters" to those of His "Intimate Group," the "prophets", always, according to His Timetable.
In turn, those of His "Intimate Group" are the first to hear (or understand) God's Word, as revealed by Jehovah Himself...
"For who has stood in the intimate group of Jehovah that he might see and hear his word? Who has given attention to his word that he might hear it?" -- (Jer. 23:18)
This is the Divine Pattern:
Jehovah gives understanding to
(a) Jesus, or "Intimate Group", (and/or prophet/channel) then,
(b) Prophet/channel gives understanding to people with questions.
This is the Divine Pattern.
Jesus promised us:
"The spirit of truth would guide us into ALL TRUTH" and would "declare the things coming," or put more plainly....it [the inspired source] would tell us (declare to us) the future (things coming.) -- John 16:13
So, if someone in our day, could accurately predict the future, tell us accurately what the future would bring, in effect, "declare the things coming," to us, with complete accuracy...not one or two times, but repeatedly, accurately, they would have to be considered an "inspired" source of information, inspired of God, based upon the information Jesus left for us to follow, in the above verses.
Those are the real guidelines that Jesus left for us to look for in this "inspired" source. He would only need to be able to tell the "things coming," but not necessarily to do anything else, like raise the dead, walk upon water, turn water into wine, and so on. Only predict the future, accurately...tell us the "things coming," correctly "INTERPRET PROPHECY," accurately.
These would be his "credentials": INTERPRET PROPHECY ACCURATELY.
Also, he would possess, A Superior Knowledge of Scripture, a complete "knowledge of truth." A whole understanding of God's Word, in a complete fashion. He would have the "complete picture," the "truth," "all of the truth." Jehovah would have revealed this to him.
Again, this is what Jesus promised would take place in our day. This same source, would "guide us into ALL TRUTH," too...the same source...an inspired source. He would possess "ALL TRUTH," being able to "guide us," into "ALL TRUTH," in our day. -- John 16:13
1 Cor. 12:10 speaks of the "gifts of the spirit," one of them being:
the unique ability to "discern inspired utterances."
This is the ability to, correctly interpret prophecy, as Jesus did. This unique ability then, always calls for inspiration from God, a "gift of the spirit," for one to be able to do so. This one would be "inspired," an inspired source.
As Luke 24:27 says of Jesus:
"And commencing at Moses and all the Prophets he INTERPRETED to them things pertaining to himself in all the Scriptures."
Jesus INTERPRETED SCRIPTURE...an inspired source...explaining what the prophecies meant, accurately. He also, foretold the future, for the Jewish nation and city of Jerusalem. This modern-day source would be able to do the same for us today.
If one then, must be inspired to accomplish what has been said above, then, Jehovah, only need INSPIRE just one person, one person on this earth, to accomplish the feat, of establishing an exclusive "channel" of communication for Himself...if this is His Will of course.
If Jehovah wants only one channel of communcation...He need only to inspire one person. This then, becomes His method of selecting the one He wants to represent Himself. There would be no mystery about it, no confusion, no misunderstanding, the one that Jehovah has chosen.
He would possess the "credentials" necessary to become God's Exclusive "channel of communication."
MDS
Edited by - MDS on 20 October 2000 15:42:35