"HOW WILL IT BE WHEN NONE MORE SAITH 'I SAW'?"

I entitled my last post, "A Christian Religion?"  It is a comparison of differing interpretations of Biblical scripture.  In my last sentence I noted prophets existed anciently, and alluded to the fact that it would be nice if they existed today to clear up some of the many conflicting passages contained in the Bible.

This article is a summary of one written by Hugh Nibley, with the same title.  Although some syntax will be mine, I take no credit for any of the material presented other than the last few paragraphs.  This material can be found in a book called, "The World And The Prophets," first published in 1954.

As an effort to understand the mood of the Church after the passing of the Apostles, the poet Browning wrote, "A Death in the Desert."  He describes the passing of John, the last of the witnesses.  This passing left the Christians with an overpowering sense of loss - without a real prophet they are no better than other men;... without an eyewitness, there could be no final certainty.

The first few lines of the poem read:

Still, when they scatter, there is left on earth
No one alive who knew (consider this!)
-Saw with his eyes and handled with his hands
That which was from the first, the Word of Life.
How will it be when none more saith "I saw"?

Speaking of heavenly things, Justin Martyr wrote to the Greeks;

"Neither by nature nor by any human skill, is it possible for men to know such high and holy things; but only by a gift that descends from above upon holy men from time to time."  "Such is the nature of the prophetic gift."  Notice that man cannot claim this gift,  but it is given only by God when it pleases Him.

Some 150 years after Christ, the early Christians felt that without this gift of direct revelation from heaven,... they would be no better than the heathen- well meaning, but bankrupt.  Justin went on to show how this gift passed from the Jews to the Christians, and was the boast and glory of the Church.

Some eighty years later, Origen used the same argument, however by this time there were now only "traces" of the gift remaining.  For Origen, the possession of prophets and wonders is what proved a divine church.

But must the church always have living prophets in its midst?  The answer is clear enough in these few passages.  The true church must and will always have living prophets.  But that is unwelcome news to the world!

A dead prophet the world dearly desires and warmly cherishes; he is a priceless tradition, a spiritual heritage, a beautiful memory.  But woe to a living prophet!  He shall be greeted with stones and catcalls even by pious people.  Remember, the men who put the Apostles to death thought they were doing God a favor!  (Luke 11:47-48)  We adorn the tombs of the prophets, but would kill them if they were alive!

John the Baptist paved the way for Christ.  Few believed or followed him.  Jesus Christ came to redeem men and save their souls.  Few believed or followed him.

Many people believe that had they lived in the time of Christ, they would have followed Him, but  how would they know who he was?  If he came today, or sent a prophet, how would we respond?  Matthew refers to this in 13:55.  Remember, He was to His contemporaries just the carpenter's son!

Neither man nor God has really changed much in the past two millennia.  Jesus said he would come again.  If He remains true to form, He will send a prophet to pave the way as he did in the meridian of time.  How many will believe?  How many will recognize a prophet?  Has this already happened?

In the spring of 1820, Joseph Smith claimed God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him.  As with John, Jesus Christ, and the Apostles, Joseph Smith was vilified, persecuted, and murdered for his beliefs.  Was he a false prophet?  Was he a true prophet?  Given the enormity of his claim, it is probably worth taking a serious look!