Revelation Past Present and Future
It is at once unreasonable, and directly contrary to our conception of the unchangeable justice of God, to believe that He will bless the Church in one dispensation with a present living revelation of His will and in another leave the Church, to which He gives His name, to live as best it may according to the laws of a bygone age. True, through apostasy the authority of the Priesthood may have been taken from the earth for a season, leaving the people in a condition of darkness with the windows of heaven shut against them; but at such times God has recognized no earthly Church as His own, nor any prophet to declare with authority "Thus saith the Lord."
In support of the doctrine that revelation especially adapted to existing conditions is characteristic of God’s dealings, we have the fact of laws having been ordained, and subsequently repealed when a more advanced stage of the divine plan had been reached. Thus, the law of Moses was strictly binding upon Israel from the time of the exodus to that of Christ’s ministry; but its repeal was declared by the Savior Himself, and a higher law than that of carnal commandments, which had been given because of transgression, was instituted in its stead.
From the scriptures cited, and from numerous other assurances of holy writ, it is evident that revelation from God to man has been a vital characteristic of the living Church. It is equally plain that revelation is essential to the existence of the Church in an organized state on the earth. If to have authority to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances of the same a man must be called of God, "by prophecy" it is evident that in the absence of direct revelation the Church would be left without authorized officers, and in consequence would become extinct. The prophets and patriarchs of old, the judges, the priests, and every authorized servant from Adam to Malachi, were called by direct revelation manifested through the special word of prophecy. This was true also of John the Baptist, of the apostles, and of lesser officers of the Church, as long as an organization recognized of God remained on the earth. Without the gift of continual revelation there can be no authorized ministry on the earth; and without officers duly commissioned there can be no Church of Christ.
Revelation is essential to the Church, not only for the proper calling and ordination of its ministers but also that the officers so chosen may be guided in their administrations-to teach with authority the doctrines of salvation, to admonish, to encourage, and if necessary to reprove the people, and to declare unto them by prophecy the purposes and will of God respecting the Church, present and future. The promise of salvation is not limited by time, place, or persons. So taught Peter on Pentecost day, assuring the multitude of their eligibility to blessing: "For the promise is unto you," said he, "and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Salvation, with all the gifts of God, was of old for Jew and Greek alike; the same Lord over all, rich unto those who would call upon Him, without difference.
Alleged Objections in Scripture-The opponents of the doctrine of continual revelation quote, with gross perversion of meaning, certain scriptural passages to sustain their heresy; among such scriptures are the following. The words of John with which he approaches the conclusion of his book are these: "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." To apply these sayings to the Bible as it was afterward compiled is wholly unjustified, for John did not write his book as the concluding section of any such compilation of the scriptures as we now possess in our Bible. John had reference to his own prophecies, which, having come to him by revelation, were sacred; and to alter such, by omission or addition, would be to modify the words of God. The sin of altering any other part of the revealed word would be equally great. Moreover, in this oft-quoted passage, no intimation is given that the Lord may not add to or take from the word therein revealed; the declaration is that no man may change the record and escape the penalty. A similar injunction against altering the message of divine command was uttered by Moses, over fifteen centuries before the date of John’s writing, and with a similarly restricted application.
Another alleged objection to modern revelation is offered in Paul’s words to Timothy, regarding the scriptures "which are able to make thee wise unto salvation," and which are "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." The remarks of the apostle to the elders of Ephesus are quoted with the same intent: "Ye know * * * how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house * * * For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." It is argued that if the scriptures known to Timothy were all-sufficient to make him "wise unto salvation," and the man of God "perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works," the same scriptures are sufficient for all men to the end of time; and that if the doctrines preached to the Ephesian elders represented "all the counsel of God," no further counsel is to be expected. In reply, it is perhaps sufficient to say that the objectors to continued revelation who defend their unscriptural position by strained interpretation of such passages, if consistent, would be compelled to reject all revelation given through the apostles after the date of Paul’s utterances, including even the Revelation of John.
Equally inconsistent is the assertion that Christ’s dying exclamation "It is finished" meant that revelation was at an end; for we find the same Jesus afterward revealing Himself, as the resurrected Lord, promising the apostles further revelation, and assuring them that He would be with them even unto the end. Moreover, were the words of the Crucified One susceptible of any such intent, the apostles, who taught as they were directly and specifically led by revelation as long as they lived, must be classed as impostors.
To justify the anathema with which the opponents of modern revelation seek to persecute those who believe in the continual flow of God’s word to His Church, the following prophecy of Zechariah is quoted: "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered; and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied." The day here spoken of appears to be yet future, for the idols and the unclean spirits still have influence; and, moreover, the fact that the prophets here spoken of are false ones is shown by Zechariah’s associating them with idols and unclean spirits.
Such attempts to refute the doctrine of continued revelation as have been made on the authority of the foregoing scriptures are pitiably futile; they carry their own refutation, and leave untouched the truth that belief in current revelation is wholly reasonable and strictly scriptural.
Latter-day Revelation-In the light of our knowledge concerning the continuity of revelation as an essential characteristic of the Church, it is as reasonable to look for new revelation today as to believe in the actuality of the gift during ancient times. "Where there is no vision, the people perish" was declared of old; and it is proper to include with vision, revelation also, since the latter gift is often manifested through dreams and visions. Nevertheless, in spite of abundant and most explicit testimony of scripture, so-called Christian sects of the day are practically a unit in declaring that direct revelation ceased with the apostles or even before their time; that further communication from the heavens is unnecessary; and that to expect such is unscriptural. In assuming this position the discordant sects of the day are but following the path that was trodden by unbelievers in earlier times. The recreant Jews rejected the Savior because He came to them with a new revelation. Had they not Moses and the prophets to guide them, and what more could they need? They openly boasted: "We are Moses’ disciples" and added: "We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is."
The scriptures, far from asserting a cessation of revelation in latter times, expressly declare the restoration and latter-day operation of that gift. John foresaw the bringing anew of the Gospel in the last days, through angelic ministration; and having seen in vision what was then future, he voiced the prediction in the past tense as though already accomplished: "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." He knew further that the voice of God would be heard in the last days, calling His people from Babylon to a place of safety: "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
The Book of Mormon is not less explicit in declaring that direct revelation shall abide as a blessing upon the Church in the latter days. Note the prophecy given through Ether the Jaredite; the context shows that the time spoken of is that of the last dispensation: "And in that day that they [the Gentiles] shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are. * * * But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record."
Lehi, instructing his sons, quoted a prophecy of Joseph the son of Jacob, which is not recorded in the Bible; it has special reference to the work of Joseph the modern prophet: "Yea, Joseph truly said: thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers."
Nephi, son of Lehi, spoke by prophecy of the last days, in which the Gentiles should receive a testimony of Christ with many signs and wondrous manifestations: "He manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith. But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last days; concerning the days when the Lord God shall bring these things forth unto the children of men."
The same prophet, apostrophizing with warning words the unbelievers of the last days, predicted the coming forth of additional scriptures: "And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered. And behold the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof."
The Savior, addressing the Nephites, repeated the prediction of Malachi concerning the revelation to be given through Elijah, before the day of the Lord’s second coming: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
By revelation in the present day the Lord has confirmed and fulfilled His earlier promises, and has specifically rebuked those who would close His mouth and estrange His people from Him. His voice is heard today, "proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old; Thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever."
Revelation Yet Future-In view of the demonstrated facts that revelation between God and man has ever been and is a characteristic of the Church of Jesus Christ, it is reasonable to await with confident expectation the coming of other messages from heaven, even until the end of man’s probation on earth. The Church is, and shall continue to be, as truly founded on the rock of revelation as it was in the day of Christ’s prophetic blessing upon Peter, who through this gift of God was able to testify of his Lord’s divinity. Current revelation is equally plain with that of former days in predicting the yet future manifestations of God through this appointed channel. The canon of scripture is still open; many lines, many precepts, are yet to be added; revelation, surpassing in importance and glorious fulness any that has been recorded, is yet to be given to the Church and declared to the world.
What justification or pretense of consistency can man claim for denying the power and purposes of God to reveal Himself and His will in these days as He assuredly did in former times? In every department of human knowledge and activity, in everything for which man arrogates glory to himself, he prides himself in the possibilities of enlargement and growth; yet in the divine science of theology he holds that progress is impossible and advancement forbidden. Against such heresy and blasphemous denial of divine prerogatives and power, God has proclaimed His edict in words of piercing import: "Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!" "Deny not the spirit of revelation, nor the spirit of prophecy, for wo unto him that denieth these things."