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May 26 The Gift of Prophecy
Prophecy Misapplied
“The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy
against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them
that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus
saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own
spirit, and have seen nothing!” (Ezekiel 13:1–3).
The hardest task I ever had to do in this line [of speaking plainly
to those who were leading away from right paths] was in dealing
with one who, I knew, wanted to follow the Lord. For some time he
had thought he was obtaining new light. He was very ill, and must
soon die. And oh, how my heart hoped he would not make it necessary
for me to tell him just what he was doing. Those to whom he presented
his views listened to him eagerly, and some thought him
inspired. He had a chart made, and reasoned from the Scriptures to
show that the Lord would come at a certain date, in 1894, I think. To
many his reasoning seemed to be without a flaw. They told of his
powerful exhortations in his sickroom. Most wonderful views passed
before him. But what was the source of his inspiration? It was the
morphine given him to relieve his pain. . . .
The word of the Lord to me was, “This is not truth, but will lead
into strange paths, and some will become confused over this representation,
and will give up the faith.”. . .
No one has a true message fixing the time when Christ is to come
or not to come. Be assured that God gives no one authority to say that
Christ delays His coming five years, ten years, or twenty years. “Be ye
also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh”
(Matthew 24:44). This is our message, the very message that the three
angels flying in the midst of heaven are proclaiming. 47
Again and again have I been warned in regard to time setting.
There will never again be a message for the people of God that will be
based on time. We are not to know the definite time either for the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit or for the coming of Christ. 48
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