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Lesson 10, Prophetic Authority and Relevance, opens with a famous mistake. In 1989 an East German spokesman named Gunter Schabowski answered a question at a televised press conference, and his unclear announcement about travel sent crowds rushing to the Berlin Wall. A spokesman's words carry weight, and a misspoken word can change history. So what authority does anyone have to speak for God? Sunday begins with Moses, who had to learn to trust God before he could speak for Him. Monday looks at the authority of Jesus, and Tuesday at the authority of the Bible itself. Wednesday shows how the prophetic gift guided God's people in organizing for life and mission. The second half of the week answers the question for those prophets who wrote no book of the Bible. Thursday explains that canonical and noncanonical prophets were equally inspired, and that all prophets submit to Scripture. Friday applies that to Ellen White, whose messages Adventists regard as relevant and authoritative but never as an addition to the Bible or equal to it. The thread through the week is that authority belongs to God, and every messenger, ancient or modern, is only as valuable as the faithfulness with which they carry His word. Mediating God's Authority Choosing a spokesperson takes trust in that person's faithfulness to the one who sent them. Moses spent forty years in Egypt's schools and forty more as a shepherd in the wilderness. He had to unlearn much of his training as a prince and come to know God before he could speak for Him. At the burning bush he argued that he could not speak well, and God answered patiently, sending Aaron as a helper (Exod. 4:10-16). But Moses' fear had turned into unbelief, a doubt that God could use him, so God also gave a direct command. God works patiently with the weaknesses of those He calls, and He still helps His messengers deliver their messages. The Authority of Jesus When the priests challenged Jesus' authority, He answered with a question about John the Baptist's ministry (Matt. 21:23-27). If they rejected John's divine authority, they were rejecting His too. Jesus' authority came from who He is, the Creator and the Savior, and it could be neither copied nor claimed. He forgave sins, cast out demons, read the secrets of people's hearts, raised the dead, and gave eternal life, and yet He depended on the Father and pointed to Scripture as testifying about Him. He also shared His authority with His disciples (Luke 9:1). Why did so many reject Him despite all the evidence? We need to ask ourselves the same question, and be careful not to repeat their unbelief. Biblical Authority The Bible reveals the meaning of life, the character of God, and His purpose for us. It is the standard for faith and practice. People reject it in different ways. King Jehoiakim cut up Jeremiah's scroll and burned it (Jer. 36:22-27), and others ignore the Bible while claiming to believe it. When King Josiah heard the Word of God, he was changed (2 Kings 22:10-13). In Acts 16, the Word spoken in a prison brought a jailer and his household to the Lord. The Word of God convicts, calls to repentance, and restores. Many reject it because it challenges the way they live, but it is living and powerful, and it discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). Organizational Authority Prophets guided Israel through its history, including its escape from Egypt, its wars, its worship, and its government. In the early church, after Jesus went to heaven and no visible leader remained, the prophetic gift helped organize leadership, support the mission, and address false teaching and immorality (Acts 6:1-7; 13:1, 2; 1 Cor. 5:1-5; Titus 1:5). The lesson asks what we gain from belonging to an organized church, and what we give. We are not meant to live our faith alone, and God works through a body. Canonical and Noncanonical Prophets Not every prophet wrote a book of the Bible. Nathan, Gad, Ahijah, and Iddo were all recognized prophets in their day (1 Chron. 29:29; 2 Chron. 9:29), yet their books are not in our Bible, and Scripture does not tell us why. These prophets were just as inspired. Their authority rested on their inspiration and not on whether their words were included in the canon. Spiritual gifts, including prophecy, continue until the end of time (Eph. 4:12, 13), and we expect true prophets after Bible times. But all true prophets submit to the Bible and are tested by it. They never replace it. Ellen White urged believers to study their Bibles, and she taught that God has not given new light to take the place of His Word (Selected Messages, book 3, p. 29). Speaking With Authority The lesson describes three groups of prophets: those who wrote books of the Bible, those who did not, and those who came after the Bible was complete. All were equally inspired. Seventh-day Adventists do not treat Ellen White's writings as an addition to the Bible or equal to it, but they do consider her messages relevant and authoritative. She addressed sin, the need for Jesus and grace, the great controversy between Christ and Satan, religious liberty, morality, God's law, and the final events of earth's history. Her counsel on health, education, family life, and parenting has helped many. She said that her letters and testimonies present what the Lord had shown her, and not merely her own ideas (Selected Messages, book 1, p. 29). Christ Connection Jesus is the One with all authority in heaven and on earth, and every other authority in this lesson is borrowed from Him. The prophets spoke on His behalf, the Scriptures testify about Him, and the church exists to carry His message. When we hear the Word of God and respond to it, we are responding to Him. Reflection and Application 1. What has God called you to do, and how can you best prepare for it, as Moses had to? 2. Why did some people reject Jesus even with the evidence in front of them, and how can we avoid the same unbelief? 3. What effect did the spoken Word have in Jeremiah 38, John 3, and Acts 16? Why do people today still push it away? 4. What do we gain, and what do we give, by belonging to an organized church? 5. How well do we follow Ellen White's own counsel to make the Bible our first and final standard? ✨ In essence: "Prophetic Authority and Relevance" shows that true authority comes from God, passes through faithful messengers, and always bows to His written Word. The living and powerful Word of God is still the standard by which every voice, ancient or modern, must be measured.