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Lesson 9, Testing the Prophets, begins with a jeweler's lesson. Before buying a diamond, you do not rely on a single check, because no one test proves that a stone is real. You look at it several ways and see whether it passes them all. The same is true of anyone who claims to speak for God. The Bible does not ask us to accept such a claim at face value, and it does not ask us to reject it out of fear. It asks us to test it. Sunday begins with the role of the supernatural and why signs alone prove nothing. Monday asks whether a prophet's message agrees with the Bible, and Tuesday asks what the prophet teaches about Jesus. Wednesday looks at the fruit of a prophet's life, and Thursday at fulfilled predictions and the surprising idea of conditional prophecy. Friday applies the same tests to Ellen White, offering three lines of evidence that Adventists have long pointed to, and inviting each reader to taste and see for themselves. The week's message is not that we should be suspicious of everyone, but that a genuine gift can stand up to examination. A prophet who comes from God does not need to fear the test, and a believer who uses it is not showing a lack of faith, but obeying the Word. Role of the Supernatural Prophets often receive messages directly from God through dreams or visions, sometimes with physical effects. When Daniel saw a vision, he lost his strength and depended on God to sustain him, and the people with him fled in terror (Dan. 10:7-19). Yet the Bible is clear that supernatural signs do not prove that someone is from God. In Deuteronomy 13:1-5, Moses warns that a prophet may give a sign that actually happens and still lead people away from the Lord. No one piece of evidence confirms a prophet, and all of the biblical tests must be met. We should be careful about judging whether a supernatural event is from God, and we should hold it up to the rest of Scripture. Harmony With the Bible God does not lie (Num. 23:19), so His messages will agree with one another. The Bible is the final standard, and Isaiah says that if people do not speak according to His Word, there is no light in them (Isa. 8:20). Later prophets build on earlier ones. God reveals truth progressively, and later generations may understand more deeply, but new light never contradicts earlier truth. The first prophecy of the gospel is Genesis 3:15, and everything that follows grows out of it (2 Pet. 1:19-21; Rom. 15:4; James 1:17). The Incarnation of Christ John gives a simple test: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God (1 John 4:1-3). John was addressing one particular false teaching, but the principle applies broadly. A true prophet must affirm that Jesus is both fully God and fully human and must embrace His mission, His sinless life, His atoning death, His resurrection, His ministry in heaven, and His second coming. Jesus must be central, and the prophet must lead people into a saving relationship with Him and not draw attention to himself (Acts 4:12). Without the Savior's substitutionary death, there would be no good news at all (2 Cor. 5:21). Positive Fruits Jesus said that false prophets are known by their fruits (Matt. 7:20), and fruit takes time to show. Prophets were not sinless. Jonah ran from God's call, Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement, and Peter had to be corrected for his behavior at Antioch (Jonah 1:1-3; Acts 15:36-39; Gal. 2:11-14). The question is whether a prophet's life is moving toward God. A life that blatantly contradicts the message should raise suspicion. True ministry is marked by a real love for God and for His people, as we see in Moses, Haggai, Isaiah, Daniel, and Jeremiah. Fulfilled Prophecies Prophets do more than predict the future. They also lead people to God's Word and offer counsel, warning, and encouragement. Fulfilled predictions are one test (Deut. 18:22), but some prophecies are conditional. When Jonah warned Nineveh that it would be overthrown, the city repented, and the disaster did not come (Jon. 3:4, 10). Jeremiah 18:7-10 explains the principle: God's announced outcomes depend on how people respond. God knows the future, but our choices greatly shape it. Taste and See Adventists have long defended Ellen White's prophetic gift with three kinds of evidence. The first is theological: the gift of prophecy is promised to continue until the end and is seen as a mark of God's end-time remnant (Joel 2; Rev. 12:17). The second is good fruit. Her counsel helped bring believers together in the 1840s, and her writings are still read and valued around the world. The third is the supernatural element, since during her visions she is said to have shown unusual strength, revealed hidden facts, and had no control over when a vision came. But the most powerful confirmation is a personal one, in the words of the psalm, "Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8). A good place to start is Steps to Christ or the five-volume Conflict of the Ages series, and her writings are freely available at EGWwritings.org. Christ Connection Of all the tests, the most important may be the one John gives us: what does this prophet say about Jesus? Revelation 19:10 tells us that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. A true prophet does not point to himself or to a system. He points to the Savior who came in the flesh, died in our place, rose again, and is coming back. Reflection and Application 1. Why is it wiser to test a prophetic claim by the Bible than to accept or reject it by feeling or popular opinion? 2. Why do signs and wonders alone prove nothing, and how can they mislead us when they are separated from the Word? 3. What does a person's teaching about Jesus tell us about whether they truly speak for God? 4. Think of someone in the faith who disappointed you. What did you learn about the difference between a flawed person and a false one? 5. Why is it important to understand that some prophecies are conditional, and how does that shape the way we respond to God's warnings? ✨ In essence: "Testing the Prophets" teaches us that faith and examination go hand in hand. God has given clear tests, and a genuine prophetic gift can stand up to every one of them. The final test is the one that matters most: does the message lead us to Jesus?