Spring 1976
The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy

Bill Welker
Teacher at Pinecrest

“In many separate revelations—each of which set forth a portion of the Truth—and in different ways God spoke of old to our forefathers in and by the prophets.  But in these last days he as spoken to us in the person of a Son…” Hebrews 1:1-3a Amplified Version

Primarily, what the people knew of God in the Old Testament they learned through the prophets who were God’s mouthpiece.  But the revelation was only fragmentary for no prophet grasped the whole revelation of God, but expressed only a part of the truth of God.  For example, Isaiah saw the holiness of God and Hosea His forgiving love.

With the Lord Jesus Christ it was different.  The Greek simply says that God hath spoken to us “in Son.”  The revelation God gave in His Son consisted not primarily in what was said, as with the prophets, but in who the Lord Jesus was.  In Revelation 19:10 we see that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.  The life of Christ was a revelation through a personality—in all he was, and did and said.  The Lord Jesus Christ was the complete revelation of God.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14).  The Greek translated for “word” was not the usual Greek word speaking of a part of speech or a sentence; but is “Logos,” which means “to set forth a concept, an idea in its complete presentation.”  The Logos, the revelation of God, was made flesh when God came in His Son Jesus Christ.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the Logos of God—the total concept of God; God not speaking in parts of speech but through a personality.

Many have failed to see the deeper truth for receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  Act 1:8 says that we receive power to “be witnesses of the Lord.”  This means that the Lord is after more than just a person who will speak or do something for the Lord as did the prophets of old.  But rather a people who will become the expression of His life and through whom He might reveal His nature, character, and purpose.  Thus Jesus said, “Ye shall be witnesses unto me.”  We have been called to a prophetic people—those who have the testimony of Jesus.