Despise Not Prophesyings

St. Paul to the Thessalonians-5:20.

As the world, the mother of harlots, and her daughters, are opposed to prophets and prophesying in this momentuous [momentous] age of our earth, I have concluded to write an epistle on the subject, which, in its nature, must include a sketch of priesthood. The text embraces revelation, past, present and future, and brings the whole human family, to one of the greatest questions which can be asked: what is the use of prophets? My plain answer is this:-To reveal the will of God, and perfect the salvation of man. From this simple answer the conclusion is natural, that God never had a church without a prophet in it; and so it is, as is evident from Ephesians 4: 11, 12 verses:-

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

This scripture shows plainly that one of the officers of the church of Jesus Christ, is a prophet, and as a matter of course, and a requisition of duty, according to the common usage of the office, he must prophesy, to perfect the Saints, as his work of the ministry.-And St. Paul tells the truth in the command, DESPISE NOT PROPHESYINGS.

No allowance is made for false prophets, as was the case before the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus then told the Jews-beware of false prophets, which will deceive many. But nothing is given to caution the Gentiles against such unhallowed beings as come in sheep's clothing and cheat them with new revelations. Peter says in his second epistle, 2:1, 2 verses:-

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."

If, as Paul says in 1 Cor. 12:28 verse, God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, and so on to the gift of tongues, then I am authorized in saying I know that such offices and officers, have always been in the church, wherever and whenever, there was one on the earth, that the Lord acknowledged to be his; and such will continue to be the case, till that which is perfect is come:-The restitution of all things prophesied of by all the holy prophets, from Adam to Joseph. But to the point, if holy brethren are partakers of the heavenly calling, (Heb. 3:1, 2,) let us consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him; because by their prophetic declaration, and oath of his heavenly Father, through the Psalmist, he is made known to man as a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec: But says Paul in the 5th of Hebrews, no man taketh this honor to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. Well, if no man can officiate in the priesthood, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron, it is high time to look into the rule of God for calling and consecrating officers to minister in the church of Jesus Christ. The apostle or high priest has a right to officiate in the lesser offices. And, as there never was any other name given under heaven whereby men could be saved, but through Jesus Christ, so there never has been a time, when there was a dispensation of God's goodness and salvation for the celestial kingdom, open to the inhabitants of the earth, where they could be admitted to the benefits and rewards of the gospel without legal officers.

So then, how was Aaron called of God? By revelation. For in Exodus (7:1), And the Lord said unto Moses: See, I have made thee a God to Pharaoh. And Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. How consecrated? The 30th chapter of exodus shows how, which can be read at leisure, and will learn us that it was by anointing with holy oil, and as God anointed his Son with the oil of gladness, it is no more than right to follow the pattern. But one ordinance more seems necessary to bestow the power in full upon an officer in the church of Jesus Christ, and

that is the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is to bring all things to remembrance. In the 34th chapter of Deuteronomy and 9th verse the specimen is there given: "And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him." And in confirmation of this ordinance Paul in his first epistle to Timothy (4:14) says, "neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."

Now, having the rule for calling, ordaining, and consecrating ministers for the business and revelation of God, we can see that Paul's broad command:-Despise not prophesyings-plural, past, present, and future, as it was, embraced eternal truth, older than the world, and better for instruction, than all the wise sayings of Babylon for Nimrod the founder to the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal, who may have the sight of seeing the end of that kingdom's confusion, at the great battle of Jehoshaphat.

On reading the 28th chapter of Exodus it not only appears that Aaron was set apart to minister in the priest's office, but also, held his office as an appendage to the Melchisedec priesthood, carrying the holy Urim and Thummim in the breast plate of judgement [judgment], which Urim and Thummim, if I may be allowed the expression, was the spy-glass of a seer. A prophet is commonly called a foreteller, but a seer reveals matters past, present and future. To confirm this, we read in first Samuel 28:6, that the Lord answered him (Saul) not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

Aaron seems to be introduced into an office that before existed, and took the Urim and Thummim as instrument, that was as old as Adam for all that is known in the bible to the contrary.-In fact the word Teraphim translated into English from the Hebrew, "images," (Gen 31:19,) might with more propriety, be rendered spectacles or spy-glass, and actually mean the Urim and Thummim; for neither Laban or Abraham are charged with worshipping "images," or idols. The Urim and Thummim, Seer stones, Teraphim, and Images, whatever name is given to them; are found in the United States of America. And when Israel according to the 3rd chapter of Hosea, shall seek the Lord their God in the latter days, the same instruments of the holy offices of God, will be used as formerly. We are coming back to the light ages.

The next, and most important part of the subject, God being the same yesterday, today, and forever, is, have these offices and officers always existed in the church of Jesus Christ? Certainly. For we read in the fourth chapter of Genesis, that Cain and Abel offered an offering unto the Lord,-and the Lord accepted Abel's: For it was according to the pattern: without shedding of blood, there was no remission. (Heb. 9:22,) This is an evidence that the priesthood so liberally treated of by Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews, without beginning of days or end of years, is verily so. And as Aaron could not minister in the priest's office, till he was called, ordained and consecrated, by revelation of God, so neither could Abel: for God changes not, neither does an everlasting priesthood.

And again, the expression of Eve, after the birth of Seth, mentioned in the same chapter, goes to show the continuation of the priesthood. For God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew. The Hebrew word "zarang," translated seed, would come nearer the truth, rendered power of lives, as will appear by reading (Gen. 1:12, and Gal. 3:16,) for Christ is the power of life in trees, animals and man, as well as the priesthood. Instead of translating Habal (Abel Greek) "breathe," it should be "breath of lives," for God breathed into him the breath of life and he became a living soul: Then Eve's language would be: For God hath appointed another power of life instead of the breath of life whom Cain slew. Literally a priest for souls, I mean to be liberal and not warp an old language into national notions. My translation of a dead language is as apt to be good, as a sophmore [sophomore] of Oxford, or a sacerdotal tunic of St. James.

In the fifth chapter of Genesis, after Adam and Seth, first-born only are named, in the history of the priesthood to Noah: which explains, 1st Chronicles 5:1

-that the eldest had a right to the priesthood, like unto the Son of God; hence they were called "Sons of God." Enoch is recorded as having the priesthood by Jude: for he says, and Enoch also, the seventh from Adam prophesied, &c., and that shows him a prophet. But is Jude correct in calculating numbers according to Gentile wisdom, and slick, smooth, black-coat mathematics? Leaving Adam to start from, we have Cain 1, Abel 2: Seth 3; Enos 4; Cainan 5; Mahalaleel 6; Jared 7; and Enoch 8, setting women and children aside. Now Jude you were inspired, let us hear you reckon: well says the man of God, Cain was driven from the presence of the Lord for defiling his office and murdering Abel whose soul was caught up to paradise, and in the chronicles it is written Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch-just seven.-These seven all held the priesthood and lived on the earth at one and the same time. But let not any one think that Adam had no more sons for Moses allows of twelve (Deut. 32:7, 8).

"Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew [show] thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee?

When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel."

The next link in the chain of priesthood and prophesying, is from Enoch to Noah, between whom lived Methuseleh [Methuselah] and Lamech, who having a personal acquaintance with Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Jared, who were known to Adam and Seth, conferred on Noah the priesthood, and left this important and prophetic record of his ordination: saying, "this Noah shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed." Gen. 5:29. No wonder Peter said he was a preacher of righteousness; for so it was, and his father a prophet, and a seer. What a glorious record is the bible!

Noah's and his son's names are chronicled as among the Son's of God, and so we have the priesthood safely landed this side of the flood. Now as Abraham was born about 292 years after the flood, and Noah lived 350 years, and his sons more, there is no marvel how Melchisedec, or Abraham became priests of the Most High God. They had it from the lineage or hands of Noah. Paul calls Abraham a patriarch, and according to Peter's definition of patriarch, given in Acts 2:29, 30, he was a prophet and so God says of him. Moses got his ordination from his father in law Jethro, who was a priest of Midian. The Midianites were descendants of Abraham through his son Midian, born of Keturah, and brought up under the covenant of circumcision.-No wonder Balaam was a prophet. No wonder he could not curse Israel: they should have been brethren. But I must leave my subject for another epistle, and close by saying though God assuming Catholics, and money loving sects together with the giddy world, do not believe in any prophesyings, yet like Paul, I do: and for the honor of heaven, the glory that shall be as one who has to appear before the judge of all, to answer for the deeds done in the body, I declare, in union with my brethren, and with the holy prophets, as did Amos, 4:7, SURELY THE LORD WILL DO NOTHING, BUT HE REVEALETH HIS SECRET UNTO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS."

As ever, W. W. PHELPS.