Article July 15, 1922 Issue

Prophecy

WILLIAM B. HARRISON

The word "prophecy" comes from two Greek words meaning "to speak," and "for" or "before." A prophet was one who spoke for God before the people, "before" relating not to time merely, but also to position. Among the Israelites a prophet was one chosen to be their spiritual leader, because of his ability to teach them spiritual truth. He also foretold future happenings; but this faculty was only one expression of his purity of thought. Ability to foretell events was not the ground on which alone his leadership was based. He possessed such power because of his sincere consecration to God's service, and because of his acquisition—through long study and application of spiritual law—of sufficient understanding to enable him to foretell events.

A prophet was a seer; that is, one who sees spiritually. He saw the past, present, and future from a spiritual standpoint. Discerning clearly the law of divine justice, he knew that so long as an individual or a nation sinned, that individual or nation must suffer. With equal clearness he saw that when the belief in sin had been destroyed, that individual or nation would return to the highway of holiness, and reap the reward of righteousness. Nothing mystical entered into the wise utterances of the prophets which have made their names revered throughout the ages. They, however, expressed divine Mind more clearly than their contemporaries; and by their devotion to Truth they earned immortality.

It was after spiritual understanding had to a great extent disappeared from modern religion that the word "prophet" became narrowed to mean only the person who foretold events. Unconsciously, this narrower interpretation gave definite proof of the waning spirituality of religion, and of the prevalent lack of inspiration. It is as impossible for the so-called mind that does not comprehend spiritual law to understand how prophecy takes place, as it is inevitable that one who does understand divine law shall become a prophet. It has been many times evidenced in Christian Science practice, and is clearly taught in the Scriptures, that the ability to foretell events, or to become cognizant of affairs distant or near, without material assistance and in spite of the absence of the usual channels of information, accompanies the growth of spiritual understanding. We read in Deuteronomy, "And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do." Was not Moses' position as a prophet based largely on the healing miracles he performed, and the miraculous protection of his people that resulted from his spiritual leadership?

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