In the Christian Science Bible Lesson June 13, 2011 Issue

Prophecy fulfilled

For the lesson titled "Christian Science" from June 20–26, 2011

Abby Fuller

God reveals wondrous works through prophets and their visions. This week’s Bible Lesson, titled “Christian Science,” is full of prophecies, which are fulfilled once or several times in later generations.

Science and Health gives this definition of prophet: “A spiritual seer; disappearance of material sense before the conscious facts of spiritual Truth” (p. 593). And in the Responsive Reading of this Lesson, we hear that “the days are at hand, and the effect of every vision,” from the prophet Ezekiel (12:23). We are promised that we don’t need to wait for some uncertain future time for the fulfillment of prophecy before we can be conscious of the truth that the prophets have shown us.

In Section I this week, the prophet Zechariah (chap. 4, citation 2) has a vision of his day, which is renewed in the book of Revelation (see chap. 11, cit. 5) and fulfilled in Science and Health (see p. 84, cit. 1). The Bible citations mention candlesticks (lamp stands), olive trees, and prophetic anointed witnesses. At that time the lamp wicks were usually dipped in bowls of olive oil, not solid wax. The olive trees, with their yearly production of oil, would provide a perpetual supply of fuel for the lamps.