Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-05-08
NECESSITY OF CONTINUOUS
REVELATION.
Or is the Bible Sufficient for the
Guidance Of Men 10 Salvation.


The Prophet Jonah is the most
ancient Of the prophets whose writ
ten records have come down 10 US.
re lived more than eight hundred
years before Christ. His book is n
narrative of how the prophet was
called on a mission to the great city
of Nineveh, but in disobciience TO
the command Of God he fled in an
opposite direction, intending to go
10 Tarshish. On the way, however,
a great storm arOse. Jonah, on his
own suggestion. was thrown into
the sea, and by great fish carried
lack 10 the land he had left. After
this miraculous deliveranoe lac gees
to Nineveh aud delivers his mes
sage, which results in the repent
ance Of the inhabitants and the
vpeal OF the announced judgment.
The spiritual lessons conveyed in
the narrative are very important
and instructive. Yet the pIedictiOn
delivered is one that chiefly con-
cerned the people Of Niaeveh for
whom il was intended.
II has been observed that the
the prophet himself, in his miraou-
lous deliverance from the deep,
furnishes 'the fullest AMI nearest
shadow Of Chris;'s lying in the
grave, which the Scripture affords"
but then it must also I've remembered
that this type would BY no means
have been clear to US had not Christ
Himself pointed it out. It is only
through new revelation on the sub
ject that we are enabled 10 see the
resemblance between the oliver
ance Of Jonah and the. resurrection
Of Christ. This sfnllestand nearest
shadow is therefore in itself n proof
of the necessity Of continuous rev.
elatiOn.
JOEL was contemporary with
Jonah. lie lived BIC, SlO-795, and
addressed himself to Judah. He
first delineates an impending devas-
tation under the picture Of succes-
sive armies Of locusts, and Of burn
ing drought.
There are some differences Of Opin-
ion as 10 the events 10 which these
opening visions refer. They most
probably refer 10 the successive sub
jugatioRs of the country 10y Assyri-
ans, Persians, Greeks and Romans
Then follows an eNhOrtatiOn to
penitence, fasting and prayer, and a
promise ofdelivCrance from the evils
predicted. In the second chapter,
V. 1881, the efFusign OF the Holy
Spirit, previous t. the destruction Of
Jerusalem AMI subsequent c:Ilami-
ties, ''the great and terrible day Of
the Lori," is clearly predicted.
But here again a new revelation,
which was given through Peter
(AcIs ,: 1921 was needed to point
out that the fultilment Of the pre-
dictiOn took place at the day Of
PentetOSt. The Jews were well
conversant with the writings Of this
Prophet and held him in great
reverence, but they could not sec
the connection between the pro
phecy and its fulfiment, until
| pointed out to them by al inspired
| servant Of God. And this remark
applies to almost all prophecy.
The last clause Of the last verse Of
the second chapter, rs well as the
third chapter, refer to events yet
future. The gathering Of the ma
tons Of tine earth 10 the valley Of
Jehosaphat and their dcstruc-
ton, the establishment Of JerU-
salem rs the holy city and the
glorious state Of the milleunial
kingdom are the themes treated on.
But-let me repaat the remark
when the fGliilment Of these pre-
dictions comes, the world viii need
inspired men 70 point that fulfill
ment out, Just As the Jews needed
on the DAY Of Pentec0st. The book
Of Joel furnishes decisive proof OF
THE necessity Of continuous reveal
ton.
AMOS was another contemporary
OF Jonah and Of Joel. He lived
y. &. SlG-7S5. His residence was
Bethel and he was sent as n mes
senger to Israel The first two chPp-
tiers Of mis- book contain predictions
Of the judgments Of God upon the
various states, surrounding Judsa.
''The Lord will roar from Zion, and
utter his voice from Jerusalem, " an
indication Of the anger Of Jehovah
against those states. The punish
ment Of Syria, Of the Philistines, Of
Tyre. Edom and AmmOn, Moab
ani, finally, also Of Judah and Is
rael are fOretold. The Prophet then
deyotes four chapters 10 exhorting
the people 90 repentance, reminds
them of what God had done Tor
them. But rs he sees that his eX-
hoTtations have no effect, he sets
forth in visions the approaching de-
struction OF the people, until the in
habitants OF Bethel tried 20 prohibit
him from prophesying any more
among them (ch. :. }. The Prophet,
however, continues in the name Of
the Lord, who had called him 10 the
office, to describe the near Gestruc-
ton OF The nation. And having
done so he closes his book with a
few verses (ch. 9, ll-l5) on a still
future restoration, the glory Of
which shall lie shared by Edom and
other Gentle nations, a prediction
that is referred to by Peter (Acts,
Is: Is, III, as beginning 10 be full
! filled in the establishment Of the
Church Of Christ. And here, again,
a new revelation was required TO
make the precise meaning Of the
prediction clear.
HOSEA was n native Of Israel and
lived b. c. SOO-T25. His ministry
lasted about sixty years, until the
ten tribes were led captive 10y the
Assyrians, and his prophecies are
almost exclusively directed against
| israel, the most prominent tribe Of
which was Ephraim, with the cap
/ ital Of SamaTia- At the time Of
this prophet the idolatTy COM
menced by JerobOam in Dan and
Bethel had continued for $50 years,
aud all Glasses Of the people were
sunk in vices Of various kinds.
The first three chapters Of his
book contain a symbOlical represen-
tation Of the fallen people and Gods
statement that He had now rejected
them. In order 10 exemplify this,
the Prophet Is commanded 10 wed
a ''wif- OF whOredOms" and TO give
to the children names. indicating the
wrath Of Col. The Prophet having
complied with this command Is
again directed 10 love another
adulteress ',according 10 the love Of
the Lord toward the children OF
Israel'' q: y, thus giving TO the ten
tribes remarkable object lessons con-
corning their faithlessness towards
Jehovah. The severe deuuncia-
tions in this part Of the book close
with promises Of final restoration.
(Ch >: 1922; 5, I, ..
The following chapters relterate
m or. f1llv the efalief.fg NJ the ii rzf