Near my grandparent’s home there is a park with a swimming beach. At night you can look across the lake from their home and see the beach in the park’s bright lights. In the near distance behind the beach there is a laser beam of light that sweeps back and forth as a deterrent against any geese from accessing the beach from the shoreline.

The object lesson from this night scene is that the beach represents the world (nations, tribes, tongues, and people) and the darkness of night represents the gross darkness of sin within our world. The light shining upon the beach represents the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His redeeming love for mankind as is found in the Bible (the greater light); whereas the laser beam of light represents the Spirit of prophecy (the lesser light), which is a more focused beam of light that sheds additional light, yet it doesn’t replace or take away from the greater light—the Bible!

When it come our relationship of the Spirit of prophecy with the Bible: Let us remember, that it is the Spirit of truth that gives us both. Therefore, “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying. Prove all things: [and] hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21).  In other words, let us not ignore or despise the Spirit of prophecy, yet at the same time let us diligently “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), and holding onto what is present truth!  

Gregory John