The Spirit of Prophecy

One of the most famous verses in the book of Revelation contains the words of the heavenly messenger to John near the end of the vision: “I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10).  I have thought about this verse a lot—how is the testimony of Jesus the spirit of prophecy?  Perhaps one way is simply that to believe in Jesus Christ we must of necessity believe in His coming at a future date.  Before Christ came to the earth, believers looked forward to His coming and trusted that the prophecies of the holy prophets like Isaiah would come to pass.  The Nephites had a rather dramatic experience with this, as their “testimony of Jesus” was that the prophecy of Samuel concerning Christ’s coming would indeed come to pass.  “But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain” (3 Nephi 1:8).  Their faith was in the future in relation to what had been told about the coming of the Savior.  Alma had expressed his faith in the coming of the Savior in these words: “For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people” (Alma 7:7).  His testimony of Jesus was in essence a prophecy about the future.  

                After Christ came to earth for the first time, the need to believe in a future coming remained the same.  In the early Church a belief in the Savior’s Second Coming was clearly a major tenet of their faith, and many thought that it would be in their time.  Christ Himself before His death had said that the people of the earth would “see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30).  When He ascended into heaven, the angels said to the disciples: “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).  From that point on to believe in Christ meant to also believe in the prophecy that He would one day return.  Paul spoke about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” the time when “the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels” and “shall descend from heaven with a shout” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 2:1).  Peter wrote that Christ will come “as a thief in the night” and in John’s revelation we are told, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him” (2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 1:7).  Jude reminded Saints that Enoch had prophesied of the Second Coming as well, saying, “The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment upon all” (Jude 1:14-15).  The Lord Himself promised, “Behold, I come quickly” (Revelation 3:11).  To be a believer in the New Testament church meant first and foremost that you believed in the prophecies about the return of the Savior.

And in our day it is no different.  One of the first things that Joseph was taught about from Moroni was about the fulfillment of the prophecy of Malachi concerning “the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (JSH 1:38).  In the Doctrine and Covenants we likewise have countless promises from the Savior Himself that He will be returning: “Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh” (D&C 1:12); “For I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory” (D&C 29:11); “[Prepare] the way of the Lord for his second coming” (D&C 34:6); “For in mine own due time will I come upon the earth in judgment” (D&C 43:29); “The great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors” (D&C 110:16); “And the Lord, even the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people, and shall reign over all flesh” (D&C 133:25).  To believe in Christ and His gospel is to believe in the promise that He will come again.  Our membership in the Church is a witness that we believe in and are waiting for the Second Coming of the Savior.  A true testimony of Jesus is indeed the spirit of prophecy.