How to test the Prophets?:
...In the basic New Testament lists of spiritual gifts the "prophetic gift" is listed as second-between that of apostles (first) and that of teachers (third). See 1 Corinthians 12:28-30; Ephesians 4:11. The gift did not usurp the role of the apostles, but its function affected the apostles at times as well as the church membership in general. Some of the apostles were themselves endowed with this gift. The activities of persons so endowed in NT times may be summarized as follows:
1. They were commissioned at times to forewarn of coming difficulties (Acts 11:27-30; 20:23; 21:10-14). In the first instance (Acts 11) the warning of coming famine resulted in a brotherly bonding of the Gentile Christians in Antioch with the Jewish Christians in Judea. The former, contrary to ethnic customs, willingly sent relief to their Jewish brothers in Christ.
2. Through the gift the foreign mission outreach of the church was initiated (Acts 13:1, 2). It also had a part in directing where the early missionaries were to labor (Acts 16:6-10). In Paul's second missionary tour it is noted that he was accompanied by Silas, a prophet (Acts 16:40).
3. In a doctrinal crisis the gift functioned to encourage and to confirm the membership in the true doctrine. The crisis pertained to the relationship of the Jewish ritual to the salvation of Gentile Christians. A large church council made a decision in harmony with the Spirit's directive (Acts 15), although the decision was not inwardly accepted by all. The controversy had broken out in Antioch to which church the decision of the council was related by letter. Judas and Silas ministered for a time to this group: "And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, exhorted [parakaleo, appeal to, urge, exhort, encourage] the brethren with many words and strengthened [confirmed, KJV; episterizo, strengthen] them" (Acts 15:32, RSV).
4. The prophets built up, encouraged, and consoled the church. "He who prophesies speaks to men for their upbuilding, (oikodome, metaphorically, 'building up the spiritual life') and encouragement [paraklesis, encouragement, exhortation] and consolation [paramuthia, encouragement, comfort, consolation]" (1 Cor 14:3, RSV).
5. The prophets tended (along with the other gifts) to unify the church in the true faith and to protect it from false doctrines. "And his gifts were . . . until we all attain to the unity of the faith . . . so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles" (Eph 4:11-15, RSV).
6. The prophets along with the apostles assisted in founding the church. "You are . . . built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone" (Eph 2:20, RSV; cf. 3:5; 4:11)......
So the prophets did a lot more than just see the future, but what about the interpretation of what they were shown or given a understanding?
And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1: 19-21)
But not all predictions about the future are from God. So God gives us some guidelines in determining the source behind a prophet.
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. (Deuteronomy 13: 1-4 NIV)
So, here God is telling us that the written word of God supercedes any prophet or vision. If a prophet or vision contradicts the word of God then we must ignore them. Tradition, persons in authority, politics and a new vision cannot contradict or tell you to ignore the written word. Bible study is supremely important. Therefore, to reject the authenticity and source of the Bible makes us subject to deceitful spirits and experiences. The apostle Peter states, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." (2 Peter 2: 1-2) You must test the prophets. Even if they predict with accuracy or can do great miracles, if they lead you away from God or his Word then he was not sent by God. Was Ellen White infallible? No. Nor were God’s prophets of the past. But their basic teaching always reflects God’s teaching. The Word of God is not produced by the will of man, but by the will of God. We are told that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God [in the original it is said that all Scriptures come out of God], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
[FONT=Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, Century Gothic]In other words, what comes out of the mouth of God is infallible, though what prophets understand may sometimes be inaccurate. When Nathan agreed with David that the king was the one to build the temple in Jerusalem, this was not God’s plan. Both David and Nathan were true prophets, but both misinterpreted God’s will. However, when such serious mistakes are about to be made, God always corrects His servants the prophets. In the end, the temple was not built by David, but by his son Solomon. We may know with certainty that God never leaves the prophet in error when his or her basic doctrine is not accurate. (See 1 Chronicles 17).Are Ellen White’s writings a second Bible? They are not. In fact she considered herself a lesser light helping to understand the greater light found in the Holy Bible (2 Peter 1:19, 21). Through out her life she kept pointing to the Bible. (See CM 125; EW 78, MH 465; GC 593)[/FONT]