What then about the prophets? Why did they cease with Malachi? There is a reasonable answer to give. We have to recognize two stages in our reception of the Word of God. As the collect: on Holy Scripture reminds us we have to digest as well as hear it. It is the same with peoples as with persons, For 100 years Israel heard the Word of God: is it surprising that they needed about 500 years to digest it?
We may fairly liken' the ways of God's revelation to His ways in Nature, or rather we should follow the Scriptures in doing so. "For as the earth bringeth forth her bud and as the garden cause th the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations." (Is. 61.11). God works by seasons. "The Spirit bloweth and is still." But the life of Nature docs not cease with winter: it sleeps to renew its strength. By this analogy we may. read what happened in Israel after the days of Malachi. We have also to remember that different ages require diferent hinds of wise, but there is a spirit in man, Almighty give th them under-guidance. Somevmes the fuilar of fire is needed, at other times the pillar of cloud; but God is guiding by His good Spirit all the time. A scribe may be inspired as well ad a seer.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.