SEEING SPIRITUALLY

 We know that Joel is identified as one of the minor prophets.  So I was interested to read the references to the prophets in this week's Bible Lesson. 

GLORIOUS GLIMPSES OF THE MESSIAH
In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures p. 333
"Throughout all generations both before and after the Christian era, the Christ, as the spiritual idea, - the reflection of God, - has come with some measure of power and grace to all prepared to receive Christ, Truth.  Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and the prophets caught glorious glimpses of the Messiah, or Christ, which baptized these seers in the divine nature, the essence of Love."

EXPECTATION OF GOOD AND CLEAR VISION OF IT
In Matt 12: 17 re Jesus healing of the man with the deformed hand -
"..that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased..."  (I note that we read similar words in Isa 41: 1 in the previous section of the Lesson.)

TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS SUM UP THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS
The Pharisees chided Jesus when his disciples picked corn on the Sabbath, and one of them who was a lawyer tried to catch him out by asking him directly about the commandments?  Jesus' response encompassed both the law and prophecy:  we must love God with all our heart, soul, and mind; and love our neighbour as ourselves.

SUMMIT EXPERIENCE: SONSHIP RATIFIED
Perceptions of history on a time line receded when both the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elias aka Elijah) were simultaneously present at that transformative, mountain-top experience where Peter, James, and John heard God's voice identifying Jesus as follows: "This is my beloved Son: hear him". 

Mary Baker Eddy gives us a lovely definition of the term prophet, in part: "a spiritual seer" (See S&H p. 593).  I ask myself: what am I seeing? 

Julie Swannell