In this message we shall consider the basic constituents of a prophecy.
The first basic constituent of a prophecy is the personal knowledge of the Scriptures. To gain such a knowledge, we need to get acquainted with the Word of God literally. We should even memorize many crucial verses in the Bible. For example, we should memorize the first verse of books such as Genesis, Psalms, Matthew, John, and Hebrews. We should also memorize verses such as John 3:6, 16, and 36; John 14:26 and 15:26; and John 15:16 and Romans 15:16. In addition, we need to devise a particular way that will enable us to remember the book, chapter, and verse number of the crucial verses.
According to Matthew 4:4, 7, and 10, the Lord Jesus was acquainted with the Word of God literally. When the Lord rebuked Satan in Matthew 4, He recited three verses from Deuteronomy (8:3; 6:16, 13). This indicates that He was well acquainted with that book.
The Apostle Paul also was acquainted with the Word of God literally. Paul's word in Romans 1:17 and 3:4, 10-18 are quotations from the Old Testament. Whether Paul had the Old Testament before him or he memorized these verses, he was well acquainted with them.
To have the personal knowledge of the Scriptures, we must know not merely the text of the Scriptures in letters, but the deep denotations and spiritual significances of the Word of God. Many people can understand certain verses such as John 3:16 superficially, but they do not know the deeper denotations in these verses. Nearly everyone can understand a verse literally, in the black and white letters, but one must have the insight, the deeper sight, to see the deeper denotations. Nearly all the verses of the Bible bear a deeper denotation. Verses such as John 3:16 not only bear a denotation on the surface, but they also contain something deeper. The Bible is deep, and no one can understand it completely. Underneath its surface are many secrets and mysteries. If we attempt to understand the Bible in a superficial way, we will not arrive at an adequate understanding. The depth of the Bible is endless.