The Revealed Word and Modern Revelation

This is a story from the Talmud I came across while listening to some lectures on Philosophy and Religion in the West. It was being used to illustrate the extent to which Jewish scholars revere the Torah.

The Rabbis of the first century considered the status of an oven invented by an entrepreneur named Achnai. Rabbi Eliezer, the patrician elder statesman of the academy, declared the oven pure. But his colleagues demurred and overruled him.

Rabbi Eliezer offered every argument. But his colleagues would not budge. The oven was declared impure.

Enraged that neither his stature nor his argument could sway the debate, Rabbi Eliezer produced a miracle: "Let the carob tree prove it!" he thundered. The earth shuddered and the carob uprooted itself and rocketed into the air.

"No proof can be brought from a carob tree," the scholars retorted.

"Let the stream of water prove it!" Whereupon the stream flowed backward.

"No proof can be brought from a stream."

Rabbi Eliezer, now boiling with frustration, turned to the walls of the Academy and commanded them to fall in upon the assembled scholars. But his counterpart, Rabbi Joshua, arose and addressed the walls: "When scholars are in debate, what right have you to interfere?" And so, the walls did not fall.

Finally, beyond all restraint, Rabbi Eliezer invokes the highest authority. "If I am right, let it be proved by Heaven." Whereupon, reports the Talmud, a Heavenly Voice called out: "Why do you dispute Rabbi Eliezer? In all things, the law agrees with him!"

At that moment, Rabbi Joshua arose again, and quoted a verse from the Torah: "It [the Torah] is not in heaven!" (Deut 30:12). What did he mean by this? Rabbi Yermiah explained: "The Torah has already been given on Mt. Sinai. Therefore we pay no attention to a Heavenly Voice."

Rabbi Edward Feinstein explains that according to Jewish tradition, "Once the Torah was given, God is no longer revealed in miracles and voices, but in human intelligence and conscience."

As a person who believes in personal revelation this seems like a strange stance to take. God revealed His words once and then was completely done communicating with mankind? All other instruction, insight, and information must come from human reasoning?

My view can be summed up in a couple scriptures:

 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 

 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
(2 Pet 1:20-21)

And:

 3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.
(2 Ne 32:3)

Revelation (either through a prophet or personal revelation) is received by the Holy Ghost speaking to an individual. Those words must be understood and interpreted using that same Holy Ghost. It is as if the Holy Ghost speaks its own language and we must learn to speak that language in order to properly understand it. Thus having the Holy Ghost with you as you read scripture will allow you to truly understand the meaning. This is not to imply that there is only one true meaning for any given passage of scripture, but that the through personal revelation, God can reveal to you certain meanings that will be of most benefit to you at that particular time. As we continue to read and study the scriptures, we will learn "line upon line, precept upon precept." (D&C 98:12) Relying on human reasoning to understand God's word seems self-contradictory. If a message was received by revelation, would it not be best to understand it by revelation?

God Himself has said that every word He speaks is important:

 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
(Matt 4:4)

In that verse, Jesus is quoting Moses:

 3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.
(Deut 8:3)

Is not revelation from God, God's word? If we should live by every word that God speaks, shouldn't we continue to listen to new messages from heaven? So why would the Rabbis ignore the voice from heaven? That is my confusion.

In regards to modern revelation, some might argue that there are no modern prophets and no modern revelation from God. It seems to me that there are two simple things that refute this.

The first is that God answers prayers. I think most (if not all) Christians would agree with this premise. If God answers prayers that means we are communicating with Him and He is hearing us. Otherwise how would He know what we are asking for? Sometimes those answers are in the form of miracles (healing, etc), but other times those answers are in the form of inspiration. For example, an idea suddenly coming to your mind that answers the question you were asking of God. That is revelation. God is speaking to you through the Holy Ghost and revealing information to you.

The second thing is this scripture:

  8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
(Heb 13:8)

If God is still speaking to His children through revelation, which was shown through the example of prayer, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, why would He not still be speaking to prophets like He did in the scriptures? I believe that He is still speaking to prophets. And I believe that we need to listen to and study those words of God just as we do the scriptures. "Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Ancient and modern. We should not reject new revelation as the rabbis in the Talmud story did. We should "feast upon the words of Christ", with the Holy Ghost's help to understand them. That will provide us with the guidance we need to live in a way that will bring us peace and happiness, and ultimately to bring us back to our Heavenly Father.

 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
(John 14:26-27)

Source: Valley Beth Shalom