*PROPHETS*

Here are a few thoughts about the subject of ”prophets”.

—*”Propheteuo” in Greek* means ”to speak forth under divine inspiration”.
–A prophet in the Old Testament obtained a message by DIVINE REVELATION and could predict certain events related to the future. In Deut18:18 a prophet is defined as one in whom God placed “MY WORDS.” Deut18:22 shows that there was also a PREDICTIVE element to prophecy but prophecy does not always relate to the future.
“I will raise up a PROPHET from among their countrymen like you, and I will put MY WORDS in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I commanded him” Deut.18:18. That prophet announced here by Moses is Jesus, see Acts3:21-22,7:37

–“When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him” Deut18:22

–Do not add to the words of God: Rev22:18,19, Deut4:2,12:32, Prov30:6. Many ”prophets” today put words in the mouth of God

–Not all predictions are from God: in Acts16:16 we see a girl that had a spirit of divination (”a spirit of Python”) who could foretell certain events, which events of course would be fulfilled by demons.
Deut13:1-3 God allows some false prophets’ signs to come true to see if the people of God would follow the false prophet by just being drawn by signs, even though knowing according to doctrine that they were false prophets

–God used Balaam, a false prophet, to give a message from God to Balak, see Num24 especially verse 17 that speaks about Jesus, more than 1.000 years before Jesus was born. Why has God used unsaved false prophet Balaam? Probably because Balak, the moabite king, approached Balaam to curse Israel and God wanted Balaam to tell king Balak that Israel is His people and to pronounce judgment on Israel’s enemies; see also Josh13:22 , Jude11

–Jesus warns in Matt7:22,23: ”Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not PROPHESIED in thy name? and in thy name have CAST OUT DEVILS? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU (”ginosko” means ”to know personally”, which implies personal relationship; these ‘prophets’ never got saved): depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.”

–Agabus, a New Testament prophet, foretold a famine (Acts11:27-28) and that Paul would suffer in Jerusalem (Acts21:10-11). God used Agabus to give a message to Paul only for the purpose of Paul’s testimony before the church (see Acts21:13 ”why do you weep? I am ready even to die in Jerusalem for the Name of Jesus”…), otherwise God spoke to Paul directly, without needing a prophet as a mediator (Acts9:4;13:4;16:6,7,10; 18:9; 20:23; 22:18; 23:11; 27:24).

–Eph3:5 shows that prophets obtained revelation from God, when the New Testament was not yet finished. 1Cor14:29-30 gives instructions for using the gift of prophecy in the early church. It says that when the next prophet received a revelation, it was time for the previous speaker, to sit down and remain quiet, in order.
”And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, let the first keep silent” 1Cor14:29-30 Some ‘prophets’ today jump up in the middle of a church service shouting that he has just received a divine revelation…this is in contrast with the Bible.

–”Which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit” Eph3:5
It is true that a prophet was a spokesman for God, but there is distinction between a prophet and a minister in the pulpit. A prophet obtained his message by direct divine revelation, not from the Scriptures. In fact, prophets wrote the Scriptures! When the written revelation was complete, there was no longer any need for the gift of prophecy, see Heb1:1-2:
” God, who at many times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the PROPHETS, has in these last days spoken unto us by His SON…”
If God spoke through His Son, why would you go back to Old Testament-style-prophets?? Many Christians today do not know the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, ask me for the study on this subject.

In the Old Testament God spoke through prophets acting as MEDIATORS between God and men, today our only mediator is Jesus Christ 1Tim.2:5; we have received the Holy Spirit to indwell us 1Cor3:16 and 6:19 and to guide us 1Jn2:27, we have received the Bible as guide (Ps119:105 ”Your Word is a lamp unto my feet…”), we have received pastors and teachers Eph4:11 and God guides us this way, not through prophets.

–We study prophecy whenever we read the Bible; in fact the Bible is called ”the prophecy”, see Mat13:14, 2Pet1:20,21, Rev1:3, 19:10, 22:18,19; and thus, it is still possible to be zealous for prophecy as 1 Corinthians 14 commands. However, Eph2:20 links the gift of prophecy with the apostles and the founding period of the church.
Eph2:19-20: ”So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone”.

–God does not bestow the gift of prophecy today. God can still speak to someone in an audible manner; He will not convey new revelations beyond the Bible but He points to the Bible. However, why would God speak to someone in an audible manner if the person does not want to listen to the voice of God in the Scriptures? (…unless to unsaved persons that live in a country where the Scriptures and Christians are rare; Muslims have often witnessed having received visions of Jesus).
Men of God have witnessed to have received a message from God in a mysterious way but that is rare and is always in relation to the Bible, never in a weird way, contradictory to the Bible.
Chase after the Bible and if God desires to speak to you audibly, He will…don’t chase after God’s audible voice and allow the dust to settle on the Bible and don’t turn your rear end (butt) to God’s Word Ps50:17.

–Many Christians are chasing after miracles, but Jesus rebuked Thomas for his unbelief and desire to see miracles Jn20:29. Blessed is the one that believes!

–Paul and the other apostles did not encourage us to chase after ”prophecies” from heaven; normal Christian life does not include Old Testament style of prophesying words received straight from God but reading the Bible and hearing the preaching of the Written Word of God that has become life in our hearth by faith, being changed from ”Logos” (”word”) into ”Rhema” (”a personal word”) and being led by the Holy Spirit Gal5:16 who has inspired the Bible 2Pet1:20-21.

–There is a healthy and good interest in Bible prophecies that involves the future, see Matt.25, but there is also an unhealthy interest in knowing the future to which Jesus has answered, ”It is not for you to know…the Father has put it under His authority…” Acts1/7. To an unhealthy interest in someone else’s future (Peter asking a prophecy about John’s future) Jesus has answered, ”What is that yo you? You follow Me!” John21:21. Keep yourself from unhealthy curiosity, none of your business. Don’t go to witches that read the stars or to ”horoscope/witch prophets”, God forbids such, see Deut18:9-12. A pastor that pretends to read the future for you is not any different from a witch

–1Cor4:6 says we should not think ”above that which is written”; Jesus in being tempted answered ”it is written” Mat4:4,7,10. Today’s many so-called ‘prophets’ claim: ”God said to me…” without being able to say, ”it is written”, as they don’t know the Bible

–One that chases after miracles and messages from angels but does not take heed at the Word of God, he might this way open the door to Satan who can appear as an angel of light 2Cor11:14. Paul is warning in Gal1:8 that an angel from heaven (a fallen angel that can appear in light) could bring a different Gospel. See also Col2:18

–Here are some verses that point the importance of teaching the prophecy of God, which is The Bible; if you desire to ”prophesy”, then study, teach and preach the Bible:
Acts2:42 they continued in the TEACHING OF THE APOSTLES…
Luke23:5 ”Jesus went about teaching throughout all Jewry”
Acts1:1, 5:25,42, 15:35, 18:11, 28:31
Rom12:7
1Cor4:17;14:19
Col1:28;3:16
1Tim1:3;3:2;4:11;6:2,3
2Tim2:2,24
Tit2:4
Heb5:12 and so on…

Pastor Daniel