For the past year I have been studying part-time at Laidlaw College, a Bible college in New Zealand. This last semester I did an Old Testament: Introduction paper for which I had to write an essay on ‘the Function of a Prophet’. It’s such an interesting topic that I thought I’d share a bit of what I learned.
What is a prophet? Throughout the Old Testament we encounter several figures called ‘prophets’: Moses, Deborah, Elijah, Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Malachi, to name a few. In the New Testament, Paul talks about the prophetic gift in the church and how it should be used (1Co 14). But what exactly is a prophet? What is prophecy? Is it possible to prophesy today? What would prophesy today look like? This post is intended to answer some of those questions.
Old Testament Prophecy
The clearest definition of ‘prophecy’ found in the Bible is God’s message to Moses where Moses is likened to ‘God’ and Aaron to ‘his mouth’ or ‘his prophet’ (Ex 4:16, 7:1). Here ‘mouth’ and ‘prophet’ are equated. Thus, a prophet was a ‘mouthpiece’ for God.
Often in prophetic literature, a prophet would begin his writing or his oracle with “thus says the LORD” (e.g. Isa 54:1, Am 1:5, Mic 2:3, Nah 1:12) or “the word of the LORD came to…” (e.g., Isa 38:4, Jer 1:4, Eze 1:3, Joel 1:1, Jnh 1:1, Mic 1:1, Zep 1:1, Hag 1:1, Zec 1:1, etcetera). Thus a prophet was the one whom God called to act as His mouthpiece by delivering a message.
True prophecy never had its origin in humans. Its source was always God. It was never attained by intellect or rational debate. Israelite prophets received their prophetic messages by direct encounter with God through the Holy Spirit. These oracles or prophecies which the Israelite prophets received were infallible.
Usually when we think of ‘prophecy’ we think of a future prediction. However, there is much more to prophecy than predictions. Israelite prophets prophesied into the events of their day. ‘Prophecy’ should be defined simply as ‘a message from God’.
The 8th century prophets (such as Amos, Hosea, Micah and Isaiah) spoke out against Israel’s unfaithfulness to her obligations of the Sinaic Covenant. The Israelites had turned to worship idols. They neglected social justice and instead mistreated the poor. Though the Israelites offered sacrifices to God at the Temple in Jerusalem, Israel failed to truly worship God by doing what is right and keeping their covenant obligations.
The 8th century prophet Micah wrote:
“6 With what shall I come before the Lord
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.”
(Micah 6:6-8, NIV)
Micah poses the question of what God really wants. It is not sacrifices, but ‘acting justly’, ‘loving mercy’ and ‘walking humbly’.
The prophets also warned Israel that if they did not repent and turn from their sins, God would bring judgement upon them (see, e.g., Amos 9:1-10).
Yet even though God would bring judgement, the prophets gave messages of hope from God. (see, e.g., Amos 9:11-15). God promised to restore Israel after judgement. This restoration was very often attached to a descendent of David—fulfilled in the coming of Jesus the Son of David (see, e.g., Amos 9:11 and Isa 9:1-7).
Prophecy in the New Testament
Prophecy in the New Testament was vastly different to prophecy in the Old Testament. In New Testament, ‘prophecy’ was merely a ‘message’ or a ‘word’ that the Holy Spirit laid on someone’s heart or mind which was not gained by intellect or conscious reflection. It was not infallible.
Like OT prophets, NT prophecy was not all about the future. Paul wrote, “But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort” (1Co 14:3, NIV).
Some of the primary elements of NT prophecy were words of strengthening, encouraging and comforting.
One of the greatest differences between OT prophecy and NT prophecy is that NT prophecy was not infallible. Paul, in writing to the church in Corinth about prophecy, wrote, “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said” (1Co 14:29). Paul here treats prophecy as something that should be ‘weighed carefully’. Why? Because Christian prophecy is not infallible.
So how was prophecy to be treated?
Paul said to the Corinthians, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy” (1Co 14:1, NIV).
If prophecy is something to be ‘especially’ ‘eagerly desired’, it obviously is something that we should pay attention to.
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil” (1Th 5:19-22, NIV).
Prophecy was to be ‘tested’ and ‘weighed carefully’. That which is ‘good’ (i.e., is in agreement with Scripture) should be held on to while that which is ‘evil’ (i.e., contradicts Scripture) should be rejected.
This same type of prophecy in the New Testament is a gift of the Holy Spirit that exists today. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul writes, “But where there are prophecies, they will cease…. For … we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears” (1Co 13:8-10, NIV). Paul here says that when completeness comes, what is in part (which includes prophecy) will disappear. When will this ‘completeness’ come? Given that at this ‘completeness’ we will ‘know fully’ (1Co 13:12, NIV), it must be when Christ returns. Thus, prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit that will exist until Christ returns. This prophecy is the same type of prophecy in the New Testament, thus what I wrote above is applicable to today. So, how should we view and use the gift of prophecy today?
If you think that the Holy Spirit has given you a ‘message’ or a ‘word’ for someone, don’t be afraid to speak it to them. God has given the gift of prophecy to the Church for its edification, and if He’s given you a message for someone, He obviously wants you to deliver it!
But realise that prophecy isn’t infallible. Your message won’t always speak to that deep part in someone else’s life, both because prophecy is ‘in part’ and we are fallible human beings. Yet don’t give up. If you really think that the Holy Spirit has laid a message upon your heart, speak it regardless. Even if it doesn’t touch that deep part, it could still be an encouragement to that person.
If someone gives you a prophetic word or prophesies over you, listen to what they say. But after that, test it and weigh it against Scripture. That which stands up to Scripture, accept. Prophecy is very often for strengthening, encouragement and comfort, and so if it matches up with Scripture, receive it with joy. But that which fails the test of Scripture, reject.
However, if the prophetic message is of guidance or a prediction, be very careful about accepting it. Christian prophecy isn’t infallible. But unless it contradicts Scripture, don’t just reject it. Pray into it and ask God about it. But don’t base your life upon it. Infallible Scripture is our rule for faith and life, not fallible prophecy.
I would also say that, if someone has given you a prophetic word and it has touched you in some way, tell that person who gave it to you, for it is a great encouragement for them that God has used them in that way.
In summary, prophecy is a message from God to humans. OT prophecy was infallible and spoke both to the contemporary situation and to the future. NT prophecy is not infallible but still has its place as useful for strengthening, encouraging and comforting. This type of prophecy still exists today.
There’s a lot more that could be said about this topic. ’Prophecy’ is such an interesting topic. Here’s a bibliography of the texts I read in my research.
Bibliography
Grudem, Wayne A. The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today. Westchester: Crossway Books, 1988.
Grudem, Wayne A. “Why Christians Can Still Prophesy,” Christianity Today. Sept 16, 1988, 29-35.
Herzog, William R II. Prophet and Teacher: An Introduction to the Historical Jesus. Louisville: Westminster, 2005.
Hill, Clifford. Prophecy Past and Present. Crowborough: Highland Books, 1989.
Houston, Graham. Prophecy Now. Leicester: IVP, 1989.
LaSor, William Sanford, David Allan Hubbard and Frederic Wm. Bush. Old Testament Survey: The Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996.
Lloyd, Jacqui, 120 Learning Guide. Auckland: Laidlaw College, 2015.
Lloyd, Jacqui, 120 Module 8 – Prophecy. Auckland: Laidlaw College, 2015.
Petersen, David L. “False Prophecy”, in The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. 4. Eds. Sakenfeld, K.D., et al. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2009, 620-21.
Schmitt, John J. “Pre-exilic Hebrew Prophecy,” and & J. Barton. “Post-Exilic Hebrew Prophecy,” in Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol 5. Ed. D. N. Freedman., et al. New York: Doubleday, 1992, 482-502.
Witherington III, B. Jesus the Seer: The Progress of Prophecy. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1999.
Wright, N.T. “The Praxis of a Prophet,” in Jesus and the Victory of God. London: SPCK, 1996, 162-197.
The Chronicles of Storyteller 
This was great. 😀
Hey Philip, I just read this now since I haven’t checked your blog in ages. 😛
One thing I was wondering: You say that we should check prophecy against Scripture. If you were a Jewish Christian living at say 40 A.D, and you received something that purported to be prophecy, how would you check if it was something that was good so you could hold fast to it, since most of the Scriptures probably wouldn’t have been written yet?
Just wondering how you would view this in light of what you said above. 🙂 It was good to read and I liked it. 🙂
Hi Matthew,
Good question. However, I would still say to check it against Scripture. There’s the Old Testament, which is every bit as much the Infallible Word of God as the New Testament, it just doesn’t have the fullness of the revelation of God revealed in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that “[i]n the past God spoke … through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in the last days he has spoken to us by his Son … ” (NIV). A Jew living in A.D. 40 would have the Old Testament, but God had then also spoken through His Son.
So I would say, read Scripture. But read it in light of the revelation of Jesus Christ. And how would they read it in light of the revelation of Jesus Christ if the NT hadn’t been written? Ask those who knew Jesus—the Apostles because they knew Jesus best, as they had been there “the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us” (Acts 1:21, NIV). One could also ask others who knew Jesus—Mary Magdalene and the other women, Joseph Barsabbas (the one nominated to be an Apostle but who didn’t “get in”), etcetera, etcetera. They could also ask other Christians who had received the same Holy Spirit.
That was a longer answer than I had intended, but does it answer your question?
Yeah, that’s a great answer and answers my question pretty well.
I guess testing against the Old Testament wouldn’t always work (i.e. if the prophecy was about circumcision continuing, like the Judaizers said) but yeah, I agree with what you said above. 🙂
How long would they keep going to the Apostles and guys who knew Jesus and the Apostles to test the prophecy to see if it was true? Would they keep going to them even after the Bible had been completed?