Calvary Baptist Church

The power of a prophet is seen throughout the Bible, but are there prophets today?  If so, who are they?  How do they function? What tests should we apply to them? How do we know if what they are saying is true?

Consider the power of the prophet.  During the rebuilding of the temple, opposition to the work caused the people to lose heart and stop the work.  The leaders gave up the work.  Until Haggai and Zechariah came on the scene.  These dual prophets confronted them.  The work resumed and was completed.  Jonah’s reluctant message brought a revival to Ninevah.  John brought the right attention to Jesus.

Prophets delivered a powerful message through the Bible, but much of what passes as prophecy today is completely different. 

This author recalls an early experience with someone who claimed that God told them a message.  She told me that God told her that I was to marry her.  We had barely begun to date and her message had the opposite reaction in me. God had failed to tell me this same message.  I was amazed as the year went on as I found that other men in our college form had received the same message.

On a much larger scale are the so-called prophets who make many claims in the name of God. They have been known to claim victory or defeat in political campaigns.  They have spoken God’s name over sicknesses that do not result in healing.  They have proclaimed “A word from God” in situations that do not bear fruit.

Multiple “prophets” are known for frequent trips to and from heaven.  They deliver “messages” from God that border on ridiculous.  One “prophet” goes past the border of ridiculous claiming heaven has a Santa land with streets made of candy.  Eat the candy, it is replaced.  It always snows, but the snow is alive.  Make a snowman and it comes to life.  Oh, and there is also Jello land.  Sounds like she is caught in between Willie Wonka and Frosty.  Is this inspiration or drugs?

The last paragraph is a little lighthearted, but it is painfully real.  These false prophets mislead many.  People are confused by messages from those who claim to speak to God.

The obvious truth: Because prophets are powerfully used of God Satan offers cheap counterfeits. He enemy perverts truth.  He authors confusion. The answer is simple.  What is the authority? 

The Word of God offers six insights to help us understand the modern-day prophets.

• Insight One: Since the prophet is a gift of the Spirit, we must be careful of our definitions.

The Biblical word for prophet is: propheteia.  The noun means both to declare openly, publicly, and to foretell. Likewise, the verb: prophetes means to speak forth the mind and counsel of God.

Consider a few other definitions: (Emphasis in each definition highlights aspects of the Biblical language regarding a prophet.

• • "The ability to speak forth God's message under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  It is intelligible preaching that builds up the church in faith.  It is not foretelling but forth telling." (Miller, P. 7) Any prophet must follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
  • "The special ability to cause the authoritative word of God's truth to shine (2 Peter 1:19, 1 Cor. 14:3).  It includes congregational preaching and lay utterances which explain and apply God's revelation for correction and edification."  (Houts, P. 13) No prophet of God would be given a prophecy contrary to God’s written word.
  • "The gift of prophecy is the ability to publicly declare what God is doing in and through His world.  Its meaning is more accurately described in terms of forthtelling than foretelling."   (Jones, P. 117-119) The distinction between forthtelling and foretelling is critical.  While Biblical prophets did, at times, predict future events most of their efforts was to speak the words of God to the people of their generation.

Our generation desperately needs the presence of prophets.  We need to hear from those who would speak God’s word today. Without the presence of Godly prophets, we tend to godlessness and worldliness. 

• Insight Two: While Prophets Deliver a Message from God We Must Heed the Warnings of Scripture. 

Many false prophets will come, and we must recognize their presence.

Matt. 24:11, 24-25 ¹¹ and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time. ^[1]

The apostle Paul similarly warned the Ephesian elders. (Acts 20:28–30)

²⁸ Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, ^y which he bought with his own blood. ²⁹ I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. ³⁰ Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.^[2]

If we are faithful to the word of God, we must wake up.  We need to speak out against the false prophets in our day. The prophetic movement within the modern charismatic movement is a threat to believers around the world.

The New Testament repeatedly warns against the false prophets.  They are wolves who come in sheep’s clothing or disguise themselves as angels of light to permeate their lies.

Instead of enhancing people’s interest in and devotion to Scripture, the Charismatic Movement’s chief legacy has been an unprecedented interest in extrabiblical revelation. Millions influenced by charismatic doctrine are convinced God speaks to them directly all the time. Indeed, many seem to believe direct revelation is the main means through which God communicates with His people. “The Lord told me . . .” has become a favorite cliché of experience-driven evangelicals.^[3]

To be clear, God has not stopped speaking.  He speaks through His Word freely.  He sends messengers to clarify His Word to His people.   It is not a new revelation but an exposition on God’s established revelation.

• Insight Three: Because our Foundation is Solid, We Hold to the Word of God as the Source of Authority.

The Word of God is the final, complete, infallible authority for faith and practice.   In a time when almost anything can pass as preaching, we hold to the Word of God.  “Prophecy” that does not line up with Scripture is not to be believed.

• Insight Four: Evaluating the Accuracy of a Prophet or Prophecy Begins with Comparing the Prophets Motive with the Stated Purpose of the Word of God.

Why does the prophet do what he or she does?  What is his or her motivation?   Scripture leaves no doubt about its purpose. (2 Timothy 3:15-17)

and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God ^p may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.^[4]

Scripture has six clear purposes.  The Scripture is sufficient to accomplish these purposes.  Any prophet who would present a “message” from God must be examined to see if their method and message are consistent with these passages.  Does the message glorify Jesus and complete the purpose of Scripture?  If not, it is to be rejected.

• Insight Five: It is Essential to Distinguish Scripture from Tradition

The tradition of a church or group cannot and should not be the source of authority.   We can listen to tradition and respect the tradition.  But we must allow Scripture to be the authority.   

• Insight Six: At All Costs We Must Maintain the Biblical Standard for Prophet

Scripture leaves no room for discussion.  We must test those who claim to be prophets.  

Deuteronomy 13:1–5, Moses told the Israelites: “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods”—which you have not known—“and let us serve them,” you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So, you shall put away the evil from your midst.”

Any self-proclaimed prophet who leads people into false doctrine and heresy is a false prophet.  If someone declaring himself a prophet proclaims any supposed “revelation from God” that turns out to be inaccurate or untrue, he must be summarily rejected as a spokesman for God. The Bible could not be clearer in its assertion that the prophet who speaks error in the name of the Lord is a counterfeit.^[5]

God’s Standard for the rightness of a prophet is equally clear.  Deuteronomy 18:20-22.

²⁰ But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” ²¹ You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” ²² If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed. ^[6]

If a “prophet” delivers a message supposedly from God, they must be held to the 100% standard of correctness.  Some would water down this standard.  They would say that complete accuracy is not possible.  Such teaching is fallacy.

The Lord instructed the Israelites to test all prophecy on the basis of the word of God.  Prophecies that did not meet those qualifications were deemed false. Because false prophets were prevalent in Old Testament Israel (Deut. 13:3; Isa. 30:10; Jer. 5:31; 14:14–16; 23:21–22; Ezek. 13:2–9; 22:28; Mic. 3:11), God’s people needed to be able to identify and confront them. That same reality applied to New Testament believers as well, which is why Paul instructed the Thessalonians to test prophetic utterances carefully.^[7]

The world and the church desperately need the ministry of prophets.  We do well to guard ourselves, our children, our grandchildren, and those around us.  We must hold tightly to the Word of God and resist any message or messenger who take anything away from that Word.