Behold,€¦ · Web view“Where is the word of the Lord?” Prophecy, Prophets and the voice of God. Section 1: Some variety among the prophets. Jeremiah asked God this question

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Behold, They say to me“Where is the word of the

Lord?”

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Prophecy, Prophets and the voice of

GodSection 1: Some variety among the prophetsJeremiah asked God this question ages ago. (Jer 17:15) Thinking Christians are asking it again right now. In the aftermath of the World Trade Center2, “prophets” are coming out of the woodwork.

Some say that these events are clearly a judgment that is overdue for the great whore – America and its capitalist demons. Others say it is a dreadful demonic manifestation from an Islamic fiend so evil that he might be the beast that has come to war on the saints. Some take a social view and ask why did these things happen and point us back to basic principles of relationships, righteousness and justice.

Others, with a great deal less class, are sitting smugly saying, “I told you so” and point to sometimes vague renderings that may have implied September 11th.

It only gets a little worse when you listen to what counsel they offer about how we should live. For some we should adopt a survivalist mentality – get a gas mask, rifle and tinned food. For others we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Some want much more military muscle and clean out the whole nest of them (whoever “they” are). Yet others want us to repent of our sins and humble ourselves, while some just throw their hands in the air and adopt an apocalyptic view. “That’s all folks. Jesus will be back before the end of the week”.

2 This guide was requested in the aftermath of this event.

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Do not listen to the prophets…who fill you with vain hopes. They

speak visions of their own minds, not from…the

Lord. They say continually to those who despise the Lord, “It shall be well with you…no evil

shall come upon you”. (But,) who among them

Confused? I am.

Edified, Exhorted and Encouraged?

Not yet!

This Issachar will ask Jeremiahs question again –

Where and how do we hear the voice of the Lord?Who are the prophets we should trust?

What principles can we gather from the New Testament and the period just after the apostles that help us sort out where to go to hear the prophetic voice in our times? (We will stay entirely in the NT for our quest. OT prophets were a different kettle of fish altogether. That was then, the NT is now.)

Rarely have we needed to hear the voice of the Lord more than at the moment. It seems that just as we need the prophetic, we discover how weak our approach is. However, God is speaking to us. He is Lord of our world and each of our lives. He is working out his plan. We need the information that will enable us to live positively and purposefully as we co-operate with him.

This information is the stuff of the prophetic gift.

Section 2: N.T. ProphecyProphecy – the voice of Jesus

Prophecy was seen as the great gift of the early church. Prophecy was the sure sign that the Christians were the new Israel and the true people of God. The prophetic spirit had been poured out again, and not just on a select few – but on all who would receive. (Ac 2:16)

The church had a passionate belief that the risen Lord would speak to them through the prophetic gift. They had a simple, childlike faith in this gift.


Some radical scholars take great interest in passages like Mt 13:36ff where Jesus explains things to his disciples either “later” or “in private”. They ask whether the explanations that are offered in these passages happened in the earthly life of Jesus or whether they are the record of the prophets who spoke under his influence “later” and “in private” after his ascension. Certainly, Jn 16:12 –15 says that this is exactly what will happen. The Holy Spirit will add to and build on the teaching ministry of Jesus presumably through the prophetic gift.

These ideas may be too radical for many Issachar readers, but they serve to illustrate that scholars are in no doubt about the importance of prophecy to the NT church. The words Jesus said during his stay in Palestine, and the words he spoke through the prophets in his glorified life were considered equally authoritative and urgent. The NT itself assures us it was so:

Who prophesied?

A few prophets are mentioned by name

Agabus Ac 11:28, 21:10Barnabas & Silas Ac 15:32The four daughters of Philip Ac 21:9A group mentioned specially at Antioch Ac 13:1

However, prophecy was not limited to a few people. All were filled with the prophetic spirit. (Ac 2:4, 4:31) In some churches they took more interest in this gift than in others, but it was an assumption of NT life that Christ was in the midst of the community and that every manifestation of his presence would attend the local congregation.

A commendable gift

Corinth was something of a prophetic leader. This was a major emphasis for which they were highly commended. (1Cor 1:4-9) However, so many people prophesied that protocols had to be developed to restore some semblance of order and timeliness to the worship services. (1Cor 14:29) However, even as Paul tries to bring some semblance of order to these people, he stirs the prophetic fire and encourages every member to exercise the gift. (1Cor 14:1,5, 12:39)

The prophet Paul?


The testimony of Jesus IS the spirit of prophecy! Rev 19:10 (RSV)

The witness Jesus gave IS THE SAME AS the spirit of Prophecy! Rev 19:10 (Jerusalem Bible)

Paul never called himself a prophet, yet had an impressive track record.

He prophesied to the churches (1Cor 14:6) He made end time prophecies that are still waiting their fulfillment today

(Rom 11:25ff) He prophecies what will happen after the coming of the Lord (1Cor 15:51ff) He makes detailed and specific predictions about the future in Ac 20:22, 29,

and 27:22.

None of this made him a prophet. He was a follower of Jesus, and like all his brethren, this made him a prophetic person. His special calling was the apostolic ministry. That did not mean he was not a pastor, teacher, healer, administrator, prophet or anything else. He was baptized in one spirit – that of Christ, and at that time he received fullness with Christ. (Eph 3:19) His particular “life of good works that God had prepared beforehand” (Eph 2:10) led him to the apostolic office. However he always remained a general purpose Christian. He served basically as an apostle, but pastored, helped, prophesied, and taught etc as was helpful to those he was with.

Just as Paul was basically known as an apostle, there were those who were known as prophets. They too operated in all of the gifts of Christ, but they were basically prophetic.

They found themselves acting as leaders in their communities. (See Rom 12:6, 1Cor 12:10, 28ff, Eph 2:20, 3:5, 4:11, Rev 10:7, 11:18, 16:6, 18:20, 18:24, 22:9)

What were the specialist Prophets like?

It cannot be stressed too much that the prophets were garden variety Christians with a peculiar bent to the prophetic gift. They exercised the other gifts and other people prophesied often. The use of the word “gift” may even be a little misleading. The “gift” the people received was the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Words like “emphasis”, “calling” or “specialty” might paint a better picture.

NT prophets did not enjoy the unlimited authority of an OT prophet. In the OT, only prophets could hear from God in a revelatory way. In this sense, their position was over the people and they were mediators between God and his people. In the NT, they are the operators of one ministry among all the others – each of which is a manifestation of Christ. He is not over the community. He is a member of it and must earnestly consider others better than himself etc. The mediator is not the prophet, but Christ himself.

However, he or she is called to the exercise of the most preferred gift (1Cor14:1). They were in a ministry associated with that of the Apostles who were the undisputed Christian leaders of the period (Eph 2:20, 3:5, 4:11, 1Cor 12:28ff, Rev 18:20.)

We know that the prophets Barnabas and Silas were the leaders of their church.


They press the edge of the egalitarianism of the NT. In some places they occupy a place that leads to very high regard placed on the man or woman him or herself.

For instance “The prophets occupy a prominent position in Revelation. In 11:18, 16:6 and 18:24, they are distinguished from the ordinary members of the congregation and put before the saints as a special group. The prophet has a much more direct relation to God, to Christ and to the angels than others. In relation to God he is almost on the same level as an angel, who is a fellow servant of the prophet … (22:9) Prophecy is the revelation and testimony of Jesus Christ; it is the word of God (Rev 1:1)3

The prophet held a strange place in the community – perhaps a little like that of the apostles. We know the apostles made a complaint that it appeared like they held prestige, privilege and place, but the load of integrity, pastoral responsibility, care and a life lived in a gold fish bowl took away all the gloss.

What did they do?

Their ministry included:

Giving fresh insight into the plan of salvation (Eph 3:5f) Declaring God’s will for individual Christians, (though this was a fairly minor

part of the office as we shall see) Understanding and sharing in the “divine mysteries” (1Cor 13:2) - what we would

call “seeing in the spirit”, or “walking in the Spirit”. Prophets were expected to know their way around the dimensions of the angels, heaven, spiritual powers for good and evil etc.

Declare the end time and keep faith pointed to the appearing of Jesus (Rev 22:6f) Declare the future (e.g. Ac 11:28, Ac 21:10) Speak out on contemporary issues, declaring not just what God is doing, but what

people should do in response. (e.g. Ac 13:1, 1Tim 1:8, 4:14) Admonish the indolent and weary Console and encourage those under assault (1Cor 14:3) Bring to light the secret wickedness of people (1Cor 14:25) Make sense to unbelievers and speak to their heart. (1Cor 14:25)

It seems that they were the leaders of the church at prayer. In the post apostolic period we know that this was one of their key ministries. Within a short time after the apostles, liturgies had been written to guide people in public worship. It is interesting to see the notes written in these orders of service. After writing out the prayer to be used as the thanksgiving at communion, one reads, “In this manner you will give thanks to God, unless a prophet is present in which case he may pray as he wills”.

Friedrich writes: “The interrelation between prayer and prophecy is apparent in 1Cor 14. The theme of the whole chapter is the difference between prophecy and tongues… What is said about prayer is not an excursus. It is an integral part of the comparison. … It

3 Freidrich TDNT Vol 6 p 850


seems that to (pray or sing with the mind in v 15) is ascribed to the prophet, especially as this form of prayer clearly leads to edification (v17) which is described as the work of prophecy in this chapter (v3). Prophecy and prayer are not the same, but they belong very closely together.”4

Prayer marks the life of a NT prophet – both as a prayer leader in the worship services and in private. Anna in Luke’s Gospel is held up as a true prophetess who gave herself to prayer. Prayer and prophecy are also linked at 1Cor 11:4 & 5, and 1Thess 5:17-20.

In summary: “The prophet is the spirit endowed counselor of the community who tells it what to do in specific situations, who blames and praises, whose

preaching contains admonition and comfort, the call for repentance and promise.”5

Where did they serve?

We will see that in the post apostolic period, the prophets became an itinerant group, sometimes not associated with a local church or leadership. Were the prophets travelers in the NT or were they gifted members of their local church?

We do see that Barnabas and Silas worked at Jerusalem (Ac 15:22), and Antioch (Ac 11:27ff). Agabus is found first in Jerusalem, then in Antioch (11:27ff) and finally at Caesarea. (Ac 21:10) However, we shouldn’t put too much store on these movements. Rom 12:6, 1Cor 12:10, 28, 1Cor 14:11 and Eph 4:11 indicate that each congregation had members who were specially endowed to prophesy. They were not generally trans - local leaders. They were part and parcel of each local community, caught up in its relationships, squabbles, business and pastoral care.

What did a NT prophet look like as they brought forth the word of the Lord?

Probably not that much different to what we see today when we are at our best. In some cases they made a similar entrance to an OT prophet. For example, Agabus in Ac 21:10 – 14 makes a symbolic action and says, “Thus says the Holy Spirit” (replacing the OT “Lord” for the Christian “Holy Spirit”). In this he is operating in a way that reminds us of the great symbolic acts of the Major Prophets.

4 Freidrich in TDNT Vol 6, p 853. 5 Freidrich in TDNT Vol 6, p 855.


There were some outstanding examples of trances, and experiences that may or may not have been out of the body, and when these happened they were always life changing to both the prophet and his circle of influence, but more commonly, the prophet maintained full self awareness.6

In 1Cor 14, we learn that a prophet can stop speaking if someone else starts and can remain silent, even if he or she has received a word. They can wait for the appropriate moment to declare the matter and can discuss or even argue with God over what they have seen.

The “personhood” of the prophet normally remained fully intact – even though the mind and will stood under the influence and operation of the Holy Spirit.

Friedrich argues that the prophetic gift can be understood by comparison with some other gifts.

The teacher considers the past, studies what is already known and transmits the faith already received. The prophet is oriented to the future, and seeks the counsel of God the church has not yet received. He receives this spontaneously, without preparation other than keeping his heart before the Lord.

The evangelist speaks to potential followers of Jesus and tells the primary stories of the faith. The prophet speaks to the household of God and tells them the practicalities of what to do next. The evangelist knows exactly what he will say; the prophet can be as surprised as anyone else.

The gift of knowledge (Freidrich argues) was a rational gift gained by meditation and reflection. It represented the conclusions gained by an individual as he followed Christ. It was a personal matter and a true gift to the person who had developed some “knowledge”, but it could become a source of pride – even arrogance. Prophecy is normally directed to the entire community and brings the directly heard voice of the Lord himself, without human opinion in the way of the purity of the voice of the Lord.

Hence – knowledge “puffs up” (1Cor 8:1), but prophecy “builds up” (1Cor 14:3)

(Prophecy came by sudden revelation, normally received during prayer. In Freidrichs’ understanding, what we call the word of knowledge is a prophetic manifestation. It is supernaturally gleaned information that arrives from a source far beyond the normal powers of the mind.)

6 The most famous is Paul’s experience listed in 2Cor 12:2. I assume that his teaching in 1Cor 15 derives in part from that experience. We sometimes forget that some core doctrine came from an out of body experience. The inclusion of the gentiles into the fold of Christ began in an extreme trance state. (Ac 10) Had we have seen either of these experiences we would have feared the worst for the spiritual and psychological state of both men. Despite the bizarre nature of the experiences, they were formative for both the people involved and the church. (Please remember they were also quite unusual.)


But how do you know if your local prophet is any good?

This was extremely difficult for the early church. The early Christians placed such a value on prophecy that testing it was almost too sacred ground to walk on. In the NT there are no universally applicable criteria. In fact, the only way this gift can be tested is by the exercise of other supernaturally gifted people. There were “discerners” as well as prophets in the communities. (1Cor 12:10) These people had a secondary gift to the prophet to check that all was well, but the prophets had fairly free reign.

1Cor 14:29, says that prophets can check up on each other, and both John and Paul (1Jn 4:1 and 1Thess 5:21) urge the testing of the prophetic word. One test was a simple orthodoxy – asking if this person believes in Jesus. However, that in itself hardly tested prophecy. The tests could never be those of the rational mind. In a section where John is trying to provide some guidance for selecting true and false teachers and prophets, he reminds his people that they all have an anointing. Each of them shares to some degree in the prophetic spirit. He asks them to trust their sanctified intuition as well as his own guidance. (1Jn 2:26-27)

The issue troubled the church for the entire 250 or so years that the prophetic gift operated. There was never a really satisfactory test, though we will see some of the ways they tried shortly.

Some guidance

The NT gives a little more guidance that will become useful for us later on.

In Ac 13, a false prophet is identified. His hallmarks are Not having God’s commission Being a son of the devil Being an enemy of Righteousness Full of deceit And generally wicked

The difficulty is that he was a wonder worker with a good grasp on the “divine mysteries” and that many thought he really was a prophet.

The same is true of the great false prophet of the book of Revelation. (16:13, 19:20, 20:10) Most of the world gives credence to his claims. He is after all, a charismatic leader and a great miracle worker. The things we can see that disqualify him include:

A seductive approach A tendency to totalitarianism The use of brute force (a “whatever it takes” attitude)


Section 3: after the NT

By the end of the NT period, we have a general idea that we can discern people, prophets included, by their “fruit”. (Mt 7:15-20) True prophets leave a trail of godliness and comfort behind them. When a Christian meets a true prophet he will leave the encounter bigger (built up), at peace (comforted) and resolved to do the right thing (exhorted). After time with a false prophet the result is likely to be contention and theological argument, moral slackness, spiritual laziness etc.

Despite the difficulties involved and the lack of definitive criteria, the NT church was satisfied that sooner or later, people who stood unworthily on the holy ground of prophecy would be exposed. (Mt 7:19)

In the sub apostolic7 period, two forces were contending for the heart of the church.8 On the one hand were the weakening “charismatic” voices that wanted to guard the immediacy of the experience of God brought by the Gospel. On the other were the forces of order and institutional survival. One side saw the church as a spiritual fellowship founded by apostles in the name of Christ. The other side saw it as the repository of doctrines that explained the way of salvation. By the fourth century there was no doubt which side had won. As we shall see, one of the Fathers of the church defined the date when prophecy was finished as a phenomenon in the Christian movement.

The story from the end of the NT period is one of decreasing evidence of the ministry of prophecy and a great increase in the work of false prophets and heretics. However, for we who live in a day when the prophets are heard again, there are some worthwhile lessons.

What was happening?

At the beginning of the sub apostolic age the prophets had gained higher respect and esteem than they had in the NT period. A little book called the Didache contains much of what we know of the period. It was written somewhere between 120 and 150. In it we learn that

Prophets are called “high priests”.

Mostly they were traveling ministers, but if one settled in your church, all the first fruit offerings should be provided for him or her. They should not need to worry about a living.

7 “Sub apostolic” means the period just after the apostles were in operation. People they had trained were still alive, and their influence was real, though fading.8 See the Back to the Future Issachar for detailed information on the second century.


The provision for the prophets is more important than provision for the poor. (Offerings for the poor would only be received if there was no prophet in the church.)

The number of prophets was dwindling. Many churches now had bishops and presbyters who fulfilled the requirements of the leadership once offered by the prophets. “When there are no teachers and prophets, the bishops and deacons, whom the faithful have elected will discharge in their place the ministry of prophets and teachers.” Note that prophets were appointed because they carried a clear charismatic gift. Now we have the elected officers running the churches. Many in the churches were not thrilled by the transition from prophetic to pastoral leadership. Several letters from the period written by international Christian leaders reminded people they had to honour their bishops.

Where there are prophets, they remain the prayer leaders in the churches. Liturgies are now firmly in place to organize public worship. The Bishops and presbyters have to follow them, but Prophets are free to pray as they will.

The prophet’s work in conjunction with “apostles”. These apostles were more like missionaries who go to do evangelism in established churches, rather than establish new ones.

They frequently gave very practical instructions – such as the collection of special offerings for special projects or needs.

Paul had required the testing of prophecy. Now no one can challenge a prophet. It is an unforgivable sin to be critical of a prophet speaking in the spirit.

Hermas is the next port of call. He was the brother of the bishop of Rome, and was not an authorized spokesman for the church. He had visions though he did not refer to himself as a prophet. He also failed to mention prophets among the recognized leaders of the churches. In his writing he says that true prophets will receive inspiration during the worship and while the people are at prayer. They should not offer the prophetic word in private, and people should not approach them for guidance in the way the pagans approach a soothsayer.

Right up until 300 AD the idea that prophecy was part of the Christian experience stayed current, though the practice had all but died out. One comment from about that time said that the whole church should still be regarded as a prophetic body. “There is a college of prophets which is the body of Jesus Christ.”

Why did the prophets fade out?

The fire and spiritual energy of the apostolic period faded. The gift of discernment fell into disuse, and toward the end of the period, in some places, virtually all prophecy was


ruled as false simply because of the fear of getting it wrong, and the lack of confidence in the community that it could discern good from bad.

False prophets increased – dramatically, and brought disrepute to all prophecy.

The church was increasingly “playing a safety shot” and trusting the elected bishops and elders to provide stability and counsel. The role of pastor and teacher was valued before that of apostle and prophet. This was helped by the development of the Christian scriptures. There was now a definitive and agreed guide to life and godliness that was nowhere near as fickle as the voice of prophecy.

Even as early as the Didache, we can see that the prophetic gift has become something that happened outside the local church, and was no longer a force that sprang from within it’s heart. Prophets could still settle in a community, but it was increasingly rare to find a church with a resident prophet, or one that considered prophecy to be a normal part of its community life.

Despite that, several of the major figures of the period prophesied themselves. Polycarp and Ignatius (died 108 AD) declared the prophetic word at times and Irenaus (130 –202 AD) warned that in the effort to suppress false prophets, all prophecy was being discounted.

The ironic part about Ignatius was that one of his recorded prophecies cried aloud for the people to “Give heed to the bishop…Do nothing apart from the bishop”.9 He did not see that an ordered church regulated by bishops, presbyters and deacons had a different heartbeat to one built on the apostles and prophets.

Origen (185 –254 AD) was aware that prophets still minister, but denies that they have any real influence in the congregations.

What were the tests for falsehood in prophets?

The Didache asked if a prophet practiced what he preached. It also said that, provided the prophet was not invited to settle in the church, if he stayed longer than a day or two, he was not from God. If he asked for money for himself, or if he left with more than he needed to get to his next lodging he was not from God. Further testing was forbidden as an unpardonable sin.

Hermas says we may identify a false prophet:

9 The letter to the Philadelphians quoted Swete p 14.


“The false prophet, having no power from the Divine Spirit within

him, being himself

If he asks for background before he prophesies. A true prophet is speaking from God who knows all.

If he “exalts himself and desires to take the first place in the assembly, and at once gives himself airs, is unblushing and talkative, surrounds himself with luxuries … takes money for prophesying, and if he cannot get it, does not prophesy.”10

If he avoids the church, and shuns its’ worship. If he is not gentle, peaceable, humble, a stranger to wickedness and greed.

The last flicker

The last great prophetic fire before the twentieth century was lit by Montanus around 175 AD. This man, together with some prophetesses experienced and led a remarkable revival of prophetic, spirit filled religion. He was finally declared a heretic, but the conclusion of many historians is that he was not unorthodox in belief, but just too hot to handle by a church that wanted to settle down. At the time of Montanus, only two mainstream prophets can be named from all of Christendom.

Montanus and his people were ecstatic and frenzied in their prophecy, but the content differed little from others who had gone before them. They pointed to people to God in Christ, but did so in the environment of strange sounds and manifestations. It may be that we have in Montanus the Toronto blessing of the late second century. The movement spread right through the Christian world, and gained adherents among bishops, theologians and many ordinary believers. One of the greatest theologians of all time – Tertullian (160 –220 AD) discovered a personal walk with Christ through the movement.

Unfortunately, the “ecstatic, sensational element of prophecy was put before that which ministered to the spiritual good of the community.”11

Some placed Montanus and the prophetesses above the first apostles for teaching authority and some went as far as to promote them beyond the law and the prophets. For some Montanists the experiences were becoming more important than the message. Many mainstream leaders could no longer see the kernel of truth that was increasingly buried by the excesses and enthusiasms of some of the followers of the movement.

Tertullian reported that a bishop of Rome toward the end of the second century almost recognized Montanus and the movement and was ready to send a letter of peace and reconciliation. He was persuaded not to by Praxeas who himself was later branded a heretic. Tertullian was not happy about this outcome. Roman Christian ascendancy was far from established at this time, but the end of the age of prophecy was dated from the change of heart by the Roman Bishop. Tertullian says Praxeas effectively “expelled prophecy from Rome and put the Paraclete to flight”12

10 Quoted Swete p 2411 Swete p 70-71.12 Quoted Swete p 73


Paul Tillich says the defeat of Monatanism cost the church in four important ways:

1) The idea that God can speak new truth – a pillar of Johns Gospel was at least reduced in power and meaning.

2) “The traditional hierarchy was confirmed against the prophetic spirit. This meant that the prophetic spirit was all but excluded from the organized church and had to flee into sectarian movements.”13

3) Teaching about the end times became far less valued. The only end that mattered was a person’s own death. “The idea of an end of history was not important in the church after that”14

4) The strict moral discipline of the Montanists was lost. After this the church was marked by a growing laxity that became full-blown license in later centuries.

Section 4: And then we arrived…I am grateful to God to be alive in this part of the churches journey. So much has been restored to us since 300 AD.

Justification by Faith, Holiness, A heart for the Poor, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the understanding of the Body of Christ functioning together, Increasing discipline around water baptism, prayer movements, a tremendous change in our passion for and patterns of worship, signs and wonders, the missionary movement, Christian Unity …. And the gift of prophecy.

We have seen an increasing tide of restoration in the church that should make our hearts sing. With the restoration comes all the “downsides” that our forefathers had to cope with.

How do we deal with the downside of prophecy in our time?

This is where I can lose all my friends, so all I will do is ask questions about prophecy. (Some of the questions are just a little pointed.) I pray that in thinking them through, you will receive some light.

So, where is the word of the Lord?

The local talent.

At its height and at its best, the prophetic voice of the church was based in the local congregation. In the NT Jesus relates to each gathered community. Each has it’s angel, its candlestick, it’s part in the purpose of God and it’s identity. Yet we have largely

13 Tillich p4114 Tillich p41


relegated the ministry of prophecy to international conference speakers. What happened to the local church?

Jesus is the head of the church. Surely he is able to declare his mind to each community as they seek him. Surely, if something is so far reaching that it will affect many communities, the Lord is still able to speak to each one.

A couple of years ago I was able to see this in operation. In my own fellowship we were pondering some issues about our town. Our prophetic people had spoken, and we had a sense of peace that what they had heard was good, and some clarity about what we had to do. I was delighted to visit a Roman Catholic ministry center during that time. I asked, what the Lord had been saying to the people there. They replied that they were dealing with the same issues we were and that the Lord had revealed a path of action for them that was complementary to ours.

Jesus is the Lord of the church. He will speak to each part of the body with what they need.

Should we trust local prophets more than we tend to, and find confirmation in the prophets of other local fellowships rather than seek after the big name, published authors we currently are enamored with?

Trust your instincts

John told his people that they had an anointing that enabled them to identify “deceivers”. (1Jn 2:27) That translates as “trust your instincts”. Each of us possess (or are possessed by) the Spirit of Prophecy. Yet we sometimes accept prophetic insight fairly uncritically from people we really don’t know.

When a whole fellowship has a similar “gut” reaction to something, that has to be fairly solid information.

Should we be more confident of the discerning Spirit that resides in each of us, and more humble before the group mind of the local community?

Wadyawanustodu?

When a prophet spoke in the NT, the result was clarity and an action plan. Their words included both the purpose of God and the appropriate response from the church. “Set these apart”, “take an offering for…” were the sorts of results that came from the prophets. There was an atmosphere of measured action that followed their ministry. People knew what to do.


I get very frustrated by supposed prophets who trouble a community with some pious sounding “warning” or “rebuke” and then don’t give us any actions to obey. The classic is when someone prophesies a need to repent. The question has to be asked – what are we doing that is naughty and what should we do instead? If there is no clarity in what the prophet says, they do not measure up to the NT standard. If they leave confusion and angst behind them they did not speak from the God who said “I did not say to seek me in chaos”.

Should we be less polite to neurotic people who are just projecting their own insecurities onto everyone else and dressing it up in some pious “prophetic” claptrap? (That was a pointed question in case you missed it.)

Let’s get to know each other

Morals are a pretty obvious test. However, we don’t ask the question all the time. When we are meeting a person who may have a prophetic gift for the first time, or when someone has just come to our community and wants to prophesy or when we are hearing from someone we don’t know on a platform, we should aim to get to know the person. The NT was nowhere near as concerned with testing prophecy as it was with testing prophets! The issue was “Is this a Christlike person?” rather than “Is this word from Christ? Once a community acknowledged a prophet, they listened to that person in rapt attention. They had recognized a prophetic gift in the person, so the results had to be trusted.

Should we be a little more interested in getting to know a person rather than hearing what they have to say?

Not the car park, anything but the car park

NT and post NT prophets were barred from private prophecy. By the end of the period of prophecy, the rules were simple. If it couldn’t be shared in front of the whole community it was disallowed. We all joke about “car park” prophecy. The truth is that dangerous people are sneaking around, delivering what is sometimes devastating rubbish to the unsuspecting by way of a private “prophecy”. They themselves treat this like a dirty little secret, and that is exactly what it often is. It should be treated in the same way as any other form of abuse. EXPOSED and the offender brought to account. It is hideously dangerous, totally unaccountable, and creates more pain and grief than we ever want to face.


Prophecy is to edify the body – and its primary purpose is for the community. If there are words for individuals they will come in that context. The way some people approach Christian prophets today has a lot in common with the way others visit fortune tellers. On the occasions we see personal prophecy in the period we have looked at, it was normally about something to do with the person’s life as it related to the community – how they should help out or what they should do. Occasionally it strengthened them for trouble ahead or identified some sin or another. Personal prophecy did not seem to occupy the place it does for us.

Should we tell our people NEVER to engage in or accept “the word of the Lord” after a meeting or outside the worship service or small group etc?

Should we get rid of the “every child wins a prize” approach to prophecy that is fairly predominant today? Why should God need to use a prophet to speak to every person in a room?

It’s nice to be important, but it’s important to be nice

Especially in the post apostolic period, character counted. What they describe is not a moral paragon, or a mystic. They describe a nice person, sensible, sane, caring, humble, gentle, quiet and peaceful. There are times when people burn up their aggression, impatience, arrogance or insensitivity in public and pretend that these little tantrums have something to do with “the prophetic”. They don’t. Prophets are not set apart to be troublesome. They should leave solutions to troubles and healing for wounds behind them.

The lie that prophets are supposed to be arrogant, stubborn, or difficult to get close to has to be repented of. There is a widespread belief that prophecy is somehow the emotional opposite to pastoral care. Every pastor I know would love to build people up. That is the chief function of prophets!

There may be a time for thundering prophecy, but go through the NT and find how many examples there are.

Should we stop allowing the displays of immaturity that pretend some spiritual purpose, and front some of these difficult people with the need to shut up and grow up?

Are you on our side?


Prophets were very much part of a team in the NT church. Afterwards, as the ministry declined they found themselves in the “high priest” status. That was probably one of the reasons it all fell apart. Prophets are team players. They humble themselves before apostles, pastors, the word (which means the teachers) and the general wisdom of the body.

Some people who pretend to be prophets are stubborn all the time and “only tell you what God is saying to me”. The use of “to me” gives the lie. God does not speak to prophets. He speaks to the body through the various revelations gifts – including prophecy.

NT prophets are excellent team players. They do not consider that they are apart from or superior to the community that God is addressing.

Should we discount any prophet who is a rugged individualist or with whom we do not sense fellowship and empathy?

Beware the maximum leader

The false prophet of the end time in Revelation was a totalitarian leader. We should be watchful when stern demands start flowing from prophetic people. A totalitarian or violent spirit is not from Christ. The little sheep always feel intimidated by these people and often let them get away with folly.

Should some of us with a pastoral gifting step up and help some of the prophets understand that if it is Christ’s work it has to be done his way?

You’re kinda weird

The early centuries were careful of strange manifestations. They were not opposed and much excellent revelation came out of trances and strange manifestations. However, there was a modesty about the movement of the Spirit that was sensitive and careful.

How should we react to the “strange” manifestations that sometimes happen under prophetic ministry? What should we say to someone who cannot prophesy without strange things happening? How do we gently stop a person from speaking who has lost their self-control?


It’s not what you know; it’s who you know

NT prophets spoke to their circle of influence. For most, it was the small group they met with each week. Some, by the nature of their lifestyles or gift found that more people would listen to them – maybe a number of communities, an apostle, or a politician. They didn’t strive for it. They found that at the right time and the right place, they had the words that were needed.

The web makes it very easy for people to talk to anyone – without character testing, accountability or any other community thing that the NT presumes will surround the prophetic. I deal with people fairly often who assure me that they have a word for the pastors of our city, the parliament, the nations or some other huge group. Frequently these people do not have the confidence of the other gifted people in their own community and cannot name anyone they are sure is under their influence. They are deluding themselves. If God will bring a word to the Parliament or the whole church etc, he will make a way that it will happen. These people do not like the idea of hanging around and getting known, or of simply meeting people so that hearts can be tested and relationships formed. Scripture says we have everything we need for life and godliness. If a prophet is called to speak to the Pope, it will be within his means to do so!

How do we help people accept that they have to serve Christ in their actual circle of influence? How do we assure people that fame and power are not important? Should we ever accept the word of someone who is the spiritual equivalent of a social climber?

True/False/totally left field

In the NT, Balaam is listed as a prophet. In the OT he is a false prophet. Hmmmm.

Can God speak through people we don’t approve at all – even non-Christians? If he did, how would we know it was still the Lord?

Prophets and Profits

If a prophet prophesied for money, they were not accepted. We have commercialized ministry to the point where big name ministers can define how much it is worth for them to get on a plane. They are just like any other businessman with a product to sell. In the environment of speaker fees, royalty payments, copyright law etc, where do we draw the line? When does it all get too much and we just give up on the glitzy conference circuit and go home to our local church and Mrs. Jones who always brings the word so well,


strikes a chord in all our hearts, and seems to stay in step with the other prophets in the communities around us, even though they never talk together.

I can’t see any prophetic ministry in the NT like some of the ones that are around us now. The word of the Lord came to each community as it was joined to Christ. The apostles and later the bishops tried to facilitate some communication. The reality was that the church was beaten and persecuted through this period. Communications were often extremely difficult, yet as people followed Christ, it all worked out and the Gospel spread like lightning.

In my own community I often find that the couple of prophets that God has graced me with have heard exactly what the “name” prophets have heard at the same time. They say things like “I am so glad _________ said what he/she just said. I have been receiving that for months now.” And it seems to me that I should be able to receive the word of God from the local prophets who are hearing the same whispers from heaven that others are. When I do that, I have the news earlier, and it comes with the instructions our community needs rather than general and diffuse words to the entire body.

I am not opposed to the larger prophetic ministries. Some of them have been of great help to me, and the few people I know who operate on the conference circuit are servants and “nice” people. However, I wonder if there isn’t too much commercialism, pizzazz and glamour in the prophecy industry right now.

Could we live without the glamour and return to the local community as the primary place where we meet Jesus? Could we encourage local prophets to be bolder and not wait for someone else to speak before they tell us what they have already seen?

Would Christ in our midst be enough to guide us, keep each church or community in step with the others and ensure that the head was speaking through the prophetic nervous system to every part of the body?

If we wanted a broader view, could the leaders of the different communities in a region meet and pray together? Would we find that the Lord was speaking clearly and persistently and giving us all we needed for obedience and fruitful service?


Is the prophetic ministry actually simpler than we have made it?

Section 5: More Information

Friedrich Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

Vol 6 p 781 Eerdmans. 1968

Goguel M The Primitive ChurchGeorge Allen & Unwin 1964

Swete HB The Holy Spirit in the Ancient ChurchMacMillan & Co 1912

Tillich P. A History of Christian ThoughtSimon & Shuster 1967

Tugwell S. The Apostolic FathersGeoffrey Chapman 1989

The edition of the “The Didache” used in preparation of this Issachar was found in Early Christian Writings Penquin 1968


Documents

Behold,€¦ · Web view“Where is the word of the Lord?” Prophecy, Prophets and the voice of God. Section 1: Some variety among the prophets. Jeremiah asked God this question