HAS
GOD SPOKEN TO US? PART II
THE PROPHETS
Introduction: I hope this past
week, you were able to get into nature and enjoy God's beautiful handy work as
I did. During one of my morning walks, I passed by a gentle brook; I paused to
listen to what God would say to me. I felt God was saying to me, come to the
stream of my refreshing word, and be refreshed. This morning let's drink from
the brook of God's word.
We
began our journey into the Book of Hebrews, which can also be called the "Book
of Better Things." This book contains rich theology. We are addressing this
BIG question: Has God spoken to Us? If so, when, how, why, where, and through
whom?
Last
week I mentioned that based on scripture, there are eight distinct ways God
speaks. We spent quite a bit of time discussing one mode of His communication,
which is through nature. Today we will focus on another way how God
communicates with His people. Throughout God's redemptive history, we see God
using prophecy as a vehicle to get his message across to humanity, and He is
still using that mode of communication.
In
recent times due to COVID-19, there has been a renewed interest in this subject
of prophecy. Several theories are floating on the internet to connect the
current incidents to ancient and recent prophecies. In 1973 David Wilkerson
prophesied about upcoming worldwide calamities and disasters. They were
audio-recorded and printed in a book titled, "The Vision."
I
listened to the audio version, and it is powerful. I wanted to buy his book, and it is on high
demand priced at $240, which tells me something about prophecies. People,
unlike before, are paying attention to what God might be saying to us during
these worldwide calamities. This morning we will try to understand God's unique
way of communication: Prophecy. We hope to find answers to questions such as:
Who is a prophet? Does God still speak to us through prophecies? How do we know
who a true prophet of God and a fake prophet is? Let's get started.
Let's
define the word prophet. "The ordinary Hebrew word for prophet is Nabi,
derived from a verb signifying "to bubble forth" like a fountain;
hence the word means one who announces or pours forth the declarations of God. The English word prophet comes from the Greek word prophetes, which can mean "one who speaks
forth" or "advocate.[1]
A
prophet is a person who speaks God's truth on behalf of God to others. Prophets
are also called "seers" because of their spiritual insight or their
ability to "see" the future. In a general way, we can say, prophets
are the eyes and the mouth of God on the earth.
I. THE CALL & THE
MISSION OF A PROPHET
Prophets
are often called and set apart at times from birth itself to speak for God. The
prophets are like the eyes and the mouth of God. They receive particular
messages of warning, impending judgment, instructions to repent, and a
declaration of restoration. Prophets carry an enormous burden of God on their
shoulders, like the prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah
argued with God. Jer 20: 9, "But if I say I'll never mention the Lord or
speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in
my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can't do it!" To be a
prophet of God is a strenuous job, yet very rewarding.
Some
prophets were asked to do strange things to get the message across to God's
people. For example, Ezekiel was asked to do some bizarre things. Ezekiel
4:1-15 Ezekiel was asked to lie on his left side for 390 days bearing the sins
of Israel and 40 days on his right side bearing the sins of Judah. One day for
each year of their sin.
His
food was rationed for those number of days, and God asked Ezekiel to prepare
his meals using human waste when he resisted God made a concession and let him
use cow manure instead. What strange ways? The call of a prophet comes with a
hefty price to pay.
The
primary purpose of a prophet is to be the mouthpiece of God to bring estranged
people back to God and to encourage them to walk in the ways of God. In
accomplishing that purpose, God might ask a prophet to do several specific
things, depending on the situation.
For
example, the prophet Jeremiah's mission was six-fold. Jeremiah 1:10, "
Today I
appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot
and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and
plant." The first two pairs of verbs are negative, stressing the fact that
Jeremiah is to be primarily a prophet of doom. In contrast, the last pair is
positive, indicating that he is also to be a prophet of the restoration.
II. PROPHETS ARE
ORDINARY PEOPLE
The Biblical prophets were no superheroes.
They were ordinary people like you and me, yet they have done extraordinary
things because they served and followed a supernatural God. Here are some
characteristics and struggles they went through, which make them humans.
Abraham
was fearful, doubted, and lied. (Gen 12:12-13, 17:17-18) Moses struggled with
stammering (Ex 4:10). Isaiah said: "I am unclean." (Isaiah 6:5-7)
Jeremiah was regularly depressed, earning a title, "The weeping
prophet." Jer 4:19-21, he also wrote Lamentations.
Elijah
was afraid, ran for his life, and sat under a broom tree, and wished that he
might die. That happened after a significant victory of killing 450 prophets of
Baal (1 Kings 18,19) Jonah had problems with disobedience, racial
discrimination, and anger. (Jonah 4)
Amos
was a shepherd, earned his living from the flock and sycamore-fig groove (Amos
1:1; 7:14-15, yet God took hold of him and entrusted him with a harsh prophecy
for Israel. It is not to say that God only uses ordinary, uneducated people to
be his prophets. He also used highly educated, handsome, and people of the royal
family, the likes of Daniel. OT Prophets were highly regarded, feared and some
were ridiculed and even executed for their prophecies.
God
was concerned with the needs of the prophets and their families who served him
faithfully. There was a time one prophet died, amassing a lot of debt. The
creditors threatened to take the two sons of the widow as slaves. She comes
weeping to Elisha with her sad story. Elisha multiplies the olive oil until she
had enough money to clear the debts and more for her and her two sons to live
on afterward. The call and the mission of a prophet comes from God himself.
III IS GOD STILL
SPEAKING THROUGH PROPHETS?
The author of Hebrews started the
first chapter saying, "Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to
our ancestors through the prophets." Is God still speaking to us through
prophets, or was it something that happened in the ancient past? The answer is an
emphatic Yes! God is still speaking
through the ancient prophets, at least seventeen major and minor prophets who
wrote books, and those books are included in the OT. When you read through the
gospels, there are several prophetic words you will come across. The last book
of the Bible called Revelation contains many prophecies that are yet to be
fulfilled.
Whichever
way you look at it, you cannot escape the prophetic voice that rings through
the pages of the ancient scriptures. Also, the prophetic ministry, one of the
fivefold ministries mentioned in Ephesians 4:11, is a gift from Jesus to the
body of Christ in our times. As one of the minor prophets, Joel long ago
prophesied in the last days' God is pouring out His Spirit on all people. God's
sons and daughters are prophesying. (Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:17-18)
You
may not be familiar with this type of prophetic ministry in our Church, but it
doesn't mean it doesn't exist in the larger body of Christ. I am very used to
the prophetic ministry when I was serving with Youth With A Mission. I fully surrendered my life to
Christ by reading a book titled, "Now and the Near Future
Prophesied." If we care to pay attention to God, he is still speaking to
us through His prophets. I encourage you to read the book of Revelation at
home.
In
closing, I want us to leave with a warning from Jesus. One of the signs Jesus
gave to look for the end times is the sign of false prophets. Matthew 24:11,
"And many false prophets will arise and will mislead many." The
problem of false prophets has always been there. In the OT, God warned his
people against them. Jesus gives the same warning to us even today.
How
do we know who a true prophet of God and a fake prophet is? We need discernment
from the Holy Spirit to discern the differences. It is for another time, but
for now, I will give a couple of scriptures that would help us to know when we
come across a false prophet.
Deuteronomy
18:21-22 "But you may wonder, 'How will we know whether or not a prophecy
is from the Lord?' If the prophet speaks in the Lord's name, but his prediction
does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that
message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared."
Matthew
7:15-17, "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep
but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is,
by the way, they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from
thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad
fruit." We know true prophets by their fruit and fulfilled prophecies.
During
these COVID-19 days many are claiming to be prophets and have the word of the
Lord. Many predictions are floating around on the Internet. My advice is don’t
fall for every prophecy. Test the spirits and see if they are in alignment with
God’s word. Firmly hold on to the truth of God’s word and above all ask the
Lord to give you the gift of discernment. Amen!
