There can be no doubt that prophecy has it’s place in the Bible, but should we expect to find prophets today bringing the same kinds of messages as those in the Old Testament, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel? These guys brought warnings, judgement and hope for the future (Isaiah 53, for example) in their God given messages.
I’m not going to hammer home a direct answer right here in the second paragraph of this article, instead, I’m going to follow the Spirit’s leading and work through some subjects first that will help us to understand the words and the functions seen through this gift. This understanding, I pray, will help bring clarity and understanding when I come to the conclusion of this message.
Just looking through the New Testament, we can see many different English words in use around this gift: “prophet”, “prophets”, “prophecy”, “prophecies”, “prophesy”, “prophesied” and “prophesying”. We can find these words in many New Testament books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, Titus, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude, Revelation.
Phew! That’s a lot of words and a lot of books! Seems to me we had better get straight on this subject so we can truly understand all of these New Testament teachings!
The Words
We should definitely go back to the Greek and make sure we understand what those words truly mean:
1. “Prophet” / “Prophets”
- Greek Word: prophētēs (προφήτης)
- Strong’s Concordance: G4396
- Part of Speech: Noun
Etymology & Full Definition: This word is a compound of two Greek words:
- pro (πρό): A preposition that can mean “before” (in terms of time or space) or “for” (in the sense of “on behalf of”).
- phēmi (φημί): A verb meaning “to speak” or “to make known.”
Meaning: A “Prophet” refers to someone who speaks on behalf of (God in this case) and can speak of events “before” they happen.
2. “Prophecy” / “Prophecies”
- Greek Word: prophēteia (προφητεία)
- Strong’s Concordance: G4394
- Part of Speech: Noun
Etymology & Full Definition: This word is the noun form derived directly from prophētēs. If a prophētēs (prophet) speaks, the message they deliver is the prophēteia (prophecy).
Meaning: The message that a prophet speaks.
3. “Prophesy” / “Prophesied” / “Prophesying”
- Greek Word: prophēteuō (προφητεύω)
- Strong’s Concordance: G4395
- Part of Speech: Verb
Etymology & Full Definition: This is the verb form of the set. It means “to prophesy” or “to act as a prophet.”
Meaning: The act of being a prophet, doing what prophets do.
To summarize:
- The prophētēs (prophet) is the person.
- The prophēteuō (to prophesy) is the action they perform.
- The prophēteia (prophecy) is the message they deliver.
Today, you will also hear the word “prophetic” used, this is an adjective that describes a noun. You will hear phrases like “This is a prophetic message” in the same way that you would say “this is a ginger cat”. This word, however, does not appear in the KJV or most of the modern translations.
(20) Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.
(21) For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV
Presuppositions
Before we go any further into this subject, we need to meet in agreement about some points:
1. Jesus’ work on the cross is complete.
What do I mean by this? Ultimately, I mean that Christ’s finished work on the cross is perfect. Nothing else is left undone or is not already predicted in the Bible that is necessary for our salvation and eternity with the Lord.
2. The Old and New Testaments are a complete handbook.
Everything that we need in order to live a complete and surrendered Christian life is in the Bible. We don’t need any extra books or verses to “educate us on something that is missing”. The only purpose that any other christian book, sermon, article or devotion can serve is to help us understand the interpretation of what is already written in the Bible.
3. The Canon of scripture is complete.
This is the culmination of points 1 and 2. The Bible is a complete book and a finished work. There is nothing left to be written. There is no new information left to be revealed. We have victory in Christ through its collective truth!
These three points will determine the truth of the conclusions we come to. If you don’t agree with me on these points, you likely won’t agree with my conclusions either. If you do find yourself conflicted over these three points, I strongly urge you to be in prayer and to consult with someone who understands and stands on the full truth of God’s Word.
What is a Revelation?
In the twelfth chapter of 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul speaks about “revelations”:
(1) I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
(2) I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.
(3) And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—
(4) was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.
(5) I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.
(6) Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say,
(7) or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.2 Corinthians 12:1-7 NIV
Here, Paul speaks about a particular experience where he was “caught up to the third heaven” and “heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell”. He calls these things “revelations”, which is the Greek word “apokalupsis”. This word means a “disclosure” or “unveiling”, literally to “uncover”, “lay bare” or “to make naked”. Clearly, it means to reveal something. Figuratively, it means something that was previously unknown.
Paul wrote the majority of the New Testament, he shared buckets and buckets of wisdom from the Lord. All of this came to him from the Holy Spirit. Some of this was new information that could come under the heading of “revelation”.
In day to day life, we can “reveal” something which we (and others) know all about to someone else, to them it would be “new information”. However, when we talk about revelation in God’s Word, we are typically talking in the context of the whole Bible, brand new information.
The New Testament Gift
Paul talks about the gift of prophecy in the fourteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians:
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:1 NIV
After educating the Corinthians on the importance of love (in the previous chapter) and how it needs to be our driving force, Paul builds on this base by talking about orderly conduct in the church and in the exercise of Spiritual gifts.
(3) But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
(4) Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.1 Corinthians 14:3-4 NIV
Prophesying (speaking words that God has given you through the Holy Spirit) edifies people. It can strengthen, encourage and comfort.
Have you ever been in a situation where a fellow Christian (or even a non-believer) was in distress and you just had the exact right words that they needed to hear? Quite possibly, you may have even been convinced that they didn’t come from you and that they were shared by the Holy Spirit who then tapped you on the shoulder and instructed you to share. In this circumstance, you “spoke the words of God”. Sound familiar?
I’ve delivered my fair share of sermons and messages in my time and can say that often, while delivering my “prepared” sermon or message, the Holy Spirit has placed words in my head and said “speak”. He also does so just as much in my preparation as he does “on the spot”. If this ever ceased to happen, I would never preach again. I don’t want to preach purely man made messages.
These Holy Spirit inspired words aren’t mine.
How do I know that they aren’t mine? Because I didn’t think of them. I didn’t put them together.
How do I know that they didn’t come from Satan? Because they line up with scripture, the Bible’s teachings. They don’t change it and they don’t contradict it. They aren’t “New Revelation”. Also, words that aren’t from the Lord tend to come wrapped in confusion and distraction. The Lord speaks in clarity, He isn’t the author of confusion. Practice and experience have taught me the difference and discernment.
Conclusions
Does “prophecy” occur today? In the strict Greek meaning of the word, yes. As Christians we can “speak words from God” via the inspiration and prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Can prophecy share “New Revelation” today? No. The Canon of the Bible is complete, there is no other way by which we can be saved (Galatians 1:6-10, John 14:6) and God’s instructions for living the Christian life, which came through the Apostles (Acts 1:12-26), are complete. The Apostolic office occupied by the twelve plus Paul no longer exists. “But Paul wasn’t a witness of the risen Christ!” I hear someone say, my response “The Damascus Road”.
What about prediction of future events or outcomes? Yes. In the book of Acts, people who weren’t apostles predicted future events (Acts 11:27-28, Acts 21:8-11). As a personal testimony, there have been times in my Christian life where the Holy Spirit has shared with me information about how events will unfold and even that certain events will be happening in my life. This is the loving guidance of an almighty God for His people.
Ultimately, everything we hear, read or see must be put through the filters of God’s Word and discernment. Doesn’t matter who the source is or who you think the source is. It all must go through.
But doesn’t the Bible state that prophecies will cease? Yes it does, in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. But the key here is WHEN it will cease, according to these same verses that is “when completeness comes” (v.10) which will be when “we shall see face to face” (v.12) when we “know [God] fully, even as I am fully known” (see Cessation or Continuation).
