Consider the Bible’s Prophets and How it Applies to Us Today
On Pentecost, Peter addresses the curious crowd gathered. He tells them that what they’re witnessing is what the prophet Joel predicted: that your sons and daughters will prophesy, that through the Holy Spirit both men and women will prophesy (Acts 2:16-18).
Everyone is either a son or a daughter; everyone is either a man or a woman. This covers all people. We will all prophesy. Joel says so, and Peter confirms it. But are we?
The dictionary says that a prophecy is an inspired utterance that reveals divine will or a prediction made by divine inspiration. That is, it’s words that come from God, and it occurs throughout Scripture.
Consider the people in the Bible who prophesied.
King Saul
After Samuel anointed Saul to be king of Israel, he told Saul what would happen when he left, which would end with Saul prophesying. In doing so, Samuel prophesied that Saul would prophesy. And he did, just as Samuel proclaimed (1 Samuel 10:1-13).
Saul prophesied a few other times too (1 Samuel 18:10 and 1 Samuel 19:23). Yet it didn’t last because God’s Spirit left him (1 Samuel 16:14).
David Appoints Prophets
King David commissioned the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun for prophetic ministry (1 Chronicles 25:1). He set them apart for this role, and it became their job.
The Prophets
Implicitly all the prophets in the Old Testament prophesied. Yet only some used that term. They are Jeremiah (Jeremiah 19:14), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:7), and Amos (Amos 7:15).
Others received prophetic visions: Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1), Obadiah (Obadiah 1:1), Micah (Micah 1:1), and Nahum (Nahum 1:1).
Daniel received his prophetic words through dreams (Daniel 7), as well as visions (Daniel 8). Whereas Ezekiel had a vision (Ezekiel 1:1), along with prophecies (Ezekiel 4:7). So did Amos (Amos 1:1 and Amos 7:15).
This shows that God communicates in different ways to different people. There is no one single and right way to receive God’s supernatural communication. The same applies to us.
God connects with us in varying ways. How he talks to another person may not be the way he talks to you. So don’t let anyone tell you that how they experienced divine revelation is the way you must receive it.
The Apostle John
In his end-time vision, an angel tells John to prophesy (Revelation 10:11). It’s a command to prophesy that occurs within a vision.
Two Witnesses
Also in John’s vision is God saying he will appoint two witnesses who will have great power. They will prophesy for 1,260 days (Revelation 11:3-6).
The Gift of Prophecy
Through the Holy Spirit, we can all prophesy. Yet some people excel at it. They have the special gift of prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1-5). Paul then gives instruction for how people should rightly use this gift (1 Corinthians 14:22-40).
False Prophets
Not all prophecy is good, and not all prophets speak truth. The Bible talks about these false prophets.
Many Old Testament prophets—Isaiah (Isaiah 44:25), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 14:14), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 13:9), and Hosea (Hosea 11:6)—warn against or pronounce punishment on these untrusty sages.
Jesus also warns us about false prophets.
We are to watch out for them (Matthew 7:15). We need to make sure we’re not deceived by them (Matthew 24:11). And we must not be fooled when they perform signs and wonders (Mark 13:22). Yes, some false prophets will do miracles.
Peter warns us that false prophets are among us, even serving as teachers (2 Peter 2:1). Therefore, John tells us to not automatically believe them, but to test them (1 John 4:1).
When You Prophesy
Given these warnings against false prophets, you may be understandably reluctant to utter a prophecy, even to the point of repressing a prophetic word you’ve received.
Yet recall that Joel said we would all prophesy, and Peter confirmed that the fulfillment of the prophet’s prediction happened on Pentecost. Beyond this, some people also have the gift of prophecy. We’ve already covered all this.
When you receive a word from God and proclaim it to others, be humble. If you’re not sure, say so, as in “I think this comes from God…” Conversely, you should probably avoid boldly proclaiming “Thus says the Lord…” unless you’re 100 percent sure.
And if someone gives you a prophetic word, don’t blindly accept it. Examine it to discern if it’s really from God.
Whether you’re giving a prophecy or receiving one, you might want to talk with a trusted friend to see if they think it rings true.
Yes, giving prophecies carry some risk and we must proceed with care. But even worse would be to dismiss all prophecies as irrelevant and not even try to develop your ability to hear from God and share it with others.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
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