The Importance of Gifts Part V
Today we are discussing another of the spiritual gifts that is radically misunderstood in modernity. 1 Corinthians 12:10 identifies this gift as the gift of prophecy. Modern ideas and thoughts behind prophecy stem from incorrect understandings, lack of knowledge, emotional hysteria, and fear. This is unfortunate because God provides us in His inerrant word the structure that defines Prophecy. Let’s first start with the word itself. A prophet is someone who “speaks by inspiration” H5012 while a prophecy is “a foreteller; by analogy an inspired speaker” G4396. Now thanks to 1 Corinthians 12:11, we know that the gifts we are discussing come from the Holy Spirit. “11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” So then we can understand that to have the gift of prophecy, an individual must accurately speak the word of God.
1 Corinthians 14 identifies in several key areas the characteristics of the spiritual gift. For the design of the series, I will be brief, but I would recommend you do a deeper study into the gift.
The Lord defines the spiritual gift of prophecy and it should be considered a commandment from the Lord.
Women can be prophets but cannot use the gift in the assembly of the Church.
We are told to ask for this spiritual gift
Prophecy must teach and exhort.
Prophecy will not contradict God’s written Word.
Prophecy is subject to peer review by other Prophets.
Prophecy must be checked by the audience to God’s Word.
Prophecy is for believers but can convict unbelievers.
A Prophet must be mature in thinking.
Prophecy is not the same as revelation, knowledge, or teaching.
Prophecy is second only to love in importance for a Christian to pursue.
Prophecy is for edification, exhortation, and consolation.
Just looking at this list, you can immediately identify cults that have entered into the world. Mormonism, Seventh Day Adventist, Jevhoah Witnesses, and others all have their so-called prophets fail the 1 Corinthian 14 check list. Since this gift is one that I feel many do not fully understand, I believe that it is important to show an example of someone who claimed to have this gift but was not a prophet of God. Take a look at Jeremiah 28.
“28 In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: 2 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’” 5 Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. 6 He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. 7 Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.” 10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11 and he said before all the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way. 12 After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron.14 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.’” 15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. 16 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth.This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’” 17 In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.”
As we know from Scripture, Hananiah was in fact wrong, and the exiles remained in Babylon. In fact, Deuteronomy gives us a test for when someone claims to have gift of prophecy. “22 When the prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, and the thing does not happen or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken.” Deuteronomy 18:22. So not only does an individual have to accurately speak the word of God, but what they say will happen must also come true.
Now what does this mean today? The gift of prophecy is still very much alive. It should be sought after by every Christian as Paul commanded but it should be done not in the eyes of man’s traditions but according to the Word of God. I dare not limit God’s applicability of His gift by providing modern day examples, but would rather have you dive into God’s Word and ask Him to reveal this to you.
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex