Regarding True Prophets - Are There Any Today?

Regarding True Prophets

As believers we often hear the word “prophet”, but I’m not sure we always appreciate what that term really means. So, I thought I would take the time to look at what a prophet was, and see what it meant to operate as a prophet.

To begin with, let’s look at a few scriptures – to set the stage.

2 Peter 1:21 … no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Numbers 11:24-30 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it. 26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Joel 2:28-29 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

Acts 2:14-18 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

1 Corinthians 14:1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

1 Corinthians 14:39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

The Nature of a Prophet and True Prophecy

A watchman climbs the city walls and scans the area and reports signs an enemy is advancing or reports on any other evidence of an enemy’s activity. The watchman’s point of view allows him to see both outside the wall and within the walls of the city. He may not be able to see everything, but because of his placement and perspective he can see more than the average man. Watchmen can be self-appointed, or assigned the role by a king or ruler.

A prophet, however, performs the same job as a watchman but has the advantage of hearing directly from God – learning what God wants to do about the situation. In addition, the prophet is not self-appointed but is specifically chosen by God for the job.

2 Peter 1:21 … no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The prophet is placed in a position to see man both from a human perspective and from the viewpoint of God. And what he sees feels and knows in his soul deeply disturbs him, and it will not leave him alone. The prophet’s calling, the burden of God’s message and the mission, is without repentance.

God’s Spirit sifts through the hearts and minds and temperaments and situations and positions and abilities of men to find the ones He wants to use. God, by His Spirit, then calls the prophet until the prophet responds and complies with the will of God.

The prophet’s role may last months or decades. One thing is for certain, when God’s Spirit swoops down upon a man and catches him up into the presence and heart of God Himself the prophet is made to see hear feel and know the things of God’s own heart. He is driven by God’s holy zeal that goes far beyond his own and he is sent on a mission that must be completed – until God’s purposes are finally accomplished.

While the prophet may see, or talk, about external threats, his focus (and God’s) is on the people inside the walls. God’s focus is mainly on us. His desire is always that we wake up to our sins, understand His desires, become aware of the consequences of both obedience and disobedience, and that we truly repent.

The focus is not only on big sins. Oftentimes the prophet must speak of the little sins, the casual everyday sins, and not just the acts of sin but the inactions of sin, the sinful attitudes and values and motives, or our silent tolerance of sin.

It is not just a unique perspective that the prophet has, but he is made to share in the passions thoughts emotions and insights of God Himself. God’s understanding and emotions often enrage and embolden the heart of the prophet – even the reluctant prophet.

When a prophet denounces a people’s values, attitudes, priorities, goals and methods, and when these sins become so widespread or commonplace or threatening to God’s people and plans, then God selects a person to be His mouthpiece to proclaim what the problem is and what God plans to do about it if people do not repent.

As such, prophecy is speaking forth a timely word of warning – always giving time for people to repent. The future consequences depend on repentance or a continued rejection of God’s Lordship – a rejection of Him and His will and ways.

There are no fortune-cookie style prophecies for the true prophet. He does not say what people would like him to say. His words are the words of God, words of certainty that burn like fire, cut like a knife, hit like a blow to the solar-plexus, and they offend the senses and sensibilities of everyone who hears.

His words are the opposite of what people want to hear, a harsh break from the beloved pleasantries of sin and sensitivities dulled by the sleep of compromise apathy and complacency. His words threaten the status quo, and oppose the masses.

The words of God, as spoken by the prophets, strike at the nerve of everyone, from kings right down to the man on the street. They shatter the dreams and plans of sinful man. His message threatens their hopes and goals that God will continue to remain distant and silent so that things can continue as they have thus far.

But the prophet is also a human being.

• He feels the horrors that others feel.
• He recoils from what God has in store.
• He is at one and the same time stunned by the intensity of what God reveals, and he is compelled by it as well.

And while the prophet is generally compliant with God’s calling, he sometimes feels the need to run away, to escape it, to get out from under the awful weight of it all.

While the prophet hopes God’s plans might not have to be enacted, he simply cannot escape the call of God.

God’s thoughts and will reverberate in the heart and mind and words of the prophet. Relentlessly they consume and compel him to do and endure what he would never have chosen or been able to do on his own.

While prophecy often includes foretelling future events, it is based on forthtelling the revealed will and purposes of God and the consequences of man’s rejection or repentance.

The prophet is never a welcome guest at a party. Chances are that he will never be invited to one. He must endure rejection and exclusion. He must suffer harsh remarks and comments and sneers. His life is often in jeopardy and he must be OK with standing alone. If he were not willing to stand alone then the chances of God selecting him would be small.

God the Father is behind all true prophecy:

John 5:19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

John 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

Blessings and Cursing “Upon You”

In the Old and New Testament, both blessing and curses were said to be “upon you”. It was a metaphorical phrase, an expression rather than a simple prepositional phrase.

Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Exodus 32:29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

James 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

The Old and New Testament use the same metaphor “upon him” for the divine anointing/empowerment by God’s Holy Spirit.

Jesus was always the Christ, God’s anointed one, and John the Baptist was allowed to see the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus when he was baptized  - which marked the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.

Luke 3:21-22 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Jesus began his ministry by reading from the prophet Isaiah (61: 1-3). In that passage the metaphor of the Holy Spirit being “upon” him is equated with Jesus’ anointing.

Luke 4:18-21 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to tell them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.”

Note: The word “Anoint” (χρίω – chriō) has s the same root word as the word “Christ” – the “Anointed” one.

When a blessing was given, or when a person was anointed and commissioned or empowered to do something special, or was taking on an official role, then they were anointed. The anointing oil was poured out upon the head and it flowed down. The Holy Spirit coming “upon” someone refers to a supernatural anointing, an empowering and enabling of God.

This same idea is carried over to the post resurrection Church:

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”

1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Similar metaphors include “baptism” and “being filled”.

What happened to the New Testament prophets?

Paul tells us that prophets in the Church are second only to apostles.

1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, gifts of healing, helps, gifts of leadership, different kinds of tongues.

So, after that long period of prophetic silence between the Old and New Testaments, the gift of prophecy and the existence of prophets had been reestablished.

Does this mean that we could write down the words and actions of these New Testament prophets and insert them in our bibles as the continued word of God? I think not.

Like so many of the unnamed prophets in the Old Testament, the New Testament prophets did not speak to an entire nation or to the people of God as a whole. Instead, they appear to have spoken to and operated amongst smaller groups of people – local churches and individuals. And, God’s Holy Spirit did not see fit to raise such New Testament prophets to the lofty heights of the Old Testament prophets – preserving their words for generations to come.

As the books of the New Testament were written and assembled and accepted by the Church as a whole, the need for prophets in the Church appears to have lessened. God’s written word took precedence. Indeed, the words of the New Testament prophets were to be judged by their compatibility with the established accepted written word of God.

But throughout Church history, especially during times of sin and impending calamity, prophetic voices would appear now and again to point out the prevailing sins of people, remind them of God’s will, and warn them of God’s impending judgment. Indeed, at the end of this age two such prophets will arise, operating in much the same manner as did Moses and Elijah.

So Where are Gods Prophets?

I sometimes glance at the numerous prophecies being published on the Internet. What I see is discouraging, to say the least. What a sad state of chaos and confusion, bickering and backbiting, posturing and pretending. I refrain from reading too much of it, lest I waste my time and come away with a tainted and offended mind.

Many of these self-styled self-appointed prophets long to see their name in print, that wait with hopeful anticipation that someone might find their latest dream or “vision” or word worthy of being published or responded to with the recognition they so long for. And how caustic the remarks become when one group of followers finds fault with the other or feels in the least bit slighted!

This longing for recognition and respect or even admiration and approval extends not only to those with a prophetic inclination but to many others as well. I suppose that deep down inside, we all desire a certain measure of recognition, respect, and a sense of importance.

But for those with a genuine prophetic calling (or even a suspicion of such) the desire for recognition is something that must be detected as early as possible and utterly rejected. Indeed, those who desire fame or recognition should not expect to hear much of anything from God. What a bitter pill it is to discover that all too human trait inside of us at a time when we should be at our most selfless, when our attention should be on God, on his message, his mission, and his people!

Unfortunately, many of the self-appointed self-promoting prophets of today’s world (who think more highly of themselves than they ought to) make all manner of pronouncements, reveal all manner of symbolic dreams, and deliver many a novel word or interpretation. But this is what God says of them:

Jeremiah 14:14  And the LORD said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.

Jeremiah 23:21  “I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.

Ezekiel 13:6  They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word.

I do not wish to silence those who wonder if they have been given a “prophetic” word, or a vision, or a significant dream. But I do wish these communications were tested in more thoroughly in private rather than publishing them so broadly in public venues. Not every spiritual thought or symbolic imagery or religious dream is truly from God.

Even if one has wise counsel to deliver, or a powerful timely reflection to deliver, or even some genuine insight or a word of knowledge; and even if sound hermeneutical and theological considerations give such messages credence, this does not necessarily mean that God has selected you or me to be a modern day prophet.

I will not dispute the contention that there are a few genuine prophetic words faithfully delivered from time to time by people with a prophetic heart and mind. Nor will I dispute the fact that there may well be a good number of Minor Prophets and Prophetesses in the Church. My theology not only permits this to be true, but it demands these things be so – especially in these last days. At the same time, I would be hard pressed to mention even one. Perhaps I am looking in the wrong places or at the wrong times.

It is a sad commentary to have to point out that the prophetic torch has been taken up by those non-religious segments of society (musicians, singers, comics, actors, poets, writers) and all but abandoned by the timid religious who are more concerned with not offending the ungodly than in presenting the demands of a holy God, and more interested in adopting the successful ways of the world than in walking in the old ways of the sainted past. Amidst the people of God, the safe path is preferred over the suffering and sacrificial, and the prophetic has been forsaken in favor of pacification and compromise. Is it any wonder that judgment begins at the house of God where people should both know better and be better?

And what of the two end time scriptures mentioned in Revelation? Who might these two be and where might they be living?

Side Note: Not everything that the prophets did or said was recorded or preserved, only that which was worth remembering.

About the Author:

The author is 65 years of age, has earned both a B.A. (1975) and M.A. (1977) in Biblical Literature/ Theology, has lived in Israel for well over a year, and has been researching many issues related to the “end times” for well over 22 years. Married with 3 children and 5 grandchildren, he lives a relatively quiet retired life in Oklahoma, caring for his 92 year old Father-in-law and attends a cowboy church not far away.