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The Ministry Of The Prophets

August 28, 2005

 

A prophet defined
Exodus 7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
Exodus 4:16 God said to Moses, "So he [Aaron] shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.”
 
The origin of the office of prophet
Deuteronomy 18:16 "According to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.' 17 "And the LORD said to me: 'What they have spoken is good.18 'I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.
 
A prophet spoke in the place of the Lord
1 Kings 20:13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD
 
1 Kings 22:14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.
 
God spoke in the prophets
Hebrews 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways.
 
The Lord spoke in the prophets by visions and dreams
Numbers 12:6 Then He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. 7 Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?"
 
The Lord put the words in the prophets mouth
 Jeremiah 1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
 
2 Chronicles 36:12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.
 
Prophecy was always authoritative due to its source
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not (never one single time) in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved [or carried] by the Holy Spirit.
 
What prophets recorded became Scripture
Luke 3:4 “As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet…”
 
The prophets preached to their own generation
Jeremiah 4:3-4 For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
 
Prophets foretold future events
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 
 
Matthew 1:22-23 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 
 
The test or standard for a prophet
Deuteronomy 18:21-22 "And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?' -- 22 "when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
 
The false prophet was executed under the law
Deuteronomy 18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
 
There were prophets in the early NT church
Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon.
 
The gift of prophecy
Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith
 
Prophets strengthened the early NT church
1 Corinthians 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
 
They had to be in agreement the moral will of God
1 Corinthians 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
 
The gift of prophecy is no longer operative
1 Corinthians 13:8-10 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail [or be in operative]; whether there be tongues, they shall cease [or stop, come to an end]; whether there be knowledge (the gift), it shall vanish away.  9 For we know in part [not fully; incomplete], and we prophesy in part [not fully or not complete but in part, see Heb.1:1]. 10 But when that which [all the parts] is perfect [completed or finished – all Scripture is complete] comes, thenthat which is in part [the gift of prophesy and all other miraculous gifts] shall be done away
 
The prophets spoke in many parts
Hebrews 1:1 In many parts, and many ways, God of old having spoken to the fathers in the prophets (YLT)
 
All Scripture is all sufficient
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 
 
The foundation of the prophets
Ephesians 2:19-20 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.
 
False prophets shall arise
Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
 
They will be popular
Luke 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
 
They speak out of the deceit of their heart
Jeremiah 14:14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
 
Teaching has replaced prophesy
2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 
 
Put your mind on the results of the holy prophets
2 Peter 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour