Understanding Prophecy

Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. For this is what you yourselves requested of the Lord your God when you were assembled at Mount Sinai (Horeb). You said, ‘Do not let us hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore or see this blazing fire, for we will die.’ “Then the Lord said to me, ‘What they have said is right. I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put My Words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him. I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on My behalf. But any prophet who falsely claims to speak in My Name or who speaks in the name of another god must die.’ “But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?’ If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s Name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.

Deuteronomy 18:15-22 (NLT)

The Holy Bibles describes a prophet as one who receives and speaks a Holy Word from God through a direct prompting of God’s Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 18:18). Essentially, a prophet is the true and living God’s mouthpiece and representative on earth. Only God placed His words in a true prophet’s mouths, which they in turn would share with God’s people. Any attempt to prophesy or speak for God without God’s Holy Word was false prophecy (Jeremiah 14:14).  

From biblical times to today, God uses people of different cultures, character, and status in order that His Word will be available to all people. The Holy Bible reveals many different kinds of prophets (e.g., Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Zechariah). Prophets were not just men, they also included women such as Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4) and Huldah (2 Kings 22:14). Moreover, some prophets were also God’s priest such as the prophets Samuel, Ezekiel and Zechariah.

All true prophecy, like the rest of the Holy Scriptures, have Jesus Christ as their main focus and theme (Luke 24:44-49). The central message of all true prophecy points to Jesus Christ and His glory (Luke 24:26, 44; Acts 3:18-21; 1 Peter 1:10-12). Especially today, the heart of a true prophet’s messages is the Good News about Jesus Christ. A true prophecy believes and acknowledges that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 7:21; Matthew 16:16; 1 John 22) and obeys (abides) in Jesus' Word (John 8:31, 47). A prophet of God shows us our need for a Savior and God’s redemptive plan for humankind (past, present, and future) through Jesus Christ. God allows a true prophet access into His redemptive and sovereign plan for humankind (Amos 3:7). Since God’s redeeming purpose climaxes in Jesus Christ, all true prophecy points to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ fulfills all prophecy and all prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Moreover, a true prophet seeks God and the spiritual benefits of God's Kingdom rather than material goods of the world (see Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:21, 29-31). A false prophet speaks lies and is filled selfishness, self-pleasing, and pride (John 8:44-47). Bottom line, a false prophet does not stand for TRUTH because they are full of tricks, deception, and murder (death).God’s Holy Spirit lives within a true prophet because such prophet speaks and walks in truth (John 4:24; John 14:17).  All three Persons of the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son-Jesus Christ, and God the Spirit) are linked to truth (Psalm 31:5; Isaiah 65:16; John 14:6).   

I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put My Words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him. Deuteronomy 18:18 (NLT)

True prophets received their call directly from God to declare His Word to the people. Only God commissioned or called the prophets to their task, and God’s Holy Spirit empowered a true prophet’s work on God’s behalf (Numbers 11:24-30; Zechariah 4:6). Prophets received God’s Word through many means such as direct declarations, visions, dreams, or an appearance of God. Once receiving God’s Word, some prophets delivered God’s Word by writing (Isa. 8:1; Jeremiah 1:5-9; Ezekiel 43:11) while others delivered God’s Word through deeds (personal actions) and verbal proclamation (e.g. preaching).

“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. But you must be blameless (fully devoted) before the Lord your God. The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the Lord your God forbids you to do such things.” Deuteronomy 18:9-14 (NLT)

In a popular sense, a “prophet” is someone who can predict or foretell the future. “Prophecy” means predictions of things to come. However, biblical prophets and prophecy involve much more than just foretelling the future. Prophets were also forth-tellers who declared the Word of God in the Name of God. The true prophet spoke in God's Name and gave only God's message for God's glory and for the good of God's people because God puts words in the mouth of a prophet (see Deuteronomy 18:18; Isaiah 6:1-7; Jeremiah 1:9; Galatians 1:11-12).

Nevertheless, God specifically forbids occult practices that seek spiritual help or guidance from any sources other than Him (Deuteronomy 18:9-14). Only God knows the future and gives correct guidance for all life issues. A true prophet never controls or forces God because God controls a prophet’s words and life (e.g. Jeremiah 20:7). In fact, God teaches us not to even meddle with these occult practices (see also Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:26, 31; Leviticus 20:6, 27). The Holy Bible expressly condemns divination, sorcery, omens, witchcraft, castings spells, and mediums as detestable to God. False prophets practiced fortune-telling, sorcery, performed magic, engaged in witchcraft, functioned as mediums or psychics, or called forth the spirits of the dead (Deuteronomy 18:9-14). All these things God specifically detested as WRONG ways to communicate with God and to discern the future. The will and purposes of God was to be discovered through a God’s prophets and not through a diviner, a magic worker, or a spiritist.

Moreover, Jesus warned about false prophets and the apostles warned about false teachers (Matthews 7:15-23; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 11-13; 2 Peter 2). A false prophet seeks after other gods (Deuteronomy 13: 2, 6, 13). In Deuteronomy 13, Moses described prophets who could predict a future event and this event happened, which was the sign of a true prophet (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). Yet, Moses warned that if that same prophet invited the people to worship other gods (e.g., money, possessions, status), then that is NOT a true prophet of God (Deuteronomy 13:1-18; Colossians 3:5-6). A true prophet direct people to love, worship and obey the true and living God of all heaven and earth.

In fact, the Holy Bible repeatedly warns people never to follow “a successful religious leader” without testing their teachings and decision by the Holy Bible (Truth). Moses made it clear that God’s Holy Word was true no matter how many miracles or signs a prophet might perform. We do not test a prophet’s message by supernatural events and miracles. Instead, we test a prophet’s message by God's Word. Evil people can perform miracles (see Matthew 7:21-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 12:9). False prophets and magicians are able to replicate these feats to a degree and thus sometimes lead people away from God (see Exodus 7:11, 22; Exodus 8:7). True prophets encourage everyone to obey God’s Word and walk blamelessly before God. “Blameless” means not sinless perfection, but a heart totally devoted to God. A true prophet will continually points people to walk wholeheartedly faithful and obedient to God with humility, justice, and mercy (e.g., see 1 Samuel 15:22-23; 1 Kings 18:21; Isaiah 1:16-17; Jeremiah 22:3; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 7:9).

From the Old Testament history, Moses has been called Israel’s greatest leader and prophet. The New Testament calls Moses a prophetic prototype or model (Acts 3:21-26; Acts 7:37). Moses spoke with God “face to face,” meaning God spoke to Moses clearly and not in riddles, visions and dreams (Exodus 4:11-16; Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 34:10). Moses had an intimate or close relationship with God. Also, Moses appeared with the prophet Elijah in the Transfiguration with Jesus Christ (Matthew 17:1-8). Moses wrote the Law of God and was regarded by God as a prophet without equal (Deuteronomy 34:10-12). After Moses’ death, Israel steadily looked for a future prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10).

God through Moses outlined basic features to determine a true prophet of God (see Deuteronomy 13; Deuteronomy 18:14-22). Moses’ instructions on prophecy in Deuteronomy became the basis for Jesus Christ, our Great God-Angel-King-Priest-Prophet (see John 1:21, 25, 45; John 5:26; Acts 3:22-26; Acts 7:37). In the past, God spoke through the prophets, but now God has spoken once and for all through His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrew 1:1-2). In Jesus Christ we have the ultimate revelation of God. Jesus Christ is the fullness of God, the One who made the world, and the reason that everything exists. All mystery, treasure and wisdom are fully found in Jesus Christ and nowhere else (see Colossians 1:15-20; Colossians 2:3).

A prophet has been called a “messenger,” “an angel,” “an evangelist,” or a “person of the Spirit” because they are all sent by God for God’s special purpose. Many prophets, such as Elijah and Isaiah, also gave godly counsel to the kings.  God called prophets in Israel during those times when the people needed to be called back to the faithful worship of God. Biblical prophets often criticized the people’s worship to God (Amos 5:23-24) and priestly failures (Amos 7:10; Malachi 2). Often time, the prophets were called by God to warn the people of their sin, urged them to repent, and pointed people ahead to inevitable judgment if they refused to wholeheartedly follow God. The biblical prophets had a good understanding of God’s Word to lead the people to God (Isaiah 58:6-9; Ezekiel 18; Micah 6:6-8; Hosea 6:6; Amos 2:4; Amos 5:21-24).

The prophets were also mediators (go-betweens) of the promises of God and His people. God’s covenant contained blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. The prophets always urged the people to return to obedience, and warned the people of God’s coming judgment if they continued in sin, evil, and disobedience (e.g. Amos 5:4-15, 24). However, false prophets speak what people want to hear rather than calling people to live according to God’s will. False prophets ignored God’s ways and His holy standards and communicated the false idea that people could continue sinning and still enjoy God’s blessings.

God is holy (see Exodus 3:5; Leviticus 11:44; Romans 6:22; 1 Corinthians 1:2) and God expects His people to strive to in walk and live holy and flee sin (Psalm 15; Psalm 24; Hebrews 12:14). God’s Holy Spirit only resides where there is holiness (e.g. moral purity, separation from sin and disobedience) (e.g., see Psalm 51:10-12). There is no eternal life without holiness (Hebrews 12:14; see also Matthew 5:8; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Peter 1:15-16). We are made holy and righteous through our wholehearted faith and continual obedience in Jesus Christ (John 15:1-17; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 3:23; 1 John 5:18-20).

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a Throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. Above Him were Seraphs (heavenly beings, angels)…. and they were calling to one another:  “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:1-3 (NIV)

Moreover, prophets communicated a hopeful future for God’s people that would extend beyond judgment once they returned to obedience to God. Not only did the prophets bring God’s Word to the people, they also brought the people’s response to God and interceded with God on the people’s behalf (see, e.g., Amos 7:1-6). Many times Abraham, Moses, and Samuel interceded with God on behalf of the people (see Genesis 20:7; Exodus 32:9-14, 30-35; 1 Samuel 7:5-10).

True prophets often placed their lives at risk for the sake of proclaiming God’s Word to the people (e.g., Isaiah 20; Ezekiel 24:15-27). For instance in Jeremiah 26, the prophet Jeremiah placed his own life at risk for the sake of delivering God’s message by encouraging the people to seek God with their whole heart (see also 1 Kings 22:27-28; Jeremiah 38:3-13). However, false prophets will not do such. False prophets tend to behave badly and have poor personal conduct.  As seen in Jeremiah 23:10-11, false prophets abused their power and authority for their selfish purposes and lead the people with LIES, unbiblical teaching, and deception (see also Ezekiel 13:20-23; Micah 2:11). Even more, such false prophets were often engaged in adultery, falsehood (lies), and immorality. The Holy Bible warned the false prophets are expected at the end of the age (see Matthew 24:11, 24; Acts 20:28-35; Revelation 13:11-18).

True prophets also performed miracles which confirmed their message. A true prophet is not a magician. While some prophets like Moses (Exodus 4:1-9) and Elijah (1 Kings 17) worked many miracles, virtually all prophets occasionally saw a miraculous fulfillment of God’s Word (see e.g., Isaiah 38:8). Prophet’s miracle-working capacity also included healing (1 Kings 17:17-22; 2 Kings 5; Matthew 12:22-29). Another important feature of a true prophet is eventual fulfillment of their predictions (see Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Isaiah 8:20; Jeremiah 42:1-6; Ezekiel 33:30-33). The fulfillment test is often difficult to apply because there were often long lapses between a prophet’s predictions and fulfillment (Micah 3:12; Jeremiah 26:16-19). A further feature of a true prophet is agreement with previous prophetic’ words (Jeremiah 28:8-9). A prophet’s words must NEVER contradict or deny God’s previous revelation (e.g., God’s Holy Bible) or lead people away from God (Deuteronomy 13). True prophets will honor the written Word of God (Isaiah 8:19-20) and will not lead anyone to follow false gods (Deuteronomy 13:2). Prophets were also to be people like Moses, who continually drew near to God (Deuteronomy 34:10-12; see also Isaiah 6). Because of their close access to God, the true prophets speak with an authority because of God’s Holy Spirit working through their words from God. So, people were responsible for listening to a true prophet’s messages (Deuteronomy 18:19).

Moreover, the Holy Bible reveals that true prophets live a godly and moral life filled with good character (Micah 3:11). Jesus said prophets could be known by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20). A true prophet’s actions and deeds exhibit the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT). The true prophets were loyal and obedient to God and God’s Word and directed people to the true and living God and obedience to God alone (e.g., see Joshua 24:14-15; Isaiah 1:16-17; Deuteronomy 13:1-3).

Most important, true prophets were at times allowed to see into God’s Throne Room or Heavenly Court (see e.g. Isaiah 6:1-7; 1 Kings 22:19-23; Jeremiah 23:18-22; compare Amos 3:7; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6; 2 Cor. 12:1-4; Rev. 1:1-3; 22:18-19). Prophecy is a window into God’s Heavenly Court for all humankind. All true prophets starting with Enoch (Jude 14), Abraham (Genesis 20:7) through Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, John the Baptist to the ultimate King-Prophet-Priest, Jesus Christ all had access into the Heavenly Court or the Throne Room of God. In essences, there was a face-to-face encounter with the true and living God and His Heavenly Court.

True prophecy is closely associated with the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit (see Numbers 11:23-30; 1 Samuel 10:9-13; Joel 2:28-32). By His Holy Spirit, God empowers His servants for their appointed tasks (see Exodus 31:3; Numbers 11:29; Judges 3:10; 1 Samuel 16:13; Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 42:1). Also, God inspired His prophets for His message and directed their ministries (e.g., see Numbers 24:2-3; 2 Samuel 23:2; Nehemiah 9:30; Isaiah 59:21; Isaiah 61:1; Ezekiel 11:5).

Prophets are usually pictured as somber figures. Sometimes, prophecy is accompanied by ecstatic behavior (e.g. see 1 Samuel 10:5-11; 1 Samuel 19:18-24; Jeremiah 29:26; Hoses 9:7; 1 Corinthians 14:22). On the day of Pentecost, God poured out His Holy Spirit to all who believed and trusted the message of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Acts 2). The people who witnessed this outpouring thought the people were drunk or mad because of their behavior (Acts 2:13). The focus of this ecstatic behavior is NEVER to bring attention to oneself or self-promotion. God’s Holy Spirit departs from such evil and prideful behavior. All true prophetic behavior must be for God’s glory, honor, and worship! Particularly today, God poured out the Holy Spirit to empower the people to continue spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. Everyone who follows Jesus Christ is called to spread the Good News and point people to Jesus Christ by God’s Holy Spirit (see Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:45-49; Acts 1:8). 

True prophets of God speak God’s Word with authority because the Holy Spirit is the power and truth of their inspiration. God commands people to listen to His true prophets (see Deuteronomy 18:14-22; Isaiah 8:19-20). Due to this authority, the role of prophet has been abused. Jesus Christ Himself predicted that such abuses would arise (see Matthew 24:11, 24; see also 1 Corinthians 11:4; 1 Corinthians 14:29-30). Attractive and smart leaders are not always led by God. All true prophets’ messages will ultimately focus on Jesus Christ and agree with God’s Holy Word. New ideas or philosophies from inspiring people may sound good, but we must judge them by whether or not they are consistent with God's Word and point people to wholehearted love for God. We must carefully test ideas and philosophies against the truth of God's Word. God commands people to listen to His true prophets (see Deuteronomy 18:14-22; Isaiah 8:19-20) and NOT false ones (Deuteronomy 13:2-11)! God wants our complete devotion and EVERYONE to fully obey His Word with the help of His Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17).   Any idea or prophecy that celebrates wickedness, disobedience, and deception, that is NOT a true prophet of God (Jeremiah 14:14; Jeremiah 23:26; Micah 3:11). Always ask God’s Holy Spirit to help you discover the true prophet verses the false prophet (Luke 11:13; John 14:17). As our Great Prophet Jesus Christ has instructed us, you will know a prophet by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20). A prophet’s actions and lifestyle will reveal an outflow of a life lived in close relationship with God who Son Jesus Christ has purchased our forgiveness and new life. 

Jesus:  “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Not everyone who calls out to Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to Me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in Your Name and cast out demons in Your Name and performed many miracles in Your Name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God’s laws.’ Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it will not collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears My teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Matthew 7:15-27 (NLT)

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