Written on October 16th, 2004 - 2:57AM Last Updated: February 18th, 2005 - 9:16PM
God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. (1 Corinthians 12:28)
The prophet of Yahweh has always been an important office in His service to mankind. The prophet serves in many capacities, becoming the mouthpiece of the HolySpirit to those with whom God wishes to speak. Let us first look at what the word itself means:
The Hebrew word ביא comes from the primitive root meaning "to prophesy." The Greek word προφητης comes from two words: "pro" meaning "before" and "phemi" meaning "to say" or "to declare or make known one's thoughts." In this respect, the Greek word for "prophet" has the meaning of speaking one's thoughts before something else. This could refer to the nature of prophecy being predictive, or declaring something before it happens; it could also refer to prophecy being a means of God speaking "before" his people.
The calling of prophet is important to the day-to-day and even season-to-season guidance of the Assembly by the Lord. A prophet can help guide both local congregations and the larger Assembly as a whole by speaking what God has to say to them, much like the Father did through Jesus by the mouth of John the Beloved in Revelation chapters 2 & 3. Let us look in-depth at this beautiful gift of God to His Son's Body.
Qualifications of the Prophet
He said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. (Numbers 12:6)
Because the office of prophet is a gift, there is nothing a person can to do to "earn" it. God has simply chosen whom He has chosen. However, it is up to the rest of the Assembly to discern whether a person's claim of prophet-hood is true or not based upon what our Lord has spoken in His Word. The first sign of a prophet is that Yahweh will make Himself known to the prophet by means of dreams and visions. It was only with Moses that YahwehElohim spoke face to face (Numbers 12:7-8). As the apostle Paul stated, we only see in a glass darkly, and we only prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). This is because we never behold our Father in all His glory, while being in the flesh, but rather wait for His Son's return when we shall be clothed upon with a body of glory (1 Corinthians 13:10-12)! In the meantime, the prophet is most often restricted to hearing from God through dreams and visions.
Prophesying in the Name of Yahweh, not of other gods
Showing the similar meaning of the Hebrew word to that of the Greek word, we see that one of the methods God gives us to discern between a true and false prophet is to watch for whether the thing spoken comes to pass. However, first and foremost, the true prophet must speak in the Name of Yahweh.
If a "prophet" predicts something and it comes to pass, but he has spoken it concerning other Elohim, then God has commanded us to not hearken unto his words. Yahweh stated this was a test of His people, to see whether or not they would hold fast unto Him (Deut. 13:1-3). False prophets were a wicked snare before Israel for many centuries. Countless times they spoke in the name of other Elohim, most notably that of Baal, attempting to draw the chosen ones away from the worship of Yahweh to the worship of man's handiwork, and demons.
How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? who think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name for Baal. (Jeremiah 23:26, 27)
Lying signs and wonders will be the mark of the final false prophet and his "god", the anti-Christ, who both receive their authority and power from Satan.
even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (2 Thessalonians 2:9)
James, the half-brother of Lord Jesus, affirmed such a truth when he referred to the prophets of old. He discerned that they had to speak in the Name of Yahweh, suffering many things for doing so.
Take, brothers, for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we call them blessed who endured. You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the Lord in the outcome, and how the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:10, 11)
However, if a "prophet" predicts something in the Name of Yahweh, then we must watch to see if it comes to pass. Truly, if God has spoken by this "prophet" then what he says will come to pass.
If you say in your heart, How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken? when a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh, if the thing doesn't follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken: the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:21, 22)
We see one prophet appealing to this truth when brought before a king, after having stated by the Name of Yahweh that this wicked king would be killed in battle. The king commanded that the prophet be fed sparsely until he returned in peace.
Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Hear, you peoples, all of you. (1 Kings 22:28)
To keep such blasphemy of speaking lies in Yahweh's Name as well as in other Elohims' names, God prescribed swift justice for such false prophets. It is no doubt that the Lord hates such actions, for in the Law death was the judgement of such folly.
But the prophet, who shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. (Deuteronomy 18:20)
Unfortunately, just as false prophets spoke in other Elohim's names, false prophets also used the Name of Yahweh to speak lies and abominations. With such action Israel was repeatedly stumbled, being drawn unto wicked practices and even the worship of other Elohim as though it were of Yahweh!
I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. Behold, I am against the prophets, says Yahweh, who use their tongues, and say, He says. Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says Yahweh, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I didn't send them, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all, says Yahweh. (Jeremiah 23:25, 31, 32)
Such lying prophecy also gave Israel false hope when they were in sin, telling them that the vessels of Yahweh's House would be brought back from Babylon, when the Lord clearly stated that they would not (Jeremiah 27:14-17). Reflecting His commandment in the Law, Yahweh makes the appeal that if the prophets are true then the vessels won't go—but that when they do not return from Babylon it will be seen they are false prophets speaking lies in Yahweh's Name (Jeremiah 27:18-22).
The calling of prophet remains in God's Assembly on earth. When the New Covenant was cut by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus, the prophet was one of the gifts that the risen Christ would give to men.
Therefore he says, "When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."{Psalm 68:18} He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds{or, pastors} and teachers; (Ephesians 4:8, 11)
This phrase is important: the gift of prophet is for mankind, not just God's chosen people. Everyone upon the earth is gifted by the prophet because of what he accomplishes by God's hand. In the Old Covenant this was often seen, with men such as Jonah, who through their prophecy caused entire cities to repent to Yahweh (Jonah Chapter 3).
In the New Covenant, the apostle Paul shows us how the role of prophecy affects those outside of covenant with Yahweh.
But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed. (1 Corinthians 14:24, 25)
We see prophets being used by the Lord to warn people of coming trials; not just for the testimony itself but to prepare people to face it victoriously.
27Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them named Agabus stood up, and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius. 29As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea; 30which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:27-30)
Paul himself was publicly set apart by the HolySpirit for ministry to the nations by the words of prophets. As they came together, seeking the Lord through prayer and fasting, the HolySpirit spoke.
1Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they served the Lord and fasted, the HolySpirit said, "Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them." 3Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4So, being sent out by the HolySpirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. (Acts 13:1-4)
Again a prophet in the New Covenant was used to warn of things to come:
As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming to us, and taking Paul's belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus says the HolySpirit: 'So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" (Acts 21:10, 11)
As you read this site, you will hopefully come to know Yahweh more fully.
But all of this continuing knowledge is useless unless and until you come into union with Him. I use the word union because it is truly a marriage. It is that deep connection we all seek, for which we most often look in other people. However, the truth is that our hearts will only be fulfilled when we enter that union in fullness with the One Who made us.
This is the grace of God, that He has not stayed distant for us only to worship as Creator. But He has come unto us, even become one of us—in His Son, ChristJesus—in order to share an intimate union with us. He desires such closeness that it truly will envelope our entire life, transforming us into something new and wonderful.
You may have already entered this union with Him and only seek to know Him better through reading here. But if you have not, as you do read, let this Gospel sink into your heart as you read it now.
God loves you, and has cast your sins into the sea. He has sent His only Son as the Savior of the world—that includes you.
That Son, JesusChrist, was born as a man through a virgin who had given her life to Yahweh; He lived without sin, reflected the glory of His Father, God, in all His words and deeds, and was persecuted even unto death because of it.
His death upon a cross was the powerful explosion that separated you from your life of death. It remains for you, now, to enter into that death with Him. As you die to the one you are now, a person separated from God from your many sins, you will be born anew, with a nature predisposed to live rightly. This gift is free to you, with nothing you can do to earn it. It is the mercy of God to offer it to you, as He loves you so much! All you must do is receive it by trusting Him to have delivered you. Simply place your life in His hands and embrace the freedom that came through that death on the cross.
The Gospel is that Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again on the third day after His crucifixion! Death could not hold Him, as He was without sin. And so death will not be able to hold you, as you identify with Him fully through your trust in Him. Let go of yourself and confess Him as Lord of your life. The power of His death and resurrection will work in you all that your Creator has destined for you. You will truly enter a new life and experience that intimate union you have been seeking all of your life.
So ponder these words as you read here of this great God—Yahweh—and all that He has revealed to His creation. Let His Spirit testify to your heart that these words are true, that God is Love, and that He sent His Son so that you might receive the life that is unbound by time and space. As you feel that witness in your heart, simply believe and receive what He is offering to you, even now, and begin your new life as a child of God.
Please write to me and let me know when you take this step, as I will be your brother in Christ—we will be one in Him!
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