Prophesy - abused and misused

[Justin15]

Prophesy means to "speak forth"

God is a God of purpose Eph 1:9, 2 Tim 1:9 God had a plan before the foundation of the world Eph 1:4, 1 Peter 1:20, Rev 13:8. God already knows the end of mankind Revelation 1:8.

God is a God of order 1 Cor. 14:33, 40

These truths are important to understand because they help us understand God's plan for redeeming mankind and by which means He has done it.

Prophets were men God chose to speak through, they were instruments God used to reveal Himself to mankind. This is their sole purpose.God communicated through prophets to warn nations 2 Kings 17:13 To reveal His Person Isaiah 40:28, Psalm 30:5, Numbers 14:18-19. Share His plan Jeremiah 31:31, Revelation. To write the Word of God 2 Peter 1:21 any many other things.

Prophets sole purpose were to communicate God's Word to mankind, which was done by inspiration 2 Tim 3:16, they wrote the old testament, and the Apostles wrote the new.

Prophesy means to "speak forth" or "proclaim" the use of prophecy today is to proclaim the complete and written Word of God. The Bible is sufficient and complete, this means that no NEW Revelation is necessary to communicate God's Word. Prophecy has been abused and misused today in the assumption that God still uses men to proclaim new revelation about Himself and future events, however this has no foundation in the Bible. When studying the Bible we can see that these gifted men were writing for our edification, events that didn't presently happen 1 Peter 1:11 so that when they did come to pass God would be glorified for His faithfulness and to show His immutable council. We as Christians are not to look for new revelation, but to proclaim the complete and fulfilled Word of God to the world, this is our purpose, this is our privilege.

 

[B-A-C]

I have to agree with this. Especially the statement

The Bible is sufficient and complete, this means that no NEW Revelation is necessary to communicate God's Word. Prophecy has been abused and misused today in the assumption that God still uses men to proclaim new revelation about Himself

This is how most cults get started. There is some "new revelation" that doesn't line up with existing scripture.

 

[margoeli]

I am currently living in Europe and many of the Protestant churches I have attended use a lot of prophecy. The pastors call out particular people at the end of the sermon and state a spiritual prophesy about that persons life that God is "revealing" to them. I wanted to know what you guys think about this.

 

[Travis]

I am currently living in Europe and many of the Protestant churches I have attended use a lot of prophecy. The pastors call out particular people at the end of the sermon and state a spiritual prophesy about that persons life that God is "revealing" to them. I wanted to know what you guys think about this.

Without knowing much more, that kind of creeps me out.

God is more than able to reveal what he needs to about personal things directly to that person himself. I just would not feel comfortable with someone coming up and telling me how my life is going to go. I've seen this kind of thing abused.

Travis

 

[margoeli]

Without knowing much more, that kind of creeps me out.

God is more than able to reveal what he needs to about personal things directly to that person himself. I just would not feel comfortable with someone coming up and telling me how my life is going to go. I've seen this kind of thing abused.

Travis

Yah, it bothers me as well. It's disconcerting for sure.

 

[RJ]

Prophesy means to "speak forth"

God is a God of purpose Eph 1:9, 2 Tim 1:9 God had a plan before the foundation of the world Eph 1:4, 1 Peter 1:20, Rev 13:8. God already knows the end of mankind Revelation 1:8.

God is a God of order 1 Cor. 14:33, 40

These truths are important to understand because they help us understand God's plan for redeeming mankind and by which means He has done it.

Prophets were men God chose to speak through, they were instruments God used to reveal Himself to mankind. This is their sole purpose.God communicated through prophets to warn nations 2 Kings 17:13 To reveal His Person Isaiah 40:28, Psalm 30:5, Numbers 14:18-19. Share His plan Jeremiah 31:31, Revelation. To write the Word of God 2 Peter 1:21 any many other things.

Prophets sole purpose were to communicate God's Word to mankind, which was done by inspiration 2 Tim 3:16, they wrote the old testament, and the Apostles wrote the new.

Prophesy means to "speak forth" or "proclaim" the use of prophecy today is to proclaim the complete and written Word of God. The Bible is sufficient and complete, this means that no NEW Revelation is necessary to communicate God's Word. Prophecy has been abused and misused today in the assumption that God still uses men to proclaim new revelation about Himself and future events, however this has no foundation in the Bible. When studying the Bible we can see that these gifted men were writing for our edification, events that didn't presently happen 1 Peter 1:11 so that when they did come to pass God would be glorified for His faithfulness and to show His immutable council. We as Christians are not to look for new revelation, but to proclaim the complete and fulfilled Word of God to the world, this is our purpose, this is our privilege.

I don't know of whom you refer that is abusing and mis-using but if it is not already written it should be ignored. God said don't add to what is already written!

 

[DHC]

Hello all.

Acts 11
28 One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be
a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.

Acts 21
10 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming
to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says:
‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

 

[B-A-C]

Almost every single prophet of the old testament foretold the future. Jesus foretold the future. John the Revelator foretold the future.
I agree it isn't the main purpose of prophecy, and prophecy is not like fortune telling where you are telling the future just for the sake of it.
But Sometimes (in fact MOST of the time) God reveals what He is doing, and sometimes what He is going to do.

 

[Travis]

Almost every single prophet of the old testament foretold the future. Jesus foretold the future. John the Revelator foretold the future.
I agree it isn't the main purpose of prophecy, and prophecy is not like fortune telling where you are telling the future just for the sake of it.
But Sometimes (in fact MOST of the time) God reveals what He is doing, and sometimes what He is going to do.

So like…..

Amos 3
7 "For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.​

List of things to do on the new forum:

1. Use a new smiley ✓
2. Argue extensively about the Trinity
3. Cause someone to throw a hissy fit
4. Make someone laugh ✓
5. Figure out how to keep my scripture references from disappearing….

I still got a lot of work yet to do…..

 

[B-A-C]

Well, I don't know if I would have put it quite like that.

Amos 3:7; is good.
But God told Noah it was going to flood. He told Abraham He was going to have millions off descendents and He was going to give them some land. He told
Joseph his brothers would bow down to him and there would be a seven year drought. Jesus told the disciples the Holy Spirit would come. God told Isaiah
a child would be born of a virgin, he would killed even though he was innocent, and he would be in a rich man's grave. God told Jeremiah was going to put
the nation of Israel back together. He told Samuel that one of Jesse's sons would be the king of Israel.

(Acts 1:16; Rom 9:29; and a few others come to mind also)

 

[clark thompson]

His word is finished it just has to be completed.

 

[RJ]

His word is finished it just has to be completed.

Yes and Jesus is the last and our perpetual Preist, because unlike any Priests before him, he finished his work on the cross and sat down at the right hand of God.