Basic thoughts on PROPHECY

If one is to study the Bible, one cannot avoid prophecy. Well over half of the Bible is some type of prophecy. Prophecy has been defined as history written in advance. While it may be true that one verse in four was predictive when it was written, that is a narrow view of prophecy. The MERRIAM—WEBSTER’S COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY, 11^th Edition, (page 996) defines prophecy as (1) an inspired utterance of a prophet; (2) the function or vocation of a prophet; (3) a prediction of something to come. Prophecy is wider than just being predictive. Prophecy has two major purposes: predictive (which is future when spoken) and corrective (which deals with the present). Daniel, for example, shows us both. One finds the predictive elements in the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks (Dan. 9), and the corrective element is seen in the pride and punishment of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4).

A prophet is a seer. He is a person to whom the will of God was revealed under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in order to communicate truth (present and/or future) to the people of God. The message was not their own, that is, they did not preach it out, dream it up, or in any sense develop it (Jer. 23:16; Ezek. 13:2; Zech. 1:3). What did he see?

• Word of God (Isa. 21:10). A prophet is a forth-teller. He gave forth the word of God to the people, normally in the form of warnings, rebukes, promises, and exhortations. His main function was preaching, not teaching. In preaching his main object was personal, social, and/or religious renewal (2 Sam. 12:1-10; Hosea 4:1; 2 Chron. 15:1-8). This falls within the corrective purpose of prophecy.
• Events (Dan 7). A prophet is a fore-teller, usually in the form of prognostications and predictions of coming events (near and/or far). They are based upon visions or direct revelation in some form. Their fore-telling centered mainly on world events, Messiah’s coming and suffering or the Messianic reign on earth (the kingdom). This falls within the predictive purpose of prophecy. This aspect of prophecy can be fulfilled (Isa 7:14) or as yet unfulfilled (Dan. 9:27).

The first prophecy in Scripture is Genesis 2:16-18. Here God is the forth-teller and the result is life, but there is a prophetic warning: “for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” However, there is another form of prophecy that arose up against true prophecy—that is false prophecy (Gen. 3:5). The false prophecy has as its source Satan, with the result of sin and death. It is based not upon truth, but a lie: “in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Note false prophecy can come true). The student must be aware of this other form of prophecy even through his attention may be on true biblical prophecy.

Because true prophecy has two elements (corrective and predictive) there are certain benefits one receives from its study:

• It reveals the Sovereignty and character of God.
• It guards against deception (Matt. 24:4).
• It gives comfort and encouragement (1 Thess. 4:18).
• It gives us peace (John 14:1-3).
• It produces functional holiness (1 John 3:3).
• It stimulates us to service (2 Cor. 5:9-10).