Prophetic Visions: Understanding Divine Communication

Prophecy is a message from God, and to prophesy is to proclaim or deliver that message. In the Old Testament, prophets such as Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, and Elisha would speak their divine messages to a king or to the people. Prophets are designated messengers of God, and their role is to communicate God's will, often foretelling future events or conveying messages of moral and spiritual significance. In Christianity, the ability to prophesy is considered one of the spiritual gifts bestowed upon believers by the Holy Spirit. While the New Testament acknowledges the existence of false prophets and warns against deception, it encourages believers to eagerly pursue spiritual gifts, including prophecy.

Prophecy is a message from God

To prophesy is to deliver or declare a prophecy or divine message. Prophecy, at its most fundamental level, is "a message from God." Thus, to prophesy is to proclaim or declare a message from God. The person who does this is a prophet.

The Bible features several important prophets who played significant roles in conveying God's messages and guiding the people of Israel. These include Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Their voices echo through the pages of the Old and New Testaments, each prophet uniquely contributing to the unfolding story of salvation, redemption, and the fulfillment of God's promises.

The ability to prophesy is considered one of the spiritual gifts bestowed upon believers by the Holy Spirit. This gift is discussed in the New Testament, particularly in passages such as 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. The primary purpose of this gift is the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the Church. Prophecy involves receiving and conveying messages from God, often addressing the current needs, challenges, or encouragement needed by individuals or the community of believers.

The nature of the gift of prophecy may involve the direct revelation of specific future events, insights into the spiritual realm, or the application of biblical principles to contemporary situations. It is important to note that the prophet, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, serves as a conduit for divine communication rather than generating personal insights.

The exercise of the gift of prophecy requires humility, discernment, and alignment with biblical truth. While the existence of false prophets is acknowledged in the New Testament, believers are encouraged to eagerly pursue spiritual gifts, including prophecy, for the benefit of the Church.

In summary, prophecy is a message from God, and to prophesy is to deliver that message as a prophet, guided by faith and the Holy Spirit.

Prophets are messengers of God

Prophets are individuals chosen by God to spread His message on Earth and serve as models of ideal human behaviour. They are God's messengers, and their role is to act as intermediaries between God and humans.

In the Bible, the word 'prophecy' is a noun, and 'prophesy' is a verb. Prophecy is defined as "a message from God". Therefore, to prophesy is to proclaim a message from God. The Bible states that "prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit".

In Islam, prophets are believed to be individuals who spread God's message and serve as models of ideal human behaviour. They are called 'anbiya' in Arabic. Muslims believe that many prophets existed, including those not mentioned in the Quran. The Quran states: "And for every community there is a messenger".

Prophets are sometimes referred to as "The Man of God" or "The Servant of God". They are chosen by God to guide humanity towards righteousness and morality, and to build a relationship with their Creator. They are also sent to teach about the unseen world beyond our physical senses, such as the existence of angels.

Prophets are not motivated by personal interest but instead seek the public good by warning their people against harm. They are chosen by God for their moral and intellectual qualities, serving as role models for their followers. They are protected by God from falling into major sins, and they do not err or make mistakes in delivering God's message.

The Quran mentions 25 prophets by name, including Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and Noah. However, it is believed that there have been over 100,000 prophets and messengers sent to all nations and races throughout history.

The role of prophets as messengers of God is a central concept in both Christianity and Islam. They are seen as intermediaries who relay divine messages and guide humanity towards righteousness and worship of the one true God.

Faith is a gift from God

The act of prophesying is to proclaim a message from God. In the Bible, prophets simply spoke their divine messages to a king or the people. Prophecy is often associated with foretelling, but revealing the future is not a necessary element of prophecy.

Ephesians 2:8–9 affirms this: "By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Faith is an integral part of the gift His grace bestowed on us.

As a divine gift, faith is neither transient nor impotent. It has an abiding quality that guarantees that it will endure to the end. The familiar words of Habakkuk 2:4, "The righteous will live by his faith," speak not of a momentary act of believing, but of a living, enduring trust in God.

The understanding of faith as a gift from God is not a new concept. It has been held throughout the history of the church and by the greatest scholars in Greek, including Erasmus and Grotius. In Ephesians 2:8, the apostle Paul emphasizes that even faith does not come from us apart from God's giving it. This understanding of faith as a gift is crucial for our worship of God, as it humbles us and reminds us that our faith is something foreign to us, placed in us by God.

In conclusion, prophesying is the act of proclaiming a message from God, and faith is the belief in that message. Faith is a gift from God, given to us through His grace, and it is essential for our salvation.

The gift of prophecy is discussed in the New Testament

The gift of prophecy is a topic of discussion and debate among Christians, with varying interpretations of its nature and duration. This gift is mentioned in several passages in the New Testament, including Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:28-29, 13:1-3, 8, 14:6, and Ephesians 4:11.

In the New Testament, prophecy is generally seen as a special ability to speak or proclaim a message from God, often referred to as "forth-telling" rather than "fore-telling." It is considered one of the spiritual gifts given by God to the church, with prophets playing a foundational role in the early church alongside apostles.

The Apostle Paul places significant emphasis on the gift of prophecy, encouraging believers to strive for it and be eager to prophesy. He also mentions the gift in his letters to the Romans and Corinthians, ranking it highly among the spiritual gifts.

The New Testament distinguishes prophets from teachers, with prophecy being the result of direct revelation and teaching involving the explanation of divine revelation. Both men and women are described as possessing the gift of prophecy during the apostolic age, and prophets were not always leaders in the church.

While the gift of prophecy is mentioned in the New Testament, there is debate among Christians as to whether it is still active today. Some argue that it continued until the second coming of Christ, while others believe it ceased with the completion of the Bible or the establishment of the church.

Prophecy is not fortune-telling

In the Bible, prophets simply spoke their divine messages to a king or to the people. For example, Nathan, a prophet, confronted King David when he had Uriah killed and took Bathsheba as a wife. Because of Nathan's words, David recognised his sinfulness, accepted the consequences, and repented.

Prophecy sometimes includes a statement about what will happen in the future. But this should not be viewed as a definite, unchanging prediction of what is to come. Instead, the prophet is saying, "If you continue your evil ways, this is what will happen to you in the future. If you change your ways to conform to God’s desires, your life will have a different future."

Prophecy has a redemptive component. When Paul speaks about New Testament prophecy, he says:

> "The one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging, and comfort." (1 Corinthians 14:3)

Prophecy is about attempting to change current behaviour to be in line with God’s laws and desires for humankind. When that purpose is accomplished, there is no need for the undesirable future to occur.

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