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Living the Christian Life Magazine
The Purpose of Prophecy (2 Peter 1:16-21)
For 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. (2 Pet.1:21)
Purpose of Prophecy
NO prophecy - was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" This is an inspired statement describing both prophet and prophecy (2 Pet 1:21). Prophecy is that which a prophet hears from God and speaks to man.
The Scriptures - show that prophecy is the means by which God speaks to the immediate need and reveals His greater and eternal purposes. The prophet hears what God is saying to his own situation, but he also receives more truth that will apply to readers in future generations.
The Bible - gives us a record of prophetic utterances over 15 centuries. It contains all that we need to know of our God and His purposes. That does not mean that all conversation came to an abrupt end in the first century AD., but that we have a Word by which all subsequent prophecy must be judged The Holy Spirit will never contradict that which He has already spoken. God will deepen our understanding of His Word, show the application of it, and open up its meaning to those who are seeking the mind of God.
God has never left Himself without a witness or ceased to speak to His people, whether by His prophets or by "words of prophecy" in churches.
Many writers in the Bible are called prophets, though their callings and ministries were varied: Moses, the lawgiver, David, the warrior and king; Daniel ruled an empire; Paul, Peter and John were apostles; Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were preachers; others such as Samuel and Nathan were inspired historians. They spoke and wrote to their generation, but because they were "moved by the Spirit" their messages often contained much for future generations
After Pentecost, - prophecy achieved a new universal dimension in the Church (Acts 2:17, 18). Before His ascension, Jesus told His disciples that they would be "My witnesses", after the baptism in the Holy Spirit At Pentecost, they "were all filled with the Holy Spirit", speaking the wonders of God in many tongues which were understood by the hearers.
"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10).
It is, this prophetic ministry- of praise that the Holy Spirit often uses to convict the sinner and lead him to Christ (1 Cor. 14:24, 25). The Holy Spirit "edifies, exhorts and consoles" the Lord's people by the ministry of prophecy and builds up the Church and strengthens the Body in unity (1 Cor. 14:3). He gives the word of prophecy to whom He chooses to manifest Himself, and so each member is to "desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy" (1 Cor. 14:1).
It is often in the word of prophecy for the need of the moment, that God also reveals more of His greater purposes in the world, stretching out to future generations. These words are contained in the Bible, and make the prophetic Scriptures for those who choose to study them, relevant for the present time.
The apostle Paul was a prophet; we see the burden of intercession which daily possessed him in such passages as 2 Cor. 11:28, 29 and the opening verses of many of his letters. Because he was such a great intercessor, he received prophetic revelations which he preached and wrote to the various churches.
The letters are glorious examples of "teaching, reproof, correction, training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16). Paul riot only received the pattern of the Church from God, but the prospect of her future glory, and the plan of God for Israel
Prophecy In its wider aspect, - God is calling the Church to be a prophetic voice to the world, to be its "salt" and "light", to be the message of God to sin-sick society by speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit
End Time Prophecies
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.
Revelation Ch. 4
The Purpose of Prophecy
The Sealed Book of Judgment (Rev. Ch’s. 5 & 6)
The Meaning of Daniel’s 70 Weeks (Dan Ch. 9)
The Great Throne in Heaven (Rev Ch.4)
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Matt. Ch.24-25