What does it mean to prophesy?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Binary
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Binary

Guest
I know that the major prophets did two major things: called for Israel to repent of whatever evil they were doing at the time and foretold the coming of Christ.

But what about minor acts of prophecy? In 1 Samuel we read

“As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. 11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

(Side question: Why didn’t anyone write down what was being prophesied? Seems like that would be more significant than the fact that prophesy was occurring, right?)

In Acts, Peter references Joel to say that “your sons and daughters will prophesy.” Is that something as simple as when we say things like “our culture is headed in the wrong direction, we need to do XYZ,” or is there more to it?
 
It means to make a prophecy that you hear directly from God. Basically prophets are still around
 
Recall that the Samaritan Woman said to the Lord Jesus in John 4: “sir, I perceive that you are a prophet…” - this happened only because He had said that she had five husbands. He knew her, He knew the truth, and He proclaimed the truth. This is what a prophet does.

Though it’s from an Orthodox priest, this podcast is very helpful for me in understanding what the Old & New Testaments meant when they used the word “prophet”:

ancientfaith.com/podcasts/namesofjesus/jesus_-_the_prophet
 
prophesying is foretelling the future. Only God knows the future. So prophesying comes by a revelation from God. Prophets make known the will of God to the people.

Psychic mediums and fortune tellers are in communication with the demonic network. They don’t know the future so they work only from information. The familiar spirit or demon assigned to mrs x’s dead husband remembers the words her husband said on her first date and tells the medium so it seems amazing and they tell her she’s in contact with dead hubbys spirit. They could say you will get a letter in 2 days from so and so and it comes true because they saw so and so write the letter and post it for example. It seems like revelation but it’s only information.
 
Aussieman88 said:
prophesying is foretelling the future. Only God knows the future. So prophesying comes by a revelation from God. Prophets make known the will of God to the people.

Psychic mediums and fortune tellers are in communication with the demonic network. They don’t know the future so they work only from information. The familiar spirit or demon assigned to mrs x’s dead husband remembers the words her husband said on her first date and tells the medium so it seems amazing and they tell her she’s in contact with dead hubbys spirit. They could say you will get a letter in 2 days from so and so and it comes true because they saw so and so write the letter and post it for example. It seems like revelation but it’s only information.
Click to expand...
A prophet is not a fortune teller or soothsayer. Telling the future is not a prophet’s main duty. A prophet’s job is to be a spokesman, a voice for God. When you hear the true prophet speak you are hearing God through a human vehicle.
Just like a false prophet is not really someone who’s "prediction " didn’t come true. It is someone who voices his own or his king’s mind and says it comes from the Lord.
I believe the Hebrew word for prophet (nabi) means a spokesman.

there are so many self proclaimed “prophets” about who have no part of God’s voice.they are not to listened to.
If you read the book of Samuel it will show how office of prophecy blossomed from soothsaying to really being God’s mouthpiece.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top