Pioneer Christian Monthly - September, 1979

Is God Still Speaking Through The Prophets?
Will Kroon

What would it be like if a prophet of God would enter our sanctuary on Sunday morning? Would we be able to recognize him? Would he have a message from the Lord or would that only come after he had been with us for a while? And if he would bring a work from the Lord would we go home hating or loving him?

As we read the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, we notice that many people don't feel too comfortable with a true prophet around. He expressed that very well in His words: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wing, and you would not." (Matthew 23:37)

ARE THERE PROPHETS TODAY?

That is the question I would like to see answered. We all know that prophets played an important role in shaping the faith of the Jews in the Old Testament. We know that Christ spoke as a prophet and that the Apostle Paul considered prophecy one of the highest gifts of the Holy Spirit. These facts lead us to the question: "Are there prophets today?"

I would like to believe that God is still speaking through prophets. It may be unrealistic, for it was commonly believed that prophecy stopped at the end of the Old Testament - at least for awhile. On the one hand, I believe that even today there are men and women who really speak for God through prophesy. But on the other hand I also believe that many true prophets are not recognized as such. We fail to recognize them, for we may have lost touch with the real nature and concern of God. When we become strangers to the real nature, the real character, the real concern of God, we will not recognize the real voice of God's spokesman either.

WHAT IS A PROPHET?

Generally speaking a prophet is a person who speaks for the Almighty God. It is a person who is called by God to bring an urgent message to a certain people. It is not uncommon to hear that a real prophet would rather run away from his calling or to remain silent, for the message which he is called to bring is often an unpleasant one. Yet, he feels driven, stirred, and compelled to do what God asks him to do even if he has to tell the King that God is going to punish him.

By and large a prophet is a person who has a message from the Lord for the here and the now. He brings God's Word or God's direction for today or for the immediate future rather than for the distant future. He may also have a word for the distant future but only if it is related to the situation of the present. Fore-telling the Word of the Lord is more characteristic of his office than the fore-telling of specific details of events to come.

VARIOUS KINGS OF PROPHECY

As we study the Old Testament (or the N.T.) we will notice a certain change or development taking place in the office of the prophet. Some function individually, others in groups; some clearly speak for the Almighty God while others speak only for themselves (Ezekiel 13:1-9). Some of them have become true pillars of our faith, while others have become stumbling blocks to the faithful. Permit me to explain what I mean:

1. The lesser-known prophets -

Without attempting to put them in the proper order I would like to mention the names of a few men who are not well known as prophets. They are Moses, Samuel, and some of the "oral" prophets like Nathan, Ahijah, and Gad. New Testament leaders like John the Baptist, Paul, and the other disciples were also known as prophets.

2. Ecstatic prophets -

In I Samuel 10:5-15 we read about prophets who banded together. These men happened to meet close to the garrison of the Philistines. The newly-appointed King Saul was asked to visit these men in order to get a new spirit. Perhaps a spirit of bravery to fight the enemy. The prophets, whom he was asked to visit, used musical instruments during their gatherings. They came down from high places "with harp, tambourine, flute and lyre before them, prophesying."

A few chapters later we read that King Saul was again seized by a prophetic spirit (I Samuel 19:19-24). However, this passage gives one reason to wonder whether the Spirit of God was present, for the King was "stripped off his clothes and lay naked in a stunned condition all day and night."

3. People's prophets and God's prophets -

There was a time in Israel's history that many of the prophets were closely connected with the ruling monarch of the time. Some of these prophets seem to have been on the pay-roll of the king. In I Kings 22:6 we read that King Ahab had 400 prophets around him. These prophets prophesied pretty well what the King wanted to hear. They supported him in his desire to fight the King of Syria. However, it is in the same chapter that we meet a different type of a prophet. His name is Micaiah, the son of Imlah. He was different, for he did not speak what the King wanted to hear, but what the Lord put in his heart. Consequently, he was kept at a safe distance from the king. He was kept in prison, for the king complained: "he never prophesies good concerning me."

While King Ahab was surrounded by 400 prophets we read that his wife, Queen Jezebel, had 850 prophets "eating from her table". They supported her brand of Baalism and helped her poison Israel with the influence of the Baal cult. Three kinds of prophets are mentioned here: 850 of them were Baal prophets, 400 were people's prophets and 2 were spokesmen for God.

4. The Writing prophets No doubt the most important prophets in Israel's history were the "writing" prophets. The best known of these are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and Ezekiel. These men of God are especially known for their words of warning which they spoke to an over-confident and rebellious people. Again and again they made it known that God was displeased with their way of life. Read what they had to say and turn to Amos 5:10-15, 5:21-24, 6:4-6. Here you read what prophecy is all about. You will also notice that the words of Amos are so up-to-date that you get the feeling that he is speaking today.

However, these "writing" prophets did not only bring a message of doom. They were also called to bring a message of hope. Read Amos 9:13 and Isaiah 40 and you will find real messages of comfort. Here you find some of the finest passages of predictions for the future. The prophet prophesied that the Jews in Babylon would some day return to their homeland.

Who Speaks for God?

As time moved on, Israel began to find it increasingly difficult to discern the true prophet from a false one. At times the voice of the true prophet was not even heard. He was forced into hiding or locked up in prison. The people's prophets on the other hand received a prominent place in the palace of the kings. They were popular with the people. They understood their feelings and their longings and they were often caught up in the popular mood of the times. Some of these prophets may have been sincere and they may not have misled the people deliberately. However, they were not spokesmen for God. They spoke from their own hearts and not what came from above.

This was the situation toward the latter part of the Old Testament. We find an example of this in Ezekiel 13:1-9 where God's prophet accuses the people's prophets of speaking falsehood.

What will happen if the majority of the prophets can no longer be trusted? Well, this must lead to uncertainty and confusion. This was the case toward the end of the Old Testament. It was this confusion that gave real urgency to the question: How can we recognize a true prophet of God? This confusion may have also led to the neglect and disappearance of the prophetic gift. For it is commonly believed that prophecy stopped after the death of the last Old Testament prophet.

Conclusion

The gift of prophecy is a wonderful gift which God has given to people both in the Old and New Testament. He has given that gift to reveal His will and to build his people. - This beautiful gift has been imitated and misused. This led to so much confusion and uncertainty that some kinds of prophecy became a threat to the faith of God's people.

Unless God's people are able to discern between a true prophet and a people's prophet the gift of prophecy will be of little value to the Church. This leaves us with the question: "How do we know that God has spoken?". Maybe someone will deal with this in a later issue.

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