It sounds like to me that's some folks need to go back to school and take a prophecy class.
a prophecy class?
what's that?
From Easton's Illustrated Dictionary:
(Heb. nabi, from a root meaning "to bubble forth, as from a fountain," hence "to utter", comp. (Ps 45:1)). This Hebrew word is the first and the most generally used for a prophet. In the time of Samuel another word, ro'eh, "seer", began to be used (1Sa 9:9). It occurs seven times in reference to Samuel. Afterwards another word, hozeh, "seer" (2Sa 24:11), was employed. In 1Ch 29:29 all these three words are used: "Samuel the seer (ro'eh), Nathan the prophet (nabi'), Gad the seer" (hozeh).
The "prophet" proclaimed the message given to him, as the "seer" beheld the vision of God. (See (Num 12:6, 8)) Thus a prophet was a spokesman for God; he spake in God's name and by his authority (Ex 7:1). He is the mouth by which God speaks to men (Jer 1:9; Isa 51:16), and hence what the prophet says is not of man but of God (2Pe 1:20, 21; Compare Heb 3:7; Acts 4:25; Acts 28:25). Prophets were the immediate organs of God for the communication of his mind and will to men (Deut 18:18, 19). The whole Word of God may in this general sense be spoken of as prophetic, inasmuch as it was written by men who received the revelation they communicated from God, no matter what its nature might be. The foretelling of future events was not a necessary but only an incidental part of the prophetic office. The great task assigned to the prophets whom God raised up among the people was "to correct moral and religious abuses, to proclaim the great moral and religious truths which are connected with the character of God, and which lie at the foundation of his government."
Any one being a spokesman for God to man might thus be called a prophet. Thus Enoch, Abraham, and the patriarchs, as bearers of God's message (Gen 20:7; Ex 7:1; Ps 105:15), as also Moses (Deut 18:15; Deut 34:10; Hos 12:13), are ranked among the prophets. The seventy elders of Israel (Num 11:16-29), "when the spirit rested upon them, prophesied;" Asaph and Jeduthun "prophesied with a harp" (1Ch 25:3). Miriam and Deborah were prophetesses (Ex 15:20; Jdg 4:4). The title thus has a general application to all who have messages from God to men.
good so far.
what's that got to do with people claiming to be 'a spokesman for God'
today?
(why so many people dare to claim they are mediators for God today is beyond me).
could you refer me to any modern anointed spokesmen for God by name please?
i would like to look at their words.
thank you.
But while the prophetic gift was thus exercised from the beginning, the prophetical order as such began with Samuel. Colleges, "schools of the prophets", were instituted for the training of prophets, who were constituted, a distinct order (1Sa 19:18-24; 2Ki 2:3, 15; 2Ki 4:38), which continued to the close of the Old Testament. Such "schools" were established at Ramah, Bethel, Gilgal, Gibeah, and Jericho. The "sons" or "disciples" of the prophets were young men (2Ki 5:22; 2Ki 9:1, 4) who lived together at these different "schools" (2Ki 4:38-41). These young men were taught not only the rudiments of secular knowledge, but they were brought up to exercise the office of prophet, "to preach pure morality and the heart-felt worship of Jehovah, and to act along and co-ordinately with the priesthood and monarchy in guiding the state aright and checking all attempts at illegality and tyranny."
In New Testament times the prophetical office was continued. Our Lord is frequently spoken of as a prophet (Luke 13:33; Luke 24:19). He was and is the great Prophet of the Church. There was also in the Church a distinct order of prophets (1Co 12:28; Eph 2:20; Eph 3:5), who made new revelations from God. They differed from the "teacher," whose office it was to impart truths already revealed.
and?
what are you trying to make Mr. Easton say?
re-read it.
nothing you posted thus far supports continuation of those offices.
nothing.
Note also what the Practical Word Studies in the New Testament says about prophets:
THE WORD MEANS...
Prophet. This is the gift of speaking under the inspiration of God's Spirit. It includes both prediction and proclamation, and neither one should be minimized despite the abuse of the gift.
okay.
is this the part where we begin to play loose with the word prophet?
the shell game....
Practical Application
There is no question, the gift to predict events has been abused to the point of the ridiculous. However, the abuse of a gift does not eliminate the fact that.....
yes. of course
a "gift" is "abused" to the point of being ridiculous, but
that is not evidence that the "gift" being "abused" is fake.
no, i'm sorry....if you can offer any (ANY) prophecies from people you consider anointed spokesmen for God (in the very same way the Biblical prophets and apostles were - otherwise you have
a new breed)
the Spirit of God sometimes gives believers a glimpse into coming events in order to prepare and strengthen them to face the events.
alright.
personal direction from the Spirit for the believer? great! AMEN. we all experience that.
this does not in any way shape or form make anyone a called and inspired prophet equal in authority to those who received and complied our scriptures.
this logic is dangerous and deceitful.
However, the major function of prophecy is clearly stated by Scripture, and the fact should be heeded by all believers:
"But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." (1 Cor. 14:3) [KJV]
right.
but you still have to show that
what goes on today and is called "prophecy" is what Paul was describing.
you can't, and it is not.
Ephesians 4:11-16 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
AMEN.
and now we have our scriptures, which are just as inspired, and we have the Spirit Who is the same Spirit.
so why do we keep overthrowing the foundation already laid?
this is very serious business, and it is strange fire.
What surprises me, and at the same time disappoints me, is how many well-versed people of Scripture can simply say "it no longer exists". This is a grave error. For who can prove this by Scripture? Who is to say there are no more prophets because the Bible is complete? That's like saying we need no more preachers because Jesus preached it already.
is that the best you can do?
offer up the most authentic prophecies uttered today please. let me see them.
Any preacher that preaches under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is considered a prophet according to definition.
yes. the shell game.
no, according to
one form of the word.
we love and need our preachers.
they are fallible men who preach from the infallible Word (revealed infallibly to fallible but
inspired and authoritative men and recorded forever for us)
please offer up one single man today who you believe is as authoritative as Paul or any of the prophets in the NT.
i need to see their writing.
As a matter of fact in the Old Testament, the school of the Prophets were considered young men who were called to preach to the people the truth of God. There were dozens, if not hundreds of them, yet none of them wrote a book of the Bible.
you should be careful with your loose handling of the term and office of prophet.
is this what you would recommend for someone today who thinks they're hearing new revelation from God?:
"
What is the School of the Prophets?
The School of the Prophets is a ministerial school of development for those who are called to any aspect of prophetic ministry, and especially targets those who are called to or desire a deeper understanding of the prophetic office.
Through the delineation of the prophetic component found throughout scripture, the validity of the prophetic ministry for today is clearly determined to dispel the inordinate degree of unbelief, skepticism and prejudice which permeates the Body of Christ.
There are four levels of PROPHETIC MINISTRY that are widely used and excepted throughout Apostolic and Prophetic Ministries today."
School of Prophecy
anyone getting involved in this stuff is headed for certain apostasy. these groups will tell us that anything less than a 100% accuracy rate is normal today.
they play dialectical games with words and passages.
God is not calling prophets today.
Acts 2 is OVER. Done.
Finished. we now read about the MIRACLE.
the gap deception which places Pentecost in our day, or drums up some kind of renewal is deception from hell.
this is so easy to refute. yet people refuse to face it.
too far into it, too much repenting to do when they have to admit they've been deceived and or deceiving.
anyone claiming new revelation is adding to scripture and comes under the Rev 22 curse.
and yet it is so alluring to so many.
A statement is not true just because several people say it. There were many false prophets in the Old Testament that spoke to the Kings. But just because they outnumbered the true prophets didn't mean they were right.
what's that got to do with today?
does your Bible end like mine?. when was the last time you read what it says?
the answer to this issue is here:
Revelation 22
Jesus Is Coming
6And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”
7“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servantd with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
10And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
12“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
14Blessed are those who wash their robes,e so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
18I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
20He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.f Amen.
respectfully determined,
zone.
