Prophecy

Instead of dealing with just the gift of prophecy, it is more efficient to deal with prophecy as a whole.

Prophecy is a general term that is used for “foretelling, and forthtelling”.  

The Simple “Gift of Prophecy”

The Gift of Prophecy which Paul encourages all to seek after agrees with Joel 2:28, and Numbers 11:29 - this seems to be primarily “forthtelling” based on I Cor 14:3 - .But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.   

I Cor. 14:4  but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

But not just “forthtelling” like regular preaching, but its utterance or inspiration given by the Spirit spontaneously to utter in known language.  Just as tongues is as the Spirit gives the utterance; The gift of prophecy is as the Spirit gives utterance for edification, comfort and consolation.

Therefore, the simplest operation of the “the Gift of Prophecy recorded in I Cor. 12:10 and I Cor. 14:3 is to speak under the utterance of the Holy Spirit in known language for edification, comfort and consolation.  You can see this in Acts 19:6 - they spoke in tongues and prophesied- they did not speak the future but spoke about God under divine utterance.

Notice in the scripture below that prophesying is listed separately from “revelation”, “knowledge”, and doctrine:

I Corinthians 14:6  Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

Notice in the scripture that it is equal to tongues, when it is interpreted.

I Cor. 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Other Examples:

I Chronicles 12:18  Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

2  Chron. 24:20  And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

2 Chron. 15:1-2  And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: 2And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.

The Gift of Prophecy can manifest in the following ways:

- Exhortational

- Poetry or Song (All the Psalms, Hannah in I Samuel 2)

- In Prayer  (Habakkuk 3 or The Psalms that are Prayers)

Foretelling is Revelation:

This gift is more associated with the Revelation Gifts of Word of Wisdom/Word of Knowledge.  Foretelling can occur within the Gift of Prophecy; this would be a “higher” form of prophecy because the revelatory gift would be operating within the Gift of Prophecy.  In other words, the Gift of Prophecy becomes the vehicle by which the revelation is delivered.  Therefore, more than one gift is working together.

When someone speaks a revelation that they have received previously in a vision, or by The Spirit’s voice, they are speaking a revelation received by one of the revelatory gifts.  While speaking it in a normal way or writing about it that is not “the gift of prophecy” in operation; they are simply speaking a Word of Wisdom received.  If they speak the revelation by the utterance of the Spirit, then the gift of prophecy is in operation.

Foretelling Can Be Called Prophecy

However, it is not incorrect to call a revelation of the future prophecy.  Since prophecy is also foretelling - here we are using prophecy in its general nature.  Most people operating in the “gift of prophecy” are “forthtelling” under the utterance given by the Holy Ghost as is often heard in most services. 

The Prophet

The Prophet is a ministry gift written of in 

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 

Not everyone that has the “Gift of Prophecy” is a Prophet.  All can prophesy, but we are not all Prophets.

I Cor 12:27-29  Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 

Old Testament Prophets:

A)  Spirit Filled Spokesmen for God

Micah 3:8

Amos 3:8

B)  Called Seers - See supernaturally ( 2 Kings 17:13, Isa. 30:10)

C)  Received Multiple Revelations

Hosea 12:10  I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.

The New Testament Prophet:

The Ministry Office of Prophet would operate not only in the “Gift of Prophesy”, but also in the revelation gifts, such as Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, or Discerning of spirits.  A prophet in the Old Testament was called a Seer - one who see supernaturally; Saul, first king of Israel, was not a Prophet, but prophesied  I Sam. 10:10).  David prophesied, and also gave revelations of the future in his prophecies, therefore David is called a Prophet.

Acts 2:29-31  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ

- Prophet means Speaker for God

1)  First a Preacher of the Word

Acts 15:32  And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

Acts 15:22-27  Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: 24Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth

- these New Testament Prophets, Judas and Silas, did the following:

A)  Proclaimed Revealed Truth

B)  Exhort

2)  Prophesy the Future

Word of Wisdom

Acts 11:27-28  And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

Acts 21:9-11  And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.10And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

A) Revealed the Future

B)  Did not give direction as to what the church or person should do, only spoke what 

      was to come.

3)  May recognize the calling and office on someone’s life

Word of Wisdom

Word of Knowledge

Acts 13:1-2  Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

4)  Not Infallible 

I Cor. 14:29 - 32  Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 32And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 

5)  Can not Authoritatively Direct another believer concerning matters not written in the Word.

On Revelatory Prophecies

1)  Many are Conditional

Examples:

Isaiah’s Warning to Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:1-6)

Jonah’s Pronouncement of Judgement on Nineveh (Jonah 3:3-10)

Conditional Prophecies depend upon men for fulfillment.

2)  Unconditional Prophecies are mostly the one’s that are within God’s Providence.  These are those that are already written in the Word.  Most, if not all prophecies today are conditional.

Unconditional Prophecies Examples:

Abrahamic Covenant

Messianic Prophecies

3)  Prophecies and revelations of today are not equal to scripture, and cannot add to scripture.

However just as the Old Testament had prophets that spoke of God, and the things of God, but whose words did not add to scripture, so we have today.