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We find 19 out of 39 books in the Old Testament named after prophets. Including prophets such as Nathan, Elijah, and Elisha, as well as books not named after them, we understand that God used prophets as a primary means of communicating with His people.
How about today — we have Scripture — are prophets needed?
Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21, ESV).
With the Old Testament era behind us and the Bible’s canon complete, do prophets still exist today? It seems so as the Apostle Paul writes …
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:6-8).
Some think that the miraculous gifts (prophecy included) were limited to the first century, but I believe Paul’s list of spiritual gifts in Romans 12 extends beyond the first century. These gifts are still available today, and if we exclude prophecy, then we must also eliminate faith, teaching, and, for pastors with large church budgets — uh oh, the one who contributes generously!
When studying the spiritual gifts* mentioned in the New Testament, we note that Scripture-writing prophets don’t exist now, and that God seems to limit Old Testament prophets like Elisha, who summoned two bears to attack teenagers who were calling him “Baldy” (2 Kings 2:23-25), thus quickly ending their jeering!
But, Paul gives a clear explanation of what we can expect from prophets today …
The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation (1 Corinthians 14:3).
- Upbuilding (words that lift up God’s Kingdom)
- Encouragement (edifying words)
- Consolation (comforting words)
The gift of prophecy today, while embedded in the fellowship and support of the body of Christ, can also speak to our future. Years ago, before I had ever traveled out of the country, I attended a small conference about prophecy. At the end of the conference, during ministry time, a prophet approached me, put a coat over my head, and said, “As you are hidden today, when you grow older, this coat shall be gradually removed, and you will become increasingly visible to the nations.”
Admittedly, I disliked the coat-over-the-head symbol, preferring a burning bush, bright light on the road to Damascus, or a simple shout-out from heaven, “Grant, start going on short-term mission trips!” But since the time of that prophecy, I’ve traveled about one hundred times to different nations.
This prophecy of “increasingly visible to the nations” provided an upbuilding focus and confirmation for my travel. Today, I remember the “visible to the nations” prediction every time I get on a plane.
That’s prophecy today — not angry Old Testament prophets, writing additional books of the Bible, but a helpful verbal push in the right direction!
* Remember 12, 12, 4, 4 for the four lists of the gifts of the Spirit in the New Testament — Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4.
Love this! God’s not done with us yet.
I need to share with you how God is using Susan Yowler. She shared, at Sweet Fellowship, her journey of God bringing her through amazingly at loss of their daughter to cancer. It was powerful. You may already know that she and Janet Allen lead together a grief class biannually. Thank you for asking me to disciple Susan. Was definitely a God ordained move. Maybe even prophetic since her daughter became sick during our discipleship training.