Are there prophets today?
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I apologize you can't read Scripture. Please ask what part of 2 Peter 1:20-21 do you not understand??
To God Be The Glory
Well, for someone to speak from God today, I would think that God needs to say a new thing and not repeat what He has already told us. Essentially, a prophet, if in existence today, would be able to write another book for scripture. Back when 2nd Peter was written, we didn't have our New Testament, so Peter's words were written and included; thereby, possibly making him a prophet - yet that is arguable from the perspective a telling us of a future event.
So your understanding of a prophet is one whose criteria is to tell of future events only, and not sent by our Lord Jesus as per Matthew 28:19-20?
To God Be The Glory
Yes, that's exactly what a prophet is. Foretelling future events as told to them by the Lord.
Deuteronomy 18
21You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?” 22When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
To your estimation, was the prophet in verse 22 who spoke presumptuously sent, since he also was a prophet?
To God Be The Glory
I say that a prophet is "sent by God" to reveal things not yet revealed. However, it still stands that IF God sent a prophet, his words should be added to our Bibles since his statements are new.
Obviously not a true prophet but a phony one since he spoke presumptuously and not of God, hence they were not to fear him. Read it again, slowly so you can understand it.
True Prophecy / False Prophecy
The receiving of a prophecy is by nature a supernatural experience. But a supernatural experience in itself does not mean it is of God. The Buddhists have their prophets who receive prophecies that encourage the path to the Buddhist enlightenment. The Hindus have their prophets that provide the encouragement for the development of ones Karma and soul. The Muslims have their prophets that encourage the Jehad and demolition of the infidels. The witches and wiccans have their prophets that provide access to their spirit guides. The pagans have their high priests and prophets that commune and pass on instructions from their respective god pantheons. Be it Zeus or Jupiter or Thor etc. Then you just have the spirit mediums and fortunetellers that do the same thing with familiar spirits that pose as departed loved ones or whatever. None of the above is inspired by the Holy Spirit , but is the demonic engaged in their normal business.
However when it comes to Christianity or Judaism things get a little more complicated. The demonic entities are no longer acting in defence and encouragement of a particular worldly faith but are in an attack stance so as to corrupt and subvert a covenant faith in such a way as to produce an alternative to the true that can be used to deceive the saints and draw them into an alternative faith that looks like the biblically inspired covenant faith but is promoting a different God and a different Jesus. Yes it uses all the right terminology and is steeped in hyper religiosity but does not lead into a real salvation or a real reconciliation with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The writers of the New Testament had already come into contact with this deception and they gave a name to it, The Spirit of the Antichrist.
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
G500
ατιριστος
antichristos
an-tee'-khris-tos
From G473 and G5547; an opponent of the Messiah: - antichrist.
Basically the same deceiving demons that had come against the Old Covenant and corrupted Judaism and had gained control over the pharisees, where now starting to do the same thing with the way or the early church comprising Christianity of the New Covenant. Just as the priest of the second temple had been so corrupted in their understanding and practices, to the point where Jesus referred to them as complete hypocrites, so the demons were trying to do the same thing with the early church and corrupt their doctrine as well.
Luk 11:39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Luk 11:40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
Luk 11:41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
Luk 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luk 11:43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Luk 11:44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
Well this of course raises the question of what is the difference between the true prophecy and the false prophecy if both are supernatural in origin. Well the answer lies in who it is that is giving the prophetic word. From the Christian perspective the True prophecy comes from the kingdom of God and the false comes from the kingdom of Satan. Demons are quite happy to be very religious and are in fact the deities behind all the worlds Pagan and other alternative religions. But there remains only one real God and that is the one that established the covenant faiths as found in the scriptures as in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He has sent his only Begotten Son Jesus to redeem us at Calvary and set him up as his King over all of the creation.
Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Psa 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Psa 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Psa 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
The receiving of a prophecy is by nature a supernatural experience. But a supernatural experience in itself does not mean it is of God. The Buddhists have their prophets who receive prophecies that encourage the path to the Buddhist enlightenment. The Hindus have their prophets that provide the encouragement for the development of ones Karma and soul. The Muslims have their prophets that encourage the Jehad and demolition of the infidels. The witches and wiccans have their prophets that provide access to their spirit guides. The pagans have their high priests and prophets that commune and pass on instructions from their respective god pantheons. Be it Zeus or Jupiter or Thor etc. Then you just have the spirit mediums and fortunetellers that do the same thing with familiar spirits that pose as departed loved ones or whatever. None of the above is inspired by the Holy Spirit , but is the demonic engaged in their normal business.
However when it comes to Christianity or Judaism things get a little more complicated. The demonic entities are no longer acting in defence and encouragement of a particular worldly faith but are in an attack stance so as to corrupt and subvert a covenant faith in such a way as to produce an alternative to the true that can be used to deceive the saints and draw them into an alternative faith that looks like the biblically inspired covenant faith but is promoting a different God and a different Jesus. Yes it uses all the right terminology and is steeped in hyper religiosity but does not lead into a real salvation or a real reconciliation with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The writers of the New Testament had already come into contact with this deception and they gave a name to it, The Spirit of the Antichrist.
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
G500
ατιριστος
antichristos
an-tee'-khris-tos
From G473 and G5547; an opponent of the Messiah: - antichrist.
Basically the same deceiving demons that had come against the Old Covenant and corrupted Judaism and had gained control over the pharisees, where now starting to do the same thing with the way or the early church comprising Christianity of the New Covenant. Just as the priest of the second temple had been so corrupted in their understanding and practices, to the point where Jesus referred to them as complete hypocrites, so the demons were trying to do the same thing with the early church and corrupt their doctrine as well.
Luk 11:39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Luk 11:40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
Luk 11:41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
Luk 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luk 11:43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Luk 11:44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
Well this of course raises the question of what is the difference between the true prophecy and the false prophecy if both are supernatural in origin. Well the answer lies in who it is that is giving the prophetic word. From the Christian perspective the True prophecy comes from the kingdom of God and the false comes from the kingdom of Satan. Demons are quite happy to be very religious and are in fact the deities behind all the worlds Pagan and other alternative religions. But there remains only one real God and that is the one that established the covenant faiths as found in the scriptures as in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He has sent his only Begotten Son Jesus to redeem us at Calvary and set him up as his King over all of the creation.
Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Psa 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Psa 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Psa 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
So the next question is just how do we establish that the prophecies we are receiving are actually coming from the Kingdom of God and not an alternative source. The writers of the New Testament faced this question as well and left us instructions on how to do this. The first is to test the spirit that is giving the prophecy directly as in when the spirit starts to deliver the prophecy, ask the spirit what their confession of faith is. And the other is to judge the fruits produced or intended to be produced by that prophecy as compared to the scriptures themselves. Are they in line with the Great Commission given to the Saints to accomplish while awaiting our Lord Jesus return.
1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1Jn 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
1Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Now lets look at the Mechanics behind that instruction. A lot of saints disregard this because they cannot see how asking a deceiving spirit to confess that Jesus has come in the flesh is going to force them to reveal themselves. But the process involved is far simpler than it would appear and this is not the only question available either.
A false spirit of prophecy is here to deliver a deception. When you are asking these questions you are placing them in a position where they are being required to affirm and confirm already established biblical truths, the very ones they are required to draw us away from. By asking these questions we catch them between a rock and a hard place as they cannot confirm the truths associated with Christ with out compromising the deceptions they were sent to introduce to us.
Has Jesus Come in the flesh
Does Jesus now sit at the right hand of God on high.
Is God the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
Is Jesus king of Kings and Lord of Lords
Is Jesus the lamb that takes away the sins of the world.
Is salvation to be found only in the name of Jesus who shed his blood for us and is now seated at the right hand of God.
Is Jesus the Christ
The list can be added to yourselves. All you need is known biblical truths that has to be confirmed as true and that can only be affirmed by the spirit that comes from Gods throne of grace. The scriptures instruct us to do this, If the prophetic spirit is from God it will comply very readily. If it is not it will resist in some way or pull away. From experience I have found that quite often when a deceiving spirit is tested in this way it just swears at you or tries to intimidate you.
The same principle can be applied to people as well
2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
You simply apply the same list of Biblical truths and compare what a false Apostle is teaching or enforcing to what the bible says. I know quite a few that will not affirm that simple list I put together and they will be the first to teach that the spirit of prophecy is not to be tested this way even though the instruction in the scriptures is perfectly clear. And when you go look at their fruit you can see it produces bitter results. A very obvious modern example is the oneness doctrine, How can Jesus be seated at the right hand of God if he is God. Right off the batt you see who has drifted off into the false. And as expected they will be the very ones that discourage the testing of the spirit of prophecy with excuses like it is disrespectful etc. Then it is the same group that will promptly start giving out prophecies of the different incarnations of God such as Melchisedec which is so obviously wrong but it shows which spirit of prophecy they are listening to. The false. And through religiosity they will bully whom they can into following them. Rotten fruit!
If there is one thing the church really needs now it is the true prophecies from Gods thrown of Grace being delivered to the saints, not the false. We have been instructed how to test so why are we not doing it. Is it any wonder there is such a falling away and so much Cynicism on display in the body.
1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1Jn 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
1Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Now lets look at the Mechanics behind that instruction. A lot of saints disregard this because they cannot see how asking a deceiving spirit to confess that Jesus has come in the flesh is going to force them to reveal themselves. But the process involved is far simpler than it would appear and this is not the only question available either.
A false spirit of prophecy is here to deliver a deception. When you are asking these questions you are placing them in a position where they are being required to affirm and confirm already established biblical truths, the very ones they are required to draw us away from. By asking these questions we catch them between a rock and a hard place as they cannot confirm the truths associated with Christ with out compromising the deceptions they were sent to introduce to us.
Has Jesus Come in the flesh
Does Jesus now sit at the right hand of God on high.
Is God the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
Is Jesus king of Kings and Lord of Lords
Is Jesus the lamb that takes away the sins of the world.
Is salvation to be found only in the name of Jesus who shed his blood for us and is now seated at the right hand of God.
Is Jesus the Christ
The list can be added to yourselves. All you need is known biblical truths that has to be confirmed as true and that can only be affirmed by the spirit that comes from Gods throne of grace. The scriptures instruct us to do this, If the prophetic spirit is from God it will comply very readily. If it is not it will resist in some way or pull away. From experience I have found that quite often when a deceiving spirit is tested in this way it just swears at you or tries to intimidate you.
The same principle can be applied to people as well
2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
You simply apply the same list of Biblical truths and compare what a false Apostle is teaching or enforcing to what the bible says. I know quite a few that will not affirm that simple list I put together and they will be the first to teach that the spirit of prophecy is not to be tested this way even though the instruction in the scriptures is perfectly clear. And when you go look at their fruit you can see it produces bitter results. A very obvious modern example is the oneness doctrine, How can Jesus be seated at the right hand of God if he is God. Right off the batt you see who has drifted off into the false. And as expected they will be the very ones that discourage the testing of the spirit of prophecy with excuses like it is disrespectful etc. Then it is the same group that will promptly start giving out prophecies of the different incarnations of God such as Melchisedec which is so obviously wrong but it shows which spirit of prophecy they are listening to. The false. And through religiosity they will bully whom they can into following them. Rotten fruit!
If there is one thing the church really needs now it is the true prophecies from Gods thrown of Grace being delivered to the saints, not the false. We have been instructed how to test so why are we not doing it. Is it any wonder there is such a falling away and so much Cynicism on display in the body.
If your statements above are true how do you reconcile them seeing that we read in Revelation 22:18-19:
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book (Bible), If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book (Bible) of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.
To God Be The Glory
My take on Prophets...
Prophets are those who have God’s spirit, and therefore they are able to speak for God, because He makes Himself known to them. The world never looks upon prophets as being successful or popular among the public, and therefore they are never invited to compete with others to endeavor to become the most outstanding citizens of the community. They are usually reproached and hardly ever swim with the stream, the current of the times, and that is why their path is seldom smooth or easy.
The measure of a prophet’s success is the measure of faithfulness before God as God’s spokesperson, and never measured by the degree their testimony, witnessing, or speaking of God’s Word is received by others. Because they reverence and respect God’s Word, they do not shrink in the face of danger, nor do they fear people or seek the praise of others. But from deep within their hearts, they seek the praise of God and His blessing. The prophets of the Old Testament were able to speak for God to make known the coming of Jesus Christ (who would be the only begotten Son of God) through the written Word they received from God. To understand the biblical way the word “prophet” is used in the Scriptures, it's always best to look at the first occurrence of the word, which is in Genesis and is used by God to tell the king to leave the man’s wife alone. “Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet” (Genesis 20:7).
This first occurrence of the word “prophet” shows us that it was used in a different way from the way we use it today, which is mostly used in our current English to indicate when one is to foretell future events. But in the Bible, it's used in connection with Abraham, who not only had a very pretty wife, but also never foretold anything in his life. In Exodus the same God calls Aaron Moses’s prophet, which takes us a step further and leads us to the question of how one could be another man’s prophet? The answer is found in Exodus, where God, who is referring to the same subject, tells Moses that Aaron “shall be thy spokesman” (Exodus 4:16). Therefore, the essential interpretation of the word “prophet” is a spokesperson who speaks for God, either by way of exhortation, instruction, reproof, warning, correction, reprobation, or judgment. Foretelling was only a very small part of their duties.
John the Baptist was born with the spirit from God right from his mother’s womb, and that is why Jesus Christ said, “Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist” (Luke 7:28). John was known to preach in the wilderness, dress in camel hair, and eat locusts with wild honey for dinner. Perhaps John did not have a beautiful wife like Abraham, but he did have one thing that was the same as Abraham—he also never foretold anything in his life. John the Baptist was God’s spokesman who was equipped and sent forth by God to prepare the way for the Messiah for Israel. Prophets were essentially God’s spokespersons, and their sole mission was to speak only those words that were given to them to speak. They were totally meek and humble, as we see so many times from the obedience of such statements as, “The word of the Lord came unto Samuel, saying” or “And the Lord commanded Moses.”
My take is that "this book" is not the bible. It is the book that we call Revelation.
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