The School of the prophets: God's rules

[michaelvpardo]

Funny thing about prophets, If a prophet warns the people to repent or else and they dont and teh event happens, he is hated for bringing violnece to them, if the event doesnt happen than He is despised as a failure and a liar, such is the world of the true prophet who walks alone with God,

I think that this is why Jesus spoke very specifically of a prophet 's reward. I realize that false prophets commonly deceive for influence, power, or money, but it would be a rare person indeed that volunteers to speak for God in matters of judgment, understanding the righteousness of the Lord and the burden of the prophet to represent Him faithfully. Moses had to die east of the Jordan river and was not allowed to do more than view the "land of promise" because He failed to hallow God at the waters of contention. Something we should all consider when "contending" with one another for a proper understanding.

 

[michaelvpardo]

I think the Scriptures do provide very specific descriptions of what a prophet is and how that prophet receives information from God (and how they do not!).
Below is a fairly extensive, but not comprehensive, list of verses pertaining to this subject. Notice that in almost every one of these descriptions of the prophet's call, one of three things happens:
1. The prophet has a powerful vision and SEES a vision of heaven or of the throne of God and is spoken to directly through that vision.
2. The prophet has a powerful dream in which God SPEAKS to them, revealing God's plan for the people.
3. The prophet HEARS an audible voice that is unmistakeable. In fact, Samuel thought someone was calling him and needed another prophet to inform him that it was the Lord. Also, the "man of God" received a very specific and direct word from God that was so specific that God killed him via a lion for not leaving immediately after his prophecy.

Also, notice that in these definitions of what a true prophet is and what a false prophet is, we see the following:
1. A true prophet actually hears/sees a message from God. A false prophet prophesies out of their imagination.
2. A true prophet's words are specific and will come to pass. A false prophet's predictions often are not and do not.
3. God's messages to the prophets were "secrets" or revelations that were not known to others. God revealed his hidden plans and purpose through them.

As a result of these very poignant and incredibly descriptive texts, I think it is clear that a prophet is one who has a heavenly vision, is spoken to in a dream, or hears an audible voice from God that reveals God's secrets and undisclosed revelations for his people concerning specific, upcoming events.

A prophet is NOT someone who speaks from their own spirit or presumes words from their own imaginations or impressions. Rather, these qualities are used to describe a false prophet.

Please see the texts below and make your own judgement concerning the definitions and descriptions of these prophet's roles and how they received their messages....

“And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.” (Numbers 12:6, ESV)

“But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:20–22, ESV)

“And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.” (1 Samuel 3:8–9, ESV)

“And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command that the Lord your God commanded you, but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’ ” And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body.” (1 Kings 13:20–24, ESV)

“Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” (Proverbs 29:18, ESV)

“And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.” (Jeremiah 14:14, ESV)

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:16, ESV)

“How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart,” (Jeremiah 23:26, ESV)

“Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; the law is no more, and her prophets find no vision from the Lord.” (Lamentations 2:9, ESV)

“Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!” (Ezekiel 13:3, ESV)

“When this comes—and come it will!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”” (Ezekiel 33:33, ESV)

“I spoke to the prophets; it was I who multiplied visions, and through the prophets gave parables.” (Hosea 12:10, ESV)

““For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7, ESV)

“The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.” (Habakkuk 1:1, ESV)

““On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive,” (Zechariah 13:4, ESV)

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1, ESV)

“Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”” (Jeremiah 1:4–5, ESV)

“In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.” (Ezekiel 1:1, ESV)

“Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.” (Daniel 2:19, ESV)

“When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.”” (Hosea 1:2, ESV)

“The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”” (Obadiah 1, ESV)

Doesn't really work as a definition for the new Testament church. Prior to the resurrection and the day of pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon people who then prophesied. Eg: the elders of Israel in the wilderness began to prophesie when God's spirit came upon them, and young Saul stripped himself naked and began to prophesie when God's spirit came upon him. After Pentecost everyone who received the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ had the potential to give prophesy (the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of prophesy. ) But the Lord elected to give spiritual gifts as needed to His church for the ministry of the church:
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11