What does it mean to prophesy?
I've just read blurbs in a Family Christian Stores flyer for about these books:
One book seeks to "reinstate prophecy to its place in evangelism" and the other - written by someone who has "years of experience in prophetic ministry" - seeks to "show readers how to enter into the future God has prepared for them."
Now, I have no idea what either of these books have to say beyond what I've just told you, so none of what I say here should be construed as a criticism. They may be great books. But these blurbs have me wondering if it isn't possible to get really confused about what it means to "prophesy."
I am always tempted to associate prophecy with foretelling the future or, better yet, foretelling what God will do in the future. But it seems to me that to prophesy - in the sense that it is used in scripture - simply means to tell God's truths to the world, often in a way that calls for social justice where the powerful are lording it over the weak and poor.
I'm not basing that on any definition I find in the bible. Just on my exeperiences on what you typically find a person saying when they "prophesy" in the bible.
Was doomsaying for possible future events sometimes involved? Sure, but the primary purpose wasn't to prognosticate like a fortune teller or numerologist might - it was to call people to live lives that reflect the desires and heart of God in the present.
We may be surrounded by prophets on all sides, and not even know it because they aren't articulating armageddon-like doomsday scenarios - they are just crying out for people to live out lives that reflect a world where God's justice and mercy prevail. They are asking for mercy to be shown to the poor, and for the powerful to give up privilege for the sake of the Kingdom. (If, like me, you need to have your comfy, RepubliChristian world shaken a bit every now and then, just have a listen to Derek Webb's new album called Mockingbird - pretty radical stuff!)
They may not be popular, they may not write books, they may not even know much about the future except that in a broad sense God is seeking to renew man and creation through the church, they may not wear three-piece suits and have "years of prophetic experience" like some of these writers - but it strikes me that they too should be considered the prophets that are among us because they follow in the traditions of Jeremiah, Isaiah, Malachi, etc.
Technorati Tags: prophecy, prophetic evangelism, secrets of the prophetic, isaiah, jeremiah, prophets
One book seeks to "reinstate prophecy to its place in evangelism" and the other - written by someone who has "years of experience in prophetic ministry" - seeks to "show readers how to enter into the future God has prepared for them."
Now, I have no idea what either of these books have to say beyond what I've just told you, so none of what I say here should be construed as a criticism. They may be great books. But these blurbs have me wondering if it isn't possible to get really confused about what it means to "prophesy."
I am always tempted to associate prophecy with foretelling the future or, better yet, foretelling what God will do in the future. But it seems to me that to prophesy - in the sense that it is used in scripture - simply means to tell God's truths to the world, often in a way that calls for social justice where the powerful are lording it over the weak and poor.
I'm not basing that on any definition I find in the bible. Just on my exeperiences on what you typically find a person saying when they "prophesy" in the bible.
Was doomsaying for possible future events sometimes involved? Sure, but the primary purpose wasn't to prognosticate like a fortune teller or numerologist might - it was to call people to live lives that reflect the desires and heart of God in the present.
We may be surrounded by prophets on all sides, and not even know it because they aren't articulating armageddon-like doomsday scenarios - they are just crying out for people to live out lives that reflect a world where God's justice and mercy prevail. They are asking for mercy to be shown to the poor, and for the powerful to give up privilege for the sake of the Kingdom. (If, like me, you need to have your comfy, RepubliChristian world shaken a bit every now and then, just have a listen to Derek Webb's new album called Mockingbird - pretty radical stuff!)
They may not be popular, they may not write books, they may not even know much about the future except that in a broad sense God is seeking to renew man and creation through the church, they may not wear three-piece suits and have "years of prophetic experience" like some of these writers - but it strikes me that they too should be considered the prophets that are among us because they follow in the traditions of Jeremiah, Isaiah, Malachi, etc.
Technorati Tags: prophecy, prophetic evangelism, secrets of the prophetic, isaiah, jeremiah, prophets
posted by Matt at Thursday, January 05, 2006
2 Comments:
Matt, Paul tells us in Eph 4 that prophets are a gift from Christ to the Church. The problem is that most "prophets" today profit from their propheting and prophet only for themselves. According to Eph 4, He gave some (evangelists, prophets, teachers, pastors, apostles) to EQUIP the Saints for ministry. I don't any prophets who do their deal for equipping. I wouldn't be surprised if God didn't want to restore that gift to the Church but just can't find someone who is other's focused enough. I'm pretty sure it is not Pat Robertson.
Love you bro.
Matt,
I think your definition is much closer to the meaning of a "prophet," as opposed to these modern-day snake-oil fortune teller types.
We need more prophets IN our churches (as Quile pointed out, they are largely FOR the people of God), but they are often wildly unpopular, and its hard to raise a family when you're unemployed!
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