Judging Prophecy in the New Testament
In my last post, I took a look at Deuteronomy 18:22 and how is not used in the New Testament to test prophecy. Today I will explore the emphasis that is placed on the spirit behind prophecy.
“Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.”
- Acts 21:4
"As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, and taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles."
- Acts 21:10-11
Notice that Paul doesn’t say, “Thanks Agabus, but if this doesn’t come to pass, then you’re a false prophet”. He also doesn’t say, “Hey Agabus, I’ll believe your prophecy when you perform a sign to confirm it.” It’s interesting that a prophecy is never delivered as “Thus saith the Holy Spirit” in the Old Testament and a prophecy is never delivered as “Thus saith the Lord” in the New Testament. Also, in the Old Testament, “The Word of the Lord” usually comes to the prophet but it’s not described in those terms in the New Testament:
The Spirit said to Philip, "Go near, and join yourself to this chariot."
- Acts 8:29
As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them."
- Acts 13:2
The gifts are not only given through the spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8) but they validate the “Word of the Lord”.
"God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?"
- Hebrews 2:4
So the gift of prophecy is used to confirm the "Word of the Lord" and even though signs were also used to validate the Gospel message, they are never recommended as a device to test prophecy in the Church:
"For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones."
- Matthew 24:24
So false prophets will do signs but Jesus refuses to give them:
But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet."
- Matthew 12:39
"Then answered the Jews, and said to him, What sign showest thou to us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to them: and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had spoken."
- John 2:18-22
These two signs that Jesus does give, refer to his death and resurrection, which did come to pass and thus, validated his message. However, he gave many signs to his disciples:
"Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book;"
- John 20:30
Perhaps many in the church today don’t see the wonders of God because they resist them like the Jews resisted Jesus and thus, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy (no pun intended).
Without the use of signs to validate prophecy and recognizing the emphasis of the spirit in prophecy, John writes this:
"Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who doesn't confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already."
- 1 John 4:1-3
Paul echoes the same idea:
Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God's Spirit says, "Jesus is accursed." No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," but by the Holy Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 12:3
In 1 Corinthians Paul placed “discerning spirits” next to prophecy, just like he puts speaking in tongues next to interpreting them.
“and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages.”
- 1 Corinthians 12:10
It’s important to realize that the focus here is on what the person says when they are prophesying and is not dealing with the person’s personal belief or doctrine. So John and Paul are saying to take what the spirit says during the prophecy and compare it to the “Word of the Lord” that’s already been validated. We can look to the Bible to find this, but beware:
"You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life."
- John 5:39-40
The question quickly becomes, if you aren’t receiving the word that’s already been given, how will you receive a word that given by prophecy in the Church today?
Also, there may be some words from God that appear to contradict His previous words:
He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth, in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky. A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat!" But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean." This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.
- Acts 10:11-16
Old Testament Law strictly forbade the eating of certain animals.
False teachers in Ephesus were saying that the salvation of the Gentiles was a direct contradiction to previously given prophecies but Paul responds:
“and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.”
- Ephesians 3:9
So we must check prophecy against Scripture but we must also realize our understanding of Scripture may not be infallible. It is sometimes our own hearts that keep us from understanding. Paul makes a great point when the Corinthians were looking for proof that his message was correct:
"seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you."
- 2 Corinthians 13:3
Paul responds to this by saying:
"Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don't you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified."
- 2 Corinthians 13:5
So perhaps the best way to test prophecy, is to test yourself first.
