What is the law of God and how does it relate to prophecy? Edmund Heddle continues his series by unpacking this key topic...

Prophets are people with standards. They believe that certain standards of belief and behaviour have been laid down by Almighty God; standards which they, like the rest of mankind, are duty bound to live up to.

However, as prophets, they have the added responsibility of upholding these standards against a background of universal human rebellion by urging everyone, irrespective of their power or position, to full obedience.

In other words, a prophet is a person commissioned by God to make plain what his laws are, in order that people may comply with his requirements and so escape the otherwise grave consequences of disobedience.

Against a background of human rebellion, prophets have the responsibility to uphold God's standards of belief and behaviour and urge others to do the same."

Prophets' Warning

There is clear evidence from the Old Testament that both rulers and their people were warned by prophets sent by God to obey the laws they had received from Moses.

The prophet Ahijah warned King Jeroboam against following Solomon's bad example and urged him to obey God's laws and to keep his commandments (1 Kings 11:30-38). Another prophet, Azariah, encouraged King Asa to turn from idolatry and to start observing God's law, after a lapse of many years (2 Chron 15:1-15).

A summary passage following Israel's being sent away into exile says:

Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and by every seer, saying: Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets (2 Kings 17:13)

Another passage relates a similar situation when, years later, Judah was also taken away into captivity (Jer 25:4-6).

God's Concern

Jeremiah points out that God's intention in sending prophetic warnings was for their good, that "it might be well with them" (Jer 7:23). That such obedience would be "for their own good, and the good of their children after them" (Jer 32:39). The measure of God's concern is shown in an oft-repeated phrase which occurs nine times in Jeremiah (7:13; 7:25-26; 11:7-8; 25:3-¬4; 26:4-6; 29:19; 32:33; 35:14-15; 44:4): "Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets, daily rising early and sending them."

The King James translation preserves the picturesque quality of the phrase by rendering it 'rising up early and sending' (that is, rising up early and speaking/protesting/teaching). This is an attempt to render a Hebrew verb shakam, which means 'to incline the shoulder to take a burden, to load a burden on the back of a man or a beast': because this would be done in the early morning at the beginning of the day's work, it took to itself the significance of 'starting early in the morning'.

Many times in Jeremiah the verb 'shakam' is used: it is a verb which paints a beautiful picture of God getting up early in the morning and taking great care to dispatch his servants on their mission"

This beautiful picture of God getting up early to ensure that his prophets were dispatched on their mission of mercy to his people is not quite so striking when this word is rendered by 'persistently' (RSV), 'day after day, again and again' (NIV) or by 'eagerly and earnestly' (Moffatt). Prophets today need a similar dedication if they are to save others, whether individuals or communities, from the consequences of breaking God's laws. For if they allow people to go on despising God's laws this will inevitably result in a situation for which there is 'no remedy' (2 Chron 36:15-16).

God's Law Different

The Roman empire was held together not primarily by its Emperor as dictator, but by Roman law, that 'lex' which was so highly regarded by all true Roman citizens. But when we speak of the law of Moses, we are referring to something different. It is true that Roman law originally grew out of Roman religion. It was believed that the founders of the Roman state had entered into a pact with certain gods and that they would guard Rome, provided the lex was observed.

But by New Testament times, the religion of Rome had lost its hold on educated men and the lex was no longer vitally connected with religion. The Law of Moses, in contrast, was unchangeably connected with the worship of the one true God.

The Hebrew 'Torah'

The Hebrew word standing for God's law is 'Torah'. The root of this word is the Hebrew word to 'teach' which is a form of the verb 'to shoot', the idea being that a man might shoot an arrow to show direction. This is the word used for the Law of Moses and in contrast with the Roman lex, it conveys the idea of instruction, rather than legalism (the word 'legalism' is connected with 'lex').

At the heart of God's law is not legalism, but principles, revelation and words to govern a personal relationship"

The 'Torah' contains instruction, revelation and 'words', an element not to be found in any modern law book. The Ten Commandments were originally called 'These words' (Deut 5:22). Together these items give the principles that govern Israel's covenant relationship with Jehovah God and they imply a personal relationship between the teacher and the taught.

God's 'Segullah'

The introduction to God's law is a reminder of what he had done to bring Israel into existence as a nation. It was because of what he had done for Israel first that she in turn must obey his commands as the only fitting response to such undeserved kindness:

You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I brought you to myself. Now, therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples... (Ex 19:4-5); literally, you shall be my 'segullah'.

George Knight in his book Law and Grace explains the meaning of segullah: "In olden days a king was the ultimate owner of everything in the land he ruled. He owned every building, every farm...But that kind of 'owning' could give him little personal satisfaction. Consequently in his palace he kept a treasure chest of his 'very own', in which he delighted to store the precious stones and objets d'art which he loved to handle. This treasure box was his 'segullah'. The whole object of God's law is that Israel might be his 'segullah'. All nations belonged to him, but Israel was to be his peculiar treasure (compare 1 Peter 1:9). How strangely does the attitude of the Pharisees of Jesus' day contrast with all this when they tried to deduce from God's law regulations to suit every possible contingency in human life."

Ceremonial Law

We are learning that the voice of the true prophet is always the voice of the law of God, once for all declared through Moses. What then of those passages in the Old Testament where the prophets appear to reject the ceremonial system of blood sacrifices, preferring obedience to ceremony? "To obey is better than sacrifice" (1 Sam 15:22). "I desire steadfast love, not sacrifice" (Hos 6:6). "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord... I do not delight in the blood of bulls...incense is an abomination to me...your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates" (Isa 1:11, 13-14).

These and other verses like them may seem to indicate a total rejection of religious ceremony on the part of the prophets. In the Isaiah passage the attack on the offering of sacrifices is very strong, but it is no stronger than the prophet's attack on the Sabbath (v13) and on prayer (v15). It cannot be that the prophet is repudiating the Sabbath or prayer. Rather he is saying that unless sacrifice is the expression of the heart's devotion of the worshipper it is of itself not only useless, but very offensive to the Almighty. The keeping of the Sabbath and the offering of prayer is also an offence if it is a cover up for sinful deeds and selfish ways.

Prophetic Theology

In their understanding of God and his ways, the prophets built on the earlier revelation given to Moses and did not question it. Peter Southwell in his book Prophecy (p63) says:

Prophetic theology is parasitic, it stood upon the shoulders of its predecessors and needed the older traditions for its sustenance.

However, having granted that the theology of the prophets is firmly based on the Law of Moses, they did not stop there but went on to speak of a coming king, a suffering servant, a new covenant, an abundant outpouring of God's Spirit and a glorious new age, when nature, as well as people would be totally renewed. They moved on from a law inscribed on tablets of stone to the law of God written in the hearts of His people.

The prophets' theology was firmly based on the Law of Moses; from here they spoke of a coming king, a new covenant, an abundant outpouring of God's Spirit and a glorious new age."

And when eventually Jesus came in fulfilment of the promises they had unveiled, he declared that the teaching of law and prophets would not be abolished - both were equally important and he would himself fulfil both (Matt 5:17). Prophets today must remember that they are responsible to proclaim the total Lord Jesus, who fulfils all that the law and the prophets have said about him.

Prophetic Continuity

As JA Motyer has pointed out in the New Bible Dictionary (p1045):

Prophets and prophecy form the greatest line of continuity between the Old and New Testaments. The prophetic line did not end with Malachi, so to speak, but with John the Baptist. This is the express teaching of our Lord: 'For all the Prophets and the law prophesied until John' (Matthew 11:13).

John continued the pattern of Old Testament prophecy as he insisted upon repentance for disobedience to God's law, and then combined both proclamation (forthtelling) and prediction (foretelling) as he spoke of the wrath to come but also of the grace to come (Luke 3:7, 16). The message that John had for his generation is that which today's prophets must pass on to their generation too.

Prophets to the Nations

The message brought by the prophets of the Old Testament was not delivered only to Israel and Judah. They also had things to say to the nations, small and great, of their day (see Isa 13:1-23:18). In the Book of the Revelation (Ch 10), the angel said to John: "Take the scroll and eat it; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth..." John was told, "You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." There are things to be said not only to the Church of those who believe, but also to the nations.

Prophets were not only sent to Israel and Judah, but also to the nations, small and great."

God said to the young Jeremiah: "I have appointed you a prophet to the nations...I have set you today over nations and kingdoms" (Jer 1:5, 10). This was by no means an easy task and at times it was a bitter one. But, as the angel told John, there is also a sweetness that increases the more we digest the law and the prophets.

There can never have been a time when the nations have so desperately needed to hear what God's prophets are commissioned to say. God's standards apply to all men everywhere. It is part of the prophet's calling to declare what they are and to tell of the grace that can write them on our hearts.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 2, No 1, 1986.

As we continue to seek an answer to the question 'What is a prophet?', Edmund Heddle looks at the truth stated in Revelation 19:10: "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy".

First, let us notice the close connection that existed between witness-bearing and prophecy in the early church. Jesus' final words to his disciples before his ascension promised:

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses (Acts 1:8).

Later on, when the Day of Pentecost arrived, Peter explained the extraordinary happenings as a fulfilment of prophecy. But in quoting Joel 2:28-29, Peter added four of his own words, not found in the original prophecy: 'And they shall prophesy'.

Prophecy and witness

Putting together the two stated results of the Spirit's coming -'you shall be witnesses' and 'shall prophesy', it becomes clear that what the disciples of Jesus were to engage in was 'prophetic witnessing'. This means they would be speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, with the words he gave them to speak, and the central theme of their speaking would be Jesus. To them this would be a fulfilment of the promise Jesus made in the Upper Room, when he said "The Spirit of truth...will bear witness to me; and you also are witnesses" (John 15:25-27).

Primary witness

Jesus shows here that in the work of spreading the gospel throughout the world, the primary witness was the Holy Spirit and that although the secondary witness of the disciples was essential, without the Holy Spirit their witness would be totally ineffective. This essential relationship in witnessing underlies what Peter said to the Jewish Sanhedrin: "We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit" (Acts 5:32).

In the work of the gospel, the primary witness is the Holy Spirit and the secondary witness is us. Both are essential"

Old Testament Prophets

The close link between prophecy and witnessing to Christ is also seen in what the New Testament says about the prophets of the Old Covenant. Peter preaching in the house of Cornelius declared "To him all the prophets bear witness" (Acts 10:43).

The writer to the Hebrews refers to the Holy Spirit bearing witness to Christ's perfect offering for our sins (Heb 10:14-18). Peter makes it clear that prophets were moved to prophesy things that were totally beyond their understanding. He said: They enquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory. (1 Pet 1:11)

Devoted to prophecy

It is in the Book of Revelation that we see the closest connection between prophecy and witness, or testimony to Jesus. Revelation is the only book in the New Testament devoted entirely to prophecy (Rev 1:3, 10:11 and 22:18). It is a prophetic message from the Lord Jesus through John, to be read at the worship services of the church in Asia Minor. John never refers to himself as a prophet, though he is not the only example of an apostle prophesying (Acts 27:21-26).

In the book of Revelation we see the closest connection between prophecy and witness"

C. M. Kempton Hewitt shows how important the Book of Revelation is to our understanding of New Testament prophecy. He writes:

The Book of the Revelation is necessary to complete the New Testament canon. Without it we would know very little about the form and function of prophecy in the primitive church.¹

Important statement

The most illuminating statement about prophecv in the Book of Revelation (and possibly in the whole New Testament) is the verse we have already referred to in chapter 19:10 – "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." William Barclay in his commentary describes it as "an ambiguous phrase and a very import one."

John had been listening to a breath-taking account of the final salvation God will bring about and the blessedness of those who are invited the marriage supper of the Lamb. Finally, when the angel assures him the absolute certainty of these things, John understandably falls down to worship the angel. The angel immediately warned him against such action, saying, "You must not do that! I am but a servant like yourself and your brothers who hold fast the testimony Jesus. Worship God!" Then follows the statement, "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy", though it is not clear whether it is part of the angel's message or whether it is John's inspired comment.

Difficult phrase

Commenting on this phrase, the Translator's New Testament (produced by the Bible Society to assist those making new translations in the vernacular) states:

This is a difficult phrase, partly because of the two possible interpretations of the first part of the sentence (the testimony of Jesus may mean 'the testimony which Jesus bore' or it may mean 'the Christian testimony to Jesus'); partly because it is not clear whether the reference is to OT or NT prophets and partly because of the form of words in 'is the spirit of prophecy'.

On the other hand, Henry Alford in the Greek New Testament² is quite decided about the right way to understand this phrase. He argues that Jesus in the genitive must be objective and therefore the phrase must be understood as 'the testimony borne to Jesus by these fellow-servants'. He adds, "There is no reason for destroying its force by making Jesus subjective and ',the Testimony of Jesus' to mean 'the witness which proceeds from Jesus'."

Rev 19:10 is a difficult, ambiguous phrase. But one thing is for certain: it affirms a clear link between prophecy and witness to Jesus."

William Barclay, however, noting that scholarship is divided on whether the phrase means 'the witness which the Christian bears to Christ' or 'the witness which Christ bears to men' wonders whether the double meaning is intentional and writes (in his Commentary on Revelation):

This is the kind of double meaning of which the Greek language is capable; and it may well be that John intended the double meaning and that we are not meant to choose between the meanings, but to accept both of them.

Prophets and witnesses

One thing is certain, however the verse may be understood: this phrase affirms an inseparable link between Christian prophecy and witness to Jesus.

David Hill³ draws attention to the parallel between this verse and a similar situation and verse in chapter 22:9 and concludes that the brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus are to be identified with the prophets. He declares:

What appears to be implied by the collocation of clauses in this verse is that all members of the church are, in principle or potentially, prophets, just as the whole church presents itself, in exemplary fashion, in the form of the two witnesses [emphasis added, see also Rev 11:3].

The Spirit glorifies Jesus

Enough has been said to establish the connection in Scripture between prophecy on the one hand and witness, or testimony, to Jesus on the other. But such a link is only to be expected. Jesus said "The Spirit of truth...He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (John 16:13-14). We should expect therefore that all prophecy that is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit will witness to Jesus; to who he is, to what he has said and done, to what he is doing now and to what he will yet do.

We should expect that all prophecy that is truly Holy Spirit-inspired will witness to who Jesus is, what he has said and done, is doing now and will yet do"

Angels and men share task

From the incident before us we see that it is prophecy that links men and angels as fellow-servants of God; as those who are engaged in one common task, bearing witness to Jesus. Martin Kiddle writes⁴:

The Christian who holds the testimony of Jesus does no less than an angel. The angel proclaims the eternal truth of Christ's gospel; he comes from the Presence with messages to men [Luke 1:30-35; 2:10-12]...But the prophet also performs this task; he also proclaims the mind of Christ.

It is prophecy that links men and angels as fellow-servants of God, engaged in one common task of bearing witness to Jesus"

The angel forbade John to worship him. But both angels and men join to worship the Lord Jesus. He is the one whom the disciples worshipped without rebuke (Matt 28:9, 17) and concerning whom Scripture says, "Let all the angels of God worship him" (Heb 1:6).

Witnesses and martyrs

The Book of the Revelation warns us that the prophets of the New Testament church, like their predecessors in the Old Testament, must expect persecution it they bear a faithful witness to Jesus Christ. Remember the writer himself was imprisoned on the isle of Patmos "on account of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus" (Rev 1:9), and many other apostles were put to death. And so the witness (in Greek, 'martus') becomes the martyr.

Testing prophecy

It is precisely because prophecy affirms things about Jesus that both Paul and John are insistent that all prophecy must be tested. They warn us not to accept every inspired utterance at its face value. We do well to remember Jesus' warning that there would be false prophets as well as true ones (1 Cor 14:29, 1 Thess 5:19-22, 1 John 4: 1-3, Matt 7:15-20).

It is precisely because prophecy affirms things about Jesus that all prophecy must be tested."

Christ-like prophesying

The inspiring Spirit at the heart of all true prophecy is ever seeking to point men to Jesus and to the truth about Jesus. We can take it, however, that the phrase we have been studying refers not only to the content of the prophecy, but also to the manner in which the utterance is presented. If a prophecy is to bear effective testimony to Jesus it must at the same time bear witness to his loving and gracious attitude of service. Bernard of Clairvaux got it right when he said "Learn the lesson that if you are to do the work of a prophet, what you need is not a sceptre but a hoe." Prophets, like Jesus, are to be servants and must not use their gift to lord it over God's people (Luke 22:27).

Prophecy's dark side

George Mallone points out that "singing only one tune in prophecy fails to express the full nature of Christ as it is revealed in Scripture".⁵ There is a dark side to the prophet's ministry and a full-orbed presentation of judgement and grace must feature in any adequate testimony to the Lord Jesus.

Speaking in love

As we sum up our answer to the question 'What is a prophet?' we see that it is someone who is so filled with the Holy Spirit that this influences everything that he says and the way that he says it. John Gunstone said:

I have heard prophetic utterances that brought congregations to their knees in penitence and joy, and I have heard other utterances devoid of inspiration that spoke only of the anger and frustration of the one who gave them.⁶

Prophets must never forget the danger pointed out by Paul, when he said "If I have prophetic powers...but have not love, I am nothing" (1 Cor 13:2).

Prophets must never forget the danger pointed out by Paul, when he said "If I have prophetic powers...but have not love, I am nothing" (1 Cor 13:2).

So, whether we are thinking of the continuing prophetic witness all believers are responsible to maintain, or of the gift of prophecy manifest occasionally in the church, or of those who have been given a prophetic ministry in the church and in the world, all true Christian prophesying will be distinguished by the fact that it points to Jesus and promotes his honour. For this is what the Spirit of prophecy is constantly urging all true prophets to do.

First published in Prophecy Today, 1985, Vol 1, Issue 3.

References

1 Handbook of Biblical Prophecy, Baker, p112.

2 Vol 4, p726.

3 New Testament Prophecy, Marshalls, pp89-90.

4 Moffatt Commentary on Revelation

5 Those Controversial Gifts, Hodder & Stoughton, pp40-41.

6 A People for His Praise, Hodder & Stoughton, p105.

In this second installment on the ministry of prophecy, Edmund Heddle looks at how prophets are called and equipped by God.

Neither in the Old Testament times nor in the New Testament Church did the prophets appoint themselves. Only a false prophet would dare to take that office upon himself (Jer 23:21).

Prophets did not inherit the calling from their fathers, nor did they receive it by human appointment. It was by God himself that they were chosen and called. The initiative in making a prophet rested with God alone and all true prophets received a specific and personal call from him.

The Prophetic Call

The prophetic call might come to men and women at different points in their lifetime and in a variety of personal situations.

No prophet is self-appointed: all are called and equipped by God alone."

• Moses, already an ageing man, received his call as he turned aside to contemplate a bush that blazed with flames and yet did not burn away (Ex 3:1-4, 17).
• The young Isaiah saw a vision of the thrice-holy God that humbled him to confess his sinful speaking. After cleansing his lips God challenged him to undertake the work of being a prophet, Isaiah gave a glad answer in the classic response: "Here am I; send me!" (Isa 6:1-9).
• For Hosea it was through the sad experience of his own unhappy domestic life that he came to realise that God was calling him to prophesy. God called him first to experience in his home circumstances the continued unfaithfulness of his wife before he was ready to proclaim the continuing love and the unwearying patience of God towards his unfaithful people (Hos 1:2, 11:8-9, 14:4).
• Jeremiah was still only a youth when God's call came, to which he responded with protestations that he was far too young for such responsibility. God replied by telling him that he had in fact been called even before his birth! God, however, reassured him by promising that he would be given the very words that he wanted him to speak (Jer 1:4-9).
• Many years before, another young man, Samuel, had heard the voice of God one night calling him to be a prophet. Like Jeremiah he also had been given a message he did not want to pass on (1 Sam 3:1-21).
• Amos, working as a herdsman in his native Judaea heard God calling him to leave those pasture lands and go to Israel to challenge the sophisticated priests and rulers in the religious centre at Bethel (Amos 7:12-15).
• Scripture does not tell us when and where Micah was called to prophesy but he tells how the anointing Spirit had come upon him, enabling him to speak God's word to both Israel and Judah (Mic 3:8).
• Ezekiel shared being in exile with God's people in Babylon, sitting where they sat and becoming overwhelmed by what he saw until in the fourth month of the fifth year of their captivity he was called to the prophetic ministry (Eze 2:3-7, 3:14-15).
• There were a number of prophets who were reluctant to pass on the message they had received, but only Jonah tried to escape from the prophetic call by running away. Only after alarming experiences did the persistence and mercy of God give his disobedient servant a second chance (Jonah 1:1, 3:1).

Not all the prophets of the Bible give details of their call, but we can be certain that none of them were self-appointed. They were speaking because they had to; they were speaking what they spoke because, having heard what God had to say, they were obliged to pass it on (Jer 20:9).

Today throughout the world there are still men and women who must speak out, because they too have heard what the Lord God has to say."

The Task of the Prophet

The nature of the work which the prophets were called to perform may be seen by a study of the Hebrew words which were used to describe them and their prophesying. In 1 Samuel 9:9 there is an editorial note to the effect that "he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer". Such a verse as this and 1 Chronicles 29:29 appear to use these words with a discrimination that is not sustained throughout the rest of the Old Testament. However, there is a distinction between their meaning.

Ro'eh (translated 'seer') is an active participle of the verb 'to see' and chozeh (also translated 'seer') is a similar part of the verb 'to gaze at'. Both words indicate that a prophet was someone who saw things to which other men were blind. The ability to see was not to be attributed to their own insight, neither had it been discovered by an occult means similar to heathen divination; it was the result of illumination by the Spirit of God. Samuel was a 'seer' to whom people turned when they wanted to know of God's will or sought direction in national, local or personal affairs (1 Sam 7:3-4, 9:3-11).

In contrast to these two words translated 'seer', which together occur a total of not more than thirty times in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, the word 'nabhi' (translated 'prophet') occurs over 300 times. The derivation of this word has occasioned considerable debate, but it is widely believed it can be traced to an Akkadian root 'nabu' meaning 'to call'. The choice in understanding lies between the prophet as being one who is called by God; or the prophet as being the one who calls, either to men for God or to God for men, ie by intercession.

The prophet is a person who is called to see what God is showing and to pass on its significance to his fellow men."

It seems better to understand 'nabhi' not in the passive sense of the one who is called i.e. the recipient of the vocation; but in the active sense of an announcer or messenger ie the one who is charged with carrying out the vocation. The prophet is a person who is called to see what God is showing and to pass on its significance to his fellow men. Today the world situation as never before underlines our desperate need of seers who can see with God's eyes and prophets who can speak forth his authoritative word.

Description of a Prophet

There are a number of significant phrases in the Old Testament which tell us yet more about the prophet and his calling. The prophet is called:

1. A man of God (1 Sam 9:6), implying that as a man of righteous character he was more closely in touch with God than other men. From the time of Moses down to the time of the monarchy the phrase was in use (1 Kings 13:1, 2 Kings 4:9).
2. The servant of the LORD. This is another description going back to the time of Moses (Josh 1:2) and it became the standard way of referring to all later prophets, especially when they were referred to collectively (2 Kings 17:13 and 23, Ezra 9:11, Jer 7:25). A prophet's primary task is to serve God and to do all that is expected of him, however strange God's orders might be (Isa 20:3).
3. The messenger of the LORD. This phrase found in the post-exile prophets shows that the particular service which the prophets rendered was that of passing on messages from God (Hag 1:13, Mal 3:1). 'Malachi' means 'my messenger'.
4. The man of the Spirit (Hos 9:7). This description draws attention to the fact that the source of the prophet's inspiration and power is nothing less than the Spirit of God himself (2 Chron 15:1-2, and 24:20, Neh 9:30, Mic 3:8).
5. My anointed one (Ps 105:15). It is clear that this phrase from Psalm 105 refers to the patriarchs and attributes their ability for hearing God's voice to the anointing of God's Spirit upon them. In Isaiah 61:1 the prophet claims that he had been anointed by the Spirit of God; an experience which years later Jesus declared had been fulfilled in his own experience (Luke 4:17-19).
6. A watchman. This word draws attention to the awesome responsibility the prophet has of first keeping his eye on what is happening and then not failing to issue the appropriate warning to the people (Hos 9:8, Eze 3:17 and 33:1-9).
7. A trumpet-blower. Closely associated with the duties of the watchman is that of blowing the trumpet (Jer 6:17). The prophet's word must be loud and clear so that there can be no mistaking the urgency of his message (Isa 58:1, Jer 4:5, Hos 8:1, Joel 2:1 and 15, Amos 3:6).

Reluctance

We have seen that it is God who chooses and calls individuals to serve as prophets. The first reaction may be one of unworthiness, unfitness or even total unwillingness. But with that call comes the deepening conviction that it is their eyes through which God's view of the human situation is to be perceived; it is their heart that is to sense and share his feelings about that situation and it is their lips that must patiently and courageously pass on what he has to say about it.

When God calls, first reactions are often feelings of unworthiness, unfitness or total unwillingness. But with his call comes deepening conviction..."

They may feel unfitted, as herdsman Amos did when he confronted the sophisticated ecclesiastics of Bethel. They may, like Jonah, try to run as far as possible in the opposite direction. They may even get to the lengths of accusing God of taking advantage of them (Jer 20:7-8).

Prophetic Imperative

But the 'goodly fellowship of the prophets' shares one common obligation; they must pass on what God has revealed (Amos 3:8b). This message may not be what the majority of people want to hear with their unending pursuit of peace and the 'smooth things' that false prophets promise (Isa 30:10). It may not even be the kind of message that the prophet himself likes passing on. In that case the prophet must put aside his own ideas, feelings and prejudices. As a watchman he must watch carefully; as a seer see clearly; as a trumpeter alert people effectively to their danger; so that as a true prophet he may faithfully pass on God's word.

Prophetic messages may not be what people want to hear, or what prophets like passing on. But those who God calls, he also anoints and equips to be faithful by his Holy Spirit."

No prophets could ever meet such demands from their own resources. It is essential to the carrying out of their calling that the anointing of the Spirit has come down upon them (Zech 4:6). All we have discovered about the prophets of the Old Testament applies equally to those whom God is calling to the ministry of prophecy today.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1985.

Who were the prophets and do they still exist today? Edmund Heddle unpacks some key aspects of this vital ministry and gifting...

To the man in the street a prophet is someone who predicts the future, and to prophesy is to foretell some happening; a view which is shared in many cases by the man in the pew. It is true that the prophets of the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, do foretell what is to happen, but this predictive element forms only part of their message. They are primarily forthtellers!

Exodus 4:10-16 records an instructive incident that reveals the nature of the prophet's ministry. God had told Moses to go to Pharaoh to demand the release of the children of Israel from the slavery in which they were held. Moses, however, excuses himself (even after the encouragement of miraculous signs) on the ground of his lack of eloquence. God is displeased at Moses' refusal, but suggests that his brother Aaron, a good speaker, should take his place. According to Exodus 7:1, Aaron became Moses' 'prophet' and Moses is told:

You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth...He shall speak for you...He shall be a mouth for you. (Ex 4:15-16).

From this passage it is seen that a prophet is to be a mouth for God, a spokesman, whose task is to listen to what God is saying and to pass on that message.

How do prophets hear from God?

If a prophet is God's mouthpiece, how is he to hear what God wants him to pass on? The essential preparation is shown clearly in Numbers 11:16-17 and 24-30. Moses had reached a point where the burden of dealing with the people of God was more than he could cope with on his own. So God tells him to assemble seventy elders at the tent of meeting with the object of providing him with assistance.

Then God said, "I will take some of the Spirit which is upon you and put it on them." When this was done and the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. This was also true for two of their number who had not accompanied the others to the tent of meeting, but who were found prophesying in the camp. Prophesying is only possible when the Spirit of God has come upon God's man.

Prophesying is only possible when the Spirit of God has come upon God's servant."

Moses' servant, Joshua, thought his master would be upset that the two who had gone to the tent of meeting were prophesying and he presumed to ask Moses to silence them! Moses' magnanimous reply indicated that he had no desire to limit the number of prophets; instead he said, "I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!"

Who gets to prophesy?

This desire of Moses for the universalising of prophecy was years later taken up by the prophet Joel as he foretold the day when as a result of the outpouring of God's Spirit, the whole people of God would become a prophetic people.

And afterwards, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. You sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants [literally 'slaves'] I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28-29)

These words of Joel were quoted by Peter as he sought to explain the happenings of the Day of Pentecost, just a few weeks after Jesus had returned to heaven. With the descent of the Spirit a new age had dawned, for this universalising of the prophetic potentiality constituted the greatest difference between Old and New Testament prophecy.

No longer was prophecy limited to certain individuals among God's people; instead both men and women, old and young and those without worldly status were alike able to prophesy. The New Testament makes it clear that not all of the Lord's people would have the ministry of a prophet (1 Cor 12:29) but all were able, and were encouraged, to prophesy. (1 Cor 14:1, 5).

The greatest difference between Old and New Testament prophecy is that since Pentecost, the gift of prophecy has been made available for all believers."

How does prophesying actually happen?

As well as showing the absolute necessity of the Spirit coming upon a man if he is to prophesy, the Old Testament has much more to teach about the process of prophesying.

The prophets of old were men who stood in the Lord's council, shared his secrets, were sent with his message and declared it with their words, actions and lives."

• The prophets of the Old Testament were men who stood in the Lord's council. (Jer 23:18, 22) They were granted the privilege of an audience with the Lord God himself. They were men in touch with the Throne and the whole quality of their revelations was dependent upon this fundamental relationship.
• The prophets were men who shared the Lord's secrets (Amos 3:7). Amos uses here a word that describes people in a close deliberation and what is shared at such times. He clearly believed that the Almighty shared with his prophets what he was going to do: a fact which is evident from a word from God concerning Abraham and the impending judgment of Sodom, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?" (Gen 18:17)
• The prophets were men sent with the Lord's message (Amos 7:14-15). Amos said, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son...but the Lord said to me 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel'." So this shepherd from Judah was sent to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom. God not only gives his word to his prophets, he also directs them as to who is to be their audience.
• The prophets were men who spoke the Lord's message in the Lord's words (Deut 18:18; Jer 1:9). When the young Jeremiah complained that he was not old or mature enough for the prophetic calling, God promised to give him the very words he was to speak. He was given an 'instructed tongue' (Isa 50:4).
• The prophets were men who showed the Lord's message by visual aids (Isa 20:2-3; Jer 13:1-11; 19:1-15). In order to illustrate and enforce their message, prophets were told to perform unusual actions, like burying a new waistbelt or smashing a pottery vessel before a crowd. Others got their message over by the use of vivid parables or word pictures. Micah stripped naked (Mic 1:8) in order to show the shame and degradation that would come upon the city unless the people repented.
• The prophets were men whose lives constituted part of their message. Hosea finds himself married to a prostitute; Ezekiel is forbidden to mourn when his wife suddenly died and Jeremiah is forbidden to marry at all. In this way the prophets were enabled to feel in their own experience the sufferings of the God, whose prophetic message they were responsible to communicate.

How did prophetic ministries begin?

As well as describing the process of prophesying, the Old Testament gives some insight into how the prophets received their word from God.

A study of the opening verses of the sixteen prophetic books of the Old Testament will divide up the prophets into those who saw the message in vision and those to whom the spoken word of the Lord came.

As it stands, this last statement can be misleading as the word translated 'came' is part of the verb 'to be' and might be better translated 'the word of the Lord became a living reality to' the prophet. It would appear that the first group had a direct encounter with what they were to say, whereas the second group experienced the message coming into focus in their minds as they considered a situation under the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

What about today?

In ways like these, men called by God, on whom the Spirit had fallen, became a 'mouth for God' in their generation. Today, as never before, there are homes, communities and nations that desperately need to hear what God in his love is yearning to say to them. Nothing, therefore, could be more important than the recovery of the ministry of prophecy today.

First published in Prophecy Today, March/April 1985, Vol. 1 No. 1.

Prophecy is divine truth revealed through the activity of God. It is the product of the self-revelation of God to human beings and through them to the nations. The task of the biblical prophets was to declare publicly the word of God that had been revealed to them. They were the mouthpiece of God.

Moses and Aaron

This is well illustrated through the arrangement that God initiated between Moses and Aaron when Moses protested that he was unable to speak to the people. God’s response was:

You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. (Ex 4:15-16)

A Common Error

The popular view of prophecy is foretelling the future, but this formed only a small part of the ministry of the prophets in the Bible. Their main task was declaring the word of God for their generation. This sometimes meant looking ahead and foreseeing the future with either warnings or messages of encouragement.

God’s Nature and Purposes

God used the biblical prophets to reveal his nature and purposes. Through Isaiah, God said, “I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no Saviour. I have revealed, and saved, and proclaimed” (Isa 43:11-12). This self revelation of God to human beings was completed through Jesus the Messiah whose mission was summarised by the Apostle John:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

New Testament Prophecy

In the New Testament prophecy did not add to the revelation of God but it guided the mission of the Church. It was recognised both as a Ministry and as a Gift, or manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The Ministry was exercised by individuals recognised by the churches, often as an itinerant ministry: whereas the gift could be exercised by any believer receiving a revelation within the local church and sharing it with others in times of prayer and worship (the contrast between the Gift and the Ministry can be seen in Acts 21:9-10).

Today prophecy is used in much the same way as in the New Testament Church: for giving guidance to the local congregation, or bringing a word from God to the wider Church in order to enable the Church to be the prophet to the nation. For biblical guidance on how to weigh and test prophecies, see here.

As the ministry of Prophecy Today moves into a new era, it is good to look back to what we were saying thirty years ago.

The ministry of Edmund Heddle...

From the very first issue, through many years, the late Edmund Heddle was a regular contributor, writing on the Biblical Prophets and what they teach us. Edmund was a Baptist Minister whose ministry culminated as Warden of the prayer centre at Ashburnham Place.

His Bible teaching brought a major contribution to the PWM regional conferences as well as to Prophecy Today. He was a pastor to the PWM team as well as a Bible teacher.

I recall his preparations for the next topic for his Prophecy Today article as we travelled from town to town. He would sit quietly in the back of the car and prayerfully ponder his way through the countryside. Then after each regional meeting he would remind us that it was our responsibility to pray for the people in the town we had just visited.

Good memories of Edmund come flooding back. He is missed as our work goes forward into the next generation. Yet, he has left a heritage. His teaching articles are still with us and are as relevant today as they were thirty years ago.

The early articles

In the first edition of Prophecy Today (March/April 1985), Edmund asked the question, “what is a Prophet?” This article reflected an important principle, which continues to underpin our work: a prophet is not to be seen as a foreteller predicting the future like astrologers seek to do, but a forthteller, a spokesperson for the God of the Bible.

A prophet is found listening to God and speaking or writing accurately what has been commissioned. The Biblical Prophets were men anointed with God’s Spirit. They stood in the Lord’s council and were privileged in that the Lord shared His secrets with them. As Edmund said, they were,

…men called by God, on whom the Spirit had fallen, becoming a ‘mouth for God’ in their generation. Today as never before, there are homes, communities and nations that desperately need to hear what God in his love is yearning to say to them. Nothing, therefore, could be more important than the recovery of the ministry of prophecy today.

In the second issue (May/June 1995), Edmund considered the calling of a prophet. He took the examples of Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Hosea, Jeremiah, Amos, Micah and Ezekiel to illustrate the variety of circumstances and characteristics of God’s chosen ministers. The central teaching was that no prophet is self-appointed. God chooses them. They are commissioned by God and made directly responsible to Him. Edmund made it clear that the expectations on the character of the prophets were very high, and concluded,

No prophets could ever meet such demands from their own resources. It is essential to the carrying out of their calling that the anointing of the Spirit has come down upon them (Zech 4:6). All we have discovered about the prophets of the Old Testament applies equally to those whom God is calling to the ministry of prophecy today.

In the third issue of Prophecy Today Edmund considered the Spirit of Prophecy. He delved deeply to bring understanding that the central role of a prophet is understood through Revelation 19:10 – “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”, thereby urging us to understand that,

all true Christian prophesying will be distinguished by the fact that it points to Jesus and promotes his honour. For this is what the Spirit of prophecy is constantly urging all true prophets to do.

Still relevant today

Issue after issue of the ministry of Prophecy Today has been anchored by such teaching – a teaching that is as relevant today as it was then. It is good to look back as we go forward once more, so we will be re-publishing selected articles from the original print issues in an online archive.

Looking back to go forward in the right way

Edmund’s teaching is reliable because it is firmly rooted in the Scriptures, drawing on what we learn from the Prophets of Israel and Judah. We look back to his teaching and in so doing find ourselves looking back into Biblical history. This is the way that God would have us go.

A disciple of Jesus, whether called to the prophetic ministry or called to some other ministry, has been likened to a man rowing a boat. As he rows forward he is always looking back to where he has come from. Our present and future history is connected with our past. Our ministry is defined through what God has said and done through His people over all ages.

Prophets of former ages point not to themselves but to the God of history who gave us the Bible as the essential written record of His Story (as Edmund Heddle would put it). That is still to be the hallmark of prophecy today.