Wednesday, December 4, 2013

People Like False Prophets - No Wonder

The Minor Prophets Speak to Today

No Wonder People Love False Prophets
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I sent my prophets to cut you to pieces—
    to slaughter you with my words,
    with judgments as inescapable as light.
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No Wonder Some People Say There Are No More Prophets!

Some theologians teach that the gift of prophecy has ceased. Of course there is no biblical proof for that statement. The only verse that can even segue way to that declaration is 1 Corinthians 13:8-10:

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

But for prophecy to have ceased (and thus prophets to no longer exist) that which is perfect has to come.

If that which is perfect refers to perfect love or Jesus Christ then when Paul wrote these words both prophecy and prophets would not have been in existence. I am of course referring to true prophets. But the book of Acts and early Church history, not to mention 1 Corinthians, refute that possibility.

Some say that which is perfect refers to the present Canon of Scripture. The total arguments for that position are more than can be given here, but the key point is that if there are still prophets then their prophecies would have the weight of scripture and the Canon could not be closed.

But the Bible itself, both in the Old Testament and New, testifies to the existence of true prophets whose words are not in the Jewish or Christian Canon. So, the argument is not valid that all the prophecies of true prophets are given the weight of written scriptures.

The greater issue is that if prophets exist their words still cut us to pieces and if not heeded slaughter us with God's own words with judgments as inescapable as light—the Light of Christ. No wonder people do not want to acknowledge that God is still speaking through prophet today!

 No Wonder People Like False Prophets

Many people following the teaching of the Five Fold Ministry claim to be, or are declared to be prophets, but their ministry never touches on the truth of Hosea 6:5. They prophecy over people words the tenor or content of which are not reflected in the words of the prophets in the Bible. Many of these individuals, if not most, are in fact false prophets.

One of the signs that they are false prophets is the fact that people flock to them for a prophetic word. People are titillated by their prophecies and love to hear them prophesy. These are the very marks of the false prophets recorded in scripture. What a damming statement that is for most of what is called prophecy today. It is against such as these that the true prophets speak with words sent from God that cut, and slaughter, and pronounce sure judgment against these people and their followers.

After all, having a true prophet in a church, especially in your pulpit, is a burden to the people. Their words, because they cut and call to repentance and change, hurt. The words demand action and the people get tired of being called by God's word to action, to practical change, to true Christianity. It is incompatible with American church life and our American lifestyles.

So what do the people do? They do the same now as they often did in the Old Testament. They reject the words of the prophets and thus deepen the gulf between themselves and God. They drive out the prophet and as sure as light penetrates darkness call upon themselves the judgments of God.


No wonder modern prophets are fulfilling the words of Zechariah 13:


On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not take on a prophet’s role in order to deceive.  Each will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.' If someone asks, ‘What are these wounds ?’ they will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’

American and Western European churches:

I am sending my prophets:
1.  to cut you to pieces
2.  to slaughter you with my words
3.  to slaughter you with punishments
as inescapable as light.



Photo Credits:
Butcher - Havana - 2013 by SJL some rights reserved @ flickr.com
Ministry Of Sound - Laser Light Show with DJs Deep Dish by Anirudh Koul some rights reserved @ flickr.com

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