21/01/2022
WHAT IS BIBLICAL PROPHECY?
A prophecy is a message inspired by God, a divine revelation. The Bible says that prophets “spoke from God as they were moved by holy spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20, 21) So a prophet is one who receives God’s message and transmits it to others.—Acts 3:18.
How did prophets receive information from God?
God used several methods to transmit his thoughts to his prophets:
• Writing. God used this method in at least one case by directly supplying to Moses the Ten Commandments in written form.—Exodus 31:18.
• Oral communication through angels. For example, God used an angel to instruct Moses about the message he was to deliver to Pharaoh of Egypt. (Exodus 3:2-4, 10) When precise wording was crucial, God directed angels to dictate his message, as he did when he told Moses: “Write down these words, because in accordance with these words, I am making a covenant with you and with Israel.”—Exodus 34:27. *
• Visions. These were sometimes given while the prophet was awake and fully conscious. (Isaiah 1:1; Habakkuk 1:1) Some were so vivid that the recipient participated in them. (Luke 9:28-36; Revelation 1:10-17) At other times, visions were conveyed while the recipient was in a trance. (Acts 10:10, 11; 22:17-21) God also transmitted his message by dreams while the prophet slept.—Daniel 7:1; Acts 16:9, 10.
• Mental guidance. God guided the thoughts of his prophets to convey his message. This is the sense of the Bible’s statement: “All Scripture is inspired of God.” The phrase “inspired of God” can also be rendered “God-breathed.” (2 Timothy 3:16; The Emphasised Bible) God used his holy spirit, or active force, to “breathe” his ideas into the minds of his servants. The message was God’s, but the prophet selected the wording.—2 Samuel 23:1, 2.
Does prophecy always involve foretelling the future?
No, Bible prophecy is not limited to foretelling the future. However, most messages from God relate to the future, even if only indirectly. For example, God’s prophets repeatedly warned the ancient Israelites about their evil ways. Those warnings described the future blessings if the people would heed the warning, as well as the future calamity if they refused. (Jeremiah 25:4-6) The actual outcome depended on the course that the Israelites chose to follow.—Deuteronomy 30:19, 20.
Examples of Bible prophecies not involving predictions
• On one occasion when the Israelites asked God for help, he sent a prophet to explain that because they had refused to obey God’s commands, He had not helped them.—Judges 6:6-10.
• When Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman, he revealed things about her past that he could have known only by divine revelation. She recognized him as a prophet even though he had made no predictions about the future.—John 4:17-19.
• At Jesus’ trial, his enemies covered his face, hit him, and then said: “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” They were not calling for Jesus to foretell the future but for him to identify by divine power who had hit him.—Luke 22:63, 64.
The two most important types of communication are between man and God and between human beings. Communication is more than just our ability to talk, but also to listen. As we communicate with God, the first part of that communication is listening. God’s primary ways of communication with us are through His Word (Romans 10:17) and by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). God speaks to all believers through the vehicle of the Bible, which is all we need to equip us for the Christian life (2 Timothy 3:16). In order to fully understand God’s communication with us, we must be diligent to read, study, memorize, and meditate on His Word. Trying to shortcut this process by seeking extra-biblical revelations or “hearing” God’s voice is not only unscriptural, but opens us up to the deception of our own fallen nature (Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 3:5) or worse, the deception of demons who are always looking for inroads into our minds (1 Peter 5:8).
The function of the Holy Spirit’s communication with us is first to convict us of sin (John 16:7-11), then to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). When Jesus went away, His disciples were greatly distressed because they had lost His comforting presence. But He promised to send the Spirit to comfort, console, and guide those who belong to Christ. The Spirit also “bears witness” to our spirits that we belong to Him, and thereby assures us of salvation (John 14:16; 15:26; 16:7). The Spirit communicates with the Father on our behalf, interceding and praying for us before the throne, especially when we are weary and downhearted and unable to pray for ourselves (Romans 8:26).
Our primary mode of communication with God is prayer. We are to go to God in prayer for all our needs. When we lack something, God says that it is not from His inability to provide but from our lack of diligence to ask or asking with the wrong motives (James 4:2-3). Even Jesus prayed regularly because of the limitations He took upon Himself in human form (Luke 3:21; Mark 1:35; Matthew 26:36). No longer able to communicate with God face to face, as He did in heaven, Jesus prayed often and fervently to reestablish intimate communication with the Father. We are to follow His example and “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Second, we must examine how we communicate with our fellow man. It goes without saying that no “filthy communication” should escape from the lips of a Christian, whether said in jest or in earnest (Colossians 3:8). James speaks clearly on this subject in James 1:19, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” When we speak in anger, we fail to show God’s love. Whether speaking to a family member or a stranger, our communication should always come forth in a loving manner. Otherwise, our testimony is damaged, as is the name of Jesus Christ when His people fail to guard their tongues. The best way to be sure what comes from our mouths is pure is to be aware of what is in our hearts. As Jesus reminded the Pharisees, “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” If our hearts are filled with ungodliness, it will eventually come forth in our speech, no matter how hard we try to restrain it. Of course, our most important communication to man should be the fulfillment of Matthew 28:19-20 as we communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that desperately needs to hear it.
Believers should constantly examine their communication. We should consider the tone of newer forms of communication such as email and text messaging. We should never allow the safety of a computer screen to lead us to harsh or ungodly words toward others. We should consider our body language and facial expressions toward others as well. Simply withholding words is meaningless when our body language communicates disdain, anger, or hatred toward another. When engaged in conversation, as we prepare to speak, we should ask ourselves these questions: Is it true (Exodus 20:16)? Is it kind (Titus 3:2)? Is it necessary (Proverbs 11:22)?
THE GIFT OF PROPHECY
Definition
The gift of prophecy is a miraculous act of intelligible communication, rooted in spontaneous, divine revelation and empowered by the Holy Spirit, which results in words that can be attributed to any and all Persons of the Godhead and which therefore must be received by those who hear or read them as absolutely binding and true. Evangelicals disagree as to whether this gift is limited to the founding era of the Christian church or whether it is currently operative in the church now.
Summary
The gift of prophecy remains a controversial one among evangelical churches, concerning both the nature and duration of the gift. The Old Testament regards prophecy as an act of intelligible communication that bears divine authority, although it also allows for the possibility of false prophets. The New Testament bears remarkable continuity with the Old Testament concerning prophecy, and the NT authors regard the messages of the prophets to be the very words of God. As such, the NT seems to assume that genuine prophecies always warranted complete trust and obedience. However, the NT clearly expects the gift of prophecy to be done away with at some point in time. On the one hand, continuationists believe that the gift will continue functioning until the second coming of Christ. On the other hand, cessationists believe that the gift was tied to the authority of the founding leaders of the early church and has therefore ceased to function in the church today.
Both the nature and duration of prophecy remain controversial subjects among evangelicals. That is to say, no consensus exists regarding (1) what prophets were doing when they prophesied and (2) whether or not the gift of prophecy remains active throughout the church age. This debate is unlikely to be resolved any time soon; therefore, this essay aims to briefly explore both the nature and duration of prophecy from a cessationist perspective.
Scholars continue to debate the nature of prophecy. Some describe prophecy as the gift of inspired scriptural interpretation; meanwhile, others claim that it refers to the act of preaching. Today, a popular position defines prophecy as the act of declaring in fallible human speech what God has brought to mind. While each of these proposals has been ably defended, none of them adequately summarizes the biblical teaching regarding the essence of prophetic activity.
Old Testament
In the Old Testament, a prophet was a man or woman called by God to deliver His words to His people. Since Israel could not bear to hear the Lord’s voice directly (Exod. 20:18–19), God established the prophetic office as an answer to their request that the divine word come to them through human mediation (Deut. 18:16–18). As such, while OT prophets had secondary functions (like intercession; cf. Gen. 20:7; Exod. 32:30–31; Num. 14:17–19; 1 Sam. 12:23; 1 Kings 13:6; Jer. 27:18, 37:3), their main role was to act as spokespersons on the Lord’s behalf. This role is well-illustrated by the task given to Aaron in Exodus 7. There, God assigned Aaron to be Moses’s prophet; as such, Aaron was to communicate to Pharaoh what Moses had relayed to him. Just as Aaron was called to speak Moses’s words to Pharaoh, so the prophets were called by God to speak only His word to His people (Deut. 18:18–20).
Given this description, it should come as no surprise that the OT depicts prophecy to be an act of intelligible communication. So, for instance, when prophets were commanded by God to prophesy, they were told to proclaim words that the Lord had given them (cf. Jer. 19:14–15, 25:30ff, 26:12; Ezek. 3:17, 6:2ff, 11:4–12, 13:2ff, 20:46–48; 21:2ff; Amos 7:14–17). Moreover, when receiving their prophetic commission, the prophets are commanded to take God’s words and herald them to His people (cf. Isa. 6:8–9; Jer. 1:4–8; Ezek. 2:8–3:4). Furthermore, those who opposed the prophets did so because they heard the words of their prophecies (Jer. 20:1–2, 26:7–11, 26:20–23; Amos 7:10). In fact, even the “prophetic” activity of false prophets involved verbal communication (Deut. 13:2, 18:20–22; 1 Kings 22:10–12; Jer. 23:16). While the prophets did occasionally employ sign acts (cf. Isa. 20:1–3; Ezek. 4:1–13, 5:1–6, 24:15–24; Hos. 1:2), even these were accompanied by divine words to disclose their meaning. Therefore, it seems best to understand OT prophecy to refer to the communication of God’s words in either spoken or written form.
In addition to being communicative acts, genuine prophecies in the OT always carried divine authority. Those who prophesied did so through the power of the Spirit of God (Num. 11:24–29; Joel 2:28; cf. 2 Pet. 1:20–21) and spoke the very words that God had put in their mouths (Deut. 18:18; 1 Kings 22:14; Jer. 1:7–10; Ezek. 3:4, 3:10–11, 3:17). As a result, genuine prophecies were not merely human words but were the very words of God. This is why the prophets frequently introduced their speeches (or their books) with declarations like “thus says the Lord,” “an oracle of the Lord,” or “hear the word of the Lord.” Moreover, because true prophecy in the OT referred to the Spirit-empowered communication of God’s words, those addressed by God’s prophets were expected to receive their messages with reverence and trust (Deut. 18:15). The refusal to attend to the words of the prophets was equivalent to despising God’s own word; therefore, those who failed to heed YHWH’s prophets were subject to divine judgment (Deut. 18:19; cf. 1 Kings 13:4, 20:35–36; 2 Kings 17:13ff; Isa. 30:8–14; Jer. 29:17–19, 35:15–17, 36:27–31; 43:9–22, 44:4–6; Zech. 1:4).
It must be noted, however, that not all scholars conceive of OT prophecy as being completely authoritative. On the contrary, some believe that prophecy in the OT was a mixed phenomenon; as such, even genuine prophecy could contain errors and did not always warrant absolute obedience. Some appeal to Numbers 12:6–8, claiming that the text distinguishes between infallible prophecy and fallible prophecy. Others claim that the “band of prophets” in 1 Samuel 10:5–10 and 19:20 should be understood as members of the fallible class of prophets. Still others argue that prophets whose words are never recorded in Scripture should be viewed as having prophesied with less authority. Upon analysis however, one finds that the exegetical foundation for this perspective is slender at best. With regard to Numbers 12, it is not at all evident that the passage has two kinds of prophecy in view; instead, the text merely sets Moses apart from all other prophets. Furthermore, since God revealed himself to canonical prophets through visions, one cannot read Numbers 12:6 as a reference to fallible prophecy without also casting doubt on their authority (cf. Isa. 1:1, 2:1, 6:1–7; Jer. 1:11–14, Ezek. 1:1 8:3, 40:2; Amos 1:1–2, 7:1–9, 8:1–3, 9:1ff; Obad. 1:1; Mic. 1:1; Hab. 1:1; Zech. 1:7–11, 2:1–5, 3:1ff, 4:1ff, 5:1ff, 6:1ff). Similarly, texts like 1 Samuel 10 and 19 simply do not address the issue of prophetic authority. In fact, the passages that reference these prophetic groups say very little about them; thus, one must resort to an argument from silence if one is to see these texts as evidence for fallible prophecy. Lastly, those who argue for less-authoritative prophecy on the basis of exclusion from the canon mistakenly conflate authority with canonicity. While the two concepts are related, they are not identical: prophetic words which were not recorded for posterity could very well have been fully authoritative for their original audiences.
While the OT regards highly the authority of true prophets, it also acknowledges the reality of false prophets. Fundamentally, a false prophet was someone who claimed divine sanction for his words though neither he nor his message had been commissioned by YHWH (Deut. 18:20; Jer. 14:14, 23:21–22, 28:15, 29:8–9). According to the OT, God Himself allowed for the presence of false prophets either to test the faithfulness of His people (Deut. 13:1–3) or to bring judgment upon them (1 Kings 22:19–23; Ezek. 14:9). Scripture describes such false prophets as speaking from their own imagination rather than from divine inspiration (Jer. 23:16; Ezek. 13:2–3). At the same time, certain passages also reveal evil spirits to be the source of false prophecies (1 Kings 22:19–23). Already in the book of Deuteronomy, God had told Israel how they were to recognize and deal with false prophets. For instance, Israel was to reject any so-called prophet who called them to follow after other gods; moreover, such a man or woman was to be executed for enticing rebellion against the Lord (Deut. 13:1–3). In addition, Israel could distinguish true from false prophets by attending to whether or not their predictions came to pass (Deut. 18:22; cf. 1 Kings 22:28; Jer. 28:9). Prophets who were revealed to be illegitimate by mistaken predictions were also to be condemned to death because they had presumptuously spoken in the Lord’s name (Deut. 18:20–22; cf. Jer. 28:15–17).
New Testament
An examination of the NT data regarding prophecy reveals significant continuity with the picture painted by the OT. First of all, the NT also treats prophecy as an act of intelligible communication. For instance, the synoptic Gospels refer to Isaiah’s words as an example of prophecy (Matt. 13:14, 15:7; Mark 7:6). Zechariah’s speech is called a prophecy in the book of Luke (1:67–79). Though he incorporates a sign act, Agabus uses words when he delivers his prophecy to Paul (Acts 21:11). Paul explicitly describes prophecy as a communicative act when he says, “The one who prophesies speaks to men” (1 Cor. 14:3). And importantly, the entire book of Revelation presents itself as a prophecy (Rev. 1:3, 22:18–19).
Like the OT, the NT also portrays prophecy as being divinely inspired. The synoptic Gospels along with the book of Acts associate prophets with miraculous activities (Matt. 7:22; Mark 6:14–15; Luke 7:12–16, 24:19); in addition, Luke describes prophecy itself as being empowered by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:67; Acts 2:16–17, 19:6). In fact, he goes so far as to claim that, when prophesying, the prophets were speaking the very words of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1–2; 21:11). Paul shares similar convictions as he ties prophecy to divine revelation (1 Cor. 13:2, 14:29–30) and views prophecy as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power (1 Cor. 12:7–11; cf. 14:1; 1 Thess. 4:19–20). And while Peter does not address the topic at great length, he does affirm that the Holy Spirit himself inspired and superintended the very words of the prophets (1 Pet. 1:10–11; 2 Pet. 1:20–21). Lastly, John also makes similar points regarding prophecy as he describes the prophetic nature of the book of Revelation. He notes that the message of the book came to him through divine revelation when he was “in the Spirit” (Rev. 1:1, 1:10). But John stresses the Trinitarian quality of prophecy more than his apostolic contemporaries. Thus, the book of Revelation is simultaneously his message (1:4), “the word of God” (1:2), “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (1:2; cf. 19:10), and “what the Holy Spirit says to the churches” (2:11, et al.).
Conclusion
This brief survey demonstrates that the NT and the OT alike regard true prophecy as from God. Moreover, the NT similarly regards the messages of the prophets to be the very words of God. As such, the NT seems to assume that genuine prophecies always warranted complete trust and obedience. While some dispute this point, the biblical material provides strong evidence in this direction. First, the book of Revelation itself stands as a witness to the authoritative nature of NT prophecy. Second, since Joel probably had in mind infallible prophecy, the apostolic claim that the promise of Joel 2:28–29 has been fulfilled strongly implies that NT prophets ministered with full divine authority. Third, the other explicit examples of prophecy in the NT are also characterized as being fully authoritative and trustworthy (cf. Acts 11:28, 13:1–2, Acts 21:11). Lastly, this portrait of NT prophecy is suggested by the fact that NT prophets functioned alongside the apostles as the foundation of the church (cf. Eph. 2:20).
We are now in a position to answer the question, “What sort of activity was prophecy?” An overview of the biblical data leads to the following definition: prophecy can be defined as (1) a miraculous act of intelligible communication, (2) rooted in spontaneous, divine revelation and (3) empowered by the Holy Spirit, which (4) results in words that can be attributed to any and all Persons of the Godhead and which therefore (5) must be received by those who hear or read them as absolutely binding and true. This leads to the second question: should we expect the gift of prophecy to continue to operate in our churches today?
The NT clearly expects the gift of prophecy to be done away with at some point in time. However, Christians disagree as to when prophecy should be expected to cease. Continuationists argue that the gift of prophecy will continue to be provided to the church until Christ returns. Most of those who adopt this position do so on the basis of 1 Corinthians 13:8–13, where Paul states that “when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away” (NASB). Continuationists understand “the perfect” to refer to the second coming of Christ; therefore, they argue that only when Christ returns will prophecy (which is included in “the partial”) be done away with. While this is certainly a possible reading, cessationists are not convinced that the passage specifically addresses the temporal duration of prophecy. A look at the text reveals that it does not specify that everything “partial” will be done away with simultaneously. That is to say, 1 Corinthians 13 leaves open the possibility that some of these “partial” gifts will expire before others. Therefore, these verses do not necessarily teach that the gift of prophecy will itself be done away with at Christ’s return. Moreover, cessationists argue that Ephesians 2:19–20 is more relevant to the question at hand than 1 Corinthians 13. In the former passage, Paul asserts that the prophets and the apostles played a foundational role in the establishment of God’s church. Since the church has in fact already been established and since the apostolic office has been done away with, cessationists would argue that the gift of prophecy is also no longer operational in the life of the church.
The issue of prophecy is complex, and Bible-believing Christians can (and do) disagree regarding the nature and duration of prophecy. While I believe that the cessationist position is more likely to be correct, evangelicals should beware of making the issue a point of division within churches. For those who desire to explore the matter in more depth, the following list of resources should provide a good place to start.
WHAT IS PROPHETIC WORSHIP
Prophetic worship is a trending activity within the Charismatic movement that combines spontaneous music, dance, and other art forms to present a “new” word from God. The word prophetic in this context means “hearing God in your heart and communicating what He says.” To prophesy is to speak (or sing) by “inspiration.” Sometimes the music and lyrics during a prophetic worship service are said to be “the song of the Lord,” because of the belief that the musicians and song leaders were “inspired” to speak God’s word—in the same way that the Old Testament prophets were.
There is an emphasis on spontaneity in prophetic worship. There are no programs to follow, no lyrics on the screen, and no rehearsals ahead of time. Words to the songs just “come” to the singer, as the Spirit supposedly directs him or her, and the musicians play along. Whatever the Spirit wants to sing is sung. Prophetic worship services often include other Charismatic elements such as tongues-speaking, ecstatic utterances, and claims of healing. There is much talk of “the spirit of Elijah,” “Jehoshaphat worship style,” “anointing,” and “soaking.”
Those who promote prophetic worship use several passages of Scripture (almost exclusively Old Testament) to support their practice. For example, the fact that Habakkuk included a song at the end of his prophecy shows a link between music and the “prophetic” (Habakkuk 3:1–19). And, since David was a prophet and a musician, and since he did a spontaneous dance “before the Lord” (2 Samuel 6:14), we should do the same. (Using this passage has an added benefit: anyone who criticizes the prophetic worship style is considered a “Michal,” verse 16.)
Is there anything wrong with spontaneity in worship? Absolutely not. Can the Holy Spirit use our artistic ability for the glory of God? Yes, He can, and He does. Is music an important tool in the communication of God’s Word? Yes, and Spirit-filled believers will be characterized by song (Ephesians 5:18–19).
However, prophetic worship goes beyond simply praising God with its claim that God is still giving “new” revelation to His people today. In prophetic worship, glossolalia, a “small inner voice,” and whatever lyrics being sung at the moment are all equated with the Holy Scriptures. And therein lies the danger. To place anything on par with Scripture is to diminish God’s Word and open the door to deception. For anyone to claim the role of prophet or apostle, on par with Elijah or Paul, is to invite God’s resistance of the proud (James 4:6) and bring confusion to the church. Prophetic worship may offer opportunities for musical creativity, but it is not “inspired” in the sense that the Bible is, and it does not provide any new revelation from God.
WHAT IS PROPHETIC ART
Prophetic art may contain the anointing to heal, to save and set free, to redeem and restore, and to transform and breakthrough. Prophetic art is God-breathed and carries within it an element of His life-giving faith beyond worship art, symbolic art, or iconic Christian art.
‘Prophetic Art’ may be a new phrase for you. While art and the church have been interconnected for centuries, it is only in recent decades that artists began to paint in church worship services. Prophetic art borrows its terminology from 1 Corinthians 14:1-3. “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.”
Prophetic art is the visual form of prophecy. It is art that carries a message from the heart of God to strengthen, encourage or comfort. Whether it speaks to one individual, a congregation or country, or the Body of Christ overall, it is a gift of blessing, birthed in the heart of an artist who loves God and loves His people.
God speaks in images. English, even Hebrew, is not God’s first language. The spoken word can be the least effective form of communication. Even the spoken word of prophecy must travel through the filters of the prophet’s interpretation and speech, and the receiver’s hearing, interpretation, memory, and method of making meaning.
God-inspired art is worship, it is a gift unto the Lord from the heart of the artist, much the same as a song is from the heart of the singer and songwriter. The artist offers the work of their hands as worship, it is a pictorial love-letter. Prophetic art often begins as worship art. God will place His prophetic message within what we create motivated by our love for Him, as it is love that stirs the anointing to prophesy, regardless of the form of prophetic delivery. There is no limit to the creativity in communications of the Holy Spirit, as the visions and images in the books of Zechariah and Jeremiah will testify.
At times there is no written or spoken interpretation of the art needed for the prophetic meaning to become evident, especially if the artwork is a confirmation of an already existing revelation or using well known and widely accepted iconic imagery. Other times the artist may be called upon to give an interpretation, keeping in mind many interpretations are possible. God may speak to many different people through the one piece of art. The artist is not an infallible oracle and other perspectives on the work are both valid and welcome. I have often said God is an economist, as He will prepare many hearts to receive an image in a way that is unique to them. How a person responds to a piece of prophetic artwork is as individual as their response to music, dance, and other creative forms.
Where prophetic art becomes complex in its definition, and possibly confusing, is when it incorporates other Christian artistic forms. Prophetic art may also be worship art, visual praise, symbolic and iconic art, representational images, and historical biblical illustration. These other forms of Christian art may or may not be prophetic, as the prophetic nature of the art may solely be within the perception of the viewer.
All manner of artistic works may reveal the nature of God. When an artist creates momentum for the Spirit to flow through them, the work of their hands becomes anointed to do God’s work. Prophetic art can contain the anointing to heal, to save and set free, to redeem and restore, and to transform and breakthrough. Prophetic art is God-breathed with His faith-giving life.
Prophetic art will focus on the ‘now’ and the ‘future’. It will release love, joy, hope and power. It gives direction, confirmation and encourages our journey. It brings the unseen into the seen, it is an unveiled insight from God. The prophetic artist stands on the threshold between two realms allowing the spiritual realm to manifest on the canvas. Prophetic artists have permission to release authority, compassion, and revelation. Prophets are ‘dream releasers’ who help people see what God has for them. They grasp a God-given destiny and place it in your heart.
When an artist creates a work with God, there is a supernatural element within the work that empowers others to experience an encounter. Prophetic art is an invitation into a divine partnership. The supernatural creativity of God has a life within it that can bring wonder and hope into seemingly lost situations. The impact of prophetic art can happen in an instant. It is Spirit-to-spirit communication that often does its life-transforming work before the viewer has connected with the art in their conscious mind.
Prophetic art is not about imparting information, but transformation. In creating a piece of art, the prophetic artist aspires to make a space for the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
Many Christian artists have written about prophetic art, especially in this past decade where artists are being raised in congregations throughout the world. If this is a new realm for you, I invite you to explore what God’s artists are doing. Discover the resources and knowledge available from these God-artists who have paved the way before you.
GOD SPEAKS THROUGH PROPHETS
“God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets . . .” (Heb. 1:1). “If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision, and I speak to him in a dream” (Num. 12:6).
God has been communicating with human beings ever since He created Adam and Eve.1 Human beings were created as God’s counterparts, made “in his own image” (Gen. 1:27). He made them responsible—that is, able-to-respond to Him and to other persons. God provided everything imaginable for our first parents’ happiness. He “planted a garden” (Gen. 2:8) already in blossom, full of plants suitable for food. Our first couple did not have to scratch out an existence, using trial and error, in order to survive.
Further, God made men and women with the ability to produce children in their image, even as Adam and Eve were created in His image. Nothing was left out; everything that men and women needed was in place—the right kind of food, the joy of work, a dazzling flower-and-garden show daily, no rain or rust, perfect companionship with each other and with God Himself. God’s plan for our first parents remains a workable blueprint for us today as we seek peace and health amidst a sad breakdown of what the Lord intended for the human family.
Communication Before Sin
Before our first parents sinned, they were in constant communication with God and His angels. In this way they learned how to care for all living creatures and to provide for their own needs as stewards of this fantastic paradise called Planet Earth. Perhaps every day they had sundown worship with God “in the cool of the day” (Gen. 3:8). And they learned that not all was safe, even in Eden! Evil lurked in the shadow of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:17).
But terrible changes took place when Adam and Eve sinned. They no longer could speak with God face-to-face. Not because God had changed, but the first couple had—sin reconfigured their mind and emotions. Isaiah starkly described this new situation: “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you” (Isa. 59:2).
Sin damages the neural paths. No one is ever the same after he or she sins—new boutons in the neural pathways are formed that make sinning easier to repeat. To think clearly again requires special help from God. Thus, when our first parents sinned, God had to change His communication system with human beings. Not all the deplorable results of sin happened to Adam and Eve immediately, but the sad degeneracy of the human race began that day when they yielded to “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16).
How God Bridged the Gap of Sin
How could the sin-gulf be bridged? God always has a solution. He knows how to adapt to changing circumstances. For example, instead of face-to-face communication He “speaks” to everyone through “conscience” (see John 1:9; Rom. 2:15). In some meaningful way, the Holy Spirit calls reasoning people to choose right over wrong, whatever their situation. Further, for those who specifically call for divine help, even though not much may be known about God, the promise is open to all: “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:6).2
He also reveals Himself through angels: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14).3
Though marred by the results of sin, the physical world still reveals much about the nature and character of God: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). People on all continents and throughout history have associated God with such “attributes” as order, beauty, predictability, and design that they have seen in the heavenly bodies or the wonders of earth, both animate and inanimate.4
Before Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt God had been communicating with men and women through such patriarchs as Noah (Gen. 5-9), Abraham (Gen. 12-24), Isaac (Gen. 26:2-5), and Jacob (Gen. 32:24-30). Moses was the shining example of a human being with whom God conversed (Ex. 3, etc.).
In relating to the nation of Israel in its early years, God “spoke” through the Urim and Thummim, two precious stones set in the breastplate (the ephod) of Israel’s high priest. When the nation’s leaders wanted to know the will of God, the high priest asked specific questions that were answered by light resting on either the Urim or Thummin.5 For a young nation so soon out of slavery and before the establishment of the written Word, this dramatic communication method was decisive and affirming.
God also spoke through dreams. Think of Joseph’s dream that had prophetic significance (Gen. 37), the dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and baker (Gen. 40), Pharaoh’s dream (Gen. 41), the dream of the Midianite soldier (Judges 7), and Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams (Dan. 2, 4).
Beyond question, the clearest revelation of God and His will for men and women has been through Jesus Christ: “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son” (Heb. 1:1, 2). Jesus was explicit: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). But Christ did not point to God as all prophets must; all prophets had pointed to Him.
Prophets—the Most Recognized Form of Divine Disclosure
Although God used many methods, the “prophet” was the most recognized form of divine communication. Priests in Israel were the people’s representatives before God; the prophets were God’s official representatives before His people. The priest’s calling was hereditary; the prophet was specifically called by God.6
Prophets have been the most visible channel in God’s communication system. “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). “The Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people” (2 Chron. 36:15).
God said very clearly that if people would not listen to His prophets, He had no other remedy to help them in their personal or national problems: “But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets. . . till there was no remedy” (2 Chron. 36:16).
In A Prophet Among You,7 T. Housel Jemison listed eight reasons why God used prophets rather than some dramatic attention-getting device such as writing on the clouds or thundering out His will every morning at dawn:
1. Prophets prepared the way for Christ’s first advent.
2. As representatives of the Lord, prophets showed the people that God valued human beings enough to choose from among them men and women to represent Him.
3. Prophets were a continual reminder of the nearness and availability of God’s instruction.
4. Messages through the prophets accomplished the same purposes as a personal communication from the Creator.
5. Prophets were a demonstration of what fellowship with God and the transforming grace of the Holy Spirit could accomplish in a human life.
6. The presence of the prophets tested the people as to their attitude toward God.
7. Prophets assisted in the plan of salvation, for God has consistently used a combination of the human and the divine as His most effective means for reaching lost humankind.
8. The prophets’ outstanding product is their contribution to the Written Word.
The Prophet’s Work
The prophet’s work was twofold: to receive the divine message and to deliver that message faithfully. These aspects are reflected in the three Hebrew words for “prophet.” To emphasize their role in listening to God’s will as it was revealed to them, the Hebrew writer used chozeh or ro’eh, translated as “seer.” The Hebrew word nabi, (the most frequently used Hebrew word for prophet) describes prophets as they convey their message through speech or in writing.
