Apples of Gold
Radio Script for May 20, 2008
“The Gift of Prophecy”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
First Corinthians 14:1 says, “…eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.”
Verse 39 says, “Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy…”
Ephesians 4:11 says that Christ “gave some to be…prophets…”
First Corinthians 12 says that “through the Spirit” each one is given “the manifestation of the Spirit” for the common good. And what some receive for the common good is called “prophecy.”
Verse 27 talks about the parts of the body of Christ, and some parts are called “prophets.”
Romans 12:6 indicates that some men were given the gift of prophecy.
Acts 13:1 says there were prophets in the church at Antioch.
Acts 11:27 says there were prophets in the church at Jerusalem.
Acts 21:9 says there were four daughters of Philip who prophesied in Caesarea.
Verse 10 mentions a prophet named Agabus.
Acts 15:32 says that Judas and Silas were prophets.
In First Corinthians 14, Paul said it was important to coordinate the prophets and how they spoke during church meetings.
While preaching on the Day of Pentecost, Peter quoted from the prophet Joel who said, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophecy…”
He went on to say, “Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”
So there are a lot of Bible verses that talk about prophets and prophecy.
Now for the longest time, I admit, I thought prophecy was only about telling the future. A prophet told you what was going to happen someday.
But I’ve come to realize that a prophet is more than that. So what is a prophet?
I like the definition of prophecy in my study bible: “A communication of the mind of God imparted to a believer by the Holy Spirit.”
That’s easy for us to picture in the old days. Some guy in a robe wondering around in the wilderness, then Bam! he gets a message from God and goes and shouts it all over town. Kind of a weirdo, but yes, a prophet.
Or maybe we see a prophet like some wizard from the middle ages. Something like Merlin. We doubt it’s even true, but it’s a great story.
But the Bible talks quite matter-of-factly about prophets. And not just in the Old Testament. And it wasn’t just some spooky thing for strange loners. It was something to be eagerly desired.
Apparently prophets were not rare, or you wouldn’t have to coordinate them in church meetings. In fact, they were told to “be eager to prophesy.”
First Corinthians 12 tells us about the body of Christ, the church. It is a unit made up of many parts. Verse 28 says, “in the church God has appointed,” among other things, “prophets.” This is an important part of the body of Christ.
Of course the importance of this part of the body is obvious. The prophet is someone who hears from God and passes the message along to the rest of the body.
This is not a message that someone made up. It’s not cobbled together or imagined. Second Peter 1:20 says, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Wouldn’t it be great to hear from God? Wouldn’t it be nice to know what He would say to us right now, today, for the circumstance we are currently dealing with?
I think that is the role of the prophet, to hear from God and speak to the people.
It sounds like going to a fortune teller, doesn’t it? Like reading a crystal ball or tea leaves. But here is what’s happened. Because of false prophets and nuts and quacks, we have despiritualized the body of Christ. These days if someone said, “I am going to the prophet to get a word from the Lord,” you might look at them like they were nuts.
And yet this is a very legitimate part of the body of Christ – the role of prophet. And it’s not to be a rare person. There should be many people with this gift – where the Holy Spirit actually reveals God’s will to them and they pass it on to the rest of the body.
Of course, you have to be careful. Ezekiel 13 indicates that some people “prophesy out of their own imagination.”
Jesus said to “watch out for false prophets.” He said we can judge a prophet by the fruit of their life, is it good or bad? First John warns about false prophets, and says we need to test for truth and falsehood.
First Thessalonians 5:19 says not to put out the Spirit’s fire and not to treat prophecies with contempt. But it goes on to say we need to test everything, then hold onto what is good.
First Corinthians 14:29 says, “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.”
The most obvious way to test a prophecy is to see if it squares with the Bible. How can it be a true “word from the Lord” if it contradicts the Word of the Lord?
What is the point of prophecy in the church?
First Corinthians 12:7 says it’s for the common good.
Chapter 14 says, “…everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.” It adds, “…he who prophecies edifies the church.”
Ephesians 4 indicates that prophets are to help “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…”
I realize it’s a rather uncommon thing in the American church as a whole. But in times like these, I want this part of the body active and working. This is something the church needs – people who will stand in the council of the Lord, then tell us what He said.
Why should we live without an important body part? The church needs this – the strength and edification that comes from the role of the prophet.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
I love this passage from First Corinthians 14:24-25 – “But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!’”
I think a true prophet, when he hears from the Lord, is compelled to speak out. I think this happens all the time in the church, whether or not that person is labeled a prophet. They fulfill the role, whether they have the title or not.
Amos 3:8 says, “The Sovereign Lord has spoken – who can but prophesy?”
Jeremiah 20:9 says, “…His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones…”
Some people teach that First Corinthians 13 indicates that prophecies have ceased. Verse 8 says, “…where there are prophecies, they will cease…” Verse 10 says, “…but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” Some teach that the perfection has come, and that is the Bible. Verse 12 says, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” To me, this perfection has not arrived. We don’t see “face to face.” We don’t “know fully.” We still live our lives here seeing “but a poor reflection as in a mirror.” I think the perfection comes when Christ returns, when we finally see “face to face.”
But I must say, some of the people who teach that will, themselves, spend time in prayer, seeking a word from the Lord. Many pastors who don’t believe prophecy is for today will, nonetheless, pray and seek the Lord each week for a message for their congregations. To me, that is filling the role of the prophet – to get a word from the Lord and deliver it to the people.
Another thought on that, if prophesies have ceased, what do we do with the two prophets in Revelation 11? Why would they need to prophesy in the future if perfection has already come?
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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