Tuesday, 07 June 2005
"The New Testament Prophet is different than the Old Testament Prophet". Is this really true? What saith the scriptures?Today, a verse went through me like lighting. It's found in Revelation 19:10. It was the second half of that verse that the Lord drew my attention to which says "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy". I started to think about something that has bothered me for years. There seems to be taking place in so-called prophetic ministry a castration of this office. New terms that redefine it as "new" and different from the old have brought in ideas that now prophets are only called to "stir up, build up and cheer up!", which is to say edify, exhort and comfort. Is this really true? Let's look at this verse in Revelation. The word "testimony" comes from the root word martus which means "one who is a spectator of anything". It carries both a legal and historical sense. Legal in the sense of being called on to speak publicly of what is true and what has been witnessed personally, and historical in the sense of having seen something or having a knowledge of something that has happened before. Jesus is qualified to testify in both regards, obviously. The word testimony is translated as witness 15 times, testimony 14 times, record 7 times and once as report. The word "spirit" has many meanings, but is best translated in this verse as meaning "simple essence; the disposition or influence which fills or governs the soul." It's like saying "the spirit of the law is thus and so", which tells us the basic principle and meaning of the laws. We can have a gentle spirit, joyful spirit and so on. This doesn't mean that we are possessed by a "spirit" of gentleness or joy...so do you get the gist of this word here?
Okay, so let's plug this all in. "The life of Jesus and what He said and did (His witness to the world) is the essence, basic principle and disposition of all that is prophetic. He is the full emodyment of all prophets. He preached and lived just like them." This is interesting. We are not called to the body of Christ, we are called the body of Christ. If we are the representation of Christ and are to be a prophetic statement to the world, then how are we going to do it? The way He did. How did He do it? He was (is) the summation of all that is Old Testament and did not instruct us that the office description had ever changed. We changed it into a prediction accuracy game. We talk alot about the spirit of Elijah coming, but if we are N.T. prophets and no longer functioning as the Old, then how can we be Elijah in the last days?
The word never makes this false dichotomy. Let's look at what exhortation really means.
John the Baptist was preaching in the desert and baptising in the Jordan. When the Pharisees came, he let them have it like nobody's business. The story picks up in Luke 3.
7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
Let's look at what else he said.
15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."
18 And with many other exhortations he preached to the people.
Exhortations? This is the N.T. version of an exhortation? Warning of hell, fire's that separate true from false believers, fire and more fire...I've been taught at all these really expensive prophetic conferences that exhortation was just stirring people up with positive words and encouragement. I'm not saying it doesn't have that meaning, but we have limited it to a degree that has cut off the church at the knees. The word for exhortations in this verse means many nice things...but also has meanings such as "admonish, instructing, teaching". What have we done to this ministry with our humanistic ways? Do we exhort like John the Baptists, you prophets reading this? Or do you major on shmaltzy, sentimental garbage that appeases the soul and never brings conviction? I charge you prophets in the name of the Lord, rise up and shake off the dust from your feet from the false prophetic conferences you've attended. They are emasculating you, and in essence, the Lord's pure words that He might have otherwise uttered through you.
Hmm. Somethings rotten in Denmark.
Some will say that John was an O.T. prophet. What did Jesus say? "12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." This verse comes out of Matthew 11. It is clear that the law and prophets ending was Johns beginning. Jesus tells us that the beginning of the N.T. era (the kingdom of heaven) was the ministry of John. John the Baptist is a N.T. prophet. In fact, he's the first one. He is the ultimate prototype for us all to model, besides Jesus. When I say "us all", I speak to those in the prophetic office, not other believers or those with the gift of prophecy. The gift is not the office, but I digress.
We are called to confront when needed and remind a sinning church of its compromise. Are we doing this, or are we confirming the church in it's apostasy of humanism? Do we address the wounds of His people as if they were not serious? Have we allowed false prophets-for-hire to tell us not to act like Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel or Malachi? Have we allowed these people to label their flakey laughing revival garbage as "forerunner ministries"?
Sickening to the core.
The word of the Lord to you prophets is this: "Thus says the Lord:
"Stand in the ways and see,
And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,
And walk in it;
Then you will find rest for your souls."
I hope that your response is not what the last sentence of that verse is..."But they said, 'we will not walk therein'".
One quick note: I realize that we no longer need to seek prophets for "words". This is another issue that must be dealt with in another writting at another time. But I will say that I know that now that we are indwelt as believers, we have this testimony in us and the anointing we have recieved is our teacher and guide. That would be the only slight difference in the office, however, it is not right to say that the tone has changed. All that has changed is God's covenant, NOT His character, nor the character of this holy office. We need to jealously gaurd what has been entrusted to us as prophetic men and women. Don't adulterate it. This is the anatomy of spiritual adultery and the beginning of deception, compromise and all manner of sin and wickedness. If carnality is found among the prophets, what shall we say of the people? What shall we say of the church?
Study these men of old. Eat their words, breathe in their lives. Let God raise you up into a truly prophetic company without mixture. Remove the yeast of these spiritual adulterers and become a new batch. The Lord is commisioning you right now.
Will you come?
mark jr. |
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