And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of
my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall
dream dreams.1
Abraham the father of the faithful was a prophet, this is recorded in the Bible.2 We know of Moses and John the Baptist and how the Bible specifically mentions they were called before birth. Ezekiel and Jeremiah were priests as well as prophets. Elisha the prophet was also a farmer.3 Daniel was a Persian government administrator, second in charge under Cyrus the Great.4 Joesph interpreted dreams and visions, as a boy he had told his older brothers they would submit to his authority one day, they threw him in a hole and sold him into slavery, later he a managed a prison and was appointed second in charge in the Pharaoh of Egypt.
Saul first king of Israel walked among the prophets and ate of the priestly bread, God gave him favor in the sight of the people. Israel had demanded a king like the other nations, they no longer wanted a prophet to lead them. They no longer wanted to fight for God, they wanted a king and his army to fight the battles. Samuel the prophet at this time felt rejected by the people but God said they had rejected him as king. So God gave them a king, while Saul walked among the prophets, David was the first prophet king, shepherd of the people.2 Prophets are leaders under direct authority from God.It is a high calling and gift.
Ezekiel was approached by God in a whirlwind, Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Life is not easy for prophets. Ezekiel is given the words of God to tell, the Israelites had left their love for God, they were an adulterous nation, and God was jealous. Ezekiel was strapped to a bed for 395 days, he ate what we call Ezekiel bread today, and was only allowed to speak things of God to the people, his tongue would cling to the roof of his mouth if he spoke otherwise. His wife would die on the day of the Temple's destruction, he was told by God not to morn for his wife as an example to Israel, not to mourn for the Temple. Following instructions from God, he voice commands dry bones to live, a promise that God would one day put his spirit in his people.11
Before I formed you in the womb... I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.12 Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet, always lamenting before God over the sins of His people. O, my anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. Oh, the agony of my heart! Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead?... Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.12 Jeremiah would call the people to repentance, self accountability, and to a future restoration and renewal. I will make a new covenant... I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.13
God chose Jeremiah as a boy, he promised to show him mighty things. Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—YWHW is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.12 Ravens fed Elijah by a brook, he through God's power raised a widow's child, he fought many battles for God, took on the priests of Baal calling down fire from heaven, but he fled from Queen Jezebel. He had tired of being a prophet and wanted to go home. Samuel was born of the childless Hannah, who vows to Yahweh that if he gives her a son she will dedicate him to God as a Nazirite.
Samson also was born of a barren woman and dedicated to God as a Nazirite. Hosea's message was that the people had committed adultery, they had left God's love, loving other things, like a harlot. God wanted a man to feel what that was like so he commanded Hosea to marry a harlot, he did. She would leave his love to be with other men. Isaiah is brought before the throne room of God, Woe is me, for I am undone!, he declares. God asks who will I send, he says send me! He prophesies the eventual fall of Jerusalem and its restoration by the Persians. He speaks of the judgement of God against His rebellious people and of the promised redemption of a Messiah.
Some people teach that there are no prophets today, but it was prophesied by a prophet that, in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Paul explicitly writes that prophecy is a gift of the Spirit. Philip the evangelist had four virgin daughters who prophesied.13 A prophet named Agabus came to Paul, he bound his own hands and feet with Paul's belt and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.14 Prophets are visionaries, they are leaders under direct authority from God, before the kings they existed as primary leaders of the people, some were priests also, they would be given influence over His people.
Most prophets had the primary message of repentance, while others would lead his people out of bondage, give them law, judge them, and prepare them for a promised land. They were refined and honed by God to speak his message only. Some disobeyed God and paid a high price.13 Others tried to run from their calling, as the life of a prophet was not an easy one. Prophets sometimes had dreams and visions. They would see visions; I see a vision of a pillar of red clay, it is a column with a mouth opened wide, teeth of bricks. I see a man with a hand jesting toward a rock, on a vehicle with a raised front, of bronze color.
Daniel could also interpret dreams, he interpreted the dreams of several rulers, and because of his faithful obedient service to God, the Persian king declared Daniel's God, the God of Persia. Paul writes, not many will obtain the gift of prophecy, and it is to be highly regarded in the Church, earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.14 He also writes, For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.15 A clear indication prophecy exists in the Church, but it is to be done in love. Prophets in the Bible were given high positions of authority in governments, this makes since they hear from God on a level unlike most. Such comes at a high cost though, such requires strict obedience to God.
Many prophets endure persecution and lose their lives because the people did not want to hear their message. Before Jesus, the prophet's role was visionary, God's vision for his people, today it would be the same for the edification of the Church. David was a king after God's heart, he did the will of God, but he committed adultery. A year later Nathan the prophet was sent to call David to repentance. It is simple to tell who is a prophet, if they prophecy and it doesn't come true, they are false. true prophets seek and speak truth from God, their thus prophecy comes true, the people either repent or the prophecy comes to being as it is the words of God.
The message of God is; If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven...17
Abraham the father of the faithful was a prophet, this is recorded in the Bible.2 We know of Moses and John the Baptist and how the Bible specifically mentions they were called before birth. Ezekiel and Jeremiah were priests as well as prophets. Elisha the prophet was also a farmer.3 Daniel was a Persian government administrator, second in charge under Cyrus the Great.4 Joesph interpreted dreams and visions, as a boy he had told his older brothers they would submit to his authority one day, they threw him in a hole and sold him into slavery, later he a managed a prison and was appointed second in charge in the Pharaoh of Egypt.
Saul first king of Israel walked among the prophets and ate of the priestly bread, God gave him favor in the sight of the people. Israel had demanded a king like the other nations, they no longer wanted a prophet to lead them. They no longer wanted to fight for God, they wanted a king and his army to fight the battles. Samuel the prophet at this time felt rejected by the people but God said they had rejected him as king. So God gave them a king, while Saul walked among the prophets, David was the first prophet king, shepherd of the people.2 Prophets are leaders under direct authority from God.It is a high calling and gift.
Ezekiel was approached by God in a whirlwind, Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Life is not easy for prophets. Ezekiel is given the words of God to tell, the Israelites had left their love for God, they were an adulterous nation, and God was jealous. Ezekiel was strapped to a bed for 395 days, he ate what we call Ezekiel bread today, and was only allowed to speak things of God to the people, his tongue would cling to the roof of his mouth if he spoke otherwise. His wife would die on the day of the Temple's destruction, he was told by God not to morn for his wife as an example to Israel, not to mourn for the Temple. Following instructions from God, he voice commands dry bones to live, a promise that God would one day put his spirit in his people.11
Before I formed you in the womb... I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.12 Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet, always lamenting before God over the sins of His people. O, my anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. Oh, the agony of my heart! Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead?... Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.12 Jeremiah would call the people to repentance, self accountability, and to a future restoration and renewal. I will make a new covenant... I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.13
God chose Jeremiah as a boy, he promised to show him mighty things. Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—YWHW is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.12 Ravens fed Elijah by a brook, he through God's power raised a widow's child, he fought many battles for God, took on the priests of Baal calling down fire from heaven, but he fled from Queen Jezebel. He had tired of being a prophet and wanted to go home. Samuel was born of the childless Hannah, who vows to Yahweh that if he gives her a son she will dedicate him to God as a Nazirite.
Samson also was born of a barren woman and dedicated to God as a Nazirite. Hosea's message was that the people had committed adultery, they had left God's love, loving other things, like a harlot. God wanted a man to feel what that was like so he commanded Hosea to marry a harlot, he did. She would leave his love to be with other men. Isaiah is brought before the throne room of God, Woe is me, for I am undone!, he declares. God asks who will I send, he says send me! He prophesies the eventual fall of Jerusalem and its restoration by the Persians. He speaks of the judgement of God against His rebellious people and of the promised redemption of a Messiah.
Some people teach that there are no prophets today, but it was prophesied by a prophet that, in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Paul explicitly writes that prophecy is a gift of the Spirit. Philip the evangelist had four virgin daughters who prophesied.13 A prophet named Agabus came to Paul, he bound his own hands and feet with Paul's belt and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.14 Prophets are visionaries, they are leaders under direct authority from God, before the kings they existed as primary leaders of the people, some were priests also, they would be given influence over His people.
Most prophets had the primary message of repentance, while others would lead his people out of bondage, give them law, judge them, and prepare them for a promised land. They were refined and honed by God to speak his message only. Some disobeyed God and paid a high price.13 Others tried to run from their calling, as the life of a prophet was not an easy one. Prophets sometimes had dreams and visions. They would see visions; I see a vision of a pillar of red clay, it is a column with a mouth opened wide, teeth of bricks. I see a man with a hand jesting toward a rock, on a vehicle with a raised front, of bronze color.
Daniel could also interpret dreams, he interpreted the dreams of several rulers, and because of his faithful obedient service to God, the Persian king declared Daniel's God, the God of Persia. Paul writes, not many will obtain the gift of prophecy, and it is to be highly regarded in the Church, earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.14 He also writes, For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.15 A clear indication prophecy exists in the Church, but it is to be done in love. Prophets in the Bible were given high positions of authority in governments, this makes since they hear from God on a level unlike most. Such comes at a high cost though, such requires strict obedience to God.
Many prophets endure persecution and lose their lives because the people did not want to hear their message. Before Jesus, the prophet's role was visionary, God's vision for his people, today it would be the same for the edification of the Church. David was a king after God's heart, he did the will of God, but he committed adultery. A year later Nathan the prophet was sent to call David to repentance. It is simple to tell who is a prophet, if they prophecy and it doesn't come true, they are false. true prophets seek and speak truth from God, their thus prophecy comes true, the people either repent or the prophecy comes to being as it is the words of God.
The message of God is; If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven...17