Do prophets exist today?
This article will cover aspects of two different, but related subjects. The first subject has to do with prophets of God and what you can expect from their ministries. From the scriptures we can determine the difference between true prophets of God and false prophets that God has not sent.
Because of the way his own people treated him when he visited his own city, Jesus made a statement that a prophet would not be recognized and respected in his own country, his own city and even in his own family. Apparently because those who know a person to any degree ,who is a prophet, and watched him grow up or knew his family well, they could not believe that God would have made him a prophet. (See Mark 6:4 and Matthew 13:57) They read as follows:
Mark 6:4 But Jesus said unto them, a prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
Matt 13:57 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house.
Considering this, we may at some time have a God sent prophet among us and not recognize that person as being a prophet. Again, the only way to tell is if everything that person says will come to pass, does in fact come to pass.
Following are some traits that will be evident in a true prophet of God and provide you with a way to determine if a person is a true prophet or not.
2 Pet 1:20 States that: “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”
Consequently a true Prophet NEVER gives his own private interpretation of scripture. He only shares what the Lord reveals. Only Scripture defines Scripture, not man. If anyone states that scripture means something other than what it literally says, that person is not a true prophet of God. The only exception to this is the obvious symbolic language used in various places in the Bible, which in itself is open to interpretation.
Jeremiah 28:9 states: “The prophet which prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD has truly sent him.
A true Prophet will be 100% accurate in what he predicts every time, there is absolutely no margin for error that should be accepted. This has absolutely nothing to do with the prophet using the words: “thus saith the Lord”.
One example that a prophet doesn’t have to use the words “thus saith the Lord” to prophesy about something to occur is when Elijah spoke to Ahab and didn’t say “thus saith the Lord”, instead he said “according to my word”.
1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite said unto Ahab: “there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
In Matthew 24:24 Jesus said: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
Performing miracles proves nothing. A true prophet of God cannot be vindicated by supernatural miracles, signs and wonders being demonstrated, because Jesus himself said that false prophets could do the same things.
Prophets are recognized to still be human and fallible; they may make wrong decisions, and have incorrect personal beliefs or opinions. Their hearing of revelation does not remove all their humanity or perfect them, nor do they always want to deliver the messages they have heard (example Jonah). Nevertheless, the minimum requirements of a true prophet can be summarized as clear and not vague prophecies, 100% accuracy in predicting events and true prophets of God do not contradict the Bible.
There are some who say that because we have the Bible, which contains God’s Word to us, we no longer have a need for prophets in this day. But you must take in consideration that God is not hindered in any way from doing something new that is not covered in scripture. Remember what God said in the scripture in Amos 3:7 that “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he reveals it first unto his servants the prophets. In this case, God will provide us with a prophet to speak His word before doing anything new and that prophecy must come to pass just as the prophet speaks it, or it is not from God.
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