Biblical prophecy is God's revelation through chosen messengers — forth-telling (proclaiming God's truth) and foretelling (predicting future events). All Scripture is inspired (2 Timothy 3:16). Christians differ on whether the gift continues today.
Prophecy is woven through Scripture. (1) Prophets are God's messengers. (2) Both forth-telling and foretelling. Forth-telling: proclaiming God's truth. Foretelling: predicting events. (3) Biblical tests. Deuteronomy 18:21-22 — predictions must come true. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 — doctrine must align with God's truth. (4) Christ fulfills OT prophecy. Hundreds of prophecies pointed to him — Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), virgin (Isaiah 7:14), pierced (Isaiah 53), resurrected (Psalm 16). (5) NT prophecy. Acts 2:17-18 — Spirit-poured prophesying. 1 Corinthians 12-14 — prophecy as spiritual gift. (6) Continuationist vs cessationist. Cessationists hold gift ended; continuationists hold it continues. Both affirm Scripture's sufficiency. (7) End-times prophecy. Requires recognizing genre (apocalyptic), context, and humility about specifics.
“No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation... holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee... if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?”
“I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.”
“But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.”
“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine.”
Honor Scripture as the supreme prophetic word. Test all teaching (1 John 4:1). Be humble about specifics. Don't despise prophesying (1 Thess 5:20) but test everything (1 Thess 5:21). Focus on knowing Christ.
God's revelation through chosen messengers — forth-telling (proclaiming God's truth) and foretelling (predicting events). OT prophets spoke for God. NT prophecy continued in the early church. Scripture is the supreme prophetic word.
Christians differ. Cessationists hold gift ended; continuationists hold it continues. Both affirm Scripture's final authority and sufficiency.
Deuteronomy 18:21-22 — predictions must come true. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 — doctrine must align with God's truth. 1 John 4:1-3 — confess Christ truly. Most importantly: consistent with Scripture.
Prophecies about Christ. Hundreds of OT prophecies — Bethlehem, virgin birth, pierced for sin, resurrected — fulfilled in Jesus. Acts 10:43 — 'To him give all the prophets witness.'