The Prophetic Ministry Under the Old Testament
My heart bleeds… So many people are being taken advantage of because of ignorance if not indifference (I really cant think of any other logical reason). The mere fact that Eph 4v11 says that “He gave some to be evangelists, prophets, pastors, teachers and Apostles” does not in any way endorse whatever thats going on in the church these days. Let me explain myself.
What is a Prophet?
Generally speaking, a Prophet by definition is;
a person who speaks for a God or a deity or by divine inspiration. i.e a person chosen to speak for God and to guide the people of Israel
Why was the office or Ministry of a Prophet established?
From the very onset, when the nation and religion of Israel was founded, it was God’s intention to interact with the whole nation. To this end, He summoned the whole of Israel before Mt Sinai so that they could have an encounter with Him. But, after everybody had seen the smoke and lightning and heard the thunder, they were all mortified;
And because of this, they then made this appeal to Moses
This experience was so terrifying to such an extent that they implored to Moses that he should act as their go-between, he only should face God and then convey His messages to them. That is how the office of the Prophet came to be or was established.
Prophets acted as God’s mouthpiece hence the popular Old Testament catch phrase “Thus says the Lord”. This issue is explained a bit further in Deut 18 from Verses 15-18 when God took into consideration the plea they made at Mt Sinai and established the Prophetic Ministry of The Old Covenant;
Deut 18:15-18 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”
The LORD said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
Prophets acted as the middle-man between God and men
This is how the Prophetic office operated or functioned under the Old Testament. God would communicate his mind to the Prophet and then the Prophet would relay this message to the children of Israel.
Prophets thus acted as God’s messangers under the Old Testament. Whenever God wanted to do something or wanted anything done, he would always convey the message via the prophet and never directly to the people.
The Prophetic Ministry Under The New Testament
Be that as it may….. Fast forward to the New Testament.
All that happened under the Old Testament, was just nothing but a mere shadow of the things that were to come. It was all merely a dressroom rehearsal, so to speak of all the great things that were to come!
Differences between the Old and New Testament
Before one can have an accurate understanding of the roles of the Prophet Under the New Testament, he/she must first have a general appreciation of the differences between the Old and New Testament!
The function of the Prophetic office has now evolved under the New Testament from what it used to be from days of Old. Before the coming of Christ and ushering of the New Testament, prophets served a very unique purpose because of the nature and characteristic features of both Testaments.
1. Not everyone had access to the Holy Spirit
Under the Old Testament not everyone had access to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit only dwelt in a few selected individuals at different time periods. When people of old wanted to enquire of the Lord, they would travel far and wide in search of the Prophet of God who had the Spirit of God in him.
2. No Prophetic guilds or sons of the prophet under the New Testament
These prophets also set up what were known as prophetic guilds or who were also known as the sons of the prophets. This was where others whom God had chosen would under go training under their tutorship. Through out the New Testament there is no mention of any prophetic guilds or sons of prophets because this went away with the old order.
3. Christianity is Christ centered…
1Corinth 1:12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow .Christ.“1Co 1:13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
We are to identify ourselves with no other than our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is only he and he that paid the price for us at calvary. The preacher or prophet is never above or equal to our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. We were made sons of God the Father and not of the Prophet
John 1v12 says that “Yet to all who recieved him, he gave them the power to become the Sons of God”
We are or were made Sons of God not of the Prophet. Prophet never died for you but our Lord Jesus Christ. In actual fact Jesus had to die the death of a cross so that you and I can be sons of God!
Romans 8v15 also states “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
We were given the spirit of Sonship and by him we cry Abba, Father to God and not Papa Prophet. Be very careful not to blasphame God through ignorance! Jesus had to die inorder for you to be able to identify yourself as a child of God as your Father. To all who call yourself Son or daughter of prophet so and so, I am going to ask you the same question Apostle asked the church of Corinth “Did your Prophet die for you or where you baptized into the name of your prohet?
5. Under the New Testament Prophecy is now just one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit available to any if not every believer!
“Acts 2:17-18’In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Prophecy and the prophetic office is still operational in the New Testament Church but the function has changed. Thus prophecy is now just a spiritual gift just like all the others, that is received by grace. It’s not that there is something out of the ordinary that a person does to receive this gift. This gift is given without any merit, just like all the other Spiritual gifts. Our gifts differ according to our individual purpose in the Body of Christ, the Church.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good 8. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit 9. to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
10. to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
vs11 and all these are the works of one and the same spirit and he gives them to each one just as He determines
According to this text, the Holy Spirit manifests differently in all of us and that these gifts were given by grace for the common good. As mentioned before, these gifts don’t come by merit but by grace. It is God who determines which gift manifests in your life in accordance with his will. This has nothing to do with one’s proximity to God in as far as all the other believers are concerned!
6. Under the New Testament, We all now have equal access to the Father
Furthermore, under the New Covenant we all now have equal access to the throne room of God!
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Notice that scripture is being all inclusive in this call to approach the throne of God! This is an entreaty, being extended to you and I. Unlike what happened at Mt Sinai, when the Children of Israel had seen the presence of the Lord. They trembled, they shuddered and they pleaded with Moses that he only should communicate with God directly and then convey God’s message to them!
Incontrast, in these times, because of Christ, we can now approach the great throne of Mercy without any fear but with great confidence! Gone are the days of going to God through third parties i.e Prophets and priests (for these were nothing but a shadow of the things to come). We all now have direct access to the Father through Jesus Christ. John 14v6 “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one can come to the Father except through me”
Furthermore, the scripture isn’t saying that “let us approach the Prophet to obtain his grace in our time of need” People of old would ran to the prophet in times of need, that was very proper during that dispensation. Now that Christ has come, the Holy Spirit abides in us, the bible teaches us to go directly to the Father in our times of need.
GRACE my brothers and sisters is now being obtained at the great throne of Mercy before God, that’s where we now go because of Christ. Men and women of old walked far and wide in search of the Man of God to obtain grace, now grace is found at the Great throne of Mercy. A Prophet or PaPa, Major etc can no longer mediate between you and God or even our Lord Jesus Christ!
1Tim 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Hallelujah….. There is only one mediater between God and men, Christ Jesus! Prophets can no longer act as your go-between, that’s why Jesus died, so that you and I can have a more personal intimate relationship with God. Jesus died so that God can speak directly with you and you with him. More so, God’s own Spirit now resides in us, in you!
7. Under the New Testament, the Holy Spirit now dwells in every believer
The Holy Spirit no longer resides in a specific few individuals, but now resides in each and every believer. Glory to Jesus! Infact the one thing that seperates a child of God from the world the Holy Spirit of God living in them! Romans 8v14 “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God”.
Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
God’s spirit is now living in each and every believer’s life.
1 Co 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
Our relationship with God is now so intimate that even the apostle Paul had to use the temple when describing our bodies. In Old Testament times, God’s presence dwelt in the Temple. In these present times, His presence now resides in us!
8. What should believers do when sick?
Scripture is very clear on what ought to be done when a child of God falls sick. Honestly one doesn’t want us to believe that they weren’t any prophets back when these verses were written! Scripture doesn’t say run to Papa or call Papa when sick, but rather just any elder of the church!
From an impersonal to a personal relationship with God
Morevoer, the Old Testament created an impersonal relationship between God and men. There was always need for a middle man, it was either a Prophet or Priest, when people wanted to interact with God. However, the New Covenant is more personal in nature.
At Mt Sinai God revealed himself in smoke, dark clouds, thunder and lighting but under the New Covenant, God became one of us, he lived among us. He did this so that you and I can have a more deeper and personal with him.
Joh 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
All these scriptures make this one thing very clear. God came down and made himself one of us, through his son Jesus Christ. God went through all this trouble so that you and I can fellowship with him, and at the same time not be terrified by his presence!
Because of what Christ did we can now enter the Most Holy place….
Oh I love my Jesus.
These are the last days that God spoke of through the prophet Joel. The Holy Spirit has been poured upon all flesh……. unlike the times of old where the Holy Spirit could only inhabit, indwell or fill specific few individuals at one time.
Because of Christ he has been poured upon all flesh. Gone are the days where one had to travel far and wide to hear the word of the Lord from a prophet, for the Holy Spirit now dwells in us.
What is the role of the Prophet or prophecy under the New Testament?
It’s also worthwhile to note that Ephesians 4v12~15 qualifies or spells out the purpose for the Five fold ministry a.k.a spiritual gifts
Eph 4:12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming
This is just too profound! These are just some of the parameters within which the Prophetic Ministry together with all the other spiritual gifts opperate. The ultimate purpose being to equip God’s people for service! Deut 18v15~18 lays out the basis for prophecy and how prophets were to operate under the Old Testament.
By the same token, Eph 4v12~15, it also spells the blueprint of how all the gifts are to operate and not just of prophecy. In the Old Testament we have Prophets and priests but under the New Testament we now have Teachers, Pastors, Evangelists, Prophets and then Apostles. All these gifts compliment one another in achieving the aforementioned goals in the body of Christ.
1. Equip the saints for service…
Thus this equipping entails;
a. equipping for works of service
b. building up of the body of Christ
c. believers to attain the unity of faith
d. knowledge of the son of God
e. to be a mature man(child of God)
2. Edification of the Body of Christ
1Corinth 14:3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.
3. Spirit of Prophecy testifies about Christ
Rev 19:10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
4. Christians are specifically forbidden to bow down to anyone in a Church set up.
You can’t bow down for your Pastor, elder, Prophet, teacher etc as a sign of showing your respect! We now have a very strange situation where men and women in the body of Christ are now kneeling down for a Prophet. They do so as a sign of respect for the anointing thats upon him/her!
According to Rev 19v10 Prophets, Pastors, teachers, Evangelists and Apostles are nothing more than our fellow brothers who hold to the Testimony of Jesus!
Under the New Testament every Spirit and prophecy has to be tested and weighed
Going back to Deut 18 a little bit, when the Prophetic Ministry under the Old Testament was established, God put in place some checks and balances. In other words those who acted as God’s mouthpiece were subjected to the highest standards of judgement! The issue didnt start or even come to a conclusion simply because one uttered or utters the words “Thus says the Lord”
Deut 18:20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.”
God empowered the children of Israel to take drastic actions against any false prophet or prophets! It appears God doesn’t give a person such influence and power without putting in place some checks and balances. By the same token, our Lord Jesus Christ warned us of false prophets.
Mat 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
What is it that comes to mind and how do you react when somebody suddenly yells at you these words “Watch Out!”? This goes beyond just being careful, it also requires some deligence. Our Lord Jesus Christ didnt have any kind words for these false prophets. Yes he described them as ravenous, ferocious wolves!
Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
For all those who didnt know, Matt 7v21~23 is in the same context with Matt 7v15…. Jesus warned us to be watchful of false prophets because it would be difficult to see or know them because they were going to come under sheepskin! To those who don’t understand it means they will be looking like sheep but all the while they won’t be sheep but ferocious wolves underneath. Whose sole purpose is to devour the real sheep!
Then from Verses 21 Jesus takes it up another notch, He says that on the Day of judgement he will turn away these false prophets! Yet they will ask, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, did we not cast out demons in your name? Did we not perform great miracles in your name?
Wait a minute……..what? These false prophets would be prophesying in the name of Jesus, casting out demons in the name of Jesus and also performing great miracles in the name of Jesus! So this means that just because somebody mentions the name of Jesus while doing whatever they would be doing, doesn’t necessarily follow that it’s of Jesus! Because this is what Jesus had to say to them in response….
Mat 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!
The scripture is very clear on this, even our Lord Jesus didn’t mince his words on this. Need I remind you that this is the one who gave these spiritual gifts in the first place, who is here telling you and me, to be very watchful of False Prophets! Away from me you evil doers…… Great evil is being perpetrated using the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ladies and gentleman.
“Touch not my annointed” or even judge not doesn’t fit here. To just show how serious this matter is, among the spiritual gifts, there is also another gift for Discernment of spirits. (1 Corith12v10). And this is the reason why this gift was given
1John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
After you have prophesied in the name of jesus, driven out demons in the name Of jesus, performed great signs and miracles in the name of Jesus, there are some among us who are gifted through the Holy Spirit with an ability to tell which spirit you are using or operating under!
1Corinth 14:29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
1 Thess. 5v20-21 do not hold prophesies in contempt But examine everything carefully…
Checks and Balances! It is very very scriptural to weigh very carefully what a prophet says! Jesus Christ warned us to be watchful of false prophets, the Apostles Paul and John encouraged us to weigh catefully what prophets say and test the spirits respectively because many false prophets have gone out into the world!
So these False Prophets want you to believe that they are the untouchables, that what they do or say shouldn’t be questioned etc. However, that isn’t the case! That is a blatant lie which must be called out!
Morden day Prophetic movement is established on an incorrect premise
Notwithstandingly, some Individuals are just taking advantage of people’s ignorance, which is very much unfortunate. This modern day prophetic movement is doing what used to happen before the Holy Spirit had descended on every flesh) e.g We now only have one mediator between God and Man, Jesus Christ.
Old Testament Prophecy was just a fore-shadow of what was to come under Christ.These prophets functioned under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Now because of Christ, that same Holy Spirit who was at work in them, now permanantly resides in all of us!
Prophets were very prominent under the Old Testament simply because they were the only people who were endued by the Holy Spirit hence they could directly commune with God. All this has now changed under the New Testament! These morden day Prophets want you to believe that they are more closer to God than you are, that they possess more of the Holy Spirit than you. They want you to believe that without them, you have no access to the Father!
Freely you have been given and freely shall you give
More to this, it was common practice in the OT that one could not appear empty handed before a prophet or Man of God but this is what Jesus told his apostles
There is nowhere it was written that if you need deliverence you pay certain sums of money etc. FREELY YOU HAVE RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE…… My dear brother or sister, Salvation is for free, Jesus paid the debt at calvary. The same God who gave salvation for free is now making you pay money so that you can be delivered from whatever it is that’s ailing or troubling you?
Be blessed….
How To Understand The New Covenant 
Thank you Lewis for this profound and well articulated piece. It is my desire that people will read this helpful article especially christaians who are being tossed to and fro by these self – annointed prophets of our times. We need to understand the scripture as christians so that Jesus Christ who is coming soon will not find us without true Faith. Thanks brother Jesus is Coming soon.
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Thank you for the feedback bro Clay…..
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