“I wanted to learn about Christ—about the Old Testament, which had been his Bible, and the New Testament, which was the Bible about him; about the history of the church, which had been founded on the faith that through him God had not only revealed his innermost nature and his purpose for the world, but had released into the world a fierce power to draw people into that nature and adapt them to that purpose, the church that not even the assorted barbarities and blunders of its ragged two thousand years had ever quite managed finally to discredit or destroy…” (Buechner, Frederick. Listening to Your Life. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.)

“God had not only revealed his innermost nature and his purpose for the world, but had released into the world a fierce power to draw people into that nature and adapt them to that purpose, the church…”

The gift of prophecy is the gift and/or the ability to proclaim the message, the power, the purposes of G-d to the world. The bible is full of messages from many different Prophets — words and messages from G-d. Some of these prophets include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Malachi, and Daniel. The Greek word translated “prophesying” or “prophecy” in Paul’s letters properly means to “speak forth” or declare the divine will, to interpret the purposes of G-d, or to make known in any way the truth of G-d.

I think it is important to understand that prophecy in the bible is not like fortune telling or predicting the future. Prophecy is about the prophet sharing what G-d has spoken to them, and also about interpreting the purposes of G-d. This is the role of the prophet, to share what G-d has revealed in humility, not assuming that they themselves know the right interpretation or application of what G-d has shared with them. The Christian community then has a role in weighing the prophecy to help interpret its meaning (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:29-33).  In the end, though, response to the prophecy is to be determined by the individual church community or its individual members. 

As Frederick Buechner suggests, the church is one of the main venues for being messengers of the purposes and the voices of G-d. Notice I said the “voices” of G-d – because we all can offer prophetic words. We all can be prophets, for pastors and others offer prophetic messages throughout each week.  So, keep listening, sharing, and following!

Pastor Dave