Chapter Six

What Is the Gift of Prophecy?

Earlier we defined the various gifts, but we didn’t define prophecy or the gift of tongues. The reason for this is that the meaning of these two gifts is heavily disputed. In this chapter we will consider the gift of prophecy and try to determine what it is.

Prophecy Isn’t Charismatic Exegesis or Preaching

Some have said that prophecy is charismatic exegesis,33 which is defined as Spirit-driven interpretation of biblical texts.34 This view should be rejected because it isn’t clear that prophets were engaged in interpreting Scripture. They gave oracular pronouncements, words of the Lord; they were not dependent on texts in proclaiming the word of the Lord. I am not arguing that the revelation given by prophets is necessarily disconnected from the text of Scripture. Sometimes, as in Daniel 9, the prophecy given or the revelation spoken helps the readers understand a previous prophecy. Still, the fundamental function of prophets isn’t to unpack and explain already-written biblical texts. Their prophecy may help explain previous revelation, but their words aren’t a sustained explanation and exposition of biblical texts, even when they draw on previous texts in their prophecies.

Another view that has been popular in the history of the church is that prophecy is preaching. We see this interpretation in a book on preaching by the great Puritan William Perkins titled The Art of Prophesying.35 A number of scholars in our day have a similar view.36

Those with the gift of prophecy declare God’s word, though it should be distinguished from what we call preaching since it isn’t from a prepared text. There are places in the Scriptures where the verb prophesy is used to denote speaking God’s word, and yet the one speaking isn’t necessarily a prophet. For example, Saul prophesied, but he certainly wasn’t a prophet (1 Sam. 10:11; 19:23–24), at least not in any regular sense. So too, when Luke says that both your sons and daughters will prophesy (Acts 2:17–18), it probably means that both men and women will declare God’s word, but it doesn’t necessitate that they are all prophets, that they all have the spiritual gift of prophecy. Those who prophecy may speak forth God’s word (and in that sense it is similar to preaching), but it differs from preaching and the gift of teaching since the one who speaks isn’t working from a written text; they are not expositing and explaining the Word of God.37

I conclude that prophecy doesn’t fit with what we call preaching today since those who preach rely on a text of Scripture and explain and apply what the Scriptures teach. Those who prophesy, however, don’t proclaim God’s word from a written text but convey what God has revealed to them. Prophecy, then, isn’t the same thing as preaching, though it can overlap in some respects with the function of preaching, since those who prophesy may declare and apply God’s will to people in particular situations.

Prophets Receive Spontaneous Revelation from God

The feature that separates prophecy from teaching is that those who prophesy communicate revelations from God. We receive help from 1 Corinthians 14:6, “So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in other tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?” The word knowledge is another way of referring to “teaching,” i.e., knowledge is the fruit and consequence of teaching. So too, the word “revelation” is another way of referring to “prophecy,” in that the consequence of receiving a prophecy is a revelation given by God. The revelation given is spontaneous in that it isn’t derived through studying the biblical text or any traditional material. God communicates his word directly to the mind of the prophet. The prophet may not communicate immediately what God has revealed, but the revelation itself is spontaneous.

Those who prophesy communicate revelations from God.

We see the spontaneous nature of prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14:29–30. A prophet is speaking in the congregation, but suddenly a revelation is given to another prophet. The first prophet should then sit down and allow the prophet who just received a revelation to speak.

We see other indications of the spontaneous character of prophecy in Acts 11:27–28. Agabus wasn’t studying Scripture and trying to unfold its meaning to his hearers. The Lord revealed to him that a famine would arise in the Roman world. In the same way, Agabus predicted that the Jews would bind Paul and hand him over to the Gentiles (Acts 21:10–11). Here we see prophecy at work: a revelation is given to Agabus about what would happen to Paul.

We should not conclude from the accounts about Agabus that prophecy is always predictive, for prophecy may address present circumstances as well. We read in Acts 13:1–3 about various people who gathered to fast and to worship the Lord. While they were worshiping, the Lord spoke, almost certainly through a prophetic oracle: “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). God revealed spontaneously to those who were gathered that Paul and Barnabas should go on a missionary journey. Thus, those who teach explain a biblical text, but prophecy reveals a message from God, and prophets receive it directly from God in a spontaneous way.

The revelatory character of prophecy is also evident in 1 Corinthians 13:2, where we read, “If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge.” The verse is clearly hyperbolic since no prophet understands all mysteries, nor does any prophet have all knowledge. Still, the word mysteries helps us to grasp the nature of prophecy, for those who prophesy bring to light what is hidden and reveal what isn’t accessible to ordinary human beings.

We see something similar in 1 Corinthians 14:24–25 where one who prophesies may say something that uncovers the “secrets of [the] heart,” showing again the revelatory character of prophecy. We also read in 1 Corinthians 14:3 that those who prophesy speak “to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation.” We should not use this verse alone to define the nature of prophecy, for certainly people are strengthened, encouraged, and comforted through other gifts as well. Paul does, however, contrast prophecy with uninterpreted tongues to show us that prophecy stands out as a declaration of God’s revelation, and this revelation is received spontaneously.

Conclusion

In this chapter I have argued that prophecy is the reception of spontaneous revelations that are communicated to God’s people. Prophecy isn’t the same thing as preaching since those who preach exposit the biblical text, though it can overlap with preaching in that prophets may exhort and encourage God’s people with God’s word. Nor is prophecy the same thing as charismatic exegesis, but this isn’t to say that prophets don’t take into account previous scriptural texts in their prophecies. What marks prophecy out, however, is the reception of spontaneous revelations from God, and such words instruct, encourage, and warn the people of God.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think are some common misperceptions about prophecy?

2. How would you define prophecy after reading this chapter?