What is prophecy and who is a prophet (Sunday, Week 4, Year B)

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In our time as it has always been, many people have risen claiming to be prophets, claiming that they can see far into the future and can perfectly predict future events. There is so much confusion as there are so many of such claims. Many of those predictions never happen as foretold. Not to talk of other evils associated with them. This forces us to ask: What is prophecy? And who is a prophet? 

Last Sunday, being the Sunday of the Word of God, a lot of emphasis was laid on the “Word of God”. However, the word of God does not fall directly from heaven. It comes through a channel. God can speak to us through the events of life, through dreams, through the scriptures. God also speaks through humans. This very act of God speaking through human channels is what is strictly referred to as prophecy. Prophecy is not an act of foretelling the future events, even though it may have something to do with foretelling or prediction of future events (of course, God’s word can come as a revelation of what may happen in future). Prophecy is not the interpretation of dreams, even though it may have something to do with dreams (of course, God can also reveal certain things through dreams).

The Bible has a lot to teach us about prophecies and prophets. From all that the Bible says about prophecy, one thing is clear: TO PROPHESY IS TO SPEAK IN GOD’S NAME: IT IS ALL ABOUT SPEAKING ALL THAT GOD HAS COMMANDED. In Deut. 18: 15-20, Moses spoke to the people of Israel saying, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a PROPHET like me from among you….. God shall put His words in his mouth and he shall speak to you all that God commands him.” In this short speech, he gave them what they should look out for in any person who claims to be a prophet. First, the prophet must be like him (Moses): God has spoken through the Torah delivered by Moses. Thus, Moses should be seen as a higher authority and standard inasmuch as prophecy is concerned. The implication is that any prophet whose prophecy contradicts the Torah (which God has given through Moses) is no prophet. 

Secondly, a prophet should not speak his own words but the word of God. If it is not the word of God, then it is not a prophecy. It is very hard for me to believe that God will waste His precious time always telling us what we like to hear. The word of God is not an opiate, not a kind of drug that makes us feel good whenever we take it. God will not waste His time telling you that by this time next year, you will drive a car or build a house without working very hard for it. God does not tell us that we will eat the fruits of the land without working for it. God can never say that we will be in the comfort of our rooms and money will be entering our banks accounts without engaging in a genuine business or venture.

First and foremost, the Word of God which a prophet communicates is meant to inspire and challenge those who hear it to seek God’s face and change their ways. If any prophetic utterance lacks this very quality, then it falls short of being prophetic. And that is why the Psalmist has this to say, “If today you listen to His voice, harden not your hearts” (cf. Psa. 95:7,8). A prophet does not speak or act from nowhere. He speaks or acts with authority. What does it mean to speak or act with authority? To speak or act with authority is to speak or act on behalf of somebody else. To have authority is to possess an official permission or power to do something. The gospel (Mk. 1:21b-28) presents Jesus as a man who had authority: He spoke and taught with authority; He acted with authority; with authority He commanded even the unclean spirits and they obey Him. Jesus was a real prophet.

The problem with us is that we easily forget that we have also received power and authority to speak and act on behalf of God. When we were baptized, we were filled with power and authority to speak and act in the name of God. We pay no attention to this aspect of us, but we give all attention to charlatans who speak for themselves not for God. You are a prophet of God: live, act and speak as one.







     

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