You folks have tended to deride any modern prophet who you perceived to have missed a prediction or been inaccurate about a prediction as being 100% a false prophet IN CONTRAST TO Old Testament prophets. You've cheekily asserted that such should be stoned nowadays.
This is but one example of a few or several--depending on how one defines it--where authentic Old Testament prophets according to your 100% precision criteria missed prophecying accurately. They missed it, too. Yet, they were not stoned.
I think you knew good and well the point.
Truthfully I have no idea what you are talking about. Give me the Scripture at least so I can read it
I SUSPECT THE LINKS BELOW ARE OUT OF DATE. But it's a good doc on prophetic error in our era.
From: "ANZAC prophetic list"
prophetic@storm-harvest.asn.au
To: ANZAC Prop List
prophetic@storm-harvest.asn.au
Subject: More on error in prophecy
More on error in prophecy
From: "mailto:Michael.Abboud@Solution6.com"
Michael.Abboud@Solution6.com
To: "mailto:prophetic@storm-harvest.asn.au"
prophetic@storm-harvest.asn.au
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 1999 10:38 AM
Subject: Re: Error in prophecy
Dear Robert,
Your article is timely. It certainly gives food for thought on finding the right balance between prophetic license and pharasaic legalism.
In addition to what you wrote, you may find some of these points useful for consideration:
1. The erroneous emphasis that a prophetic person is known as such by his or her prophesying prowess.
The scriptures plainly teach that a prophet is known as such because of his relationship to God, the Source of his utterances. One example that comes to mind is Abraham - called a prophet (Gen 20:7), yet not one recorded prophecy. Why is he known as a prophet then? Because of his intimacy with God. Increased prophetic accuracy comes with deeper intimacy. We should be teaching budding prophetic people this emphasis, and quit putting the pressure on to draw from the prophetic flow all the time. There is nothing unprophetic about a person who has nothing to say when asked for a word.
2. The erroneous concept that a prophet is constantly wading through a prophetic flow of words, thoughts, visions and impressions from the Lord. Hence, he should be able to prophesy constantly or continuously at will.
Contrast this with the prophets of old.Jeremiah prophesied 50 or so chapters in 50 or so years of ministry.That's about a chapter of prophecy a year! However, we demand reams of words a week! The fact that we feel the pressure to prophesy so much is a recipe for error and fleshly words. In one case, when Jeremiah was asked for a word from the Lord about whether the people should go to Egypt to escape the devastation of the Babylonians in Judah, TEN DAYS LATER, he got his response from God! (see Jer 42:1-7ff). How many of us would be prepared to WAIT for a word?
3. The erroneous emphasis on the prophet speaking, rather than on the prophet hearing.
Contrary to popular opinion, prophets are less a mouthpiece and more an earpiece. They speak what they hear (or see).The pressure is on to speak when nothing has been heard.The more that the church understands this principle, the more conducive an evironment church will become to nurture prophetic people.If we emphasise the receiving of the word, and hence by default encourage a greater intimacy with God, then the speaking of the word will be less of a problem.
4.The lack of distinction between the gift of prophesy and the office of prophet.
Nowhere in Scripture are we encouraged to seek to be prophets - but we ARE encouraged to strongly desire to prophesy. Why is this?Because the two activities are vastly different.The Scriptures teach that prophecy edifies, exhorts and encourages the church, and because of this powerful effect, it should be earnestly sought by all believers to build up the church.
The more specific task of the prophet is by appointment only, and not by any desire for it on behalf of the believer.The reasons for this should be clear - like the other offices of apostle, evangelist, pastor and teacher, the office of prophet has everything to do with who we are and our relationship to God, not our prophesying ability (see first point above).
In the case of the function of the prophetic office, it is usually very difficult to distinguish where the person ends and where his calling begins.God sovereignly interwines and blends the two, and He calls those whom he wills."If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him . . . and will speak to him" Num 12:6
Michael Abboud.
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