Prophecy Defined
1 CORINTHIANS 14: 1-17
(August 21)
Did you know that the word "prophecy" is found more than 25 times in the New Testament? Of those 25 times, 11 were used by Paul in 1 Corinthians. A word used that often must be pretty important, don't you think?
What exactly IS prophecy? According to my bible definition it is speaking a divine message as directed by the Spirit of God. It might be an ethical message, designed to comfort exhort, or teach. Or it could be a message that reveals supernatural knowledge about a particular situation.
We find an example of this in Matthew 26:68 when Jesus is taken captive and led away to Caiaphas the high priest. The chief priests, elders, and the council had all been looking for something to use as a reason for killing Jesus, but they found nothing. Caiaphas kept asking Jesus questions, trying to entice him to say something that would be enough. He accused Jesus of blasphemy and those around him spat on Jesus and beat him. While they did so, they taunted him, saying, "Prophesy to us. Who is the one who struck You?" They were trying to get Jesus to reveal his supernatural power, but we all know that Jesus did not comply.
Prophecy is also used to point to the future. It is Spirit-inspired speech, not the mumbo jumbo we find at palm readings, or with tarot card readers.
The Corinthians didn't see prophesy as something more important than speaking in tongues. To them, speaking in tongues was the most important gift. So, Paul had to set them straight on a few things.
What good is it to speak in tongues if there is no one who can decipher your message? That gift was limited to the surroundings. Prophecy, on the other hand, was something that all could understand. It was the greater gift because it served ALL the people. Paul reminded them that if they wanted to be GREAT in the kingdom, they had to be of service. So why not seek out those who could serve the whole body of Christ rather than those who benefitted themselves more than others?
Paul reminded them that there were many languages in the world, but what good were they to you if you didn't understand them? They were cautioned to spend less time being excited about the spiritual gift, and more time being aware of how that gift edified the church. That was where their excellence should come from.
What about us? Do we put the focus on what WE can accomplish with our spiritual gifts? Or are we more concerned with what GOD can do through us when we use those gifts for edification?
When I think of people like Billy Graham, who served God wholeheartedly and used his gifts for God to be glorified, I wonder ... what would our world be like if we ALL acted that way? Wouldn't it be beautiful? Wouldn't God be pleased?
Maybe we should be mindful to take Paul's advice to the Corinthians. And put the focus on giving God the glory for the gifts he gives us.
And if by chance, your gift is the gift of prophecy, what an amazing opportunity you have to let the Holy Spirit speak through you to someone who desperately needs to hear the message of God.