To Christ Gave All The Prophets Witness

The Prophetic Word-Part Two

The Witness Of Prophecy

TEXT: Acts 10:43  - To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

            This is the second of a series of messages on the prophetic word. In the first lesson/message we took a look at prophecy in general and how the prophetic word operated through the Old Covenant. The prophecies of these heralds, who were not simply preachers of repentance, clearly prove they regarded Jehovah God as not only the God of history but also the God of destiny.

            They never spoke as mere social reformers, for to the very core of their beings they were teachers of divine truth, interpreters of the mind of God for the spiritual benefit of the minds of men. Notice, I said SPIRITUAL benefit, not FLESHLY or TEMPORAL.

Their task was to announce the coming of Jehovah and no element of their teaching was more common to all of them than this and none more fundamental. It binds all their utterances together into unity, and connects them also with the fuller revelation of a latter day, mainly the “end times” as spoken of in scripture.

Acts 2:17

17        And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:   (KJV)

2 Tim 3:1

1          This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.   (KJV)

Heb 1:2

2          Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;   (KJV)

James 5:3

3          Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.   (KJV)

2 Pet 3:3

3          Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,   (KJV)

            Luke, the historian reminds us that “To CHRIST gave all the prophets witness.” The list below is all the persons in scripture who were named prophets in scripture.

            The number or prophets in scripture total FORTY, which is an interesting number. There are ELEVEN events in scripture that lasted forty days:

1.   Noah's flood (Genesis 7:4,12,17; Genesis 8:6)

2.   Jacob's death (Genesis 50:3)

3.   Moses in the mount (Exodus 24:18)

4.   Moses again in the mount (Exodus 34:28; Deut. 10:10)

5.   Spies searching Canaan (Numbers 13:25; cp. forty years, Numbers 14:34)

6.   Moses fasting (Deut. 9:18; cp. Deut. 9:9-11)

7.   Elijah's flight (1 Kings 19:8)

8.   Ezekiel lying on right side (Ezekiel 4:6)

9.   Nineveh's judgment (Jonah 3:4)

10. Christ fasting (Matthew 4:2)

11. Christ's post-resurrection ministry (Acts 1:3)

Prophetesses were also included in the prophetic order. These holy women of God likewise knew what it was to be borne along by the Spirit in their predictions and proclamations. Those named in scripture include:

§                     Anna – Luke 2:36

§                     Deborah – Judges 4:4

§                     Huldah – 2 Kings 22:14

§                     Miriam – Exodus 15:20

§                     Noadiah – Nehemiah 6:14

Prophetess was the courtesy title of a prophet’s wife, as well as the term describing those who prophesied according to the prophecy “your daughters and sons shall prophesy.”

Joel 2:28 - And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

Psalm 68:11 - The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

            The New Testament gift of prophecy was bestowed on women as well as on men. Jezebel was a false prophetess and temptress of the Christians at Thyatira, to whom was given the name of Israel’s wicked queen.

Acts 21:9

    And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

1 Cor. 11:5 - But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

Christ, The Prophet

            Christ was also predicted and proclaimed to be a prophet.

Deut. 18:15-19

    The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; [16] According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. [17] And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. [18] I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. [19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

John 6:14

    Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

            The people knew Him as a prophet. His disciples called Him a prophet and He referred to Himself as such as well.

Matthew 21:11

    And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

Luke 7:16

    And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

Matthew 13:57

    And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Luke 24:19

    And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

            It was as a prophet that the Pharisees and Saducees mocked Him and His teaching:

Luke 22:64

    And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

            According to the New Covenant, the exalted CHRIST still continues to exercise His prophetic function, guiding the Church into all the truth by the Holy Spirit He has sent.

John 16:7-13

    Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. [8] And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: [9] Of sin, because they believe not on me; [10] Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; [11] Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. [12] I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. [13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

            The Holy Spirit has been sent to build up the body, bestowing upon it apostles, prophets and teachers.

Ephes. 4:8-12

    Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. [9] (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? [10] He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) [11] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; [12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

            It is the CHRIST to whom ALL the prophets pointed. All true prophets and prophecies will have CHRIST as the central theme, not man! I want to way that again. If the prophet or prophecy being presented to any church, any group or any individual does not elevate and exalt CHRIST, it is a false prophecy! God is not in the business of giving us a side show to display His prophetic power. The purpose of the prophets was to point Israel to the coming Redeemer, who would be the TRUE PROPHET that would set them free from the bondage and shackles of sin. The Old Covenant saint looked FORWARD to the Cross; we as the New Covenant believer look BACK to the CROSS. The cross is the centerpiece of ALL doctrine and ALL prophecy!

            The very SPIRIT of Jesus is prophecy, according to the Holy Spirit in the book of Revelation.

Rev 19:10- And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

            There are marks in scripture of TRUE prophets. All these marks earmarked the ministry of Christ:

• Prophets are sent by God

Isaiah 58:1

    Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

Jeremiah 1:4

    Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Jeremiah 23:28

    The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 25:4

    And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.

Ezekiel 2:3

    And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

• Prophets were to be received with reverence and faith

Luke 24:25

    Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

1 Thes. 5:20

    Despise not prophesyings.

2 Peter 1:19

    We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

• Prophecy has GOD as its Author

Isaiah 44:7

    And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

Isaiah 45:21

    Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

Luke 1:70

    As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

2 Peter 1:19

    We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

2 Peter 1:21

    For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Rev. 1:1

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

• Prophecy is a gift of Christ

Ephes. 4:11

    And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Rev. 11:3

    And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

• Prophecy is from the Spirit

John 16:13

    Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1 Cor. 12:4

    Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1 Cor. 12:10

    To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

• Prophecy can be and should be tested

Deut. 13:1-5

    If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, [2] And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; [3] Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. [4] Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. [5] And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

Deut. 18:20-22

    But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. [21] And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? [22] When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Jeremiah 14:15

    Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

Jeremiah 23:16

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

            Christ is called the LIVING and WRITTEN word. He was the supreme and final Prophet of God. He is superior in every way to the other prophets who were both called and qualified of God. The prophets were finite and fallible, human and necessarily imperfect. They were ALL inferior to Christ, who was without sin.

In Closing

        We will pick this series up in the next message. I pray today you're walking close to God today as to be able to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Ultimately, THAT is where ALL true prophetic words come from. The Holy Spirit has not come to glorify a man, a movement, a doctrine, a church or a denomination. He has come to exalt CHRIST. May all prophetic ministry (AND ALL TRUE PROPHETIC MINISTRY WILL) do the same! Be blessed in Jesus.