I just realized something which never occurred to me before!
The last few weeks I’ve kept finding myself thinking: “We today have an advantage the people of Corinth didn’t have, because we have the full complete Bible and they didn’t.”
Just think about it … we have four different biographical accounts about the life of Jesus Christ while he was here on this earth. That’s amazing! The Christians in Corinth didn’t have this.
We can learn all about Jesus. We can read the words he spoke. We can learn from his teachings. We can be amazed by the miracles he performed. The Christians in Corinth didn’t have this. That sure seems like an advantage to me.
Furthermore … we have the full complete New Testament. We can read Paul’s writings to the church at Rome. We can read Paul’s pastoral instructions to Timothy. We can read Peter’s writings. We can read the Apostle John’s writings. We can even read about the end times when Jesus will come back to the earth again to judge the world. The Christians in Corinth didn’t have any of this. This sure seems like an advantage to me.
Then the thought struck me … God doesn’t give his kids unfair advantages.
God is completely just.
The realization dawned on me … even though the people of Corinth didn’t have the full complete Scriptures like we have today, God gave them something he has not given us – the Spiritual Gift of Prophecy.
There is a lot of “woo-woo” about the Gift of Prophecy. Immediately everyone assumes the Gift of Prophecy is the ability to predict the future. After all, the book of Revelation in our Bible is a book of Prophecy … and the entire book is all about events which will occur in the future.
But if you look at the prophets throughout the Bible, their message and ministry was not primarily predictions about the future. Their job was to deliver God’s words to the people. Simple as that. That is the Gift of Prophecy – to deliver God’s words to the people.
Tell the people what God wants them to know … so that they can know who God is, and live holy lives before him.
This is the Gift of Prophecy.
A great example of the Gift of Prophecy is Moses.
“No prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt – to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.” – Deuteronomy 34:10-12
Moses’s job was to tell the people what God wanted them to know … so that they would know who God is, and so that they would live holy lives before him.
This included powerful miracles. So that the people would know who God is! And so that they would live holy lives before him.
This included predicting the future. Moses warned Pharaoh in advance specifically of each and every plague which would come. This was so that Pharaoh would know who God is! And repent. And turn from his sin. Every plague came to pass.
Moses predicted the future for the people of Israel, warning them that God’s judgment would come on them if they did not turn from their sin. This was so that the people would know who God is! And repent.
Another great example of the Gift of Prophecy is Samuel.
“The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. And Samuels’ word came to all Israel.” – 1 Samuel 3:19- 4:1
Samuel’s job was to tell the people what God wanted them to know … so that they would know who God is, and so that they would live holy lives before him.
This included predicting the future. Samuel received word from the LORD that the house of Eli, the priest, would be judged by God for their sin. This came to pass. When Samuel anointed Saul as the first king of Israel, he predicted a series of events which would happen (as confirmation to Saul). These likewise came to pass. (- 1 Samuel 10:1-12)
Samuel’s ministry also included the power of God. “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him [David] in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power.” – 1 Samuel 16:13
Another great example of the Gift of Prophecy is Elijah.
Elijah’s job was to tell the people what God wanted them to know … so that they would know who God is, and so that they would live holy lives before him.
This included predicting the future. Elijah predicted that it would not rain in the land of Israel for several years, as God’s punishment on the king and the people for their idolatry and sin. This came to pass. (- 1 Kings 17:1-6)
Elijah predicted that the rains would come once again to the land. This came to pass. (- 1 Kings 18:41-46)
Elijah’s ministry included the power of God. Fire fell from heaven in response to Elijah’s prayers (Contest on Mt. Carmel – 1 Kings 18:36-39; Twice, fire fell from heaven and consumed army captains and their fifty soldiers who had been sent to capture Elijah – 2 Kings 1:9-15)
All throughout the Old Testament we read of prophets who were chosen by God and tasked with the job of telling the people what God wanted them to know … so that they would know who God is, and so that they would live holy lives before him.
The people of the Old Testament didn’t have the full complete Bible like we have today … but God gave them something he has not given us – the Spiritual Gift of Prophecy.
God is completely just and fair.
God doesn’t give some of his kids an unfair advantage which others of his kids do not have.
And so we come back around to the people of Corinth. The Christians in Corinth didn’t have the full complete Bible like we have today … but they had the Gift of Prophecy.
Paul instructs them:
“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. … Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening and encouragement and comfort. … He who prophesies edifies the church.” – 1 Corinthians 14:1-4
“If an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!’” – 1 Corinthians 14:24-25
The purpose of the Gift of Prophecy is so that people will know who God is, and so that they will live holy lives before him. This is the Gift of Prophecy.
Paul further instructs the Christians in Corinth:
“When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. …
“Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” – 1 Corinthians 14:26-31
The Gift of Prophecy is not a “woo woo” ability to predict the future. The Gift of Prophecy is simply telling the people what God wants them to know … so that that they will know who God is, and so that they will live holy lives before him.
This is the Gift of Prophecy.
We today have the full complete Scriptures. God has given us the Bible today so that through it we will know who God is and live holy lives before him.
God does not give his kids an unfair advantage.
