Teaching on Prophecy – week 2

Continuing on in our mini-series on prophecy, I want to pick up on some of the themes in Pastor Dan Wallace’s sermon on prophecy at Harmony Community Church on May 9, 2021.  To listen to his message, click here.

False prophets in Judah in the time of Jeremiah

Jeremiah prophesied during the closing years of the Kingdom of Judah and continued his ministry during the first few years of exile in Babylon (587 BC).  During the final few years of the kingdom, he warned of coming judgement but was often contradicted by the court prophets.

The kings of Israel and Judah maintained a company of prophets whose job assignment was to consult the Lord on behalf of the king. An example of a court prophet who did his job faithfully and well was Nathan, who prophesied during the reign of King David four centuries before Jeremiah’s time.  Nathan gave David prophetic words of great promise ( 2 Samuel 7:1-16 )  but when David sinned, Nathan stepped out and brought a bold word of correction ( 2 Samuel 12:1-15) .

By Jeremiah’s time, however, the court prophets had become corrupt. They claimed to hear from God but typically told the king and his people what they wanted to hear.

Jeremiah 23:14, 16-17

Jeremiah accused them of prophesying lies.

Jeremiah 23:26

He was vindicated when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians a few years later.

Factors that can lead to false prophecy

• Fear of man; desire to please people rather than God ( Proverbs 29:25 )
• Confusing our own desires with the promise of God ( Jeremiah 23:26-27 ).
  This can dull the spirit of the prophet to the point where he can no longer recognize that what he is prophesying is not the true word of the Lord
• One’s theological assumptions can get in the way of discerning the word of God for today
  (Matthew 16:15-23) . Prophecy sometimes requires that we take the risk of saying something that may seem wrong but is actually right and proves to be the true word of God for that time and place.
• Self-promotion and self-protection.

Factors that make for good prophecy

• Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Matthew 22:37). Cultivate love for God and make it your aim to please him.
• Be a student of the Scriptures. Get to know the Word of God well. (Psalm 119:72)
• Spend much time in the presence of the Lord and become familiar with His voice. (John 10:27)
• Don’t make an industry out of prophecy. Prophesy only what the Lord tells you.
• Be more concerned about serving people than pleasing them.
• Be accountable. Prophecy is to be weighed and tested.  ( 1 Corinthians 14:29, 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 )