If you have your Bible this morning turn to Joel 2.
Before we read our text this morning let us ask the Lord for His blessing upon our fellowship with Him.
Dear heavenly father, this morning as we fellowship, it is our desire to have that fellowship governed by, submitted to, and directed by Thy Word. May this morning be a blessed time of communion and praise with Thee. In our blessed Savior's name, Amen.
This past week I read an article that had been copied from the Pentecostal Evangel. This article describes a woman who had been called by God to a very difficult ministry: homeless drug abusers and alcoholics. Throughout the article, God is described as carrying on a conversation with this woman regarding the people to which she is seeking to minister. For example, the article reads:
"The work God has called this dear old saint to do is not easy, but it is richly rewarding. One day as she was praying, she related, the Lord spoke to her. 'Daughter. I have called you to a hard work. Will you do it?' 'Yes. Lord, if You will go with me.' [The Lord responded,] 'I will never leave you nor forsake you as long as you do My will...' The Lord continued, 'I have children in trouble, and no one cares. I am asking you to help them...'" (Taken from Pulpit Helps, Vol. 21 Num. 1, January 1996)
Now I doubt that there are few of us who have not met people who testify to God speaking to them in this manner. It is not unusual for us to hear: "The Lord told me to quite my job" or "The Lord told me to buy this house." Yet when we question the person further and ask "How did the Lord speak to you?" the response is that of "I had a feeling." Does God still work in this way? Is God still speaking to man in a revelatory way? Is the Gift of Prophecy still operative today? Does the Old Testament gift of prophecy continue in the New Testament?
This morning we will continue answering these questions as we proceed in our analysis of the gift of prophecy.
Prophecy's Continuance, Joel. 2:28
Joel 2:28 - 32, "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: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call." (KJV)
The impetus for the book of Joel was a devastating swarm of locusts which came through the land of Judah in the days of Joel. Making full use of this tragedy for the kingdom of God, Joel likens God's coming judgment to the swarming of locusts. (Joel 1) If God's people did not turn back to God then God would send forth His judgment - a judgment that would resemble all the misery and horror of the present pestilence-yet with much greater intensity. (Joel 2) Now in the midst of this warning, God promises a day of restoration and blessing for His people. Joel 2:28 contains a portion of this promised blessing - though judgment may come, God nevertheless will bless His people.
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."(KJV)
In light of the prophecy of Joel 2:28, what did Joel expect by way of fulfillment? What is the anticipated experience of God's people with respect to this prophecy? To answer this, I want you to notice two observations about this passage. First the word that Joel uses for prophesy is the same word used throughout the Old Testament to denote the office or gift of prophecy that we have already discussed. Thus when Joel mentions prophesy, he means the Old Testament gift - with the same standards and characteristics as found throughout the Old Testament. Joel's prophecy anticipated the same mode of reception as found throughout the Old Testament - dreams and visions. ( cf. Numbers 12) Joel was an Old Testament prophet. Thus, all that we have said about the gift of prophecy in the Old Testament not only pertained to Joel, but also would have been Joel's expectation and standard for the fulfillment of this prophecy about a future age when the gift of prophecy would be poured out on all kinds of people.
And so, by way of fulfillment of the Joel 2:28 passage, we would expect that at a later time and place, God would pour forth His Spirit upon His people by extending the Old Testament gift of prophecy to many!
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." (KJV, emphasis mine)
In other words, the day would come when the gift of prophecy (which in the Old Testament was limited to certain few individuals) would be experienced by all categories of people. O. Palmer Robertson wrote:
"Joel predicted a widespread manifestation of prophetic revelation in the future. The consummation of the ages would be accompanied by extensive revelatory experiences. . . . Old men would 'dream dreams' and young men would 'see visions'. Both phrases describe experiences of a revelatory nature, drawing on the context of Numbers 12." (The Final Word, p. 12)
And so, we are left with the conclusion that when Joel 2:28 is fulfilled, the Old Testament gift of prophecy will once again be manifested in all its fullness!
Prophecy's Relevancy
What relevancy does Joel 2:28 have on our understanding of Prophecy? Turn with me to Acts 2:16-19.
Acts 2:16-19, "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 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: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke"(KJV)
Do not miss it! The gift of prophecy as found in the New Testament is the fulfillment of the prophecy given in Joel 2:28! And thus, as we examine the gift of prophecy as expressed in the New Testament, we must understand this gift in light of its Old Testament characteristics! The gift of prophecy as manifested in the New Testament was the fulfillment of a promise that God made to His people through Joel - that as a sign of God's favor and blessing, the Old Testament gift of prophecy would be resurrected!
This is an important point because there are many today like Wayne Grudem who have suggested that in the New Testament, the gift of prophecy had two expressions: a revelatory and authoritative gift-as in the Old Testament - and a non-revelatory, non-authoritative gift given for the edification of the church, but not for the completion of the canon. And yet, this view ignores the fact that the New Testament gift of prophecy is nothing less than a continuation of the Old Testament gift!
Thus we must conclude that the gift of prophecy as found in the New Testament is nothing less than an authoritative speaking forth of God's word. The gift of prophecy is revelatory, and thus canonical. And this is borne out by the rest of the New Testament as it describes the gift of prophecy in a way that comports with the prophecy in Joel.
Example One: Acts 11:27-28
Acts 11:27-28, "And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar." (KJV)
This is the first description of the exercise of this gift in the New Testament after Pentecost. Now brothers and sisters, this passage corresponds with the standards and characteristics that we have come to expect of the Biblical prophet: the work of the Holy Spirit and perfect accuracy. Agabus' ability to prophesy is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit - it is objective, and not subjective as in the case of the false prophet. ( cf. Jeremiah 23:16) Agabus' prophecy was fulfilled with perfect accuracy as a famine occurred during the reign of Claudius (cf. Deuteronomy. 18:21-22; Jeremiah. 28:9; 1 Sam. 3:19-20). Agabus is here functioning as a spokesman of God - one through whom God spoke - and thus, his prophecy immediately became the basis for concrete action on the part of the disciples at Antioch. (cf. Acts 11:29-30; Deuteronomy. 18:19)
Example Two: Acts 13:2-3
Acts 13:2-3, "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid [their] hands on them, they sent [them] away." (KJV)
Notice the Old Testament characteristics of the true prophet in this text. Once again, the prophetic word came by an act of the Holy Spirit. If you are asked , "How did the Holy Spirit relate this?" The only answer we can give is that which serves as the mode of reception in all Biblical prophecy, "dreams" and "visions."
And yet, some might say, "But the text doesn't say this!" To which the Bible answers, neither did Deuteronomy 18. The standard when it comes to Biblical prophecy is that dreams and visions are the mode of reception in light of the rest of the Old Testament.
And so likewise, we conclude the same here. The prophecy here was authoritative and binding. Thus in verse three, God's people obeyed and sent out Barnabas and Saul.
Example Three: Acts 21:10-11
Acts 21:10-11, "And as we tarried [there] many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles."(KJV)
Once again, notice the Old Testament characteristics of the true prophet: prophecy that comes by the Holy Spirit, and that is authoritative. Agabus' ability to prophecy is a result of the work of the Spirit. (verse 11) This is precisely what God said a prophet would do.
Deuteronomy 18:18, "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." (KJV)
As the true gift of prophecy always was in the Old Testament, Agabus' prophecy was authoritative-God's people respond. (verse 12) It could be asked: "What about Acts 21:4 where Paul apparently disobeyed the prophetic word?" "Doesn't this prove that in the New Testament, there was an unauthoritative gift of prophecy - as Wayne Grudem suggests?"
The answer is that Acts 21:4 is an ambiguous text on the surface. Is it that the Spirit of God told Paul through the disciples "not to set foot in Jerusalem" - as it is usually translated? Or is it that the Spirit of God told the disciples of the fate that awaited Paul and that the disciples therefore were urging Paul "not to set foot in Jerusalem?" Based upon the message that Paul received from the Spirit in Acts 20:22 that he should go to Jerusalem, the message that the prophets received from the Spirit everywhere else concerning Paul at this time indicates that the latter understanding is what Acts 21:4 teaches. (cf. Acts 20:23; 21:11) The response of the disciples to this message - that they pleaded for him not to go (Acts 21:12) - also leads us to conclude the latter. In fact, some of the most able commentators of this age have concluded the same. (cf. Munck, F.F. Bruce, J. A. Alexander, Calvin, Robertson) Acts 21 bears the marks of the Old Testament gift of prophecy.
Example Four: 1 Corinthians 14:29-32
The fourth text that we find in the New Testament concerning prophecy is 1 Corinthians 14:29-32.
1 Corinthians 14:29-32, " Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If [any thing] be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." (KJV)
1 Corinthians 11-14 contains the fullest treatment of the gift of prophecy in the New Testament. Throughout this text, the gift is presented as the product of the Holy Spirit (just as in Acts 2, 11, 13, 21) and thus we conclude that the phenomenon in Corinth is a further manifestation of the fulfillment of the promise given by Joel.
Now in these four chapters the gift of prophecy is mentioned ten times. (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:4-5; 12:10; 13:2; 13:8; 14:3-4; 14:5-6; 14:22; 14:24-25; 14:29-33; 14:37-40) Of which 1 Corinthians 14:29-32 emerges as Paul's most sustained treatment on the gift of prophecy.
Let me summarize the teaching of this text. Paul requires that prophets speak one at a time. (verse 31) Ordinarily the prophets would come with messages that God had revealed to them. Thus, they would have a prearranged order in which to speak. (verses 29, 30)
1 Corinthians 14:29, "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge." (KJV)
To judge has been greatly misunderstood today. Most immediately assume that it references the words being spoken. And yet, the Greek term diakrino has the basic meaning of to separate, to sever, to make a distinction. Most frequently it is used to make a distinction among PEOPLE.
Thus, if we keep the regular use of the term for judge, we conclude that the judgment here is not to be made about what is said, but who should speak! Because God is a God of order (verse 33) - and the Corinthians had perverted all semblance of order in their worship services - Paul exhorts the Corinthians that the prophets were to discriminate between persons as to when each prophet should speak.
Now, this prearranged order would be maintained unless God gave a revelation to one of the other prophets seated. (verse 30) In this case, the prophet who was slated to be "first" should "stop" so that the one who is receiving a revelation from God could speak. (verse 30) Now notice the crucial theme that resonates throughout this text - the product of the prophetic gift is revelation! It is to this that Joel refers in Joel 2:28. It is to this that Peter refers in his declaration on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:16) It is this term that is used to describe the gift of prophecy exercised by Agabus in the book of Acts. And it is this term that Paul uses to summarize all that the prophet does in 1 Corinthians. 14. (cf. verses 26, 30) Before we leave this text, notice also another characteristic of the prophet that Paul references in verses 37-38: they must comport with previously given revelation (which is what was prescribed in Deuteronomy. 13:1-5).
Example Five: 2 Peter 1:20-21
2 Peter 1:20-21, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 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." (KJV)
With this verse, we have in effect Peter's definition of prophecy. In Peter's definition of prophecy we find that he says that there are no exceptions - "that no prophecy of the scripture." And thus, which serves as the standard for ALL Biblical prophecy whether New Testament or Old Testament! Now the significance of this statement is compounded when we recognize that Peter was the one who in Acts 2:18 said that Joel 2:28 was being fulfilled.
To those who might say that the gift of prophecy as evidenced at Pentecost or in the New Testament "differed" from Old Testament prophecy, Peter unequivocally declares the product of the prophetic gift - that which also was manifest at Pentecost - to be nothing less than the Word of God - whether written or spoken! The words of the New Testament prophet were of no less authority than his writings. The words of the New Testament prophet were equivalent to all Biblical prophecy. And the words of the New Testament prophet were authoritative for the body of Christ.
Conclusion
Each of these five New Testament passages, combined with Joel 2:28, clearly teach that the New Testament gift or office of prophet was one and the same with the Old Testament gift or office of prophet.
O. Palmer Robertson wrote:
"The prophetic experience that had brought God's word to the old covenant community now communicated the truth about this new era to God's new covenant people." (Ibid., pg. 18)
And thus when it comes to prophecy in the New Testament, we conclude that the characteristics that governed the true gift of prophecy in the Old Testament are one and the same as in the New Testament. As such the NATURE of New Testament prophecy was that it is revelation: a speaking forth of the Word of God. The STANDARD of New Testament prophecy was that it must be one hundred percent accurate: to be wrong just once is to not only prove that you are not a prophet according to the New Testament standard, but also that the message you have supposedly received from God is not from God at all. The DETERRENCE of New Testament prophecy likewise was death: which in the New Covenant was equivalent to excommunication. (For an example of physical death, the account of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) could be referenced as an example of two people "lying" to the Holy Spirit: the essence of false prophecy!) The MODE OF RECEPTION of New Testament prophecy was through "dreams" and "visions." The MODE OF EXPRESSION of New Testament prophecy was that it is an authoritative proclamation of the Word of God. The VERIFICATION of New Testament prophecy was the doing of the miraculous.
Now last time we compared these areas to what is occurring today in the name of Biblical prophecy, and concluded that what is occurring today is NOT the true gift. And thus, based upon the authority of the Word of God, we reject the testimony of all today who claim that God has personally spoken to them and/or has told them to do any number of things. And yet, don't misunderstand, I am not for a moment saying that God doesn't still speak today - in fact, this very morning it is my prayer that God has given each of us a message. Yet, the only Divine message that we could receive from God today comes not subjectively through a "small voice whispering to our heart, " but objectively through the word of God - as the Holy Spirit enlightens our minds and grants illumination to understand His word!
As we close a correct theology of the Biblical gift of prophecy will result in a longing after the God of the Word as He has revealed Himself to in the Word of God! It is only by and with the word that we can commune with God.
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