Deeper Life #108

For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

—Luke 7:28

WHAT IS PROPHECY? THE PREVALENT popular notion is that a prophet is one who predicts things; and consequently, he is thought to be a kind of sanctified gypsy. As a result, delusions have played havoc within Christian communities.

From the Bible’s point of view, a prophet is one who teaches under the direct influence of God, with a predictive ability to aid in proclaiming the moral purposes of God. No prophet of God, from the beginning of time until now, ever fully understood all he has said.

A prophet of God is a flesh-and-blood mortal whom God uses. Some glibly say that a prophet is “inspired of God.” But this can be very misleading, because the word inspiration is made to mean just about anything—from a rise of high emotional feeling to the sublime beauty of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The prophets of the Bible were not people who spoke and wrote merely from pious reflection. This is a popular idea today. Prophets of God were—and are—men and women moved by the Holy Spirit!

Prayer Thought: Move upon Your servants, God, so that they deliver to us the Word of God without fear or favor.

SUGGESTED READING: Luke 7:24–30