Chapter 11


THE BIBLE AND PROPHECY

By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze


THE BIBLE AND PROPHECY
         The Bible is a versatile book of prophecy. Comprehensively, it made clear different aspects of prophecy, covering meanings, types, modes, importance, etc. Chronologically, its prophecies cover the past, present and future of mankind. In fact, the Bible is a “Library of Prophecy”.
         The prophetic contents of the Bible seem to be in disarray. There is, seemingly, no orderly treatment of prophecy. This is partly because it is a way by which God conceals His ways. But He gives His spirit to his children, so that they can understand. Hosea bears evidence:

“Who is wise? He will realize these things.
Who is discerning? He will understand them.
     The ways of the Lord are right;
     The righteous walk in them,
But the rebellious stumble in them.”

         Israel, as manifest in the Bible, is a nation of prophecy. There was most of the time, if not always, a prophet in Israel. Sometimes, more than one prophet existed contemporarily. Israelite prophecy was used for battles, allotments, appointments, king making, administration, healing, solutions, etc. The prophecy found expressions in psalms, oracles, songs, proverbs, dramas, symbolism, narratives, signs and so on.
         By the Bible, God made known acceptable and unacceptable prophets and prophecies. The acceptable ones depend entirely on God. He is their source of prophecy and their sender. Examples of acceptable prophets were Moses, Abraham, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. The unacceptable ones include mediums, false prophets and idol prophets.
         One of the major characteristics of the Bible is that it is a prophet. The word of God in it, which is spirit and life, unite to form a single prophet: just as drops of rain would collect to form a great body of water. The Bible prophesies through its teachings, casting, rotation, etc. Some people who do not believe in prophecy claim that prophecy is a thing of the past. Therefore, it has no relevance today. But the Bible, by its contents and prophecies, shows that prophecy is for the past, the present, the future and forever. It shows clearly how the Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in the New Testament by Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself made prophetic revelations about the present and future world, through the Book of Revelation.

         Prophecy has its own languages. For examples, the followings have their respective meanings:

One day means One thousand years - Psalm 90:4

Tree means Man - Daniel 4:20-22

Wind means Spirit of God; Trouble, confusion, temptation

         Perhaps, it is this prophetic language that explains why some people do not believe in dream, vision, trance, etc. More so, when they do not have the spirit to interpret. They do not see any relationship between their dreams and life. A non-believer, who sees a tree fall in a dream, would consider the fall insignificant, not knowing that it means the death of somebody.
         Another fact in the Bible is that patterns are prophecies, like the greatest Egyptian pyramid whose every dimension is a prophecy or a fact of life. The priests of Israel were able to know exactly the time of the manifestation and death of Jesus Christ from the dimension of the Covenant Ark. In Exodus, Moses was told,

8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. Exodus 25:8-9

EXPLANATION OF SOME BIBLE PORTIONS
  1. The Spirits Of The Prophets Are Subject To The Control Of The Prophets. 1 Corinthians 14:32-33

    2. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:32-33

             This statement was made as a provision of God, for control and order in the church of God. By this provision, the head of a church is able to direct, peacefully and orderly, the affairs of the church, the periods of worship and activities of the order. Otherwise, any person can become possessed, truly or not, at anytime or mislead the church of God.

             It gives the prophets, or heads, the authority to discern spirits and prophecy, so that the enemy and his plan should be detected and exposed. This does not mean that the prophets are to tell the spirits from God what to do or prophecy. It does not mean that the ministers are greater than the Angels, just as they should not and cannot direct the Angels in the work of God. The Angels obey none except God. The authority places the ministers to identify the spirits from God and give them every chance and support to perform.

             For example, John the Baptist was sent to identify and baptize Jesus Christ (John. 1: 29 -34; Matthew. 3:1-17), but not to prevent His work of salvation (John. 3: 22-30) Likewise, the ministers should not because of this quotation, prevent or discourage the growth and exercise of the gifts of prophecy. Is it the spirits that should obey man? Or that man should obey the spirits? Who is man that he should decide whether an Angel should minister or not? Besides, the Angels obey nobody, except God.
             Of course, when the Angels are hindered or prevented from ministering, they obey and leave. Their obedience and departure are only to ensure peace. It does not mean that the minister is right in preventing them from working. Ministers must avoid the negative attitude of trying to control the one who has saved and brought them into the kingdom, for the owner is always greater than the heir.
             In fact, the true meaning of the quotation was given by Paul.

    26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 1 Corinthians 14:29-31

             Paul was advising them to be doing things orderly, turn by turn. He never told them to decide whether a spirit should speak, prophesy, manifest, work or not. The control he emphasized is not the control of Angels or spirit of God.

  2. Not By Power……Zechariah 4:6

    3. “Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.

             The prophetic ability does not depend on man, age, sex, status… but on the spirit of God which is a spirit of prophecy. In the Same vein, all possessions are first spiritually apportioned before ever they become physically acquired.

  3. The Wand Of Prophecy (The Key To Prophecy)
    4.           God is the author of life and prophecy. He knows everything about the past, the present and the future. His spirit is a spirit of prophecy. Apart from the fact that God created man, He put in man His own spirit, the divine spark. Hence, man is the image of God, a son of God; indeed, a small God. The spirit of God in man is prophetic: it can prophesy; it can interpret prophetic message; it can understand signs and wonders, and make true conclusions (predictions) based on them.
             In every man, there is a divine spark. This is the essence of conscience – the seat of consciousness. It is the wand of prophesy. Apostle peter spoke of it, saying, “And we have the word of the prophet made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your heart (When the God in you becomes manifest).” 2 Peter 1:19
             This spirit of prophesy is living, active and intelligent. It acts like the compass which directs the course of ocean vessels and spacecrafts. It forewarns, guides, convinces, prompts, teaches and admonishes.
             The wand is heard as “the still small voice” speaking within man. It is the voice of the indwelling God. Only the careful and attentive hear, recognize and utilize it. This is what has inspired, guided and sustained mankind in the process of successful achievement and steady development.
             The scientists call its manifestation “flashes of illumination”; the religions call it “inspiration or spiritual guidance”; some call it “idea”. Today, man marvel at computer. But the computer is only an imitation of the divine spark in man. Man is not able to do so much work and calculations like the computer, because he is at present “poorly developed”. But the computer pale into insignificance before the divine spark, the wand of prophecy, which has infinite potentials.
             It is not only man that has the gift of prophecy. Everything has it to some measure. Therefore, animal can predict good and bad foods, and so fend for themselves, or foreknow situations and know when to run to save their life. It guides the plant in their choice of nutrients. It directs the element to react, combine or not. It is the duty of every man to recognize the existence and potentials of the divine spark, and then seek to unfold it more and more. That is why man is being advised to look inward. Not outward, for the solution to his problem, for the provision of his needs and for the creativity in his development.

  4. Walking With God
    5.           Is it possible to see God: hear Him, feel Him, touch him, or experience Him? A skeptic would say no, and a non-believer would side with him. Even, the ordinary man who believes that God exists would not accept that it is possible to see, hear, feel, touch or experience Him.
             Some claim that the world is so corrupt that it is no longer possible to experience God. Yet, others claim that any person that sees God would surely die. The question remains; is it a sin for a child to see his father? Since God is our Father, why should we not see Him? I tell you the truth, “There are so many false teachings about God”. Imagine what made Jesus to refer to some church leaders as blind men leading blind people.
             The simple and evident truth is that it is possible to see, hear, feel, touch and experience God. Herein is the meaning of “walking with God” – it does not mean walking side by side with God. And there are so many Bible records of persons who saw God Almighty: Adam and Eve, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Solomon, Elijah, Micaiah, Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel Isaiah, John, etc. Adam and Eve saw, heard and associated with God. They “walked” with him, before their fall. Daniel saw Him as “The Ancient Of Days”. He narrates:

    “As I looked, Thrones were set in place and the ancient of days took his seat . His clothing was as white as snow: the hair of his head was white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze Thousand, upon thousand attended him; ten thousand times ten Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him”. Dan 7:9-10

             The disciples lived and worked with Him as Jesus, Emmanuel –“God with us”. The reality of walking with God is not the privilege of a few. Any person can walk with God, from time to time. The message may be through dream, vision, oracle, sign, etc. usually, such message are clear and convincing. If they are in parable, the receiver can ask for the interpretation, which God would readily give. It is even possible to know the detail of everyday event, in advance. God does not leave his people in darkness.
             A person can pray to God and obtain revelation about the past, present and future. This is a fact. It is natural. It is in line with “the law of demand and supply”. Daniel prayed, and was given the message and meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

    16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. 17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

    20 Daniel answered and said:
    "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
    For wisdom and might are His.
    21 And He changes the times and the seasons;
    He removes kings and raises up kings;
    He gives wisdom to the wise
    And knowledge to those who have understanding.
    22 He reveals deep and secret things;
    He knows what is in the darkness,
    And light dwells with Him.
    23 "I thank You and praise You,
    O God of my fathers;
    You have given me wisdom and might,
    And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
    For You have made known to us the king's demand."
    Daniel 2:16-23

    The life of those who do not walk with God is well described in Isaiah 59: 9-11.

    9 Therefore justice is far from us,
    Nor does righteousness overtake us;
    We look for light, but there is darkness!
    For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
    10 We grope for the wall like the blind,
    And we grope as if we had no eyes;
    We stumble at noonday as at twilight;
    We are as dead men in desolate places.
    11 We all growl like bears,
    And moan sadly like doves;
    We look for justice, but there is none;
    For salvation, but it is far from us.
    Isaiah 59:9-11