Chapter 5


CONFIRMATION OF PROPHECY

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

1. Fulfillment
   
God emphasized fulfillment as a way of confirming prophecy. According to Him, “You may say to yourselves, “how can we know when a message has not be spoken by the lord?” if what a prophet proclaims in the name of the lord does not place or come true, that is a message the lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him. Deuteronomy 18: 21, 22
         At times, it is necessary to confirm a message long before it fulfillment. This is where any of the other modes may be used.


2. Use Of Sign
   
A person who is receiving a prophetic message can ask for a sign. Signs are confirmatory events or manifestations unto the reality of prophecy. Examples abound in the Bible of individuals who asked for and obtained signs. Zechariah and Gabriel present a good illustration:

Then an Angel of the lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the alter of incense. Whben Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the Angel said to him: do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you son; and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy, and many will rejoice because of the birth, for he will be great in the sight of the lord. He is never to take wine or fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.

M any of the people of Israel will he bring back to the lord their God. And he will go on before the lord, in spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the heart of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous to make ready a people prepared for the lord. Zechariah said to the Angel, how can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife on in years. The Angel answered, I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I am sent to speak to you and tell this good news. And now you be silent and not able to speak until the day this will happens, because you do not believe my words, which will come at their proper time...

When he came out he could not speak to them (people outside). They realized that he has see vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to bit unable to speak. Luke1: 11-21

John the Baptist was able to identify Jesus by the sign God gave him. John said,

“I saw the spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, the man on whom you see the spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with Holy Spirit. I have seen and I testify that this is the son of God.”

Elijah gave Elisha a sign to prove whether he (Elisha) would receive a double of Elijah’s power.

9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." 10 So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out,” My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 2 kings 2: 9-14

Gideon asked for signs and received.

36 So Gideon said to God, "If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said — 37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said." 38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God,” Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew." 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground. Judge 6: 36 -40

Jesus gave the signs by which the true believers shall known, saying:

and these signs shall accompany those who believer: in my name will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drinks deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. Mark 16:17,18

         It is a wise thing to ask for a sin where necessary. Yet, blessed indeed is he who believes what is true, without asking for a sign. God does not deceive, and He cannot be deceived.


3. Prayer Request For Repetition
   
A person who has received a prophetic massage can ask God for a repeat of the message through another channel or prophet. Manoah prayed for the repeat visit of the Angel who delivered messages concerning the birth of Samson. God heard him and sent the Angel again.

8 Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, and said, "O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born." 9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the Angel of God came to the woman again as she was sitting in the field; Judges 13:8,9

         It was during the repeat visit that Manoah and his wife realized that they had seen an Angel.

Gideon repeated his request for a sign. God would respond through dream, vision, oracle, sign, etc.

36 So Gideon said to God, "If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said — 37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said." 38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God,"Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew." 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground. Judges 6:36-40


4. Confirmation By The Receiver
   
When a person is told about his past life, his present and future plans and experiences, he bears witness that the revelation is true. Jesus revealed the past live of the Samaritan woman. The woman did not hesitate to confirm it all saying,

“Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.” John 4:19

         Often, God confirms His message through the receiver. He would ask the person to testify whether the message is true or false. Usually, the reply is that “The message is true.” Ministers can also use this question-and-answer mode to confirm messages. The problem however, is that some individuals do deny, especially in the public. Some do so out of fear, shame or doubt.


5. Bible Casting
   
The words of God do not rise against each other. Each is a confirmation or an extension of the other. Hence, messages can be confirmed by casting Bible on them.


6. Confirmation By A Prophet
   
A message received through a source can be confirmed by referring the same message to a prophet or Angels of God. Before Elijah left Elisha, Elisha met different companies of the prophets. Each group told him that Elijah was soon to leave him.

3 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" …

5 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?" So he answered, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" 2 Kings 2:1-5