In today’s world, many self-proclaimed prophets captivate their followers by presenting themselves as miracle workers. They call individuals out of crowds, claiming to know everything about them—such as their past, future, or even undiscovered illnesses. Believers often admire these so-called prophets and aspire to become like them. They fast and pray for the gift of prophecy, as it tends to draw more people to their ministries or churches.
Paul emphasized that prophesying is important for helping unbelievers understand how God operates (1 Corinthians 14:24-25). Since Paul himself valued the gift of prophecy, many churches today consider it a crucial practice, and it has become increasingly popular. However, the key question remains: Should believers rely on prophecies, and if so, what types of prophecies should they trust? Understanding this is essential for guiding one’s faith and actions.
Prophecy is Valued Greatly
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified. – 1 Corinthians 14:5 (NIV)
Although Paul explained when and why prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, his teachings have sometimes been misinterpreted, leading to a spirit of competition among God’s servants. Many envy the way others preach or operate in their spiritual gifts, neglecting the unique gifts God has entrusted to them. Paul’s encouragement to pursue prophecy, while well-intentioned, has inadvertently become a source of envy within churches today.
Before promoting prophecy among the churches, Paul emphasized in the previous chapter that prophecies are incomplete without the fullness of God’s love (1 Corinthians 13:9-10). However, in the following chapter, Paul’s focus shifts from evangelism to church growth. He outlines strategies to attract people to the church (1 Corinthians 14:24-25). Initially, Paul was focused on spreading the Gospel of Jesus, but as the process of establishing churches progressed, his focus changed. This shift in perspective has since been adopted by many churches, regardless of denomination, leading them to prioritize church growth over spreading the Gospel.
As a result, the Good News is now often confined within church walls, and people are drawn to churches to receive it. This has led to a perception that the Good News is tied to a specific religion, causing many to see Jesus and His Cross as belonging exclusively to Christians. Consequently, when people hear the name of Jesus, they often mistakenly think He is solely the God of Christians, failing to recognise Him as the Saviour of all humanity.
A Genuine Prophecy
While Paul focused on prophecy within the churches, his co-worker Peter provided insight into what constitutes true and genuine prophecy. Peter, along with John and James, witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus on a mountaintop while He was praying. During this event, they heard a voice from heaven declaring, “This is My beloved Son.” This unique revelation was a prophecy given specifically to these three disciples, while others still saw Jesus merely as the son of a carpenter. It became the responsibility and burden of these three disciples to spread the truth that Jesus is not just a carpenter’s son, but the Son of God. Prophesying within the church is one thing, but carrying this message to people who viewed Jesus as just a man, the son of a carpenter, was a much greater challenge. This is the essence of how prophecy operates.
After recounting how they received this prophecy in 2 Peter 1:17-18, Peter teaches us what a true prophecy should look like and how we should hold fast to it.
We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, 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 rises in your hearts.- 2 Peter 1:19 (NIV)
Peter realized that his focus should be on Jesus, the Son of God, who gave His life for sinners. With Jesus having died for our sins, the core of the prophetic message has shifted. Now, we are called to share the unique experience of being cleansed by the blood of Jesus and to carry this prophetic message to the world. Furthermore, as we spread this message, we must hold firmly to the prophecy of Jesus’ second coming until it is fulfilled.
However, convincing people of His second coming has become increasingly difficult due to the perceived delay. This delay causes many to lose sight of the glorious prophetic message, doubting that it will ever happen. The current trend of focusing on superficial prophecies that claim to know people’s personal details diverts attention from the true message of God.
Above all, Peter emphasizes that no prophecy in Scripture originated from the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never came by human will, but prophets spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21, NIV).
Peter explains what genuine prophecy should be: its full meaning cannot be fully understood by anyone, not even the prophet who delivers it. For instance, when the prophet Isaiah foretold the birth of Jesus, he spoke of a virgin becoming pregnant—a concept beyond his understanding and that of his listeners. This is because true prophecy is concerned with God’s truth and His Kingdom, not with worldly matters.
When God chose John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus, John lived in the wilderness and, when he came to the city, he didn’t speak of people’s fortunes but of the Kingdom of God. He urged people to repent, proclaiming that the Kingdom was near. This is how true prophecy operates. The question is, do we see this kind of prophecy in our churches today?
Is Jesus a Prophet?
When Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say I am?” they responded that some thought He was one of the prophets. During that time, prophets were seen as God’s spokespersons, and since Jesus spoke of His Father and His Kingdom, their opinion wasn’t entirely incorrect.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. – Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)
However, when Jesus revealed the Samaritan woman’s past, she was amazed and called Him a prophet. In this case, she underestimated His role, reducing the power of the Savior to that of a mere prophet. On another occasion, Jesus foretold Peter’s denial, specifically telling him how many times it would happen. Yet, the same Peter was granted the wisdom to discern that Jesus is the Messiah. Despite knowing this truth, Peter didn’t want Jesus to suffer.
In both instances, Jesus addressed their past and future to help them understand the truth of His Kingdom. To the Samaritan woman, He revealed that He is the Living Water and that everyone would worship God wherever they are. Through Peter, Jesus warned those who refused to believe in His words, cautioning them that they too could deny Him, just as Peter did. Today, many have misunderstood Jesus’ actions regarding the past and future, reducing His power to mere fortune-telling, overlooking the sole saving power of God.
The Second Coming of Jesus
In reducing the power of the Creator to mere fortune-telling, many only speak about His Kingdom in terms of His second coming. Yet, Jesus Himself clearly stated that neither He nor the angels knew the day or hour of His return—only the Father knows. Despite this, self-proclaimed prophets and fortune-tellers speculate about the time and place of Jesus’ second coming.
Followers of these fortune-tellers tend to trust their words more than the words of Jesus. This highlights the tragic state of those who chase after false prophets, knowingly or unknowingly risking their salvation. If this continues, when Jesus does return, there may be no one to welcome Him, as believers will be caught up in following their fantastical prophets.
Let us not lose our salvation or be distracted from pursuing eternal life by trusting in so-called servants of God, who are wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15).
All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. – Revelation 13:8 (NIV)
Not Through Prophets But Through His Son
As we learned in Hebrews 1:1-2, Jesus is now revealing to us the mysteries of His Father’s Kingdom, with the ultimate prophecy concerning His second coming and our inheritance of eternal life. There are still prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and we must hold on to those given by Jesus until they come to pass. Do not be distracted by the things happening in this world, but place your hope in the promises of eternity and second coming that is yet to happen.
The Jordan Valley 
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