The New Testament Witness to Christ and His Kingdom, Student Workbook, SW13

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T H E N E W T E S T A M E N T W I T N E S S T O C H R I S T A N D H I S K I N G D O M

A P P E N D I X 2 5

Principles Behind Prophecy Dr. Don L. Davis

1. Prophecy provides divinely inspired truth about God, his universe, and his will.

• Who is God and what is the nature of the "real"?

• What is the truth, and how can we know it?

• Where did we come from, why are we here, and how shall we act?

2. Prophecy originates and has its source in the Holy Spirit.

• It is his gift (Rom. 12.6; 1 Cor. 12.10; Eph. 4.8).

• Prophet = "person of the Spirit," pneumatikos (1 Cor. 14.37 and Hos. 9.7)

• The hope of Moses (Num. 11.16, 29; cf. Luke 10.1)

3. Diverse and various forms of revelation (Jer. 18.18, Law from the priest, counsel from the wise, and word from the prophet). • Lived in communities and guilds, some were attached to the temple, while others were priests (cf. 2 Kings 2.3ff.; Ezek. 1.3; Jer. 1.1). • Sages and wisdom teachers were "recipients and mediators" of the divine gift (cf. Gen. 41.38; 2 Sam. 14.20; 16.23; 1 Kings 3.9, etc.).

• Wisdom teacher and prophet both: Daniel.

4. Prophecy not self-authenticating: it must be judged valid.

• Conflict existed between prophets within both the Old Testament and NewTestament (cf. 1 Kings 22; Jer. 23; 28 and 2 Cor. 11.4, 13; 1 John 4.1-3). • Prophetic claims must agree with Moses (Deut. 13.1-5) and Jesus (Matt. 7.15; 24.11; 2 Pet. 2.1).

• If the word comes to pass, it is from the Lord (Deut. 18.15-22).

• All prophecy is to be examined for its truth value (1 Thess. 5.19-21).

5. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19.10).

• Prophecy speaks to Messiah's suffering and glory (Luke 24.25-27; 44).

• The prophetic Scriptures focus on his person and work (John 5.39-40).

• Apostolic preaching connected him to their message (Acts 3.12-18; 10.43; 13.27; Rom. 3.21-22; 1 Pet. 1.10-12; 2 Pet. 1.19-21).