What is a prophet?Break it down...
"Prophetic."
"Prophet."
"Proph/prof."
"Pro."
Prophet.
Is it someone who claims to be God? Or is it someone who holds some kind of special/direct communication with God?
And who gets to define this person as a madman or a spokesman? The prophet or the spectator? Back in the day the Jews affirmed a teacher of the law as one having authority by having two "authoritative" types place their hands on him.
Which raises the question... should we be able to recognize a genuine prophet? Or should a genuine prophet be the kind of person who was always surprising people and out-boxing every box others tried to put him in?
As I see it, a genuine prophet is the kind of person who speaks of risk when we'd rather hear comfort... and comfort when we'd rather have risk... who proclaims division when we'd rather have peace... and peace when we'd rather have division.
The kind of person whom you couldn't put your finger on... that is, until you held him down and crucified him.
"He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:10-13)
3 comments:
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment. I've been reading your site and enjoy what you have to say. Look forward to much more. And congrats on the Master degree. I got one from Southwestern Baptist Seminary, but it's stuck in my closet gathering dust. Such is the way of God, eh?
His peace.
B~
Of course there's also that association which I think is usually primary in peoples' minds: the prophet as predicting the future. To me that's less interesting than the questions you raise.
I like your idea of a prophet as someone who doesn't fit well into any of the preconfigured boxes.
Thanks, Bruce!
Darius... you're right - most people only know of the "foretelling" side of a prophet but seldom think of the "forthtelling" aspect. One deals with what God has shown that prophet the future to be, whereas the latter deals with what will happen if people continue on the path they are on.
Post a Comment