Is the personal prophecy concept biblical?

The Bible is a very large book, and if a man or woman is guided by the Spirit of God to give an appropriate word bearing upon the condition of the saints at any given time then they are prophesying - they are giving a word of prophecy to meet particular needs.

1 Cor.14:3 tells us that prophecy is for three things, firstly, it is for edification, that means for building the saints up, building them up in their affections towards God, in their knowledge of the truth, in their responsibilities, and in their privileges. Secondly it encourages, or as the Authorised Version says, 'exhorts', it stirs up, engages the affections, the desires and the exercises of the people of God. The word of God brought to bear upon them exhorts or encourages them to further activity and further devotion in the things of the Lord. Finally, it consoles. It has been aptly said that it builds up, it stirs up and it binds up. Sometimes the saints need encouragement or help or comfort, and the word of prophecy is able to bring that to them.

Perhaps our Bible readings are on the line of teaching, and the open meetings more for prophecy. A prophetic word is a direct word from the Lord to meet some immediate need and I am sure we have heard that this week. It is the mind of God for the moment, not so much foretelling as forth-telling. The Old Testament prophets and the book of Revelation were all given originally to have an effect at that moment. John wrote originally to the seven assemblies to affect them at that time. We may be very well taught in most of the outlines of truth yet be rather slack in our movements here for God. The prophetic word keeps us consciously in touch with God, and would stir us up as Paul said to Timothy, "stir up the gift of God, which is in thee" (2 Tim. 1:6). We must not separate these unduly, as one could be contained in the other, but they are stated to be distinct gifts in this list.

We find false prophets come up with new 'revelations'. And yet every Christian ought to ponder over the numerous so-called 'revelations' of modern prophets which have never been fulfilled. The beginning of the time of tribulation, for example, or the appearing of the Antichrist or the coming of the Lord have often been falsely 'prophesied' by leaders of various sects. And thousands have left home and family in a false hope - and have been bitterly disappointed! The Word of God, however, does not give us a single clue for such calculations! We ought to expect our Lord at any moment. And yet false prophets repeatedly succeed in deluding even true children of God.

There is another kind of false prophecy which can ensnare the hearts of believers. Sometimes men arise who speak about so-called hidden sins or entanglements of believers and bring real or supposed sins to light. By doing this they appeal to the feelings of many believers and seek to influence them. Often they not only say false things but some true things as well. And so many hardly recognise that they are false prophets.

The Lord Jesus says: 'Beware of false prophets.' The best way to discern the false from the true in spiritual matters is not to know the false but to know the true. The believer does not need to be able to refute every false doctrine, but should turn away as soon as he recognises that there is something that does not glorify his lord and Redeemer. And to recognise a false prophet one must know the features of a true prophet. A true prophet speaks out of communion with God to the hearts and consciences of his listeners. He will lead them into the light of God, to a deeper knowledge of Him and closer fellowship with Him. A prophetic ministry is characterised by ministering 'oracles of God' (1 Pet. 4:11), by reaching the hearts and consciences of the listeners and by working edification, exhortation and comfort or encouragement (1 Cor. 14:3).

In 1 Cor 14 the gifts, of which the apostle had been speaking in 1 Cor 12, are supposed. To argue as unbelief does, as if there were nothing in 1 Cor. 14 of the same nature as in 1 Cor. 12 is mere folly. But, coming to the point now, there is one thing I would desire to explain before mentioning the general argument of the apostle. In the beginning of the chapter he contrasts prophesying with tongues at great length, speaking of the former in these terms (ver. 3), "He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." Now, there is many a person that understands this to mean that whoever speaks to exhortation and comfort prophesies. This is to mistake him. You could not invert the sentence and still hold the truth. What the apostle means is this: the man that only speaks in a tongue does not edify, nor does he exhort nor comfort; the man that prophesies does. The truth is, that prophesying is the highest character of divine communication through man. It is not a question of opening futurity, but of bringing God and the soul together. An instance of it we may see in the case of the woman of Samaria. What Christ said to her evidently brought God Himself home to her conscience, and she at once awoke to the conviction that He who spoke was a prophet. Prophecy is therefore the most intimate and direct communication of God in dealing with the soul, giving a person the certainty that the mind of God is being expressed. Of course the man that prophesies does edify; but there are many other forms of ministration to the soul. There is comfort and exhortation in teaching; and again, in preaching the gospel there might be great comfort to the soul; but still these things are distinct from prophesying.

But a moment’s reflection will show that this is only a part of their ministry. A large part of the Old Testament prophet’s ministry was given to bringing the mind of God in relation to the state of the people and calling them to repentance. It was not only foretelling but also forth-telling. So it was with the New Testament prophets. But apart from special revelation, which has completely passed away with them, we have the prophetic character of their ministry, and “he that prophesies speaks unto men to edification [building up], and exhortation [stirring up] and comfort [binding up]” (1 Cor. 14:3). How much of this may be sought today to real profit.

Verse 3 is the way in which prophecy works, rather than a definition of prophecy. It is speaking unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. It can be now, of course, in that way; knowledge and doctrine abide, though the giving forth of revelation does not, because all is revealed (that is, in the word). We speak of revelation in a lower sense, when anyone gets something he had not before; but then that is only what is already in the word. It is not so much here a question as to the character of the prophecy, but he contrasts the prophesying with tongues, when no one understood them; and it is as regards those who are within, not those who are without.

I now pass on to chapter 14 for a minute or two. 1 Cor. 14:1. Prophecy has the double sense of (1) foretelling events, or (2) is that class of ministry which reaches the conscience and brings the soul into the presence of God. You have it beautifully illustrated in the case of the Lord with the woman in John 4 His word, "He whom thou now hast is not thy husband," reached her conscience fully, as she says, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet." Here, however, clearly, prophesying has a wider range than that, for "he that prophesies speaks to men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3). It is a most blessed line of ministry that. "Edification" builds up. "Exhortation" stirs up. "Comfort" binds up. If the ministry is of a really prophetic character there will be the building up, the consolidating of the Assembly. And there is more than that, "exhortation" which stirs us up. I ask any one who looks over the scene today, Do you not think the saints of God want stirring up? I know I need it, and I am always thankful to the man who stirs me up. The ministry which stirs you up makes you to feel, I must wake up; I must lay aside this or that weight. And more than that — this ministry comforts, it binds up, it makes Christ precious to the heart. May the Lord give us more of that kind of ministry, beloved friends. I am speaking of the ordinary round of ministry in the Assembly day by day.

Of such communication the apostle distinguishes two kinds — revelation and knowledge. The latter supposes a revelation already given, of which some one availed himself by the Holy Ghost for the good of the flock. He then points out the gifts which were respectively the means of edifying in these two ways. It is not that the two latter terms (v. 6) are the equivalents of the two former; but the two things here spoken of as edifying the church were accomplished by means of these two gifts. There might be "prophecy" without its being absolutely a new revelation, although there was more in it than knowledge. It might contain an application of the thoughts of God, an address on the part of God to the soul, to the conscience, which would be more than knowledge, but which would not be a new revelation. God acts therein without revealing a new truth, or a new fact. "Knowledge," or "doctrine," teaches truths, or explains the word, a thing very useful to the assembly; but in it there is not the direct action of the Spirit in application, and thus not the direct manifestation of the presence of God to men in their own conscience and heart. When any one teaches, he who is spiritual profits by it; when one prophesies, even he who is not spiritual may feel it, he is reached and judged; and it is the same thing with the Christian's conscience. Revelation, or knowledge, is a perfect division and embraces everything. Prophecy, and doctrine, are in intimate connection with the two; but prophecy embraces other ideas, so that this division does not exactly answer to the first two terms.

Here, then, we have, in divine wisdom recorded in God's word, side by side, infallible commands and the judgment of a spiritual man. When it is the Lord speaking, the apostle tells us, and distinguishes this from his own judgment. And yet he spoke as a man guided by the Spirit. It is this last general guidance by the Spirit for our profit and edification that is the prophecy that always abides in the Church. Inspiration has ceased, because the word of God is complete, and there is no further need for it. But there is constant and daily need for this practical speaking by the Spirit of a word in season.

In the N.T. we read that Philip had four virgin daughters who 'prophesied;' and Agabus foretold that Paul would be bound at Jerusalem and be delivered to the Gentiles. Acts 21:9-11. Prophesying is, however, in the N.T. also used in a different sense. The word is from πρόφημι, 'to speak forth,' and a prophet may therefore be described as a spokesman of God. Prophecy of this kind is a gift in the church for the edifying of the saints, bringing God's word with power upon their consciences and hearts. It is the gift of most importance in the church. 1 Cor. 14:1-5, 24, 31, 39; 1 Thess. 5:20.