Prophecy: The Basics

Prophecy: its purpose, unfoldment, and fulfillment

I want to probe a subject that’s very close to my heart and that’s central to a clear understanding of the plans of God. And that’s the whole subject of “prophecy.”

It’s not something esoteric or mysterious as some people might think. To me, it’s something that’s vital, perfectly logical, and very understandable.

First of all, just what is prophecy? Of course, I’m sure we’d agree that in theological terms it’s an inspired vision, a revelation, of some aspect of God’s plan that will come to pass. But of course, not all revelation is prophecy.

Prophecy is a specific aspect of revelation, of the revealed Word of God. Simply put, it’s that which a prophet, or spiritual seer, consciously perceives as a present spiritual fact, even though it hasn’t yet come to pass—but which will come to pass in the natural order of divine unfoldment. In other words, prophecy is the recording of history before it happens. Now that certainly puts it in a category all its own! It illustrates the unity of all real being—of what we call the past, the present, and the future. But it’s all one to all-knowing divine Mind, or God.

In the Nigerian churches, especially in the Pentecostal circle, people receive prophecies for personal fulfilment. Most people see prophecy as a shortcut to hearing from God and fulfilling their personal goals and aspirations in life.

Prophecy however, is more than this.

It is how we get invited to partake of the move of God in real time and be a part of all the wonders that God is still doing in the realm of men in terms of furthering the gospel and defeating the realm of darkness until Jesus returns.

Prophets have come in all sizes and shapes. But the important thing is that they have been sent and empowered by God, and they carry divine authority for the message God has given them to give to others.

The message of prophecy isn’t subject to personal interpretation. As Peter, Jesus’ disciple, declared: “No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”

They spoke as they were moved by the will of God, not the will of man.

So, prophecy is actually law to human experience, and it must be fulfilled.

The inevitable fulfillment of prophecy represents a sacred union of cause and effect. In fact, it’s important to see that there’s a difference between a prophecy and its fulfillment. Yes, they’re forever united by divine law. They can never be separated. But prophecy represents and reflects divine Mind, God, infinite Love as cause, while the fulfillment of prophecy represents and reflects God as effect.

That’s a subtle, but vital, difference. And the fulfillment of prophecy is brought about through the action of the Holy Ghost moving on the waters of human consciousness—often over centuries—until the time appointed.

A prophecy without the realization of its certain fulfillment would make the prophecy just a hazy hope without substance or assurance. It would be meaningless.

A person claiming that some event is the result of prophecy can’t be trusted if the event hasn’t been foretold. Fulfilled prophecy carries the authority of spiritual causation. Also, without the underpinning of law, it lacks care, protection, direction, and accomplishment.

So, what does it take to be a prophet—not just in old, recorded history, but what does it take today—because prophecy is timeless, and prophets are today’s contemporary messengers.

Certainly, the prophet has to be receptive. He, or she, has to listen. If you don’t listen, you can’t hear.

Moral integrity is important so there’s no static to distort the message.

There has to be courage because the message often runs counter to what one would expect.

Obedience is vital and provides a mantle of protection for the prophet. And overarching everything is the cohesiveness of love.

Love unites all the necessary qualities, and it impels the motives and acts of the prophet.

The Bible gives us so many examples and role models to follow. Just one from the Old Testament that has meant a lot to me is Elijah. We’re told: “The word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee” 1 Kings 17:8-23

God was telling Elijah that a terrible famine was about to come and that he needed to be sustained, cared for, supplied, so he could continue his good work.

Elijah was a true prophet; one might even say he was an experienced prophet. He had spent years renovating his life, gathering himself closer to God. He was daily living those qualities required of the messenger that I’ve just mentioned. So, clearly recognizing the voice of God, and without further questioning, he packed his knapsack and started his long donkey ride to Zarephath, which was more than 200 miles away.

When he arrived at the gate of the city, he found a widow gathering scrub wood. He didn’t have to go looking for a widow. He didn’t question if this were the right widow

He knew that encountering the God-appointed woman was simply part of the divine plan that had been choreographed directly by the one Mind. And he knew from experience that God’s plan always has far-reaching ramifications, not narrow ones.

Now if he was being sent to someone who was to care for him, wouldn’t the likely prospect be someone with adequate means, possibly of the richer upper class, maybe a farmer, a merchant, someone with the means to support him during a time of famine? But here he was being sent to the least likely person imaginable—a poor, starving, widow.

The Bible account goes on to say that she told Elijah she was at the end of her rope—no more food, no ability to care for herself or her beloved child—so she was going to bake her last small quantity of meal and then die with her child.

When Elijah instructed her to feed him before she fed her child or herself, it could have sounded unspeakably cruel and selfish to the unspiritually-minded. But Elijah understood that divine Love was the substance and source of supply.

He knew that substance consists of ideas stemming from divine Mind, the God that is unlimited divine Love. He knew that the overflow of Love always translated into visible forms to meet all human needs. So, he gave the woman the opportunity to express that Love divine, to be unselfish, to reach outside of herself, thereby demonstrating, in some degree, her link to the Love that supplies all good. And he knew through many years of prayer and practice that the coincidence of the human and the divine would be made evident in whatever manner was needed in their daily experience.