more fire

Today there are many self-proclaimed prophets and prophetesses. One can merely walk down any church-lined street in Brooklyn and see signs that read: “Founded by Prophet Malachi Jones” or “Pastor: Prophetess Zena Smith.”

So, we must ask:

1. Are we to believe that these people are actually prophets?
2. Do prophets exist today?
3. And, if so, what is the role of the modern prophet?

To answer the first question I must admit that I have never attended an alleged prophet’s church and thus cannot attest to the actuality of their gift. As to the second question, I adamantly affirm that prophets do exist today, but to more clearly explain my reasoning the role of the prophet must first be defined.

The point and purpose of prophecy is to speak forth the Word of God. The prophet is to stand in the stead of God. Thus, a prophet employs both foretelling and telling forth. The Lord speaks to the prophet in dreams and visions, he speaks to the prophet’s heart and reveals the Word through his Spirit. A prophet can be man or woman, young or old, slave or master. In fact, Philip the evangelist had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

Yet we must beware of false prophets. Christ warns, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” The Lord said to Moses: “I will put my words in [the prophet's] mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.”

A prophecy is always to be checked against the scriptures and will never be in opposition to that which is written in the Bible. The most common themes emphasized throughout the writings of the major and minor prophets are justice and mercy. The prophets cry, “Repent!” They say, “Change your ways. Follow the way of the Lord.” Jeremiah wrote, “If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever.” Prophets emphasize peace, godliness, justice for the oppressed and mercy to the disenfranchised.

The best example of a modern prophet, that comes to my mind, is Martin Luther King Jr. Although he was a Baptist preacher and perhaps the most notable Civil Rights leader in the twentieth century, his role, defined by God, was clearly that of prophet. He was a prophet of peace and justice and spoke powerfully in the name of a holy God. Among his many mighty sayings he declared, “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.“

Not only did he call a nation to repentance, he also spoke of dreams and visions. His most famous speech is entitled “I Have a Dream.” MLK, like every prophet in the scriptures and every person who ever lived (except our Lord Jesus Christ), was a flawed person. When we look at the lives of the prophets it is almost shocking to see the types of lowly, broken men he used to broadcast his holy message. Hosea married a whore, Elijah begged for death and Jonah was outraged that God didn’t consume Nineveh with his wrath. And yet these men were used by God for the advancement of his kingdom and for the glory of his namesake.

Ultimately, God uses who he will to advance his kingdom and bring glory to his name. I wholeheartedly believe that prophets do exist today, but they surely are not a common commodity. Rather than assuming titles, they pursue the glory of God’s name. They stay close to the Lord and yield before his mighty throne. They wait and listen and speak that which the Lord wills.