Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

Message: Various Ways of Prophetic Expression

• The messianic age • The conversion of the Gentiles • Eschatological and apocalyptic concepts 16

Keep in mind that biblical prophecies can be fulfilled conditionally (meaning there are conditions to be met before fulfillment can take place) or they can be unconditional (no obligations to be met before fulfillment). Most of the Old Testament prophecies were conditional, based on the texts of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28.17 The unconditional prophe cies were concerned mainly with the salvation of God's people and the grander cosmic themes. One of the most fascinating studies of the Bible is that of the prophe cies concerning Jesus and their fulfillment. Thirty-eight of these prophe cies are laid out in a helpful chart in The Thompson Chain Reference Bible. 18 All the messianic prophecies are clearly identified and quoted in the New Testament. I notice that my New Open Bible Study Edition lists 22 messianic passages in the Psalms alone identified by direct quote or allusion in the New Testament. 19 The most quoted messianic text in the New Testament is from Psalm 110:4: "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek" (KJV). Styles of Rhetoric. A number of effective styles were used by the prophets, but they were always connected with the special burden of the word of the Lord. It is safe to say that nearly all, if not all, kinds of com munication and Israelite life were reflected in prophetic speech. The prophet used familiar ways of speaking, such as the language of prover bial wisdom, courtroom process, religious expression, the tavern, the funeral, the commercial world and popular songs. The prophets brought indictment (statement of offense), judgment (pun ishment to be carried out), instruction and exhortation (expected response), after-condition statements (affirmation of future hope or deliv erance), testimonials (of God's acts, ways and nature), historical narra tives (describing historical happenings) and parables (true-to-life stories with a spiritual meaning). One category usually overlooked is the death pronouncement. Some examples: Elisha on the 42 lads (2 Kings 2:24); Isaiah to Shebna (Isaiah 22:18); Jeremiah on Pashhur (Jeremiah 20:6); Amos on Amaziah (Amos 7:17); and Peter to Sapphira (Acts 5:9). Tucker lists these basic modes of prophetic speech: hymnic units, cul tic songs, priestly Torah, sayings, parables, exhortations and admonitions, legal process, dirge, vision reports, symbolic action and woe oracles. 20 The prophet, inspired by the Spirit, sought to bring graphic realism to the mes sage and make it compelling. 103