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

The Transition from Old to New

and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (Revelation 1:6, NKJV). Continuity exists between the Old Testament prophets, priests and kings and their New Testament counterparts in the sense of general definition, but a grand spiritual enhancement occurs in the spiritual fulfillment. Harold Horton says: "In the Old Testament only some were priests, because such intermediaries were necessary; in the New Testament all are priests, because our Antitypical Priest has come and is Himself seated in heaven as our only Intermediary. In the same way in the Old Testament, only some were prophets, because such intermediaries were necessary; but in the New Testament 'all may prophesy' since our Antitypical Prophet has taken up the Office and sent forth a Representative who will lead us all equally into all truth." 22 Although all may prophesy in the Church (1 Corinthians 14), there is definitely the ministry or calling of the prophet as well. The New Testa ment prophet comes from the succession of the legitimate prophets of the Old Testament, which helps explain the necessity of maintaining the Hebrew practice of "testing." The shepherding of God's people now shifts from the paradigm of prophet-priest-king to the New Testament pattern of apostle-prophet evangelist-pastor-teacher {Ephesians 4:11). The people of God ceased being just one, small ethnic group to become the worldwide family of God composed of innumerable people from all nations. This radical national and geographical change, reinforced by new spiritual empowerment, necessitated a change in leadership approach. Jesus began the change by recruiting those amenable to His message of humility. The greatest among His people, He taught, would be the most humble, and He began by calling disciples, those willing to obey His teach ings and follow His lifestyle. From this pool of followers He selected twelve to be His foundational leaders. At this point there occurs a radical departure from the Old Testament: Jesus chose not prophets but apostles to found His Church. Jesus' choice of twelve apostles seems to indicate a deliberate, direct break with the institutionalized twelve tribes of Israel. He was launching a new order with new, functional leadership titles that would convey fresh significance to the hearers. The apostles became "the New Testament counterpart of the divinely authoritative Old Testament prophets." 23 Although apostle is not the same as prophet, there is a sense in which these new leaders were connected with the Old Testament prophets. The Hebrew prophet ■ 150 A New Leadership Structure Allows Prophetic Ministry to Be More Practical and Functional