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

Prophets and Prophecy in the Book of Acts

The astounding miracle of Jesus' disciples speaking in human languages they had not learned was the first prophetic occurrence in the book of Acts. Non-Christian Jews at the Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem, from far and near regions circling Judea, heard the unlearned disciples speak per fectly in at least fourteen of the numerous languages of the far-flung Roman Empire. These disciples of Christ, mainly Galilean Jews, spoke in assorted native languages, yet it was apparent from dress and manner that they were not native to the languages they spoke. 3 Peter quickly identified this phenomenon as foretold by the prophet Joel (2:28-32), thereby associ ating these miracle utterances directly to prophecy. A close link exists between glossolalia and prophecy (Acts 19:6; 1 Cor inthians 14)-two gifts of the Spirit that are related yet have distinctive purposes. Both involve oral communication and a special empowerment of the Spirit that bypasses human initiation. Although the flaming fire and wind of Pentecost was not subsequently repeated, speaking in tongues and prophesying did become commonplace among the Christians (Acts 10:46; 19:6). 4 This first occurrence is a miraculous demonstration that was both tongues and prophecy at the same time: tongues to each of the speakers, who spoke languages they did not know, and prophecy to the hearers, who heard Spirit-inspired communication in their native languages. Peter called the phenomenon of speaking in tongues prophecy. 5 It was obvious that the disciples' abilities were not involved in the amazing performance. This first display thereby sets the high standard for all subsequent prophecy in the Church age. Genesis 11 recounts that God cursed the sinful society of the day by using different languages to confuse and scatter the people. Now, in Acts 2, this alienation of the nations is reversed through Christ. God shows His concern for the nations and sets the course for the era of the Spirit by hav ing the first prophecies of the new age come forth in Gentile tongues, not Hebrew. Do such literal languages ever occur in our day? A most interesting story from this century involves an early Pentecostal evangelist and mis sionary named Thomas Hezmalhalch (1848-1934). "Although he was not considered a great preacher by some contemporaries," writes W. E. Warner, "Hezmalhalch's name is legendary in both the U.S. and South Africa as a man who walked in the Spirit and who had great influence in the early Pentecostal movement." 6 He is best known for his ministry in South Africa beginning in 1908 (after he had reached sixty years of age!). Brother Tom felt God wanted him to preach to the Zulu people. To reach their country he had to cross a river, so he acquired a boat and rowed across. Then he beached the craft, looked up and found himself facing a 197 ■