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

Makeup: Traits That Characterized a Prophet

personal way; he was chosen and sent by God on a mission with a mes sage from God. The term man of God indicates sole dedication, no com promise, and is used of various men. Three examples: Moses (Deuteron omy 33:1), Samuel (1 Samuel 9:6) and Shemaiah (1 Kings 12:22). This expression is used of Elisha 36 times. 3. Messenger ofthe LORD. This term goes to the heart of prophetic min istry. The prophet is a faithful messenger. He brings a message of great importance from the King of Heaven! The prophet chooses neither the message nor the receiver; his sole responsibility is to his Boss, the Lord, from whom he received the message. The prophets, like the angels, were merely delivery persons. Angels were spiritual messengers while prophets delivered the revealed words of God, so the same Hebrew word, malak, is used for both. A messenger might be sent to nations, cities, tribes or individuals. The consciousness of being sent was common to all the prophets: "Go, and tell this people" (Isaiah 6:9; see Jeremiah 26:15). The message was often contemporary, but it could also interpret the past, predict future events or be messianic in nature. Haggai, among others, was called "the mes senger of the LORD" (Haggai 1:13; see 2 Chronicles 36:15-16; Isaiah 44:26; Malachi 3:1). On one frightening occasion the Lord, offended by King David's pre sumptuous sin of numbering Israel (putting trust in military power), sent the prophet-seer Gad to David with a choice of three options of how God would send His judgment on Judah. Gad delivered his message and then made this impatient statement to the humbled king: "Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me" (1 Chronicles 21:12). Paul boldly picked up the designation of messenger for himself and other Christian ministers when he said, "We speak as messengers who have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News" (1 Thes salonians 2:4, NLT). 4. Seroant ofthe LORD. The prophet was a slave of the Lord by choice and affection. Like the bondservant who willingly made himself a per manent slave of his benevolent master (see Deuteronomy 15:12-17), the prophet willingly accepted this humble role. The law required the bondservant to have his ear pierced (probably a ring was then inserted), thereby indicating that he lived to hear and obey his master-a perfect illustration of the prophet. He served only one master, whatever his will and desire might be. God refers lovingly to "My servants the prophets" (2 Kings 9:7; 17:13; Jeremiah 7:25; 35:15; Ezekiel 38:17; Zechariah 1:6). What a compliment for the Scripture to so record a prophet's name! For example, "According to the word of the LORD 57 ■