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

A Profile of the Ancient Hebrew Prophet

in the Old Testament was not limited to the Canonical Prophets-nor was it in the New Testament...." 2 0 Most of the prophetic activity in both tes tamental times was of a personal,domestic type that would not be given or appropriate for widespread public announcement or permanent record. Canonical prophecy-prophecy worthy to be included in Scripture was a high-level,extraordinary kind of prophecy given uniquely for that purpose.When such special revelation found incorporation in Scripture, it was considered inscripturated. (This academic word,not found in the average dictionary,describes a prophecy's transition from a spoken state ment into an embodiment in Scripture.) Obviously inscripturating prophecy is in a class of its own,and such prophecy ceased with the book of Revelation given to the apostle John. 21 Two well-known references substantiate the inherent revelation and nature of Scripture.The first from 2 Timothy 3:16 is called by Henry Swete "the locus classicus on this subject," and he correctly suggests that the second of the following two references gives the best comment on the first: 22 "From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures,which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,for correction,for instruction in righteousness " (2 Timothy 3:15-16, NKJV, emphasis added). "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,for prophecy never came by the will of man,but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20-21, NKJV, emphasis added). These are two superb statements of the highest purpose and realm of prophecy: the ministry of the canonical prophet-apostle who brought, through human language,the exact word of God to mankind,both in a contemporary and an eternal sense. Charles Hodge,the famous Prince ton theologian,says: "On this subject the common doctrine of the Church is,and ever has been,that inspiration was an influence of the Holy Spirit on the minds of certain select men,which rendered them the organs of God for the infallible communication of his mind and will.They were in such a sense the organs of God,that what they said God said." 2 3 Let's look at each of these key Scriptures.

The Meaning of "Inspiration" (Theopneustos)

Inspiration is the key word in 2 Timothy 3:16. This English word, meaning simply "to breathe in," is not adequate for the meaning Paul intended.Most translations of the Greek word theopneustos state that all

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