More thoughts on Prophecy

I was thinking about the composition of what passes for prophecy today and the desire for people to be specifically guided in their decisions by God. They go to the Bible and see people being shown where to live or who to marry and they expect that kind of detailed direction for their own lives. Of course since demand often creates a ready supply, there is no lack of "prophets" that will provide such a "word" from God on these matters. I think something critical gets overlooked in assuming that the type of guidance we read about in the Old and New testaments is to be expected by us today. It is the idea of a historically unfolding plan of redemption.

Let's face it; the Bible is not an exhaustive history of God's people. In fact, were told it is not even a complete account of the ministry of Jesus Christ. What was written was provided for our instruction. Why? So that we can use it as a benchmark of what to expect in our own lives? To be sure, the Bible has many places that serve to provide a paradigm of for our own lives in terms of God's prescriptive will (His commands). But that is not the primary purpose of the various narratives and prophetic utterances we read about. Take this passage of Scripture as a key interpretive marker...

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;John 5:39

The whole point of the Bible is to point us to the person and work of Christ! If we understand that, then it is not hard to see that some things are a integral part of God's process of accomplishing the redemption of a people for Christ. When Isaac is prophetically guided to whom he must marry, we know in hindsight that this is the line of people that Christ will be born from. The same is true with all of the prophetic direction we read about. They are specific because they either are a part of the history of redemption leading to the birth and work of Christ, or they are part of the foundational establishing of the New Covenant church of God.

So why then is it different for us today? We are not part of either of those two historical periods. Even in the Old Testament, we do not see an uninterrupted string of detailed prophecies for every Israelite do we? I think not. The Bible does not tell me that God specifically told the ancient equivalent of John Doe whether to work as a farmer or a herdsman, or whether to live on the plain or near the river. These things are absent from the everyday life of the average OT worshiper, and they should be absent from ours as well.

Does this mean we are inferior? By no means! Listen to these words...

So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.2 Peter 1:19-21

We have a more certain prophetic word in the pages of the Scripture, and we'd find instruction for our lives in the form of godly wisdom if we'd just apply ourselves to the study and meditation of the Bible. My friends, do not search high and low for someone to tell you "God told me you are supposed to do such and such", but diligently study to show yourselves approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. This is where wisdom is to be found and tha wisdom will be sufficient for your life's decisions.