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TALKING
ABOUT PROPHETS
2
TALKING ABOUT PROPHETS
Chapter
IS
A PROPHET
HAPPY WITH HIS CALLING?
Introduction:
Before we are going to talk
about the prophet in the New
Testament, it is good to first meet the Father of all prophets.
I want to tell you about His
faithfulness. The training of a prophet is not always easy. It
is a great responsibility to be a mouthpiece for God.
It seems as if God is very strict with His prophets. That is for their
own
good. That is why not many would choose themselves to be a
prophet.
In the Bible we meet many prophets that were not very happy with their
calling.
Jeremiah said: „7 O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. 8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. 9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But [his word] was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not [stay]. 10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, [say they], and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, [saying], Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him."(Jer20:7-10) No, it was not a very nice message that Jeremiah had to bring. He was also still a youth. He really was upset. „18 Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?" (Jer 20:18) Do you want to know how God reacted when Jeremiah complained to Him. He did not say anything. It seems as if God did not even hear him (maybe just as well). After he finished speaking it was as if God said, Well, have you finished complaining? Here is the next message for you to bring. Balaam took the way of least resistance and became a false prophet. Jonah decided to go his own way and we all know what happened. God knew where he was. When Isaiah saw God he was very afraid and called out that he had unclean lips. Did you ever ask yourself, why he said that? Jesus told us specifically that we do not become contaminated by what comes into of our mouth, but by what comes out of our mouth. 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are [the things] which defile a man: (Matt 15:17-20) Isaiah lived in the time of the kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. When we have a look at the lives of those kings, we will see that what happened there was enough to disappoint and embitter Isaiah. Today we also see many wrong things happen in the churches, maybe our own church and specially now in this time the prophets have to watch themselves that they do not become contaminated by what comes out of their mouths. Like Isaiah we need to go regularly before the Lord and ask Him to cleanse us in His fire and purify our lips. Prophets need to watch their relationship with God, they need to live real close to Him and spend time in His Presence, in order to be able to hear His voice. Moses had a problem with temper and it cost him 40 years in the desert. And he still would not let God deal with this problem and change his heart. We cannot change our own hearts, but God can and He knows just how to do it! Moses missed it and could not enter into the promised land. Elijah was afraid for Jezebel and fled. Three times God gave him the opportunity to bare his heart and ask God to change it. He was full of fear and selfpity. All God wanted was for him to be honest with God. After the third time God told him to anoint someone else in his place. Did God reject Elijah? No, God still loved him. What do you think? God sent a chariot and horses from heaven to fetch him and later on he was sent with Moses to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration to prepare Him for what was to come. Great is Thy faithfulness, oh Lord! King David sinned, but he humbled himself before the Lord and repented and the Lord forgave him. I have seen God’s faithfulness many times in my own life. Not so long ago the Lord warned me in a dream that I was going to be left behind when God would start moving, because of pride and haughtiness. I repented and asked God to change my heart. God’s answer came with fire! It was a year that I would not want to have to do over ever again. I am thankful that God answered my prayer and changed my heart! When you look at the lives of the prophets in the Bible you see that God is faithful. I made a study about God’s faithfulness in the Bible. I read Psalm 36:6/Ps40:11/Ps 71:20,21/Ps 89:2,3,6,9,25,34,35/ Psa 92:3/ Ps 119:75,90/ Ps 143:1/ Isa 11:5/ Isa 25:1? Lam 3:22,23/ Hosea 2:19/ 1 Thess 5:24/ 2 Thess 3:3 The word ‘faithfulness’ comes from the rootword "aman". I think our English word „Amen" comes from that and what we are actually saying is: God’s faithfulness will accomplish or do it". The Hebrew word „aman" also means: to build up, to carry, to encourage, to give faith, to provide, to help, to prove, to justify, to carry on hands, to raise up, to promote, to develop, to cherish, to train, to bring into balance. All those make me think of God’s love as described in 1 Cor 13. My favorite scripture is found in Rom 8:38,39 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In this scripture we read that NOTHING can seperate us from God’s love, which is His faithfulness and determination to bring us to an expected end, to the fulfilment of His purposes and plans for our lives. I want to close this section with what God says to us in Isaiah 46:3,4,10,11) 3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne [by me] from the belly, which are carried from the womb: 4 And [even] to [your] old age I [am] he; and [even] to hoar hairs will I carry [you]: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver [you]. 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11:… yea, I have spoken [it], I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed [it], I will also do it. (Jesaja 46:10-11) |
