Tag Archives: Prophet

A Warning to All So-Called Prophets and Those Who Think They Are Prophetic

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The Basis Requirements for Being a Prophet of Elohim

The Torah reveals the basic requirements of a prophet. If a person is a prophet, YHVH will reveal himself to a person as per the instructions Numbers 12:6 (see also Jer 23:28). The context of these instructions was the misuse of the mouth in accusation against an elder in Israel. Evidently, Aaron and Miriam (who was a prophetess, Exod 15:20) thought they had gotten a prophetic word from Elohim and felt justified in correcting Moses on that basis. They were wrong and YHVH’s punishments were swift and severe.

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There Are Eleven Levels of a Prophet

A little known fact in modern-day church prophetic circles is that the Bible reveals that there are eleven levels of a prophet. The list below is adopted from The Guide to the Perplexed (by Moses Maimonides [or the Rambam] pp. 241–245.) Most so-called prophets in the church if they are on the list of the requirements for being a true prophet are at the lowest levels. This fact alone should cool the prophetic jets of most who think they’re Elohim’s elect and anointed prophet to the body of Yeshua. In reality, considering Israel’s long history, the Scriptures reveal that there were very few Elohim-sent prophets. Long periods of time passed without there being a true prophet of Elohim in Israel. There was no shortage of false and carnal-minded prophets, however. Now here’s the list:

  • 1— Divine assistance given to a person to induce or encourage him to do something good and grand (e.g. Judg 2:18; 1 Sam 11:6; 1 Chr 12:18; Exod 2:17; 1 Sam 16:17). Scripture often records this occurrence when it states, “And the Spirit of YHVH came upon so and so…”
  • 2 — The person feels as if something came upon him, and as if he had received a new power that encourages him to speak. Such a person is said to speak by the Set-Apart Spirit. The books of Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Daniel, Job, Chronicles and the rest of the Ketuvim (Writings or Hagiographa) were written under the inspiration of the Set-Apart Spirit. See also 2 Sam 23:2; Num 11:25; 2 Chron 20:14–15; Num 23:5; etc.) Often prefaced by the phrase, “The Spirit of YHVH spoke to me…” or “So and so prophesied…”

Below are the levels of a prophet. Not all people who have these experiences are prophets. Those who hold the biblical office of a prophet will experience these things Continue reading →

 

New Video: The Five-Fold Ministry Explained

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In this video, Natan Lawrence explains the ministry offices of Ephesians 4:11 with special emphasis on the ministry of the apostle and prophet. He discusses how these, along with the other ministry offices should function in the local assembly and how the modern church has often missed the true intent of these ministries.

 

How to Know a False vs. a True Prophet

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Deuteronomy 13:2–6, A prophet or a dreamer … a sign or a wonder. A prophet may claim to receive his vision or “word from YHVH” while he was awake in a vision or in a dream while asleep (The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, p. 1007).

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According to Rashi (the Jewish Torah commentator), a sign is a supernatural event in heaven while a wonder is a miraculous event on earth. There are those among the people of YHVH who, as Adam Clarke states in his commentary on this verse, “pretend to have a divine influence, so as to be able perfectly to direct others in the way of salvation” or shows some “miraculous proof of his mission … or some type of representation of what he wishes to bring you over to” (vol. 1, p. 774).

Yeshua warned about false prophets in the latter days who would deceive many (Matt 24:11) and false messiahs who might even deceive the “very elect” (verse 24). Paul talks about a “man of sin” that would arise showing signs and lying wonders such that some would fall from the truth of the salvation message of the gospel (2 Thess 2:1–12). Paul warns, Continue reading →

 

What Is the Test of a True Prophet?

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13:2–6, A prophet or a dreamer … a sign or a wonder. A prophet may claim to receive his vision or “word from YHVH” while he was awake in a vision or in a dream while asleep (The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, p. 1007). According to Rashi (the Jewish Torah commentator), a sign is a supernatural event in heaven while a wonder is a miraculous event on earth. There are those among the people of YHVH who, as Adam Clarke states in his commentary on this verse, “pretend to have a divine influence, so as to be able perfectly to direct others in the way of salvation” or shows some “miraculous proof of his mission … or some type of representation of what he wishes to bring you over to” (vol. 1, p. 774).

Yeshua warned about false prophets in the latter days who would deceive many (Matt 24:11) and false messiahs who might even deceive the “very elect” (verse 24). Paul talks about a “man of sin” that would arise showing signs and lying wonders such that some would fall from the truth of the salvation message of the gospel (2 Thess 2:1–12). Paul warns, “do not be soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word … let no man deceive you by any means (verses 2–3). He then (in verses 15–17) encourages the brethren to stand fast in the simple truths of the gospel of Yeshua:

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Master Yeshua the Messiah himself, and Elohim, even our Father, which has loved us, and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.

As you learn more about the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith and the Written Torah-Word of YHVH, are you being led astray from the simple Word of YHVH, whether as found in the Tanakh (OT) or in the Testimony of Yeshua (NT) by people claiming to speak as an oracle from heaven? Deuteronomy 13:3 says that YHVH proves his people “to know whether you love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul.” Jude, the half brother of Yeshua, speaking of the spiritual delusion to occur in the last days exhorts us to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once and for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3).

There is no place in the Scriptures that indicates that the ministry of the prophet isn’t still valid within the body of Yeshua today (see Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 14 entire chapter; also Joel 2)—and all the more so as the time of Yeshua’s return draws near (see Joel 2:28–30).

How then can we tell the true from the false prophets? One simple test is this: All the true prophets of the Bible were obedient to the Torah. No exceptions! This is one of the major biblical proofs to determine the validity of a prophet. Regardless of whether one calls oneself a prophet, or whether men call someone a prophet is irrelevant. His living in accordance with and pointing people to YHVH’s Torah-Word is the determining factor.

 

Personal Prophecy or Fortune Telling?

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1 Kings 14:1–17, Here the evil King Jeroboam who had turned his back on Elohim when he introduced idolatry into the northern kingdom of Israel, in his time of personal need, sought a word from the prophet of Elohim. He wondered whether his sick son, his only heir, would recover or not. He sent gifts via his wife to the prophet Ahijah hoping to “purchase” a word from the LORD. Instead, Ahijah pronounced judgment upon the child and upon Jeroboam.

We see a similar situation in 2 Kings 8:7–9 where the wicked king of Syria attempted to hire Elisha the prophet for money to find out whether he would recover from his illness or not. Instead, the man of Elohim pronounced judgment on the king.

Finally, Saul, sought to hire the prophet Samuel to give him a word regarding his lost donkeys (1 Sam 9:6–9). Saul’s penchant to divine the future remained unabated, for later in his life he sought to consult Samuel via the witch of Endor in an effort to know his future fate (1 Sam 28:7). Again judgment was pronounced on Saul.

What do these examples all have in common? Individuals were seeking to know the future by those they deemed to have prophetic capabilities. Does the Bible condone this practice? From the examples cited, it would seem not. This is not to denigrate in any way the true role of the biblical prophet. However, the biblical norm is that the prophet of Elohim came to you with a word; you didn’t go to him seeking a word—or to divine your future. And no money was ever exchanged!

In certain areas within the church, prophets and prophecy have became a fad. Many “prophets” have almost a cult following. Many of these “prophets” profit handsomely as they peddle prophetic words and personal prophecies. The problem is that these “prophets” are hard-pressed to find biblical examples to justify their activities. For many of them, it seems that their subjective experiences determines what they believe, teach and practice rather than the objective truth as recorded in Elohim’s Word.

Would you care to open this can of worms and share your insights and experiences in the area of “personal prophecy” and your experiences with church “prophets”?

 

Can the Same Person Be Both a Prophet of Elohim and Demonized?

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Below are two examples from the life of King Saul who at times prophesied while under the influence of the Set-Apart Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) of Elohim, and at other times he was under the influence of an evil (demonic) spirit (e.g., when he tried to murder David, when he sought counsel of the witch of Endor).

1 Samuel 18:10, Saul…prophesied. Saul prophesied (Heb. naba). Naba can refer to the prophetic utterances of both true and false prophets. When Saul was under the influence of the Spirit of Elohim he prophesied by the Set-Apart Spirit. When under the influence of an evil spirit, he “raved” (NAS). Is Saul a picture of modern Torahless prophets in the church who sometimes prophesy and sometimes rave?

1 Samuel 19:20–24, Saul and his servants prophesy. Though Saul and his servants were under the influence of an evil spirit, when they came under the influence of the Spirit of Elohim, they would prophesy by the Spirit. Many people in the church claim to be prophets, though they are only walking partially in Torah and partially following the rudiments of this world or pagan and church traditions that violate the Torah-word of Elohim. These are Babylonian prophets who prophesy mixture: sometimes truth and sometimes error.

Do King Saul-type prophets exist in the church today? Many of us have seen or heard those in the church who claim to be prophets, yet they are largely Torahless in belief and practice (all the true biblical prophets were Torah-obedient, as far as we know), are profiting from their careers as prophets (“for-profit prophets?”), and many of their “prophetic” words are later proven to be impossible to substantiate, or are flat-out dead wrong! However, sometimes, their prophecies are right on. What do you make of this? Can this be reconciled from the Scriptures?