Who wants to be a prophet?

[Gerr]

I tried to think of a true prophet who was popular and readily accepted, but could not think of one. Instead the popular and accepted ones were the false prophets. Most of the true prophets were villified and ridiculed. How is that?

[Light Fox]

Interesting topic. It certainly seems that claiming to be a prophet (or messenger, or inspired, or to have even been instructed to do something by God) is the quickest way to arouse opposition and rejection.

[Gustave]

I tried to think of a true prophet who was popular and readily accepted, but could not think of one. Instead the popular and accepted ones were the false prophets. Most of the true prophets were villified and ridiculed. How is that?

And most of them were "killed"....

...The reason appears to be that true prophets rebuke people.

...For departing FROM previously establihed Doctrines.

...Popular false prophets "establish doctrines" and they simply die OF old age.

...Prior to the "Fad" of their new teachings wearing off.

[phkrause]

I tried to think of a true prophet who was popular and readily accepted, but could not think of one. Instead the popular and accepted ones were the false prophets. Most of the true prophets were villified and ridiculed. How is that?

Interesting thought Gerry. I do believe there are a few here that are looking to be in that position or think that there are already. :(

[Light Fox]

Well, there's certainly a few being vilified and ridiculed, anyway.

[ClubV12]

Based on Gerry's analysis, and the treatment Ellen White to often receives on this web site, I'd say it's "proof positive" EGW is a prophet! :)

[phkrause]

Based on Gerry's analysis, and the treatment Ellen White to often receives on this web site, I'd say it's "proof positive" EGW is a prophet!

yes and Jeremiah comes to mind of a Prophet that the Israelite's didn't want to listen to.

[Woody]

I tried to think of a true prophet who was popular and readily accepted, but could not think of one. Instead the popular and accepted ones were the false prophets. Most of the true prophets were villified and ridiculed. How is that?

I am not so sure I would want to jump on the band wagon of this thought. Our prophet Ellen White is the most popularly read prophet in history.

[Light Fox]

What she is now is not what she was then. After a generation or two, almost all prophets receive a hearty endorsement. The people who advocate the prophets past are usually the same ones that reject the prophets present. Few if any prophets receive honor (or even rudimentary respect) in their own time.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers! Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar."

[phkrause]

From what I've heard, has lead more people to Christ than anyone. Come to think of it, not sure how you'd know that.

[ClubV12]

Well, I guess we could say the same for Paul, "led more people to Christ", all though I'm not sure Paul fits whatever the current definition of "prophet" means. :)

[Pastor_Chick]

[...]

And most of them were "killed"....

...The reason appears to be that true prophets rebuke people.

...For departing FROM previously established Doctrines.

[...]

That is exactly where we are in Adventism today. "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." (Prov. 27:6)

[Naraiel]

That's a very interesting question, Gerry

First of all, we can see in God's Word and thru Church's history that God's prophets or messengers [who were called by Him to reveal the present truth for a specific age and to reproof with authority the current sins and indulgences that nominal believers were cherishing in their hearts] were ridiculed, hated, despised, and verbally abused by their own family of the faith. Any sin in the heart, passive or active, secret or public, will love darkness, secrecy, and will hate the light of judgment or anyone whose living testimony is a constant reproof of their actions and words.

God’s prophets were true Israelites, overcomes, who experienced in their lives by the grace of God victory over all known sins.

“Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Jhon 1:47

“But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Rom 2:28

The true Gospel of Christ will offend anyone who still loves and cherishes any known sin in their hearts; it doesn’t matter if those are active or passive, secret or public, small ones or big ones. If we have not felt judged or convicted of sin by His teachings, then we must look again for the right Gospel.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom 6:23

The true Gospel and Spirit of Christ restores human lives, giving them authority and power to overcome all temptations from the flesh, the world, the devil, and all their known sins, including defects of character.

“Whosoever abideth in [the Savior] sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him…Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” 1 Jhon 3:6,9 [read all chapter]

God’s prophets and messengers are attacked, and their words are twisted entirely by reprobate minds who are so drunk with the wine of confusion (Babylon)that they don’t even notice.

Many don't know what is true love, many can't discern what is holy and what is profane.Therefore, many feel threaten by any word, every action of any person who is walking according to the light they have neglected for they feel judged. Those who resist acknowledging their sins of pride and selfishness will be deceived and lead by Satan to think like he does, and persecute and despise God’s messengers.

“These things have I [Jesus] spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” Jhon 16:2-3

Even in Christ’s days, his own generation and his own people didn’t believe his claims. He was despised by many and his words were entirely misunderstood and twisted by those who believe to be "intelectuals and teachers", but according to Christ, they were whited sepulchres that even so they outwardly appear righteous unto men, they are within full of hypocrisy and iniquity." [Mat 23:27-28]

“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at [Jesus]. But Jesus said unto them, a prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.” Mark 6:4-6

In other words, "Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?" 1 King 22:24

“It was the holiness of Christ that stirred up against Him the fiercest passions of falsehearted professors of godliness. The Jews looked for the Messiah to break the oppressor’s yoke, yet they cherished the sins that bound it upon their necks. Had Christ applauded their piety, they would have accepted Him as their king; but they would not bear His fearless rebuke of their vices. Thus it has been in every age of the world. When rebuked by the example of those who hate sin, hypocrites become the agents of Satan to persecute the faithful.”

Ellen G. White- From Eternity Past, Page 440

[Windsor]

I tried to think of a true prophet who was popular and readily accepted, but could not think of one. Instead the popular and accepted ones were the false prophets. Most of the true prophets were villified and ridiculed. How is that?

While it's true that the prophets of God are rarely popular and readily accepted, it does not follow that all prophets which are unpopular and unaccepted are therefore true prophets of God.

There are many false prophets in the world that are also unaccepted. Harold Camping was able to deceive a small number of Christians, but the vast majority declared him a false prophet long before May 21, 2011.

[Kevin H]

Some of the ways we see the curse on the house of Eli fulfilled was by his decendents helping God's anointed David, and the family having a number of prophets in it and prophets often don't live to be old men.

I just finished listening to the Screwtape letters by C. S. Lewis. While I don't believe that he was a prophet, I could not but help notice the difference between people like him, as well as what I see in prophets, contrasted to popular prophets today: prophets who focus on attacking liberals and homosexuals and Calvinists attacking Arminians, Arminians attacking Calvinists. False prophets have a message of us against them and we are right. Jeremiah, Jesus, Paul, Ellen White tend to write like what I've seen in Lewis's Screwtape letters and The Great Divorce, warining us about ourselves.

And as pointed out above, it is interesting how Mrs. White was treated by people when she was alive. The conservatives kept accusing her of apostisizing and that they were following her earlier writings that came from God while her later writings came from Willie and Prescott. She wrote them letters telling them that they did not understand her writings and was misrepresenting her, however they rejected those messages as coming from Willie and Prescott, and that they had the correct interpetation of Mrs. White. However todays conservatives still like the interpetation by the earlier conservatives but Baptize the later Mrs. White into the message too and wouldn't you know but Willie and Prescott turn out to be good conservative adventists afterall and it's todays liberals that the problem lays with.

[Pastor_Chick]

[...]

[...]

There are many false prophets in the world that are also unaccepted. Harold Camping was able to deceive a small number of Christians, but the vast majority declared him a false prophet long before May 21, 2011. [emphasis supplied]

Windsor,

The "vast majority" of professed Christians would declare almost anyone who claims some heaven-sent gift of the Spirit to be false. And that attitude is reflected among those in the SDA persuasion as well -- EGW being the exception.

I suppose you are referring to the "200 million" followers of Harold Camping as the "small number of Christians" being deceived. What is the SDA denomination's membership count these days? 20 million?

I really find that "prophets" of either kind (false or true) are "made" by the people who "follow" them. If a person just declares himself or herself to be a "divine messenger" of whatever sort, it is not likely to be taken seriously. But, when there is a "talent" exhibited such that people DO become "impressed" at some level, then THEY declare the person's "prophet-hood."

David Koresh is a prime example. He could quote the Bible from cover to cover -- fully memorized. THAT is a "talent." THAT was one factor that led even highly educated people to consider him as a divinely-gifted messenger. Most of his followers were from the SDA persuasion also. Unfortunately, those believers were not well-grounded in the SOP. Otherwise, they could have easily seen through the facade.

[Gordon1]

Our prophet Ellen White is the most popularly read prophet in history.

I doubt it Woody. Moses or Daniel must have much wider readership than EGW.

[Sonny]

...I'm not sure Paul fits whatever the current definition of "prophet" means.

2 Thess 2:1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.

Apparently the word was out that Jesus was returning, but Paul corrects this teaching because he had prophetic insights from God. Thus Paul was a prophet & an Apostle.

3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, [i.e., don't be fooled that Christ is returning now] for that day [the 2nd coming] will not come until the falling away [apostasy] occurs and the man of sin is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

So Paul had prophetic insight from God that the 2nd coming wouldn't occur until a great apostasy happened where the man of sin would claim to be God sitting in an earthly temple.

[Israfel]

Who wants to be a prophets?

Prophets are called by the Almighthy God, however there are they that desire to be prophet, the Sword of God declares them as false:

" And the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed! And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; they will have no one to bury them—them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters—for I will pour their wickedness on them.’

“Therefore you shall say this word to them:

Let my eyes flow with tears night and day,

And let them not cease;

For the virgin daughter of my people

Has been broken with a mighty stroke, with a very severe blow.

18 If I go out to the field,

Then behold, those slain with the sword!

And if I enter the city,

Then behold, those sick from famine!

Yes, both prophet and priest go about in a land they do not know.” Jeremiah 14:14-17

[BobRyan]

Well, I guess we could say the same for Paul, "led more people to Christ", all though I'm not sure Paul fits whatever the current definition of "prophet" means.

Paul had inspired dreams and visions according to the NT - and in Numbers 12:6 we find that this is how God defines a prophet.

in Christ,

Bob

[BobRyan]

I tried to think of a true prophet who was popular and readily accepted, but could not think of one. Instead the popular and accepted ones were the false prophets. Most of the true prophets were villified and ridiculed. How is that?

Which explains why the rest of us do not pray to be prophets and why Ellen Harmon plead with God not to make her a prophet.

However 1Cor 14:1 says that we should desire earnestly all the spiritual gifts of 1Cor 12 - but especially that we should prophesy.

So I do pray those words from time to time... however I have no indication at all that God has selected me for any supernatural gifts of the Spirit - aside from the New Birth, the New Covenant, the transformed life -- the best gifts of all!

in Christ,

Bob

[Woody]

Originally Posted By: Woody

Our prophet Ellen White is the most popularly read prophet in history.

I doubt it Woody. Moses or Daniel must have much wider readership than EGW.

What Moses or Daniel wrote combined would only be a small fraction of what Ellen White wrote. People have much more to read from with Ellen White than either or both Moses and Daniel.

[Windsor]

Originally Posted By: Windsor

[...]

[...]

There are many false prophets in the world that are also unaccepted. Harold Camping was able to deceive a small number of Christians, but the vast majority declared him a false prophet long before May 21, 2011. [emphasis supplied]

Windsor,

The "vast majority" of professed Christians would declare almost anyone who claims some heaven-sent gift of the Spirit to be false. And that attitude is reflected among those in the SDA persuasion as well -- EGW being the exception.

I suppose you are referring to the "200 million" followers of Harold Camping as the "small number of Christians" being deceived. What is the SDA denomination's membership count these days? 20 million?

I really find that "prophets" of either kind (false or true) are "made" by the people who "follow" them. If a person just declares himself or herself to be a "divine messenger" of whatever sort, it is not likely to be taken seriously. But, when there is a "talent" exhibited such that people DO become "impressed" at some level, then THEY declare the person's "prophet-hood."

David Koresh is a prime example. He could quote the Bible from cover to cover -- fully memorized. THAT is a "talent." THAT was one factor that led even highly educated people to consider him as a divinely-gifted messenger. Most of his followers were from the SDA persuasion also. Unfortunately, those believers were not well-grounded in the SOP. Otherwise, they could have easily seen through the facade.

I highly doubt that 20% of the world's professed Christians believed Harold Camping's false prophecy about the end time.

[Musicman1228]

If we think of the purpose of the school of the prophets in Elijah's time it was not to give God a pool of people who would be available for Him to use to give dreams and visions to.

The purpose of the school of the prophets was to train people to proclaim the truth about God to the people. In this regard all of us can and should be a 'prophet', willing at a moments notice to share our understanding of the truth of Jesus Christ to a truth starved world. It's really not a bad gig, even if it is a bit scary at times.

[Tom Wetmore]

The OT role of the prophet was being a teacher...