Gift of prophecy throughout Church history?

TruthSeek3r said:

I'm interested in learning more about the relevance that the spiritual gifts have had for Christians over the course of history, with special emphasis on the gift of prophecy. For the apostle Paul, this was the most important gift, and it was his heart that every believer should earnestly desire the gifts of the Spirit, especially that they may prophesy:

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. [1 Corinthians 14:1, ESV]​

An immediate question that arises when one looks at this matter has to do with the meaning of this gift. What does it mean to have the gift of prophecy in the first place? What kinds of spiritual experiences or abilities can a person with the gift of prophecy have, in contrast to a person who doesn't have the gift?

My personal impression on this matter is that the gift of prophecy is quite a supernatural gift indeed, and I draw this conclusion through connecting multiple dots in Scripture:

• 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. [1 Corinthians 14:24-25, ESV]
• 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. [John 4:16-19, ESV]
• 39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” [John 4:39, ESV]
• 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. [2 Peter 1:21, ESV]
• 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. [Acts 19:6, ESV]
• 10 When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them. [1 Samuel 10:10, ESV]

Which Christian groups/denominations in the history of the Church have earnestly sought and practiced the gift of prophecy? How has the gift of prophecy been understood? Has it always been seen as a miraculous gift?

How common is the gift of prophecy among Christians today?

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Leaf473 said:

I think the gift of prophecy is happening all the time in the body of Christ, we just might not recognize it.

The Olympics are going on right now so I'll use an example from gymnastics.

If we watch someone doing the floor exercises, how often are they using their left arm? Well, actually, they're using it all the time! Take away that left arm, and the whole body is out of balance all the time.*

So it is with the body of Christ. Prophecy is being used all the time. But because we are in a different time and place, it's not going to look like it did in Corinth.

Is there a particular activity you are wondering about in your church? Or something in your personal life and your role as a member of the body?

*This analogy, of course, shouldn't be extended to people in real life who actually have lost an arm. Just thinking about the gymnast doing the floor exercises using their whole body.

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TruthSeek3r said:

Can you explain exactly how? Can you pinpoint concrete examples of how prophecy is being used "all the time" today?

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ARBITER01 said:

Maybe you are seeing The Holy Spirit in operation,...................maybe.

The gift of prophecy is a vocal utterance by The Holy Spirit. It has nothing to do with physical actions.

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Leaf473 said:

Words, yes. Things in addition to words too, imo.

Ezekiel does a kind of prophetic drama here, a sign, which is part of his prophetic gift.

Ezekiel 12:5 Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your stuff out that way. 6 In their sight you shall bear it on your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face, so that you don’t see the land, for I have set you for a sign to the house of Israel.

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ARBITER01 said:

Prophetic this,... prophetic that,....Everything is prophetic!!!!!

The gift of prophesying has nothing to do with anything prophetic friend,...

1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and encouragement, and comfort.

This is why we discipline ourselves to adhere to what scripture says and reject that which is in disagreement.

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Leaf473 said:

Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying here: "The gift of prophesying has nothing to do with anything prophetic friend,..."

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ARBITER01 said:

There is only one definition of the gift in scripture,....

1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and encouragement, and comfort.

Each one of those words can be looked up in the Greek to see that none of them have any connection to revelation or predictive utterance.

In other words, this gift is not used by GOD to reveal the future.

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ARBITER01 said:

There is only one definition of the gift in scripture,....

1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and encouragement, and comfort.

Each one of those words can be looked up in the Greek to see that none of them have any connection to revelation or predictive utterance.

In other words, this gift is not used by GOD to reveal the future.

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Carl Emerson said:

God used prophets to predicting future blessing.

For this reason I see no reason to suggest that predictions cannot bring edification encouragement and comfort.

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ARBITER01 said:

going by scripture, it wasn't the gift of prophesying since it is equal to tongues and interpretation.

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Carl Emerson said:

Whoops the turtle beat me to it...

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Carl Emerson said:

Are you suggesting that the Prophets, when bringing an encouraging word about the future were not using the gift of prophesy?

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ARBITER01 said:

That's exactly what I'm saying.

That gift is not a revelation gift, never has been. All the gift of prophesying does is provide edification, encouragement, and comfort in the assembly, just like tongues with interpretation does,...

1Co 14:5 Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

There is a gift that is specific to prophet's which The Holy Spirit uses to reveal the future, but it is not the gift of prophesying.

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Carl Emerson said:

Personally I think you are 'micro-interpreting' certain verses of scripture and missing the bigger picture.

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Carl Emerson said:

Personally I think you are 'micro-interpreting' certain verses of scripture and missing the bigger picture.

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