Some questions concerning gifts of prophecy

[Tobias]

Wow! A site full of Messianics! I've been rather out of touch ever since the Rabbi passed away in the small congregation my wife and I attended years ago.

I am not Jewish, nor do I believe G-d is asking me to follow all the ways of the Torah -- though I did come to this conclusion on my own ( I'm planning on reading around and seeing what you all have to say about it as soon as I'm done posting this.)

I've run into some questions lately pertaining to Jewish history and application of the Torrah. I hope it's ok to ask them here, as I sure wouldn't trust any Christian theologian's answers. Like I say, I hope you don't mind.

First question: What is the practical difference between "inquireing of the Lord" and divination. There are many instances of people seeking direction from G-d in the O.T. Priests and Levis used the ephod (how did that work?) Sometimes the questions were asked to the Prophets. And then there was also "casting lots."

Aaron was commanded to cast lots to determine the scapegoat. Could there be anything more sacred? Yet casting lots was also used by the surounding nations as a form of divination, was it not? What was the difference? If G-d is against divination, why would He honor the sailors' request and point out Jonah to them through it?

I have heard many people claim that some of the modern day practices of charismatics are rather "New-Agey." However, these practices I've mentioned to me sound rather "divinationy." Could the difference between Inquireing of the Lord and divination not be in the method used but in Who the question is addressed to?



Question #2: What was the "School of the Prophets" or "Sons of the Prophets?"

We have an issue in the application of the gifts of the Spirit where, try as they might, people who are anointed with words of prophesy are struggling with accuracy. Those who claim that the working of the Holy Spirit is now embodied within the Scriptures critisize them and quote the scripture out of Deuteronomy that says a prophet whos words do not come true must be put to death. However, those who accept the Gifts and learn to discern the Spirit of G-d, can tell that it IS the Voice of G-d speaking much of the time and that with practice a person can develop the gift toward more accuracy.

So my question is: did prophets ever have to practice in schools to develop their gift? Or, was their a whole other classification (sons of the prophets) who occasionally flowed in the prophetic but did not experience the accuracy promised in Deut. 18:15-22 to the hiers of Moses' possition of Mouthpiece to the nation?

I hope I haven't been too forward by jumping in here and presenting these questions. I know if Rabbi Reagan were still with us, he would just love to explain to me what he knew. I do hope some here feel the same way!

Thankyou in advance,

Tobias

 

[Atkin]

Taking a careful look at the scriptures, we see that the people who have
been given very level of spiritual discernment, were not really expecting a future

of priesthood of course there are exceptions. Moses , for example was even living on the other side, totally oblivious to anything to do with the Lord, then as a result of events, he found himself a common man out in the wild again, not really studying to become a religious fellow or anything till the Lord called him.

Of course, once the tribes of Israel were brought out of Egypt, people would now have some idea of their potential lives as priests etc..

Since people do not have direct audible/visible experience with the Lord as it was before, one cannot really know who is really speaking as the Lord intends.

Academic religious schools, theological seminaries etc, would not necessarily produce people who are truly endowed with spiritual discernment unless that rabbi or priest was truly submissive to the will of the Lord.

Many Catholic priests are sodomites etc , and that is really sad.

Was Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, the Judges of Israel etc raised to study in religious academies? Samuel was chosen right from birth and the likes of Paul the Pharisee were suddenly appointed etc

The Lord's ways of annointing people are not so predictable.

 

[Tobias]

I agree that God chooses whom ever He wishes to set in the front and lead His people, and that He would speak clearly and accurately through them. However, my questions relate to the possibility of others being given a portion of this same anointing. I don't want to claim this is what happened without knowing for sure what these "sons of the prophets" were and what they did.

Can anyone help?