Prophecy

Biblical Occurrences

In the Old Testament, prophets such as Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah received the word of God and delivered it to the people. Their messages are collected in the Prophetic Books, from Isaiah through Malachi. In Deuteronomy 18:15-22, God promises to raise up a prophet like Moses. The same passage also provides a test: if what a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD does not come to pass, that prophet has spoken presumptuously.

In the New Testament, prophecy appears as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10). In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul urges believers to "desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." In the same chapter he explains that the one who prophesies "speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." Acts 21:9 mentions the four daughters of Philip, who prophesied, and Acts 11 and 21 mention Agabus. The Book of Revelation refers to itself as "the words of this prophecy" (Revelation 1:3).

Meaning of the Terms

The Hebrew word for prophet is nabi. In New Testament Greek, prophecy is prophēteia and a prophet is prophētēs. Among Korean Bible translations, the Revised Korean Version (Revised Edition) renders the word for prophet as seonjija, while the New Korean Standard Version renders it as yeeonja.

Biblical prophecy does include announcements of future events. A larger share of it, however, calls the people of the prophet's own day to repentance, justice, and faithfulness to the covenant (Micah 6:6-8). For this reason, Korean preachers sometimes distinguish between two homophonous Sino-Korean words for prophecy: yeeon written as 豫言, meaning "to speak beforehand," and yeeon written as 預言, meaning "to be entrusted with God's word and to deliver it."

Significance in the Whole of Scripture

Joel foresaw that in the last days God's Spirit would be poured out upon all flesh and that sons and daughters would prophesy (Joel 2:28). Peter preached that this word was fulfilled at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:16-21). The New Testament writers read the birth, suffering, and resurrection of Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (e.g., Matthew 1:22-23). These texts are commonly treated together as messianic prophecy.

Interpretation and Debates

Traditions differ on whether the gift of prophecy is still given today.

• Cessationism: This view is widely held in the Reformed tradition (→ Cessationism and Continuationism). Its proponents cite Ephesians 2:20, which says the church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets." They hold that prophecy conveying new revelation ceased with the completion of the canon, and they understand prophecy today primarily as preaching that expounds Scripture.
• Continuationism: Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement regard prophecy as a gift still given today. They teach, however, that prophecy does not carry the same authority as Scripture and must be weighed by the church (1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).

Approaches to the predictive prophecies of the Prophetic Books also differ. Dispensationalism tends to read prophecies concerning Israel as events that will be literally fulfilled in the future. Covenant theology reads much of this material as fulfilled in Christ and the church.

Scripture forbids divination (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) and warns against false prophets (Jeremiah 23). Critics in various denominations argue that setting dates for the end of the world or speaking about an individual's future in the manner of fortune-telling differs from biblical prophecy. In Korea, the date-setting apocalyptic movement that predicted the Rapture for October 28, 1992, is frequently cited as a representative example. Various denominations have also raised concerns about the New Apostolic Reformation, which emphasizes personal prophecy.

In the Korean Church

Preachers often describe the proclamation of the Word as daeeon, "speaking on behalf of" God, that is, delivering God's word in his stead. At some prayer retreat centers and charismatic gatherings, prophetic words are given to individuals under the label of "prophetic prayer." This practice has also drawn calls for discernment and restraint.