Revelation 11
3 I will give [power]
to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy
one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
4 These are the two olive trees and the two
lampstands, standing before the Lord
of the earth.
I
will give
power
There is a compelling error
in translation here to correct. The word power is not in the
Greek. If we were to translate it more literally, this could read: I
will give of myself to my two witnesses...
This makes a huge difference
in how we perceive the meaning of this passage. To give
power or to give of Himself may or may not mean the same
thing, depending on how we define the idea of power. Most of
the time power is something humans crave, but generally they
want to use it in very different ways from how the Lamb uses
and defines power. One of our stanch principles used in this
study is that no interpretation is to violate the truth that God
is just as Jesus reveals Him to be. The especially applies to the
issue of power as it is one of the core issues of
contention in this war.
To expand on this a bit
more, the next phrase fits well with this insight from the Greek. To
prophecy means to speak on behalf of God, to share what
is received from God in ways that edify, warn, correct and clarify
the truth as it is in Jesus. With this meaning of what prophesying is
all about, it would make sense to receive Jesus so as to best
be able to speak on God's behalf rather than what is usually
imagined when thinking of the word power.
Here are a few more related
things Jesus has promised to give to us.
I will
give to eat of the tree of life
I will
give to him to sit down with me on my throne
I will
give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of
life
The
bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh
I will
give you rest
I will
give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
I will
give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be
able to withstand or to contradict
I
confer on you a kingdom
The Son
of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many
The man
Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all
This issue actually becomes
key for examining the nature of the testimony and actions of
these two witnesses. Let us keep in mind to compare their
testimony with how the Lamb testified about His Father
while living under intense pressure among sinners here on earth.
my
two witnesses
Yahweh said, "Because
the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very
grievous, I will go down now, and see whether
their deeds are as bad as the reports which have
come to me. If not, I will know." The men
turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but
Abraham stood yet before Yahweh.
(Genesis 18:20-22)
Notice
that the 'men' who went on
to Sodom were likely angels,
while the One remaining
to talk with Abraham was likely
the pre-incarnate Christ.
There can be discrepancies between how
God relates to situations
compared to how angels or
other witnesses deal
with situations.
Understanding this requires an appreciation
of the nature of the
overall war
and the nature of the
freedom God gives to all
His servants to think for themselves and even deviate
to His view of things
without censure or acting as a dictator. This too is one of the
pivotal issues in the war between goodness and evil, for without
this freedom it is
impossible for love
and respect to thrive and flourish.
The two angels
came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them,
and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the
earth, and he said, "See now, my lords, please turn aside into
your servant's house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you will
rise up early, and go on your way." They said, "No, but we
will stay in the street all night."
(Genesis 19:1-2)
Moses went out, and told
the people the words of Yahweh: and he gathered seventy men
of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent.
Yahweh came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took
of the Spirit that was on him, and put it on the seventy elders:
and it happened that when the Spirit rested on them, they
prophesied, but they did so no more.
But there remained two men in the camp, the name
of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the
Spirit rested on them; and they were of those who were
written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and they
prophesied in the camp. There ran a young man, and told
Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. Joshua the
son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, answered,
My lord Moses, forbid them. Moses said to him, Are you jealous for my
sake? would that all Yahweh's people were prophets,
that Yahweh would put his Spirit on them!
(Numbers 11:24-29)
At the mouth of two
witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he who is to die be
put to death; at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to
death. (Deuteronomy 17:6)
One witness shall not
rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin
that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or
at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be
established.
(Deuteronomy 19:15)
This
is one place where I sense that a principle of creation is being laid
out plainly. This is highly significant for appreciating the methods
that God chooses to stick with to overcome the vicious and subtle
attacks of the enemy who has been undermining confidence in His ways,
motives and integrity since the inception of sin. God does not demand
that we establish what we believe to be truth simply because God says
something. Rather God allows even His own testimony to be tested and
evaluated by corroboration and evidence provided by at least two or
three other witnesses. This challenges a great deal of theology in
our world, but it also gives us insight into the nature and
disposition of the God who has all power but never abuses that for
His own advantage.
Behold, I and the
children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in
Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion. When they
tell you, "Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with
the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:" shouldn't a people
consult with their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the
living? Turn to the law and to the testimony! If
they don't speak according to this word, surely there is no morning
for them. They will pass through it, sore distressed and hungry; and
it will happen that when they are hungry, they will worry, and curse
by their king and by their God. They will turn their faces upward,
and look to the earth, and see distress, darkness, and the gloom of
anguish. They will be driven into thick darkness.
(Isaiah 8:18-22)
Where then are your wise
men? Let them tell you now; and let them know what Yahweh of Armies
has purposed concerning Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools.
The princes of Memphis are deceived. They have caused Egypt to go
astray, who are the cornerstone of her tribes. Yahweh has mixed a
spirit of perverseness in the midst of her; and
they have caused Egypt to go astray in all of its works,
like a drunken man staggers in his vomit. Neither shall there be for
Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm branch or rush, may do.
In that day the Egyptians
will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the shaking
of the hand of Yahweh of Armies, which he shakes over them. The land
of Judah will become a terror to Egypt. Everyone to whom mention is
made of it will be afraid, because of the plans of Yahweh of Armies,
which he determines against it. In that day, there will be five
cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and
swear to Yahweh of Armies. One will be called "The city of
destruction." In that day, there will be an
altar to Yahweh in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a
pillar to Yahweh at its border. It will be for
a sign and for a witness to Yahweh of Armies in the land
of Egypt; for they will cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, and he
will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.
Yahweh will be known to
Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Yahweh in that day. Yes, they will
worship with sacrifice and offering, and will vow a vow to Yahweh,
and will perform it. Yahweh will strike Egypt, striking and healing.
They will return to Yahweh, and he will be entreated by them, and
will heal them. (Isaiah
19:12-22)
Let all the nations be
gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among them
can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their
witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say,
"That is true." "You are my witnesses,"
says Yahweh, "With my servant whom I have chosen;
that you may know and believe
me, and understand that I am he.
Before me there was no God formed, neither will there be after me. I
myself am Yahweh; and besides me there is no savior. I have declared,
I have saved, and I have shown; and there was no strange god among
you. Therefore you are my witnesses," says
Yahweh, "and I am God.
(Isaiah 43:9-12)
Don't fear, neither be
afraid. Haven't I declared it to you long ago, and shown it? You
are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there
is not. I don't know any other Rock.
(Isaiah 44:8)
After six days, Jesus
took with him Peter, James, and John his
brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. He
was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his
garments became as white as the light. Behold, Moses and
Elijah appeared to them talking with him.
(Matthew 17:1-3)
Here
we find a supernaturally arranged event specifically set like a
courtroom where a witness is evaluated and substantiated through use
of corroborating witnesses. This was because of enormous pressure by
religious leadership to convince everyone not to trust the witness of
Jesus, and this pressure was felt keenly by His own disciples. They
were under constant pressure to doubt His authenticity as the true
Messiah because His actions and teachings did not seem to square with
how religion taught the Messiah should act when He came to deliver
God's people and empower them to rule the world as they longed to
happen. Thus God prompted Jesus to bring along three witnesses from
His disciples to the top of a mountain where God brought His own most
influential witnesses previously taken to heaven under special
circumstances, possible so this very event could take place at this
time.
Moses
represented in the mind of the Jewish people the epitome of the Law,
while Elijah was a prime example of what they referred to as the
prophets. The Old Testament Scriptures were in their common
vernacular called the Law and the Prophets. It was their stories and
testimony and how they were being interpreted by religious
authorities that was the primary issue of divisive contention related
to the credibility of Jesus and His ministry of revealing the truth
about His Father to not only the world, but for the onlooking
universe as well. By arranging for these three specifically to be
lined up together in front of three other men brought to become
witnesses on earth, God personally gave His own clearest testimony
possible as to who should be given the most credibility and authority
in our thinking about which testimony is to carry the most weight
when it comes to how we view God.
A voice came out of the
cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!"
(Luke 9:35)
This
symbolic event is inferred in various other places such as when Jesus
begins by reviewing the writings of Moses and then the prophets to
explain how they were to be understood in light of His own life,
death and resurrection when He spoke with two disciples on their walk
to Emmaus shortly after His resurrection. He wanted their faith to
established, not by special revelation of His identity but grounded
in a correct understanding of the history of salvation as recorded
from ancient times. Their testimony was never intended to be the
final word of truth, for as Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees, the
Scriptures were designed to point to Himself as the far greater
revelation in contrast to their incomplete and partial testimony. He
was the one who alone would be the full revelation of the truth about
God that far supersedes every other testimony of any witness. This is
here affirmed by God declaring emphatically that it is Jesus Christ
who we are to listen to and believe, implying that neither Moses nor
the prophets are to be given priority over the testimony of the Son
of God who alone clarifies and reveals the truth that alone can set
us free from the power of sin.
If your brother sins
against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he
listens to you, you have gained back your brother. But if he doesn't
listen, take one or two more with you, that at
the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to
the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to
you as a Gentile or a tax collector. Most certainly I tell you,
whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and
whatever things you release on earth will have been released in
heaven. Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you
will agree on earth concerning anything that they
will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in
heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my
name, there I am in the midst of them.
(Matthew 18:15-20)
He called to himself the
twelve, and began to send them out two by two;
and he gave them authority over the unclean
spirits. (Mark 6:7)
Now after these things,
the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent
them two by two ahead of him into every city and place,
where he was about to come.
(Luke 10:1)
Here
we again find a principle that is too often ignored. There could be
far more effectiveness in our witnessing if we took these
instructions of Jesus more seriously. I can testify from my own
experience that when two people work in tandem while sharing good
news about God that their effectiveness is exponentially more
effective than when one person works alone. There are many reasons
for this which could be enumerated of which I will offer just a few,
not the least of which is the previous principle already pointed out,
that a matter is to be settled on the word of at least two witnesses,
not just one.
A
person witnessing solo has to occupy their entire attention the whole
time with what they are saying or doing with little opportunity to
reflect or regroup their thoughts or consider the effect they are
having on others. But when two people in harmony with each other work
together in love, one can pick up from the testimony of the other to
bring in a different perspective, giving the first person time to
regroup internally, observe better the reactions of those listening,
and pay closer attention to the quiet promptings of the Spirit about
the direction of the conversation or their own disposition. Then the
first person can pick up the narrative again, giving the other time
to reflect and listen. This also allows the listeners exposure to
more variety and perspectives than if only one person is testifying
alone.
When
there are two people working together, there will always be at least
a slightly different perspective on what is being presented as well
as ability to objectively observe what is going on with their
partner. If they have learned to be honest and trusting of each other
and are both tuned to the same Spirit of truth and love, they can
sense when the other person might be in danger of deception or
confusion and can alert them in kind ways and help them retune to the
voice of God. There are many nuances involved in a healthy
relationship between two people when working together to attract
others to the passionate love of God, and God designed this to be the
best and safest way for us to serve Him as well as the most effective
means by which His love may be demonstrated, making God's
attractiveness more readily seen in the interactions of those thus
bonded with each other.
Behold, two of
them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus,
which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem. They talked with each other
about all of these things which had happened. It happened, while
they talked and questioned together, that Jesus himself came near,
and went with them. But their eyes were kept from
recognizing him.
Beginning from Moses and
from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the
things concerning himself.
"You are
witnesses of these things. Behold, I send forth the
promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until
you are clothed with power from on high."
(Luke 24:13-16,27,48-49)
It's also written in your
law that the testimony of two people is valid. I
am one who testifies about myself,
and the Father who sent me testifies
about me. (John 8:17-18)
When the Counselor has
come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit
of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will
testify about me. You will also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.
(John 15:26-27)
But
now apart from the law, a righteousness of God
has been revealed, being testified by the law and
the prophets;
(Romans 3:21)
A man who disregards
Moses' law dies without compassion on the word
of two or three witnesses.
(Hebrews 10:28)
There
is one more example of witnesses that I would like to look at briefly
that I believe may assist us as we evaluate the testimony of these
two witnesses in Revelation. It is easy to miss noticing them, but
there is recorded two or more different witnesses in the following
story that have opposing testimonies, and the effect of their
testimony had a great deal of influence on the ability of Jesus to
carry out His work in a specific region that needed His good news
very much. The story is given in two places with some interesting
details useful for unpacking it found in one or the other versions of
this story. It would be well to read both versions completely and
compare them paying close attention to the testimony of everyone
involved in this story and their opinion about the presence of Jesus.
A short version is in Matthew 8:28-34 while much more is found in
Mark 5:1-20 and another in Luke 8:26-39.
The
story involves Jesus arriving on the shore in an area called the
Gadarenes or Gergesenes, the first being a larger region encompassing
the second. Upon arrival on shore, Jesus and His disciples are
confronted by either one or two men (depending which account you
read) who are clearly demon-possessed and out of control. The texts
provide various details about them indicating that no one was able to
contain them with chains or any other means of control and they they
lived among the tombs rather than in a house and went around naked.
They were also cutters, meaning they were into self-abuse which is no
surprise given their condition of demonic control.
Most
are familiar with this story and how Jesus had words with the demons
inside these men who identified themselves as Legion. Part of their
interchange involved the demons accusing Jesus of coming to torment
them and begging Him to not command them to go into the abyss, a
fascinating reference alerting us to things in a much larger context
in which this story took place. The demons then begged Jesus to allow
them to invade a large herd of pigs nearby, which permission was
granted to them. Of course we know as soon as this happened the pigs
went wild, likely similar to how the possessed men had acted
previously. This resulted in the pigs self-destructing by plunging
off a nearby cliff and drowning in the sea below or possibly killed
on the rocks at the bottom.
At
the end of this story it becomes clear that these men (or man,
depending on which version one assumes as more accurate) become
witnesses in the surrounding region to testify about what had
happened in them as a result of encountering Jesus. What is less
noticed is that they were not the only witnesses testifying about
this encounter, for there were people present who witnessed this
event, and there is hint that possibly even others injected their
version of what had just transpired. This makes for a lot of
testifying going on in this story with both immediate as well as long
term consequences for the ministry of Jesus in that region.
Those who fed them
fled, and went away into the city, and told
everything, including what happened to those who were
possessed with demons. Behold, all the city came out
to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would
depart from their borders.
(Matthew 8:33-34)
Those who fed them
fled, and told it in the city and in the
country. The people came to see
what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus, and saw
him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and
in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they
were afraid. Those who saw it
declared to them how it happened to him who was possessed by demons,
and about the pigs. They began to beg him to depart
from their region. (Mark
5:14-17)
When those who
fed them saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in
the city and in the country.
People went out to see what had happened. They
came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out,
sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they
were afraid. Those who saw it told
them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed. All
the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes
asked him to depart from them, for they were
very much afraid. He entered into the boat, and
returned. (Luke 8:34-37)
I
wonder if the disciples of Jesus might have been included among those
who it says saw what had happened and told others their version of
what had happened and the crowds arrived. Either way, the prevailing
reaction to the stories of the witnesses that likely included the men
themselves, produced such consternation in the public mindset that
the consensus was that Jesus simply needed to leave immediately, to
which He complied without resistance.
What
is noted as happening some time later is how Jesus returned to this
region and had an opposite response from the people, likely due to
the change of heart they had after having time to reconsider all the
testimonies and extended time for the healed men to share their story
repeatedly and incessantly until people began to see the real truth
about the situation. This has important implications for us as well,
for we must learn to be gentle and respectful of people's freedom to
make wrong decisions on the basis of strong emotions in reaction to
testimonies that may arouse fears that dominate their thinking. Given
more time they may be able to reflect and reconsider more thoroughly
the evidence and become willing to change their stance about the real
truth.
This
perspective may prove helpful as we move through the evidence
concerning the testimony of these two witnesses here in Revelation
11.
they
will prophesy
one
thousand two hundred sixty days,
clothed
in sackcloth
They told me, "You
must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages,
and kings." (Revelation 10:11)
Worship God, for the
testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.
(Revelation 19:10)
This verse corresponds
directly with our current passage, for a witness is one who
testifies, and the angel tells John here that the testimony of
Jesus, the star witness of all witnesses, is the very
Spirit of Prophecy. Therefore we need to examine these two
witnesses by how much the Spirit of Jesus is seen indwelling
them to empower them to give testimony that confirms the
testimony of Jesus. It is not a matter of all or nothing, but rather
how much a witness corroborates with the truth.
The question is this: Does
the testimony and actions of these two witnesses correspond
completely with the testimony of Jesus concerning the
truth about His Father? Or is their testimony, in actions even
more so than in words, contain discrepancies with the testimony
of Jesus the Son of God? Keep this in mind as we look at more
evidence about various witnesses.
But there remained two
men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad,
and the name of the other Medad: and the
Spirit rested on them; and they were of those
who were written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and
they prophesied in the camp. (Numbers 11:26)
Names are often important in
Scripture and can convey enormous significance to a passage, this
case in point being one of them. The name Eldad literally means, God
has loved, and the meaning of the name Medad literally is loving,
affectionate. These two men had not come up with the others to
stand around the tent of meeting but were with the people in the camp
where they were ministering, and both of their names related to God's
love, a message we need for us today.
The Spirit of
Yahweh will come mightily on you [Saul], and you
shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned
into another man. (1 Samuel 10:6)
Knowing how the story of
Saul went downhill not long after this, it might be a little
surprising that God gave Saul such a gift from the very beginning.
But then it should not be, for God does not judge people and treat
them as they deserve but rather relates to us without partiality and
equipped Saul with what he needed to carry out his function as king.
Had Saul not chosen to take a different path and allow pride to
disconnect him from God's gifting and plans for him, Saul's story
could just as easily turned out the opposite from what it did. He
began his career as a new creature, a different man from what he had
been before, filled with God's Spirit.
This should alert us to the
reality that simply because someone has received an outpouring of
God's Spirit and even prophesied does not mean they have any more
assurance that they will not choose a different path down the road.
Freedom of will is central to living in a relationship of love, for
without freedom love cannot even exist. God leaves everyone free to
choose their own direction and experience the outcome of those
choices, even while He does everything possible to attract and equip
them to come to Him and depend entirely on Him to avoid the terrible
outcomes of the alternatives.
Moreover, David and the
captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons
of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should
prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with
cymbals.... (1 Chronicles 25:1)
It will happen afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and
your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your
old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. (Joel
2:28)
Follow after love, and
earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you
may prophesy.
(1 Corinthians 14:1)
Now I desire to have you
all speak with other languages, but rather that you would
prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies
than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that
the assembly may be built up. (1 Corinthians
14:5)
For you all can
prophesy one by one, that all may learn,
and all may be exhorted.
(1 Corinthians 14:31)
These past few verses bring
out some important insights about prophesying that should not be
missed. Musicians and musical skill is an important expression of
prophecy, especially since the right brain can store words that are
couched in music differently than when simply spoken or read. Thus it
is accessible in ways different than what most of our stored memory
is accessed which is especially useful when we are in an intense
emotional situation that prevents us from thinking clearly. Putting
God's thoughts to music and learning it in this format accomplishes
far more than simply learning words and facts, not the least being
the deep bonding that can take place between people who participate
in such worship together. Music is one of the most effective ways to
awaken the heart to bond with other hearts including to God's heart.
This is why music can be so important in the work of prophecy, for it
can cause the message to have far greater effectiveness than when it
is simply spoken.
Notice what Paul is seeking
to convey to us in the passages he writes about the role of prophecy
in the assembly. The main purpose of prophesying is for the purpose
of building up, strengthening, encouraging and bonding together the
body of Christ in the persons of His believers who compose His body.
Maybe this could be a clue as to why the body of Christ is so weak
today, if we fail to allow this most important gift to flourish and
minister to us as God designed it should.
Surely the Lord Yahweh
will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his
servants the prophets. The lion has roared. Who will not
fear? The Lord Yahweh has spoken. Who can but prophesy?
(Amos 3:7-8)
Just because people prophesy
should not lead us to assume they are really speaking the truth on
behalf of God. Remember that Lucifer was the first false prophet, for
it was his role in heaven to convey the truth about the invisible God
to the rest of the intelligent beings throughout the universe. While
he may well have fulfilled his purpose for many eons, at some point
he chose to begin misrepresenting the heart of the Father to created
beings, and the result is the tragic effects of his rebellion which
is a long and expensive experiment with alternative ways of social
control and organization. Throughout history false prophets have
followed in the same path of relying on deception to further their
own selfish agenda. So just because a prophet claims to represent
God, we must test their disposition against the only reliable
standard that defines the real truth that alone will set us free.
Many will tell me in that
day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name,
in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?'
Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart
from me, you who work iniquity.' (Matthew 7:22-23)
You hypocrites! Well did
Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 'These people
draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but
their heart is far from me. And in
vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine
rules made by men.' (Matthew 15:7-9)
The purpose of prophesying
is very similar to the purpose of testifying – to influence the
thinking of others to view God in a better light. This means the
heart must be involved and in tune with the heart of God if our
testimony or prophecy is to bring about the kind of results that
glorifies God.
A wonderful and horrible
thing is happen in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely,
and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people
love to have it so: and what will you do in the end of it?
(Jeremiah 5:30-31)
For it is a rebellious
people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of Yahweh;
who tell the seers, "Don't see!" and to the prophets,
"Don't prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant
things. Prophesy deceits. Get out of the way. Turn aside
from the path. Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from
before us." (Isaiah 30:9-11)
Son of man, prophesy
against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say you
to those who prophesy out of their own heart,
Hear you the word of Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Woe
to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen
nothing! Israel, your prophets have been like
foxes in the waste places. (Ezekiel 13:2-4)
You, son of man, set your
face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out
of their own heart; and prophesy you against
them. (Ezekiel 13:17)
Son of man, prophesy
against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them,
even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the
shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn't the
shepherds feed the sheep? (Ezekiel 34:2)
For we know in part, and
we prophesy in part; but when that which is
complete has come, then that which is partial will be done
away with. (1 Corinthians 13:9-10)
What does it mean to
prophesy in part? Does this include the spirit of partiality? To be
partial implies the involvement of personal bias or favoritism, a
disposition to ignore one side of an issue or certain people and
choose to give biased favor to others. Scripture makes it clear that
God does not assess people in a spirit of partiality. All of us are
His children and He passionately loves each one individually with a
love that will never be suppressed or diminished regardless of
whether or not we respond positively to it. But the same cannot be
said about us, and this spirit of partiality, favoring our own
preferences, opinions and presuppositions infects every area of our
lives. This is one reason that prophets are not to be the last word
when it comes to determining what is true, faithful, reliable and
especially what accurately reveals the truth about God's heart and
His disposition towards us.
We just read from the books
of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel about false prophets who claimed to
speak on behalf of God but their hearts were not in tune with His
heart. This means they were prophesying with partiality, whether that
word meant incomplete or whether it meant biased in ways that
misrepresented the truth from God. But what we find near the
conclusion of the great chapter describing true love written by Paul,
is that there is coming a time when there will be no more partiality,
no more incomplete picture of what is true, what is real, how we
perceive God to be. When that which is complete has come into clear
view, the shadows of darkness and misapprehensions about God linked
to the lies that have blinded so many to be afraid and suspicious of
Him will be vaporized in the light of the glory as brought to us by
His Son Jesus Christ, the explicit and complete revelation of God.
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