01. I. THE ART OF PROPHECY
I. THE ART OF PROPHECY
There are two parts to prophecy: preaching the Word and public prayer. For the prophet (that is, the minister of the Word) has only two duties. One is preaching the Word, and the other is praying to God in the name of the people: ’Having ... prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith’ (Romans 12:6); ’Restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live’ (Genesis 20:7). Notice that in Scripture the word ’prophecy’ is used of prayer as well as of preaching: ’The sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals’ (1 Chronicles 25:1); ’The prophets of Baal called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon ... And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice . . .’ (1 Kings 18:26;1 Kings 18:29). Thus every prophet’s [ask is to speak partly as the voice of God (in preaching), and partly as the voice of the people (in praying): ’If you take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth’ (Jeremiah 15:19); ’And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, "Amen, Amen!"’ (Nehemiah 8:6).
Preaching the Word is prophesying in the name and on behalf of Christ. Through preaching those who hear are called into the state of grace, and preserved in it. God has ’given us the ministry of reconciliation ... Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God’ (2 Corinthians 5:18;2 Corinthians 5:20); ’God from the beginning chose you for salvation, through sanctification by the Spirit, and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel’ (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14); ’The gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes’ (Romans 1:16); ’Where there is no revelation the people cast off restraint’ (Proverbs 29:18); ’How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?’ (Romans 10:14).