Prophecy
Real, Biblical, prophecy is tricky. The point of Biblical prophecy isn't to be 'right', it is to be faithful.
A good example is Jonah. Jonah prophesied the destruction of Nineveh. He didn't want to. God wanted to save Nineveh. Jonah knew that, but didn't want to participate.
Why?
Because he didn't want to be wrong.
Faithfulness wasn't Jonah's goal...not being wrong was. Jonah didn't want God's ways to ruin His reputation of hearing God!! The irony is thick, but we often fall into the same traps.
When the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching, God changed his mind about their destruction.
That is glorious...at least it was for everyone but Jonah!
Jonah 3:10Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
Jonah 4:1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry.
2So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
3“Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
4Then the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
The obvious answer to God's question is 'no.' It wasn't right for Jonah to be angry. Jonah's mistake was not loving God's leadership...his sovereignty, his heart for people. Jonah didn't appreciate that same mercy was toward Jonah, as well.
It is amazing that God is humble. It is the best news ever that God is kind. If I am going to be a witness of His heart, then I have to appreciate and value the attributes of God that make Him warm and merciful, and soft. I also need to fear Him. I need to appreciate that I need that same mercy. Gratitude protects us from wrongfully blaming God when He does things we wouldn't.
God thinks things we don't. He does things we wouldn't.
Isaiah 55:7Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
He calls those in relationship with Him to faith. Not faith that our interpretation of His words is the right one...no, faith in His character and personality. He calls us to believe He rewards those who seek Him, even when it seems like He doesn't. He wanted to reward Jonah with a testimony of saving 120,000 people from certain destruction. It just meant, in Jonah's mind, looking wrong to people....even though he heard God!
I want to be careful to not fall in to the snare of the fear of man. I want to not be like Jonah, worried if I look right or wrong. I want to be faithful.
This is the highest value to God: faithfulness.
Psalm 101:6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me.
He will declare the righteousness of the faithful forever....in a million years the faithful will still be honored in the courts of the king. What we think now will be corrected. Listen to Paul describe prophecy:
1 Corinthians 13:8Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
None of us see quite right. Only God does. The humble say what God says, assuming they will look wrong, be misunderstood, and fully aware of God's mercy and willingness to relent from harm!! God will honor that faith forever.
Proverbs 29:25The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.
26Many seek the ruler’s favor,
But justice for man comes from the LORD.
27An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
Proverbs 22:4By humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches and honor and life.
A good example is Jonah. Jonah prophesied the destruction of Nineveh. He didn't want to. God wanted to save Nineveh. Jonah knew that, but didn't want to participate.
Why?
Because he didn't want to be wrong.
Faithfulness wasn't Jonah's goal...not being wrong was. Jonah didn't want God's ways to ruin His reputation of hearing God!! The irony is thick, but we often fall into the same traps.
When the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching, God changed his mind about their destruction.
That is glorious...at least it was for everyone but Jonah!
Jonah 3:10Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
Jonah 4:1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry.
2So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
3“Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
4Then the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
The obvious answer to God's question is 'no.' It wasn't right for Jonah to be angry. Jonah's mistake was not loving God's leadership...his sovereignty, his heart for people. Jonah didn't appreciate that same mercy was toward Jonah, as well.
It is amazing that God is humble. It is the best news ever that God is kind. If I am going to be a witness of His heart, then I have to appreciate and value the attributes of God that make Him warm and merciful, and soft. I also need to fear Him. I need to appreciate that I need that same mercy. Gratitude protects us from wrongfully blaming God when He does things we wouldn't.
God thinks things we don't. He does things we wouldn't.
Isaiah 55:7Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
He calls those in relationship with Him to faith. Not faith that our interpretation of His words is the right one...no, faith in His character and personality. He calls us to believe He rewards those who seek Him, even when it seems like He doesn't. He wanted to reward Jonah with a testimony of saving 120,000 people from certain destruction. It just meant, in Jonah's mind, looking wrong to people....even though he heard God!
I want to be careful to not fall in to the snare of the fear of man. I want to not be like Jonah, worried if I look right or wrong. I want to be faithful.
This is the highest value to God: faithfulness.
Psalm 101:6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me.
He will declare the righteousness of the faithful forever....in a million years the faithful will still be honored in the courts of the king. What we think now will be corrected. Listen to Paul describe prophecy:
1 Corinthians 13:8Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
None of us see quite right. Only God does. The humble say what God says, assuming they will look wrong, be misunderstood, and fully aware of God's mercy and willingness to relent from harm!! God will honor that faith forever.
Proverbs 29:25The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.
26Many seek the ruler’s favor,
But justice for man comes from the LORD.
27An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
Proverbs 22:4By humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches and honor and life.
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