HF146 - Prophecy in the New Covenant
To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date: Sat Aug 13, 2005
Subject: Bible Study HF146 - Prophecy in the New Covenant
Hebraics,
Folks have often heard me say that too many of God's people are trying to live in the new covenant on an old covenant level, and especially when it comes to prophecy. Hopefully the next study will provide some light on this issue. Let's talk about it.
This is Bible Study HF146 - Prophecy in the New Covenant.
Before I deal directly with the prophecy issue, let me direct attention to the one matter that is crucial to new covenant understanding. It has to do with who Jesus really is and how this applies to Gods new creation. There has never been a covenant like the new covenant. We need to know why.
Paul said that in Christ "All the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form." (Col2:9) This expression simply means that Jesus is fully God. The word for fullness is the Greek term 'pleroma.' [play'-ro- mah]. It speaks of the fullest measure.
Therefore in Christ is the absolute full measure of all that God is. Theologians refer to this fullness as the 'plenitude of the divine perfections'. Sure it is a mystery to be understood with the heart but not always fully with the mind. So, while Jesus was and is fully man, He also was and is fully God. To know what God is exactly like, we look to Jesus. Hebrews 1:3, says, "He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature."
Now let's see how this affects new covenant believers. John the Baptist said, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank that I, for He existed before me.'" Then the apostle John adds, "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace." (Cf. Jn1:14-18.)
Did you catch it? The apostle said of His 'pleroma' we have all received. John is not saying that each of us is a little Jesus. Nor is he saying that we have become gods. John is saying that the full measure of Christ's Spirit, and the full measure of the finished work of the cross now belongs to, and abides in every believer. It is because of this full measure of the cross that grace continues to follow grace in our lives.
The point is that no believer gets just a bit of Jesus and then goes on to another experience to receive a fuller measure. Every believer receives the full measure of the Spirit of Christ the moment of their birth from above. Failure to understand this is the platform for all kinds of 'never-quite-arriving' doctrines.
No believer in the new covenant is told to measure up to Christ. We have already measured up. We have the 'plenitude of the divine perfections' placed on our account. What is left is for believers to grow up in the wisdom and knowledge Jesus Christ. Paul said that in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this is what growing up in Christ speaks to. No believer can get more of Jesus that we already have. We have His fullness. Paul said we are to grow up in all aspects into Him." (Cf. Eph4:15)
I realize how easy it would be to twist this out of shape, but the fact remains --- All of God's children have the same full measure of Christ in their lives. There is nothing left over that we must later receive. It is this understanding that becomes the underpinning for a fruitful new covenant walk. And it is this understanding that keeps believers from needing to find a prophet to give them a word from the Lord. (Such was the case in the former testament.)
In the new covenant there are no prophets on the order of the former covenant. Why is this? The need for that kind of prophet no longer exists. Today God speaks to each of His children in His Son. This does not mean that the Lord cannot address us through the speaking of others. He does that often. Yet all of God's born-from- above children have the indwelling spirit of Jesus in their hearts. Because of this indwelling, when believers are in fellowship, just their sharing about Jesus can become God's word from one to the other. Why? Because there is a life-flow in our speaking.
There is one Scripture that expressly defines the heart or essence of prophecy in the new covenant. I am not speaking of what Paul said about exhortation and edification. When the angel told John not to fall down before him, he told John why, saying, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Jn19:10)
The Greek for testimony is 'marturia' [mar-too-ree'-ah] This word means 'the evidence given.' The evidence given is in the heart and in the speaking of a true believer. Paul said that the Spirit testifies to our own spirit that we are children of God. John said that we have the testimony in us. Thus when we are speaking for and about Jesus, it is the spirit of prophecy at work. When we are speaking about our religion the spirit of prophecy is not at work.
Jesus describes the new covenant believer's life; "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.' Or we might add, 'From his innermost being will flow the spiritual and living testimony of Jesus Himself.' (Cf. Jn7:38,39)
The fact again is that the Holy Spirit enters the heart of the believing person as the spirit of the resurrected, ascended, and glorified Jesus. Thus the finished work of the cross becomes a present reality in our hearts. Our salvation is complete. How complete is it? Paul says that we have already been raised up and seated together in Christ in the heavenly places. You cannot get more saved than that.
Which brings us back to the issue of new covenant prophecy --- The book of Hebrews begins with, "God, AFTER THAT He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He made the world." (Caps for emphasis only.) Notice that the Old Testament prophetic ministry is a thing of the past. It is no longer required. We have passed out of the shadow into the reality. We can now hear Jesus for ourselves.
The redemption revelation in the Old Testament came in bits and pieces, by way of the prophets. What they had in part, we now have in fullest measure. The Father no longer speaks to us by way of the Old Testament prophet. He speaks to all His children in and through His Son. Thus we hear Jesus say to unbelievers, "But you do not believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish." (Jn10:26-28)
The entire book of Hebrews has an underlying theme of Jesus being 'better than.' Listen to the following Scriptures: (The word 'better' will be in caps.)
Heb 1:4 - “…having become as much BETTER than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.” (1:4)
Heb 7:19 - “… (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a BETTER hope, through which we draw near to God.”
Heb 7:22 - “.. so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a BETTER covenant.”
Heb 8:6 – “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a BETTER covenant, which has been enacted on BETTER promises.”
Heb 9:23 – “Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with BETTER sacrifices than these.”
Heb 10:34 - “For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a BETTER possession and a lasting one.”
Heb 11:4 – “By faith Abel offered to God a BETTER sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.” (The better sacrifice had to do with faith alone.)
Heb 11:16 – “But as it is, they desire a BETTER country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” (This is our home city, the Jerusalem from above.)
Heb 11:35 – “Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a BETTER resurrection…” (The resurrection of the righteous.)
Heb 11:40 – “… because God had provided something BETTER for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”
Heb 12:24 – “… and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks BETTER than the blood of Abel.” (Abel’s blood called for vengeance. The blood of Jesus proclaims grace, mercy, and peace, when it is sprinkled on the heart of a believing one.”
So what is one of the primary issues concerning prophecy in the new covenant. It is simply this --- The ancient prophets, the Lord Jesus, and the apostolic writers all warned us against a particular danger in the last days, which wold be that of seeking after so- called prophets. Jesus said that the day would come when you would hear, "Lo, Christ is here." Or, "Lo, Christ is there." He said do not go to them.
I realize this seems heavy, but we need to press it a bit further. Paul said in the latter times many would depart from the faith, giving attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of devils. Peter adds, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies ... in their greed they will exploit you with false words..." The apostle goes on to say that this will be a major temptation area for God's people. (Cf. 1Pe2)
Without pointing to anyone in particular, let me simply ask a question --- Why would any believer need to go to someone else for a prophetic word from the Lord, when we know the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal way? This is the bottom line issue in the new covenant. Is He not your personal Lord and Savior? Hear again how the new covenant is described by the prophets of old:
"For this is the covenant I will make with them ... they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all will know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." (Cf. Heb8:8-13)
"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh [tenderness]. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes ... so you will be My people, and I will be your God." (Cf. Ezek36:25-28 - This is prophetic both of the new covenant for the church age and extends to the second coming where Israel turns to the Lord Jesus.)
None of what I have shared precludes the gatherings of God's people into flocks. The gathering of flocks is first of all a gathering to Jesus. He is always in the midst of the gatherings of His flocks. (Cf. Gen40:10) Actually the Lord has ordained the flocking of His people for the purpose of their own growth, fellowship, and protection.
Before I leave off let me share something that Moses said. When Joshua became concerned because two of the elders were prophesying in the camp, but had not gathered with the other elders, Moses said this in reply; "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!" (Num11:29)
Thank you, Moses. That which you wished as come to pass. Gods new creation, new covenant people are a prophetic people. We all have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us. We all have the testimony of Jesus, and this alone is true prophecy.
I'll leave off my part for now. Feel free to make a contribution to the study. Ask questions. Offer insights.
Blessings,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.christianchallenge.org/
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)