https://odb.org/2023/09/15/the-message-of-the-prophets
I think the story of Jeremiah vs. Hananiah, as recorded in Jeremiah 28:2-4, 10-16, serves as a warning to us not to claim that we are a prophet from God in these modern post-Jesus times. This is especially so when the writer of Hebrews (many believed it to be Paul) clearly stated in Hebrews 1:1-2 that while in the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets… in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. Not that God doesn’t speak through Scriptures, the written Word, but that He speaks to us by Jesus Christ.
I think it is not the same as moving in the prophetic realm or speaking out in words of knowledge if that is our spiritual gift, but we should not claim ourselves to be a prophet from God as though we are like Isaiah or Jeremiah or Ezekial or Elijah or Elisha. Those men dedicated their entire lives to prayer and being a mouthpiece of Yahweh in those ancient times.
The danger and implication if we are a false prophet like Hananiah are very evident. God may pronounce judgment on us here on earth itself even as there could be serious ramifications in our afterlife.
The other thing about the prophets of the past was that they were the mouthpiece of God to the nation of Israel. It is God’s way of speaking to a whole nation, a whole tribe of people. Not to individuals or congregations but to an entire nation of believers or to the universal church since we are now adopted children of God. Perhaps a prophet’s role in these contemporary times is to be like John the Baptist to warn of the coming tribulation and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ? Other than that, we should listen with caution.
Ultimately, we should hear from God ourselves and develop our own inner ear to sense and understand what’s going on in the spiritual realm. God speaks to us in these last days by Jesus Christ, and through His death on the cross, we are now reconciled to God and have direct access to Him. Seek Him out in prayer, and Yahweh, God the Father will reveal the future, our future, to us. Especially His plans and purposes for our lives and His will for our lives!
Ronnie's Thoughts 