…a study about biblical prophets
The Messiah was to come to earth
Way before it happened, God foretold His plans: The Messiah was to come to earth. When God plans – He really plans!
He wrote about it through prophets of old – the Old Testament prophets. It was no secret, but His message was misunderstood and mangled. Acts 3:17-26 tells us what’s what. Jesus’ disciple Peter said:
17 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance [not fully aware of what you were doing], just as your rulers did also.
– Verse 17 of Acts 3:17-26
18 And so God has fulfilled what He foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ (Messiah, Anointed) would suffer.
– Verse 18 of Acts 3:17-26
24 Indeed, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also announced these days.
– Verse 24 of Acts 3:17-26.
What’s what
That is clear enough for me: the Old Testament is replete Webster with references to the coming Messiah – pointing to Jesus. Ever since Jesus was actually born on earth – the Jews have been without excuse about their promised Messiah. Jesus was “appointed” for them (v20). And, through the line of David – salvation was to come to all on earth.
Jesus performed miracles and furnished us with sufficient proof. It’s not blind faith that we have when we believe in Jesus. They actually witnessed proofs. They were no longer ignorant. Neither is the world now.
Knowing the Messiah has come, our response should be to accept Him in repentance, and “listen to Him and obey everything He tells you“, as Jesus’ disciple Peter said:
19 So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day];
20 and that He may send [to you] Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must keep until the time for the [complete] restoration of all things
about which God promised
through the mouth
of His holy prophets
from ancient time.
22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet [b]like me from your countrymen; you shall listen to Him and obey everything He tells you. 23 And it will be that every person that does not listen to and heed that Prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
24 Indeed, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also announced these days. 25 You are the sons (descendants) of the prophets and [heirs] of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed (descendant) all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’
26 It was for you first of all that God raised up His Servant and Son [Jesus], and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” – Acts 3:17-26.
Jesus – the Greatest
“Jesus was the greatest prophet of all time. Jesus was not only the sacrificial Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world through His death and resurrection. He also was a prophet. He predicted many events.
He predicted His death and resurrection. That happened. He predicted the Jewish temple would be torn down. That happened. The foretelling of the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem totally angered their religious leaders. But – it happened in 70 AD, not too long after Jesus’ resurrection, when Jerusalem was razed by the Romans.
Jesus predicted He would return to earth again. This will happen soon.”
– Source: First, Apostasy, then Antichrist, then the Rapture 1
Accept the complete Gospel
God meant for His message of salvation to be understood and accepted in its entirety. You can’t pick and choose, and leave out what you find disagreeable. You must accept the whole gift of salvation.
Salvation is one sinner agreeing with God that he needs a Savior, calling on Jesus to forgive him, and following His Way all the way, no holding back. Anything less is just religion.
– Source: Agreeing with God
No religion in heaven
The purpose of salvation is “to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways” (verse 26 of Acts 3:17-26). You absolutely cannot keep your own ways (as defined by God)… and get His holiness for Heaven too.
What He requires of us
Our ways are not His ways. If they were Jesus would have asked us what we want. No, He came to earth to show us what He requires of us. He wants all of us to be saved.
Jesus, as recorded in the New Testament, put it this way:
Matthew 19:21
Jesus answered him, “…come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].”
The one-off offer of salvation is also found here in Luke 9:23. (Read more about “salvation” here.) This verse explains what it means to actually “Believe in the name of Jesus“:
he must deny himself
[set aside selfish interests],
and take up his cross daily
[expressing a willingness
to endure whatever may come]
and follow Me
conforming to My example in living
and, if need be, suffering
or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].
– Luke 9:23
Old Testament prophets and Jesus the prophet
Hebrews 1 Verse 1: “1 In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets;
Hebrews 1 Verse 2: “2 in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe”
God communicated to us by way of specially chosen men, called prophets. What they said “from God” were “prophecies”, God’s words to man. Simple, but miraculous, divine interventions.
These were special, specific times when God spoke to His specially chosen prophets. They were spread out over 100s of years, in many places geographically — through various prophets that he specially inspired to write His message.
His words to us
Prophets were raised up (v22) for us by God, so that God could speak His words to us. No prophets made themselves to be a prophet: God chose them and called them.
The problem of today is that false prophets are rising up all over the place! Don’t heed their words. They are not God’s words.
True prophets of God spoke God’s words exactly. They did not make it up with their own words, words that they “think” God would want to say.
Then the angel said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me [further], “These are the true and exact words of God.” – Revelation 19:9
God also communicated to us by sending His “only begotten Son”, Jesus of Nazareth (John 3:16). This Godman, Jesus Himself, taught about God and shared His plan for the ages.
Verse 2: “in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe”
Early Church Prophets
Lastly, God chose certain followers to be prophets during the early church period. Read more about that here:
| No New Revelations in these End Times |
| Prophecies in the Bible: a perfect track record |
From No New Revelations in these End Times:
In the early church days, Jesus, a prophet Himself and the One establishing the Church (Hebrews 1:1-2), established His rule for prophets, saying:
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be possible?” 10 Jesus replied, “You are the [great and well-known] teacher of Israel, and yet you do not know nor understand these things [from Scripture]?
11 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, we speak only of what we [absolutely] know and testify about what we have [actually] seen [as eyewitnesses]; and [still] you [reject our evidence and] do not accept our testimony. – John 3:9-11
Prophets were to be eyewitnesses of Jesus’ times, having actually seen the early church experiences of that time (Verse 11). That is what Jesus said.
Does your church prophet “speak only of what we [absolutely] know and testify about what we have [actually] seen [as eyewitnesses]“? I think not.
It’s more like they are making God speak. False teachers are on the wrong side of the controversy. (Read: The controversy of God speaking to you directly.)
Our ways are not His ways.
If they were
Jesus would have asked us
what we want.
Make sure you have not deleted or added to the Gospel of Jesus. Only Jesus’ salvation gets you saved.
FOR MORE:
The Mystery of the Gospel has been revealed
The Wonder of the Birth of God
The message of salvation spoken by Jesus to Paul
The One-off Offer Jesus makes to everyone
Entrance Granted into the Eternal
There is a broad road that says Heaven but goes to Hell
Evidence for all Jews and Goy that the Messiah came to earth
About evidences for faith in Jesus
Many false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world
About false teachings of today
They in fact have seen nothing
Show me actual false teachings
The Bethel Johnson’s Unbiblical Teachings Excerpt:
According to Joe Carter (www.thegospelcoalition.org) he carefully examined what’s going on. He sees Bethel as full of unbiblical ways (teachings and practices). Let’s look at the facts with Joe:….
The music hook of today’s apostates
Do not attend apostate churches
No new revelations in these End Times
The controversy of God speaking to you directly
Following the Jesus who was not God
Who is this Jesus of Nazareth?
22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet [b]like me from your countrymen; you shall listen to Him and obey everything He tells you.
23 And it will be that every person that does not listen to and heed that Prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
24 Indeed, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also announced these days.
Consequences of supporting evil
God forgives all wrongdoings of all repentant sinners, no exception
Footnotes
- From Pete Garcia: “And just as John the Baptist, who came preaching repentance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, had to decrease, so too must the Church decrease (by way of Rapture) so that Jesus can fulfill the promises made throughout Scripture to the covenant nation of Israel. God has to fulfill His promises to the Jewish nation because His word cannot fail. And as JD Farag is fond of saying, if God can break His eternal covenant with the Jew, how much easier would for Him to break it with me and you?
We should be ever thankful that God has not only proven Himself faithful until the uttermost but that He also longs to be with us and have us be where He is (John 14:1-3). And as our age winds down and our civilization falls apart, now is not the time to either shrink back or chase after every wild prediction that makes us weary and tired. Let us not be caught sleeping like the dead church of Sardis (Rev 3:3). Instead, let us be resolved in our common faith and shine brighter together as we see that day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).
Even as John the Baptist had his moment of doubt, assuredly, the report back from his disciples would have immediately put him at peace and confidence that Jesus was the Christ. Just as we take comfort with the Holy Spirit indwelling and sealing us, confirms what we have known all along, because, If You Know, You Know.”
-Source: Pete Garcia in his oddly titled IYKYK at rev310.net on Dec 16, 2022.
Leave a Reply