Personal "Prophecy" In The Bible?
by Sandy Simpson, 2/08




The reason for this article is my contention that the modern day "prophetic movement", better known as the Latter Rain, Third Wave or New Apostolic Reformation, is promoting and practicing divination (personal prophecy) rather than what the Bible defines as true prophecy.  I urge the reader to study this subject without relying on presuppositions from the past, but rather solely on Scripture.  I believe I have done that yet am open to correction on this subject ... if you can prove to me that personal prophecy is taught and evidenced in the Bible.  But before responding please do a thorough Bible study on this subject first.  Following are my findings on this issue.

TRUE PROPHECY

I believe there is true prophecy today (I am not a Cessationist) and it most often occurs when there has been a proper exegesis of the written Word and a Holy Spirit inspired modern day application for the Church.  That is because the written Word of God is sufficient in all things (2 Tim. 3:16, John 17:17) and is alive, not dead (Heb. 4:12).

In a private sense, the indwelling Spirit also does lead the believer personally through their conscience and speaks to him or her through the Word.  God has given me many verses in His Word to help me know how He wants me to live and what He has in store for me using the precepts of what has happened in the past. These He has applied to my life through the leading of the Holy Spirit and they have been tested by His Word and have proven to be true.  But these leadings are usually intensely personal and are not to be shared with others unless God directs. Any leading must be tested, especially against the written Word, which is our highest authority in all matters of Faith and Practice.

In a public way in the Church, God leads men and women of God to declare (prophesy) in preaching and teaching the Word. Through those expositions, if directed by the Holy Spirit, God guides His Church today in a prophetic way.  I have experienced this many times also when men and women of God were proclaiming God's Word and applying it by the Holy Spirit to modern Church issues, and many times I knew right when it happened that it was true prophecy.

Mature believers also understand that God uses the guidance of His Holy Spirit to deal with each individual Christian and that God does not need the aid of a self-declared personal divination "prophet" to do so.

You might ask, “But early Christians did give extemporaneous prophecies. What about this verse?”

1Co 14:26  What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
So is Paul urging Christians to bring new revelation that has the same authority as the written Word into the Church via prophecy?  I do not believe that is the case.  The word in Greek apokalupsis translated as “revelation” means laying bear, making naked, a disclosure of truth, instruction, concerning things before unknown, used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto withdrawn from view are made visible to all, manifestation, appearance.”  I believe that any “revelation” given in the early church, apart from the foundational Apostles, was that of revealing or laying bear a truth from God’s Word. The Corinthians were studying the Old Testament and when the Holy Spirit gave them insight they would share any revelation they had gained from the Word to the body of Christ. At that time they were most interested in finding Old Testament prophecies of Christ.  The context of this verse was not dealing with speaking new things into existence or getting new revelation apart from the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostles and prophets.  In fact those who claimed to have special revelation knowledge such as the Gnostics, which WAS apart from the foundations in Scripture, were roundly rebuked and rejected (Rev. 2:24, Titus 3:10, 2 Cor. 11:12-15, etc.).


FALSE PROPHETS

But the modus operandi of a false prophet is stated well in Jeremiah.

Jer 14:14  Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries {Or visions, worthless divinations} and the delusions of their own minds.
Divination is the practice, in these modern day movements, of personal prophecy that has as its underlying objective to (1) bring people into the prophetic movement through declaring virtually everyone to be a "prophet" and to (2) bring them under the control of the head "prophets" in the prophetic movement through personal prophecy (divination).  I have witnesses both personally and second hand via hundreds of emails that "prophecies", in the form of divination (having more in common with fortune telling), are routinely given addressing personal sins and allegedly giving direction to a person's life.  In my opinion this is a most despicable practice!  It is ruining many churches wholesale.  If I had a dollar for every false prophet who tried to practice divination on me, either in person or by email, I would be a rich man.  I have had false prophets from the prophetic movement tell me I would raise people physically from the dead or that I am a prophet, thus attempting to give the enemy a foothold in me of pride. They purported to reveal secret sins in me that were ridiculous and untrue, predict my future, and tell me to shut up while they did so.  So this is why a case must be made against personal prophecy/divination from the Bible while upholding the true prophetic as evidenced in the Word.  This will likely make some people angry who are used to being around a multitude of Latter Rain churches and think that God has spoken to them through personal prophecy.  I urge you to test what you have been told by the Word of God and understand that divination is against what God has commanded.  If you say you love the Lord then you must obey His Word and get away from those who practice divination.
This is a study of all the prophecies in the Bible given by a prophet to another individual.  It is my contention that there is no such thing as "personal prophecy" in the Bible in the sense of words given to direct the lives of individuals alone apart from their impact on Israel or the Church as a whole.  Prophecies given to individuals in the Bible had to do with the directing the patriarchs, the nation of Israel and/or the Gentile church, not just the individual.

I suppose a case could be made that the silence of the Bible on the subject of personal prophecy does not prove it should not be done today.  But making "arguments from silence" regarding the Bible is a very dangerous thing to do.  Surely the Bible would have taught Christians how to practice personal prophecy and given us numerous examples.  But there are none.

It would take far too much time and paper to display all the prophecies given to Israel in all the major and minor prophet books.  Since that is not the subject we are dealing with here, we will only concentrate on prophecies given to individuals in the Bible.  I will list all those references following my comments.  As you can see from the headings all prophecy given was concerning more than just one individual, being given because of the wider impact on Israel and/or the Church as a whole.  We only find "personal prophecy" in the form of fortunetelling in certain cases in the Bible and that practice was forbidden and is to be avoided.

Jeremiah 27:9 So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums or your sorcerers ...
Leviticus 19:26 ... 'Do not practice divination or sorcery.
Deuteronomy 18:10-11 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in [a] the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
Speaking of "consulting the dead" this is exactly what people who claim to have been taken to heaven or hell (in a whole plethora of books in print these days) are doing when they (allegedly) talk to dead people there and "bring back" messages for the living.  The Bible is clear that the living cannot talk to the dead (Ecc. 9:5, Is 8:19, 26:14).  If they think they are doing so they are actually being deceived by demons.  This is what we can expect in the end times.
1Ti 4:1  The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Baalam was a false prophet who had to speak true prophecies concerning Israel against his wishes.  But the Bible states that Baalam also practiced divination, therefore he was under God’s judgment.
Joshua 13:22 In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination.
Wikipedia says regarding the definition of "divination":
Divination (Greek from "seer", anglicized in the suffix -mancy, see also mania) is the attempt of ascertaining information by interpretation of omens or an alleged supernatural agency, either by or on behalf of a querent.
Those who practice "personal prophecy" today are no more than divinationists who are alleging "supernatural agency".  They are attempting to control the lives of others for personal gain … emotionally, spiritually, physically and/or financially.  They have no supernatural agency because they are not obeying the Word of God.  The Bible is clear that true prophecy has a wider impact than one individual and is to be tested.
1Jo 4:1  Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
This is as true today as it was when John penned it through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  Notice that we are to test the spirits.  This is because there are demonic spirits behind false prophets who prompt them to lie when they attempt to divine secrets that are hidden to them.  Only God knows the whole truth and any prophecy will be tested against the Truth that is the Spirit of Truth and the Word of Truth.  Those who fail this test are liars and under the judgment of God unless they repent.
Here are all the references on prophecies given to individuals and nations in the Bible.  There is not one that was in the form of personal prophecy (divination).


Prophecies Given To Leaders Of Nations

Exodus 4:22, 7:17, 11:4, 5:1, 32:27; Numbers 23:26, 24:13

Prophecies Given To Leaders Of Israel

Exodus 8:1, 8:20; Joshua 7:13, 24:2; Judges 6:8; 1 Samuel 10:18, 15:2, 2:27; 2 Samuel 7:5, 7:8, 12:11, 15:2, 24:12; 1 Kings 12:24, 13:2, 13:21, 20:13, 20:14, 20:28, 20:42, 21:19, 21:23, 22:11; 2 Kings 1:4, 1:6, 1:16, 2:21, 3:16, 3:17, 4:43, 7:1, 9:3, 9:12, 19:6, 19:32, 20:1, 22:16; 1 Chronicles 17:4, 21:10, 21:11; 2 Chronicles 11:4, 12:5, 18:10, 20:15, 34:24; Joshua 7:13, 24:2; Judges 6:8

Prophecies Given To Israel As A Whole (Often Given To Leaders Of Israel)

Numbers 21:14, 32:27; Joshua 22:16; Psalms 68:22; 110:1; Isaiah 3:16, 7:7, 16:14, 18:4, 21:6, 21:16, 28:16, 29:13, 31:4, 37:6, 37:33, 38:1, 42:5, 43:1, 43:14, 43:16, 44:2, 44:6, 44:24, 45:1, 45:11, 45:14, 45:18, 48:17, 49:5, 49:7, 49:8, 49:22, 49:25, 50:1, 51:22, 52:3, 52:4, 56:1, 56:4, 65:8, 65:13, 66:1, 66:12; Jeremiah 2:5, 4:3, 4:27, 6:16, 6:21, 6:22, 7:20, 8:4, 9:23, 10:1, 10:2, 10:18, 11:11, 11:21, 12:14, 13:9, 13:13, 14:10, 14:15, 15:2, 15:19, 16:3, 16:5, 17:5, 17:21, 18:11, 18:13, 19:1, 20:4, 21:8, 21:12, 22:1, 22:3, 22:6, 22:11, 22:18, 22:30, 23:17, 23:38, 26:2, 26:4, 27:16, 28:11, 28:13, 28:16, 29:10, 29:16, 29:31, 29:32, 30:5, 30:12, 30:18, 31:2, 31:7, 31:15, 31:16, 31:35, 31:37, 32:3, 32:28, 32:42, 33:2, 33:10, 33:17, 33:20, 33:25, 34:2, 34:4, 34:17, 36:29, 36:30, 37:9, 38:2, 38:3, 42:4, 44:30, 45:4, 47:2, 48:40, 49:1, 49:12, 49:28, 51:1, 51:36; Ezekiel 2:4, 3:11, 3:27, 5:5, 5:7, 5:8, 6:3, 6:11, 7:2, 7:5, 11:5, 11:7, 11:16, 11:17, 12:10, 12:19, 12:23, 12:28, 13:3, 13:8, 13:13, 13:18, 13:20, 14:4, 14:6, 14:21, 15:6, 16:3, 16:36, 16:59, 17:3, 17:9, 17:19, 17:22, 20:3, 20:5, 20:27, 20:30, 20:39, 20:47, 21:3, 21:9, 21:24, 21:26, 21:28, 22:3, 22:19, 22:28, 23:22, 23:28, 23:32, 23:35, 23:46, 24:3, 24:6, 24:9, 24:21, 25:3, 25:6, 25:12, 25:13, 25:15, 25:16, 26:3, 26:7, 26:15, 26:19, 27:3, 28:2, 28:6, 28:12, 28:22, 28:25, 29:3, 29:8, 29:13, 29:19, 30:2, 30:6, 30:10, 30:13, 30:22, 31:10, 32:3, 32:11, 33:25, 33:27, 34:2, 34:10, 34:11, 34:17, 34:20, 35:3, 35:14, 36:2, 36:3, 36:4, 36:5, 36:6, 36:7, 36:13, 36:22, 36:33, 36:37, 37:5, 37:9, 37:12, 37:19, 37:21, 38:3, 38:10, 38:14, 38:17, 39:1, 39:17, 39:25, 43:18, 44:6, 44:9, 45:9, 45:18, 46:1, 46:16, 47:13, Amos 1:3, 1:6, 1:9, 1:11, 1:13, 2:1, 2:4, 2:6, 3:11, 3:12, 5:3, 5:4,  7:17; Obadiah 1:1; Micah 2:3, 3:5, 6:1; Zechariah 1:16, 8:3; Malachi 1:2

The Lord Speaking Directly To Major Characters and Leaders

Genesis 4:6, 4:9, 4:10, 4:15, 6:3, 6:7, 11:6, 13:14, 15:9, 15:13, 18:10, 18:13, 18:17, 18:20, 18:26, 25:23, 31:3; Exodus 3:7, 4:2, 4:3,  4:4,  4:6,  4:8,  4:11,  4:21,  4:27,  6:1,  6:10,  6:26,  7:1,  7:8,  7:14,  7:19,  8:1,  8:5,  8:16,  8:20,  9:1,  9:8,  9:13,  9:22,  10:1,  10:12,  10:21,  12:1,  12:43,  13:1,  14:1,  14:15,  14:26,  16:4,  16:11,  17:14,  19:9,  19:10,  19:21,  20:22,  25:1,  30:11,  30:17,  30:22, 30:34,  31:1,  32:7,  32:9,  33:1,  33:17,  33:19,  33:21, 34:1,  34:10,  34:27,  40:1, Leviticus 4:1,  5:14, 6:1,  6:8,  6:24,  7:22,  7:28,  8:1,  10:8,  11:1,  12:1,  13:1,  14:1,  14:33,  15:1,  16:2,  17:1,  18:1,  19:1,  20:1,  21:1,  21:16,  22:1,  22:17,  22:26,  23:1,  23:9,  23:23,  23:26, 23:33,  24:1,  24:13,  25:1,  27:1, Numbers 2:1, 3:5,  3:14,  3:40,  4:1,  4:17,  4:21,  5:1,  5:5, 5:11,  6:1,  6:22,  7:4,  8:1,  8:5,  8:23,  9:9,  10:1,  10:29,  11:16,  12:4,  13:1,  14:11,  14:26,  15:1,  15:17,  15:35,  15:37,  16:20,  16:23,  16:36,  16:44,  17:1,  17:10,  18:1,  18:8,  18:20,  18:25,  19:1,  20:7,  20:12,  20:23,  21:8,  21:16,  21:34,  22:35,  25:4,  25:10,  25:16,  26:1,  26:52,  27:6,  27:12,  27:18,  28:1,  31:1,  31:25,  33:50,  34:1,  34:16,  35:1,  35:9; Deuteronomy 1:42,  2:2,  2:9,  2:13,  2:17,  2:31,  3:2,  3:26,  5:28,  6:19,  9:13,  10:1,  10:11,  18:17,  31:3,  31:14,  31:16,  34:4; Joshua 1:1,  3:7,  4:1,  4:15,  5:2,  5:9,  6:2,  7:10,  8:1,  8:18,  10:8,  11:6,  13:1,  14:6,  20:1; Judges 6:18,  6:23,  6:25,  7:2,  7:4,  7:7,  7:9; 1 Samuel 3:11,  9:17,  10:22,  15:16,  16:1,  16:2,  16:4,  16:7,  16:12,  23:11,  23:12; 2 Samuel 2:,  5:2,  16:10,  21:1; 1 Kings 8:18,  9:3,  11:11,  19:11,  19:15,  22:17,  22:20; 2 Kings 1:3, 2 Kings 1:15, ,  21:10,  23:27; 1 Chronicles 21:9; 2 Chronicles 6:8, 18:16, 18:19; Job 1:7,  1:8,  1:12,  2:2,  2:3,  2:6,  40:1; Isaiah 7:3,  8:1,  8:3,  20:3; Jeremiah 1:7,  1:12,  1:14,  3:6,  3:11,  9:13,  11:6,  11:9,  13:1,  13:6,  14:11, 14:14,  15:1,  15:11,  17:19,  27:2,  45:4, Ezekiel 4:13,  10:2,  11:2,  23:36,  44:2,  44:5; Hosea 1:2, 1:4, 1:6, 1:9, 3:1; Amos 7:3, 7:6, 7:8, 8:2; Jonah 4:10; Zechariah 1:12, 3:2, 11:13, 11:15; Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 11:39, Luke 18:6, 20:42; John 11:39; Acts 2:34, 7:33, 8:26, 9:15, 22:10, 22:21

CONCLUSION

In conclusion it is clear that there is no evidence of "personal prophecy" in the Bible that did not relate to the whole of Israel and/or the Church.  Those who are personal prophets today, then, should be avoided as they are actually using divination.

Jer 29:8  Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.
It is true that we are not to take prophecies lightly.
1Th 5:20  do not treat prophecies with contempt.
But this is not talking about personal prophecies because we cannot find that taught or demonstrated in the Bible.  If someone gives you a personal prophecy you must then, based on what the Bible teaches, disregard it because it is not true prophecy but rather divination.  However, we must not be contemptuous of prophecies given to individuals for the whole church based on what God has already spoken in His Word.  In any case, all prophecy must be tested for compliance with the written Word and if it purports to speak of future events, it must be tested against accuracy and truth of fulfillment.
1Co 14:29  Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
Notice that prophecy here is done in the context of the whole church, in front of the church, not in a personal way.  That is so others can judge what is being said, testing it against the written Word.  It is also a protection against the cultic nature of divination being practiced in the past right up through today.  We are to avoid false prophets, and anyone who practices divination is, by Biblical definition, a type of false prophet.
Mr 13:22  22  for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect. (ASV)
Matt.7:15-23  "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them. "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’