Recovering the Prophetic: Truth and Grace in Scripture’s Fullness
2 Kings 19-20; 1 Corinthians 7; Psalm 149
Over the last few weeks, reading through the Old Testament together, we have wrestled with our understanding of the true prophetic. Living in the New Covenant age of grace, we have all been given the Person of the Holy Spirit and have direct access to our Heavenly Father through Jesus. Praise the Lord! In my opinion and experience, the prophetic hasn’t been replaced; rather, it has expanded. It’s not diminished; it is enhanced.
Through that lens, let’s examine this passage together and see what we can learn:
2 Kings 20:1-6 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’” What do we do with this in our dispensation of grace? Many churches today would never receive such a prophetic word. After all, in Paul’s letter to Corinth, he said, “the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.” (1 Corinthians 14:3)
Some might argue, “Well, this sure doesn’t sound encouraging.”
Heralding prophetic news of impending death wouldn’t fit into our modern notion of building up, encouragement, and consolation. And yet! And yet, the news provoked Hezekiah to seek the Lord. The news stirred him to cry out.
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
Could it be that we need to revisit our interpretation of these prophetic themes until we align with a more ultimate sense of eternal reality? The issue of the true prophetic is not whether someone feels all the feels. Conviction, true conviction of the Lord, cuts like nothing else. It demands a response from us. Could it be that the reason we are not seeing the church rise up is because we have a wrong interpretation, an earthly interpretation, of what it means to build up, encourage, and console?
Isaiah gave a word that led to Hezekiah’s ultimate “building up.” He was encouraged to seek the Lord. Are you following what I am saying here?
We need the restoration of the true prophetic to call us back to following Jesus. And part of that recovery is reassessing our interpretations of our New Testament scriptures.
And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day, you shall go up to the house of the Lord, and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.’”
The Word of the Lord, the true prophetic, came to heal. But! But, it did not sound encouraging on the front end. It sounded like judgment. It sounded like a death sentence. The word of the Lord came to evoke a heart cry that would lead to recovery.
Oh! The paradox of the cross! The only way to enter into resurrection life is through the cross.
As we seek the Lord for a renewed understanding of the true prophetic spirit, let us remember that it is best defined as the very ‘testimony of Jesus’ (Rev 19:10). The cross is nothing but good news to those who are being saved. Coming to it, coming through it with Christ, is unto our ultimate upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation. And! And! It also leads to certain death. Death to self. Death to ambition, our ways and ideas, our vain pursuits. Death to our complacency. Both-and, not either-or.
Let’s let scripture interpret scripture. Our God is good, and His mercies indeed endure forever! Amen!!
Deepening Faith: Reflective Journal Prompts
- Reflecting on the True Prophetic: Consider how the expanded view of the prophetic in the New Covenant age has manifested in your life. How do you see the Holy Spirit working through you in ways that might be considered prophetic?
- Response to Conviction: Recall a time when you felt deeply convicted by God’s Word or Spirit. How did you respond? Did this conviction lead to a change in behavior or belief, and how did it ultimately build you up or encourage you?
- The Paradox of the Cross: Reflect on the paradox of the cross as both a symbol of death and the gateway to resurrection life. How does embracing your own ‘cross’—areas of sacrifice or surrender—lead to greater life and freedom in Christ?
- Redefining Encouragement: How does your understanding of encouragement align with the idea that true encouragement might involve conviction or challenges to change? Can you think of an instance where being challenged or corrected resulted in growth?
- The Role of the Prophetic in Personal and Church Life: Consider the role of the prophetic in today’s church and your personal life. How can a renewed understanding of the prophetic lead to a deeper following of Jesus and impact the church’s mission in the world?
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