The Point of the Prophets —

A prophet is called by God to speak on His behalf. A prophecy is spoken in a variety of ways, such as moral judgment, a call to action and repentance, a prediction of what will happen, and so on. But despite the differences in subject matter, there are reoccurring themes threaded through each message: God is truth. God is good. God is sovereign. We are not God. We are sinners. We need God. God is not impressed by a self-made man, as if there were any, He is not enthralled by rebellion. God speaks to remind us of what happens to those who ignore His Word, and He teaches us how to avoid such ignorance. The prophetic word is often not a good one for us to hear, nor is it something we can easily shrug off. We must come front and centre with the knowledge of what God tells us. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, quoted many times from the prophets – they were His own words – to those who followed Him. The prophets pointed to Christ. For Christ was appointed to restore our broken relationship with God.

When we read the Word of God, it is comforting but also challenging. God tells us the truth. Many times we do not like the truth. But the truth does not change, even if we don’t like it. Jesus told us in John 8:31-32, that when we abide in His Word, we will know the truth, and that truth will set us free! This month we will continue the exploration of the prophetic books contained within the pages of the Bible. As we read the Words of God, we must not seek to be comfortable but seek the truth.