Prophecy - Old VS New Part 1

Prophecy - Old VS New Part 1

Have you ever wondered why the Old Covenant (OC) prophecies were so accurate? In fact, the OC prophets could only be precise or they would die.

And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐬 to speak a word 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞, which I have not commanded him to speak, 𝐨𝐫 who speaks 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐬, that prophet 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐞.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲; you shall not be afraid of him. - Deut 18:19-22 (emphasis added)

Some writers argue from this passage that if the OC prophet releases an inaccurate prophetic word, he has only spoken presumptuously (v22) and doesn't have to die.

But we must always read the Word in context, or it becomes a pretext for a proof text.

The OC prophet is to be put to death under two clear clauses:

1) If he presumes to speak a word in God's name (v20)

2) If he speaks in the name of other gods (v20)

If a prophet speaks 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐬, it is easy to recognise and that prophet will be put to death. However, if the prophet speaks presumptuously 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, it is not easy to recognise. Hence, God taught Israel how to test the prophet in v22. 

"When a prophet speaks 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲; you shall not be afraid of him." - Deut 18:22

If the prophecy does not come to pass, the prophet has spoken it presumptuously (root word in Hebrew is 'zud', which is exactly the same word used in v20). Israel did not need to be afraid of him, and reading in full context of the passage from v19-22, this prophet must be put to death (v20).

Whether it is a false prophet or an inaccurate prophet, both have to die in the Old Covenant.

Was God being difficult? By no means! Because it wasn't difficult to prophesy accurately in the Old Covenant. They were not born again. They didn't have the Spirit IN them. The voice of God came to them from OUTSIDE in. 

What the OC prophets hear, they simply speak. It is plain and easy. Whatever God speaks, they simply hear from outside in and repeat the words accordingly. There is no need for interpretation.

In the New Covenant, we are born again. We have the Spirit IN us. God now speaks from INSIDE out, not outside in. God speaks from within our spirit. Before we speak it out, the revelation needs to go through our soul (mind, emotions and will) and to our body (mouth). There is a place of interpretation which needs to take place in our soul (mind).

How we interpret correctly depends on how renewed our mind is (Romans 12:2). We will touch on this in the next part.