Read this and then I'll read the scripture. Gift of prophecy, teaching and expounding the word. Those in the church to whom God hath given gifts may and ought to prophesy according to the proportion of faith and to teach publicly the word of God for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the church. Prophesy, to expound the scriptures. That actually is a proper dictionary definition of the word. It is true that some references to prophecy in the New Testament speak of foretelling, but the vast majority speaks of foretelling, preaching the word. Turn with me, please, to 1 Corinthians chapter 14. Let's read verses 1 through 3. Follow after charity. and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God. For no man understandeth them, howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort. I said there are a couple of instances where a prophet foretells an event that's going to take place. And actually it's the same man that it talks about twice. I want to show you those scriptures. Acts chapter 11 verse 27 and 28. And in those days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great Darth throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. That proves him to be a true prophet. He prophesied about a thing that would happen, and it did come to pass. The next instance is Acts 21 verses 10 and 11. Acts 21 verses 10 and 11. And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet and said, thus said the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. We all know that did happen just as he said. Paul was bound, and actually that binding of the apostle was through a series of events, took him to Rome before Nero. Now I read 1 Corinthians 14, one through three, and I want to emphasize this. These verses in that 14th chapter confirm our belief that prophecy is a spiritual gift. Secondly, one that prophesies speaks unto men to edify them. to exhort them to do the right thing, and to comfort them in their distresses. Our English word, prophecy, comes from the Greek word prophetou, and it appears 28 times in the New Testament, and it's always, without exception, translated prophesy. Please turn with me now to Romans chapter 12 and verses 5 and 6. Romans chapter 12 verses 5 and 6. Actually, I should read from the third verse because it gives us the sense. So read with me from verse three through verse six. For I say through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office, So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another. That's true of this church. It's true of every one of the Lord's churches. Verse 6, having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. In other words, as God has given us understanding and perception of the scriptures, we ought to prophesy in that way, expound them in that way. Now notice, please, 1 Peter 4, verses 10 and 11. 1 Peter 4, verses 10 and 11. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another. as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth. that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Now again this passage stresses that we are given gifts to speak and minister and if we speak Let us speak as the oracles of God. Now, what does that mean? What does the word oracle mean? It comes from the Greek word logion, found four times in the New Testament. It's always translated oracle. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines oracles as, among Christians, in the plural, denotes the communications, revelations, or messages delivered by God to prophets What God has shown the man in the scriptures, he's to deliver to the congregation. He's speaking then as an oracle of God. Well, it's worthy of our notice to look at Romans 3, verses 1 and 2. The oracles were first delivered unto the nation of Israel, to the Jews. That's what this is talking about. What advantage then hath the Jew, or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way. chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. Israel was given the scriptures and they maintained those scriptures and kept them until they rejected the Lord as a nation in the New Testament era. The scriptures then were given to the church. The church became the foundation of the truth, the keepers of the truth. And I want to say this again to you. Contrary to what the Protestant and Catholic world says, they did not give us this Bible. The underlying text was in the hands of the Lord's churches from the first century on. Those churches were never in the Catholic system. They were never Protestants. In other words, They were never Episcopalians. They were never Lutherans. They were never Presbyterians. They were never Methodists. They were never any of those things or things that came from them. They were mainly called Anabaptists and Baptists. They kept the scriptures and have brought them to us today. Men, look back at the men that first translated the scriptures, and you're looking at men who were Baptists. You're not looking at Catholics. So this is an important concept. So in the beginning, the only people on earth to whom the words of God were committed were to the Jews. and then to the church, which became the pillar and ground of the truth. I want to say a few words about the perfection of the scriptures which we hold in our hands today. During the days of the church in the New Testament, they didn't have the gospels and the letters of Paul and Peter and the others, John. The New Testament was in writing. It wasn't yet finished. During those days, they knew, in part, And they prophesied in part. What does that mean? They did not have full knowledge, neither did they have full comprehension about the whole will of God. But they preached the Apostles' Doctrine, which was recorded in the New Testament. The scripture wasn't completed. The writers were writing it. It was completed about the end of the first century. Now I want to take you to this scripture because it's very important to consider. This has come up several times, but it has to do with prophesying fully. 1 Corinthians 13 verses 9 and 10. Paul said to the Corinthian church, for we know in part, we have partial knowledge, and we prophesy in part. When they preached in those days, it was nothing about church truth. There was nothing about the millennial reign. There was nothing about discipline and that that not yet had been written for the churches. But when that, notice the word, that, a demonstrative pronoun, that which is perfect or that which is complete is come, then that which is in part partial knowledge partial prophecy shall be done away. And it was because they held the whole volume of scriptures after the first century. Now, please look, if you will, turn to 1 Corinthians 12, 7. Just before we read that, during the days of the early church, and I want to say the first century again, the Lord had chosen the apostles and prophets. Paul, Silas, Barnabas had founded churches during their missionary journey. and the churches had chosen, that is, ordained elders and pastors. Since the scriptures have been completed, the churches now choose their pastors who speak as prophets according to the objective criteria in the Bible. One of the things that a pastor who speaks of the prophet must have is the ability to teach, which I believe is the same as that gift of prophecy. Now, these spiritual gifts, all of them, including prophecy, are for the profit of all that are in the churches. Look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 19 and 20. 1 Thessalonians 5, 19 and 20. Quench not the spirit. Despise not prophesy. Brothers and sisters, no matter who the man is that you choose to preach the word, when he preaches God's word and he says the truth of the word, we ought never ever under any circumstance to despise his speaking. We ought to listen and take it to heart. Let's not despise those prophesying which are rooted and founded in the Holy Scriptures, God forbid. Now, for just a moment, I want to use 1 Corinthians 14 to show you the high place of the gift of prophecy. We read this a while ago, 14.1, follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy. That's the important part of spiritual gifts. In verse three, But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, building up, exhortation, and comfort. Look at verse four. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself. So many people stress that. But he that prophesieth edifies the church. Verse five, I would that you all speak with tongues, but rather that you prophesied. For greater is he that prophesied than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edify. Verse six, now brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, What shall I profit you except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? Verse 22. Wherefore signs are tongues are for signs, not to them that believe, what? Not to them that believe, but to them that believe not. But prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. Verses 23 and 24. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers, Will they not say that you're mad? I tell you, I've been in a place like that, and that's exactly what I thought. These people are mad. But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all. He is judged of all. Verse 31, for you may all prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted. Clearly, we see when one speaks the Holy Scriptures in truth, he prophesies. That is, he's using the gift of prophecy, which is given him of the Lord. Such a man speaking as a prophet is a gift to the church. Praise God for prophets. I love it. Thank you for your attention. Comment, question.