THIS IS PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES ON THE GIFT OF PROPHECY. Click here for the rest of the series.

The next few posts will be about the scope of prophecy and the limitations of prophecy. These are helpful concepts to understand as we explore the nature of the gift of prophecy.

The scope of prophetic ministry does not just cover the future and the present, as we have seen it can cover the past as well. Those who walk in some level of prophetic discernment can at times reveal future events, present circumstances, or past actions. There is not biblical reason to limit the scope of prophecy to a foretelling of future events. That does not seem to be the intended definition of prophecy from the biblical narrative.

We can see revelation of the past functioning in Genesis 1 and John 1.

Both begin with the famous phrase, “In the beginning…” However, “in the beginning” speaks to a time when man was not. What is revealed through Moses and John the Beloved are mysteries hidden in time.

There are however, limitations to the gift of prophecy and we would be remiss if we did not address them. Many have assumed that those who operate in prophetical gifts have more knowledge than they actually do. John Paul Jackson used to say, “I know less than you think I know, but more than you want me to know.”

Take, for instance, the example of Samuel anointing David:

I Samuel 16:1-3 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord .’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”

Samuel is given a mission to go and told what to do, but calls into question his safety. He knows in part, not in full. He is concerned that if he does what he is told then Saul will find out and take retribution against him. So he is aware of his immediate mission, but not the long term consequences. There is a limitation to the revelation that is given to him. He is operating as a prophet, but with limited awareness.

As far as the limitation of prophetic knowledge, Peter is another example. We previously covered the Holy Spirit revealing to Peter that three men have come to take him when dealing with present tense revelation. However, the limitation of his awareness is seen here:

Acts 10:21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”

While Peter is aware of their presence and that he is to go with them, he is not made aware what their purpose is in requesting his presence. His prophetic knowledge is limited.

Paul (called both an apostle and prophet) speaks of the coming disaster to the ship and crew he is sailing with:

Acts 27:9-10 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”

Shortly thereafter, Paul recognizes his presumption when an angel appears to him:

Acts 27:21-24 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’”

Paul was aware in the first place that the ship and cargo would be lost, but was presumptive about the loss of life. His awareness was limited. There are numerous examples of the limitations of prophecy in scripture, and here are some other examples:

When Isaac blesses Jacob instead of Esau, he is aware of what is to come in that he prophesies to Jacob, but he is not aware that it is Jacob and not Esau. (Genesis 27)

When Jacob blessed Joseph’s two sons he is aware of who is the older and who is the younger (not by sight as he couldn’t distinguish the two children) as well as their future destinies.  He is aware of the present and the future. (Genesis 48)

Elisha asks the man where the axe head has fallen and throws the stick where it is and the axe floats, he knew what would happen, but not where the axe head had fallen. (2 Kings 6)

The sons of the prophets knew Elijah was going to be carried away but didn’t know where as they looked for him after he was taken in the whirlwind. (2 Kings 2)

John the Baptist was touched of the present, but not of the future when he claims Jesus is the lamb at the baptism but later questions whether he is the one. (John 1, Matthew 11:3)

These limitations can be squared away with the limitations of human nature.

Yet God is not limited in his knowledge of events past, present or future:

Isaiah 44:6-7 “Thus says the Lord , the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there  is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, Since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, Let them show these to them.

The limitations of prophetic knowledge are not indicative of God’s nature, but of man’s. The scope of prophetic ministry is connected to the nature of God as eternal.  I am the first and the last - who can proclaim as I do?  The quality of God's eternality lends to the nature of prophetic ministry.  And we see times when a prophet is aware of both past, present and future as in the case of Ahijah and then Elisabeth:

I Kings 14:5-6 Now the Lord had said to Ahijah, “Here is the wife of Jeroboam, coming to ask you something about her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus you shall say to her; for it will be, when she comes in, that she will pretend to be another woman. ” And so it was, when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another person? For I have been sent to you with bad news.”

Ahijah immediately prophesies all that God will do in bringing judgement to the unjust reign of Jeroboam.

Elisabeth recognizes past, present, and future when it comes to Mary, the mother of Jesus.  She proclaims that it was done of the Holy Spirit, that the baby she carries is the Lord and that she is the Mother, and that she would see those things fulfilled that had been promised to her. (Luke 1:39-45)

To be continued…