Unboxed: Where are the prophets today? Watchman, what of the night?

Yes, where indeed are the prophets today? Are there any more prophets in this highly digital technological age full of once futuristic prophecies fulfilled? No Christian would deny the importance of prophecies for two reasons: They are part and parcel of the Bible. They have come true in human history —some are yet to come true and many Christians are waiting for that to happen. My question today is since the Bible has been written, do we need any new prophecy? If so, why and where are the prophets? What are prophecies?

Here are some Bible verses about prophecies and visions (divine communication in a vision, oracle, prophecy), from both the Old Testament and the New Testament:

For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21 NKJV) For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.. (Habakkuk 2:3 AMPC)

Ezekiel 37:1-14 describes an interaction between the prophet Ezekiel and the Lord (the Holy Spirit). He was led by the Spirit to see a valley of scattered dry bones (in a vision), prophesy (speaking) life and see his prophecy come to pass in the vision as they become a great live army of Israel.

And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:21-22 ESV)

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (Revelation 1:3 ESV)

And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, (2 Peter 1:19)

Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” (Genesis 20:7)

You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:16-20)

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18)

The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. (Matthew 10:41)

Let them bring them, and tell us
    what is to happen.
Tell us the former things, what they are,
    that we may consider them,
that we may know their outcome;
    or declare to us the things to come. (Isaiah 41:22)

Behold, the former things have come to pass,
    and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
    I tell you of them.” (Isaiah 42:9)

“The former things I declared of old;
    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;
    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. (Isaiah 48:3)

Isaiah 21:11-12 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

11 The mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Dumah (Edom): One calls to me from Seir (Edom), Watchman, what of the night? [How far is it spent? How long till morning?] Guardian, what of the night?

12 The watchman said, The morning comes, but also the night. [Another time, if Edom earnestly wishes to know] if you will inquire [of me], inquire; return, come again.

(The above was Originally drafted on February 4, 2021)

Indeed, what of the night? This is relevant now as the nights are longer and darker. Sadly, the watchman does not have any answer that can be vocalized. Yet, never lose heart, because the Proverbs says, It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them. (Proverbs 25:2)

Romans 11:33
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!

Deuteronomy 29:29
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.

Isaiah 21:10 10 O my people, threshed and winnowed,
    I have told you everything the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said,
    everything the God of Israel has told me.

kainotes, 2021-04-30

a new message for Yom Kippur 2016 meditation (2): according to Torah

Romans 2 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

God’s Judgment on Unrighteousness

2 Therefore you are without excuse, O man—every one of you who is judging. For by whatever you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. ^a]”>[a] 2 We know that God’s judgment on those who practice such things is based on truth. ³ But you, O man—judging those practicing such things yet doing the same—do you suppose that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you belittle the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience—not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

⁵ But by your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. ^b]”>[b] 6 He will pay back each person according to his deeds. ^c]”>[c] 7 To those who by perseverance in doing good are seeking glory, honor, and immortality—eternal life. ⁸ But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—wrath and fury. ⁹ There will be trouble and hardship for every human soul that does evil—to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁰ But there will be glory, honor, and shalom to everyone who does good—to the Jew first and also to the Greek.¹¹ For there is no partiality with God.^d]”>[d]

¹² For all who have sinned outside of Torah will also perish outside of Torah, and all who have sinned according to Torah will be judged by Torah. ¹³ For it is not the hearers of Torahwho are righteous before God; rather, it is the doers of Torah who will be justified.¹⁴ For when Gentiles, who do not have the Torah, do by nature the things of the Torah, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the Torah. ¹⁵ They show that the work of the Torah is written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts switching between accusing or defending them ¹⁶ on the day when God judges the secrets of men according to my Good News through Messiah Yeshua.

Jewish People Fall Short Too

¹⁷ But if you call yourself Jewish and rely upon the Torah and boast in God ¹⁸ and know His will and determine what matters because you are instructed from the Torah— ¹⁹ and you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰ a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Torah the embodiment of knowledge and the truth—

²¹ you then who teach another, do you not teach yourself?
You who preach not to steal, do you steal?
²² You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery?
You who detest idols, do you rob temples?
²³ You who take pride in the Torah,
through your violation of the Torah, do you dishonor God?
²⁴ For as it is written, “the name of God is slandered among the nations because of you.”^e]”>[e]

²⁵ Circumcision is indeed worthwhile if you keep the Torah; but if you break the Torah, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ^{f]”>[f] 26} Therefore, if the uncircumcised keeps the righteous decrees of the Torah, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? ^g]”>[g]27 Indeed, the one not circumcised physically who fulfills the Torah will judge you^h]”>[h] who—even with the written code^i]”>[i] and circumcision—break the Torah.²⁸ For one is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something visible in the flesh. ²⁹ Rather, the Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—in Spirit not in letter. His praise is not from men, but from God.^j]”>[j]

Footnotes:

a)   Romans 2:2 cf. 2 Sam. 12:5-7; Matt. 7:1-2.

b)   Romans 2:6 cf. Deut. 32:34-35.

c)   Romans 2:7 cf. Ps. 62:12, Prov. 24:12, Matt. 16:27, 2 Cor. 5:10, Col. 3:25, 2 Tim. 4:14, 1 Pet. 1:17, Rev. 2:23.

d)   Romans 2:11 cf. Deut. 10:17.

e)   Romans 2:24 Isa. 52:5b(LXX).

f)   Romans 2:26 cf. Jer. 9:24-26.

g)   Romans 2:27 cf. Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4.

h)   Romans 2:27 cf. Matt. 12:41-42; 19:28; Lk. 11:31; 22:30.

i)   Romans 2:27 Lit. letter.

j)   Romans 2:29 cf. Gen. 29:35; 49:8.

John 2 Tree of Life Version (TLV) Water to Wine 2 On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in the Galilee. Yeshua’s mother was there,2 and Yeshua and His disciples were also invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, Yeshua’s mother said to Him, “They don’t have any wine!” 4 Yeshua said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with you and Me? My hour hasn’t come yet.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone jars, used for the Jewish ritual of purification, each holding two to three measures. a]”>[a] 7 Yeshua said to them, “Fill the jars with water!” So they filled them up to the top. 8 Then He said to them, “Take some water out, and give it to the headwaiter.” And they brought it. 9 Now the headwaiter did not know where it had come from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. As the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, he calls the bridegroom 10 and says to him, “Everyone brings out the good wine first, and whenever they are drunk, then the worse. But you’ve reserved the good wine until now!” 11 Yeshua did this, the first of the signs, in Cana of the Galilee—He revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. Yeshua Purges the Temple 12 After this Yeshua went down to Capernaum with His mother, brothers,b]”>[b] and disciples, and they stayed there a few days. 13 The Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Yeshua went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple, He found the merchants selling oxen, sheep, and doves; also the moneychangers sitting there. 15 Then He made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the Temple, both the sheep and oxen. He dumped out the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables. 16 To those selling doves, He said, “Get these things out of here! Stop making My Father’s house a marketplace!”17 His disciples remembered that it is written, “Zeal for your House will consume Me!”c]”>[c] 18 The Judean leaders responded, “What sign do You show us, since You are doing these things?” 19 “Destroy this Temple,” Yeshua answered them, “and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Judean leaders then said to Him, “Forty-six years this Temple was being built, and You will raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was talking about the temple of His body. 22 So after He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He was talking about this. Then they believed the Scripture and the word that Yeshua had spoken. 23 Now when He was in Jerusalem for the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, seeing the signs He was doing. 24 But Yeshua did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all men. 25 He did not need anyone to testify about man, for He knew what was in man. Footnotes: a)   John 2:7 About 20-25 gallons; 1 measure is about 9 gallons. b)   John 2:12 Some mss. say brethren. c)   John 2:17 Ps. 69:10(9). Tree of Life Version (TLV)Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.

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