What Is Prophecy?

 

Does prophecy  always involve foretelling the future?

No. Bible prophecy is not limited to future.  However, messages from God relate to the future, even if only indirectly.  For example, God's prophets repeatedly warned the ancient Israelites about their evil ways. Those warnings described the future blessings if the people would heed the warning, as well as the future calamity if they refused.  (Jeremiah 25:4-6)  The actual outcome depended on the course that the Israelites chose to follow. - DEUTERONOMY 30:19, 20.

Examples of Bible prophecies not involving predictions

* On one occasion when the Israelites asked God for help, he sent a prophet to explain that because they had refused to obey God's commands. He had not helped them. - JUDGES 6:6-10. 

* When Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman, he revealed things about her past that he could have known only by divine revelation.  She recognized him as a prophet even though he had made no predictions about the future. - JOHN 4:17-19. 

* At Jesus' trial, his enemies covered his face, hit him, and then said:  "Prophesy! Whos is it that struck you?"  They were not calling for Jesus to foretell the future but him to idenify by divine power who had hit him. - LUKE 22:63, 64. 

Next time: What Is the Sign of "the Last Days," or "End Times"? 

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