Biblical Prophecy
More Than Predicting the Future
By Paul Bernard
According to Michael Gorman in his book Reading Revelation Responsibly, "On five different occasions: Revelation 1:3, 22:7, 10, 18, 19, Revelation explicitly calls itself a work of prophecy. It also characterizes the activity of John as prophecy in 10:11, 19:10, 22:6, 9."
However, when most of us hear the word "prophecy," we tend to automatically tie it to the future. That prophecy is merely a prediction of something to come. For most of us, when we think about the "prophetic" nature of Revelation, it almost entirely consists of predicting the end of the world. But is that all there is to "prophecy?"
Throughout the Bible, prophecy is not exclusively about predicting or pronouncing the future. While prophecy certainly includes foretelling-such as Isaiah predicting the virgin birth of Christ (Isaiah 7:14) or Daniel's visions of future kingdoms (Daniel 7)—the biblical role of a prophet is far broader. Prophecy also includes speaking words of comfort and or challenge to the people of God. David DeSilva writes, "Prophecy is essentially a word of the Lord breaking into the situation of the Lord's people who need guidance or encouragement or a call to repentance and recommitment."
The Hebrew word for prophet, nabi, means one who is called" or "one who speaks on behalf of another." Prophets were God's spokespeople, delivering messages that revealed His character, exposed sin, called for repentance, and proclaimed hope. As God told Jeremiah, "You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you" (Jeremiah 1:7). This highlights the prophetic role of speaking God's word faithfully, not just unveiling future events.
Prophets called God's people back to covenant faithfulness. When the nation of Israel strayed from God's commands, prophets like Amos spoke boldly: "Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" (Amos 5:24). These were not future predictions but present indictments, calling for societal reform and spiritual renewal.
In other words, prophecy is not always and only about future predictions, but is often declaration of God's intent in the present. There are prophecies throughout the Bible that fit both definitions, which means we should be on the lookout for both in our study of Revelation. The book of Revelation contains prophecies that are both futuristic and present; sometimes it will be forecasting the future, and sometimes be declaring God's truth in the present.
In the Scriptures, prophecy also serves to bring comfort and encouragement. After the exile, God sent prophets like Haggai and Zechariah to urge the people to rebuild the temple and restore their worship. Zechariah 1:3 records God's heart: "Return to me, and I will return to you." Prophecy, then, is both confrontational and compassionate-meant to draw people closer to God.
In the New Testament, prophecy continues as a gift for the church. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14:3, "The one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort." While some prophecies may still contain elements of foretelling, the emphasis is on forth-telling-declaring God's truth to edify the body of Christ.
Biblical prophecy is not just about revealing what is to come; it is about revealing who God is and what He desires from His people. Whether pointing toward future hope or confronting present sin, prophecy is always rooted in the heart and purposes of God.
References
David A. deSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods, and Ministry Formation. InterVarsity Press, 2004.