New Testament Prophets

Memory Text:

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all” (1 Corinthians 12:4–6, NKJV).

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A story is told of a preacher who announced that he would tear out a page that should never have been included in the Bible.

Imagine that! What page could he possibly mean?

A crowd gathered. The preacher opened his Bible and pointed to the page dividing the Old and New Testaments.

“This page,” he said, “shouldn’t be here.”

He had a point. That page is useful, but it shouldn’t make us think the Testaments tell separate stories. The New Testament doesn’t replace the Old. It builds upon it.

The same is true of the prophets.

Last week, we studied Old Testament prophets. This week, we’re studying New Testament prophets. Different people. Different circumstances. But the same Spirit.

Buckle up! Let’s study New Testament prophets.

Christ at the Center

Ellen White wrote something beautiful about the Old Testament:

“In every page, whether history, or precept, or prophecy, the Old Testament Scriptures are irradiated with the glory of the Son of God.”¹

The same is true of the New Testament. Everything finds its fulfillment in Jesus.

Look at John the Baptist:

John 1:29, NKJV

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Or listen to Paul:

1 Corinthians 2:2, NKJV

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Two different messengers. But where do they direct our attention?

To Jesus.

Genuine prophetic ministry shouldn’t make the messenger the center of attention. It should lift up Christ.

But here’s something important. Jesus wasn’t merely another prophet.

Jesus fulfilled Moses’ prediction of a coming prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22). Yet Jesus is also the eternal Word who became flesh (John 1:1, 14). In Him, God has spoken supremely (Hebrews 1:1–3).

The prophets spoke about God. In Jesus, God came to us.

So whether you’re studying the sacrifices in Leviticus, the Exodus, or Paul’s letters, don’t miss the One to whom the Scriptures point.

The prophets aren’t the destination. Jesus is.

Gifts That Build Up the Church

We often picture prophets predicting wars, disasters, and the end of the world.

But is that all they were called to do?

Look at Paul’s explanation:

Ephesians 4:11–13, NIV

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Notice the purpose. Christ gave these ministries to equip and build up the church, not to make individuals famous.

Now look at 1 Corinthians 14:3. Paul mentions three results of prophetic ministry:

• Edification (oikodomē)—building up believers.
• Exhortation (paraklēsis)—encouraging and urging them toward faithfulness.
• Comfort (paramythia)—consoling those in difficulty.

All three address the church’s needs.² Paul isn’t denying that prophets can foretell the future. He’s emphasizing how the gift helps real people face real problems. A gift that draws attention only to its possessor has missed its purpose.

In Acts 15:32, Judas and Silas are identified as prophets. And what did they do? They encouraged and strengthened the believers.

No spectacular prediction is recorded there. Just encouragement.

Sometimes God’s people need warning. Sometimes correction. Sometimes comfort.

Prophets don’t merely tell us what will happen. They also tell us how to live faithfully before those things happen.

That’s why prophecy matters to the church.

Not Every Prophet Wrote Scripture

Here’s something interesting: many New Testament prophets didn’t write Scripture.

Anna was a prophetess who spoke about the infant Jesus to those awaiting redemption (Luke 2:36–38).

Agabus predicted a famine and later warned Paul about what awaited him in Jerusalem (Acts 11:27–28; 21:10–11).

Judas and Silas encouraged believers (Acts 15:32).

Philip had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9).

Men and women. Different ministries. Not every true prophet became a biblical author.³

Does that mean every person claiming revelation should be believed?

Of course not! The Bible remains the standard against which prophetic claims must be tested. This distinction matters when we discuss Ellen White’s ministry. We cannot assume she was a genuine prophet merely because the New Testament mentions noncanonical prophets. Her claims, too, require biblical examination.

Test Everything by God’s Word

Jesus warned that false prophets would arise (Matthew 7:15; 24:24). Some would even perform impressive signs.

So how can we recognize genuine prophets?

Do they teach in harmony with God’s revealed Word (Isaiah 8:20)? Do they confess the truth about Jesus Christ (1 John 4:1–3)? What are the fruits of their lives and ministries (Matthew 7:15–20)?

We discussed these tests last week. But consider Paul’s instruction:

1 Thessalonians 5:20–21, NKJV

Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.

See the balance?

Don’t reject every prophetic claim. But don’t believe every claim, either.

Be open to God’s voice. But test everything by His Word.

A Call Back to Jesus

Let me tell you another fascinating story about Ellen White.⁴

It was December 1856. John N. Andrews and John N. Loughborough had stepped away from ministry.

Andrews was exhausted and struggling with his health. Loughborough had become discouraged by financial difficulties. Both were in Waukon, Iowa, where they were working outside the ministry.

The Waukon believers were also divided. Resentment had grown, and their interest in God’s work was weakening.

While visiting believers in Illinois, Ellen White said she received a vision about their condition. She became convinced that she needed to visit them.

There was one problem.

It was winter!

The weather was bitterly cold. They even had to cross the Mississippi River by horse-drawn sleigh.

Rain had left water covering the river ice. Others had reportedly broken through!

Should they turn around?

They decided to cross, praying as they went. They made it safely.

Eventually, they reached Waukon.

And guess what?

Most weren’t happy to see them!

Still, the Whites met with the church. During an evening meeting, Ellen White said she received another vision. She delivered a message calling the believers to repent, confess their wrongs, and open their hearts to Christ. The appeal was simple: “Return unto Me, and I will return unto thee.”

One woman confessed. Others followed. The meetings continued past midnight and resumed the next day.

And remember Loughborough, the discouraged minister working at his trade?

He declared that he had put away his hammer and driven his last nail. He returned to gospel ministry.

What a story!

This wasn’t a message about the next empire or an approaching catastrophe. It called people back to Jesus, helped restore relationships, and strengthened a discouraged church.

Precisely what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 14:3.

Prophets aren’t called merely to tell us what is coming. They are also called to lead us back to the One who is coming.

Conclusion

The Old and New Testaments tell one great story: God’s work to save humanity through Christ. The prophets serve that story.

Different messengers. Different ministries. The same Spirit.

Their messages reveal God’s will, strengthen His people, and point to Christ.

So perhaps the question isn’t merely, “Does God still speak through prophets?”

Here’s a more personal question: Are we listening to what God has already spoken through His Word?

Because no genuine prophetic message will lead us away from Jesus.

It will lead us closer to Him.

Discussion Questions

1. Why should Christ, rather than the prophet, remain at the center of our study of prophecy?
2. How can the messages of the Bible correct, encourage, and strengthen us today?
3. What practical step will you take this week to become more receptive to God’s Word?

Notes

1. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Oakland, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Company, 1898), 211.
2. Larry L. Lichtenwalter, “The Meaning of ‘to Prophesy’ in 1 Corinthians 14,” in The Gift of Prophecy in Scripture and History: An Exhaustive Exploration from a Seventh-day Adventist Perspective, ed. Alberto R. Timm and Dwain N. Esmond (Silver Spring, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2015), 174.
3. Ekkehardt Mueller, “The Prophetic Voice in the New Testament: An Overview,” in The Gift of Prophecy in Scripture and History: An Exhaustive Exploration from a Seventh-day Adventist Perspective, ed. Alberto R. Timm and Dwain N. Esmond (Silver Spring, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2015), 53–54.
4. Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, My Christian Experience, Views and Labors (Battle Creek, MI: James White, 1860), 217–21; White, Life Sketches of Ellen G. White (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1915), 160–61.