Chapter 9.13

The Ancient Cessation & Modern Abuse of the Gift of Prophecy

Table of Topics

A) The Cessation of the Gift of Prophecy

B) Prophecy in Intertestamental Judaism: Malachi was the last

C) 1^st Century Waning of Gift of Prophecy

D) 2^nd & 3^rd Century Continuation but Discernment: condemnation of ancient prophetism in Montanism

E) 4^th Century Cessation: Chrysostom- the gift of prophecy has long since ceased

F) Medieval Romanism: quirky testimonies

G) 16^th & 17^th Century Reformers: Westminster Confession- those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased

H) 18^th Century Revival: Edwards- gift of prophecy has ceased

I) 19^th Century Heresy: Mormon & Irvingite “prophets”

J) 20^th Century Prophetism: The frauds of Branham & Robertson

K) End-time Restoration: Moses & Elijah

Extras & Endnotes

Primary Points

• It is a historical fact that God completely stopped giving the gift of prophecy to the Church sometime around 350 A.D. Nonetheless, modern prophetism that it has been uniquely restored to them in the last 30 years after it was absent from the previous 1,600 some years of Church history.
• The reason that the gift of prophecy ceased c. 350 A. D. is because it was at the same time that the NT Scriptures had been completed, copied, recognized, and widely distributed.
• In addition to the historical cessation of the gift of prophecy, there are several reasons for concluding that it has not been restored today.
• What is remarkable about 2^nd century Montanism is that its beliefs and practices were practically identical to modern prophetism. However, while those Christians less than a century after the apostolic age condemned and excommunicated the Montanists as dangerous heretics, the Church today lauds similar claims as a movement of the Holy Spirit.
• Origen was well traveled and testified to a drastic decrease in the operation of the gift of prophecy about 220 A. D.
• Why would modern prophetists claim that their churches are more spiritual or godly than the ancient churches, such that they deserve to have the gift restored, and the latter were judged by having it removed?

A) The Cessation of the Gift of Prophecy

It is a historical fact that God completely stopped giving the gift of prophecy to the Church sometime around 350 A.D. ^[1] And if it wasn’t for the popularity of modern prophetism there would not even be a serious debate about this. However, prophetists rightly see the past cessation of the gift of prophecy, at the time of the completion of the distribution of the NT, as a problem for claiming the gift has uniquely been restored to them in the last 30 years of Church history, especially when it was absent from the previous 1,600 some years of Church history. ^[2]

Nonetheless, Christopher Forbes writes in his well researched, Prophecy and Inspired Speech in Early Christianity:

A general consensus pertains according to which prophecy was common in the “apostolic” period (say down to about A. D. 70), very rare in the immediate sub-apostolic period (70- 100), and occasionally present thereafter until the rise of Montanism made all such phenomena highly suspect. After 170, prophecy is often said to be extremely rare. By the end of the second century (c. 200) some people [e.g. Hippolytus c. 200] were treating prophecy as a past phenomenon. ^[3]

In spite of Hippolytus’ testimony, evidence will be presented below that the gift probably lasted into the fourth century.

The reason that the gift of prophecy ceased c. 350 A. D. is because it was at the same time that the NT Scriptures had been completed, copied, recognized, and widely distributed. Accordingly we have elsewhere described the biblical/historical relationship between a Scripture gift like prophecy, and the establishment of a covenant between God and people. ^[4] Therefore, unless God is intending to make another covenant with humanity, we would not expect the Scripture gifts of Apostles, Prophets, and miracle workers to be operating.

Secondly, we have elsewhere demonstrated the historical cessation of the gifts of Apostleship, miracle working, and tongues at the same time as the historical completion of the revelation, copying, recognition, and distribution of the written NT covenant and Scriptures. ^[5] This historical fact confirms the biblical purpose of these gifts which the Apostle Paul clearly described particularly in Ephesians. We have noted elsewhere:

While the divine authority of OT prophesying is obvious and widely recognized, it is apparent in the NT as well, although ardently attacked by modern prophetists. Perhaps the clearest indication of the authority of NT Prophets was their equality with NT Apostles. Accordingly, the Apostle Paul said of Christian Prophets:

In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy Apostles and [NT Christian] Prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. (Eph. 3:4-5)

In terms of speaking direct revelation from God, Christian Prophets in the early Church possessed the same ability as the revelatory Apostles. This is why the Apostle Paul makes the rather remarkable statement that the Church was “built on the foundation of the Apostles and [NT] Prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). Both revelatory Apostles and Christian Prophets uniquely possessed the New Covenant revelation upon which the Church was founded, and because all divine revelation is absolutely and equally authoritative, Apostles and Prophets were equally authoritative. . . .

In 3:5 the Apostle writes with almost identical wording to 2:20, that, “the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men [i.e. OT Prophets] in other generations . . . has now [in the apostolic age] been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy Apostles and [Christian] Prophets.” Because the “Prophets” coupled with the “Apostles” in 3:5 are clearly Christian Prophets, common sense would lead us to believe that when the same coupling is expressed 6 verses earlier in 2:20 that Christian Prophets are meant as well. In fact, it was the divine revelation concerning “the mystery of Christ” (3:5) that was the essence of the foundational revelation of the Christian Prophets referred to in 2:20. ^[6]

The purpose of the gift of prophecy, with Apostles then, was to provide the revelational “foundation” of the Church, consisting of “the mystery of Christ.” After this revelation was recorded, copied, recognized and distributed, these gifts were no longer needed and they ceased, just as early Church history testifies.

Accordingly, in chapter 8.6, we argue that the Apostle Paul in fact predicted the cessation of the Apostolic gift of divine knowledge, and the gifts of prophecy and tongues with the completion of the communication of the NT covenant (cf. 1 Cor 13:8-13). ^[7] This is what we believe the Apostle meant when he wrote, “prophecies . . . will cease . . . when the completed thing [NT revelation] comes” (1 Cor 13:8, 10). One thing for sure is that Church history clearly demonstrates this is precisely what happened.

Accordingly, Dr. Robert L. Saucy, Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Talbot School of Theology, would seem to express our own conclusions concerning the question of whether or not the biblical gift of prophecy is operating today, and offers additional biblical evidence for the gifts cessation when he says:

Present experience and church history do not give much evidence of it [the gift of prophecy continuing]. It is certainly valid, as the church has largely done throughout history, to see the need for such prophecy to decrease when the explanation of the saving activity of Christ as given in Scripture became accessible to all believers. . . .

It is significant that in the last letters of Paul, there is no reference to prophecy save to remind Timothy of the prophecy made at his ordination (1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14). The focus of these letters, which are termed the “Pastorals” because they give instructions for ministry in the church, is on teaching, exhorting, and commanding the Scriptures [not receiving more prophecy]. ^[8]

In addition to the historical cessation of the gift of prophecy, there are several reasons for concluding that it has not been restored today. First of all, it has been demonstrated that the gift involved the reception of new, Scripture-quality revelation from God. ^[9] To insist that it exists today obviously results in some alarming claims. Which is why, of course, that prophetism has expended so much energy in attempting to redefine the gift into something less miraculous and authoritative than it was in the early Church. No “prophet” today can claim that they speak as authoritatively for God as Agabus did.

The OT prophets prefaced their statements with “This is what the Lord says” and Agabus the Christian Prophet similarly prefaced his statement with “This is what the Holy Spirit says”, and they weren’t just quoting Scripture. The words of God-sent Prophets are God’s words, not merely human words, and because they are God’s words, it is grievous sin to disregard or disobey their words. Who would claim to speak with such authority today apart from quoting Scripture? If no one would, then no one should be claiming to be a God-sent Prophet either.

Unfortunately, what is defined today as prophetic utterances have no resemblance to the words of biblical Prophets. Throughout the OT and in the NT prophetic utterances were supernatural and could not have originated from simple human reasoning or current common knowledge. They revealed new Scripture-quality revelation directly from God and were to be believed and obeyed as such. The supposed “prophets” of today do no such thing. For someone to stand up and announce “God loves you” and then claim such an utterance to be prophetic is absurd. Yet much of what supposed “prophets” say today could have been discerned by human reason or from the knowledge that God has already revealed in the Bible.

Noting also that biblical Prophets perfectly predicted the future, we have another obvious reason to conclude no one possesses the real thing today. This is the clearest test that God has given His people in order to recognize a Prophet He has sent. Not even God expects us to accept a claim to the gift of prophecy unless they can miraculously pass God’s own test. None today can. At least not any better than the fortune teller you can find at the circus or on the Internet. God’s people can be confident that when He sends a Prophet, their divinely-empowered abilities will clearly distinguish themselves from the demonically-empowered abilities that are apparently sufficient to convince so many today.

The predictive record of modern day “prophets” in the Church is dismal, even though their predictions are often quite vague. In essence, there is nothing new, supernatural, perfectly predictive, or authoritative about the supposed prophetic utterances of today, and yet all of these characteristics were essential in identifying the gift of prophecy in the Scriptures. And if prophetism cannot produce Prophets with these biblical attributes then they have no God-given right to claim the gift of prophecy.

The historical fact that the gift of prophecy ceased with the completion of the communication of the NT covenant would hardly be a debatable issue, and never was, except for the modern rise of prophetism. Accordingly, it is becoming more common in prophetist circles to attempt to revise the history of the gift of prophecy in order to give some support for their claims that God intended the Church to always possess it. Therefore, below, we will describe the history of the gift of prophecy.

B) Prophecy in Intertestamental Judaism: Malachi was the last

Most Evangelical scholars claim that Jewish history reflects the cessation of the gift of prophecy after the Prophet Malachi (c. 450 B. C.). Even prophetist theologian Wayne Grudem admits:

The belief that divinely authoritative words from God had ceased is quite clearly attested to in several strands of extra-biblical Jewish literature…. Thus, writings subsequent to about 430 B.C. were not accepted by the Jewish people generally as having equal authority with the rest of Scripture. ^[10]

Likewise, Dr. Saucy writes:

According to the Jews, Malachi was ‘the seal of the Prophets’ and ‘the last among them.’ The manifestation of prophecy among God’s people ceased with Malachi because it had accomplished its purpose for that time. ^[11]

Some primary evidence for this comes from the apocryphal writing of 1 Maccabees (c. 100 B. C.) in which we read:

So they tore down the altar, and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until a prophet should come to tell what to do with them. (4:46)

 

So there was great distress in Israel, such as had not been since the time that prophets ceased to appear among them. (9.27)

 

The Jews and their priests have resolved that Simon should be their leader and high priest forever, until a trustworthy prophet should arise (14.41)

These statements would suggest that during this period, the Jewish nation did not recognize anyone as a Prophet, and were awaiting one. ^[12]

This would seem confirmed by the valuable Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (c. 37-100). In Against Apion he writes:

It is true our history has been written since Artaxerxes [cf. Neh 2:1; i.e. time of the last biblical Prophets] very particularly [e.g. 1 & 2 Maccabees], but has not been esteemed of the like authority with the former by our forefathers, because there has not been an exact succession of prophets since that time. ^[13]

Here, Josephus is claiming that the last reliable history of the ancient Jews was written during the time of Nehemiah. Subsequently, additional history has been written such as is found in 1 & 2 Maccabees. However, Josephus says this latter history “has not been esteemed of the like authority . . . because there has not been an exact succession of prophets since that time.”

In addition, there are texts from first and second century Judaism that confirm our claim that the gift of prophecy had ceased with the closing of the OT canon. In Tosephta Sotah 13:2 we read:

When the last of the prophets – i.e. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi – died, the holy spirit ceased in Israel. Despite this they were informed by means of oracles. ^[14]

It is rather impossible to tell what the writer meant by “oracles,” as it could refer to written Scripture, but it meant something other than the gift of prophecy. ^[15]

Another passage is from Seder Olam Rabbah 30:

Until then [the last of the OT Prophets], the prophets prophesied by means of the holy spirit. From then on, give ear and listen to the words of the sages [i.e. teachers of the written Torah]. ^[16]

All of this would indicate that the Jews considered Malachi to be the last of God’s Prophets. ^[17]

Nevertheless, some debate has been caused by another statement of Josephus in Wars of the Jews. Writing of the Jewish leader John Hyrcanus (reigned 134 BC-104 BC), we read:

He it was who alone had three of the most desirable things in the world,–the government of his nation, and the high priesthood, and the gift of prophecy. For the Deity conversed with him, and he was not ignorant of any thing that was to come afterward; insomuch that he foresaw and foretold that his two eldest sons would not continue masters of the government. ^[18]

Even though Josephus reported that the intertestamental Jews in general believed Malachi to be the last true Prophet, perhaps Josephus himself believed otherwise. Nonetheless, his description of John Hyrcanus makes a claim to the gift of prophecy suspect. Especially the man’s predictive powers. First, Josephus seems to exaggerate when he says Hyrcanus “was not ignorant of anything that was to come.” We doubt that. Especially when the example Josephus offers for Hyrcanus’ predictive powers was merely that, “his two eldest sons would not continue masters of the government.” That would not seem to require divine revelation.

Accordingly, most have concluded that indeed the gift of prophecy ceased for about a 400 year period of time between Malachi and John the Baptist. Perhaps it is more than ironic that it was Malachi who predicted the arrival of the Prophet John the Baptist (cf. Mal 3:1).

In our opinion, the primary reason anyone would question this is how loosely some define the gift of prophecy. Malachi was a messenger of divine revelation direct from God, as was the Baptist. All the “prophets” between them were not. An important distinction should be made between biblical Prophets and nonbiblical prophets. Accordingly, we read in the Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible:

Long before the time of Jesus, prophecy had ceased to appear in Israel (Ps. 74:9; 1 Macc. 4:46; 9:27; 14:41), although a special form of it continued to flourish in the writing of [apocryphal] apocalyptic visions. . . . It is in light of this . . . that one must understand the claim, recorded by Josephus, that John Hycranus had the ‘gift of prophecy.’ Josephus also states that such messianic pretenders as Theudas (Antiq. 20.97; cf. Acts 5:36) and ‘the Egyptians’ (Antiq. 20:168-69; War 861; cf. Acts 21:38) claimed that they were prophets. ^[19]

The ancient Greeks also had their “prophets” but such people need to be distinguished from OT and NT Prophets who authentically spoke direct revelation from God. It is to these Greek prophets that Paul is no doubt referring to when he mentions the Cretan prophets (cf. Tit. 1:12). ^[20]

C) 1^st Century Waning of Gift of Prophecy

There are indications that the gift of prophecy was waning considerably even before the end of the first century. What we have written concerning the gift of Apostleship and the Pastoral Epistles would equally apply to the gift of prophecy:

In addition, many have pointed out the fact that the Pastoral Epistles clearly pass on the authority of the churches to Teachers and Pastors, and there is no hint of the continuation of apostolic ministry. These epistles were specifically intended by the Apostle Paul to give the principles and positions for church leadership throughout its existence, and while they mention Elders, Evangelists, Teachers and Deacons, they never mention Apostles. Accordingly, the Apostle Paul encouraged a Teacher like Timothy to preserve apostolic revelation precisely because the gift would not continue (cf. 2 Tim 2:2). ^[21]

In addition, we have already quoted Dr. Saucy above:

It is significant that in the last letters of Paul, there is no reference to prophecy save to remind Timothy of the prophecy made at his ordination (1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14). The focus of these letters, which are termed the “Pastorals” because they give instructions for ministry in the church, is on teaching, exhorting, and commanding the Scriptures [not receiving more prophecy]. ^[22]

We find additional evidence for the waning of the gift in John’s letters to the seven churches c. 90 A.D. While John was certainly a NT Prophet, the messages to the churches were delivered in written form to the Pastors of these congregations, not the Prophets, suggesting the rarity of the gift even then. ^[23]

D) 2^nd & 3^rd Century Continuation but Discernment: condemnation of ancient prophetism in Montanism

Traditionally, many have claimed that the gift of prophecy ended with the Apostles. For example, Andrew Walls, writing in an introductory article to the very popular Expositor’s Bible Commentary, writes, “[T]he age of Christian prophecy does not seem to have outlasted that of the apostles.” ^[24]

On the contrary, we have good evidence that the gift of prophecy operated a considerable time after the cessation of Apostles, and sporadically even into c. 350 A. D. For example, Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch (c. 108 A. D.) seemed to claim attributes of a Christian Prophet when he wrote:

[W]hen I was among you, I cried, I spoke with a loud voice—the word is not mine, but God’s: “Give heed to the bishop, and to the presbytery and deacons.” But if you suspect that I spoke thus, as having learned beforehand the division caused by some among you, He is my witness, for whose sake I am in bonds, that I learned nothing of it from the mouth of any man. But the Spirit made an announcement to me, saying as follows: “Do nothing without the bishop; keep your bodies ^Ias the temples of God; love unity; avoid divisions; be followers of Paul, and of the rest of the Apostles, even as they also were of Christ.” ^[25]

There are, in fact, numerous other examples in the postapostolic and early patristic communities, in which various authors exhibited the attributes of NT Prophets. According to Dr. Aune, these included Ignatius (died c. 108), Cerinthus (c. 120), Quadratus (died c. 138), Polycarp of Smyrna (c. 70-150), Ammia of Philadelphia (c. 100-180), and Melito of Sardis (died c. 190). ^[26]

Accordingly, NT scholar F. F. Bruce (1910–1990) wrote:

Prophets were active in many of the churches until well into the second century. The Didache gives them an honoured place; Ignatius was subject to prophetic [pronouncements]; the Shepherd of Hermas, itself the composition of a Christian prophet, indicates that prophets were known in the Roman church. ^[27]

Likewise, Justin Martyr (c. 150) writes in his Dialogue to Trypho: “[T]he prophetical gifts remain with us, even to the present time.” ^[28] However, we need not assume that Christian Prophets were abundant. Interestingly, Justin describes what would appear to be a typical Sunday service c. 150 and there is no mention of 1 Corinthians 14 type service:

[O]n the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. ^[29]

Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (c. 180), writes somewhat more specifically than Justin:

Wherefore, also, those who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace from Him, do in His name perform [miracles], so as to promote the welfare of other men, according to the gift which each one has received from Him. . . . Others have foreknowledge of things to come: they see visions, and utter prophetic expressions. . . . We do also hear many brethren in the church, who possess prophetic gifts . . . and bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men, and declare the mysteries of God. ^[30]

In the western realm of the Church, Tertullian (c. 200) wrote:

Let Marcion [a false teacher] then exhibit, as gifts of his god, some prophets, such as have not spoken by human sense, but with the Spirit of God, such as have both predicted things to come, and have made manifest the secrets of the heart . . . Now all these signs are forthcoming from my side without any difficulty. ^[31]

Likewise, an early Bishop of Rome, Novation (c. 200-258) wrote:

This is He [Christ] who places prophets in the Church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works, offers discrimination of spirits, affords powers of government, suggests counsels, and orders and arranges whatever other gifts there are of charismata; and thus makes the Lord’s Church everywhere, and in all, perfected and complete. ^[32]

Nonetheless, it is a well known fact that with the excommunication of the Montanists (c. 170), who falsely claimed the gift of prophecy, there was a sharp decline in the recognition of the gift. Writing c. A. D. 90, the Apostle John warned: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Less than a century after the Apostle’s warning, the early Church witnessed the rapid and widespread rise of the Montanists “prophets” who claimed to be receiving new, extra-biblical revelation from God.

Church historian Kenneth Latourette (1884-1968), Professor of Church History at Yale, explains that the group derived their name from a recent convert named Montanus who, “At his baptism spoke in tongues and began prophesying, declaring that the . . . Holy Spirit . . . was finding utterance through him.” ^[33] Latourette adds:

The Montanist movement spread widely. . . . It prized the records of the teachings of Christ and his apostles, but it believed, although not contradicting what had been said there, that the Holy Spirit continued to speak through prophets. . . . The first . . . synod [gathering of early Church leaders] . . . was held to deal with Montanism. The movement was condemned as heretical and its adherents were expelled from the Church and debarred from communion. ^[34]

 

Which makes it unfortunate that, according to the well-known Presbyterian theologian Donald Bloesch, “[John] Wesley was remarkably open to the gifts of the Spirit and had a high regard for the Montanists, whom he designated as the ‘real, scriptural Christians.’” ^[35]

What is remarkable about Montanism is that its beliefs and practices were practically identical to modern prophetism. However, this is where the similarity ends. While those Christians less than a century after the apostolic age condemned and excommunicated the Montanists as dangerous heretics precisely because of their claim to divine revelation outside of Scripture, the Church today lauds similar claims as a movement of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, even John Wesley “was remarkably open to the gifts of the Spirit and had a high regard for the Montanists, whom he designated as the “real, scriptural Christians.” ^[36] Accordingly, Dr. Bloesch, who is sympathetic to much in modern super-supernaturalism, writes:

The Montanists heralded the new age of the Spirit and the fulfillment of Christian baptism in a baptism of the Spirit. They were eager to reclaim the charismatic gifts, including prophecy and speaking in other tongues (glossolalia). . . . The Montanists saw themselves as the illuminati, the specially enlightened. ^[37]

Much of our information regarding Montanism is derived from the early Church historian Eusebius (c. 260-340) who relates a report of Apolinarius, Bishop of Laodicea (c. 310-390). While the following report was given over 1600 years ago, the popular acceptance of practices within the modern prophetic movement make it very valuable for the contemporary Church. Apolinarius wrote:

A little while ago I visited Ancyral in Galatia and found the local church deafened with the noise of this new craze – not prophecy, as they call it, but pseudo-prophecy, as I shall shortly prove. So far as I was able, the Lord helping me, I spoke out for days on end in the church about these matters, and replied to every argument they put forward. The church was delighted and confirmed in the truth, while the enemy was repulsed for the time being and the opposition demoralized. . . .

There is, it appears, a village near the Phrygian border of Mysia called Ardabau. There it is said that a recent convert named Montanus . . . in his unbridled ambition to reach the top laid himself open to the adversary, was filled with spiritual excitement and suddenly fell into a kind of trance and unnatural ecstasy. He raved, and began to chatter and talk nonsense, prophesying in a way that conflicted with the practice of the Church handed down generation by generation from the beginning.

Of those who listened at that time to his sham utterances, some were annoyed, regarding him as possessed, a demoniac in the grip of a spirit of error,’ a disturber of the masses. They rebuked him and tried to stop his chatter, remembering the distinction drawn by the Lord, and His warning to guard vigilantly against the coming of false prophets. Others were elated as if by the Holy Spirit or a prophetic gift, were filled with conceit, and forgot the Lord’s distinction. They welcomed a spirit that injured and deluded the mind and led the people astray; they were beguiled and deceived by it, so that it could not now be reduced to silence.

By some art, or rather by methodical use of a malign artifice, the devil contrived the ruin of the disobedient, and was most undeservedly honored by them. . . . On those who were elated and exultant about him the spirit bestowed favors, swelling their heads with his extravagant promises. Sometimes it reproved them pointedly and convincingly to their faces, to avoid appearing uncritical. . . .

They were taught by this arrogant spirit to denigrate the entire Catholic Church throughout the world, because the spirit of pseudo-prophecy received neither honor nor admission into it; for the Asian believers repeatedly and in many parts of Asia had met for this purpose, and after investigating the recent utterances pronounced them profane and ejected the heresy. Then at last its devotees were turned out of the Church and excommunicated. . . . They called us ‘prophet-killers’ because we would not receive their chatty prophets. . . .

Hence whenever members of the Church called to martyrdom for the true Faith meet any of the so-called martyrs of the [Montanist] sect, they part company with them and have nothing to do with them till their death, because they will not be associated with the spirit that spoke through Montanus and the women. That this is true, and that it occurred in our own time in Apamea on the Meander, in the case of Gaius and Alexander and the other martyrs from Eumenia, is perfectly clear. ^[38]

D. F. Wright points out in an entry to the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology that “nothing strictly heretical could be charged against Montanism,” ^[39] as their prophets were careful not to say things that were blatantly unbiblical. In fact, the highly respected and usually astute Bible scholar Tertullian (c. 200) joined them in his old age, as did many Christians at the time.

However, the early Church was alarmed by several things about the Montanists. First, they professed to receive direct divine revelation from God, “speaking often in the first person” as God’s “prophetic mouthpieces” which was “felt to threaten . . . scriptural authority.” ^[40] Such un-biblical and extra-biblical “prophecies” were used to introduce several legalistic practices into the Montanist churches. These included a multiplication of fasts and strict ascetism denying any enjoyment of things in the world (cf. 1 Tim 6:17), including art. Montanist virgins were required to be veiled in public. The renowned ancient Roman Christian Teacher Hippolytus (c. 170-c. 236) wrote of the Montanists:

They have been deceived by two females Priscilla and Maximilla by name, whom they hold to be prophetesses, asserting that into them the Paraclete -spirit entered. . . . These people agree with the Church in acknowledging the Father of the universe to be God and Creator of all things, and they also acknowledge all that the Gospel testifies of Christ. But they introduce novelties in the form of fasts and feasts, abstinences and diets of radishes, giving these females as their authority. ^[41]

Secondly, the reason that the authority of such “prophets” was denied by the wider Church was because they could not authenticate themselves by accurately predicting the future as God had instructed and as biblical Prophets did. ^[42] Accordingly, Apolinarius quoted above remarks that what truly exposed the Montanists “prophets” as false was their inability to predict the future. ^[43] For example, Maximilla, one of their foremost prophetesses had famously predicted, “After me there is no more prophecy, but only the end of the world.”

Thirdly, the Montanists “incurred the hostility of church leaders [because of] the women’s unusual prominence,” ^[44] and unbiblical behavior regarding the role of women in the Church (cf. 1 Tim 2:11-14; 1 Cor 14:33-35). Finally, a lack of Christian virtue exposed the leadership of Montanism as demonic frauds. The leading “prophetesses” Maximilla and Priscilla were married women who left their husbands to become disciples of Montanus, and were given the rank of virgins in his church.

Again, it is rather remarkable to note that what is accepted and even applauded among so many today, incurred the divinely commanded death penalty in the OT Scriptures (cf. Deut 18:20-22) and the forceful condemnation as a demonic counterfeit by the second century Christians. The very first heresy that was popular and serious enough to bring the leadership of the early Church together in a synod was Montanism and it was condemned for the very things that are unique to modern prophetism today. ^[45]

However, even in spite of the heretical form of prophecy practiced by the Montanists, the Church was still willing to recognize those claiming the gift if they exhibited the biblical attributes. The testimonies of Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Novation above bear this out. This is an important point, because prophetists usually insist that the unnecessarily harsh reaction of the Church to Montanism was what caused the cessation of the gift of prophecy. On the contrary, some evidence of its acceptance continued into the middle of the third century.

Montanism certainly sharpened the Church’s discernment regarding the gift of prophecy, and a noticeable decline is evident after their excommunication. Accordingly, Origen would seem to give a fairly accurate description of the operation of these gifts when he wrote in defense of Christianity Against Celsus (c. 240):

The Holy Spirit gave [past tense] signs of His [the Holy Spirit’s] presence at the beginning of Christ’s ministry, and after His ascension He gave still more; but since that time these signs have diminished, although there are still traces of them with a few who have had their souls purified by the gospel. . . . And Celsus is not to be believed when he says that he has heard such men prophesy; for no prophets bearing any resemblance to the ancient prophets have appeared in the time of Celsus. ^[46]

Origen was well traveled and highly respected and probably had a very good knowledge of what was happening throughout Christianity at the time. He certainly testifies to a drastic decrease in the operation of the gift of prophecy about 220 A. D.

This rather clear historical evidence forces even most prophetist scholars to admit the same. For example, Max Turner is at least willing to concede, “The only claim that can be made with confidence is that [the supernatural] gifts gradually became marginalized” and the gift of prophecy became “increasingly peripheral.” ^[47] In actuality, it essentially ceased altogether. Along these lines, in his classic study of the miraculous gifts in the ancient Church, Cambridge scholar H. B. Swete (1835-1917) concluded:

[U]pon the whole the references in postapostolic writings to . . . prophecy are relatively few, while on the other hand there is a growing insistence on the spiritual and ethical effects of the Spirit’s indwelling in the hearts of men. ^[48]

Some important conclusions can be drawn from this evidence. First, the fact that the gift of prophecy was still operating throughout the churches especially up to around 200 A. D. may be the best explanation for the unexpected relative absence of Christian literature between 100 and 200 A. D. During this period, the Apostles had ceased and the NT Scriptures were not yet widely available. It was during this period, between the first century Apostles and the widespread establishment of regional Bishops possessing the NT Scriptures in the third century, that Christian Prophets filled the void of authoritative revelation.

E) 4^th Century Cessation: Chrysostom- the gift of prophecy has long since ceased

Although some suggest that Novation’s testimony (c. 250) to the existence of Christian Prophets in the Church is the last such evidence, even a hundred years later Church leaders seem to suggest they still ministered.

In the West Hilary of Poitiers (c. 315-367) wrote in his treatise On the Trinity:

The gift of the Spirit is manifest . . . where there is . . . the gift of healings . . . or by the working of miracles . . . or by prophecy . . . or by discerning of spirits . . . or by kinds of tongues, that the speaking in tongues may be bestowed as a sign of the gift of the Holy Spirit; or by the interpretation of tongues. . . .

Truly how rare and hard to attain are such spiritual gifts! ^[49]

While Hilary recognizes the continuing operation of the gift of prophecy, contrary to modern prophetists he declares them “rare and hard to attain.”

Likewise, Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 310–386), speaking of spiritual gifts operating in the Church wrote:

Though He [the Holy Spirit] is One in nature, yet many are the virtues which by the will of God and in the Name of Christ He works.  For He employs the tongue of one man for wisdom; the soul of another He enlightens by prophecy; to another He gives power to drive away devils; to another He gives to interpret the divine Scriptures.  He strengthens one man’s self-command; He teaches another the way to give alms; another He teaches to fast and discipline himself; another He teaches to despise the things of the body; another He trains for martyrdom: diverse in different men, yet not diverse from Himself, as it is written, But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to benefit all. ^[50]

Yet, generally in the same geographical locale, Bishop Chrysostom (c. 347-407) had taught concerning the discussion of miraculous gifts in 1 Corinthians:

This whole place [I Corinthians 12-14] is very obscure; but the obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to, and by their [the gifts listed] cessation, being such as then used to occur, but now no longer take place. ^[51]

Writing specifically regarding the Apostle’s statement that: “where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away” (1 Cor 13:8), Chrysostom wrote:

Now then after [Paul] in every way had shown her [the Church] to be very exceedingly great, he does so again from another most important head, by a fresh comparison exalting her dignity, and saying thus; “but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease.”

For if both these [gifts of prophecy and tongues] were brought in for the sake of the faith; when that is every where sown abroad, the use of these is henceforth superfluous. . . . It is no marvel that prophecies and tongues should be done away. ^[52]

Thus, c. 350 Hilary of Poitiers in the Western Church claimed the gift of prophecy was rare, and in the East (c. 400) Chrysostom claims it has ceased some time ago. In addition, Chrysostom gives the same reason we have argued. Because the gift of prophecy was a Scripture and sign gift for the purpose of providing and authenticating direct divine extra-biblical revelation, after the NT Scriptures were completed and distributed, the gift was no longer needed and ceased to be given. ^[53]

As noted above, we hardly need to prove this as even modern prophetists have agreed that the gift of prophecy ceased about this time, if not earlier. However, in order to support their claim that God has restored the gift in the latter part of the twentieth century after over 1500 years of its absence, they wish to drum up rather ridiculous reasons for its cessation.

The usual suspects are the condemnation of the Montanists, the increasing power and worldliness of the Bishops, or the general spiritual decline of the Church. John Wesley, himself sympathetic to the restoration of the miraculous gifts, touched on all of these when he wrote:

By reflecting on an odd book which I had read, I was fully convinced of what I had long suspected. (1) That the Montanists, in the second and third centuries, were real, scriptural Christians, and (2) that the grand reason why the miraculous gifts were so soon withdrawn was not only that faith and holiness were well nigh lost, but that dry, formal, orthodox men began then to ridicule whatever gifts they had not themselves and to decry them all as either madness or imposture. ^[54]

On the contrary, the suggestion that the excommunication of the Montanists in the second century caused the cessation of the gift of prophecy in the Church is denied by the fact that, as noted above, several Bishops into the fourth century claimed that it was operating.

Secondly, the idea that the gift of prophecy was squelched by authoritarian and unspiritual Bishops is denied by the fact that many of the most influential Bishops of the second through fourth centuries claimed the gift of prophecy for themselves, let alone approvingly testified to its operation. Accordingly, Dr. Saucy writes:

[I]t is difficult to see how the church through ecclesiastical authority or any other means could actually cause the cessation of prophecy. No religious authority could stop God from sending true prophets to his people in the Old Testament and at the inauguration of the Christian era. And such prophets were eventually recognized by his people. ^[55]

Thirdly, since when does sin amongst God’s people stop God from giving His people Prophets? And why would modern prophetists claim that their churches are more spiritual or godly than the ancient churches, such that the former deserve to have the gift restored, and the latter were judged by having it removed?

Unfortunately, the reasons suggested by many non-prophetists for the more than 1500 year gap in the operation of the gift of prophecy are hardly better. Dr. Aune thinks the cause of the cessation of prophecy was both growing institutionalism and Montanism. ^[56] Mr. Forbes rightly points out the fallacies of both these suggestions, but then concludes, “we do not yet have any convincing explanation for the decline of Christian prophecy— the question of causation eludes us.” ^[57]

D. A. Carson concludes that:

Although to my knowledge the theory has not been worked out anywhere in great detail, it is probable that prophecy waned with the rise of Montanism because the church was seeking to protect herself from the extravagant claims of the Montanists . . . If prophecy was to be abused in the fashion of the Montanists, prophecy itself would ultimately become suspect. ^[58]

Again, there would seem to be an implication that the Church decides when and where spiritual gifts will operate, instead of the sovereign Holy Spirit. Dr. Carson also would seem to ignore that the Church was well equipped and instructed to discern and deal with false prophets, like the Montanists, and there would have been no need, nor desire to “throw out the baby with the bath water,” even if it would have been under their control to do so.

As argued in chapter 8.6, the Apostle did not say the gift of prophecy would cease because of a lack of faith or freedom, but a lack of purpose (cf. 1 Cor 13:8-13).

F) Medieval Romanism: Quirky testimonies

As we enter the period of the Roman Catholic Church, we begin to see some testimonies that saints accurately predicted the future. While we have noted elsewhere the questionable character of testimonies of this kind during this time, ^[59] some of these testimonies may be true.

Among the most well known concerned a Dominican priest, Girolamo Savonarola (1452-1498). He was a very good man, and a precursor to the Protestant Reformers, being tortured and executed by the wicked Pope of the time. He predicted the downfall of various leaders, and even the capture of Rome, with some detail, which happened after his death. Nonetheless, he also predicted the soon end of the world, he taught that, “all unbelievers would be converted,” ^[60] and claimed to have direct communications with famous, but dead saints. ^[61]

Savonarola both claimed to speak for God and to be able to accurately predict things. It is possible that he was an extremely rare, but legitimate fifteenth century manifestation of the gift of prophecy, but the fact that at least some of his “prophecies” did not come true, and most of those that did were general in nature, and he had some odd doctrine, suggests perhaps he was not a Christian Prophet.

Nevertheless, the Church at the time certainly believed the gift of prophecy had not operated for centuries. Accordingly, Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), the most influential of all Roman Catholic theologians, wrote at the height of classical mysticism, “For our faith rests on the revelation made to the prophets and Apostles who wrote the canonical books, not on a revelation, if such there be, made to any other teacher.” ^[62]

G) 16^th & 17^th Century Reformers:

Westminster Confession- those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased

Church doctrine and experience in the period of the Protestant Reformation is very well reflected in the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646). In regards to any claim that the gift of prophecy was still being granted to the Church, the Church replied:

The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. . . .

Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which makes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased. ^[63]

The authors’ addition that the revelation of Scripture provides “all things necessary for . . . faith and life” would seem to include anything that modern prophetists would claim one of their “prophets” could provide today. And their belief that “those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased” certainly included the gift of prophecy.

If there was ever a man in post-apostolic Church history who would have been expected to need and possess prophetical and/or miracle working gifts, it would have been Martin Luther (1483-1546) who led a revival of truth almost as revolutionary as the Apostles. Accordingly, Lutheran scholar Douglas Judisch wrote:

Much less are we ready to admit that the participants in the Charismatic movement are more open to the Spirit than was Doctor Martin Luther, whom God prepared and sent forth as His special messenger to proclaim an eternal gospel to those who dwell on earth… If God were going to give spectacular gifts to anyone in postapostolic times, surely He would have bestowed them upon the man whom He raised up to restore to His church the apostolic doctrine. Yet the Reformer, so far from exercising [miraculous] gifts, repeatedly denounced those who laid claim to them.

Summing up his stand in the . . . Smalcald Articles, he [Luther] stated . . . “we should and must maintain that God will not deal with us except through His external Word and Sacrament. Whatever is attributed to the Spirit apart from such Word and Sacrament is of the devil. ^[64]

Accordingly, Luther never claimed the need nor possession of such gifts, and as Lutheran theologian J. Theodore Mueller relates:

Luther therefore agreed with Calvin in rejecting “heavenly prophets” and other “swarmers” (as Luther called them) who boasted special revelations from God outside and apart from the Scriptures. The reason why Luther spoke of the “spiritualists” as swarmers (Schwaermer) was because they, like bees, were swarming in the air without any certain place upon which to rest. The swarmers, he said, were aimlessly flying around in the cloudland of their own dreams and refused to base their faith on the Bible. . . .

Thus the Protestant leaders of Wittenberg and Geneva, whatever their other differences, were in full agreement in teaching that the divinely inspired Scriptures are the only source and norm of the Christian faith and so the divine means by which the Holy Spirit leads men into all truth. Both opposed the detachment of the Spirit from the Scriptures. ^[65]

Accordingly, in a response to accusations from the Roman Catholic Emser of Leipzig that Luther depended too much on Scripture, the Reformer wrote:

If the Manichaean heresy were to arise today and men pretended that Scripture did not give us enough, that the Holy Spirit had awakened them and one should follow them, how would you, with all your papists fend them off? In this case would you also not do any more than point with your finger to your teaching? Or would you say, “Oh, you are too slow; we ourselves have already discovered that one should believe and obey more than Scripture offers? ^[66]

Concerning Luther’s own experience with, and stand against prophetism in his day, Victor Budgen writes:

The Reformers had their own versions of this “enthusiasm” in the sixteenth century. Luther once dealt directly with a group of charismatics (“enthusiasts”). An observer of this meeting wrote, “He patiently heard the prophet relate his visions; and when the harangue was finished he said, ‘You mentioned nothing of Scripture.’”

Anabaptist Thomas Muntzer complained, “The doctrine of Luther is not sufficiently spiritual. Divines should . . . acquire a spirit of prophecy, otherwise their knowledge of theology would not be worth one half a penny.” Luther responded, “They are not Christians who want to go beyond the Word . . . even if they boast of being full and overfull with ten holy spirits. ^[67]

Likewise, John Calvin (1509-1564) wrote under the heading of “Fanatics, Abandoning Scripture And Flying Over To Revelations, Cast Down All The Principles Of Godliness”:

Those who, having forsaken Scripture, imagine some way or other of reaching God, ought to be thought of as not so much gripped by error as carried away with frenzy. For of late, certain giddy men have arisen who, with great haughtiness exalting the teaching office of the Spirit, despise all reading and laugh at the simplicity of those who, as they express it, still follow the dead and killing letter. But I should like to know from them what this spirit is by whose inspiration they are borne up so high that they dare despise the Scriptural doctrine as childish and mean [lacking value]. For if they answer that it is the Spirit of Christ, such assurance is utterly ridiculous. . . .

They censure us for insisting upon the letter that kills, but in this matter they pay the penalty for despising Scripture. . . . What say these fanatics, swollen with pride, who consider this the one excellent illumination when, carelessly forsaking and bidding farewell to God’s Word, they, no less confidently than boldly, seize upon whatever they may have conceived while snoring?

Certainly a far different sobriety befits the children of God, who just as they see themselves, without the Spirit of God, bereft of the whole light of truth, so are not unaware that the Word is the instrument by which the Lord dispenses the illumination of his Spirit to believers. For they know no other Spirit than him who dwelt and spoke in the apostles, and by whose oracles they are continually recalled to the hearing of the Word. . . .

For by a kind of mutual bond the Lord has joined together the certainty of his Word and of his Spirit so that . . . we in turn may embrace the Spirit with no fear of being deceived when we recognize Him in His own image, namely, in the Word. ^[68]

While the Reformers and their successors certainly believed the gift of prophecy had ceased with the completion and distribution of the NT Scriptures, they too published testimonies of certain men predicting the future. ^[69] Accordingly, even Samuel Rutherford (c. 1600-1661), one of the primary authors of the Westminster Confession quoted above, wrote:

There is a 3rd revelation [in addition to Scripture and the “testimony of the Spirit” for assurance] of some particular men, who have foretold things to come even since the ceasing of the canon of the word, as John Huss, Wycliffe, Luther, have foretold things to come, and they certainly [happened]. And in our nation of Scotland, Mr. George Wishart foretold [when he was burned at the stake] that Cardinal Beaton should not come out alive at the gates of the Castle of St. Andrews, but that he should die a shameful death; and he was hanged over the window that he did look out when he saw the man of God burnt. Mr. Knox prophesied of the hanging of the Lord of Grange. Mr. John Davidson uttered prophesies, known to many of the kingdom, diverse and mortified preachers in England have done the like. ^[70]

For the sake of argument, we can accept such testimonies that God can give men premonitions of what is to come. Indeed, the Westminister Confession states, as we would as well: “God, in His ordinary providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure.” ^[71] But such premonitions of themselves are not sufficient evidence to claim someone has the biblical gift of prophecy which included the reception and authoritative communication of extra-biblical divine revelation. Indeed, Rutherford added concerning the men who made such predictions:

These worthy reformers . . . never gave themselves out as organs immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost, as the Prophets doe . . . The events revealed to Godly and sound witnesses of Christ are not contrary to the word. . . . They had a general rule that Evil shall hunt the wicked man [which] carried them to apply a general rule of divine justice, in their predictions, to particular Godlesse men. ^[72]

In other words, while God may have granted premonitions of the future to men of the Reformation era, they did not believe that the gift of prophecy had been restored to the Church. Even though they may have actually accurately predicted the future which is something modern prophetists do not.

H) 18^th Century Revival: Edwards- gift of prophecy has ceased

Modern prophetists claim that the restoration of the gift of prophecy is related to some sort of spiritual revival they are claiming today. Whatever revival that may be, it pales in comparison to the “Great Awakening” that occurred in England and America in the eighteenth century. If Scripture and sign gifts truly belong to periods and leaders of revival as prophetists, glossaists, and super-supernaturalists claim, then men like Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) and George Whitfield (1714-1770) would have possessed them. In fact, they denounced those who claimed them.

Not surprisingly, Edwards wrote extensively on the subject, particularly in his sermon series entitled, Charity And Its Fruits. On this, John Gerstner remarks: “The closed character of the canon is so important to Edwards that he devotes no less than twenty-six pages and nine arguments to this theme in his most important discussion of the cessation of the charismata.” ^[73] As discussed elsewhere, Edwards vigorously defends an interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 that the gift of prophecy was to cease with the completion of the NT canon. ^[74] Accordingly, Edwards wrote:

It is this miraculous gift [of divine knowledge] which the apostle here says shall vanish away, together with the other miraculous gifts of which he speaks, such as prophecy, and the gift of tongues, etc. All these were extraordinary gifts bestowed for a season for the introduction and establishment of Christianity in the world, and when this their end was gained, they were all to fail and cease. But charity was never to cease. . . .

These gifts are not fruits of the Spirit that were given to be continued to the church throughout all ages. They were continued in the church, or at least were granted from time to time, though not without some considerable intermissions, from the beginning of the world till the canon of the Scriptures was completed. . . .

[T]he first hundred years of the Christian era, or the first century, was the era of miracles. But soon after that, the canon of Scripture being completed when the apostle John had written the book of Revelation, which he wrote not long before his death, these miraculous gifts were no longer continued in the church.

For there was now completed an established written revelation of the mind and will of God, wherein God had fully recorded a standing and all-sufficient rule for his church in all ages. And the Jewish church and nation being overthrown, and the Christian church and the last dispensation of the church of God being established, the miraculous gifts of the Spirit were no longer needed, and therefore they ceased; for though they had been continued in the church for so many ages, yet then they failed, and God caused them to fail because there was no further occasion for them. And so was fulfilled the saying of the text, “Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away ^[75] . . . .

This should make persons exceedingly cautious how they give heed to anything which looks like revelation, or any extraordinary gift of the Spirit. If any persons have any impression on their mind, as though something were immediately revealed to them which would come to pass concerning themselves or concerning their children, or others, or that anything is come to pass which before was hid from them, and if it were not revealed would still remain a secret; if they think the state of the soul of any person is revealed to them, or of their own souls, in any other way than by discerning the works and evidences of grace in their hearts. ^[76]

Unfortunately, there were people in the Church in Edwards’ day who, like modern prophetists, were claiming to possess the gift of prophecy. In response, Dr. Gerstner notes that Edwards wrote an outline of a sermon which included:

Now how lamentable is the case . . . what a door is opened to Satan. How is the church of God like a city brought down and without walls exposed continually to its worst enemies. ^[77]

And, of course, the modern prophetists have endangered and damaged the Church in the same way.

I) 19^th Century Heresy: Mormon & Irvingite “prophets”

The teaching and practice of the nineteenth century Church was universally against the idea that the gift of prophecy would be restored to the Church. Representing American theology, Charles Hodge (1797-1898) of Princeton wrote in his commentary on 1 Corinthians:

The fact that any office existed in the apostolic church is no evidence that it was intended to be permanent. In that age there was a plenitude of spiritual manifestations and endowments demanded for the organization and propagation of the church, which is no longer required. We have no longer prophets, nor workers of miracles, nor gifts of tongues. ^[78]

Likewise in Europe, the renowned Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) wrote concerning the Apostolic Age:

The Word came to the soul directly by inspiration or by a prophet’s address. Now, both these have ceased, and in their stead comes the Word sealed in the Sacred Scripture, interpreted by the Holy Spirit in preaching in the Church. . . .

Although in the Old Dispensation redemption existed partly already in Scripture, and the Psalmist shows everywhere his devotion thereto, yet Scripture could be used so to a small extent only, and needed constant supplementing by direct revelations and prophecies. But now, Scripture reveals the whole counsel of God, and nothing can be added to it. Woe to him who dares diminish or increase this Book of Life which discloses the world of divine thought! ^[79]

Accordingly, only heretical groups on these continents claimed to possess the gift of prophecy. For example, the Montanist hue of Mormonism is evident in this confession of Joseph Smith (1805-1844):

We believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost being enjoyed now, as much as it was in the Apostles’ days. . . . We also believe in prophecy, in tongues, in visions, and in revelations, in gifts, and in healings. ^[80]

Accordingly, “Belief in the gifts of the Spirit (“the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.”) is indicated in the “Articles of Faith” of the Mormon Church, founded in 1830. ^[81] Not surprisingly, “Visions, revelations, ecstasies, and the gift of tongues play a considerable part in the early history of Mormonism.” ^[82]

However, the gift of prophecy has continued to be claimed by the Mormon Church. As Carl F. H. Henry (1913-2003) wrote:

Mormons believe that the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as their body is technically known, may receive revelations for the guidance of the church as a whole. Since its origin in 1830 the Mormon Church has barred black members of African descent from ordination to its priesthood. In 1978 the church’s president announced a “divine revelation . . . that the day has come” when such restrictions of race and color are no longer to be maintained, a change in policy as significant as the church’s tardy ban of polygamy in the 1890s. ^[83]

More recently, Christian apologist Josh McDowell has written:

The living prophet also occupies an important part in present-day Mormonism. Ezra Taft Benson, who at the time of this writing is President of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, said in a speech on February 26, 1980, at Brigham Young University, that the living prophet (head of the church) is “more vital to us than the standard works.”

Any Latter-day Saint who denounces or opposes, whether actively or otherwise, any plan or doctrine advocated by the prophets, seers, and revelators of the Church is cultivating the spirit of apostasy. . . . Lucifer . . . wins a great victory when he can get members of the Church to speak against their leaders and to do their own thinking . . . When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they propose a plan -it is God’s plan. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give directions, it should mark the end of the controversy. ^[84]

Orthodox Christians would agree that the beliefs and practices of the Mormon church are demonic in origin and yet their worldwide success is hard to deny. Unfortunately the similarities between phenomena occurring in especially early Mormonism and modern prophetism are startling. Obviously, of course, is the belief that God is still granting direct revelation to people apart from the Bible. The Mormons have their Book of Mormon, the prophetist movement has their “prophecies”, “words of knowledge”, and dream interpretations.

About the same time as Mormonism began in America, attended by claims to the gift of prophecy, a more authentically Christian version of prophetism arose in England, led by Edward Irving (1792-1834). Irvingism is no doubt one of the clearest predecessors of the modern prophetist movement. Its practices and beliefs regarding revelation and the Spirit are virtually indistinguishable. The striking difference is that the cult was banished from orthodox Christian society as a dangerous aberration, instead of exalted as a new move of the Holy Spirit.

Accordingly, Church historian Peter Toon writes:

In the late 1820s prophetic study had led Irving to teach that churches could expect a spiritual renewal with the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit. He was thus somewhat prepared for the claims of divine healing and speaking in tongues occurring first in Scotland and then in his own congregation in 1831. Irving supported those who claimed to exercise such gifts.

That unpopular position, plus the heresy charges, cost him his post at Regent Square. Other believers in the validity of the gifts of the Spirit soon organized what was known as the Catholic Apostolic Church, in which Irving was ordained as a minister. His last two or three years of life were sad; he had lost his previous fame and was a member of a strange new sect. ^[85]

No one has performed a better job of detailing the spiritual tragedy of Irvingism than the pro-charismatic Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981), whom we will quote extensively:

This man [Edward Irving] was a brilliant Scot, a one time assistant to the great Dr. Thomas Chalmers, who subsequently came down to London and began to preach in the Scottish Church near Hatton Garden. He became the sensation of London in the 1820s. People flocked to hear him, including society people. He had many things which attracted-his personality, his appearance, eloquence and so on-and he became one of the most popular men in the whole of London. But the story ended in great tragedy and it all arose from the claim that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were being renewed and were being repeated under his ministry. . . .

Robert Baxter was a barrister who lived in Doncaster. He was an able, godly, spiritually minded man, who for a while became the very centre of the movement round Edward Irving, and their leading prophet. He claimed to be receiving messages direct from God, messages concerning the truth to be delivered, and what he was to do. . . .

All this was reported and was regarded as the leading of the Spirit. Men claimed to be speaking in other tongues and Robert Baxter, who was at the very heart and centre of this, was regarded as an ‘oracle’, as an unusually spirited man. He testified that his love of the Lord was greater than ever and so was his happiness. Yet this man came to see that all this was not of the Spirit of God.

Exact prophecies had been given to him but they were not verified, and did not happen. And then he began to realize that some of these things he was told to do were not in accord with the plain teaching of Scripture. But he had thought, and he was as honest as the day, that this was all the Spirit of God. Eventually his understanding was restored to him and he continued the rest of his life a godly, saintly man in the church. It was to warn others that he wrote that book long since out of print called Narrative of Events. . . .

Irvingism, collapsed, though they did establish what they called the Catholic Apostolic Church. But the whole thing ended in disaster, including the death of poor Irving who was overwrought and even suffered physically, eventually dying a broken man. There were certain prophetesses who even denounced one another while some of them later admitted and confessed that they had invented facts at certain points. . . .

I could recount at length stories about the freak religious sects that arose in the United States in the last century. A book was written once on these called Group Movements and Experiments in Guidance. Now the point about them all is that there was no doubt about their sincerity. They all really believed that the things they experienced were the acts of the Spirit of God, but the story ends in disaster. . . . ^[86]

I could give you many examples. The history of the church is strewn with examples of people who have been misled at this very point. Most of the heretics went astray just here; and most of the aberrant, fanatical movements, which have caused such trouble, went astray in exactly the same way. Let me give you just one example-Robert Baxter. I use him again because I have already mentioned him earlier. The same thing was true, of course, of Edward Irving himself and of all the people who used to worship together.

These people were true Christians. You could not wish for a more orthodox Christian than Robert Baxter, whose great desire was to exalt the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. There was no doubt about that. He unquestionably passed the test of I Corinthians 12:3 and of I John 4:1-3. He did confess that Jesus Christ was come in the flesh. He was very much concerned to do that. And yet, as I have already mentioned, poor Robert Baxter made the terrible discovery that the spirit that was in him, which he had thought was the Holy Spirit, was clearly not the Holy Spirit, and he thanked God for delivering him from a possibly terrible fate. . . .

Some of the most genuine people are the ones who have gone most grievously astray, simply because they have not realized that this one test is not enough [that they feel spiritual]. You will find, indeed, in the history of Robert Baxter that when questions did arise in his mind, and especially when his wife expressed her concern about what was happening to him and what he was doing, and reasoned with him out of the Scriptures–the only answer he kept on giving was, ‘I don’t know, but all I know is that Christ is more real to me and I am more concerned for his glory, and I love him more than I have ever done.’ That seemed to answer everything. But it is not enough. We must go on testing and proving and trying the spirits. ^[87]

We see several things in Irvingism that we observe throughout the history of prophetism. So-called “promptings” and prophecies are considered equal in authority to Scripture and expected on a regular basis. Inevitably, Scripture is devalued, which often leads to other heresies. In Irving’s case, Dr. Toon writes:

His doctrine of baptism appeared to include baptismal regeneration. His doctrine of Christ attributed to Jesus a fallen human nature. Irving’s Christology was the basis for his trial for heresy by the Church of Scotland and his removal from its ministry (1833). ^[88]

The failed prophecies in Irvingism also exposed them as an unbiblical cult. These included the date of the rapture and the name of the Antichrist, all of which failed. Finally, a prophecy was made that Irving would labor in London as a great Prophet and convert the masses, but in the same year he died of consumption.

Once again, the Church’s response to Irvingism is a rebuke to the modern church. Modern prophetism is in no way superior or more biblical than their nineteenth century predecessors, and yet instead of denouncing them as the nineteenth century Church universally did, the modern Church applauds contemporary “Irvingites” as leaders of a new wave of the Holy Spirit and recipients of miraculous gifts such as prophecy.

Because the evidence for the gift of prophecy, especially among orthodox Christians, is so rare, modern prophetists like Pentecostal theologian C. Samuel Storms, have gone so far as to claim Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) possessed the gift. Dr. Storms relates an excerpt from the autobiography of Charles Spurgeon where the great preacher says that in “as many as a dozen cases . . . the [specific] thoughts of [particular] men have been revealed from the pulpit.” Dr. Storms comments:

I believe that this is an example of what the apostle Paul described in I Corinthians 14:24-25. Spurgeon exercised the gift of prophecy (or some might say the word of knowledge, 12:8), but he did not label it as such. Yet that does not alter the reality of what the Holy Spirit accomplished through him. If one were to examine Spurgeon’s theology and ministry as well as recorded accounts of it by his contemporaries and subsequent biographers, most would conclude from the absence of explicit reference to miraculous charismata such as prophecy and the word of knowledge that these gifts had been withdrawn from church life [In other words, Spurgeon was a cessationist). But Spurgeon’s own testimony inadvertently says otherwise. ^[89]

Several comments are in order. First, perhaps Spurgeon was visited at times with supernatural clairvoyant abilities. However, as we have discussed elsewhere, while this was one attribute of a biblical Prophet, ^[90] it is insufficient to claim Spurgeon had the gift of prophecy. Secondly, Dr. Storms admits that Spurgeon himself was a historicist, believing gifts like prophecy to have ceased. Accordingly, and thirdly, Dr. Storms seems arrogant to make Spurgeon out to be a fool who could not even recognize he had the gift of prophecy. Contrary to Dr. Storms, Mr. Spurgeon did not erroneously interpret what happened, precisely because Spurgeon properly understood the gift.

J) 20^th Century Prophetism: The frauds of Branham & Robertson

Like the previous century, only heretical men claimed the gift of prophecy through the mid twentieth century. We have already discussed the fraud of two of prophetism’s most celebrated “prophets,” Paul Cain ^[91] and Benny Hinn. ^[92] In addition, prophetism’s founder was a fraud too. Charismatic teacher Hank Hanegraaff relates concerning William Branham (1909-1965):

If ever a man was revered by leaders of today’s Counterfeit Revival [of which prophetism is a part], that man was William Branham. . . . Kenneth Hagin and Jack Deere continue to extol the work that God started through the healing revivals of Branham and his imitators. . . . Paul Cain [a foundational figure in modern prophetism] calls him “the greatest prophet that ever lived in any of my generations or any of the generations of revival I’ve lived through.”

The Dictionary of Christianity in America acknowledges that “the post-World War II healing revival in Pentecostalism began in the ministry of William Branham” . . . On May 7, 1946, while the prophet Branham was still only a humble, if mystical, game warden, a two-hundred-pound angel . . . appeared to him in a secret cave. . . . The angel . . . advised Branham that he would be able to disclose details about the lives of devotees through the word of knowledge. ^[93]

And indeed, thousands claimed that Branham accurately gave detailed information about them that he had no natural means of knowing, thus convincing them that he was a great Prophet of God. And the folklore of prophetism furthered his fame. Accordingly, we read:

In its February 1961 issue, the Full Gospel Men’s Voice (now the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Voice) wrote: “In Bible Days, there were men of God who were Prophets and Seers. But in all the Sacred Records, none of these had a greater ministry than that of William Branham . . . . Branham has been used by God, in the Name of Jesus, to raise the dead!” Branham’s teachings and notoriety had a profound influence on the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. Though Branham has been dead since 1965, there are hundreds of thousands around the world who regard him as a prophet, and the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6. ^[94]

Branham claimed to possess the gift of prophecy based on two things. First, his remarkable ability to know things about people. One researcher writes:

The second [attraction to Branham’s meetings] was Branham’s “gift of discernment”: “You all know that this gift in my life is supernatural. It is a gift whereby the Holy Spirit is able to discern diseases, and thoughts of men’s hearts, and other hidden things that only God could know and then reveal to me.” . . .

He insisted that he had nothing to do with what happened when the gift was in operation. People would come before him one by one. Suddenly things relating to them would appear to him above them. He would simply tell them what he saw, unaware of what he was saying. . . .

[Walter] Hollenweger, an expert on Pentecostal history, comments, “The author [Hollenweger], who knew Branham personally and interpreted for him in Zurich, is not aware of any case in which he was mistaken in the often detailed statements he made. ^[95]

William Branham is by far the most supernatural “prophet” that modern prophetism can muster. However, just as surely as Branham’s clairvoyant abilities were supernatural, they were also demonic. ^[96] This opinion is based on several facts. First, like many demonic frauds, Branham’s childhood was spooky:

From his early childhood William Branham had supernatural experiences including prophetic visions. He recalled that in his early childhood, while walking home from getting water from the creek, he heard the voice of the Angel of the Lord who told him ‘never to drink, smoke or defile his body, for there would be a work for him when he got older.’ ^[97]

On one occasion during his teenage years, he remembered being approached by an astrologer telling him that he was ‘born under a special sign’ and that they predicted an important religious calling for him. ^[98]

In an experience very reminiscent of Joseph Smith and the founding of Mormonism, Branham claims that in 1933, a bright light descended on him and he heard a voice say, “As John the Baptist was sent to fore-run the first coming of Jesus Christ, so your message will fore-run His second coming.” ^[99]

The second reason we believe Branham was a false prophet was that he grossly lied about his healing abilities, which we discuss elsewhere. ^[100] Thirdly, like all false prophets, none of his predictions came true. While demons empowered Branham to know people’s past, he failed miserably in predicting the future. One researcher notes:

Branham regarded his series of sermons on the Seven Seals (Rev 6:1-17 and Rev 8:1) in 1963 as a highlight of his ministry. He said a cluster of seven angels [privately, of course] met him on Sunset Mountain in Arizona to commission the opening of the Seals, which he believed was in fulfillment of a vision he had told his church several months earlier. ^[101]

Accordingly, Branham said he had received seven major prophecies in 1933 regarding events unfolding in the world. He predicted “that 1977 ought to terminate the world systems and usher in the millennium.” ^[102] In addition, Branham’s prophecies included a rather famous one that “the city of Los Angeles would ‘sink beneath the ocean'” and that a tidal wave would sweep inland as far as the Salton Sea.” ^[103]

When we are reminded that Jesus said we would know a false prophet by their moral fruit (cf. Matt 7:15-23) we take note that one sympathetic researcher admits: “At times he could be . . . remarkably bitter and angry.” ^[104]

The final reason we believe Branham’s supernatural clairvoyant abilities were demonic is that his doctrine was heretical. Mr. Hanegraaff reports:

Branham’s failed prophecies were only exceeded by his false doctrines. His dogmatic “serpent’s seed doctrine” held that Eve had sexual intercourse with the serpent and conceived Cain. . . . Branham was adamant in his denial of the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. . . . He began to insist that “believers baptized by a Trinitarian formula must be rebaptized in the name of Jesus only.

To expose himself even more, Branham claimed his unbiblical doctrines were a result of direct divine revelation as a Prophet of God. ^[105] In addition, as one researcher notes:

Criticism of Branham’s ministry has focused not only on doctrinal differences, but on his belief in divine revelation through astronomical constellations and aspects of pyramidology. This is based on his comment that “God wrote three Bibles.” He said these were the zodiac, the great pyramid [in Egypt] and the Holy Bible. ^[106]

Considering Branham’s doctrines and character, his “angel” immediately reminds one of the Apostle Paul’s warning about “satan [who] masquerades as an angel of light.” (2 Co. 11:14). This guy is one of the celebrated founding fathers of modern prophetism and its promoters still want us to take them seriously?

Indeed, The Pentecostal Ronald Kydd, Research Professor of Church History at Tyndale Seminary, in an effort to find historical evidence for legitimate and biblical prophetic ministries, suggests that William Branham is an example. Dr. Kydd writes, “It is certain that he thought he was the divinely appointed prophet for his generation.” ^[107] So. He was wrong, and prophetism is wrong to continue to laud him as a hero, let alone a Prophet from God.

As another researcher writes:

Branham demonstrated one thing conclusively: that restoration movements like the Latter Rain so lust for Prophets who can do signs and wonders that they will accept nearly any heresy or outrageous claim as long as it is accompanied by signs and miracles. ^[108]

But the prophetic, doctrinal, and moral failures of Branham and Cain seemed to have taught prophetism nothing. A more modern “prophet” of prophetism with an equally dismal record of prediction is Pat Robertson. One chronicler of these failures documents the following:

Several times near New Year Robertson has announced that God told him several truths or events that would happen in the following year. “I have a relatively good track record,” he said. “Sometimes I miss.”

In late 1976, Robertson predicted that the end of the world was coming in November or October 1982. In a May 1980 broadcast of The 700 Club he stated, “I guarantee you by the end of 1982 there is going to be a judgment on the world.”

In May 2006, Robertson declared that storms and possibly a tsunami would hit America’s coastline sometime in 2006. Robertson supposedly received this revelation from God during an annual personal prayer retreat in January. The claim was repeated four times on The 700 Club.

On May 8, 2006, Robertson said, “If I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms.” On May 17, 2006, he elaborated, “There well may be something as bad as a tsunami in the Pacific Northwest.” While this claim didn’t garner the same level of controversy as some of his other statements, it was generally received with mild amusement by the Pacific Northwest media. The History Channel’s initial airing of its new series, Mega Disasters: West Coast Tsunami, was broadcast the first week of May.

On the January 2, 2007, broadcast of The 700 Club, Robertson said that God spoke to him and told him that “mass killings” were to come during 2007, due to a terrorist attack on the United States. He added, “The Lord didn’t say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that.” When a terrorist attack failed to happen in 2007, Robertson said, in January 2008, “All I can think is that somehow the people of God prayed and God in his mercy spared us.”

In October 2008 Robertson posted a press release on the Georgian Conflict speculating that the conflict is a Russian ploy to enter the Middle East, and that instability caused by a predicted pre-emptive strike [predicted by Robertson] by Israel on Iran would result in Syria’s and Iran’s launching nuclear strikes on other targets. He also said that if the United States were to oppose Russia’s expansion, nuclear strikes on American soil are also pending. “We will suffer grave economic damage, but will not engage in military action to stop the conflict. However, we may not be spared nuclear strikes against coastal cities. In conclusion, it is my opinion that we have between 75 and 120 days before the Middle East starts spinning out of control.”

On his New Years broadcast, 2009, Robertson said, “If I’m hearing [God] right, gold will go to about $1900 dollars an ounce and oil to $300 a barrel.” ^[109]

Accordingly, Robertson’s claim to the gift of prophecy doesn’t even deserve further comment.

It is no surprise, then, that mainstream Evangelicalism through the majority of the twentieth century denied that God has currently granted anyone the biblical gift of prophecy. J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) the highly respected and influential radio Bible teacher said:

We have seen the importance of sign gifts at the beginning of the transitional period [between the OT and NT]. But these gifts disappeared. You may say to me, “Are you sure they disappeared?” I want to say to you categorically, and emphatically, that the sign gifts disappeared and the Scriptures said they would [citing 1 Cor 13:8-13]. ^[110]

More recently, the equally respected and influential radio Bible teacher Charles Swindoll has written: “God no longer speaks through prophets. I don’t care what they tell you on television.” ^[111]

K) End-time Restoration: Moses & Elijah

While we believe that Scripture (cf. 1 Cor 13:8-13), Church history, and present experience all point to the fact that the gift of prophecy has not been operating since the recording and wide-spread distribution of the NT revelation in the fourth century, we do believe that Scripture indicates the gift will be restored at the consummation of the Church Age. Jesus said:

 

And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for “, clothed in sackcloth. . . . These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the Earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. (Rev 11:3, 6)

We believe these two End-time Prophets are Moses and Elijah. ^[112] Regardless, it would seem that during God’s End-time judgments on the Earth, at least two “men” will possess the biblical gift of prophecy. It would seem the biggest reason this is occurring is because yet another age and stage of divine revelation is being inaugurated. This is again, one reason we do not believe the gift of prophecy is operating today. We did not enter a new age of divine revelation in the 1980’s when prophetism became so popular. And if and when God does reinstate the gift of prophecy, those possessing it will be able to supernaturally authenticate themselves as the two Prophets described above, and as all the Prophets in Scripture. If you really want more proof that the gift of prophecy has not been restored to the Church, simply compare the attributes of these real End Time Prophets with the pathetic counterfeits operating today.

Extras & Endnotes

Gauging Your Grasp

1. When did the operation of the gift of prophecy essentially cease?
2. What were some testimonies previous to that that it was drastically decreasing?
3. Why do we suggest the gift of prophecy ceased? Do you agree or disagree and why?
4. What are other reasons for concluding that the gift of prophecy has never been restored, including to this day?
5. What are the similarities and differences between 2^nd century Montanism and modern prophetism?
6. What did Origen testify too regarding the gift of prophecy about 220 A. D?
7. What did Bishop Chrysostom (c. 347-407) testify to regarding the meaning of 1 Corinthians chapter 14?
8. Why do modern prophetists claim the gift of prophecy was removed in the early Church? Do you agree or disagree?
9. Why do modern prophetists claim the gift of prophecy was been restored to them? Do you agree or disagree?

Publications & Particulars

1. It is important to notice that we do not make the same mistake as, for example, B. B. Warfield (1851–1921), in claiming that Scripture gifts like prophecy ceased in the first century (cf. Counterfeit Miracles, [Banner of Truth, repr. 1995]). Nonetheless, this is how the cessationist (historicist) position is usually portrayed. Accordingly, the Wikipedia entry on “cessationists” has the following:

   Cessationists usually believe the miraculous gifts were given only for the foundation of the Church, during the time between the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, c. AD 33, and the fulfillment of God’s purposes in history, usually identified as either the completion of the last book of the New Testament or the death of the last Apostle (this is also known as the transition period for the canon of Scripture was not yet complete). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessationism).

   Several have taken this traditional “cessationist” view supported in Warfield’s wonderful study, and attempt to discredit the whole historicist idea that Paul was predicting the cessation of these gifts with the completed communication of the NT revelation (e.g. Gary Steven Shogren, “Christian Prophecy And Canon In The Second Century: A Response To B. B. Warfield” JETS 40:4 [Dec 1997] p. 609-626.

   On the contrary, the NT revelation was not sufficiently copied, distributed, and recognized until the middle of the third century, and that is why the evidence we have testifies to the cessation of these gifts about that time. See further discussion on Warfield’s view at ? ↑

2. We made our calculations based on the approximation that the modern prophecy movement really surfaced in the 1980’s, and the gift of prophecy was rather universally thought to be extinct since 350, which would equal the 1730 years that there was no debate about its existence. ↑

3. Christopher Forbes, Prophecy and Inspired Speech in Early Christianity And Its Hellenistic Environment (J. C. B. Mohr, 1995), 247, 249. Although both we and Mr. Forbes find some evidence of the gift operating into the mid second-century. ↑

4. For further discussion on the relationship between covenant making and the Scripture gifts such as prophecy, see section 7.3.B-D. ↑

5. For the historical demonstration of the cessation of the gift of Apostleship see chapter 8.5 For miracle working see 11.7. And for tongues see 12.13. ↑

6. Excerpt from section 9.6.C.1. ↑

7. For an argument for interpreting 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 as a prediction of the cessation of the Scripture and Sign gifts with the completion of the communication of the NT covenant see chapter 8.6. ↑

8. Robert L. Saucy in Are Miraculous Gifts for Today?, Wayne Grudem, ed. (Zondervan, 1996), 128; underlining added. ↑

9. Regarding the biblical fact that the gift of prophecy involved the reception of new, Scripture-quality revelation from God see chapters 9.4 and 9.6. ↑

10. Wayne Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today (Crossway, 2000), 240–41. ↑

11. Saucy, 125. ↑

12. Even with such clear texts as these, Dr. Aune wishes to claim that the Jews still believed people with the gift of prophecy were in their midst. While there is no reason to believe passages in Maccabees are referring to anything but an OT type Prophet, Dr. Aune suggests they refer more to “priests” rather than the biblical idea of Prophets. He also writes: “Israelite prophecy did not disappear. Rather, like all religious and social institutions, it underwent a number of far-reaching and even radical changes during the period of the Second Temple” (Prophecy in Early Christianity and the Mediterranean World [Eerdmans, 1983], 103).

    His view is untenable. Priests were available in abundance. But there was no one with the gift of prophecy. In addition, even what Dr. Aune believes does not contradict the fact that biblical prophecy ceased with Malachi. ↑

13. Flavius Josephus, Against Apion, i.8; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

14. Aune, 103. ↑

15. Dr. Aune comments on this verse: “The medium of revelation was no longer the inspired prophet, but rather the bat qol (literally “daughter of a voice”), a heavenly voice or sound which had both oracular and divinatory functions” (104). Nonetheless, the meaning is far too obscure to claim that new divine revelation was still being provided. ↑

16. Ibid. ↑

17. Nonetheless, Dr. Aune writes: “According to other rabbinic traditions, famous rabbis claimed the gift of prophecy and/or the possession of the Spirit of God.” (104) Dr. Aune provides no examples of these claims. The first claim of some rabbis is most likely similar to the fact that we have other reports of some Jews referring to first century sages (teachers) as prophets, but as Dr. Aune admits, “in a form considerably different from that of classical OT prophecy” (Ibid.). Sound familiar? ↑

18. Josephus, Wars of the Jews, I.2.8; cf. Antiquities XIII.10.7; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

19. B. D. Napier, “Prophet in the NT,” International Dictionary of the Bible, ed. George A. Buttrick (Abingdon, 1962), 3:919. ↑

20. The most respected proponent of the idea that some form of the gift of prophecy operated after Malachi comes from Dr. David Aune in his rightly respected book, Prophecy in Early Christianity and the Mediterranean World (cf. pp. 103-106. We would respond in the following way.

    First, in our opinion, Dr. Aune is not careful enough throughout his book in maintaining the distinction between Prophets and “prophets.” He simply refers too often to intertestamental and Greek “prophets” simply as “prophets” and does not distinguish them carefully enough from biblical Prophets.

    Second, while Dr. Aune admits that, “rabbinic texts make it clear that some rabbis did hold that prophecy had ceased during the Second Temple period, the view . . . was only one view among many” (104). Uncharacteristically, he does not quote these other rabbis, or even offer a reference to them, but rather only references some German works on the topic. However, he describes them as merely stating that some rabbis claimed for themselves the gift of prophecy or “the possession of the Spirit” which may not at all refer to the gift of prophecy (104). Few people know these ancient Jewish writings better than Dr. Aune, and it is unfortunate that he does not quote them so we can evaluate them. Nevertheless, his suggestion that there is equal evidence in first and second century Judaism for and against the idea that the gift of prophecy had ceased after Malachi seems suspect. The quotes we offer above speak for themselves.

    Thirdly, reflecting our general concern that Dr. Aune does not consistently distinguish between the biblical gift of prophecy and what people may do without the Spirit, he writes:

    [I]t has become increasingly recognized that prophecy did not disappear in Judaism during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, but that it was alive and well, though in a form considerably different from that of classical OT prophecy. (104)

    If the form claimed was “considerably different from that of classical OT prophecy” then Dr. Aune is in error to include such examples in a discussion of the biblical gift of prophecy at all (cf. section ?).

    Because of the evidence reflected in 1 Maccabees, Dr. Aune attempts to dismiss the three quotes by assuming the writer is not referring to biblical type prophecy. Accordingly, he writes:

    The type of prophet described is a kind of temple or clerical prophet who is to function in a manner similar to the priests consulted by Haggai (Hag. 2:11-13). . . . The general perspective of the author of 1 Maccabees is theocratic rather than eschatological, a perspective which excludes the possibility that 1 Macc. 4:46 and 14:41 refer to an eschatological [biblical] prophet. The type of prophecy reflected in 1 Macc. 4:45b-46 and 14:41 is “clerical” prophecy, i.e. a type of early Jewish prophecy which assumes that prophetic gifts are coextensive with the priestly political leadership of the nation. (105)

    Dr. Aune’s assumptions are unlikely and unsubstantiated. No doubt the writer of 1 Maccabees knew what a biblical Prophet was, and when we see him using the exact same words, why not assume he is referring to the same ministry?

    Dr. Aune again suggests that the biblical gift of prophecy is something different than what the OT Prophets exercised when he writes:

    The early Jewish attitudes toward the past and present activity of prophecy and the Spirit of God exhibit great variety [again, he fails to substantiate that]. While some of the rabbinic sages of the early talmudic period were convinced that the Holy Spirit had been taken from Israel and that the voice of prophecy had ceased, other forms of prophecy and divination were still recognized as legitimate and were practiced. These alternate forms of revelation, however, occupied a subordinate position to the Mosaic revelation codified in the Torah [therefore, not the biblical gift of prophecy]. (105)

    We have pointed out above that Josephus seemed to directly relate the closing of the OT canon with the cessation of the gift of prophecy. Dr. Aune, however, writes:

    The formation of the OT canon, a process which was completed by the first century B.C., appears to have had no connection with the view that prophecy had ended in Judaism. Even in the famous passage found in Josephus Contra Ap. i-37-41, where the Jewish historian discusses the boundaries of the Hebrew scriptures, he does not say that prophecy has ceased, only that there is no longer an “exact succession” of prophets, i.e. there is no direct relationship between the desultory [inconsistent] appearances of various prophets. (106)

    We simply disagree, especially because of the context that Josephus made the statement. He is explaining why Jewish writings since the biblical Prophets “has not been esteemed of the like authority” and it is because no one since those biblical Prophets has confidently been thought to possess such divine revelation.

    Dr. Aune concludes:

    Certainly there was no antithesis between a divinely inspired and centrally authoritative collection of sacred writings on the one hand and the continuing role of inspired prophecy on the other. (106)

    In other words, he continues to deny that first and second century Jews believed prophecy had ceased just because the OT canon had been established. His reason for this is: “Early Christianity itself was a sect within Judaism that revered the OT and yet was characterized by a flurry of prophetic activity” (Ibid.). Our point exactly. But this is precisely because the OT canon of Scripture was being broken by the revelation of a new covenant.

    All in all, Dr. Aune is rightly respected on the topic of early Christian prophecy. However, his arguments for denying that first and second century Jews thought the biblical gift of prophecy had ceased are unconvincing for us. For a further critique of Dr. Aune’s view see F. David Farnell, “The Gift of Prophecy in the Old and New Testaments,” BSac 149 (1992) 389-90 n. 5. For further arguments concerning the fact that there were no God-sent Prophets operating between Malachi and John the Baptist see Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Zondervan, 1994), 55ff. ↑

21. section 8.5.C. ↑

22. Saucy, 128. ↑

23. Understandably, there is a great deal of discussion on what aggelō refers to here. In our opinion, the best interpretation is that it refers to the Pastors/Teachers who would be leaders over these congregations.

    In ancient Greek, aggelos simply meant “messenger” and could equally refer to human or angelic (divine or demonic) messengers (cf. BADG). Accordingly, while it is most often used to refer to God’s Angels in Scripture, several times it refers to human messengers (cf. Matt 11:10, Mark 1:2; Luke 7:24, 27; 9:52; James 2:25; in LXX Gen 32:3, 6; Hag 1:13; Mal 2:7; 3:1). Accordingly, in the context of someone who was to give a message to a local church, “angel” doesn’t fit, but the Pastor/Teacher of the church would. A local Prophet wouldn’t need such a message.

    See extended discussion by Albert Barnes at Rev 1:20 (Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament; online at http://www.ccel.org ) to support our translation. ↑

24. Andrew Walls, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 1, Frank E. Gaebelein ed. CD-ROM (Zondervan, n.d.), 638. ↑

25. Ignatius, Epistle to Philadelphia, vii; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

26. Aune, 196. ↑

27. F. F. Bruce, 1 & 2 Corinthians (Oliphants, 1971), 137. ↑

28. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, sec. 82, p. 240; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

29. Justin Martyr, 1 Apology, 67; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

30. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book II, ch. 23, Book V. ch. 6.1; online at http://www.ccel.org ↑

31. Tertullian, Against Marcion, V:8; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

32. Novation, Treatise of Novation Concerning the Trinity, ch. XXIX; online at http://www.ccel.org. Forbes says that Novation’s reference to speaking in tongues is the last reference to this gift that even the pro-Charismatic study by Kydd can find. (81). ↑

33. Kenneth Latourette, A History of Christianity (Hendricksen, 1975), 128. ↑

34. Ibid., 129, 132. ↑

35. Donald Bloesch, The Holy Spirit (InterVarsity, 2000), 127 ↑

36. Ibid. ↑

37. Ibid., 88 ↑

38. Eusebius of Casaerea, Ecclesiatical History V.16, Louth; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

39. D. F. Wright, “Montanism,” Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Baker, 1984), 733. ↑

40. Wright, 732-3. ↑

41. Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies, viii; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

42. For further on the biblical mandate for those claiming the gift of prophecy to miraculously predict the future see chapter 9.11. ↑

43. Eusebius, V.16. ↑

44. Wright, 732. ↑

45. For further discussion of the early history of claims to miraculous gifts in the Church see chapter 11.7. Particularly regarding further discussion of the Montanists see section 10.14.A and ↑

46. Origen, Against Celsus, sec. VII.9, 11; online at http://www.ccel.org. Forbes writes that Origen reflects similar sentiments in his commentary on Matthew 28. ↑

47. Max Turner, The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts (Hendrickson, 1998), 301-2. ↑

48. Henry Barclay Swete, The Holy Spirit in the Ancient Church (MacMillan, 1912), 400-01. ↑

49. Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, viii.30, 34; cf. 33; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

50. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 16.2; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

51. John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Cor 29; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

52. Chrysostom, 1 Cor Homily 34.2. ↑

53. Albert Barnes mentions in his commentary on Joel 2:28 that Bishop Theodoret of Cyrus (in Syria) (c. 393- c. 460) had written in his own commentary on Joel:

    It is superfluous to set myself to prove the truth of the prophecy. For down to our times this gift has been preserved, and there are among the saints, people who have the eye of the mind clear, who foreknow and foretell many of the things which are about to be. (Barnes, Joel 2:28)

    However, Barnes seems to indicate, as does Theodoret’s Church History (iii.18-19), that the Bishop’s evidence of this was primarily someone’s prediction of the Emperor Julian’s death. As we will see below concerning particularly the Reformation Age, mere miraculous prediction does not prove the gift of prophecy, for it included the reception and revelation of extra-biblical divine truth. ↑

54. John Wesley, Works of John Wesley, 7 vols., 3^rd ed. (Baker, 1996), 2:204. ↑

55. Saucy, 117. ↑

56. Aune, 189. ↑

57. Forbes, 250. ↑

58. D. A. Carson, Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14 (Baker, 1987), 168. ↑

59. Roman Catholic Church, we begin to see some testimonies that saints accurately predicted the future. While we have noted elsewhere the questionable character of testimonies of this kind during this time, some of these testimonies may be true. ↑

60. Latourette, 673 ↑

61. “Girolamo Savonarola”; online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Girolamo_Savonarola. ↑

62. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, IA.I.8; online at http://www.newadvent.org/summa. ↑

63. Westminster Confession of Faith, Ch. 1, secs I and VI; online at http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/,. ↑

64. Douglas Judisch, An Evaluation of Claims to the Charismatic Gifts (Baker, 1978), 81. ↑

65. Carl F. H. Henry, God, Revelation and Authority 6 Vols. (Word, 1979), 278-9. ↑

66. Martin Luther, “Concerning the Letter and the Spirit” in Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings, Timothy F. Lull ed. (Augsburg Fortress, 2005), 89. ↑

67. Quoted in Victor Budgen, Charismatics and the Word of God (Evangelical Press, 1985), 126. ↑

68. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, I.9.1-3; online at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html ↑

69. For a description of some of these see Vern S. Poythress, “Modern Spiritual Gifts As Analogous To Apostolic Gifts: Affirming Extraordinary Works Of The Spirit Within Cessationist Theology” in JETS 39:1 (March 1996) , 94-101. ↑

70. Samuel Rutherfurd [sic], A Survey of the Spirituall Antichrist. Opening the Secrets of Familisme and Antinomianisme in the Antichristian Doctrine of John Saltmarsh, and Will. Del, the Present Preachers of the Army now in England, and of Robert Town, Tob. Crisp, H. Denne, Eaton, and Others (Andrew Crooke, 1648), part I, chap. 7, pp. 42-44. Quoted in Don Codling, Sola Scriptura and the Revelatory Gifts (Press, 2005), 120. ↑

71. Rutherford, 5.3. ↑

72. Ibid. ↑

73. John Gerstner, The Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathan Edwards 3 vols. (Berea, 1991), 174. ↑

74. Edwards vigorously defends an interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 that the gift of prophecy was to cease with the completion of the NT canon. See section 8.6.A.1. ↑

75. Jonathan Edwards, Charity and its Fruits, 158, 160, 161; online at http://www.graphebooks.org/chanditfrjed.html. ↑

76. Gerstner, I.177 ↑

77. Ibid., I.174. ↑

78. Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, 3 vols., reprint (Hendrickson, 2003), 1 Cor 12:28. ↑

79. Abraham Kuyper, The Work of the Holy Spirit trans. by Henri De Vries, (Eerdmans, 1946), 63. ↑

80. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Confirm Book, 1977), 243. ↑

81. Richard Quebedeaux, The New Charismatics: The Origins, Development, and Significance of Neo-Pentecostalism (Doubleday, 1976), 22. ↑

82. Alexander Mackie, The Gift of Tongues: A Study in the Pathological Aspects of Christianity (Doran, 1921), 6. ↑

83. Henry, 4:153. ↑

84. Ezra Taft Benson, “Improvement Era” 1945, 354; in Josh McDowell and Don Stewart, Understanding the Cults (Here’s Life Publishers, 1982), 68. ↑

85. Peter Toon, “Edward Irving” in Who’s Who in Christian History, J. D. Douglas and Philip Comfort, eds. (Tyndale, n.d.). ↑

86. D. M. Lloyd-Jones, The Sovereign Spirit: Discerning the Gifts (Harold Shaw, 1985), 63-4. ↑

87. Ibid., 115-16. ↑

88. Toon. ↑

89. C. Samuel Storms Miraculous Gifts, 201. (202-203). ↑

90. For further discussion of the clairvoyant abilities of biblical Prophets see section 9.12.A. ↑

91. Regarding incriminating evidence on Paul Cain see 9.12.A.2 and 9.11.F.3 and 11.8.B. ↑

92. On Benny Hinn’s failed prophecies and immorality see sections 10.15.A.7 and 11.8.F. ↑

93. Hank Hanegraaff, Counterfeit Revival (Word, 1997), 134-137. ↑

94. “William M. Branham,” online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ William_Branham. This is an excellent article containing exceptional research. Many of the references here come from this article. ↑

95. Ronald Kydd, Healing Through the Centuries: Models for Understanding (Hendrickson, 1998), 177-8. ↑

96. For further discussion of the demonic nature of contemporary clairvoyancy see section 9.12.A.2. ↑

97. W. M. Branham, My Life Story (Voice of God Recordings, 1959). ↑

98. W. M. Branham, How the Gift Came to Me, (The Voice of Healing, 1948), 8. ↑

99. L. Vayle, Twentieth Century Prophet (1965), 37; online Twentieth Century Prophet, ch 3, Pillar of Fire Appears. ↑

100. For further discussion of Branham’s “healing” ministry see section 11.7.B.9.b ↑

101. W. M. Branham, Is This the Time?, (Voice of God Recordings, December 1962); online at http://www.branham.org. ↑

102. W. M. Branham, An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages (WBEA, 1965), 321-322. ↑

103. W. M. Branham, The Choosing of a Bride & Works Is faith Expressed (Voice of God Recordings, 1965). ↑

104. Ibid. ↑

105. C. D. Weaver, The Healer-Prophet: William Marrion Branham: A Study of the Prophetic in American Pentecostalism (Mercer University Press, 2000), 98. ↑

106. E. Pement, “William Branham: An American Legend,” Cornerstone magazine, 1986, Vol. 15, No. 81. ↑

107. Kydd, 174. ↑

108. Bob Dewaay, CIC, #103, 5. ↑

109. Mike Scheifler at http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/tbn.htm ↑

110. Quebedeaux, 170-01. ↑

111. Charles Swindoll, The Mystery of God’s Will (Word, 1999), 32. ↑

112. See endnote in section 10.5.A.3. ↑