Part 8: Luke's list: the quiet prophet
Aug 18, 2016 10:45:16 GMT
Post by Colossians on Aug 18, 2016 10:45:16 GMT
This material is for the teaching of the Body of Christ, however the author reserves copyright over it.
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LUKE’S LIST: the quiet prophet
“If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream” Num 12:6.
The only 2 individuals in the pages of the NT who are particularly declared to have had dreams, were Pontius Pilate’s wife, and Jesus’ father Joseph.
Although Pilate’s wife’s dream was prophetic, we would not refer to her as a prophet because
1. the dream was a ‘one-off’
2. she was not on the side of God.
The story is decidedly different with Joseph, where we note:
1. The dream which told him to take Mary to be his wife despite her having already become pregnant; and which told him to name the baby “Jesus”. (Mt 1:20,21.)
2. The dream which told him to take Mary and Jesus into Egypt to escape the clutches of the murderous Herod. (Mt 2:13.)
3. The dream which told him that it was safe to return to Israel because those who sought to kill Jesus had died. (Mt 2:19,20.)
4. The dream which warned him against returning to Judea and which moved him to instead settle in Galilee. (Mt 2:22.)
Now … it is certainly not the case that just because God has given you a dream, you are a prophet. Pilate’s wife is case in point.
Case in point also is Abimelech king of Gerar: he had two dreams from God, the first one informing him of the trouble he was in for having taken Sarah away from Abraham, and the second informing him that God was going to let him off the hook because what he had done he had done in ignorance, not knowing Sarah was Abraham’s wife. Indeed, that Abimelech was in fact no prophet is irresistibly implied in his being told by God to return Sarah to Abraham because "[Abraham] is a prophet”: we don’t hear anything along the lines of “but so am I!” in response. (See Gen 20.)
But when the dreams you have are the most important in all of history – dreams which ensure the salvation of God’s elect for all eternity, make no mistake about it: you’re a prophet.
Confirmation in contrasts
The angel Gabriel appeared personally (essentially corporeally) to Mary to inform her of her role in the scheme of salvation.
The angel Gabriel appeared personally (essentially corporeally) to John the Baptist’s father Zacharias to inform him that his wife, though advanced in years, would bring forth him who would prepare the way for the Lord.
The same angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph, but ‘only’ in a dream. Objectively, he could have appeared to him in person just as he had to Mary and Zacharias, but the Body of Christ is not uniform with regard to the gifts and functions of its members: one is an eye, another an eyelid: each has his place, and God knows how to minister in, through, and to, each one.
God ministered in, through, and to, the prophet Joseph in dreams, dreams so vital they were breathtaking. Granted, we don’t usually refer to Joseph as a prophet, but then how many prophets had full-time jobs as prophets anyway? Was not Jeremiah of the priests of Anathoth? Was not Amos among the herdsmen of Tekoa?
The quiet prophet.
Amen.
___________________________
LUKE’S LIST: the quiet prophet
“If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream” Num 12:6.
The only 2 individuals in the pages of the NT who are particularly declared to have had dreams, were Pontius Pilate’s wife, and Jesus’ father Joseph.
Although Pilate’s wife’s dream was prophetic, we would not refer to her as a prophet because
1. the dream was a ‘one-off’
2. she was not on the side of God.
The story is decidedly different with Joseph, where we note:
1. The dream which told him to take Mary to be his wife despite her having already become pregnant; and which told him to name the baby “Jesus”. (Mt 1:20,21.)
2. The dream which told him to take Mary and Jesus into Egypt to escape the clutches of the murderous Herod. (Mt 2:13.)
3. The dream which told him that it was safe to return to Israel because those who sought to kill Jesus had died. (Mt 2:19,20.)
4. The dream which warned him against returning to Judea and which moved him to instead settle in Galilee. (Mt 2:22.)
Now … it is certainly not the case that just because God has given you a dream, you are a prophet. Pilate’s wife is case in point.
Case in point also is Abimelech king of Gerar: he had two dreams from God, the first one informing him of the trouble he was in for having taken Sarah away from Abraham, and the second informing him that God was going to let him off the hook because what he had done he had done in ignorance, not knowing Sarah was Abraham’s wife. Indeed, that Abimelech was in fact no prophet is irresistibly implied in his being told by God to return Sarah to Abraham because "[Abraham] is a prophet”: we don’t hear anything along the lines of “but so am I!” in response. (See Gen 20.)
But when the dreams you have are the most important in all of history – dreams which ensure the salvation of God’s elect for all eternity, make no mistake about it: you’re a prophet.
Confirmation in contrasts
The angel Gabriel appeared personally (essentially corporeally) to Mary to inform her of her role in the scheme of salvation.
The angel Gabriel appeared personally (essentially corporeally) to John the Baptist’s father Zacharias to inform him that his wife, though advanced in years, would bring forth him who would prepare the way for the Lord.
The same angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph, but ‘only’ in a dream. Objectively, he could have appeared to him in person just as he had to Mary and Zacharias, but the Body of Christ is not uniform with regard to the gifts and functions of its members: one is an eye, another an eyelid: each has his place, and God knows how to minister in, through, and to, each one.
God ministered in, through, and to, the prophet Joseph in dreams, dreams so vital they were breathtaking. Granted, we don’t usually refer to Joseph as a prophet, but then how many prophets had full-time jobs as prophets anyway? Was not Jeremiah of the priests of Anathoth? Was not Amos among the herdsmen of Tekoa?
The quiet prophet.
Amen.