Proof Tests Of A Prophet

At the time of the writing of the Book of Revelation, it was morally necessary that He meet the requirements of the Biblical tests of a prophet.

The four proof tests required of a prophet were:

• First, He should cause signs and wonders to come to pass. This is seen as evidence of the prophetic calling from Moses to the Apostles. Jesus clearly qualified under this test. But signs and wonders alone did not suffice for proof of the prophetic office, as stated in Deuteronomy 13:1-5.
• Secondly, even though the prophet could do miracles, he also must turn the people from their evil ways according to Jeremiah 23:22, and not to strange gods. Again, Jesus qualified eminently under this rule.
• The third test is illustrated in Deuteronomy 18:18-22 and Jeremiah 28:9: the true prophet would be proven when his words came to pass; whereas if he made predictions that did not happen, then he was known to be a false prophet. That this attitude toward the office of a prophet was prevalent in the New Testament era is evidenced by the words of Gamaliel to the Sanhedrin when he said:

“Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown: but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them, lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God,” (Acts 5:33-39).

These three tests had served the nation well for many years, but when false prophets proliferated at the time of the Babylonian exile they began to say, (perhaps citing such works as the Book of Daniel), that their prophecies were for a distant time, and that they were not to be judged by their own generation. This situation created a crisis such as described in Zechariah 13:1-5 wherein parents were to slay their own child if he claimed to be a prophet, and Amos was ashamed to be called a prophet, asking only to be known as a herdsman and gatherer of sycamore fruit.

The prophet could not, however, forbear prophesying simply because the people rejected his message and continued in their sins or ridiculed him. When the Lord told Amos to “Go, prophesy” he went, for “The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8).

Ezekiel also was directed by the Lord to speak “whether they hear or refuse to hear,” (2:5). Either way, the time would come when “they will know that there has been a prophet among them.” It was not required that they turn the whole nation, nor even a majority, to righteousness. It was only required that those who did heed their words would be turned from sin.

The Fourth Test Of A Prophet

• The fourth and final proof test of a prophet was that their predictions should not only be proven true, but be proven true within the generation who heard the prophet speak the prediction. The prophet was to give a signal prediction by which he would be proven in his generation, Ezekiel 12:25:

“But I the Lord will speak the word which I will speak and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, says the Lord God,” (RSV).

Christ Proven To Be A True Prophet

It is in this context that we see the implications of Christ’s words concerning the fulfillment of His prediction in “this generation.” Jesus would have been judged a false prophet if His prediction of the fall of Jerusalem had not happened within the time frame of the life of the contemporary generation. He offered this as the signal prediction by which His prophetic calling would be proven. In this context, the very event of the destruction of Jerusalem was itself a revelation of Jesus Christ because it proved His prophetic anointing.

Next Lesson: Old Testament Prophets Proven