How Much Prophesy Could a Prophet Prophesy...

..if a Prophet Could Prophesy Prophesy?

(Y'know... "How much wood can a woodchuck chuck..."? ...sigh... Sometimes I wish someone else found me as funny as I do...) Just as well, this business of prophesy is pretty serious stuff.

Have you ever noticed that the Church attracts some real crazies when it comes to prophesy? I've always been fascinated by cults that claim to be lead by a "one true prophet" who doesn't give prophesy... well, at least not any more. (They got tired of explaining away the misses.)

You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

Deut 18:21-22 NIV

I love this passage and its 100% accuracy qualifier. But that doesn't entirely solve the false prophet problem. Some who claim prophetic powers apparently avoid the Samuel passage by ducking into wild imagery that can be interpretted to support (just about any) later facts in evidence. (No, no no! Obama was the gray pidgeon and Bush was the thermostat!" Okaaaay...)

For this reason I generally take a big step back when someone starts talking wild imagery as prophesy.

“I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name through Baal worship. Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

“Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 23:25-32) NIV

But you're in the clear if the dream comes true, right? Wait a minute:

If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
Deut 13:1-5 NIV

The other thing I note is that, although some OT prophets definitely seems to be regarded with suspicion and contempt, I also note that they also enjoyed a certain reluctant respect from people. Not popularity, but definitely respect of a kind.

I wouldn't mind meeting a real prophet... after he'd passed the Bible's vetting process. Until then I hope people will just worship, praise and serve.