# Prophesying



## Davidius (Feb 23, 2008)

Part of the argument I've seen used (and which I myself use) to support the cessation of the gift of prophecy is that it was being used to deliver material relevant to the history of redemption. Sometimes, especially in the Old Testament, one finds a passage in which individuals seem to be simply walking around prophesying. We aren't told what they're saying, only that they are prohesying. Does anyone know what these guys are doing?


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## ServantofGod (Feb 23, 2008)

Prophesy-

–verb (used with object)
1.	to foretell or predict.
2.	to indicate beforehand.
3.	to declare or foretell by or as if by divine inspiration.
4.	to utter in prophecy or as a prophet.
–verb (used without object)
5.	to make predictions.
6.	to make inspired declarations of what is to come.
7.	to speak as a mediator between God and humankind or in God's stead.
8.	Archaic. to teach religious subjects.


I believe an OT prophet would spend a lot of time on the seventh definition. I have heard Moses called a prophet because of the mediating role he had, declaring God's favor or judgment to the Israelites.


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell (Feb 23, 2008)

Many times in the OT the term "prophesying" referred to something chanted or sung. 2 Kings 3.13ff. Also, I suspect that thgis is what Saul was doing when it was said of him "Is Saul numbered among the prophets?" (1 Samuel 10.9ff) and also Habakkuk: 3.1, Psalm 7.1 These are instances apart from the psalter (except for the last) where the prophetic utterance was given in song, according to a melody. Many times (in my opinion) in the OT this differentiated prophetic utterance from other forms of communication. Now, I don't wish to absolutize this, as if prophecy *only* took place under this paradigm, but certainly it was not uncommon.


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