PROPHESYING

Prophesying signifies "the speaking forth of the mind and counsel of God" (pro, "forth," phemi, "to speak:"; in the NT it is used (a) of the gift, e.g., Rom 12:6; 1Cr 12:10; 13:2; (b) either of the exercise of the gift or of that which is "prophesied," e.g., Mat 13:14; 1Cr 13:8; 14:6,22; 1Th 5:20, "prophesying (s);" 1Ti 1:18; 4:14; 2Pe 1:20,21; Rev 1:3; 11:6; 19:10; 22:7,10,18,19. "Though much of OT prophecy was purely predictive, see Mic 5:2, e.g., and cp. Jhn 11:51, prophecy is not necessarily, nor even primarily, fore-telling. It is the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means, Mat 26:68, it is the forth-telling of the will of God, whether with reference to the past, the present, or the future, see Gen 20:7; Deu 18:18; Rev 10:11; 11:3. ... "In such passages as 1Cr 12:28; Eph 2:20, the 'prophets' are placed after the 'Apostles,' since not the prophets of Israel are intended, but the 'gifts' of the ascended Lord, Eph 4:8,11; cp. Act 13:1; ...; the purpose of their ministry was to edify, to comfort, and to encourage the believers, 1Cr 14:3, while its effect upon unbelievers was to show that the secrets of a man's heart are known to God, to convict of sin, and to constrain to worship, 1Cr 14:24,25.