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Unleavened Bread Ministries with David Eells

Prophecies, Dreams & Visions: Dates, Delays or Just False?

David Eells

God still speaks in prophecies; sometimes by utterances to our spirit or vocally to others and sometimes in dreams and visions, if they agree with the Word. There are five dreams in Matthew chapters one and two in which God spoke to give wisdom, direction, warning, and to fulfill prophecy. The Scriptural Law of First Mention dictates that this is the way God will continue to use these gifts. In Acts 2:17 we are told that in the last days God's Spirit would bring forth prophecy, dreams and visions, and who is man to say differently? Job 33:14-18 says that God speaks this way to open men's ears, seal their instructions, withdraw man's purpose, deliver him from pride, keep his soul from the pit, and keep him from perishing by the sword; "but man regardeth it not". Joseph and Daniel were great interpreters of dreams; most often dreams need interpreting by the Spirit and in light of Scriptures. Some say that prophecy in any form no longer speaks of future events because Paul said it speaks "edification, exhortation, and consolation". Many years after Paul wrote that God gave "edification, exhortation, and consolation" in the Book of Revelation, which certainly speaks of future events.

Some say that God does not use dates in prophecies, dreams and visions. We would have to ignore the testimony of Scripture to believe this. God said to Noah that "yet seven days" the flood would come (Gen.7:4,10). God spoke the seventy weeks prophecy through Daniel. It dated the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah to die for us (Dan.9:24-27). Daniel also prophesied that from the middle of the tribulation when the continual burnt offering will be taken away there will be 1335 days until the resurrection (Dan.12:11-13). God spoke through Joseph to the butler and the baker of Pharaoh that in "yet three days" their judgment from God would come. With Noah it was "yet forty days". Some prophecies mention "after two days" or "after six days", meaning after 2000-year days from the last Adam, Jesus, or 6000-year days from Adam. Sometimes the Scriptures say "on the third day" or "on the seventh day". These are dates that are certainly coming to pass. These and multitudes of other less famous prophecies prove that God speaks dates.

Can God delay a promised judgment after He has prophesied a date whether by dreams, visions or prophetic utterances? God will not change what is written in His Word. "For ever oh Lord, thy word is settled in heaven" (Ps.119:89). His Word is likened unto a rock, immovable and unchangeable. The Word is a sure prophecy. {2 Pet.1:19} And we have the word of prophecy [made] more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: {20} knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. {21} For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit. Some say God can change what He says in His Word because it is not prophecy. Notice in the words "word of prophecy" and "prophecy of scripture" that all scripture was spoken and/or penned by a prophet and is prophecy. However, the Word reveals many delays in God's spoken judgments that were ordained by Him. Therefore, if He delays or changes the prophecies spoken in His Word to millions of people, He can do it with spoken or revealed prophecy today through prophets, dreams, visions or through His Spirit in many ways. In the case of a delay, when the Word ultimately comes to pass it will be fulfilled as, and when, the Bible says it will for the Bible chronicles many delays and deletes. This was true of the many revelations of the destruction of America before the year 2000 and before the tribulation. This was a warning and threat that was not ultimately going to come to pass because the Scriptures clearly show that God delayed the judgment from before the tribulation to after the tribulation at the beginning of the day of wrath (see Judgment Delayed or the video, Fall of America; Rise of the Saints). Since this is so, we should spend a lot more time studying Scriptures than prophecies, whether they come by dreams, visions or prophetic utterances. Without a background in the Word we have no idea whether a prophecy is true or whether it is a warning or a sure future event.

Can God delay a promised judgment after He has prophesied a date? God gave us an example of this in the book of Jonah. Jonah "cried and said, yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4). God had told Jonah to "preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee" (2), so he did. He was not a false prophet. Because of this, Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, repented and God spared them for about 64 more years. If, as God said through Job, dreams and visions are to keep man's soul from the pit, and to keep him from perishing by the sword, then the threat cannot come to pass when man turns. Sometimes, in Scripture, God repented of a promised judgment when there was repentance (Joel 2:12-20). Micah prophesied the destruction of Zion, but the people repented and God changed his mind (Jer.26:18,19). However, if we find that a person explains all of their prophecies, dreams or visions away with the excuse that they were delayed, we should suspect them. Delays are the exception in Scriptures and not the rule.

However, God can delay judgment because of a cry for mercy. God showed visions of judgment three times to Amos but he sought mercy from the Lord, saying, "Forgive, I beseech thee: How shall Jacob stand? for he is small". God relented and delayed this judgment twice but the third time He refused to relent (Amos 7:1-9). Some people say, why would God so quickly appear to change His mind. "Appear" is the correct word to use here. God is looking for a reaction. Isaiah prophesied death to Hezekiah saying, "Set thy house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live". Hezekiah then cried to the Lord and 15 years were added to his life. This is something he had never prayed and the Lord says that we have not because we ask not. Look how quickly God appeared to change his mind after he got the result he knew he would get from before the foundation of the world. (2 Kings 20:4) And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, (5) Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of Jehovah. Some say God cannot change His prophecy so quickly but you see this is wrong.

Death has been prophesied to me two times, 15 years apart in my life. One of the verses given to me was "thou shalt die, and not live", but I would not depart from the promise in the Word for healing and God preserved me. Did God change His mind or did he just try me and get the desired result? God can try us in this way as He did with Abraham's command to sacrifice Isaac. Was this a false word to Abraham? Obviously not. The scriptures relate that God was trying him and he overcame, saying that he and Isaac would go to the mountain and return, believing that God was able to resurrect him to keep His promise of a seed to him. Aaron interceded for God's people in the midst of judgment with incense (prayer) and the judgment stopped. (Num.16:44) And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, (45) Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. ...(47) And Aaron took as Moses spake, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. (48) And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. Incense here represents the prayers of the saints. It seems that unless there is a threat of judgment God's people will not seek Him for mercy and grace for others and for themselves. God says, "Ye have not because ye ask not" (Jas.4:2). To get us to pray in faith sometimes God gives us a vision of what would be if we didn't ask. Because we do not "pray without ceasing" we have to fight brush fires all the time. I learned when I was a machinist for the Exxon Refinery in Baton Rouge that it was far wiser to do preventive maintenance than only work on machinery that broke down. Preventive maintenance traded relatively few hours of work for what would cost many more man-hours to repair a breakdown. Sometimes God has to get us to do preventive prayer by dire warnings. {1 Tim.2:1} I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men; (2) for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity.

In Joel he prophesied of a great army he likened unto an army of locusts for multitudes that would ultimately invade Samaria and devastate the sinners of God's people. This was before the actual invasion of the Assyrians yet he spoke of it in present tense which was obviously a threat at this time. (Joel 1:6) For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number; his teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the jaw-teeth of a lioness. ... (2:11) And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for he is strong that executeth his word; for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? After impressing the people with this, which is foreshadowing of the coming day of the Lord, he offered this advice from Him. (12) Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: (13) and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repenteth him of the evil. (14) Who knoweth whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal-offering and a drink-offering unto Jehovah your God? Then there is a cry for the leadership to ask for mercy. (17) Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God? Then God answered and delayed temporarily this horrendous judgment and left a blessing. (18) Then was Jehovah jealous for his land, and had pity on his people. (19) And Jehovah answered and said unto his people, Behold, I will send you grain, and new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith... He spoke of a time coming in the end time day of the Lord when they would never be a reproach again and the northern army would be destroyed. (19)... I will no more make you a reproach among the nations; (20) but I will remove far off from you the northern [army], and will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its forepart into the eastern sea, and its hinder part into the western sea... Were the first one and a half chapters of Joel false because it did not happen at the time it was spoken? We should be careful because this is what some Joels are being told today by some who love to judge by sight and have not heard from the Lord.

When a true prophetic warning is delayed or cancelled because of the mercy of God, sometimes the prophet or dreamer becomes angry because now they are persecuted as a false prophet. They should take heart because it happened with Jonah. (Jonah 4:1) But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. (2) And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, I pray thee, O Jehovah, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hasted to flee unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repentest thee of the evil. (3) Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. What God pointed out to Jonah was that mercifully sparing the lives of a multitude of ignorant people should come ahead of the pride and reputation of the prophet especially when Phl.2:5-7 says that we are to follow Jesus' lead in being made of no reputation. (11) and should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six-score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? People get mad when they pass on a prophecy to others and it doesn't come true. They sometimes retaliate against the one who prophesied or dreamed or had a vision. Their foolish egotistical pride would rather see millions die to prove their point than for them to be proven wrong. God is watching and trying these people who do not see their own evil.

In a parable in Lk.13:6-9 the husbandman, who is the Father, had given three years to the fig tree, representing His people, to bear fruit. When He found none, He gave command to "cut it down" (see also Jn.15:1-6). Was this a false revelation since it did not come to pass? Obviously not. The vinedresser, who is the Son, interceded for one more year's delay, until he could dig about it, meaning break up its fallow ground by tribulation, and dung it with persecution. He said, "If it bears fruit then, well, but if not, thou shall cut it down". Notice that no man interceded here for this vast group of people called the fig tree but the Son of God. How many times does Jesus do this when we don't even know it. Of course if someone prophesies the same thing today many are quick to judge when they don't see what is going on behind the scenes. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes. A similar example is in (Ex.32:9) And Jehovah said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: (10) now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. Moses then interceded that God would not destroy Israel because of His promise to the fathers to save their seed. Some say that since God spoke to an individual here instead of all the people that He could change His mind. Obviously, if its wrong for God to speak a prophetic word to all and change His mind its wrong to do it to one. Moses, like many today who have heard prophecies of judgments coming to certain places, pled with God to remember their children who he had promised would be saved. (13) Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. (14) And Jehovah repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his people. God heard Moses and He hears the saints cries today for friends, relatives, and loved ones in the threatened areas. How long did it take God to change and have mercy? About four verses. In this case God delayed judgment until they continued to worship a God of their own making (30-35). We see here that God sware unto the forefathers that He would bring their seed to the Promised Land. Could He change His mind? (Num.14:23) surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised me see it... (30) surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. We see now that warnings given in prophecy do not have to come to pass if people will listen. We also see that promises will not come to pass if they will not listen.

Moses interceded that God would not cut Israel off for unbelief. (Num.14:11) And Jehovah said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them? (12) I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they. Moses reasoned that God would suffer disrepute among the nations if this happened and reminded Him of His mercy and God pardoned them. (20) And Jehovah said, I have pardoned according to thy word... How long did it take for God to change an absolutely positive statement? About eight verses. Those who say God would never do this overnight or in hours should think again. One man stood in the breach and God delayed His wrath. (Ps.106:23) Therefore he said that he would destroy them, Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy [them]. When God cannot find someone to pray because the warning has been given, He judges. (Eze.22:30) And I sought for a man among them, that should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none. (31) Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them... What could God do if millions, who have asked Him to save relatives, friends, souls in a certain area, hold to their faith. Some would try to intimidate the prophets or dreamers because their revelations might not come to pass; because they would call them false prophets. It appears that Jonah was intimidated this way. What a terrible thing that people might not be warned because of the devil's threats. Back in our numbers text God relented for the moment, but when they continued to ignore the Word in unbelief, He overthrew them in their wilderness tribulation. Was this a false word unto Moses since it did not come to pass at the time? Obviously not, God has been merciful multitudes of times when men ask for favor. (Jer.26:18) Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. (19) Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? did he not fear Jehovah, and entreat the favor of Jehovah, and Jehovah repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them?

These are but a very small portion of revelations given through faithful men that did not come to pass in the time they were spoken. Today when something like this happens people are quick to drag an Old Testament admonition out to condemn the prophet, dream, vision, word, etc. (Dt.18:22) when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him. But you will notice that God neither condemned these prophets above who heard and/or spoke His Word of warning or promise nor used any of these type admonitions on them. If He did there would be no such thing as a true prophet for they would all be stoned to death. Notice that I used the word "warnings" because that is what many prophecies are and they do not have to come to pass in such an instance when the desired result is accomplished. Many have made themselves judges of prophecies who are not prophets themselves and do not have word of knowledge, wisdom, or discernment. This is contrary to scripture. (1 Cor.14:29) And let the prophets speak [by] two or three, and let the others discern. Notice that the other prophets are the ones commanded to judge for they have the gift. This is why people who do not know and have not heard from God should be quiet. (1 Cor.4:5) Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God. The brethren we have spoke of above who have brought God's true word that was delayed or deleted were not the kind of people who could be deceived. They were disciples of God and His doctrine. They were lovers of truth and the crucified life, denying themselves for the work of God. I have known people like this in our day who have prophesied or dreamed warnings that were put off because of mercy. This did not stop false judges in Biblical times from condemning every one of the prophetic instances we have spoken of and it won't stop them today. This does not mean we are to accept a revelation because it comes from one we believe to be a good person but it does mean that we are not to judge when we don't know. Deception and false prophecies and dreams come to and for just the opposite kind of people. (2 Thes.2:10) and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: (12) that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. We will speak of these kind more below.

God can speak in these various forms to build a nation or individual and yet change His mind and destroy them for rebellion and unbelief. He can also promise to destroy a nation or individual and yet change His mind and build them if they repent. (Jer.18:7) At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; {8} if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. {9} And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; {10} if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

Some foolishly believe that God will always delay judgment through intercession. When the people continue to sin against God and man, even the most righteous of intercessors will not stop Him from destroying them. (Eze.14:13} Son of man, when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast; {14} though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord Jehovah. {15} If I cause evil beasts to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the beasts; {16} though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only should be delivered, but the land should be desolate. {17} Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and beast; {18} though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only should be delivered themselves. {19} Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast; {20} though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither son nor daughter; they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

Don't be deceived friends, for God's people who don't bear fruit there will come a great "falling away". The Lord ultimately is coming for the fruit, which is the spiritual man and not the fig tree, the carnal man. Our natural life is only the earth in which God has planted the seed of his Son who is the Word (Mt.13:19-23). Only He that came out of heaven will go back (Jn.3:3,13). Bearing fruit for those who walk by faith is no problem (Rom.11:19-24), but for those who confess Christ, while they refuse to believe his Word in order to bear fruit, there is destruction. {Jude 3} Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints. {4} For there are certain men crept in privily, [even] they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. "Lascivious" here means a license to do what they want. Those who think grace gives them this privilege will be destroyed. {5} Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

Eventually, when men refuse to repent, God says not to pray for them any more. {Jer.7:16} Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear thee. {17} Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? Here it is again. {14:10} Thus saith Jehovah unto this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore Jehovah doth not accept them; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. {11} And Jehovah said unto me, Pray not for this people for [their] good. {12} When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. Notice to the true prophets God says to stop asking Him to delay or have mercy. Eventually only the false prophets promise the wicked peace, safety and prosperity. {13} Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. {14} Then Jehovah said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart. {15} Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

Dreams can come from our imagination because of our own desires or needs. Illicit lusts can be shown to us in our dreams. {Isa.29:8} And it shall be as when a hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion. Sometimes dreams come because of what we frequently think on or are afraid of. {Eccl.5:3} For a dream cometh with a multitude of business...

Dreams and visions can also come from false prophets who imagine them in order to confirm themselves to the people. {Jer.29:8} For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. {9} For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith Jehovah. {25} I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. {26} How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? {27} that think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgat my name for Baal. {28} The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? saith Jehovah.

Even false prophets are sent from God to try the righteous and separate the wicked from them. These sometimes can have prophecies or dreams that come to pass to see if you will depart from the Word. {Dt.13:1} If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder, {2} and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods (Elohim), which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; {3} thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul. {4} Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. Even pagans can have true dreams for God's purposes of impressing them or giving them direction or showing us the future. It was so with Pharaoh's dream of the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine (Gen.41:1-7). It was also true with Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the future of the one world order and image of the beast, which God's people worshipped (Dan.2:31-3:7).

Finally, brethren, pray for prophecies, dreams, visions, words of knowledge and wisdom from God. They will guide you through the coming tribulations and catastrophes. According to the Lord, the gift of prophecy will grow according to your faith to prophecy. {Rom. 12:6} And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of our faith. We are not to judge someone else's faith for "If you have faith have it unto yourselves". The saints must be permitted to grow up and mature in their gift without being judged by those who don't understand this about New Testament prophecy. The gift of prophecy also grows with maturity in knowledge. {1 Cor.13:9} For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; (meaning part God and part us) {10} but when that which is perfect (mature or full grown) is come, that which is in part (us) shall be done away. {11} When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. Notice from the beginning of our covenant many prophecies may be part us and part God. As we see here, this does not mean the one prophesying should be condemned for having part of their prophecy wrong any more than a child would be for acting immature. The fact that one part is wrong does not mean the rest is wrong. Notice that these prophecies were permitted in the early church so that the immature could grow in their gift. Although permitted they were discerned for the sake of truth and those who heard. {1 Cor.14:29} And let the prophets speak [by] two or three, and let the others discern. A woman brought her prophecy to me and asked me to read it. I read it and the first part was good and very in line with scripture. When I got almost to the end there was a change and a religious spirit began to influence her because of the doctrine in her church. She started prophesying King James only doctrine. She asked what I thought of it. I said that I thought most of it was very good but that it was prophesying in part. She said she'd never heard of that and asked what it meant, so I told her. She said she would ask her pastor, who of course said this was silly and there was no such thing. I showed her the verse and told her to make up her own mind.

{1 Cor.13:9} For we know in part, and we prophesy in part... (Please listen to Prophesying in Part.) Why does knowledge have an effect on prophecy? Prophecy is not like the gift of tongues. When one speaks in tongues they have no idea what they are saying so their mind does not get involved and pollute the gift. With the gift of interpretation of tongues as well as prophecy there can be this pollution. Since the person understands what is being said, the mind can pollute the gift with immature thinking, false doctrines, and desires of the flesh. We are warned not to condemn someone who is seeking truth among us for having these faults but rather gracefully instruct them. {Rom.14:1} But him that is weak in faith receive ye, [yet] not for decision of scruples. {2} One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs. {3} Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. {4} Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand; for the Lord hath power to make him stand. {5} One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. Those who judge the immature brethren's attempts to step out in faith and prophecy need to remember God's warning. {Jas.2:13} For judgment [is] without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.

Probably no prophecies are perfect outside of the scriptures until "that which is perfect (mature or full grown) is come". The Lord has shown us that we are about to come to the time when the man-child ministry will appear with the unleavened bread and the latter rain just as Jesus came but with the former rain. This will bring many to maturity because of the anointing and truth. This will quickly restore the five-fold ministry which is very feeble at this point. A person who is mature in the faith and doctrines of Scripture, as one who is in the office of true prophet must be, their prophecies are much more reliable. You see here that gifts of prophecy and knowledge are not judged as the office of a prophet was in the Old Covenant, so have mercy on those who are stepping out by faith.

Many have these gifts without holding the office, which is judged more strictly because of the greater anointing and maturity of the gift. Many who prophesy claim the office but should not. As we have seen in the Word, true prophets spoke things that did not come to pass because of God's mercy or His people's repentance. On the other hand, some are just proving themselves not to be prophets and/or not to be mature in faith and knowledge needed to support their gift. No condemnation intended.

Jesus said He always did what He saw of His Father. He constantly spoke in parables He saw from our Father. These parables offended the apostates and they did not understand them. {Mat.13:10} And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? {11} And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. In dreams and visions, Father is still speaking in parables and they still hate them. Jesus took His disciples aside and privately explained the parables. Be a disciple of Jesus and you will understand.

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