Preachers Who Possess The Attitudes Of The Prophets

We live in a day of political correctness. Certainly our age is one of pseudo-politeness where the only thing evil is to speak against wickedness and the only thing sinful is to point out and pronounce condemnation upon sin. The same kind of attitude was seen in the days of old when the people cried out, "prophesy not unto us right things, prophesy deceits" (Isa. 30:10). Today, people still "turn away their ears from the truth" (2 Tim. 4:4), desiring to hear only that which makes them comfortable in their sin. Today, as it has always been, the church of our Lord needs men who will rise up in the spirit of the prophets of old and proclaim the old Jerusalem Gospel to the masses, as we sometimes say, without fear or favor. For this to transpire, gospel preachers everywhere need to possess the attitudes of the prophets of old.

As we consider this idea, we might consider some pertinent facts about the Old Testament prophets. These were men that God raised up for a purpose. These where men who spoke out in times of spiritual and moral decay. These were men who urged the people to whom they spoke to repent and turn back to the Lord. Their mission was to "bubble forth" the word of God. They were to speak as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Pt. 1:20,21). It has been stated that the priests of Israel spoke to God for the people but the prophets spoke to the people for God. In Scripture, the prophet of God is sometimes called a "seer" (1 Sam. 9:9). Sometimes he is referred to as a "man of the Spirit" (Hosea 9:7). At other times He is simply described as "the man of God" (1 Kings 13:1). The prophets stressed the Deity of Jehovah. They stressed His majesty, holiness, righteousness and justice. They made known the principles on which He would act toward His own people as well as the nations around them.

Today, those who preach the gospel must declare the Glory of God and the Kingship of Christ (Rev. 19:16). People everywhere need to understand the obligation they have before Jehovah and how God will respond to them. The same basic principles the prophets preached must be preached today. For this to be possible, those who herald the Good News must possess the attitudes of the prophets. The prophets were…

1. Men of Passion: They were not professional pulpit men. They did not preach what was popular for the sake of a paycheck. Rather, they were men of conviction who had a burning message that had to be preached. Consider the words of Jeremiah who said, "I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name. But His word was in my heart like a burning fire. Shut up in my bones. I was weary of holding it back, and I could not" (Jer. 20:29). Amos echoed the same sentiment when he said, "A lion has roared, who will not fear, the Lord God has spoken, who can but prophesy…" (Amos 3:8). Men of passion, and not hired professionals, are needed today.
   

2. Men of Plain Speech: In writing and speech the prophets told it like it was. The words of the Lord to Habbakuk make the point, when God said, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it" (Hab. 2:2). We need more men who will be up-front about sin, about the issues (marriage, divorce and remarriage, true worship, the one church, etc.), preaching the whole counsel of God on all matters (Acts 20:27).

3. Men of Purpose: The prophet’s chief goal was to preach the word of God. This should be the goal of every preacher today (Jonah 3:2). Illustrations, amusing stories and secular statistics all may have their place in a sermon, but make sure that whatever we preach is packed with the B I B L E (2 Tim. 4:2). When we arise to speak, let us preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and nothing more (Eph. 3:8).

"…preach…the preaching that I bid thee." (Jonah 3:2)

Again, we live in a world tainted with sin (Rom. 5:12). Therefore, if the lost will ever be saved, and if the saved remain in a safe condition, it will be dependent upon the preachers of today possessing the attitudes of the prophets of yesterday. May it forever be so!