What role do prophets play in conveying God's message, according to Zechariah 7:12? Prophets: Carriers of the Spirit’s Voice - Zechariah 7:12: “They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD of Hosts became very angry.” - One simple truth emerges: God chooses to communicate His law and His words “by His Spirit through the earlier prophets.” Prophets are not freelancers; they are Spirit–empowered messengers whose authority rests on God Himself. What Zechariah 7:12 Shows Us About the Prophetic Role • Mouthpieces of divine revelation — the words they speak originate with the LORD of Hosts. • Spirit‐empowered — the text links God’s Spirit directly to the prophetic message, underscoring inspiration. • Bearers of the law — they do more than predict; they re-state God’s covenant standards. • Tests of the heart — Israel’s refusal to listen to prophets equals hardening the heart against God. • Catalysts for accountability — ignoring prophets provokes divine anger because rejecting them is rejecting Him. Supporting Scriptural Threads • 2 Peter 1:21 — “For no prophecy was ever brought about by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” • Hebrews 1:1 — “God, having spoken long ago to the fathers by the prophets at many times and in various ways…” • Jeremiah 7:25 — God “sent all My servants the prophets to you again and again.” • Amos 3:7 — “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.” • Luke 1:70 — He “spoke through His holy prophets of long ago.” Why Listening Matters - Obedience to prophetic words = obedience to God. - Hardness toward prophetic words = spiritual dullness and divine displeasure. - Receiving prophetic words keeps hearts tender and aligned with covenant truth. Living It Out • Treat Scripture’s prophetic message as God’s personal voice today. • Weigh every modern claim of prophecy against the written Word already given. • Keep a teachable heart; soften what tends to turn “like flint.” Prophets, then, serve as God’s Spirit-filled messengers, relaying His authoritative words, revealing His standards, and testing the responsiveness of His people. |
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