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Prophecy todayA further word from God?Argument for cessationPROPHECY TODAY Are prophecies infallible words from God, or do prophets sometimes get it wrong? Has the gift of prophecy been withdrawn from the Church, or does God still speak to us today by this means? Did the New Testament prophet have the same standing as the Old Testament one? These and similarly-related relevant questions are addressed in this short book. Yes, it is a short book. It has only three chapters, and the print is large and well-spaced. However, don’t be fooled by the size of the book. The author has researched his subject over many years, and argues his case cogently and biblically. Starting with the distinguishing characteristics of prophecy in Israel (where the prophet received a revelation from God and spoke it infallibly on pain of death), he proceeds to look at prophecy in the New Testament Church. Having examined examples of New Testament prophecy (including that of Agabus), he finds no evidence for a lower view of prophecy there, but rather a continuity in the nature of prophecy in both Testaments. ‘There are not two levels of true prophecy in Scripture. Prophecy with error is false prophecy, and false prophecy is the mark of the false prophet’ (p.101). He then contrasts biblical prophecy with prophecy today, and concludes they are quite different things. Arguing from five biblical quotes and the testimony of a range of famous evangelicals from the time of the Reformation (and engaging with opposing views), the author concludes that the gift of prophecy has been withdrawn. ‘Only in Scripture do we now have the true Word of God’ (p.103). The subject of the book is of huge interest in today’s Church. It is handled with clarity and thoroughness, and should be accessible to most readers. Whatever one concludes, the arguments presented here need engaging with. Malcolm Jones,
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