Understanding Prophets; Analysis of my Blog Studies
PROPHETS
Essential background study:
https://www.thethirdheaventraveler.com/2026/06/the-essential-meaning-of-things.html
https://www.thethirdheaventraveler.com/2026/06/understanding-ministers.html
https://www.thethirdheaventraveler.com/2026/04/powerful-corollary-to-jacobs-name.html
https://www.thethirdheaventraveler.com/2024/12/another-false-prophet-as-in-days-of.html
As essential background we have to understand the word THINGS in the context of God's word.
The word “things” in Romans eight twenty eight refers to all circumstances and events in life—everything that happens to believers. Then in First Corinthians three twenty one and twenty two, “things” takes on a different meaning. Paul says all things are yours, meaning all resources, all people, all circumstances belong to the believers because they belong to Christ. So in Romans, “things” emphasizes God’s control over events for our good, whereas in Corinthians, “things” emphasizes what believers actually possess or have access to through their relationship with Christ. For a thorough analysis please study the BLOG link above THINGS.
Building on THINGS I now need to examine Ministers and how this connects to Prophets:
Building upon my foundational study of ministers, we now turn to the office of prophet—a calling highly misunderstood in these end times.
True prophets understand this framework. They recognize their words are subject to Scripture and to other prophets.
A true prophet in Christ operates within the boundaries of Scripture, submits to accountability, and speaks only what aligns with God’s immutable word. Using the King James Version exclusively, we shall examine what Scripture reveals about legitimate prophetic office, how to discern true from false, and why this distinction matters urgently in these perilous times.”
1 Corinthians 4:7 KJV
"For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"
1. Context of What Paul Is Talking About
In 1 Corinthians 1–4, Paul addresses divisions in the Corinthian church. Believers formed factions, saying things like "I am of Paul," "I am of Apollos," etc. (1 Cor. 1:10-13). They were "puffed up" with pride, judging leaders and each other based on human wisdom, eloquence, status, and spiritual gifts, while acting carnally (1 Cor. 3:1-4).
In chapter 4, Paul calls himself and other ministers "servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God" (v. 1). Faithfulness to God matters more than human judgment.
He uses irony and sarcasm to humble them: apostles are "fools for Christ's sake" while the Corinthians feel wise and strong (vv. 8-10). Verse 7 directly confronts their pride in spiritual distinctions or abilities. Paul "figuratively transferred" these things to himself and Apollos so they would learn "not to think beyond what is written" and avoid being "puffed up" one against another (v. 6).
The three rhetorical questions in v. 7 drive home that any difference or advantage comes from God, not self. Boasting in gifts, status, or insight as if self-generated is absurd and divisive. This sets up Paul's contrast between the apostles' humility/suffering and the Corinthians' arrogance.
2. Deep Exegesis: Grammar, Vocabulary, Epistemology/Essence/Etymology of Key Words
The Greek (from the Textus Receptus underlying the KJV) reads roughly: tis gar se diakrinei? ti de echeis ho ouk elabes? ei de kai elabes, ti kauchasai hos me labon?
"Who maketh thee to differ" (tis gar se diakrinei): Diakrinei (from diakrinō, διακρίνω) means to separate thoroughly, distinguish, or judge between. Present active indicative — ongoing action. Paul asks rhetorically: Who is it that sets you apart as superior? The implied answer is God alone. No room for human boasting in distinctions. Epistemologically, this challenges their self-derived "knowledge" of superiority; true distinction is divine, not carnal judgment.
abarim-publications.com"What hast thou that thou didst not receive" (ti de echeis ho ouk elabes): Echeis (have/possess). Elabes (from lambanō, λαμβάνω, aorist active indicative) — "you received/took." Lambanō fundamentally means to take hold of, receive (often as a gift or from a source). Etymologically from roots implying grasping or accepting what is offered. In the NT, it frequently denotes receiving from God (grace, gifts, Spirit, etc.). Everything — abilities, insights, positions — is a received gift, not self-achieved. This undercuts self-glory by emphasizing dependency.
"If thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory" (ei de kai elabes, ti kauchasai): Kauchasai (from kauchaomai, καυχάομαι, present middle indicative) — to boast, glory, vaunt, or exult (often arrogantly). Etymology links to roots meaning "neck" or holding the head high in confidence/pride (like speaking boldly with uplifted neck). It can be positive (boasting in the Lord) but here is negative — arrogant self-display. "As if thou hadst not received it" highlights the absurdity: acting as originator rather than recipient.
On "receive" (English, per OED and etymology): From Old French receivre (Latin recipere = re- "back" + capere "to take"). Essence: to come into possession of something offered or sent, often implying acceptance from another source. OED covers taking, accepting, or being given — reinforcing passivity/dependency, not self-generation. In the verse, it underscores grace: you took what was given, so don't act as if earned or originated.
oed.com
Overall essence: Epistemology of humility. Human "wisdom" and boasting distort reality; true knowledge recognizes all as divine gift. This combats the Corinthians' carnal, puffed-up epistemology (relying on human eloquence/status rather than God's revelation).
Connection to 2 Peter 1:20-21 KJV and 1 Corinthians 14:2 KJV
2 Peter 1:20-21 KJV: "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
biblegateway.com
1 Corinthians 14:2 KJV: "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries."
biblegateway.com
These tie together around divine origin vs. human origination.
In 1 Cor. 4:7, Paul says spiritual advantages are received (not self-made), so no boasting. This echoes 2 Peter: Scripture/prophecy is not of "private interpretation" or "by the will of man" but from God moving holy men. The "mysteries" (1 Cor. 4:1; 14:2) are God's revealed secrets, received through the Spirit, not human invention.
biblegateway.com1 Cor. 14:2 shows speaking in tongues addresses God and involves mysteries in the spirit — again, received divine communication, not humanly originated for self-glory. The Corinthians abused gifts for status (divisions, boasting), but Paul insists gifts/mysteries come from God (received), spoken as moved by the Spirit (like prophecy in 2 Peter).
All three passages rebuke self-promotion: whether in leadership preferences (1 Cor. 4), interpreting Scripture (2 Peter), or using gifts (1 Cor. 14). True ministry, understanding, and utterance are received from God by the Spirit — not private/human will — so glory belongs to Him alone. This promotes unity and humility in the body of Christ.
75 web pages
connect this to jeremiah 23:16 kjv where do people act as prophets even say they are not propets but use scripture and tell of what god has told them
Jeremiah 23:16 KJV
"Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD."
biblegateway.com
Connection to 1 Corinthians 4:7, 2 Peter 1:20-21, and 1 Corinthians 14:2
This verse in Jeremiah directly contrasts with the themes of humility, divine origin, and received revelation we saw in the previous passages.
In 1 Corinthians 4:7, Paul asks: What do you have that you did not receive? Why glory as if you originated it? False boasting in spiritual distinctions or gifts comes from treating them as self-generated rather than received from God.
Jeremiah 23:16 condemns prophets who "speak a vision of their own heart" (not from the Lord's mouth). This is the exact opposite of receiving from God. They present their own ideas, imaginations, or desires as divine truth, leading people into vanity (emptiness, falsehood, or false confidence).
This ties perfectly to 2 Peter 1:20-21: No prophecy is of private interpretation or by the will of man, but holy men spoke as moved by the Holy Ghost. False prophets in Jeremiah violate this—they operate by their own will and heart, not being "moved by the Holy Ghost."
It also links to 1 Corinthians 14:2 (speaking mysteries in the spirit to God) and the broader Corinthian context: True spiritual utterance and mysteries come from God (received), not human invention. The Corinthians were puffing themselves up with human wisdom and gifts for status. Similarly, these prophets in Jeremiah used "prophetic" language to gain influence, making people vain instead of turning them to true repentance.
The Specific Issue Mentioned: People Acting as Prophets (Even While Denying They Are Prophets), Using Scripture, and Claiming "God Told Me"
Jeremiah 23 addresses exactly this kind of behavior in a religious context:
False prophets often cloak their messages in the Lord's name ("Thus saith the LORD" — see vv. 31-32) while the content originates from their own heart, dreams, or imagination (vv. 16, 25-26, 28). They use scriptural-sounding language, authority structures, and claims of divine insight to sound legitimate.
enduringword.comEven if someone today says "I'm not a prophet," but regularly says things like "God told me...," "The Lord showed me...," or applies Scripture in a way that adds their own vision/direction as authoritative, this mirrors the problem. They function prophetically (claiming special revelation) without the true source. Jeremiah warns: Do not hearken to them—they make you vain (empty, led astray, filled with false hope).
facebook.comKey test from the chapter: True words are like wheat (substantial, from God); false are like chaff (light, self-originated — v. 28). True prophets stand in the Lord's counsel (v. 18, 22) and call people to repentance. False ones often give smooth, pleasing words that avoid confronting sin (v. 17).
This connects back to 1 Cor. 4:7's core rebuke of pride in un-received things: Anyone claiming special insight, direction, or "prophetic" application of Scripture must ask — Did I truly receive this from God (as moved by the Spirit, per 2 Peter), or is it a vision of my own heart? If the latter, it leads to the same divisions, vanity, and carnal puffing up that plagued Corinth.Bottom line (KJV lens): All true spiritual authority, insight, or utterance must be received from God, not self-generated. Whether in ancient Judah, Corinth, or today, claiming "God told me" while speaking from one's own heart is dangerous deception. Test everything by whether it aligns with Scripture as truly from the mouth of the LORD — not private interpretation or human imagination. This promotes humility and protects the flock.
22 web pages
go find kjv where god says, they say they are not prophets but act as prophets perhaps ezekiel 13 is the connection
Ezekiel 13 KJV (key excerpts addressing false prophets who speak out of their own hearts while claiming to speak for the Lord):
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
...
17 Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them...
This chapter strongly connects to our previous discussion. God condemns those who act as prophets (claiming “The LORD saith,” giving “visions,” offering false peace and hope) but whose messages come from their own hearts/spirits/imagination — not received from God. This mirrors Jeremiah 23:16 (“they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD”) and directly opposes the principle in 1 Corinthians 4:7 (everything must be received, not self-originated) and 2 Peter 1:20-21 (no prophecy by the will of man, but moved by the Holy Ghost).
biblegateway.com
The Closest KJV Passage to “They Say They Are Not Prophets But Act as Prophets”
Zechariah 13:4-5 KJV (in a future context of cleansing the land):
4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:
5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.
Here, people who have been prophesying falsely will deny being prophets to avoid judgment (their parents even threaten to kill them for speaking lies in the Lord’s name — v. 3). They will claim to be ordinary farmers instead. This matches your description exactly: acting as prophets (giving visions) but later claiming “I am no prophet.”
biblegateway.com
Amos 7:14 KJV (a true prophet’s humble denial):
Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
Amos was not a professional prophet by background or training, yet God called him and he obeyed. This shows a true “received” calling (tying back to 1 Cor. 4:7) versus the self-appointed ones in Ezekiel 13 and Zechariah 13.
biblegateway.com
Overall Connection to the Theme
False pattern (Ezekiel 13, Jeremiah 23, etc.): People function prophetically — using “Thus saith the LORD,” applying Scripture, sharing “what God told me,” giving direction or comfort — but it originates from their own heart, not received from God’s mouth by the Holy Ghost. They may not formally title themselves “Prophet So-and-So,” yet they act in that role and lead people into vanity or false hope.
This violates the humility of 1 Cor. 4:7 (why glory as if you didn’t receive it?), the divine source in 2 Peter 1:20-21, and the true spiritual mysteries in 1 Cor. 14:2.
God’s warning remains: Do not listen to them. Test everything by whether it is truly from the mouth of the LORD (received), not self-generated imagination. True servants, like Amos, point back to God’s word and call for repentance without self-glory.
53 web pages
yes we need to explore detuteronomy 18 test and 1 john 4 and before please double check to make sure there are not scriptures that god specifically says, "they say they are not prophets but they act like prophets
Thoughts
No exact KJV match beyond what we already covered. After checking, the closest scriptures remain:
Zechariah 13:4-5 KJV: False prophets (in a day of cleansing) will be ashamed and deny it — “But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.” They acted as prophets (giving visions, wearing prophetic garments) but will claim otherwise to escape judgment.
kingjamesbibleonline.orgAmos 7:14 KJV: A true prophet humbly says, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman...” (contrasting with self-appointed ones).
No other passage has God directly quoting or describing people who explicitly say “we are not prophets” while actively functioning as ones. The pattern in Scripture (Jeremiah 23, Ezekiel 13, etc.) focuses on those who act prophetically — claiming “The LORD saith,” giving “visions,” or directions — while the source is their own heart, not received from God.
Deuteronomy 18:15-22 KJV – The Test of a Prophet
This is God’s foundational Old Testament test for distinguishing true from false prophets (especially relevant to those claiming “God told me” or applying Scripture prophetically today):
15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken...
18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Key connection to our theme:
True prophecy is received (“I will put my words in his mouth” — divine origin, like 2 Peter 1:21 “moved by the Holy Ghost”).
False prophets “presume” to speak (self-generated, like “vision of their own heart” in Jeremiah 23:16 and Ezekiel 13).
This ties directly to 1 Corinthians 4:7: If the message or insight was not received from God, why glory (or act with authority) as if it originated with you?
Test: Does it come to pass exactly as stated in the LORD’s name? If not → presumptuous, do not fear/listen.
This is a primary test for anyone today who says “God told me [specific thing]” or gives prophetic applications of Scripture.
1 John 4:1-6 KJV – The New Testament Test of the Spirits
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
...
6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Connection:
Directly addresses many false prophets operating in the church age.
“Try the spirits” = test/ prove/ discern. Not just accuracy (Deut. 18), but content and confession about Christ (incarnation, lordship, truth of the Gospel).
Links back: False prophets often sound spiritual, use Scripture, claim revelation (“God showed me”), but the spirit behind them denies core truths about Jesus or leads away from apostolic teaching (“he that is not of God heareth not us”).
This combats the “own heart” problem (Ezekiel 13, Jeremiah 23) and the pride of non-received gifts (1 Cor. 4:7). True utterance flows from the Spirit of truth who exalts Christ as come in the flesh and aligns with Scripture.
Overall Biblical Framework (KJV)
Source Test (2 Peter 1:20-21; Deut. 18:18): Received from God / moved by Holy Ghost — not private will or own heart.
Accuracy Test (Deut. 18:21-22): Does it come to pass?
Doctrinal / Christ Test (1 John 4:1-3): Does it confess the true Jesus and align with apostolic truth?
Fruit / Character Test (Matt. 7:15-20; Jeremiah 23): Do they produce repentance and holiness, or vanity / false peace?
Anyone acting prophetically today (even while saying “I’m not a prophet”) must pass these. If the message originates from self-imagination, personal “revelation” beyond Scripture, or fails these tests — it is presumptuous, not to be hearkened to. This upholds humility: everything true is received from God, so no flesh glories in His presence (echoing 1 Cor. 4:7 and the Corinthian context). These safeguards protect the church from division, deception, and vain following.
55 web pages
Comments
Post a Comment