Jesus The Promised Prophet Series

Jesus: PROPHET, Priest, King

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

11-02-2025

Rapture-Tok

South African pastor Joshua Mhlakela claimed that Jesus appeared to him in a divine vision and told him that the rapture would happen September 23-24. When asked if he was sure, he said he was 1,000% sure.

This prediction went viral world-wide and became known as ‘rapture-tok.” People quit their jobs, gave away possessions, and Instagram influencers made videos about what to wear for the rapture.

When the rapture did not occur on September 24, Pastor Joshua revealed that he had used the wrong calendar and that the rapture would happen the next week. And…it didn’t.

In the Old Testament, the way a prophet was proved to be of God is their prophecies came true. If not, the consequence was being stoned to death as a false prophet.

Our world is full of people who claim they are prophets. They twist the Scriptures, emphasize prosperity over faithfulness, and have false revelations.

People like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, who will be our first billionaire preacher, Joyce Myers, and Joel Osteen draw thousands each week with a message of your best life now and God always wants you to be rich, happy, and healthy. Of course, it helps if you make a large donation to their ministry.

People like Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, and Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses both claimed to be prophets and have led millions astray with their bizarre theology.

Sociopaths like Jim Jones and David Koresh both claimed to be prophets and groups willingly drank the Kool-ade and went to their deaths for them.

This shouldn’t surprise us. Jesus told His disciples:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15) 

And Peter warns his readers:

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” (2 Peter 2:1-3)

Theology Lesson Time

For the past seven years, we have gone through books of the Bible, alternating Old Testament and New Testament. Every now and then, we stop for a question or for some theology that is important for you to know.

These next three weeks, we will wade into a little deeper theological water than usual. But it will help us to know Jesus better.

In the Institutes of the Christian Religion, which Calvin wrote when he was 26 years old, he introduced the concept of Jesus’s three-fold office of prophet, priest, and king, to provide a comprehensive understanding of Christ’s Person and saving work. Jesus has performed all necessary actions to ensure our salvation.

This morning, we will look at what a prophet is, what they do, and how Jesus is the Ultimate Prophet, one greater than Moses.

Please, turn with me to Hebrews 1.

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)

Prayer.

The Prophets of Old

In the Old Testament, after the fall, God instituted three offices or patterns.

Prophets - revealed God’s will to the people

Priests - mediated between a sinful people and a holy God

Kings - led the people as a representative of God

The prophets would be foretellers - they would reveal what would happen in the future, and forth-tellers, revealing the messages from God, most often a message of judgement and a call to return to the Lord.

The prophets were agents of revelation, facing the people, speaking for God (thus says the Lord) and making God know to them.

The first person identified as a prophet in the Old Testament is Abraham and we have multiple books in our Bible written by prophets.

Some we call major prophets, like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Isaiah and Daniel, not because they are more important but because they are longer bodies of writing.

Some we call the minor prophets, like Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

Some of the prophets didn’t write books but that doesn’t mean they weren’t important. Elijah and Elisha are two very important prophetic ministries that are chronicled in I Kings.