On Prophets and Promises
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Understanding the attributes of a true biblical prophet, and how to identify those who claim to be but are not!
Text: Rom. 1:2
Date: 08/09/2026, the Combined service.
Series: "Romans: Unashamed of the Gospel" Part 4
Description:
In the opening statements to his letter to the Romans, Paul has used very concise and precise language to refer to a plethora of doctrines. We have already studied several in the first verse and now run into three more in the second. He is talking about the Gospel of God and how that Good News is grounded in the holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. He first tells us the Gospel has been promised from the days of old, and then recognizes the called prophets through whom that revelation has come. We will consider the various aspects of what it means to be a prophet, and how he is engaged both in the foretelling and the forth-telling of the Words of God. We will then discuss divine inspiration and revelation, which is the method by which these prophetic promises occur. When we have a firm grasp of the biblical definition of true prophecy, we will discuss how dramatically that differs from the methods of those who claim to be prophets and are not. We will turn to Scripture and notice how often it warns the church concerning false prophets-- not just to the charlatans who claim to be prophets and are not, but to the people of God who they will try to mislead. It is essential that the church is able to identify what is true and false and realize how precious God considers His inspired and revealed Word to be.
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, Rom. 1:2.
A. Context: a plethora of doctrines.
B. The importance of God's Prophetic Revelation.
1. The promises.
a. A promised Gospel is not a new Gospel.
b. Examples from Scripture, Gen. 3:15, 8:22, 12:3, 49:10; Deut. 18:18; 2Sam. 7:16; Dan. 7:13-14; Isa. 9:6; Mal. 3:1; Zech. 9:9.
c. Pondering the delay.
i. To emphasize the utter sinfulness of sin, Gen. 6:5; Jer. 4:22.
ii. To emphasize the futility of salvation by works.
iii. To emphasize His sovereignty over His Creation.
2. The prophets.
a. The source of true prophecy.
i. A true prophet is "His".
ii. God speaks "through" "His" prophets.
1) An analogy of Light.
2) Prophets are called of God.
3) Prophets cannot be "wrong".
iii. A prophet "foretells".
1) To accurately foretell the future.
a) Examples from Scripture, Gen. 41:38-39; Ex. 4:10-12.
b) The "acid test", Deut. 18:21-22, 18:19.
2) Some prophecies are time-specific, Ex. 11:4-5; Gen. 40:19; Dan. 5:30.
3) Some prophecies are "open-ended", Dan. 7:2-3; Jer. 29:10; Isa. 26:19.
iv. A prophet "forth-tells".
1) The wrong view of forth-telling.
2) The right view of forth-telling.
a) Examples from Scripture, Isa. 5:1,20; Jer. 23:1-2; Ex. 8:1; Gen. 9:5-6.
b) The test of true forth-telling, Deut. 13:1-3.
b. The method of true prophecy: revelation and inspiration.
i. Understanding the dynamic.
1) Comparing natural revelation.
2) A prophet's special inspiration and revelation.
ii. Peter's instruction on revelation and inspiration.
1) On inspiration, 2Pet. 1:19-20, 1:21.
2) On revelation, 1Pet. 1:10-12.
c. The prevalence of false prophets.
i. What the Scripture has to say, Jer. 14:16, 23:25-27; Deut. 18:20; Jer. 14:15,16.
ii. Examples of modern day false prophets.
III. Application
A. The Scripture warns us against false prophets, Lam. 2:14; Ezek. 13:9, 22:28; Matt. 7:15, 24:11,24; Luke 6:26; 1John 4:1; Rev. 20:10; 2Pet. 2:1-3.
B. How the church must respond, Jude 10-13; Rev. 2:6,14,20.
IV. Conclusion
