One of the reasons the church has become wary of the supernatural and the prophetic seems to be that they worry about being led astray. How does one judge the accuracy of a dream or a vision, and how does one know whether it was delivered by God? Could someone falsely claim to have a word from God, yet generate their own ideas, and lead others astray? Of course. This has always been a seeming dilemma for the people of God. The Hebrew children were warned not to fear the prophet whose words did not come true, as they were not from God (Deuteronomy 18:22). Moreover, it a prophet arose whose dreams and prophecies did come to pass, but they lead the people astray (i.e., to follow other gods), they are to be put to death (Deuteronomy 13:1-10). This seems to establish several principles or tenets surrounding God’s direct provision of information:
- God chooses to speak at times to His people (and sometimes to and through nonbelievers as well)
- The veracity of a claim weighs in part upon its truth in the world (i.e., if it does not come true it is not from God.
- Even if a predicted event comes to pass, the speaker should not lead the people astray with a message that does not comport with the Word of God.
We believe that God has delivered His prophetic message and has fully accomplished the redeeming work of the cross to make salvation and restoration attainable for humans. So, what role would dreams and visions provide in the current world? We contend that God uses supernatural means to prompt His people to draw closer to Him, to repent of their sins and wickedness, and to bring revival to their lands. He uses such means to remind us of His plans, to emphasize His eminence, and to call us to His service in the manner that the apostle Paul set out on a missionary journey after being asked by a Macedonian man for help in a dream (Acts 16:6-10). God may want to get our attention in order to simply teach us what has already been written and foretold, and what has been lost or discarded by our religious institutions and traditions. He wants to remind us of the “day in which we live.”
We do not believe that God is using the supernatural to rewrite His plans or to alter the Gospel of Christ (Matthew 5:17-18). Some groups and movements, in the past and at present, have suggested that God is doing a new thing in our midst. For example, the more modern movement of the “New Apostolic Reformation” appears to suggest that new prophets and apostles are being sent, and that their message may alter what is already written. Some will say, particularly where these religious movements have become entangled in political trends, that the prophecies of the Old and New testaments of the Bible do not necessarily have to play out as written. For example, some are proffering that we can create a movement that brings “good” into the world and that avoids the final, predicted “Day of the Lord,” when He brings His justice to the earth and restores all things. We believe that such teachings are anathema and heresy, as we believe that Bible prophecy will occur just as ordained. There have been times when God delayed a judgment upon a person group (e.g., Nineveh) or altered the path of an individual, but these were temporary, transient alterations in a cosmic plan that is gradually unfolding.
Sometimes it is difficult to see how the Hebrew priests missed the coming of Jesus, when it seems clear that He was providing signs and wonders that supported His claims. We sometimes think that the religious leaders of the day simply wanted to maintain their own hold on power, and, in many cases, this may be entirely true. However, it is also possible that some were blind to spiritual truth, as they had become expectant in their own traditions, and could not see how God was carrying out His prophecies in their midst. They knew the letter of the law but did not understand the Spirit. Or, even worse, they knew something about tradition, but did not live in the prophetic Holy Scriptures. This should also caution us to dig into the Word of God, and recognize that even at the institutional level, we can become confused over God’s plans. In fact, we are warned that the final church will fall astray (see Jesus’ letters to the 7 churches in Revelation; and II Timothy 3:1-9).
In summary, we believe that God will use supernatural means to encourage, instruct, and restore His people. He will use the supernatural to call us back to the fundamental roots of the Way, so that we will live boldly, fearlessly, and obediently before the Lord. He is preparing us for the “days in which we live” and quickening our human spirits to be about His business in the world.