Despise not prophesyings

IThess5:20

By Michael Bahjejian

The verse we are studying tonight comes from the book of 1 Thess. This letter, written by Paul has for theme ‘the return of Jesus’. In Chap 5, we learn that Jesus will come as a thief in the night and believers are advised to be self controlled and alert. Among many other recommendations that are useful to the Christian walk, the readers are advised not to despise the prophecies.

Do not despise prophesying RSV
Despise not prophesyings KJV
Do not treat prophecies with contempt NIV

1. What is it to despise?

According to the dictionary, to despise is ‘to considerer as unworthy of attention or interest’. In Kiwi slang, you would say, ‘I couldn’t care less’ for example and there are many other ways to express despising. In Jesus time, Publicans were despised by the Jews because they were the tax collectors working for the invaders, the Romans. In France, during the last war, collaborators with the Germans were despised by the population. In India, Untouchables are despised by all the other people and in Pakistan or in Egypt today, Christians are despised by Muslims. We could say that to despise something or someone is to reject them as soon as possible and as far as possible. It is therefore a very strong term. How come then, is it possible to despise a prophecy that is supposed to be a special message from God?

2. What is a prophecy?

The Illustrated dictionary of the Bible, p875, defines a prophecy as a special message from God, often uttered through human spokesmen, which indicate the divine will for mankind on earth and in heaven. I think that the type of prophecies mentioned there is similar to the prophecy given to Timothy about himself in I Tim 1:18
This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare ,…
This is a prophecy about someone, yourself or someone else. As Tyrone asked us recently, we have all been given some prophecies some day that might have been a promise or a warning. We might have forgotten them, but God always remembers His words.

3. How is it possible to despise a prophecy?

There is a paradox between people’s apparent eagerness to ear God’s voice as we sing it ourselves when we sing “let me hear your voice” for example and the obvious difficulty that people have to accept and remember prophecies, even when they are positives and concern themselves. It is true that we can forget and we often forget things that are spiritual. However, I don’t think that forgetting is despising; it is just neglect.
For example, when Jesus meets the disciples on the walk to Emmaus, it seems that these disciples have forgotten all the promises. Jesus then takes the time to remind them about the promises and they can feel their hearts burning within them (Luke 24:32b).

To despise is more than forgetting. It is an active word requiring an active act of reject. A prophecy can be frightening, as it happened to Moses at the burning bush, making us feel inadequate for the task and we tell God, ‘Sorry God, I am not the right person, please choose someone else’ as if God didn’t know who we are and what we can do in His hand. It can seem unreasonable as it happened to Jonah. ‘It is not fair!’ can be our judgement, or it is not legal, as it happened to Peter when he was asked to eat the impure animals. It can be difficult to believe, supernatural, like being promised a child when you are not able anymore to carry a child anymore as it happened to Sarah or without knowing a man as it was announced to Mary. Sarah laughed at the prophecy and then she did not laugh anymore as she realised that it was serious but Mary just believed. A prophecy can be about doing something we really don’t want to do or going somewhere we wouldn’t like to go, but I think that what make a prophecy despicable is that it comes most often through the mouth of a human being, someone who is a sinner as we all are. It is then up to us to discern when it comes from God and when it doesn’t.


4. What are the ways to avoid a bad attitude?

A special message of God, whether it is good or bad, whether we like it or not is something rare and precious. It is worth trying to remember it and not let the devil rob us and the church of God’s messages. Let us remember that a prophecy doesn’t depend on the person who gives the prophecy. Good on you if it is given by God personally or an angel like Gabriel or even an official prophet like Ezekiel. But keep aware that God can also use ordinary people, believers or not and as a last resort he can make a donkey talk to you. So you see, there is no easy exit door to judge about the authenticity of a prophecy. It is most of all a question of fear of God that gives discernment. The Bible provides us with magnificent people who can teach us about dealing with prophecies properly.

Ps 62:11 David
God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.
Ps 119:11
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!
Luc 2:19 Mary
But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

It requires courage. Paul encourages us to be his imitators as he is Christ’s in
Acts 26:19
"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
and
Act 9:15-16
15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
16 "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."

5. A word of conclusion

A last advice: if you hear prophecies that concerns you, write them down as soon as possible and keep them in a safe place even, if you don’t dare reading them for a few years.

May God bless you