The prophet's dictionary guide to the supernatural

962. Offering—Offerings play a dominant role in religion overall, and in the prophetic it cannot be ignored. Several times the Bible relates offerings to prophetic service. For example, Balak payed Balaam the diviner’s fee, and Naaman offered bounty to Elisha for healing him from leprosy. When Saul sought Samuel’s insight on the whereabouts of his father’s lost donkeys again the practice of bringing an offering comes up. Saul’s assistant said he could go to the man of God for an answer. Saul agreed but stated he could not do so without an offering (1 Samuel 9:7). When Elijah went to the widow at Zaraphath, he asked for an offering even though the woman told him that feeding him would deprive her and her son of their planned last meal. See 1 Kings 17:13. The idea is that the prophet, as a representative of God, stood in His stead to mediate the matters for which the messenger was sent. Therefore, in honor of God’s grace, the prophet’s attendance warranted a suitable offering to be heaved up to God and to sustain the officer’s ministry. The New Testament has the apostle Paul upholding this practice in Galatians 6:6; Romans 15:27; 1 Corinthians 9:11. Together these passages equate spiritual ministration with material goods and establish that the ministers of the gospel are to expect to receive material remuneration. In addition, Paul’s extensive treatment of the subject in 1 Corinthians 9 further affirms that specific offerings of a material nature are integral to New Testament ministry. He said that as temple ministers get their food from the temple (an Old Testament precedence), its altar servants are to get their share of its provisions and likewise preachers of the gospel are to live from the gospel. Obviously, preachers include prophets. 963. Oikodome—A) The Greek word for building. B) An edifice, a temple of a deity, and the dwelling place of his or her priests. C) Pertains to the prophet as the word used in Ephesians 4:12 for the edifying work of the fivefold officers of Ephesians 4:11. 964. Oikodomeo—The word used by Christ in Matthew 16:18 for building His house, the New Creation ekklesia. Prophetic Economy. 965. Old Man—The spirit and soul of those born in this world from Adam’s line. 966. Olive—Olives stand for spiritual fruit, or better yet, a fruit typified by the Holy Spirit. They symbolize peace, joy, provision, and immortality. They represent both abundance and chastity. Before Christ and the Holy Spirit, olives were representative of the goddess Athene. In the world of the Old Testament,