The prophet's handbook

ultimately translating to an effect or consequence. In the message, the prophet is moved by spiritual and godly aspirations to see that God’s justice and righteousness correct the situation to restore the scales of balance and equity in the person’s life. For this reason, a massa burden is often characterized by a message of doom, although not exclusively. New Testament Prophecy In the New Testament only two words are used for prophecy. One of them is used three times. It is the word prophetikos, which defines “what proceeds from a prophet as prophetic.” The ending, ikos, sets the word’s meaning in the arena of technique or systemized mechanical performance. It covers more than the prophet’s prophesying and encompasses the full range of supernatural and revelatory activities that identify the office. Prophetikos not only constitutes prophecy as known and recognized by the people of God, but encapsulates the behind-the-scenes outworking of the prophet’s word that manifests a prophecy in its literal form. Prophetikos also refers to foretelling prophecy and the corresponding operations that cement its prediction or unveil its revelation. Demonstrative prophetic techniques are likely to follow the word, such as dance, imagery, drama, poetry, or rhyme, to depict its symbolism and certify that it will come to pass in its time. Gabriel’s rendering skeptical Zacharias mute under these circumstances is one example of this. (See Luke 1.) See also Romans 16:26, where the term is used twice in one verse. The last usage comes from 2 Peter 1:19. Every other term the New Testament uses for prophecy falls under the meaning of the word propheteia. Basically this word defines a prophecy whether it comes from mere recitation of Scripture or from an outright spontaneous utterance from the present mind of God. The propheteia word declares God’s thoughts, feelings, reactions, and emotional responses to earthly affairs and human matters. Prophecy of this kind typically links to some future event where the matters or affairs divulged are complemented with some corresponding or subsequent divine action on God’s part. Signs appear shortly before or after the word leaves the prophet’s mouth. Since the words are God’s, He is the one who releases the prophetic sign that seals its certain performance spoken by His prophets. The sign may be displayed by the prophet, but more often it is a sign the Lord Himself gives to quicken to the mind of the hearer to the prophecy’s authenticity to assure that it will surely come to pass. The sign also doubles as a