Introduction
Picture this: “Senior Prophet” flashes across a conference screen. The crowd roars, hands raised, as a polished figure strides onstage—title gleaming like a badge of honor. Now picture Elijah, trembling in a cave, or Jeremiah, weeping in a cistern, his voice hoarse from crying God’s truth to a deaf nation. When did prophecy become a platform for pride instead of a burden for God’s word? Today’s Christian world, especially the prophetic fold, is drowning in titles—“senior prophets,” “junior prophets,” a hierarchy that reeks more of corporate ladders than sacred callings. I’m seeing a trend, and it’s troubling. The Bible shows us prophets who were literal mouthpieces of God—humble, broken, anointed with Messianic weight. Today? We’ve got self-assigned ministers who gloat and bloat, esteeming themselves as somebody when, by Scripture’s measure, they aren’t.
The Biblical Standard: Mouthpieces, Not Moguls
Scripture doesn’t stutter about what a prophet should be. Moses didn’t campaign for his role; God ambushed him at a burning bush (Exodus 3:4-10). Jeremiah didn’t chase a title; he was called before his first breath, then dragged through suffering to prove it (Jeremiah 1:5, 20:9). These weren’t men posing for selfies with a mic—they were marked by humility and sacrifice. Their anointing was Messianic, so potent that touching them was touching God Himself (Psalm 105:15, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm”). John 10:34-35 nods to Psalm 82:6, calling them “gods” because the word of God came to them—not because they slapped a label on their foreheads. Their authority wasn’t self-made; it was God-ordained, proven by signs, fulfilled words, or the raw endurance of their message. They held an office, not a hustle.
Today’s Shift: Gifted, Not Appointed
Fast forward to the New Testament, and the game changes—sort of. Prophecy becomes a gift, not a crown. 1 Corinthians 12:10 lists it among the Spirit’s tools, Romans 12:6 says it’s for all who receive it, and Ephesians 4:11 mentions “prophets” among church offices—but these aren’t the nation-shaking titans of old. They’re for edifying the body (1 Corinthians 14:3-4), not building personal brands. Here’s the kicker: “We know in part and prophesy in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9). It’s imperfect, incomplete, a glimpse through a dim glass until Christ returns. That demands humility—yet today, we’ve got “senior prophets” strutting like they’ve got the full picture, and “junior prophets” climbing ranks that Scripture never drew. The gift functions (For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted – 1 Cor 14:31), sure, but the office? That’s a stretch too many are willing to take.
The Fruit of Charlatans: Disciples After Themselves
Here’s where it gets ugly. Acts 20:30 cuts like a blade: “From among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” Paul warned the Ephesian elders about insiders—church folks!—twisting truth to hoard followers. That Greek word “draw away” (ἀποσπᾶν) means yanking sheep from the flock, and “after them” reeks of self-worship. Sound familiar? Today, some prophetic voices aren’t pointing to the cross—they’re building empires. Book deals, Social Media followings, packed conferences where the spotlight’s on “them”, not Him. Titles like “Major One” float around, with followers bowing, touching feet, and treating men like Messiahs. Private armies guard their jets and mansions, their business empires sprawling, their lifestyles dripping with kingly excess—private jets soaring while the flock scrapes by. John the Baptist said, “I’m not worthy to untie His sandals” (John 1:27), but these modern types act like Jesus should be untying theirs. Jesus called it: “By their fruits you’ll know them” (Matthew 7:15-20). Wolves in sheep’s clothing. Charlatans. If the flock’s chasing a man instead of the Messiah, something’s rotten.
The Church’s Mandate: Judge Within
So what do we do? Scripture doesn’t leave us guessing. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 lays it out: “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’” Paul’s quoting Deuteronomy 17:7—judgment within the church isn’t optional when the body’s at stake. These self-made prophets? They’re “within”. We’ve got the right—no, the duty—to weigh their fruit. 1 John 4:1 says “test the spirits”; 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says “test everything.” If they’re drawing disciples after themselves, not Christ, we call it out. Not their souls—God’s got that—but their actions? Fair game. “Purge” isn’t a suggestion; it’s a command to guard the flock from pride masquerading as prophecy.
Conclusion: Back to the Burden
The church can’t afford to coddle self-made prophets. We need voices that echo God, not egos that drown Him out. There’s a remnant out there—quiet, humble, bearing the burden of His word without a neon sign. But the loud ones? The title-chasers? They’re fulfilling Paul’s warning, not God’s calling. It’s time to test, to judge, to point the flock back to Christ. Prophecy isn’t a pedestal—it’s a cross. Let’s stop applauding those who forget that.