Behold, the Prophet

“Where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof (Job 28:12-13).” Wisdom is found in studying God's word, but did you ever stop to wonder why God said in his word that there is a price for wisdom? Could the price of wisdom be, suffering for God? "Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard (Ecclesiastes 9:16)." "In much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow (Ecclesiastes 1:18)."

If you could speak to the ancient prophets and ask them whether or not suffering is the price of wisdom, they would probably tell you that when God gave them something new to prophesy, their counsel was not appreciated, their motives were misunderstood, and their prophesies were not fulfilled immediately. “I sat alone because of thy hand... wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and waters that fail? (from Jeremiah 15:17-18).” The painfulness of waiting on God, and suffering the unbelief of fellow believers is the price that marks God's prophets, even as they are given the honor of delivering God's word. Truly it is only by God's signs and wonders that truth is ever accepted by his people. “The righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God (Ecclesiastes 9:1).”

Moses could teach you something about the price of wisdom. This well respected prophet of the Lord was accused of making life more difficult for the Hebrew people, he was murmured against, and even his own sister and brother doubted whether God was exclusively speaking through him (Exodus 5:21; 15:24; Numbers 12:2; 14:4). Moses was eventually given honor, but the price of wisdom did not escape Moses. “If, when you do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God (1Peter 2:20).”

God told Israel that he would raise them up another prophet, a prophet that they would eventually be required to hear. To send a prophet to Israel meant that God would be sending them someone who would suffer the price of wisdom, as Moses did. Jesus Christ satisfied that requirement. "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps (1Peter 2:21)."

Jesus knew the price of wisdom. “Thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest (Luke 1:76).” He referred to himself as a prophet, saying, "A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house (Mathew 13:57)." When Christ walked the earth, he suffered misunderstanding. “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not (1Peter 2:23).” Jesus told his apostles that he must suffer (Mark 8:31; 9:12; Luke 17:25)? Why did it behove Christ to suffer (Luke 24:46)? Some might suggest that he suffered to make himself a merciful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17), and others might argue that he suffered to fulfill scripture (Isaiah 52:14), but there is yet another more pressing reason why Jesus was made to suffer: Jesus needed to verify to the world, and especially to the Jewish people, that he was that prophet. "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him (Deuteronomy 18:18)."

Why should Jewish and Islamic believers turn from their traditional teachings and embrace Jesus Christ, and his teachings? “He hath no form of comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him (Isaiah 53:2).” Because God desired Jesus for his people. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17)." God's teachings of grace and truth came through the prophet Jesus Christ. Embracing Jesus and his teachings is our the new covenant, and only by trusting Jesus and receiving his teachings will a believer receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16; 14:23). "Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us (1John 3:24)."

Jesus knew and prophesied that he was to be rejected by the Jewish people of his generation (Luke 17:25; Isaiah 53:3), nevertheless, he was the fulfillment of Moses' prophecy. Just as Moses preformed miracles before Israel and those miracles testified that he was a prophet of God, so Jesus Christ performed miracles, and those miracles testified that Jesus was a prophet of God (John 5:36). But in case your ancestors missed the evidence, miracles are coming again, and they will once again bear witness that Jesus Christ is that prophet that Israel is required to hear. "It shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people (Acts 3:22)." After performing the miraculous signs and wonders of end times, God will destroy the souls of believers that refuse to receive and obey Jesus' teachings. Receiving Jesus' teachings comes with evidence of doing righteousness. “When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things (John 8:28).”

Prophets will be used by God during end times. Through their messages God will give priests time to study the scriptures, and time to get their churches prepared for change. Their messages will help guide the righteous, and they will separate the servants of the Lord from the hypocrites (Proverbs 3:6). “The house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me (Ezekiel 3:7).” "They refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear (Zechariah 7:11)." Although hypocrites will refuse to hear, leaders that have spent time in God's word will recognize the truth; and they will hear the prophet's words, and they will follow the prophet's instructions. Together, believing priests and prophets will safely guide congregations through the prophesied judgments of end times.

 “If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God... Why do you not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word (John 8:42-43).” The priests and elders of Jesus' day didn't believe Jesus because their traditional teachings didn't allow for a carpenter's son to teach them God's ways. God anticipated their pride: Their deeds were recorded as a pattern for our edification (Ecclesiastes 3:15). End times are not going to be according to what the majority of believers think that God word says, end times will be according to the true interpretations of the revealed truths of prophecy.