Isaiah 42:9 “See, the former things have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
    I announce them to you.”

This chapter is certifiably Messianic, because Matthew quoted it about Jesus in Matthew 12:20. There are Messianic prophecies throughout the Old Testament, but Isaiah is so rich in them that many have called it “The Gospel According to Isaiah.” It has been instrumental in leading many Jews to recognize that Jesus was and is the Messiah God had promised to their ancestors. That makes this verse particularly meaningful, because Jesus had not been born physically at the point Isaiah recorded this, so this was quite literally true. The thing is, not every Biblical prophecy has been fulfilled yet, so we have more to look forward to! Recently many people have been feeling that we are indeed in another time of prophetic fulfillment, even the Last Days, and some people have been popping off about exactly when Christ will return, but we can be confident that they are misled at best, and are actively demonic at worst, because Jesus said the exact timeline is not for us to know. (Matthew 24:36; 25:13) However, that’s not to say that all modern prophecy is invalid by any means. God still confirms His sovereignty, and His servants, by doing what this verse says. We are not to be obsessed with prophecy about coming events, but rather be focused on what God wants us to do right now. For example, failing to vote in the coming election because you are convinced Christ will return “any day now” is both foolish and irresponsible. We are to recognize fulfilled prophecy and let it strengthen our faith, but keep our personal focus on faithfulness.

This is close to home for me because of an experience of being used in predictive prophecy that was rather dramatic. I was in a small prayer meeting, and in obedience to the Lord I went to a couple who were dating but not yet married, and told them they would have a child. I was not sure it would be genetically the man’s child, but I was sure it would be genetically the woman’s. They responded politely, but thought I was completely off base, because the woman had had a hysterectomy! As it turned out, though, not only did they get married, the woman’s daughter from a previous marriage had a child but was on drugs and was completely unable to raise the child, so this couple adopted what was actually the woman’s grandchild, thus fulfilling what I had said to them. We weren’t even in the country when this happened, but they told my wife about it on a later visit, and how they realized I had been a true prophet to them. That incident proved to me that God can and does speak through me, but I’m never to think it’s because I’m so wonderful, but rather be grateful that God would use even such a one as I am.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I hadn’t thought about that experience in a long time. Help me be available for whatever You want to say through me, whenever You want to speak. Thank You for Your faithfulness to speak through me each Sunday, and even in casual conversations when I’m not “feeling prophetic” at all! May all Your plans be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory, whether we have understood what You’ve told us about them or not. Thank You. Hallelujah!