Difference Between Old Testament and New Testament Prophecy

Contrasting the way prophecy functions in the Old Testament versus the way it does in the New Testament is important. The main contrast is in who God used and how He used them.

Old Testament Prophecy

In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God would come on a select few for a task, a season, or much longer (occasionally for the rest of that prophet's life). They were to be the mouthpiece of God to that generation. In particular, the prophet would speak to the king, judge, or ruler of Israel to speak what was on the heart of God concerning the nation. This included warnings and strategies on what to do in national and international affairs, but also it included calls to repentance and returning to God in humility.

"[In the Old Testament,] God would select someone who had a very special nature and destiny that was rare to his generation. God would put His leadership on him and speak only to him, or a few in one generation in order to lead His people. These chosen prophets were extremely close to God's heart, and He treated them as friends. Some were even a picture of the relationship we get to experience now as Christians. Each prophet had to be extremely careful because he was the only steward of God's desire on the earth in his day. These kings, judges, prophets, and leaders were responsible for shepherding all of God's chosen people. If they didn't speak when God showed them something, then all of God's people could be misled. If the people didn't listen, then God would have to discipline them... In the Old Testament, prophecy was about obedience to the Lord through his chosen servants." - Shawn Boltz

"The Old Testament examples of prophetic ministry do not include very many instances of prophets giving "personal" words. Almost all examples deal with prophets giving corporate words... And it would be an error to use corporate examples as a model for personal words. In a corporate word, the prophets represented the voice of God to a nation that acknowledged Him as their only ruler.... God used the prophets to say things that neither king nor the nation wanted to believe. In order to help the people believe, He established the prophet's authority in unforgettable ways." - Jack Deere

New Testament Prophecy

The New Testament believers had a very different reality and expectation from God. Holy Spirit was given to all believers at Pentecost, so the need for a "special" mouthpiece from God to tell the people what God desired was no longer there. Believers at that time had the Old Testament and had the words of Jesus, orally shared by the apostles until it was written down to eventually form the New Testament. They also had the apostles and their disciples who might help them confirm, interpret, and understand what Holy Spirit may be speaking to them. But the new reality was that all believers had Holy Spirit in them and the Scriptures to make sense of it all. There was now a personal responsibility in hearing God. And then, they also had a body of believers to help them discern, as wella corporate accountability, help, and support.

"In the New Testament, however, every single believer was given the responsibility for his own spiritual journey and growth with God, and his walk was not to be independent of a body of believers or community... [where] they could [also] interpret the Bible together for the days and times they live in. [That being said,] we do have an individual responsibility to hear God and interpret His word... we can't live vicariously through the church, a prophet, or an institution's sanctity; we have to be sanctified and set apart in our own relationship with God." - Shawn Boltz

"...[New Testament ] prophecy isn't supposed to have the goal of being directive in a commanding way. it should leave room for the persons receiving the word to be accountable to God themselves for their choices, not demanding this choice be made for them... [Only] the Bible becomes the only ultimate authority in God's directive voice over our lives... Prophecy from others should never violate our will or ability to have choices... The world doesn't need another Holy Spirit or another Jesus, it needs the connection to the One it already has. " - Shawn Botlz

The authority structure of the church also differs from that of the nation of Israel:

"The apostles, not prophets, have translocal authority in the body of Christ. The New Testament gave corporate words to the whole church . God revealed to each apostle where his sphere of authority lay, and the church recognized that authority. Peter had authority among Jews, Paul's sphere was among the Gentiles. New Testament prophets differed from their Old Testament counterparts by having a much greater ministry in personal rather than corporate words... They can also give corporate words (see Acts 15:32; 1 Cor. 14:3), but the New Testament emphasizes their ministry to individuals. On the local level, the elders of individual churches, not the prophets, have authority. Most New Testament prophets are not elders or leaders... All New Testament authority is given to direct the affairs of the church, not individuals' personal lives. When leaders of a church or a Christian movement start to exert authority over the personal lives of their followers, they are on the road that leads to a cult. Neither prophets nor pastors should be making personal decisions for us." - Jack Deere

New Testament Realities that Changes How We See Prophecy

1. The Normal Experience for New Testament Believers is to Hear God's Voice Directly

"...The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice." - John 10:3-4

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit." - Joel 2:28-29 ESV

2. We Have The Holy Spirit to Lead Us

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God," - Romans 8:14-16

"Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." - Galatians 5:25 NLT

3. God Expects Us to Hear from the Spirit, Who Helps Us, Regarding our Personal Decisions

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." - John 16:13 NIV

"But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you." - John 14:26 NLT

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God." - Romans 8:26-27 NIV

4. The Role of New Testament Prophets (And Leaders) is to Support, Confirm, or Clarify What We Think the Lord is Saying to Us.

"They can cause us to pray about directions we have not thought about. But they should never cause us to give up our privilege of hearing God's voice for ourselves. We should never act solely on someone else's light. God will hold us each accountable for our own decisions." - Jack Deere.