Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

2 Peter

2 Peter 
Day 
Day 18

"Moved by the Holy Spirit"

Text: 2 Peter 1:21

UNDERSTANDING PROPHECY

Prophecy must be carefully interpreted. We have a good word of advice from the Apostle Peter in this text.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture
is of any private interpretation,
for prophecy never came by the will of man,
but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
2 Peter 1:20-21

1. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation”

a) There are rules of interpretation.

b) These rules must be known and carefully applied.

c) The first rule

i) No prophecy of Scripture is to be interpreted subjectively.

ii) The word “interpretation” has the idea of “unfolding” or “letting loose”.

iii) We cannot add or subtract (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6).

2. “For prophecy never came by the will of man”

a) True prophecy is never man-made.

b) The will of man did not cause the writing of the prophetic Scriptures.

c) Man is:

i) Fallible.

ii) Finite.

iii) He cannot foresee nor foretell the future.

3. “But holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit”

a) The Biblical prophets were holy men of God.

b) They were moved (“carried”) by the Holy Spirit of God.

c) The word of God would be revealed to these holy prophets.

i) They may be in the form of visions.

ii) They may also be in the form of instructions.

iii) They may take the form of prophetic statements.

4. Application

a) We need the help of the Spirit of God to enlighten us.

b) We need to compare Scripture with Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:13).