GOD RAISES SPECIFIC PROPHETS IN DIFFERENT POLITICAL DISPENSATION

Biblically sound approach to social, political issues

BY: PETER QEKO JERE-Doctoral Stud. University of Fort Hare

The argument that appointment of clergy into various parastatal boards is geared at silencing the prophetic mission in Malawi is far from the truth itself. Malawi for the first time witnessed the appointment of clergy from both Christian churches and the Islamic sector into various parastatal boards. This has faced mixed reaction from various sectors of our society. Some argue that it’s wrong for Bingu to appoint all these into board membership. Some claim that this whole exercise is geared at silencing the clergy so that they stop their social prophetic mission in Malawi. Now will this appointment affect anything as regard Malawi’s prophet ministry? The answer is NO!. This appointment will not affect anything because of the nature of prophetic ministry itself.

We may however ask the following question; what is the biblical prophetic mission in terms of their appointment? What determine the end of a prophetic mission in Malawi? What is a prophetic mission itself? Will their appointment into the board compromise prophetic mission in Malawi? How does prophecy function?

In pure theological understanding, prophecy begun in the Old Testament with a man named Moses during a time when God’s children were in slavery in Egypt. But this word (prophecy/prophesy) originates from the Greek word prophetēia, which means foretelling the future events, revealing and communicating God’s mind unto the people, interpreting the oracle of God unto the people. As regard a prophet, he is someone who declares God’s word and mind unto the people. He is someone who stands between the gap. He is someone who speaks the uncompromised critical message from God to the people. He is also someone who is a tool that God uses to deliver His word to the people. Therefore a prophet does not speak his mind but proclaim what God has put upon his heart for the people in line with the signs of the times.

In the Old Testament, many prophets came and their main task was to reveal the uncompromised Will of God unto the people. For instance, there were such great prophets like Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Nathan, and Micaiah to mention but a few. The one unique element in all their mission was that God raised them to carry out the prophetic mission in different dispensation or time, full of different circumstances or events. God cares for His people so much that He made sure to raise prophets each time Old Testament Kings were installed. Kingship and prophecy went together. For instance Nathan prophesied when David was king in Judah (2 Samuel 12), Jeremiah when Josiah, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah were kings in Judah (Jeremiah chap. 1), Isaiah when Hezekiah was king in Judah (2 King 20) and Elijah and Micaiah when Ahab was king in Israel respectively (2 Chronicle 18, 1 king 17). In this regard, God raised prophets to safeguard His people from social, political and economic abuse by those in power.

In Malawi therefore, prophecy has its long tradition, which dates back to precolonialism led by Rev. John Chilembwe. He was the voice crying in the wilderness during this dispensation. God raised him to declare God’s word of encouragement to His people. During colonialism, prophetic tradition continued through many indigenous and missionary critical voices against the colonial masters. During this era, Africans who graduated in various missionary schools later became a big prophetic voice of hope for the future of Malawi. In particular, Blantyre and Livingstonia schools graduates played a leading role in their fight for political change, which later saw the birth of Malawi’s independence in 1964.

Evidence of the seriousness of prophetic mission by the church was that about 95% of those that were elected into the first ever Banda cabinet were qualified Church elders of various Christian churches in Malawi dominated by Presbyterians. It was however the 1964 cabinet crisis that negatively affected the prophetic ministry in Malawi since Banda could not trust any prophetic voice from the church. This was because majority of the church elders in his first ever cabinet were part of those who didn’t like both his nation and international policies.

Despite the negative effect of the 1964 cabinet crisis, prophetic tradition continued in Malawi during the 30 years of Dr. Banda’s rule. Some of the critical voice came from people like Rev. Kaleso who openly declared God’s will for Malawi in times of tribulation. Many of the prophetic ministries were not recorded due to the nature of leadership that prevailed then. However the struggle and fight for the introduction of multipartism in 1990-94 exposed many prophets who openly declared God’s will for the People. These included;, Rev. Aaron Longwe (may his soul rest in peace), Rev. Ncozana, Rev. Ted Mwambira, Rev. Kaleso and monsignor Roche to mention but a few. During this dispensation, their main task was to head-on declare God’s will for the oppressed people of Malawi.

Now when Muluzi came to power in 1994, many of these were rewarded for their great work and at the same time, this didn’t mean the end of prophetic voice in Malawi. Malawians may recall that during Dr. Muluzi’s reign, God raised another set of prophets. These included Matia Nkhoma, Moris Munthali, Daniel Gunya, Billy Gama, Winstone Kawale, Fr. Masauko, Ian Longwe, Constantine Kaswaya and others to mention but a few.

A critical study on these prophets reveals that God raised them during this dispensation and their main task was to protect God’s people from social, political and economic abuse through their various prophetic voices.

Having said these therefore, Malawians should know that these appointments are not a threat to God’s Prophetic Mission in Malawi (GPMM). God’s prophetic mission is not determined by any human being but God himself because He is God and is in control. Every political dispensation has its own sets of prophets and prophetic voice.

We need to know that as far as God is concern, He raises prophet during different specific dispensation to safeguard His people from abuse during a specific political rule. Malawians should not expect prophetic voice to come from those clergy in the boards but from the mountain of God where soon the VOICE SHALL CRY THOU SAITH THE LORD! God is raising much better prophet now in Malawi who shall stand strong and unmoved. They shall be the voice of rebuke, hope and encouragement during the current Bingu dispensation.