Signs of God, Prophetic Ministry, and the Question of Doomsday Prophets

By Deborah Colleen Rose

9/24/20253 min read

From the rainbow in Noah’s day to the miracles of Jesus, Scripture shows us that God often speaks through signs. They were never meant as magic tricks or curiosities, but as purposeful markers—reminders of His promises, warnings of His judgments, and confirmations of His presence.

Signs in Scripture

Covenant Signs: The rainbow (Genesis 9) as a promise of mercy, circumcision (Genesis 17) as a mark of belonging, and the Sabbath (Exodus 31) as a sign of God’s covenant with His people.
Guiding Signs: The burning bush, the pillar of fire, Gideon’s fleece—all directing people toward obedience.
Powerful Signs: The plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, manna in the wilderness—demonstrations of God’s deliverance and provision.
Warning Signs: The writing on the wall, Jonah in the fish, and countless prophetic warnings to Israel.
Christ-Centered Signs: The virgin birth, miracles, and the resurrection—all pointing directly to Jesus as Messiah.

Signs were never meant to replace faith, but to direct it. They’re like road markers—helpful for direction, but not the destination itself.

Signs Today

God still speaks, though not always in dramatic ways. Today, His signs are often subtle:

Creation itself: Sunrises, seasons, and moments that seem too perfectly timed to be random.
Inner conviction: The Spirit’s quiet peace—or lack of peace—that directs choices.
Scripture: A passage that suddenly meets you exactly where you are.
People: Encouragement, counsel, or even a hard truth spoken at the right moment.
Opportunities: Doors that open or close in ways you couldn’t orchestrate yourself.
Dreams and visions: Sometimes God still uses them, though they must be carefully weighed.
Providence: Protection or provision that arrives at the right time.

The real question to ask is: does the sign lead you closer to Christ, or distract you from Him?

Prophetic Ministry: Yesterday and Today

Prophetic ministry has always been about more than prediction. Its core purposes are to:

Reveal God’s heart and will.
Strengthen, encourage, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3).
Call out sin, injustice, and hypocrisy.
Point always and only to Christ (Revelation 19:10).

Today, prophetic ministry can take many forms:

Preaching or teaching that cuts through confusion.
A Spirit-led word of encouragement or correction.
Creative expression—songs, poetry, or art—that carries truth.
Advocacy for justice and righteousness.
Dreams, visions, or even a timely conversation that sheds light.

What About Doomsday Prophets?

Many modern voices thrive on predicting disaster or setting dates for the end of the world. While they may sound dramatic, their message doesn’t usually reflect biblical prophetic ministry.

True prophecy builds up, encourages, and comforts. Fear-driven predictions usually do the opposite.
Old Testament prophets gave warnings, but those warnings always came with a call to repentance and a promise of hope. Doom without hope is never God’s final word.
Jesus made it clear: “No one knows the day or hour” (Matthew 24:36). Any message claiming secret knowledge about His return goes against Scripture.
The fruit test matters (Matthew 7:16). Does the message lead to humility, repentance, and love—or just fear, division, and fascination with disaster?

A Discernment Guide: Testing Prophetic Voices

Here are some simple ways to evaluate a “prophetic” word or message:

Scripture Test – Does it agree with God’s Word?
Christ Test – Does it point to Jesus, or to the prophet’s own status?
Fruit Test – Does it produce hope, repentance, and love—or fear and pride?
Community Test – Can it be weighed and tested by others, or is it presented as unquestionable?
Purpose Test – Does it strengthen, encourage, and comfort?
Humility Test – Is the speaker willing to be corrected, or do they demand blind trust?

If a message fails these tests, it’s best to hold it loosely—or walk away altogether.

Conclusion

God still uses signs and prophetic voices today, but their purpose has never changed: to point people back to Him. Like a lighthouse on a stormy coast, prophecy is not meant to terrify or entertain—it’s meant to guide, to warn, and to call people safely home.

True prophecy never ends with “doom is coming.” It always ends with “God is calling—and He is faithful to redeem.”