What is a prophet?

 

What is a prophet?

This question fits into the teaching about the multi-fold gifts of ministry. There are corollary questions to consider that go into the answer: Is a prophet in the OT different from a prophet in the NT? Many of the ministries mentioned in the NT were not known in the same manner in the OT. This ties into the reality of the reconciliation through the Atonement of Christ of whomsoever will into the family of God in Christ.

The brief answer to the original question is that a prophet is one who speaks forth the message he hears from God. This answer is rather shallow. In the OT, God chose to speak through certain individuals because the congregation as a whole rejected hearing HIM for themselves. https://biblehub.com/exodus/20-18.htm It was originally Yahweh’s plan that all people be directly ruled by HIM. https://biblehub.com/1_samuel/8-6.htm Yahweh thus mercifully chose a limited number of individuals to speak out what HE desired to say to HIS people. This ministry — that word has become theologically rigid — this service to God was often accompanied by an entire lifestyle change through which God used the actions of the prophet to illustrate HIS compassion to the people. To “normal” people, a prophet’s actions often seemed quite odd. (https://biblehub.com/jeremiah/27.htm , https://biblehub.com/hosea/1.htm , https://biblehub.com/isaiah/20.htm , https://biblehub.com/acts/21.htm)

For more information, review this additional site and other like it: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-is-a-prophet.html

Besides well quoted prophets such as Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Samuel, Ezekiel, and the others, it may be overlooked that John the baptizer, and Jesus himself are also prophets. In the NT we will see that this service is associated with a particular giftedness and may be exercised from time to time by those who are not exclusively or primarily known as prophets.

For example, the high priest unwittingly prophesied about Christ’s death in John 11:49-51. Phillip’s four unmarried daughters were not called prophets but were said to prophesy Acts 21:9. Paul, primarily known to be an apostle, is known to prophesy Acts 27:22. Jesus is called the apostle of our faith (Heb. 3:1), and often prophesied as well: The Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (Matthew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2, Luke 21:5-6); Peter’s Denial (Matthew 26:34, Mark 14:30, Luke 22:34, John 13:38); His Death and Resurrection (Matthew 16:21, Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22, John 2:19-21); The Coming of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, John 16:7-13); Betrayal by Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26:21-25, Mark 14:18-21, Luke 22:21-23, John 13:21-30).

There is therefore both an office of the prophet, and a gift of prophecy. The office of prophet is mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-13: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” and in 1 Corinthians 12:28-29: “And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?” In 1 Corinthians 14:1-6 Paul encourages believers to eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy, and provides instructions on how it should be used in the church.