Prophets of the Old Testament

Before moving forward, let’s review the role of prophets, starting with the prophets of the Old Testament. (1) Prophets had two main roles. (a) A “prophet” is someone who speaks God’s words to the people. They delivered God’s message regarding the current political and spiritual conditions of the time. (b) They were also called “seers,” with an emphasis on the gift of seeing the future (offering hope for the future). (2) The “sign” of a true prophet is that everything they prophesy comes to pass with 100% accuracy. (3) Many prophets were raised up, including: (a) Abraham, (b) Jacob and Joseph (both received dreams), (c) Moses, (d) Joshua and the judges who followed him, (e) Samuel, (f) David, (g) Elijah and Elisha, (h) The prophets who wrote prophetic books (from the 8th century BC onward).

Prophets of the New Testament

(1) Prophets also appear in the New Testament. (a) John the Baptist (more precisely, he is considered an Old Testament prophet). (b) The Lord Jesus (Prophet, Priest, and King). (c) Agabus. (d) The leaders of the Antioch church. (e) Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32). (f) Philip’s four daughters (Acts 21:9). (g) The two prophets foretold in Revelation 11.

Prophets of the present time

“Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord…” (Eph. 2:20-22) “And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers.” (Eph. 4:11) (1) The gift of prophecy was given to the church by Christ. (a) Apostles and prophets are the foundation of the church. (b) The roles of apostles and prophets were temporary. (c) Once a foundation is laid, there is no need for it to be re-laid. (d) The roles of apostles and prophets were to bridge the gap until the completion of the New Testament. (2) If someone claims that prophets still exist today, these questions need to be answered: (a) Is God still laying the foundation for the church? (b) With the New Testament now complete, why would prophets still be necessary? (3) If someone claims to be a prophet, be cautious of the following: (a) Are their prophecies fulfilled 100% of the time? (b) Do their prophecies align with the teachings of the Bible? It is inconceivable to follow the words of self-proclaimed apostles or prophets without testing them against the Scriptures.