PROPHET

The one whom God invests with His authority to communicate His will to men and instruct them.

(a) Institution of prophetism:
God promised that He would raise up from among the chosen people inspired men, capable of saying with authority the entirety of what He would command them to expound (Deut. 18:18, 19).

Moses is the model of all the prophets who followed him, in terms of anointing, doctrine, attitude regarding the Law and teaching. On several points there are notable analogies between Moses and Christ (v. 18; Acts 3:22, 23).

Zechariah also speaks of this characteristic authority: the Spirit of God has inspired the prophets what they were to say to the people; the foretold events have been fulfilled (Zech. 1:6; 7:12; Neh. 9:30).

It is God alone who has chosen, prepared and called the prophets; their vocation is not hereditary, but he often encounters internal resistance at first (Ex. 3:1-4:17; 1 Sam. 3:1-20; Jer. 1:4-10; Ez. 1 : 1-3: 15).

The Word of the Lord, transmitted to the prophets in various ways, is confirmed by signs, by the fulfillment of predictions, and by conformity with the teachings of the Law.

God will hold man accountable for his obedience or disobedience with respect to the Word transmitted by his servants (Deut. 18: 18-19, cf. V. 20 and Deut. 13: 1-5).

(b) False prophets.
In addition to those who speak in the name of a false god (Deut. 18:20; 1 Kings 18:19; Jer. 2:8; 23:13), there are those who lie invoking the name of Jehovah (Jer. 23: 16-32). The latter are of two kinds:

(A) Impostors, aware of his deception; Seduced by their desire to be the object of the consideration given to true prophets, they are popular because of their soft words (1 Kings 22:5-28; Ez. 13:17, 19; Mi. 3:11; Zech. 13:4).

(B) Sincere and even pious people, sometimes even basing themselves on the Law, but persuading themselves that they have been called by God to the prophetic ministry, when this is not the case. Despite their sincerity, these are false guides.

(c) Characteristics of the authentic prophet.

(A) The signs (Ex. 4:8; Is. 7:11, 14); but the signs are not sufficient by themselves; some of them could be of fortuitous origin, and even misleading (Deut. 13:1, 2; cf. Ex. 7:11, 22; 2 Thes. 2:9).

(B) The fulfillment of the predictions (Deut. 18:21, 22). The value of this means of verification increases when events come to demonstrate, on a historical level, the prophecies proclaimed long before.

(C) The spiritual message (Deut. 13:1-5; Is. 8:20). If the doctrine of the alleged prophet deviates from the Decalogue, the one who professes it is evidently not a man of God.

The teaching of the true prophet must be in accordance with that of the Law, both with regard to God and with respect to worship and the demands of morality.

It is not that he should give mere imitations of the sacred text. Based on divine commandments, prophets teach how they are exposed in everyday life and reveal the will and mind of God.

In their integrity, moral value, and quality of their teachings, authentic Israelite prophets far surpass the wise men of other nations.

Prophecy includes the prediction of events (Is. 5:11-13; 38:5, 6; 39:6, 7; Jer. 20:5, 6; 25:11; 28:16; Am. 1:5 ; 7:9, 17; Mi. 4:10).

Prediction is an important aspect of the prophet’s ministry and contributes to his credit, but the man of God is even more intensely concerned with the present and the past, seeking to convert the people to God (Isa. 41:26; 42:9; 46:9).

(d) Etymology of the term “prophet.”
In gr. the prophet is:

(A) The one who speaks in place of another: interpreter, herald.

(B) One who declares future events.
This double meaning derives from the fact that the preposition “pro” means “instead of” and “before.”

The Hebrew term. «nabi’», translated «prophet», means «one who announces». This expression seems to have originally had a very broad meaning.

The active participle is used in another Semitic language, Assyrian, to designate a herald. The Hebrew texts give Abraham the title of prophet (Gen. 20:7).

God communicates directly with him, reveals himself to him (Gen. 15:1-18; 18:17). Abraham transmits to his descendants the knowledge of the true God (Gen. 18:19), and his intercession is effective (vv. 22-32).

Miriam is called a prophetess (Ex. 15:20; Num. 12:2, 6); Aaron, Moses’ spokesman, is named after his “prophet” (Ex. 7:1; cf. 4:16).

The fundamental idea of the term “nabi’”, “prophet” (which, for example, appears in Deut. 18:18) is that God endows this herald with particular gifts, among others that of being a seer (1 Sam. . 3:1).

This is the reason why the prophet is sometimes called this seer (1 Sam. 9:9, Heb. “ro’eh”; Isa. 3:10, Heb. “hõzeh”).

As the people considered this quality to be the most important, the term “seer” was commonly used to designate the prophet during long periods of Israel’s ancient history.

Samuel, Gad and Iddo received this title. But Samuel is more than the seer to whom one turns to know the will of God, or to receive instructions about public or private matters.

He is the teacher sent by God to instruct the people, who recognizes in this public ministry the essential characteristic of prophecy (1 Sam. 10: 10-13; 19:20).

Teaching becomes the primary function of the prophet, as in the times of Moses. Starting with Samuel and his immediate successors (and some centuries later with a presence with renewed vigor) the prophet will always be present within the nation.

God’s ambassador to the kingdom of Israel, he does not fail to order that justice be practiced. Interpreting history in the light of morality, the prophet warns of God’s judgments on sin, and encourages the people to fidelity toward the Lord.

The prophet is in charge of revealing divine designs (like Nathan, who prevents David from building the Temple, but who prophesies the perenniality of his dynasty); However, this announcement of what is to come is far from occupying the central place within his ministry.

The great successors of Samuel are no longer called “seers”, but “prophets.” Without eliminating the title of seer from the vocabulary, the title of prophet is used again, which had never completely disappeared (Judg. 4:4; 1 Sam. 3:20; 9:9; 10:10-13; 19: twenty).

Amos, who had visions, is called “seer” by the priest of Bethel (1 Sam. 7:12); but God calls him to a full prophetic ministry (1 Sam. 7:15).

The prophet clothed with the power of the Most High is said to be “the man of spirit” (Hos. 9:7), the inspired one. As with other men who fulfill a public or private ministry, he is the man of God, his instrument, his messenger; he is a shepherd of the flock, a sentinel, an interpreter of divine thoughts.

Although all the prophets have arisen from Israel, God, for the fulfillment of His sovereign purposes, has occasionally granted a dream or vision to a Philistine, an Egyptian, a Midianite, a Babylonian or a Roman (Gen. 20 :6; 41:4; Judges 7:13; Dan. 2:1; Mt. 27:19).

The Lord even used Balaam, the soothsayer, whom the king of Moab had asked to curse Israel (Num. 22-24). These pagans momentarily came into contact with God’s plan.

To ensure its fulfillment, the Lord granted them a glimpse of revelation, but never included them among his prophets. The appearance of the angel to Hagar, Manoah and his wife, and others, did not confer on them this ministry, reserved for men subjected to the discipline of the Spirit, and in communion with God.

The Spirit of the Lord taught the prophets (1 Kings 22:24; 2 Chron. 15:1; 24:20; Neh. 9:30; Ez. 11:5; Joel 2:28; Mi. 3:8 ; Zech. 7:12; Mt. 22:43; 1 Pet. 1:10-11). Divine action is not in conflict with human psychology.

Sometimes God used an audible voice or an angel (Num. 7:89; 1 Sam. 3:4; Dan. 9:21); but usually he gave his instructions through dreams, visions and suggestions that the prophets recognized as being of divine origin, external to themselves.

These men were not continually under the inspiration of the Spirit, but were awaiting the revelation of the Lord (Lev. 24:12). His mind cannot be identified with God’s (1 Sam. 16:6, 7).

Nathan himself agreed with David in his desire to build the Temple; but he had to tell her later that God was opposed to this project (2 Sam. 7:3). Prophets only receive revelations at the time chosen by the Lord.

Since the time of Samuel, God has been giving prophets to Israel on a regular basis: several of them are anonymous (1 Kings 18:4; 2 Kings 2:7-16).

This ministry seems not to have ceased until the time of Malachi. As the time of Christ’s first coming approached, the prophetic Word was heard again (Lk. 1:67; 2:26-38).

There were prophets in the Church in Paul’s time (1 Cor. 12:28). In contrast to the apostles and elders, they do not constitute a defined group.

Men and women (Acts 21:9) communicated what God had revealed to them by the Spirit, occasionally announcing what was to happen (Acts 11:27-28; 21:10-11); especially, they exhorted and edified the Church (1 Cor. 14:3, 4, 24).

Paul ironically applies the adjective prophet to a pagan author who masterfully and truthfully described the immoral character of the Cretans (Tit. 1:12).

(e) Appeal.
It is God himself who calls the prophet (Am. 7:15), who knows the precise moment of this revelation. Moses was standing before a burning bush when the call came (Ex. 3:1-4:17).

The boy Samuel received particular revelations (1 Sam. 3:1-15) that prepared him for the prophetic career (1 Sam. 3:19-4:1).

Elisha knew when his calling dated, and he was not unaware that he had received a double portion of the Spirit (1 Kings 19:19, 20; 2 Kings 2:13, 14).

Isaiah’s calling is generally believed to coincide with his vision, in the year of King Uzziah’s death (Is. 6); but it is possible that he received the commission from him a long time before.

This vision marked the beginning of a new and more important stage of his ministry; cf. the vision of the apostle John long after his first calling (Rev. 1:10); that of Peter in Joppa (Acts 1:10); that of Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 22:17).

Likewise, Ezekiel received messages (Ez. 33:1-22) years after being invested with the prophetic ministry (Ez. 1:1, 4).

We know nothing about the first call received by Elijah, but we see him some time later (1 Kings 19) receiving a particular mandate in Horeb.

Jeremiah, aware of his calling, resists it from the very beginning (Jer. 1:4-10). Hosea alludes to the Word that the Lord addressed to him for the first time (Hosea 1:1).

As far as the calling is concerned, only one case of human instrumentality is recorded, that of Elisha (1 Kings 19:19). Based on Ps. 105:15, the suggestion has been made that the prophets were anointed with oil at the beginning of their ministry.

But the psalmist refers, in this text, to the patriarchs, whom he calls “prophets” according to the then current usage (cf. Gen. 20:7; 23:6).

In Isa. 61:1, which is also quoted regarding the anointing of oil, the reference is to the anointing of the Spirit. In 1 Kings 19:16 it speaks of the anointing of Elisha as a prophet and of Jehu as king.

The latter was, indeed, anointed with oil (2 Kings 9:1-6). As far as Elisha is concerned, his anointing is not described; What Elisha does do is throw his mantle over him as a sign of his calling to the prophetic ministry (2 Kings 1:8; 2:9, 13-15).

(f) Way of life.
The Bible refers only incidentally to the lifestyle of the prophets, which did not differ greatly from that of the other Israelites.

Dressing with hair was not as an ascetic, but as a penitent, weeping for the sins of the people (2 Kings 1:8; Zech. 13:4; cf. Mt. 3:4). Men of God sometimes wore a sackcloth over their kidneys, for the same symbolic purpose (Isa. 20:2).

The fur clothing was not worn directly on the skin, but rather as a sleeveless cloak, over the body. The prophets fed on wild fruits and vegetables (2 Kings 4:39; cf. Mt. 3:4).

They received gifts in kind (1 Sam. 9:8; 1 Kings 14:2, 3; 2 Kings 4:42), or were offered hospitality (1 Kings 17:9; 18:4; 2 Kings 4 :8, 10). Certain prophets, those who were from the tribe of Levi, had the right to tithe.

Some of them, like Elisha and Jeremiah, were from wealthy families (1 Kings 19:21; Jer. 32:8-10). Gad, the seer, as well as other men of God who also bore this title, were possibly recipients of royal support (2 Sam. 24:11; 1 Chron. 25:5; 2 Chron. 35:15).

Prophets generally had a home, as did their contemporaries (1 Sam. 7:17; 2 Sam. 12:15; 1 Kings 14:4; 2 Kings 4:1, 2; 5:9; 22 :14; Ez. 8:1). (See PROPHETS [COMPANY OF THES])

(g) Writings.
The prophets also had a literary task: they had to record in writing the history in which they had moved, and their prophetic messages.

Samuel the seer, Nathan the prophet, and Gad the seer were the historians of the kingdoms of David and Solomon. Ahijah of Shiloh wrote a prophecy (1 Chron. 29:29; 2 Chron. 9:29).

The prophet Shemaiah and the seer Iddo (2 Chr. 12:15) recounted the events of Rehoboam’s reign. Iddo, the seer, recorded the references to Jeroboam’s reign (1 Chron. 9:29).

The memoirs of the prophet Iddo recounted the reign of Abijah (1 Chron. 13:22). Jehu, the son of Hanani told the story of Jehoshaphat (1 Chron. 20:34; 19:2). Isaiah described the beginning and end of Uzziah and recorded the story of Hezekiah (1 Chron. 26:22; 32:32).

The Hebrew canon classifies four historical books among the previous prophets: Joshua, Judges, the books of Samuel, and Kings. It is evident that its authors were “the seers.”

In the time of Isaiah and Hosea, certain prophets became great writers, they wrote their messages either in a condensed way or in a very detailed way; on other occasions they have given us selections from their speeches.

These men surrendered to God in communion with Him through constant prayer were qualified to receive divine revelations (1 Sam. 7:5; 8:6; 12:23; 15:11).

They isolated themselves periodically in order to better perceive the instructions from Above (Is. 21:8; Hab. 2:1).

Ezekiel and Daniel received revelations on the bank of a river, where possibly the peacefulness would favor spiritual meditation (Ez. 1:3; Dan. 10:4). Likewise, it was during the night that Samuel heard the word of the Lord (1 Sam. 3:2-10).

The soul of the prophet remained incessantly open to the action of the Spirit, which, however, did not violate the personality of the human spirit.

Certain men who possessed the spirit of prophecy were not officially classified among the prophets.

David’s Psalms were not placed among the prophetic writings, even though he had announced Christ.

Daniel, designated by Christ himself as a prophet (Mt. 24:15), was officially a high official of the kings of Chaldea and Persia, and did not have a prophetic function within the nation of Israel; This is why the Heb. canon. He placed his book among the Hagiographa (sacred writings). (See CANON.)

The Hebrew canon gives the name “previous prophets” to the historical books: Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings. The strictly prophetic writings beginning with Isaiah are called “later prophets.”

This designation is not related to the time of writing, but rather to the position that these two groups of books occupy within the Hebrew canon.

The books of Kings, for example, written after Isaiah, belong to the group of “previous prophets.” There were great prophets, like Elijah and Elisha, who did not write down their speeches.

In modern commentaries they are called prophet-prayers. Here and there in the Bible there is allusion to the literary works of other prophets who recorded their preachings in writing.

Citations are given in the “previous prophets” or other books of the OT.
Among the “later prophets”, Hosea, Amos and Jonah preached in the northern kingdom and even in Nineveh (cf. 2 Kings 14:25).

The others exercised their ministry within the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, in the land of Canaan, or in the land of their exile. Including Daniel, the chronological classification is as follows:

(A) During the Assyrian period, shortly preceding the accession of Tiglath-pileser (745 BC), and extending until the decline of the power of Nineveh (around 625 BC): Hosea, Amos, Jonah, in the northern kingdom ; Joel, Obadiah and Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, in Judah.

(B) During the Babylonian period, in Judah, from the year 625 BC, and until the fall of Jerusalem, the year 586 BC: Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.

(C) During the exile in Babylon: Ezekiel, Daniel.

(D) After the return from exile: Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.