What Is a Prophet?

Session 1 Download these notes here: https://humble-sidecar-837.notion.site/30-Prophets-of-the-Bible-Outlines-282b35a87d63802a9adddc712da22dd5?source=copy_link

Text: Deuteronomy 18:15–22

I. The Need to Define “Prophet”

• In modern church language, prophet has become a slippery term—used for preachers, fortune tellers, mystics, or anyone with strong opinions.
• Scripture, however, is far more precise. Before studying thirty prophets, we must know what a prophet is and is not.
• Deuteronomy 18:15-22 gives one of the clearest definitions, while passages throughout the OT and NT fill in the picture.

II. What a Prophet Is

1. A Prophet Is One Who Speaks the Words of God

• Deut. 18:18 — “I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
• The prophet’s defining characteristic is not personal insight or holiness, but verbal communication from God.
• Prophets were mouthpieces of God—whether through spoken oracle, written message, or enacted sign.

Key terms:

• Hebrew נָבִיא (nābîʼ) — “one who is called/spokesman.”
• Greek προφήτης (prophētēs) — “one who speaks forth,” not merely “predicts.”

2. A Prophet Is an Authorized Messenger

• Jeremiah 1:7–9 — God sends Jeremiah and puts His words in Jeremiah’s mouth.
• Prophets were commissioned, not self-appointed.
• Their authority rested on God’s call, not popular recognition or personal gifting.

3. A Prophet Is Sometimes, But Not Always, a Predictor

• Prediction is part of prophecy but not its essence.
• Moses, Samuel, and John the Baptist gave relatively little predictive content compared to their role as spokesmen for God’s will. They reveal the Word from God, whether it be present or future.
• When they did predict, accuracy was absolute (Deut. 18:22).

4. A Prophet Is Distinct from Other Roles

• Not the same as priest (who represents the people before God).
• Not the same as king (who rules with delegated authority).
• The prophet delivers God’s word into time, often confronting kings and priests alike (e.g., Nathan before David, Elijah before Ahab).

III. What a Prophet Is Not

1. A Prophet Is Not a Mere Preacher

• While preaching may apply God’s Word, the prophet receives direct revelation.
• Many modern evangelicals use “prophet” loosely for bold preachers. That’s not biblical usage.
• Example: Amos was “no prophet, neither a prophet’s son” (Amos 7:14), yet when God called, he delivered new revelation—not simply exposition.

2. A Prophet Is Not a Fortune Teller or Mystic

• Biblical prophets didn’t gaze into crystal balls, study patterns, or deliver vague “words.”
• Their authority came from God’s direct speech, not subjective impressions or riddles.
• Balaam illustrates that even a pagan seer can utter true prophecy only when God puts words in his mouth (Num. 23:5).

3. A Prophet Is Not Infallible in Character

• Their message was inspired; their lives were not perfect.
• Jonah ran away. Balaam was greedy. Samuel misjudged Eliab.
• The test of a prophet is not moral perfection but faithfulness to deliver God’s Word accurately.

4. A Prophet Is Not a Permanent Office for Today

• Ephesians 2:20 — the church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.”
• Prophets were part of God’s revelatory foundation, not an ongoing pipeline of new revelation.
• Modern “prophetic movements” often confuse spiritual insight with prophetic office.

IV. Tests of a True Prophet (Deut. 18:20–22)

1. Source Test – Is the message from the LORD or from another source?
2. Accuracy Test – Does the prediction come to pass? If not, the prophet spoke presumptuously.
3. Doctrinal Test – Deut. 13:1–5: Even accurate predictions are rejected if they lead people to other gods or false worship.

V. Why This Definition Matters for the Series

• If we don’t define the term carefully, we’ll read modern notions back into ancient texts.

• The 30 prophets we’ll study function within this biblical framework—not as mere teachers or moral voices, but as instruments of revelation in specific times and places.

• Their roles, messages, and contexts will make more sense once “prophet” is clearly defined.

• Hebrews 1:1–2

  “God… spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets…”