The Gift of Prophecy

Who Is an Old Testament Prophet? 16

The gift of prophecy is recognizable in its various forms in the ministry of the Old Testament prophets by revealing who is a prophet, detecting what is his or her role, and defining the nature of the prophetic phenomenon. GOP 17.1

1. A Prophet Is Someone Who Is Called By God.

A prophet is a person who was called by God Himself to the prophetical ministry. Priesthood and kingship were hereditary, but one needed to be called by God in order to become a prophet. This is a specific feature of prophets and is different from kings, priests, or wise men. There are many narratives describing dramatic calls of prophets (see, e.g., the Lord’s calling of Moses [Ex. 3], Samuel [1 Sam. 3], Isaiah [Isa. 6], Jeremiah [Jer. 1], and Ezekiel [Eze. 1-3]. These calls confer authority on the prophet, and it is a distinct mark for becoming a prophet. GOP 17.2

2. A Prophet Is the Spokesperson for God.

Prophets are spokespersons for God. Their crucial role is to deliver speeches on God’s behalf. It is clearly explained in Exodus 4 and 7 that Moses would act like God (‘ēlōhîm) to Pharaoh, and Aaron would be Moses’s prophet (nābî’), which means that Aaron’s task would be to speak to Pharaoh what Moses tells him. Aaron would be the intermediator and deliverer of God’s word. So God calls prophets in order to deliver His words: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country’ ” (Ex. 7:1, 2). “You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him” (Ex. 4:15, 16). GOP 17.3

A prophet is thus God’s “mouth,” His speaker (Jer. 15:19). A prophet is an authorized and authoritative spokesperson called by God Himself. He is a nābî’ (occurring 309 times in the Hebrew Bible), which means a prophet. Scholars have not reached a consensus about the meaning of this term. There are two interpretative possibilities: 1. The word is derived from the Akkadian term nabu (this language predates Hebrew), meaning “to be called,” “one who is called,” or nabitu, signifying “one called (by the gods),” thus nābî’ would mean “someone called to a certain task.” 17 2. The noun nābî’ is derived from the Hebrew verb nāba’, which root means to “speak,” “prophesy.” Westermann claims that the prophetical formula “Thus says the Lord” reflects the style of Mari kings’ messengers. 18 Thus, prophets speak for God. These two meanings should be taken as complementary, so a prophet is a person called by God and authorized by Him to be His spokesperson who communicates the content of God’s revelation. The result is that “God spoke to Israel through prophets.” 19 GOP 17.4

Abraham Heschel aptly corrects a misunderstanding of the commonly accepted view that the prophet is God’s “mouth”: “The prophet is not a mouthpiece, but a person; not an instrument, but a partner, an associate of God.” 20 A prophet is not a spectator, but an actor on the stage of life; he is personally involved, immersed, and engaged in his, i.e., God’s mission. Prophets play out their message as actors, as in the cases of Hosea (Hos. 1; 2), Isaiah (Isa. 20:2-4), Micah (Mic. 1:8), or Ezekiel, who performed 12 symbolic actions (Eze. 3:26, 27; 4:1-3; 4:4, 5; 4:6-8; 4:9-17; 5:1-4; 12:1-6; 12:17-20; 21:6, 7; 21:18-23; 24:15-26; 37:15-23). GOP 18.1

Numbers 12:6-8 plainly explains the authority of a prophet in comparison to the ministry of Moses. God Himself speaks: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” Moses is a prophet par excellence and becomes a norm for all later prophets. “All prophetic utterances were to be tested by God’s revelation to Moses.” 21 He was uplifted to this level as a prophet because (1) God communicated with him very closely like with a friend (Ex. 33:11; Deut. 34:10); (2) he was His faithful servant and called the servant of the Lord (Ex. 14:31; Num. 12:7, 8; Deut. 34:5; Josh. 1:1, 2; compare with Heb. 3:2, 5); (3) he performed mighty deeds and miraculous signs and wonders (Deut. 34:11, 12) ; (4) he was a mediator of the covenant at Sinai (Ex. 19:3-8; 20:18-20; 24:3-8); (5) he developed the Old Testament church more fully after the Exodus, with Israel becoming one nation; and (6) he had several important roles assigned by God—leadership with speaking and writing. For these reasons all future prophets were to be compared to him. His ministry was normative, and people were to look forward to the “prophet like Moses.” Deuteronomy 18:15 alludes to this messianic hope: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” GOP 18.2

Also Samuel and Elijah were considered as prophets with special stature (Jer. 15:1; 2 Chron. 35:18; Mal. 4:5), even though they did not write a book. They were the model prophets and fulfilled their roles without any faults in times of extraordinary crisis. Samuel stood for a theocracy and encouraged the first two kings of Israel to do the will of God. Elijah’s faithfulness on Mount Carmel when he opposed 850 Baal and Asherah prophets in false worship and courageously called the whole nation to serve the Lord was magnificent and spectacular (see 1 Kings 18:16-46). 22 GOP 18.3

A prophet is a voice (qol) in the wilderness (Isa. 40:3; Mark 1:3); he is God’s messenger, mal’ak (see Mal. 3:1; Matt. 3:1-4; see also Mal. 2:7). Gary V. Smith expresses it well: “The written records of the prophets portray them as normal people, preaching to diverse audiences in a wide array of settings. Each fulfilled God’s calling by communicating a life-transforming message that required a reevaluation of the way their audiences conceived the phenomena in the world. . . . They saw themselves as messengers who communicated God’s word to an audience that needed God’s love, wisdom, power, and grace.” 23 Abraham Heschel explains: “The prophet claims to be far more than a messenger. He is a person who stands in the presence of God (Jer. 15:19), who stands ‘in the council of the Lord’ (Jer. 23:18), who is a participant, as it were, in the council of God, not a bearer of dispatches whose function is limited to being sent on errands. He is a counselor as well as messenger.” 24 Grudem correctly writes: “The main function of the Old Testament prophets was to be messengers from God, sent to speak to men and women with words from God.” 25 GOP 19.1

3. A Prophet Is the Proclaimer of the Divine Word.

Prophets very often used specific formulas: “This is what the Lord says” (Isa. 45:1; 49:8; Jer. 18:13; 29:10); “The Lord said to me” (Isa. 8:1; Hos. 3:1); “The Lord spoke to . . . me” (Isa. 8:11, NKJV); “This is what the Sovereign Lord says” (Eze. 6:11; 7:5; Oba. 1); “The word of the Lord came to me” (Jer. 1:4, 13; 2:1; Eze. 6:1); “Declares the Lord” (Jer. 3:20; 4:1; 8:1; Hag. 1:13); “The word of the Lord came to [follows a name of a particular prophet]” (1 Kings 16:1; Hos. 1:1; Joel 1:1; Jon. 1:1; Mic. 1:1; Zeph. 1:1; Zech. 1:1); “By the word of the Lord a man of God came” (1 Kings 13:1); etc. Prophets proclaim the word of God, because God revealed it to them (Amos 7:15, 16). This fact of God’s revelation gives to them the highest authority. 26 The secrets (sod) of God are revealed to them (Amos 3:7; Gen. 18:17); they saw God and had a personal encounter with Him (1 Kings 17:2; 18:15; Isa. 6:1-9; Jer. 1:4-10; Eze. 1:28; Dan. 7:9, 10, 13, 14; Amos 9:1). They are His speakers; they speak in God’s name to His people and sometimes even to other nations (see prophets’ oracles against foreign nations in Isaiah 13-23; Jeremiah 46-51; Ezekiel 25-32; Amos 1; 2; or Jonah’s mission to the Ninevites—Jonah 4; see also Seraiah’s journey to Babylon with the message from Jeremiah in Jeremiah 51:59-64). They were ministers of God’s word. 27 GOP 19.2

Through prophets the invisible God becomes audible. Prophets make God’s presence more real; they declare that they were in God’s presence. Samuel Meier states that “only the prophet ever made the claim that he stood in the presence of God.” 28 Abraham Heschel observes that the prophet’s task was to bring people to the presence of God. They “could not use the language of essence; they had to use the language of presence. They did not try to depict Him; they tried to present Him, to make Him present. In such effort, only words of grandeur and intensity, not abstractions, can be of any avail.” 29 GOP 20.1

The authority of a prophet is derived from God, His revelation, and His word. Prophetic office is not bought or inherited but given from above. If a prophet is called by God, he or she has the authority—as Moses did—and speaks the very word of God that needs to be obeyed. When a prophet speaks, it is like God would speak, because the prophet delivers His Word and not his or her own (see 2 Pet. 1:19-21). Deuteronomy 18:17-19 gives reasons a prophet has authority and must be highly respected: “The Lord said to me: ‘What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.’ ” Grudem correctly states that the words of a prophet have the highest authority: “We could fully trust the words of the Old Testament Scriptures, and (whenever its commands apply to us today) we should fully obey its commands, for they are commands from God.” 30 GOP 20.2

The proclamation of God’s word is very crucial because it provides a control to the prophetic gift. The orthodoxy and genuineness of the prophet can be established and confirmed by examining his word (Isa. 8:19, 20). It gives balance to the spiritual and visionary part of the prophet, because anybody can claim that God revealed Himself to him/her or that God spoke to him/her. The prophet’s word is something tangible that can be evaluated and judged if it is in harmony with the directions of God’s previous revelation, or if it is in contradiction to its original intent and purpose. GOP 20.3

The needed truthfulness of the prophet’s message and credibility is described in Deuteronomy 13:1-4: “If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, ‘Let us follow other gods’ (gods you have not known) ‘and let us worship them,’ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.” GOP 20.4

It is important to realize that even false prophets can perform miracles, and prophets with wonders can mislead. Mighty deeds and miracles are not proof of the trustworthiness and authenticity of the prophecy or the prophet’s teaching. “One impossibility for a true biblical prophet, therefore, is that he would proclaim any message that promotes other gods and their worship.” 31 “The signs or wonders the prophet performs are of secondary importance to the message they accompany.” 32 “A person is not necessarily a prophet because he is able to announce a sign or wonder that comes to pass. If the message that person speaks calls people to faithful obedience to the God of the Scriptures, only then should the sign or wonder be acknowledged as legitimate.” 33 GOP 20.5

The principle is thus clear: the prophetical message must be in harmony with God’s previous revelation and His law, and the new message cannot contradict basic principles of what other prophets have taught. Not the gift of the Spirit but only the fruit of the Spirit are genuine signs of truth: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matt. 7:21-23). GOP 21.1

Grudem argues that in the Old Testament “every prophet is judged or evaluated, but not the various parts of every prophecy.” 34 It means that “when a prophet spoke in the name of the Lord, if even one prophecy did not come true, he was a false prophet (Deut. 18:22).” 35 Samuel was evaluated as a person and his message in its entirety (see 1 Sam. 3:19; 9:6; also Jer. 28:8, 9) and prevailed (1 Sam. 2:30). Biblical prophets are always very closely associated with the law of God. The law (Hebrew Torah, teaching, God’s instructions) is inseparable from their activities. All that the prophets were doing was deeply rooted in the Torah. They were called and obliged to transmit God’s word to the people. They pointed back to the law of God. Thus, the Pentateuch is the foundation in which prophets were ingrained and to which they referred. 36 GOP 21.2

God’s transcendence prevented prophets from manipulating God or altering His message. A warning example is the prophet Balaam, who could only utter genuine prophecies (Num. 22:35, 38; 23:11, 12, 25, 26; 24:12-13) in spite of his attempts to do otherwise (Num. 24:1, 2). He pronounced the most beautiful blessings on God’s people (Num. 23:18-24; 24:9) and proclaimed messianic prophecies (Num. 24:17-19). However, he departed from his call, gave wicked advice, and his life ended in a violent death (Num. 25:1, 2; 31:8, 16; Josh. 13:22; cf. 2 Pet. 2:15; Rev. 2:14). GOP 21.3

It is interesting that God could give even prophetic dreams to Pharaoh (Gen. 41:1-40) or Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan. 2 and 4), but always the correct interpretation needed to be delivered by God’s men (e.g., Joseph or Daniel) so that the divine message would not be mixed and confused with magic or divination. The word and content of God’s message is more crucial than the manner of deliverance. Also the unusual symbols in apocalyptic visions of the prophetic books of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah demand thorough cognitive work for understanding of the meaning of the Old Testament message. GOP 21.4

4. A Prophet Is the Presenter of the Right Picture of God.

The principal task and the main role of God’s prophets was to present a right picture of God. Prophets paint the picture of God on the background of the great controversy between good and evil. Not a sentimental dream picture about God, not a distant God, not a cruel, tyrannical or capricious God, not a God of philosophers (an idealistic, motionless, non-historical God), but a living, interacting, emotional, suffering, intervening God. Satan tried from the very beginning in the Garden of Eden to distort the character of God, making of Him a monster (Gen. 3:1-5). 37 The main role of prophets was to restore the true understanding of God, because from the lack of knowledge people perish (Hos. 4:1, 6; 5:1). Oswalt aptly summarizes that prophets “understanding of God and of humanity and of the world and of the meaning and purpose of human experience, and indeed of reality, is unique.” 38 GOP 22.1

Prophets were correctors of the wrong picture of God. They presented the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God of prophets, God of love, truth, justice, and freedom (Gen. 3:1-15; Ex. 34:6, 7). Only this correct view of God stirs a right response (Rom. 2:4). God is presented already in Genesis as God the Creator, Judge, Savior, Leader, Help, Lord of History, Covenant God, and personal God. Prophets spoke about hope and restoration. 39 GOP 22.2

Some prophets performed great miracles—especially Moses, Elijah, and Elisha, 40 but others not. However, the most important point for all prophets was to deliver the divine message faithfully. Prophetic message was twofold—proclaiming judgment or condemnation, but on the other hand, also hope, restoration, and salvation. 41 Prophetical message is strongly monotheistic and against all forms of idolatry. It is an ethical message of true morality with respect for God, other human beings, and self. They demand responsible moral behavior. Justice is another key component of their message that was often stressed and emphasized. Their principal message, however, was always one of repentance and return to the Lord (Eze. 14:6; 18:30-32; 33:11; Hos. 6:1; 14:1, 2; Joel 2:12-14; Amos 5:4-6, 14, 15). They are “guardians of theocracy” 42 who want God to rule in the lives of everyone and allow Him to be their God and Lord. GOP 22.3

Prophets specifically spoke about the Day of the Lord (for example, Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14-3:1), which was the type for the second coming of Christ. Zimmerli rightly points to the fact that on many occasions the prophetic word regarding “a day of Yahweh . . . is interpreted as a phenomenon that is relevant for the whole world.” 43 GOP 23.1

True prophets had to unmask the false worship system like Elijah and Daniel did (1 Kings 18:18-39; Dan. 3:1-30; 7:8, 24-27; 8:9-26) and denounce false prophets with their wrong practices (Eze. 13). It is significant to note that there is no term in the Hebrew Scriptures for false prophets. The Septuagint uses the word pseudoprophētēs (see Jer. 28:1 [= LXX 35:1]; Jer. 29:1, 8 = [LXX 36:1, 8]; Zech. 13:2), but in the Hebrew this terminology is missing; the word nābî’ is used to designate a true or a false prophet. Their belief system and praxis identify them as true or false. This is why it was quite difficult in Israel to distinguish between the true and false prophet. Abraham Heschel pointedly explains: “The God of the philosophers is a concept derived from abstract ideas; the God of the prophets is derived from acts and events.” 44 When they practiced magic or divination (Isa. 9:19; Jer. 14:14), went after false gods and fell into idolatry (Eze. 8:6-18; 14:3-8; 20:30-44), their morality was questionable (Jer. 23:14), predicted things that did not happen (Jer. 28:2-4, 10, 11, 15-17), or misled people (Deut. 13:2; 18:20; Jer. 2:8), so they were identified as unfaithful servants. GOP 23.2

5. A Prophet Is the Interpreter of History.

When I ask people the question “Who is a prophet?” the typical answer is that a prophet is a person who predicts future events. This answer is partially true because prophets can predict the future, but contrary to popular opinion, predicting the future was generally a minor role (one exception would be the apocalyptic prophet Daniel). The English term prophet is derived from the Greek noun prophētēs, which basically means to foresee. However, this understanding is misleading and simplifies, because prophets only rarely predicted the future. Uttering a prophecy occupies a small portion of their role. GOP 23.3

It is interesting that the Hebrew canon places among the prophetical portion of the Old Testament books that in a Christian canon belong among historical books. The Hebrew canon consists of these three sections: (1) Pentateuch; (2) Prophets—(a) Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings (in our canon they are all part of the “historical books”); and (b) Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Minor Prophets; and (3) Writings, which include wisdom literature and the rest of the historical books. GOP 23.4

So, according to the Hebrew canonical division, a prophet is an interpreter of history. Prophets interpret the history from God’s perspective. There is no prophecy—or real life, for that matter—without memory! The primary role of the biblical prophets is not to satisfy our curiosity regarding the future. Petersen mentions that “prophets are presented as historians.” 45 Redditt claims that prophets “by far the majority, dealt with explanations of past and present events and exhortations for the people to live righteously, priests to teach properly, and rulers and judges to administer justice fairly.” 46 They are rather “forthtellers” than “foretellers.” Prophets interpreted past history in order to help people to understand it, and thus to do right and make mature decisions now. They call for present actions. Thus, prophets are people of three tenses: they interpret what happened in the past history, they predict the future, but urge people to act ethically in the present. GOP 24.1

6. A Prophet Is a Person With Special Insight.

A prophet receives insight into complex situations. This is why he or she is called rō’ēh, or seer (used 11 times in the Hebrew Bible). The Hebrew root of this particular noun is rā’āh, meaning to “see” or “perceive.” Prophets perceive what other people do not see (1 Sam. 9:19; 15:28; Eze. 1:1; Amos 8:1, 2; Jer. 1:11-14; 24:3-5, 8; Zech. 4:2-6). They know God’s will to the extent that He discloses it to them. He is ḥōzēh, a vizier (employed 16 times in the Old Testament). The Hebrew root chāzāh means to “see,” “gaze,” “look intently,” “have vision” (Num. 24:4; Isa. 1:1; 13:16; Amos 1:1; Oba. 1; Mic. 1:1; Hab. 1:1). This is why a prophet is a person of vision seeing life from God’s angle, from His point of view. GOP 24.2

It does not mean that prophets understand everything. They also ask questions, need to search the Scriptures for answers, and sometimes must learn to live with their questions (Dan. 7:28; 8:27; 9:2, 22, 23; 12:8, 9; Hab. 1:2, 12, 13; 2:1-3; 3:2, 3, 16-19; “No prophet asks more questions than Zechariah” ; 47 1 Peter 1:10-12). Prophets can speak about things only if God reveals them to them. For example, Elisha did not know the cause of a woman’s grief (2 Kings 4:27). It is God who reveals to prophets the future (2 Kings 8:10, 13) and secret things (2 Kings 6:12). See also the experiences of Balaam, who had to deliver only the word of God to the Moabite king Balak (Num. 22:35-38; 23:11, 12, 26; 24:12, 13), and Daniel, who did not understand what God had revealed to him (Dan. 8:27; 12:8). It is interesting that all three terms for designating a prophet are used in 1 Chronicles 29:29, where Samuel is called the seer, Nathan the prophet, and Gad the vizier. In 2 Samuel 24:11 Gad is called both the prophet and the vizier, and 1 Samuel 9:9 explains that in the past a prophet was called a seer. GOP 24.3

Because prophets receive special insight from God about the future (the great controversy and details of the plan of salvation), they can predict the future, usually the near future (Jer. 28:15-17; Eze. 24:15-18; Hab. 1:6). Sometimes they even predict the distant future (Isa. 24-27; Eze. 38; 39; Dan. 2; 7; 8; 9:24-27), while false prophets are without the ability to see beyond their own time. GOP 24.4

What prophets really see is the significance of what God presents and the meaning of it. They are able to distinguish the relevancy of the topic presented (Amos 7:7, 8; 8:1, 2). This ability to perceive implications demonstrates that they are filled with the Spirit. They can see the real point of the vision and what God intends to do. 48 God’s ultimate intention is the salvation of humankind; thus a true prophet points to Christ. Isaiah speaks about Immanuel (Isa. 7:14), Divine Son who will be born (Isa. 9:6), Davidic King (Isa. 11:1-16), and the Servant of the Lord (Isa. 42:1-9; 49:1-7; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12; 61:1-3). Ezekiel projects five messianic predictions (Eze. 17:22; 21:27; 29:21; 34:23; 37:24, 25). 49 Williams asserts: “All of the Old Testament points forward to him [Jesus Christ], and all of the New Testament reflects back on the significance of the Christ event.” 50 Also, a prophet speaks about the future kingdom of God (Isa. 24-27; Dan. 2 and 7). GOP 25.1

Another integral part of their messages were announcements of judgment upon nations such as Babylon and Egypt, and Daniel even spoke about the activities of the little horn. They also preached about God’s judgment on His people (Joel 3:14-16; Amos 5:18-24). A prophet is a person of three tenses—past, present, and future—which enables him or her to help people achieve a correct orientation, perspective, or knowledge, and to motivate them to make right decisions. Prophets push for actions and encourage God’s people to act now. 51 GOP 25.2

7. A Prophet Is a Man of God.

A prophet is also called ‘îš ‘ēlōhîm, i.e., the man of God. This expression is used 76 times in the Old Testament (1 Sam. 2:27; 9:6-10; 1 Kings 12:22; 17:24; 2 Kings 4:7, 9; 1 Chron. 23:14; 2 Chron. 8:14). 52 Why this designation? This phrase describes a special relationship between God and the prophet. He belongs to God, but at the same time it points to the godly life of the prophet. So this term means to be a “holy man” 53 and underscores the delivery of God’s word by God’s man. It is interesting that this phrase “is not used for any of the literary prophets.” 54 GOP 25.3

8. A Prophet Is a Man of the Spirit.

A prophet is also ‘îš hāruach, i.e., the man of the Spirit (Hos. 9:7). Even though in the book of Hosea this designation is used pejoratively, the fact remains that a prophet is led, filled, and endowed by the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit they are powerless. “The Spirit of God came on” Balaam, so he could prophesy (Num. 24:2). The Spirit of God gives to prophets the message (Eze. 2:1; 3:12, 24; 2 Pet. 1:21). There is a play on the word ruach in Jeremiah 5:13, because ruach can mean “Spirit” (of God), but also “wind”: “The [false] prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.” The prophetic office is a Spirit-empowered ministry (Judg. 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14, 15; 2 Sam. 23:2; Neh. 9:20, 30; Isa. 61:1; 63:14). 55 GOP 26.1

The story is told about a man who came to his dying rabbi and said: “Rabbi, God spoke to me in a dream and stated that I am to be your successor. You need to appoint me to your position before you pass away.” The rabbi wisely answered: “Go home, and if you have the same dream tonight, come again to me.” The next day the man returned and confirmed that he had received the same dream. The rabbi insisted that they needed to be sure about it, so he requested the man to go home and pray. If he had the same dream for the third time, then something must be done about it. When the man came the third day and affirmed that he had the same dream again, the rabbi then advised him: “Now you need to pray that the same dream will be given to each person in our community of faith! Only then will you be my successor!” GOP 26.2

Everyone can claim that he or she has had a dream or a vision in which the Spirit of God spoke. How do we judge the authenticity of such a claim? Not by external signs, assurances of dreams and visions, or experience but in God’s revelation. His Word is the ultimate proof of the genuineness of the prophet (see point 3, above), the only warrant of truth. “The true prophets of Israel, whether precanonical or canonical, possessed both the word and the Spirit of the Lord.” 56 To this crucial element can be added some external physical phenomena that may accompany the vision (e.g., the prophet has open eyes while in vision [Num. 24:4, 16], does not breathe [Dan. 10:17], 57 or his strength is gone [Eze. 2:1; Dan. 7:28; 8:27; 10:16, 17]). GOP 26.3

9. A Prophet Is the Servant of the Covenant.

A prophet is the servant of the covenant. Biblical covenants reflect Hittite suzerain-vassal treaties in their form. Built on the studies of these treaties, Bible scholars recognized that biblical covenants have several parts: (1) Preamble—where the Sovereign Lord presents Himself and who He is; (2) Historical Prologue—past relationship between the Lord and His people is defined; (3) Stipulations—laws are presented that need to be observed; (4) Blessings and Curses—in this section are clearly defined the consequences of obedience and rebellion (e.g., in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-30); (5) Witnesses; and (6) Special Provisions or signs of the covenant. 58 Good examples of this arrangement of the biblical material are the Decalogue (Ex. 20:1-17); the whole book of Deuteronomy, which is structured according to the parts of the covenant; 59 and Joshua 24, where the renewal of the covenant under the leadership of Joshua is established (divided into six parts in the following way: 24:2a; 2b-13; 14-18; 19-21; 22-24; 25-27). GOP 26.4

Oswalt aptly underlines that “the primary task of the Israelite prophet is to remind the people of their covenant relationship with Yahweh and of the obligatory behavior this should impose upon them.” 60 In our present study we need to underscore covenant blessings and curses. Prophets are called to remind people of the consequences of their covenant relationship with God. Their disobedience will bring curses and disaster. 61 GOP 27.1

“This call to covenant obedience brings the Israelite prophet to his unique view of the openness of history: the future is not determined, but dependent on the choices of the people with respect to their covenant.” 62 Grudem rightly explains that a prophet is a “ ‘messenger of the covenant’ sent to remind Israel of the terms of her covenant with the Lord, calling the disobedient to repentance and warning that the penalties of disobedience will soon be applied.” 63 Prophets used the strong language of the covenant curses in order to steer the people toward a proper response to God! They reminded the people of God’s faithfulness, their disobedience, and His impending punishment—“covenant lawsuit” (rib). 64 They called people to be partakers of the new covenant with God. Thus, they are covenant spokespersons. GOP 27.2

10. A Prophet Is the Mediator and Intercessor.

The first explicit occurrence of the word nābî’ in the Bible is associated with intercessory ministry. God assures Abimelech that he will live when Abraham, the prophet, prays for him (Gen. 20:7, 17). Prophets are standing between God and His people communicating from each party to the other. Moses prayed for Pharaoh (Ex. 8:8, 12, 28-30; 9:28-33; 10:16-18). A prophet is a man of prayer (Isa. 37:1-4; Jer. 10:23-25). Also Samuel was instrumental in preserving God’s people (Jer. 15:1; Hos. 12:13). Samuel modeled himself after Moses’ great example of intercession (Ex.32:30, 31). Prophets prayed for and with people. Daniel prayed with his three friends (Dan. 2:20-23) and for the whole nation (Dan. 9:4-19), Abraham prayed for Abimelech (Gen. 20:17, 18), and Moses prayed for sinners (Ex. 32:31, 32). Elijah invited and appealed to the whole nation to serve the Lord and not Baal. He then prayed to God, and God responded in a very spectacular and tangible way (1 Kings 18). Prophets not only prayed for sinners but even symbolically bore their sins (Eze. 4:4-6). This was their priestly role. It is also interesting to observe that at least three prophets were from the priestly family: Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah. They approached God on behalf of people. GOP 27.3

11. A Prophet Is a Revivalist and Reformer.

Prophets call for a true, meaningful relationship with God without formalism. They call for repentance (Eze. 18:31; 33:11; three times Amos 5 uses the expression “Seek the Lord and live”) and denounce all kind of sins, e.g., idolatry, pride, selfishness, infidelity, murder, exploitation, abuse, injustice, and unfaithfulness (Eze. 20; 22). Prophets call for a relationship with God built on love and gratitude (Isa. 58:13, 14; Eze. 36:24-28; Mic. 7:15-20; Zeph. 3:14-20). They disturb people and are against stagnation, spiritual lethargy, comforts of life, laziness, and status quo. Prophets help people to cultivate honest relationships with God: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic. 6:8). GOP 28.1

Prophets’ social work is extensive. 65 They call everyone in society to repentance, to be faithful to God and His covenant—kings, priests, judges, false prophets, rich people, officials, military leaders, common people, women, children (see, e.g., Joel 2:12-19; Eze. 14:6; 33:11, 12). They are social reformers and call for special care for poor, orphans, widows, and aliens (Deut. 14:29; Isa. 9:17; 10:2). They are strongly against any form of pride, corruption, injustice, violence, abuse, immorality, and deceit. Jesus summarizes this emphasis on simple social issues for all in His parable about the Last Judgment. Jesus, the Prophet of all prophets, mentions the same six social actions four times and always in the same order: GOP 28.2

Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:34-40). GOP 28.3

Reinhold Niebuhr declared that a true prophet’s messages in a wicked time might cause insecurity. 66 Needed changes create a sense of uneasiness and should lead to reformation. God will not destroy His people, even though the message of judgment and condemnation is strong. The Day of the Lord will come (Zeph. 1:14), but God has no delight in death of the wicked, but wants their repentance (Eze. 18:31). Death is for God a contradiction, because He is the Source and Giver of life, the Creator. Punishment and destruction is not His nature, but a strange and alien work that needs to be done for the sake of removing evil and protecting life (Isa. 28:21). GOP 29.1

Prophets deepened the deceitfulness, danger, and consciousness of sin by revealing God’s holiness, righteousness, and purity, and they consistently call people to repentance. GOP 29.2

12. A Prophet Is a Teacher of Righteousness.

Prophets taught people about true worship (Amos 5:21-24). A classic example is the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 18), but many others did the same (Jer. 1:3; Mal. 3:7). Isaiah protested against corrupted worship (Isa. 1:10-20); Zephaniah called Israel to the service of true singing (Zeph. 3:14, 15); and Micah stood against a lifestyle that would be centered on rituals instead of true morality and ethics (Mic. 6:6-8). They taught the meaning of true fasting (Isa. 58:6-14), keeping of the Sabbath (Isa. 56:3-8; 58:12-14; Eze. 20:12-20), true ethics of love and justice (Zech. 7; 8), and many other important subjects (Mal. 2:10-16; 3:8-12). 67 GOP 29.3

Rolf Rendtorff underlines that prophecy should not be detached from the Torah, 68 because a prophet must be the guardian of the law of God (Isa. 8:20). Prophets teach people what is right and just, present the truth of God, and teach God’s instructions (Torah). This teaching role summarizes many other aspects of their ministry. The teaching aspect was formalized under the prophet Samuel, who founded prophetic schools that prospered well into the time of Elijah and Elisha. 69 GOP 29.4

Prophets also have many other functions. They play a role of a pastor/comforter, like Ezekiel in Babylonian exile after Jerusalem’s fall in 587/586 B.C., when he brought hope to the exiles (see Eze. 36; 37). They encouraged God’s people, like Isaiah (Isa. 40:1, 2), Zephaniah (Zeph. 2:3; 3:11-17), or Habakkuk (Hab. 3:13-19). A prophet can be an evangelist or missionary, like the prophet Jonah, who was sent by God to preach to the Ninevites (Jon. 1-4). GOP 29.5