# What Is a Prophet?

Session 1

**Text:** Deuteronomy 18:15–22

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### **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.

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### **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).

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### **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.

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### **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.

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### **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…”
    > 

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