Table of Contents
Prophet: Defined
One who speaks/sings by divine inspiration
- “… Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet* to the nations.” Jer 1:5 NKJV
All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet* of the Lord. 1 Samuel 3:20 NASB
*5030 נביא [nâbîy’] \naw-bee’\ From 5012; a prophet or (generally) inspired man: – {prophecy} that {prophesy} prophet.
5012 נבא [nâbâ’] \naw-baw’\ A primitive root; to {prophesy} that {is} speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse): – prophesy (-ing) make self a prophet.
- prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21 NKJV
Prophetic Levels
- Prophet: All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. 1 Samuel 3:20 NASB
- Prophetic Gift: earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people]. 1 Cor 14:1 AMP
- One off Prophesy: Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied Luke 1:67 BSB
Prophets: Those whose spiritual eyes/ears are opened
- Balaam: Then he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened, The utterance of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open: Numbers 24:3-4 NKJV
- Isaiah: He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple [as One who is taught]. The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away. Isaiah 50:4,5 AMP
- King David: Sacrifice and meal offering You do not desire, nor do You delight in them; You have opened my ears and given me the capacity to hear [and obey Your word] Psalms 4:6 AMP
Some Prophets SEE
- Amos: The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. Amos 1:1 NKJV
- Habakkak: The prophesy which the prophet Habakkuk saw. Habakkuk 1:1 NKJV
- Micah: The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Micah 1:1 NKJV
Some Prophets HEAR
- Isaiah: He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple [as One who is taught]. The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away. Isaiah 50:4,5 AMP
- King David: Sacrifice and meal offering You do not desire, nor do You delight in them; You have opened my ears and given me the capacity to hear [and obey Your word] Psalms 4:6 AMP
- Agabus: And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” Acts 21:10-11 NKJV
Some people start prophesying when:
1. In the presence of other Prophets
King Saul: After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be transformed into a different person. 1 Samuel 10:5, 6 BSB When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 1 Samuel 10:10 NKJV
King Saul’s messengers: When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah, he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy. 1 Samuel 19:19, 20 BSB
- King Saul’s other messengers: when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 1 Samuel 19:21 NKJV
2. When filled with or when they receive the Holy Spirit
- Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied Luke 1:67 BSB
- when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:6 NKJV
- Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 1 Samuel 10:6 NKJV
God does not do anything major without revealing it to His prophets
- Certainly the Lord GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret plan To His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7 NASB
See example below
- The LORD said, “Shall I keep secret from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do Gen 18:17 AMP
God can make you a Prophet in one day
- Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: “I was no prophet, Nor was I a son of a prophet, But I was a sheepbreeder And a tender of sycamore fruit. Amos 7:14 NKJV
- Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. 1 Sam 3:7 NASB
Who becomes a Prophet?
- The secret [of the wise counsel] of the LORD is for those who fear Him, And He will let them know His covenant and reveal to them [through His word] its [deep, inner] meaning. Ps 25:14 AMP
God would have us all become Prophets or at least Prophesy
- Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!” Numbers 11:29 NKJV
- earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people]. 1 Cor 14:1 AMP
Children can become prophets/prophesy
- Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses. Acts 21:9 NASB
- it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men* shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. Acts 2:17 NKJV
*3495 νεανίσκος [NEANI/SKOS] {neanískos} \neh-an-is’-kos\
from the same as 3494; a youth (under forty):–young man.
A Prophet may do more than Prophesy
- the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:2-3 NKJV
- Ax head floats: So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. 2 Kings 6:6 NKJV
Prophetic Facts
Prophesying
- the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 NKJV
COMMENT: In the context of the prophetic, whether you get to prophesy through the gift of prophesy or by being a Prophet, once given the gift or made a Prophet, God does not take away the ability to prophesy.
Prophets can know the past and the present; not just the future
- Samuel: As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. 1 Samuel 9:20 BSB
- Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 2 Kings 6:12 NKJV
Lord Jesus: The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. John 4:17-19 NKJV
Numbers 24:3-4 NKJV
Then he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened, The utterance of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open
https://biblehub.com/1_samuel/10-10.htm
Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
1 Samuel 19:23c NKJV
when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
1 Samuel 19:21 NKJV
Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:4-5 NASB
Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
Jeremiah 1:5 AMP
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
Ezekiel 1:1-3 NKJV
The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
Amos 1:1 NKJV
The prophesy which the prophet Habakkuk saw.
Habakkuk 1:1 NKJV
The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
Micah 1:1 NKJV
1 Samuel 3:20 NASB
All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.