PROPHETS
A class of men of God, especially in the Old Testament dispensation, inspired to foretell future and secret events; and who also revealed he will of God as to current events and duties, and were his ambassadors to men. but the word is sometimes used in a wider sense; thus Aaron was Moses; prophet, Exodus 7:1, appointed to deliver to the people the messages that Moses received from God; the sacred musicians are said to prophecy, 1 Chronicles 25:1; and Paul gives the name, according to the custom of the Greeks, to the poet Aratus, "a prophet of their own," Titus 1:12. Scripture does not withhold the name of prophet from impostors, although they falsely boasted of inspiration. As true prophets, when filled y the energy of God’s Spirit, were sometimes fervidly and vehemently agitated, similar motions were called prophesying when exhibited by persons who were filled with an evil spirit, "prophesied in his house," 1 Samuel 18:10. In the New Testament, the "prophets" were a class of men supernaturally endowed, and standing next to the apostles. They seem to have spoken from immediate inspiration, whether in reference to future events of to the mind of the Spirit generally, as in expounding the oracles of God. See 1 Corinthians 11:4; 1 Corinthians 1:14, 1 Corinthians 1:14, etc. Thus it is said in Acts 13:1, that Judas and Silas were prophets; that there were in the church at Antioch certain prophets and teachers, that is, official instructors. God has set in the church, first apostles, then prophets, 1 Corinthians 12:28. See Eph 2:20 Revelation 18:20 Acts 21:9.
The Old Testament prophets were special agents of Jehovah, raised up and sent as occasion required, to incite to duty, to convict of sin, to call to repentance and reformation, to instruct kings, and denounce against nations the judgments of God, 2 Kings 17:13 Jeremiah 25:4. They aided the priest and Levites in teaching religion to the people, especially in the kingdom of Israel, from which the true priests of the Lord withdrew, 2 Kings 4:23; and cooperated with the kings in public measure to promote piety and virtue. They were humble, faithful, self-denying, fearless men, 2 Kings 1:8 Zechariah 13:4 Matthew 3:4; aloof from the pleasure and luxuries of life, 2 Kings 5:15; often persecuted, and slain, Matthew 1:23-37 Hebrews 1:11-38 James 2:10; but exerting a powerful influence as witnesses for God. Some of them were called from the plough and the herd, 1 Kings 19:20 Amos 7:14 Zechariah 13:5. There were also "schools of the prophets," first mentioned in the time of Samuel, established at Gibeah, Naiotyh, Bethel, Gilgal, and Jericho, where young men were instructed in religion and prepared to guide in religious worship, 1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 1:19; 2 Kings 2:3, 2 Kings 1:2; 2 Kings 1:4. Many of the "sons of the prophets" here taught became not only religious teachers, but inspired prophets. Amos speaks of his own case as an exception, Amos 7:14, Amos 1:7. There are several prophetesses mentioned in Scripture; as Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah; and in the New Testament, Anna, Elisabeth, and Mary, and the four daughters of Philip seem to have partaken for a time of prophetic inspiration.
The prophets received their messages from God, sometimes in visions, trances, and dreams. Compare Numbers 1:24-16 Joel 2:28 Acts 10:11, Acts 1:10 Revelation 1:1-20. These revelations were at times attended with overpowering manifestations of the Godhead; and at other times were simply breathed into the mind by the Spirit of God. Their messages were delivered to the kings, princes, and priests whom they most concerned, or to the people at large, in writing, or by word of mouth and in public places; often with miracles, or with symbolic actions designed to explain and enforce them, Isaiah 1:20-6 Jeremiah 7:2; Jeremiah 1:19 Ezekiel 3:10.
The Old Testament contains the inspired writings of sixteen of the Hebrew prophets; four of whom, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel are called the greater prophets and the other twelve the minor prophets. Respecting the true chronological order of the prophets, there is in some cases great diversity of opinion. Below is given the arrangement preferred by some; while others, so far as the minor prophets ace concerned, adhere to that given in the Hebrew Bible and our common version. See Lu 24:27, Luke 1:24 Acts 10:43 1 Peter 1:1-11, is eminently THE PROPHET of his church in all ages, Deuteronomy 1:18-19 Acts 1:3-24; revealing to them, by his inspired servants, by himself, and by his Spirit, all we know of God and immortality.