Prophets

The biblical record identifies various individuals as Prophets, a role defined by the delivery of divine messages to kings, nations, and individuals. These figures functioned as intermediaries who received revelations through visions, dreams, or direct speech and were often tasked with calling listeners to ethical and religious reform. The text does not say that a specific lineage or social status was required for the office, as these individuals came from diverse backgrounds, including priests, shepherds, and advisors to the royal court.

The group is organized throughout the history of Israel and the early church, appearing during the monarchy, the exile, and the apostolic era. Samuel served as the prophet who anointed the first two kings of Israel (1 Samuel 10:1, 16:13). During the divided monarchy, Elijah the Tishbite called down fire from heaven to demonstrate divine power (1 Kings 18:36–39), while his successor Elisha performed miracles such as healing Naaman the leper (2 Kings 5:14). Nathan the Prophet confronted King David regarding his conduct with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1–7), and Huldah was the prophetess who authenticated the Book of the Law for King Josiah (2 Kings 22:14–16). In the New Testament, Agabus predicted a global famine and the arrest of the Apostle Paul (Acts 11:28, 21:10–11), and Anna recognized the infant Jesus as the Redeemer while at the Temple (Luke 2:36–38).

The role of these figures was central to the governance and spiritual direction of the community. Isaiah foretold the coming of the Messiah (Isaiah 7:14), and Jeremiah predicted the seventy-year Babylonian exile and the establishment of a New Covenant (Jeremiah 25:11, 31:31). Others focused on specific judgments or restorations, such as Jonah, who was swallowed by a great fish after fleeing a command to preach to Nineveh (Jonah 1:17), and Haggai, who encouraged the rebuilding of the Second Temple (Haggai 1:1–8). The presence of these individuals ensured that the divine will remained a factor in political and social life, from the early warnings of Hosea to the final messages delivered by Malachi (Malachi 4:5).