PROPHET, PROPHECY, PROPHESY

Word Meanings

Amos 3:7 “God first reveals His secrets (sod=counsel) unto His servants the prophets.”

I Corinthians 14:25 “Thus are the secrets (kruptos=concealed, hidden) of his heart made manifest; so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.”

I.  PROPHET

Hebrew:   (chozeh = a seer)nabi = a prophet, public expounder

Greek:     (manteuomai = divination, soothsayer)

prophetes = a prophet, public expounder; one who speaks forth by the Spirit of God; one who declares things before they come to pass, fore-announcing; the out-speaker; one who speaks out the counsel of God with clearness and authority with a direct message from God to deliver; one who is taught of God and speaks out His will.

A.  True Prophets

  1. Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”Matthew 5:17-18 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verity I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

  2. Matthew 10:41 “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward;”

  3. Matthew 13:57 “a prophet is not without honor save in his own country.”

  4. 5. Luke 11:49 “Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute.”

  5. Acts 11:27 “And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them name Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout all the world:”

  6. Acts 13:1 “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.(I Timothy 2:7;II Timothy 1:11)

  7. Acts 15:32 “And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.”

  8. Acts 21:10 “There came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

  9. Romans 16:25-26 “Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting do, made know to all nations for the obedience of faith:”

  10. I Corinthians 12:28 “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”

  11. I Corinthians 12:29 “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?”

  12. I Corinthians 14:29-32 “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace as in all churches of the saints.”

  13. I Corinthians 14:37 “I any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”

  14. Ephesians 2:19-22 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

  15. Ephesians 3:5 “Which is other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;”

  16. Ephesians 4:11 “And Christ gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.”

  17. James 5:10 “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.”

  18. II Peter 3:2 “That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior:”

  19. Revelation 10:7 “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”

  20. Revelation 11:18 “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”

  21. Revelations 16:6 “For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets.”

  22. Revelations 18:20 “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.”

  23. Revelations 22:6 “And He said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.”

  24. Revelations 22:9 “I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”

B.  False Prophets

  1. Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

  2. Matthew 24:11 “For there shall arise false Christ, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

  3. Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22 “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

  4. Acts 13:6 “And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus. Elymas the sorcerer(for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy, Sergius Paulus, from the faith”

  5. II Peter 2:1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves a swift destruction.”

  6. I John 4:1-3 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come I the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

  7. Revelation 20:10 “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

C. Prophetess

  1. Old Testament

      1. Exodus 15:20 “Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron.”

      2. Judges 4:4 “Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapid.”

      3. II Kings 22:14; II Chronicles 43:22 “The prophetess, the wife of Shallum. Juldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum.”

      4. Nehemiah 6:14The prophetess Noadiah.”

      5. Isaiah 8:31 “Isaiah went unto the prophetess.”

  2. New Testament

    1. Luke 2:36 “Anna, a prophetess.”

    2. Revelation 2:20 “Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess.”

II.  PROPHESY

Hebrew: naba = to prophesy, flow forth

Greek: propheteuo = to prophesy, public expounding Prophesying by the Spirit of God; one who declares things before they come to pass, fore-announcing; the out speaker; one who speaks out the counsel of God with clearness and authority with a direct message from God to deliver it. One who speaks out His will.”

A.  New Testament Passages

  1. Luke 1:67 “And his (John the Baptist) father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied.”

  2. John 11:51 “And this spake he (Caiaphas) not of himself; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.”

  3. Acts 2:17-18 “And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy;”

  4. Acts 19:6 “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them (12 Ephesian disciples), the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

  5. Acts 21:8-9 “Paul’s company came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.”

  6. I Corinthians 11:4Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head.”

  7. I Corinthians 11:5 “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.”

  8. I Corinthians 13:9 “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.”

  9. I Corinthians 14:1 “Follow after love, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”

  10. I Corinthians 14:3-4 “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that prophesieth edifieth the church.

  11. I Corinthians 14:5 “I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.”

  12. I Corinthians 14:22, 24 “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.”

  13. I Corinthians 14:29-33 “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace as in all churches of the saints.”

III. PROPHECY

Hebrew:   nebuah = prophecy

massa = message, lifted up

Greek: propheteuo = prophecy, public exposition; prophecy from the Spirit of God; declaring things before they come to pass; fore-announcing; speaking out the counsel of God with clarity and authority; a direct message from God; to speak out the will of God.

A. New Testament Passages

  1. Romans 12:6 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.”

  2. I Timothy 1:18 “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;”

  3. II Peter 1:20-21 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they wee moved by the Holy Ghost.”

  4. Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

  5. Revelation 22:18-19 “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”