Prophecy is God’s way of revealing truth about the past, present, and future for the purpose of growing His people in understanding, faith, and obedience. According to the Bible, prophecy originates from God, is communicated through prophets, and points people to Jesus Christ.
The main Hebrew word for prophet in the Old Testament is “nabi” which means “one who is called” or “one who announces.” A prophet is someone called by God to speak on His behalf. Throughout Scripture, prophets brought messages from God to specific people and groups. These messages provided warnings, instruction, revelation about God, and predictions of future events.
Prophecy served several purposes in the Bible:
- Reveal God’s plans and purposes – “Surely the Lord God does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)
- Call God’s people to repentance – “Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, ‘Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.'” (2 Kings 17:13)
- Warn of coming judgment – “Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass by them.” (Amos 8:2)
- Tell of future redemption – “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’” (Isaiah 46:9-10)
There are several types of prophetic messages in Scripture:
- Forthtelling – Preaching and teaching the Word of God, often calling people to repentance and obedience.
- Foretelling – Predicting future events, often related to God’s redemptive plan.
- Revelatory – Revealing things previously unknown, such as God’s nature, plans, judgments, etc.
- Apocalyptic – Using visions and symbolism to reveal God’s program for the end times.
The Bible identifies hundreds of prophecies that find their fulfillment in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The odds of just 8 prophecies being fulfilled in one person are 1 in 10 to the 17th power. This demonstrates the divine inspiration and authority of Scripture.
Some examples of Messianic prophecies fulfilled in Jesus include:
- Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-23)
- From the line of David (Jeremiah 23:5, Luke 3:23-38)
- Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-12)
- Preceded by a messenger (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:1-2)
- Rejected by His own people (Isaiah 53:3, John 1:10-11)
- Silent before accusers (Isaiah 53:7, Matthew 27:12-19)
- Hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16, Luke 23:33)
- Crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12, Matthew 27:38)
Jesus and the New Testament authors directly connect Him to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy over 300 times. He is the central subject of all biblical prophecy.
In addition to prophecy about Jesus, the Bible contains prophecies about the future of nations, cities, people groups, and world events. Examples include:
- The fall of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 32:28-35)
- Cyrus allowing Jews to return from exile (Isaiah 45:1-7)
- Judgment on Israel’s neighbors (Ezekiel 25:1-17)
- The destruction of Babylon (Isaiah 13:19-22)
- The coming tribulation period (Daniel 9:24-27)
- The binding of Satan (Revelation 20:1-3)
- Christ’s return and reign (Revelation 19:11-21)
These examples demonstrate God’s complete sovereignty over human history and ongoing work to bring redemption to the world.
In the Old Testament period, prophets were called directly by God to deliver His message. In the New Testament age, the gift of prophecy operates among believers, but its purpose is more for edification, encouragement, and comfort, rather than authoritative revelation (1 Corinthians 14:3).
The Bible contains a warning about false prophets who speak presumptuously in God’s name or teach false doctrine (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). Believers are instructed to test all prophetic words against Scripture and reject anything contrary to the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22).
God is the ultimate Author behind the prophecies in Scripture. 2 Peter 1:20-21 says, “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
The Bible affirms that God alone knows the future. Isaiah 46:9-10 declares, “‘I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'”
In summary, prophecy involves receiving revelation from God about what has happened, is happening, or will happen, and communicating it to others, often with the intention of edifying believers, encouraging obedience, or authenticating God’s message and messengers.
Jesus Christ is the culmination of biblical prophecy – over 300 prophecies were fulfilled in His first coming alone, demonstrating the divine inspiration of God’s Word. Biblical prophecy provides unparalleled evidence that the one true God reigns over all and that His redemptive purposes in Christ will be accomplished. God grants prophecy for the benefit of His people and all prophecy centers on the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.