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A Prophet is a person who speaks for God, or by divine inspiration. Thayer Dictionary says:A prophet one who, moved by the Spirit of God and hence His organ or spokesman, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation
2d) the Messiah 2e) of men filled with the Spirit of God, who by God’s authority and command in words of weight pleads the cause of God and urges salvation of men 2f) of prophets that appeared in the apostolic age among Christians.
Act_3:18 But in this way God has fulfilled the declarations He made through all the Prophets, that His Christ would suffer.
This verse shows us that the Old Testament prophets predicted what would happen to Christ.i.e. He would suffer. Isaiah in Is 53 David in Ps 22.
Act_3:21 Heaven must receive Him until those times of which God has spoken from the earliest ages through the lips of His holy Prophets--”the times of the reconstitution of all things”.
They spoke of the End of the Ages.-the times of the reconstitution of all things. “until the times of the restitution of all things: not of all created beings to their original estate, which there is no reason to believe ever will be; or of the churches of Christ to purity of doctrine, discipline, and conversation, which is to be hoped for, and will be in the spiritual reign of Christ; but of the accomplishment of all promises and prophecies concerning the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews, and so the gathering in all the elect of God; and concerning all the glorious things spoken of the church of Christ in the latter day; which sense is confirmed by what follows:
which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began: ever since the world was, God has had more or less holy men, set apart and sanctified by him, and on whom he bestowed the spirit of prophecy; and by the mouth of everyone of these he has spoken one thing or another concerning his church and people, and the filling up of the number of them, or the gathering of them all in; and till this is done, Christ will remain in heaven and reign there: and this sense is further confirmed by the Syriac and Arabic versions, the former rendering the words, "until the filling or fulfilling of the times of all things"; and the latter, "until the times which will confirm the perfection of all the words which God hath spoken", J.Gill
Act_11:27 At that time certain Prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch,
There are certain people in the church who speak under Divine Inspiration. See Ephesians 4:11-13
Act_13:1 Now there were in Antioch, in the Church there--as Prophets and teachers--Barnabas, Symeon surnamed 'the black,' Lucius the Cyrenaean, Manaen (who was Herod the Tetrarch's foster-brother), and Saul. So Saul who was later called Paul was one of this group in the Church at Antioch.
Act_15:32 And Judas and Silas, being themselves also Prophets, gave them a long and encouraging talk, and strengthened them in the faith.
Note:
1. We can all seek the Gift of prophecy according to 1 Cor 14: 1-5
2. How do we know if we have a Word of prophecy? The Holy Spirit moves us and anoints us to be an encouragement to the church. He is revealing God’s will to His People. This is spoken under the authority of the Holy Spirit but is also subject to the judgment of the Church leaders and other prophets.
3. What is the difference between a Word of Prophecy and the Gift of a Prophet. One man describes this as a 'little prophet' and a 'Big Prophet'. We can all prophesy in the church but there are only certain people who have the gift of a Prophet to the church. Agabus was one of these in the Acts.
4. Is personal Prophecy to be directive? Should we consult a prophet to know the future? We are to be personally lead by the Spirit of God not Prophets. They can confirm what god is saying to us or has already said to us.
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