Exploring the role of a prophet in the modern era
In this series, we are tasked with determining whether the role of prophets, as exampled in the Old Testament, continues into the modern era. If so, has that role changed in any way, and how? In pursuit of our answer, we began by considering whether the Lord Himself has changed in how He communicates with man. Malachi 3:6 declares: “For I am the LORD, I do not change” (NKJV). At this early stage, I have only made a conditional supposition: if the immutability (His unchanging nature) of God includes His ways, then we might reasonably assume that the intimate dynamics of the divine-human partnership exemplified in the prophetic office remain as vital today as they were in the days of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and all the Old Testament prophets. However, we cannot rest on this assertion alone, and the onus remains upon me to develop this line of reasoning further to provide a more robust argument. For example, the opening verses of Hebrews does indicate a development in how God communicates with us. Listen to what the writer declares:
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by [His] Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” Hebrews 1:1-2, NKJV.
The first observation we might make from this passage is that God speaks. God is a communicator whether through the prophets or through His Son Jesus Christ. John begins his gospel by stating:
“(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … (14) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” John 1:1, 14, NKJV.
Jesus is the Father’s revelation to the world of who He is. As Hebrews continues:
“(3) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” Hebrews 1:3, NIV.
From these scriptures, some conclude that the role of prophets ended with Christ. Their argument often rests on three points: (1) Hebrews contrasts how God spoke in the past through prophets with how He now speaks through His Son. (2) As the “Word made flesh” (John 1:14) and the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17), Jesus is seen as the complete and perfect revelation of God. (3) They emphasize the sufficiency of Scripture as containing the full and final revelation of God, arguing that prophetic ministry was preparatory and is no longer necessary now that Christ has come.
While this interpretation may seem plausible at first glance, it should be noted that Hebrews 1:1-2 does not explicitly state prophets have been replaced by Jesus, only that at the time of writing, God was speaking directly through His Son. Sound exegesis requires that we interpret Scripture with Scripture. Therefore, we would do well to cross-reference this text against others to gain a broader perspective. In this regard, Jesus’ own teachings about the ongoing role of prophets are invaluable:
“He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward” Matthew 10:41, NKJV.
“Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city” Matthew 23:34, NKJV.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” Matthew 7:15-16, NKJV.
“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many” Matthew 24:11, NKJV.
These scriptures confirm in the Lord’s own words the continued existence of prophets and the parallel rise of false orators, necessitating discernment within the Church. This ongoing need for discernment implies that true prophetic ministry remains active. Jesus affirmed the ongoing legitimacy of prophets, and the broader testimony of Scripture supports this conclusion.
A truth interwoven throughout Scripture is that prophecy has always been the testimony of Jesus. Not merely a witness about Him, but the authoritative and revelatory Word of God from Him. As Peter writes:
“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow” 1 Peter 1:10-11, NIV.
It was the Spirit of Christ speaking through the Old Testament prophets, revealing God’s retributive and redemptive purposes to peoples and nations. Their message carried the weight of divine authority, not as their own words, but as declarations from the Throne of God. Whether addressing Israel, warning Gentile nations, or proclaiming the coming Messiah, the prophetic word has always been governmental in nature—a declaration of God’s sovereign rule over all creation through His Word, which is Christ.
When Jesus came, He embodied this prophetic ministry as the ultimate Prophet, the Word made flesh. His earthly ministry was not separate from earlier prophetic voices but their culmination. Every word He spoke carried authority, revealing the Father’s heart and will with perfect clarity. Yet Jesus made it clear He still had much to say and promised the Spirit of Truth would continue His prophetic ministry:
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” John 16:12-14, NKJV.
The Holy Spirit’s role is not to introduce a new message but to take what belongs to Christ and make it known. This ensures that all prophecy, whether in the Old Testament, through Christ’s ministry, or through the Spirit in this age, remains centred on the testimony of Jesus as the governmental Word of God. Revelation confirms this understanding:
“Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” Revelation 19:10, NKJV.
The testimony of Jesus carries a legal connotation as in a courtroom before the Throne of God (see previous Quickbites 23–27). Prophets, empowered by the Spirit of Christ, speak His testimony in this legal context, declaring His Word to nations and the Church alike. This is not the function of the gift of prophecy within the Church, which Paul describes as being for edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3). Instead, this is the governmental role of prophets who speak the testimony of Jesus and reveal to us the heart and mind of God.
I believe the Spirit of Christ continues to speak today through His prophets, as He has always done. The unchanging nature of God ensures that the dynamics of the prophetic office remain consistent, even as the context changes under the new covenant. As the Day of the Lord draws ever nearer, this role of modern prophets remains vital for the Bride. Without the prophetic voice leading the way through the imposing darkness of a reprobate world, the Bride will find little solace in the familiarity of her present circumstance.
More than any other office, it is the prophetic anointing that illuminates the unseen path ahead and cuts a spiritual track through the granite of a hardened, unbelieving world. The prophetic voice serves as a beacon, calling the Bride to awake and prepare for the coming of the Bridegroom. It challenges the Church to align with Heaven’s agenda, urging repentance, holiness, and intimacy with God. More than foretelling, genuine prophetic anointing reveals the heart and will of God in the present, igniting faith, hope, and the boldness to arise. It pierces through the noise of a culture steeped in moral relativism and spiritual apathy, reminding the Bride of her divine calling and identity. In this hour of history, the prophetic voice stands as a lifeline, guiding the Church through uncharted waters. It equips her to navigate the complexities of a fallen world while remaining steadfast in her mission to advance the Kingdom. Just as Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal and John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ first coming, modern prophets are tasked with challenging idolatry, calling for repentance, and heralding the return of the King. The Bride cannot afford to dismiss or undervalue the authentic prophetic voice in these perilous times. To do so would be to forfeit the guidance, encouragement, and warnings necessary to remain unspotted from the world and ready for the Bridegroom’s return. The Spirit of Christ, speaking through His prophets, remains a compass by which the Bride can discern her course, enabling her to partner with Heaven, in preparing the way for the Lord’s soon return.
Before I conclude, I should point out that my intention here is not to elevate the prophet above the apostle, pastor, teacher or evangelist, merely to distinguish the difference and create a space of learning in which the prophetic ministry lies. Of course, the Lord speaks to all of us, revelation from God is not the domain of prophets alone but is available to all the children of God. Yet it is the prophet who more than any other are commissioned to speak. The very word prophet, is prophētēs (G4396) and means “speak forth” and comes from the same root as “to divulge”, “make known”, or “announce”. It conveys the understanding that a prophet is “one through whom God speaks.”
Next time, we will turn to Malachi and the ministry of John the Baptist as we further define the role of prophets today.
“(5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. (6) And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”” – Malachi 4:5-6 NKJV
