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seer".
Both words lay emphasis upon "seeing" and "vision". The word usually
translated "prophet" is nabi. The function of a prophet is well illustrated by the
relationship instituted by God between Moses and Aaron, when He said,
"See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet"
(Exod. 7: 1).
"Thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth
and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman
unto the people and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou
shalt be to him instead of God" (Exod. 4: 15, 16).
Here is an inspired definition of the office of a prophet:--
"He shall be unto thee instead of a mouth."
"God hath spoken . . . . . by the prophets."
Let us look at some of the ways in which the divine message was given to the
prophets.
(1)
By human, articulate, speech (I Sam. 3: 4).
(2)
By handwriting (His hand upon me) (I Chron. 28: 19).
(3)
By dumb show (Ezek. 4: 1-8).
(4)
By personal relationships (Hosea 1: 2-11; 3: 1-5).
(5)
By vision (Acts 10: 11).
(6)
By dream (Dan. 2:).
(7)
By interpretations of dreams (Dan. 2:).
Among the O.T. prophets who are mentioned by name in the N.T. are Isaiah
(Luke 4: 17); Jonah (Matt. 16: 4); Elijah and Elisha (Luke 4: 25, 27); Jeremiah
(Matt. 2: 17); Daniel (Matt. 24: 15) and Joel (Acts 2: 16).
Beside these, the
prophets are mentioned in general terms in the Gospels, the Acts and the epistles of Paul,
Peter and James.
We have therefore unequivocable testimony as to what the office of a prophet
involves, the historic position which the prophets occupy, and the intimate relation
instituted by the apostolic writers of the N.T. between the Gospels and the earlier
Scriptures.
"God hath spoken by the Prophets."