God’s Prophets Were Called, Sent, and Inspired to Speak and Write His Word

“Prophet” in Hebrew is nabiy, which means spokesman, speaker, prophet. The first man that was called nabiy in the Bible is Abraham (Gen 20:7) although Abraham was not a full-time prophet of God, but a friend of God. “Prophet” in Greek is prophetes, which means a person who tells beforehand, a prophet. God’s prophets received His direct revelation, so they could see and understand what God wanted them to see and understand (Isa 1:1; Amos 1:1; Hab 1:1; et al). The phrase, “Thus saith the Lord” is usually quoted to remind the hearers that God is speaking to them (Exod 4:22; Judges 6:8; 1 Sam 2:27; Isa 10:24; Jer 2:2; at al.). Truly, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds” (Heb 1:1-2). God’s prophets were inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak and write, so their words are the very Word of God, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21) and “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16). Our Lord Jesus confirms, “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me”  (Luke 24:44).

Then, God’s prophets were God’s spokesmen who were called, sent, and inspired by God to foretell and forthtell, and what they spoke and wrote is the very inspired Word of God, inerrant and infallible without any mistake. As God’s revelation or God’s inspired Word (the Hebrew and Greek texts underlying the KJV) to the Jews and mankind, through the prophets and the Lord Jesus Christ, has been complete (Rev 22:18-19), today we do not need to turn to any human being for new revelation or any additional Word. On the contrary, like the Berean believers (Acts 17:11), we are expected to read and study God’s Word to check the preaching, teaching or writing of the preachers, teachers, speakers or writers to see whether what they preach, teach or write is Biblical according to God’s Word.