A Biblical prophet is an individual who speaks on behalf of God, to deliver a message from Him to an individual or a group.

Although the common use of the word prophecy in modern English implies a "prediction about the future," this is not technically what the message of a prophet is all about. The prophets of the Bible gave many messages to others which were not specific predictions at all, but rather warning, chastisement or encouragement from God.

Sometimes those messages would include information about the future. But that was not the essence of the prophecy. In many instances, even the predictions about the future were "conditional." Ancient Israel at Mount Sinai was given a message from God through Moses. It told what would happen to them if they obeyed, and what would happen to them if they disobeyed. Moses was functioning as a prophet to declare the word of the Lord to them.

 

What most people commonly consider Bible prophecy--the dogmatic, unconditional prediction of coming events--is technically termed apocalypse. The word means "revealing," and the implication is that these things being revealed are predestined to come to pass no matter what mankind does or doesn't do.

Much of the book of Daniel is apocalypse, as is the Book of Revelation. (The Greek word translated revelation in the Book of Revelation is apokalupsis.)

In this type of prophecy in the Bible, the future is most often outlined in shadowy metaphors of symbolic beasts and other startling symbolic phenomena. The over-arching, primary purpose of these passages seems to be to reassure the servants of God that, even though evil times are to come upon the earth, the ultimate outcome will be the victory of the forces of God and good over the forces of the Devil and evil.

 

Thus, in general:

An apocalyptic message is not given by a prophet
to sinners to call them to repentance–
it is given to saints to give them hope.

 

And, in general:

While apocalypse is a kind of prophecy,
most prophecy in the Bible is not apocalyptic.

 

 

Unless otherwise noted, all original material on this Field Guide website
is © 2001-2011 by Pamela Starr Dewey.

Careful effort has been made to give credit as clearly as possible to any specific material quoted or ideas extensively adapted from any one resource. Corrections and clarifications regarding citations for any source material are welcome, and will be promptly added to any sections which are found to be inadequately documented as to source.

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End Times Prophecy Movement

Prophecy and Apocalypse:

What’s the Difference?