The question of whether prophets have existed since the apostle John’s death around 100 C.E. requires a careful examination of biblical terminology and the historical-grammatical context of the relevant passages. The Hebrew term “navi” and the Greek “prophetes” fundamentally denote spokesmen for God, conveying His message to humanity. In the Scriptures, this role encompasses both forth-telling, which involves proclaiming divine will, moral instruction, and judgments, and foretelling, which includes predictions of future events often accompanied by miraculous signs to authenticate the message. Moses, for instance, served as a prophet in both capacities, delivering the Law and performing signs during the Exodus around 1446 B.C.E., as recorded in Exodus 7:1-2 where Jehovah states, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land.”

Elijah and Elisha similarly demonstrated this dual function, with Elijah foretelling drought in 1 Kings 17:1 and performing resurrections, while Elisha continued this pattern. In the New Testament, apostles like Peter and Paul exercised prophetic roles, with Paul predicting shipwrecks in Acts 27:22-26 during his voyage to Rome around 59 C.E. The primary sense of prophecy, involving direct revelation and miraculous validation, characterized the foundational eras of covenant establishment and church formation. However, the Scriptures indicate a cessation of this primary mode following the apostolic age, shifting emphasis to the forth-telling of the completed canon.

Defining Prophecy in Biblical Terms

The role of a prophet in Scripture centers on serving as God’s mouthpiece. Deuteronomy 18:18 outlines this: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” This applied to successive prophets who conveyed Jehovah’s directives, often with foretelling elements to confirm authenticity. Isaiah, writing around 732 B.C.E., foretold the virgin birth in Isaiah 7:14, fulfilled in Christ’s birth around 2 B.C.E. Daniel, during the Babylonian exile beginning 605 B.C.E., predicted empires in Daniel 2:31-45, extending to future kingdoms.

Forth-telling predominates as the core, seen in Jonah’s call to repentance in Nineveh around 775 B.C.E., without extensive miracles. Jeremiah, active around 627 B.C.E., proclaimed judgments against Judah’s idolatry, as in Jeremiah 7:3-7: “Thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah.’ For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.”

In the New Testament, prophecy integrates with apostolic teaching. Ephesians 2:20 describes the church built “on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.” This foundational role suggests completion with the apostles, as the canon closed around 98 C.E. with John’s writings. Hebrews 1:1-2 contrasts past prophetic modes: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” The shift to Christ’s revelation implies finality.

The Cessation of Miraculous Prophecy Post-Apostolic Age

The Scriptures point to the temporary nature of miraculous gifts, including prophecy in its foretelling aspect. First Corinthians 13:8-10 states, “Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” The “perfect” refers to the completed revelation, the canon, rendering partial gifts unnecessary. Paul wrote this from Ephesus around 55 C.E., anticipating the full scriptural witness.

Jude 3, penned around 65 C.E., urges contending “for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints,” indicating no further revelation needed. Second Timothy 3:16-17, from Rome around 65 C.E., affirms, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The sufficiency of Scripture precludes new prophetic utterances.

Early church history aligns with this. While claims arose, such as Montanism in the second century C.E. asserting ongoing prophecy, these were rejected as deviations. The foundational prophets and apostles established the church, as Ephesians 3:5 notes revelation given “to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” Post-100 C.E., no equivalent figures emerged with authenticated miracles or new doctrine.

Modern Claims of Prophecy and Scriptural Evaluation

Contemporary assertions of prophetic office often stem from movements emphasizing ongoing revelation. These include predictions of events or personal words claimed as divine. However, Scripture warns against such in Deuteronomy 18:20-22: “But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?’—when a prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that Jehovah has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.”

Failed predictions discredit claimants. Jeremiah 23:16 cautions, “Thus says Jehovah of hosts: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of Jehovah.'” The historical-grammatical lens reveals these as self-derived, not inspired.

The Holy Spirit operates through the Word today, as Romans 8:14 states, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Guidance comes via Scripture’s application, not direct voices. Second Peter 1:19-21, from around 64 C.E., emphasizes, “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Forth-Telling as the Continuing Prophetic Role

While foretelling ceased, forth-telling persists through faithful proclamation. All believers, in a sense, function prophetically by declaring God’s message. Acts 2:17-18, quoting Joel 2:28-29 from around 825 B.C.E., applies to the outpouring at Pentecost in 33 C.E.: “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” This fulfilled in gospel preaching, not new revelations.

Teachers like Paul exhorted Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:13-14, written around 61-64 C.E.: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.” This gift involved imparting ability through the Word, not ongoing prophecy.

Modern forth-tellers expound Scripture accurately. Figures upholding inerrancy and applying prophecies to current times serve this role. Daniel’s visions, sealed until the time of the end in Daniel 12:9 around 536 B.C.E., find explanation in light of fulfilled events. Revelation, given to John around 96 C.E., warns of end times, with forth-tellers clarifying its application without adding content.

Warnings Against False Prophets in the Last Days

Matthew 24:11, from around 41 C.E. in Hebrew and 45 C.E. in Greek, records Christ’s words: “And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.” This characterizes the period from 33 C.E. onward. Second Peter 2:1, around 64 C.E., states, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”

Discernment comes through testing against Scripture, as Acts 17:11 commends the Bereans: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Claims of new words must align with the canon; deviations indicate falsehood.

The Sufficiency of Scripture for Guidance

The completed Bible provides all needed prophecy. Second Timothy 3:16-17 affirms its role in equipping believers. Proverbs 30:5-6, from around 1000 B.C.E., warns, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.”

Forth-tellers direct attention to existing prophecies, like those in Matthew 24 describing wars, famines, and false christs as signs. These apply to the entire church age, culminating in Christ’s return.

Historical Claims and Their Rejection

Post-100 C.E., movements claimed prophetic continuity, but church councils and writings rejected them for contradicting Scripture. The emphasis remained on apostolic teaching preserved in the New Testament.

In recent centuries, groups asserting modern prophets have emerged, but their predictions often fail Deuteronomy’s test. Evangelical scholarship maintains the canon closed, with the Spirit illuminating the Word rather than inspiring new content.

Proclaiming End-Time Prophecies Today

Forth-tellers highlight passages like 2 Timothy 3:1-5, describing last days’ characteristics: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

These traits manifest in apostasy within denominations, as foretold in 1 Timothy 4:1: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.”

Faithful proclaimers call for repentance and adherence to Scripture, preparing for Christ’s return.

You May Also Enjoy

What Does the Bible Really Teach: Are Faith and Reason Incompatible?

About the Author

CLICK LINKED IMAGE TO VISIT ONLINE STORE

CLICK TO SCROLL THROUGH OUR BOOKS