God's prophets hold a significant role in guiding His people, as seen in the warnings and lessons surrounding claims of prophetic authority. God Himself speaks through His chosen Prophet, as Moses declares in Deuteronomy 18:15, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear." God further warns in Deuteronomy 18:19 that whoever refuses to heed His words spoken through this Prophet will answer to Him, urging His people to be vigilant in recognizing and obeying His true representatives. God also provides criteria to discern true prophets from false ones. In Deuteronomy 18:20-22, He states that a prophet who speaks words not commanded by Him or in the name of other gods shall face death, and if a prophecy does not come to pass, it is not from Him, and His people should not fear or obey such a man. This test of fulfillment is crucial for God's people to avoid deception by self-professed prophets. In the potential scenario of a leader claiming to be God's end-time Prophet, his credibility hinges on whether his prophecies align with God's direct communication and come to fruition. God assures His people through Amos 3:7 that He will reveal His plans to His servants the prophets, ensuring clarity and understanding. If He sends a special end-time leader, whether a prophet, apostle, or one of the two witnesses, He will enable His people to recognize this true servant, protecting them from confusion or deceit.

True prophets, the biblical kind, receive direct revelations from God, who declares the end from the beginning and ensures that His counsel shall stand. Whether through a dream, vision, or direct conversation with God, a true prophet can be confident in the accuracy of his predictions because the Source never fails. False prophets, however, may perform signs and wonders through the power of satan, deceiving many, as seen with the magicians of Egypt or the end-time False Prophet. Signs and miracles alone are not proof of a prophet's authenticity. The true measure lies in the spiritual message accompanying the prophet's predictions, whether it leads people toward or away from God. Therefore, a prophet's credibility must be judged by both the accuracy of his words and the direction of his guidance.

God's prophets hold a vital and enduring role in guiding His people, especially in times before His word was widely available. As seen in Deuteronomy 18:15-18, provision for prophets is embedded within the law, emphasizing their importance. Those appointed by Him to the prophetic office consistently preach the keeping of His commandments, conserving past truth while also revealing new doctrine. Their faithfulness, exemplified by Moses and Jesus Christ, who was also a Prophet, is evident in their messages, whether addressing the present or foretelling the future. Prophets forthtell with clarity and authority, delivering His message to the intended audience, and occasionally foretell events yet to come. A true prophet may not always predict the future but will always remain faithful to the message given by Him, adhering to the line established through Moses. John the Baptist, the last of the Old Covenant prophets, stands as a pinnacle among them, with Jesus declaring him the greatest of all men born of women. His greatness is affirmed in multiple scriptures, where Jesus states he is much more than a prophet, fulfilling a distinct prophecy no other prophet achieved. Born miraculously to Zechariah and Elisabeth, who were beyond childbearing age, John's life was marked by divine purpose from the womb, filled with the Holy Spirit as foretold in Luke 1:15. His ministry, though short, was profoundly effective, preparing the way for the Messiah with a message of repentance. Despite his humble appearance and diet, living as a poor man in the desert, his words carried immense power, drawing vast crowds from Judea and Jerusalem to hear and be baptized by him. John's role as a prophet was not tied to the established Temple system, though he was of Levite descent from Aaron's line. He confronted the religious leadership, delivering an unpopular message of judgment against the powerful Pharisees and Sadducees. His influence was so significant that even Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, respected and feared him, perceiving a potential threat in his growing popularity. John's bold condemnation of Herod's adulterous marriage to Herodias ultimately led to his imprisonment and martyrdom, yet his impact endured, with many believing his death was avenged by God through Herod's military defeat. As the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1, John prepared the way for Christ with humility, stepping back when the Messiah appeared. Jesus Himself confirmed John's identity as the prophesied Elijah of Malachi 4:5-6, not as a resurrected figure but in the spirit and manner of his message of repentance and revelation of the true God. John restored understanding by correcting misconceptions about the Messiah, enabling people to recognize Him when He came. His preaching also turned the hearts of fathers to children, addressing family life as a preparation for living in God's family. Without performing miracles, John's greatness lay in his office, his subject of repentance, his humility, his character above reproach, his courage in opposition, and his ultimate sacrifice, crowning him as the greatest of the Old Testament prophets.

God's prophets hold a central role in conveying His divine message, serving as the heart and core of biblical prophecy. The church is built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, whose words not only foretold events but also provided accurate accounts of ancient history and essential teachings that shape our lives. The first person named as a prophet is Abraham, though Enoch is the first shown prophesying. In Hebrew, the terms for prophet—nabi, roeh, and hozeh—carry meanings of announcing, seeing, or perceiving, often indicating one who declares God's will or reveals secrets. In Greek, a prophet is an interpreter who speaks for a god, representing and expounding God's Word to the people. A prophet is fundamentally one who speaks for another, carrying a message as God's ambassador. This role is exemplified in the relationship between Moses and Aaron, where Moses, as God's prophet, lacked eloquence but spoke with power because God added impact to his words. God uses the weak to demonstrate that it is His strength, not human ability, that achieves His purpose, ensuring that no one can glory in His presence. Prophets express God's will through words and sometimes signs, functioning to cry aloud and show men their sins, while also serving as pastors and monitors of conduct and attitudes. Unlike priests, who approach God on behalf of men, prophets approach men as God's representatives, urging them to turn from evil and live. Prophecy is not merely about foretelling the future but also about forthtelling with power, applying God's law and declaring His will. Prophets provide moral and doctrinal guidance alongside predictive elements, revealing history in terms of God's sovereign purpose. Their messages offer guidance, encouragement, hope, and urgency to God's people. Throughout history, prophets have been God's primary means of reaching the people, raised up by Him to put His words in their mouths, as seen with Moses and subsequent prophets. Each prophet is directly appointed by God, often standing apart from the established system, even if they are of priestly lineage like Jeremiah or Ezekiel. They appear especially before or during times of crisis, as with Elijah, who revealed the true God to Israel amidst growing national peril. A prophet's role is to disturb, awakening people from spiritual lethargy and confronting them with their moral responsibilities, often causing discomfort as they urge commitment to God. Elijah's challenge to Israel to choose between God and Baal exemplifies this, pressing for decisive faith. Similarly, John the Baptist, regarded by Jesus Christ as the greatest prophet, stood apart, revealing sins and preparing the way for the Messiah, despite performing no miracles. God's prophets, through their unique calling, consistently work to bring men into a true relationship with Him, often at great personal cost, yet with unwavering fidelity to His mission.

God's true prophets had a practical office to discharge. It was part of their commission to show the people of God their transgressions and the house of God their sins. This means that they functioned as both pastors and ministerial monitors of the people of God. It was their duty to admonish and caution, to denounce prevailing sins, to warn the people of the terrors of divine judgment, and to call them to repentance. They also brought the message of consolation and forgiveness. They were the watchmen set upon the walls of Zion to blow the trumpet to timely warn of approaching danger. The title prophet has a general application to all who have messages from God to man. God's prophets were men who helped to bring moral order to people's lives. God's prophet Jeremiah was heartbroken by what the false prophets, that set of self-seeking leaders and respectable authorities, had done to the people of Judah. God made sure Jeremiah knew through him that He is against those false prophets, those false teachers in Judah. People need spiritual leaders who are exemplary examples of faithfulness, righteousness, and commitment, not leaders who compromise by accepting and teaching lies. What God is saying is that His true prophets will continue to preach His way of life no matter what happens. God says He will stop the false teachers, the false ministers, and the false prophets. The prophets had a commission from God and they must obey Him whether Israel would hear or not. God gave His prophet His Word; He told the Word of God and declared the Word of God and His prophet communicated what God had given him. The Bible tells us a great deal about false prophets. If you go to the Old Testament you will find in the law that God laid down a penalty for misrepresenting Him. False prophecy was motivated not by loyalty to God, which was the motivation for true prophets, but rather first they were motivated by a desire for popularity in themselves. In the book of Ezekiel we find that Ezekiel was in a concentration camp by the River Chebar. At the same time Jeremiah, Ezekiel's contemporary, was in the city of Jerusalem telling the people that they were going to be deported and exiled and the city was going to be destroyed. Jeremiah was preaching that destruction and judgment was coming. He told them the Babylonians were God's instrument to come and sack the city and take the people away to Babylon for 70 years. Sound doctrine and righteous living are the characteristics of true prophets. In examining the prophet, minister, or teacher, we should look at both the character and the message of the man. As we know, fruit takes time to grow. It takes time to see whether a man is a true minister of God. It may not always be immediately obvious what kind of truth a man is teaching until it eventually has an effect on his and other people's lives. Eventually, as the fruit of his efforts began to grow, it will reveal what sort of man he is. We have to diligently take our stand, scripturally and righteously, with the prophets, the apostles, and most of all with God the Father and Christ our Savior. Then we will be able to recognize God's true prophets and teachers. We can appreciate what God has provided for our education and our edification through them.

The confrontation into which God brought Moses and Aaron with Pharaoh is an early example of a persistent theme that runs through the whole of the Bible. At some time in nearly every prophet's service to God, God brings him into confrontation with His enemies. Sometimes they are slain for their efforts. When we look at the New Testament record, we find it to be no different. The confrontations between Jesus and the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and finally Pilate fit the pattern. Traditional Christian history informs us that all the apostles too, except possibly John, were martyred. In the end time, God will bring the Two Witnesses into confrontation with the Beast power for three and a half years until they are put to death. Since the record is so clear, should we not expect God to bring us into conflict with His enemies in this era of the church? Surely, He will! In fact, just as His Word prophesies of the battles of the Two Witnesses, it also prophesies the church in general will face them too. The first-century church left us a record of what happened to them. Notice the history and prophecy in II Peter 2:1-3: When understood in the light of what Peter and Jude wrote about false prophets being marked out beforehand to be part of the church fellowship, this can be easily seen as a prophecy. It occurred in the apostles' day, and it occurs in ours. We should not be surprised that both the converted and unconverted fellowship in the same congregations. An even more pointed and specific prophecy from Jesus about the end-time church occurs in the Olivet Prophecy: The most frequent warnings in this prophecy are concerning false teachers all of which are for our time! False teachers work to test and destroy the faith and love of the brethren. Iniquity is not only in the world, but also in the church. Paul and John also make forceful remarks on this point. In I Corinthians 11:17-19, Paul makes a rather remarkable statement to the Corinthian congregation: John informs us that the antichrists were right in the church fellowshipping with the truly converted! No doubt, they performed the same function in John's areas of responsibilities as they did in Paul's. They created a measure of havoc in the church through heretical teaching and then left the fellowship, proving they were not really part of the church. They were tares. After we receive instruction in His Word, God tests us by allowing a confrontation with false doctrine right within the fellowship. Just as the Bible clearly records that God engineered those previous tests, we should understand that He engineered ours in this era. A key to our survival is to understand what we must do: faithfully follow the message that converted us. Deuteronomy 13:1-4 is an early warning that this infiltration of enemies will occur: God always initiates and creates unity in the same general manner. He raises up one individual as His prophet or apostle and then enables His people to grasp that He is working through him. Then, they voluntarily put themselves under that chosen one and support him in the work God has set him apart to do. Notice Zechariah 4:11-14:

The life of a prophet of God is a difficult and burdensome one. God's prophets receive both insight into the present state of affairs and foresight into future events that dwell on subjects such as sin, societal meltdown, war, captivity, destruction, and death. Prophets like Jeremiah and Habakkuk complain to God and lament the downfall of their people. Their knowledge of life as it really is compared to life as God wants His people to live it makes them sensitive to their societies' slippages toward catastrophe. When they speak of God's displeasure and predict divine judgment, prophets often become targets of hatred and persecution. Many died at the hands of their countrymen. Jonah's flight to Tarshish becomes understandable in view of this burden. In Ezekiel 9, God reveals that the prophets' sobriety and grief over the people's sins and the consequent destruction has His favor. God directs an angel to mark the foreheads of those who sigh and cry over abominations within Jerusalem and spares them while avenging angels slay others. Sighing and crying are not merely emotions but include reason attached to knowledge of God's law and awareness of specific sins without participation in them. Effective sighing and crying require belief that God's law defines sin for all time and avoidance of any self-righteous attitude.

God's prophets are sane and rational individuals who believe God and do His will. They are different from the world around them. The prophets came from Israel. An anointed servant of God speaks or writes words to convict people of God's truth. The two witnesses of God testify about God Himself. They are God's direct representatives in the crucial last years of man's civilization. These two men are model Christians who follow Christ and His righteousness to such a degree that they become human reproductions of the life of Christ. Christ endues His two prophets with power to preach, to plague, and to defend themselves against harm.

God's prophets served as oracles of God. The prophets spoke God's words. God who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets. David as a preface to his last words tells us that the Spirit of the Lord spoke by him and His word was on his tongue. Ezekiel expressly received the word of God by the River Chebar and the hand of the Lord was upon him there. The Lord put forth His hand and touched Jeremiah's mouth and the Lord said that He had put His words in his mouth. Zechariah the high priest in the days of Joash spoke for God. Balaam an unrighteous prophet also spoke God's words when the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth and said to return to Balak and thus speak.

God's prophets have taught the irrevocable truth of Jesus Christ's sacrificial offering as the promised seed of men to God's people from the beginning. Abel offered in faith and became the first named witness of God. Abel faithfully proclaimed in his sacrificial offering and his death that bears witness to this day. Abel becomes a preacher of righteousness. Enoch taught in word and deed just as Abel did. Enoch walked with God and pointed to the solution. Enoch was taken by God to keep him from suffering the same fate as Abel. Noah was given the tools needed by God's grace to build the ark. Noah faithfully did his job by the grace of God and pointed to the solution. Noah did what he had been prepared to do in faith. Noah becomes a preacher of righteousness in word and deed just as Abel was. All the faithful witnesses and preachers of righteousness of God in His judgment tempered by His mercy and the ultimate sacrificial service of Jesus Christ are there.

God's prophets are compared to watchmen. The basic responsibility of all watchmen and prophets is to hear a word from God's mouth and to warn those under his care or responsibility. A watchman must faithfully watch, wait, and hear what God will order and then act with necessary changes in his own life and by warning others. Not only are God's ministers watchmen, but also every member of God's church must be a faithful watchman. This is vital in order to produce good works and also to distinguish truth from error. The word hear is translated here from the Hebrew word shama. It is from a root word meaning to hear intelligently and implies attention and obedience. It means more than just hearing something. It means to take it to heart.

God's prophets have never come before the people with their own message. Rather they have faithfully delivered God's message to those He communicated with. Even prior to Abraham God clearly and directly communicated with Adam and Eve Abel Cain Enoch Noah and who knows how many other unnamed persons. The Bible story clearly proceeds to show He clearly communicated with Abraham and then with Abraham's Israelitish descendants all the way down to this very day. From Moses to Malachi God's revelations were recorded in written form as histories psalms proverbs and prophecy. Right from the prophets to the apostles through the books that they wrote to the people that God through Jesus Christ raised up God has been communicated to especially the Israelite people. So there was a continuous progression from one to another and that specific progression of prophets apostles teachers ends though abruptly when Christ is born. The unspoken lesson for us is that nothing needs to be added to the Messiah's message. The word prophet is only mentioned once and then the word prophet does not even appear until later in the book in chapter 3. The author moved directly to comparing the righteous purity qualifications and authority of angels who would certainly out-qualify and outrank a human prophet to that of Jesus who outranks and out-qualifies even them and everybody else except for the Father. God did speak through prophets but things disqualify them from having fulfilled what verse 18 says and what Hebrews chapter 1:2 says. Through the ages there were many prophets of varying qualities. Some of them were outright failures. Although they were prophets and they were used they were not all the same quality. Nobody can match up to Jesus Christ in anything. The word of the Lord came to them that is to the prophet it was given to them. They were not speaking their own words it was given to them. In other words they did not initiate the message because they did not literally possess it. And that is why it almost always says the prophet said what God told. They were all sinful men. The prophets did not understand the fullness of the very message given them. They did not understand the fullness of all of God's revelation. Every prophet they like John the Baptist had to confess. They were only bearing witness to the light that God gave them. Only Jesus had to do none of those things because He was already God. All those things are eliminated. The statement has in these last days is a contrasting statement for the times in which it was written. It is not an absolute statement. He was saying one thing was ending and another thing was beginning. The use of that statement is to provide a separation from what God did in the past compared with what He did until Christ was born and is doing now. Prophets are not needed. Jesus' Word is that authoritative and accurate. Nothing can be added to what He says that will in any way clarify the intent. That is why prophets are not needed. We already have the perfect revelation of God and here it is. The Son's Word. He set a perfect example in every case.

God's prophets include figures such as Samuel and David. Paul groups David with Samuel and the prophets in Hebrews 11. David ranks among the prophets because of the prophecies contained in the Psalms. God inspired David through His Holy Spirit so that His word was on David's tongue. David's psalms contain prophecies about the Messiah's suffering and the future Kingdom of God. Psalm 22 details the crucifixion of Jesus Christ with specific predictions that match the gospel accounts. These prophecies extend to the spread of the gospel and the establishment of God's rule over the nations.

God always uses people of the time to carry out His work. God has never resurrected a prophet or apostle to do a work centuries or millennia later. The two witnesses are two human beings who receive extraordinary power for three and one half years just before the return of Christ. The two witnesses receive power similar to that given to Elijah and to Moses. The two witnesses supply the church with oil and spiritually feed the church during the famine of the Word.