Prophet and/or Seer and/or Revelator -- What's the Difference? (Jesus, Messiah)

[Katzpur]

I was curious, because of some of the comments made in response to the question asked in the recent survey, "Who was Joseph Smith to you?" that two or three people (I think most of them Baha'is) said something to the effect that Joseph Smith may have been a seer but was not a prophet. I'm curious as to how you (anyone, Baha'i or not) would define the terms:

1. Prophet

2. Seer

3. Revelator

Since we believe Joseph Smith and all subsequent LDS prophets to have been all three of these things, and do make a distinction between them, I'm wondering how everyone else sees those three words. Are they synonymns or do they have slightly different meanings?

[Comprehend]

**deleted**

[Francine]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

1. Prophet

2. Seer

3. Revelator

A Prophet is a social reformer who tries to get the people to return to God. A Seer is someone who warns of things to come. A Revelator is authorized to make divine truths known to the people.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Francine

A Prophet is a social reformer who tries to get the people to return to God. A Seer is someone who warns of things to come. A Revelator is authorized to make divine truths known to the people.

Wow, I just love it when somebody gets around to replying to a thread I start nine months after I start it! Better late than never, I suppose.

1 Samuel 9:9 says, "Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, this he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was before time called a Seer."

According to LDS usage, a prophet is one who speaks for God; a seer has the capacity for envisioning future and past events. The Book of Mormon teaches that a seer is greater than a prophet because a seer is both a revelator and a prophet. I was unable to find anything (although I didn't look very hard) to distinguish between a seer and a revelator. Maybe another Latter-day Saint will jump in here. Or maybe not.

[nutshell]

In the LDS church today I'm not sure there is any difference since they are always combined. However, the early church was developing in a climate of myticism where these differences may have been more important.

[pert opinion]

Allah is the greatest

[Francine]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

According to LDS usage, a prophet is one who speaks for God; a seer has the capacity for envisioning future and past events. The Book of Mormon teaches that a seer is greater than a prophet because a seer is both a revelator and a prophet.

John the Baptist was a Prophet, but he was not a very good Seer. He was very effective at preparing the people to receive the Messiah, but he was not sure if Jesus really was that Messiah, even when he was in prison near death.

[arthra]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

I was curious, because of some of the comments made in response to the question asked in the recent survey, "Who was Joseph Smith to you?" that two or three people (I think most of them Baha'is) said something to the effect that Joseph Smith may have been a seer but was not a prophet. I'm curious as to how you (anyone, Baha'i or not) would define the terms:

1. Prophet

2. Seer

3. Revelator

Since we believe Joseph Smith and all subsequent LDS prophets to have been all three of these things, and do make a distinction between them, I'm wondering how everyone else sees those three words. Are they synonymns or do they have slightly different meanings?

A seer in our belief is someone who may have some intimations about the future or who has intuitions.

A Prophet is Someone who has a mission from God... In the Bible you have minor and major prophets. Baha'is believe there are independent prophets who have divine books revealed to them and start new dispensations and there are dependent prophets who reflect the light they receive from the indendent Prophets... Say like Isaiah or Joshua who received inspiration through Moses an indenedent Prophet.

A Revelator.. reveals what God has given them.

A Manifestation of God is someone Who perfectly reflects the attributes of God to humanity and is a Mediator between God and man..

- Art