What is a prophet? (Jesus Christ, moral, testimony, punishment, Moses)

Pardus · #1 10-30-2006, 08:16 PM

Just a simple question.

PHOTOTAKER · #2 10-30-2006, 09:01 PM

i love the bible dictionary!!!

BIBLE DICTIONARY
Prophet
The work of a Hebrew prophet was to act as God’s messenger and make known God’s will. The message was usually prefaced with the words “Thus saith Jehovah.” He taught men about God’s character, showing the full meaning of his dealings with Israel in the past. It was therefore part of the prophetic office to preserve and edit the records of the nation’s history; and such historical books as Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Sam., 1 and 2 Kings were known by the Jews as the former Prophets. It was also the prophet’s duty to denounce sin and foretell its punishment, and to redress, so far as he could, both public and private wrongs. He was to be, above all, a preacher of righteousness. When the people had fallen away from a true faith in Jehovah, the prophets had to try to restore that faith and remove false views about the character of God and the nature of the Divine requirement. In certain cases prophets predicted future events, e.g., there are the very important prophecies announcing the coming of Messiah’s kingdom; but as a rule prophet was a forthteller rather than a foreteller. In a general sense a prophet is anyone who has a testimony of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost, as in Num. 11: 25-29; Rev. 19: 10.

Pardus · #3 10-30-2006, 09:20 PM

So by that description, ghandi is a prophet.

PHOTOTAKER · #4 10-30-2006, 09:29 PM

numbers 11:25-29:
25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

revaltion 19:10:
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

all in all a prophet leads his people and testifies of christ in the name of Jesus Christ or Jehova.

i don't know much about ghandi to his religion maybe, to mine no...

Pardus · #5 10-30-2006, 09:37 PM

Do some research, he did advocate christian ideals.

Popeyesays · #6 10-30-2006, 10:01 PM

So what do you mean by 'prophet'; a nabi or a rasul.

A nabi is a prophet like Hosea or Daniel or St. John. He does not speak with his own authority but appeals to the authority of the Rasul Who preceded him.

A rasul is the Revealer of a Book, an Apostle of God, One Who brings His Own reveation by His Own authority.

So which? English stumbles over the difference, Arabic uses a single word to mean each of the two types.

Regards,
Scott

ayani · #7 10-30-2006, 10:09 PM

an otherwise common religious seeker who is moved / chosen by God to bring a new understanding of Himself to humanity. for example, a message about morality, theology, compassion, etc. in other words, if one is moved by the Spirit, one can be a prophet. if one is chosen by God, one is also a prophet.

as the notion of being "chosen by God" often leads to claims of absolutism and charismatic authority, i politely keep with the belief that all people can be or may be moved by the Spirit to share a message with others.