Do prophet's exist here on earth? How do I know if someone claims to be a real prophet of God? And are their apostles here on earth?

[Kristina]

I'm asking these questions as about seven or eight years ago, a man came to me claiming he was a prophet sent from God and I received a foot washing and almost immediately was given the gift of speaking in tongues. Was this man really a prophet of God...

[Michael37]

3 hours ago, Kristina said:

I'm asking these questions as about seven or eight years ago, a man came to me claiming he was a prophet sent from God and I received a foot washing and almost immediately was given the gift of speaking in tongues. Was this man really a prophet of God...

Maybe . . .

[Dennis1209]

5 hours ago, Kristina said:

I'm asking these questions as about seven or eight years ago, a man came to me claiming he was a prophet sent from God and I received a foot washing and almost immediately was given the gift of speaking in tongues. Was this man really a prophet of God...

Good question; I had wondered about that myself. The following is to be taken only as one person's opinion. First, we need a definition of what a prophet is and does:

PROPHET. One who is divinely inspired to communicate God's will to His people and to disclose the future to them.^[1]

A prophet's credentials are 100% accurate 100% of the time.

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)

Except for Jesus Himself when He walked the Earth:

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11)

Except for Jesus Himself (Son of God and Prophet), the forerunner of Christ, John the Baptist, was the last prophet. The dispensation of the Law was ending, and the beginning of the age of Grace started with the arrival of Christ. John closed out the Old Testament and prophets.

He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)

Our Canon is complete; there will be no further revelation; everything God wants us to know is contained in our Bible.

Everything changed at Jesus's sacrificial death. Before Jesus became our advocate and mediator, all communications with God went through a prophet. Today we are blessed with:

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Today, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can boldly go before the throne of God in prayer, supplication, request, and asking for personal revelation and understanding.

In OT times, the prophets were appointed, identified, and known, and there was no question of who they were. The Lord dealt with the false prophets. For a short time, the Apostles replaced the prophets in that capacity.

If anyone claims to be a prophet today, beware.

An apostle is someone who is sent out as a messenger or ambassador. In the New Testament, the term is primarily used to refer to the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ who were foundational to the early church. These apostles were witnesses of the resurrected Christ, chosen by the Holy Spirit, and able to perform signs and wonders. Apart from the twelve, there were also apostles in a generic sense, such as Barnabas and Andronicus. Today, the role of an apostle is often likened to that of a missionary, someone sent out to proclaim the gospel. However, the idea of restoring the position of apostle with authority equal to the original twelve is not supported by biblical evidence and can be seen as a dangerous movement. Ultimately, all followers of Jesus are called to be His ambassadors and spread the good news.

Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered

 

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^[1] Unger, Merrill Frederick, et al. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Rev. and updated ed., Moody Press, 1988.

[Michael37]

4 minutes ago, Dennis1209 said:

Good question; I had wondered about that myself. The following is to be taken only as one person's opinion. First, we need a definition of what a prophet is and does:

PROPHET. One who is divinely inspired to communicate God's will to His people and to disclose the future to them.^[1]

A prophet's credentials are 100% accurate 100% of the time.

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)

Except for Jesus Himself when He walked the Earth:

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11)

Except for Jesus Himself (Son of God and Prophet), the forerunner of Christ, John the Baptist, was the last prophet. The dispensation of the Law was ending, and the beginning of the age of Grace started with the arrival of Christ. John closed out the Old Testament and prophets.

He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)

Our Canon is complete; there will be no further revelation; everything God wants us to know is contained in our Bible.

Everything changed at Jesus's sacrificial death. Before Jesus became our advocate and mediator, all communications with God went through a prophet. Today we are blessed with:

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Today, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can boldly go before the throne of God in prayer, supplication, request, and asking for personal revelation and understanding.

In OT times, the prophets were appointed, identified, and known, and there was no question of who they were. The Lord dealt with the false prophets. For a short time, the Apostles replaced the prophets in that capacity.

If anyone claims to be a prophet today, beware.

 

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^[1] Unger, Merrill Frederick, et al. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Rev. and updated ed., Moody Press, 1988.

In the book of Acts, there are references to living prophets who played significant roles in the early Christian community. Let’s explore a couple of them:

1. Agabus: Agabus appears twice in the book of Acts. In Acts 11:27-28, he prophesied about an upcoming famine, warning the believers in Antioch. By the Spirit’s enabling, Agabus foretold that there would be a great famine throughout the world, which indeed happened during the days of Claudius Caesar. As a result, the Antioch believers sent relief to their brethren in Judea. In Acts 21:10-11, Agabus prophesied about the terrible things that would happen to the apostle Paul if he proceeded to Jerusalem. Despite this warning, Paul remained steadfast in his commitment to the Lord Jesus. Agabus’ appearances highlight how the Holy Spirit reveals the future to prophets and how believers respond to His messages¹.

2. Other Prophets: Acts 13:1 mentions prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch. Among them were Barnabas, Simeon (also known as “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), and Manaen (a childhood companion of King Herod Antipas). These prophets played essential roles in the early Christian community, testifying to the work of the Holy Spirit and bearing witness to Christ and God’s salvation through Him².

These references demonstrate the Holy Spirit’s active role in guiding and equipping the early believers through prophets. Their prophecies helped shape the course of events and fostered unity among the followers of Jesus. If you have any more questions or need further information, feel free to ask! 😊[Copilot]

 

In the book of Acts, we encounter Philip, one of the early Christian leaders. Philip had settled in Caesarea for about twenty years, and during this time, he had four daughters. Luke, the author of Acts, describes these young women simply as “four virgin daughters who prophesied” (Acts 21:9). Let’s explore why these details are significant:

1. Prophetic Ministry: The fact that Philip’s daughters were prophetesses highlights the active role of spiritual gifts, including prophecy, within the local church. These women delivered messages inspired by God, even though their prophecies did not become part of the New Testament canon¹.

2. Devotion to the Lord: Some scholars suggest that these daughters may have chosen to remain unmarried in order to be fully devoted to the Lord and ministry. The apostle Paul also encouraged singleness for those who could handle it, emphasizing that unmarried individuals could focus more on serving God without the responsibilities of family life (1 Corinthians 7:8, 34)².

3. Living with Philip: Their single status explains why they were still living with their father, Philip, instead of with their husbands. In those days, it was common for children to continue living with their parents until they married or established their own households¹.

4. Luke’s Detailed Reporting: Luke provides detailed accounts of the sea journey to Caesarea, emphasizing the events at the end of the journey. He even includes himself in the narrative by using the pronoun “we,” suggesting that he was one of the passengers¹.

In summary, Philip’s daughters serve as a reminder of the diverse roles and gifts within the early Christian community. Their prophetic ministry and commitment to the Lord demonstrate the vibrant spiritual life of the early believers. If you have any more questions or need further information, feel free to ask! 😊³⁴ [Copilot]

[Neighbor]

 "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,  who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near."

Different John, different time and place, yet it declares God is the author, that it is sent by His angel, to his witness John, to declare this prophecy.

[Neighbor]

6 hours ago, Kristina said:

I'm asking these questions as about seven or eight years ago, a man came to me claiming he was a prophet sent from God and I received a foot washing and almost immediately was given the gift of speaking in tongues. Was this man really a prophet of God...

Hi,In a "general sense" Ol' Got Questions ( Have Answers) makes a good presentation  on what is a prophet. The presentation may be of some help  in focusing on  just what was this man that washed your feet. So I'll risk posting it all below: Credit to "Got Questions".

The speaking in tongues I consider to be a completely separate  issue, one unrelated to proving or disproving that this foot washer  is or was used by God as  a prophet.

"In a general sense, a prophet is a person who speaks God’s truth to others. The English word prophet comes from the Greek word prophetes, which can mean “one who speaks forth” or “advocate.” Prophets are also called “seers,” because of their spiritual insight or their ability to “see” the future.

In the Bible, prophets often had both a teaching and revelatory role, declaring God’s truth on contemporary issues while also revealing details about the future. Isaiah’s ministry, for example, touched on both the present and the future. He preached boldly against the corruption of his day (Isaiah 1:4) and delivered grand visions of the future of Israel (Isaiah 25:8).

Prophets had the task of faithfully speaking God’s Word to the people. They were instrumental in guiding the nation of Israel and establishing the church. God’s household is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20).

More than 133 named prophets are mentioned in the Bible, including 16 women. In addition, numerous others prophesied, such as the 70 elders of Israel (Numbers 11:25) and the 100 prophets rescued by Obadiah (1 Kings 18:4). The first named prophet in the Bible is Abraham. In Genesis 20:7 God spoke to Abimelech in dream, saying, “Now then, return [Abraham’s] wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you will live.” God had revealed Himself to Abraham on numerous occasions.

Jacob and Joseph, descendants of Abraham, both had dreams regarding the future that could be categorized as prophetic. Moses was called a “man of God” and was considered a great prophet (Deuteronomy 34:10). Joshua and many of the judges served as prophets, with the last judge, Samuel, hearing the voice of God as a young boy (1 Samuel 3:4). He would later anoint David, who served as both king and prophet in Israel.

The time of Elijah and Elisha was marked by a high level of prophetic activity. In fact, a school for prophets thrived during their lifetimes (see 1 Kings 20:35). Both Elijah and Elisha performed many miracles as well.

In the New Testament, John the Baptist foretold the Messiah (Matthew 3:1). Jesus Himself came as prophet, priest, king, and Messiah, fulfilling many of the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.

The early church also included prophets. For example, Ananias was given a prophecy about the apostle Paul’s future (Acts 9:10–18). Acts 21:9 mentions four daughters of Philip who could prophesy. Prophecy is listed as a spiritual gift in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. In the end times, two “witnesses” will prophesy from Jerusalem (Revelation 11).

Usually, the prophets God sends are despised and their message unheeded. Isaiah described his nation as a “rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seers, ‘See no more visions!’ and to the prophets, ‘Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions’” (Isaiah 30:9–10). Jesus lamented that Jerusalem had killed the prophets God sent to them (Luke 13:34).

Of course, not everyone who “speaks forth” a message is actually a prophet of God. The Bible warns against false prophets who claim to speak for God but who actually deceive the people they purport to inform. King Ahab kept 400 such false prophets in his employ to tell him what he wanted to hear (2 Chronicles 18:4; cf. 2 Timothy 4:3). In the New Testament we have many warnings against false prophets. Jesus taught, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15). He later noted that, in the end times, “false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). Revelation speaks of a false prophet who will arise in the Tribulation and deceive people around the world (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). To avoid being led astray, we must always “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).

A true prophet of God will be committed to speaking God’s truth. He or she will never contradict God’s revealed Word. A true prophet will say, with the prophet Micaiah just before his fateful confrontation with Ahab, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says” (2 Chronicles 18:13)."

[BibleStudent100]

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

Our Canon is complete; there will be no further revelation; everything God wants us to know is contained in our Bible.

According to Moses, there are three essentials for establishing the credentials of a true prophet:  

*Prophet speaks in God's name

*Thing foretold would come to pass

*The prophesying must promote true worship

(See De 18:20-22 & De 13:1-4)

Even if the above were to pass, why would there be a need for any new prophets in these Last Days?  Everything we need to know is sufficient information to know as the Bible is complete.  So the question is, is this fellow a true prophet?  Be very wary...

[Neighbor]

And are there apostles here on earth? No, not in the sense of the original 12 ( One being replaced) plus Paul the apostle out of time.

So, No! However, there is a movement to restore the office of Apostle today. which can be  a dangerous attempt when it tries to bring forth a new understanding(s) one's equal to what is the work of God the inspired word the Bible itself.

In a much lesser sense all that  share of the inspired recorded word and do so with accuracy are apostles.

[Michael37]

7 minutes ago, BibleStudent100 said:

Even if the above were to pass, why would there be a need for any new prophets in these Last Days? 

The answer is here:

1Co 14:1-3  Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.  (2)  For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.  (3)  But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
 

[Neighbor]

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

Our Canon is complete; there will be no further revelation; everything God wants us to know is contained in our Bible.

Well maybe so for the canon as organized, separated, booked, chaptered, and versified,  by Thomas Nelson Publishers, eh?

Seriously the Bible in it's many various English versions is a very best effort, but those versions are NOT inspired. For some have  been altered for the convenience ( and financial advantage) of the publishers. Example the separating of the one  book Kings into two books, was done for easier binding of it as a separate study into two books.  Plus two books  instead of one makes for another book to be able to sell and make gain from.

None of which takes away from the Bible's truths at all. It is just that man has indeed made uninspired alterations including  the convenience of verses, chapters and even book divisions.