The term "prophetic" pertains to the function, office, or activity of a prophet, as well as the messages delivered by prophets. In the biblical context, prophets are individuals chosen by God to convey His messages to the people. These messages often include calls to repentance, warnings of judgment, and revelations of future events. The prophetic role is integral to both the Old and New Testaments, serving as a means through which God communicates His will and purposes.

Old Testament Prophets

In the Old Testament, prophets played a crucial role in guiding the Israelites. They were often called by God during times of national crisis or moral decline. The Hebrew word for prophet, "nabi," suggests one who is called or appointed. Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel are among the major prophets, while Hosea, Joel, Amos, and others are considered minor prophets due to the length of their writings, not their significance.

The prophetic messages in the Old Testament often included elements of foretelling and forthtelling. Foretelling involved predicting future events, such as the coming of the Messiah or impending judgments. Forthtelling involved proclaiming God's truth to the people, urging them to return to covenant faithfulness. For example, Isaiah 7:14 prophesies the birth of Immanuel: "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel."

New Testament Prophets

In the New Testament, the prophetic office continues, though it takes on new dimensions with the coming of Jesus Christ, who is seen as the ultimate fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Jesus Himself is recognized as a prophet, as seen in Luke 24:19 : "‘What things?’ He asked. ‘The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,’ they answered. ‘This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people.’"

The New Testament also speaks of the gift of prophecy within the early church. The Apostle Paul discusses this spiritual gift in 1 Corinthians 12:10 , where he lists prophecy among the gifts given by the Holy Spirit. Prophets in the early church, such as Agabus (Acts 11:28), played a role in edifying the church, providing guidance, and sometimes predicting future events.

The Role of Prophecy

Prophecy serves several purposes in the biblical narrative. It acts as a means of divine communication, revealing God's character and intentions. Prophecy also serves to authenticate God's messengers, as seen in Deuteronomy 18:22 : "If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come to pass, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him."

Furthermore, prophecy provides hope and assurance to God's people. The prophetic promises of a coming Messiah, for instance, sustained the Israelites through periods of exile and oppression. In the New Testament, the prophetic revelation of Christ's return offers hope to believers, as seen in Revelation 22:20 : "He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

Prophetic Fulfillment

The fulfillment of prophecy is a key theme in the Bible, demonstrating God's sovereignty and faithfulness. Many Old Testament prophecies find their fulfillment in the New Testament, particularly in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:22-23 highlights this fulfillment: "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel’ (which means, ‘God with us’)."

The prophetic tradition continues to be a vital aspect of Christian theology and eschatology, as believers anticipate the fulfillment of remaining prophecies concerning the end times and the establishment of God's eternal kingdom.(a.) Alt. of Prophetical.4397. prophetikos -- prophetic
... prophetic. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: prophetikos Phonetic Spelling:
(prof-ay-tik-os') Short Definition: prophetic Definition: prophetic ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4397.htm - 7k

4394. propheteia -- prophecy
... Word Origin from propheteuo Definition prophecy NASB Word Usage prophecies (1),
prophecy (15), prophesying (1), prophetic utterance (1), prophetic utterances (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4394.htm - 7k

5056. telos -- an end, a toll
... the conclusion of an act or state (termination (literally, figuratively or
indefinitely), result (immediate, ultimate or prophetic), purpose); specially, an ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5056.htm - 7k

4244. presbuterion -- a body of elders
... 1 Tim 4:14: Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on
you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4244.htm - 7k

4395. propheteuo -- to foretell, tell forth, prophesy
... prophesy. From prophetes; to foretell events, divine, speak under inspiration,
exercise the prophetic office -- prophesy. see GREEK prophetes. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4395.htm - 8k

4536. salpigx -- a trumpet
... people. ["The trumpet was the signal employed to call the hosts of Israel ,
and is common in prophetic imagery (Is 27:13). Cf. The ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4536.htm - 7k

7203b. roeh -- (prophetic) vision
... (prophetic) vision. Transliteration: roeh Short Definition: visions. Word Origin
from raah Definition (prophetic) vision NASB Word Usage visions (1). ...
/hebrew/7203b.htm - 5k

The Prophetic and Priestly Documents
... THE PROPHETIC AND PRIESTLY DOCUMENTS. ... On these grounds alone it would not be unfair
to place the prophetic documents somewhere between Solomon and Amos. ...
/.../introduction to the old testament/the prophetic and priestly documents.htm

Elements of Prophetic Interpretation.
... ELEMENTS OF PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION. 1. THE GRAMMAR of any science is
a development of the principles by which it is governed. ...
/.../a brief commentary on the apocalypse/elements of prophetic interpretation.htm

Of the Manner in which Prophetic Knowledge is Conveyed (Four ...
... OF THE MANNER IN WHICH PROPHETIC KNOWLEDGE IS CONVEYED (FOUR ARTICLES). ... (3) Whether
prophetic revelation is always accompanied by abstraction from the sense? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/of the manner in which 2.htm

Prophetic Sentences
... ORATORY VIII PROPHETIC SENTENCES. Thus saith the LORD: Let not the wise
man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/viii prophetic sentences.htm

Of the Prophetic Age.
... Book XVII. Chapter 1."Of the Prophetic Age. By the favor of God we have
treated distinctly of His promises made to Abraham, that ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 1 of the prophetic age.htm

Whether the Prophetic vision is Always Accompanied by Abstraction ...
... Whether, in prophetic revelation, new species of things are impressed
on the prophet's mind, or merely a new light? Whether the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the prophetic vision is.htm

Christ's Prophetic Office
... 5. The covenant of grace and its mediator 3. Christ's Prophetic Office. 'The
Lord ... Christ. These are Prophetic, Priestly, and Regal. 'The ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/3 christs prophetic office.htm

The History of the Prophetic Sermons, Epistles, and Apocalypses
... VII THE HISTORY OF THE PROPHETIC SERMONS, EPISTLES, AND APOCALYPSES. [Sidenote:
Real character and aims of the prophets] To understand ...
/.../the origin and permanent value of the old testament/vii the history of the.htm

The Growth of the Old Testament Prophetic Histories
... VI THE GROWTH OF THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETIC HISTORIES. [Sidenote: Analogies ...
hand. [Sidenote: The early Judean prophetic history]. The ...
/.../the origin and permanent value of the old testament/vi the growth of the.htm

Whether, in Prophetic Revelation, New Species of Things are ...
... Whether, in prophetic revelation, new species of things are impressed on
the prophet's mind, or merely a new light? Objection 1: It ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether in prophetic revelation new.htm

Prophetic (9 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Alt. of Prophetical. Multi-Version Concordance
Prophetic (9 Occurrences). Acts 2:31 with prophetic...
/p/prophetic.htm - 9k

Vision (106 Occurrences)
... 4. (v.) Especially, that which is seen otherwise than by the ordinary sight, or
the rational eye; a supernatural, prophetic, or imaginary sight; an apparition ...
/v/vision.htm - 45k

Josiah (51 Occurrences)
... shiyahu, "Yahweh supports him"; Ioseias; the King James Version Josias (which see)):
I. SOURCES FOR HIS LIFE AND TIMES 1. Annalistic 2. Prophetic 3. Memorial II ...
/j/josiah.htm - 42k

Zoroastrianism
... of Purim. And the stress laid on the prophetic ability of the Magi in
Matthew 2:1-12 is certainly not without significance. But ...
/z/zoroastrianism.htm - 17k

Prophetess (8 Occurrences)
... prof'-et-es (nebhi'ah; prophetis): Women were not excluded from the prophetic office
in the Old Testament, and were honored with the right of prophetic...
/p/prophetess.htm - 10k

Prophet (315 Occurrences)
... The whole Word of God may in this general sense be spoken of as prophetic, inasmuch
as it was written by men who received the revelation they communicated from ...
/p/prophet.htm - 49k

Jehoiakim (37 Occurrences)
... which he did." For "the rest of his acts" we are referred, also for the last time,
to the "book of the kings of Israel and Judah." 2. Prophetic: For the moral ...
/j/jehoiakim.htm - 33k

Offices (14 Occurrences)
... categories expressive of the mode of Redemption. These were prophetic,
priestly and regal. Historical Review of the Theory: The ...
/o/offices.htm - 43k

Zedekiah (63 Occurrences)
... Yah my righteousness"; name changed from Mattaniah (mattanyah, "gift of Yah"; Sedekias):
I. SOURCES FOR HIS REGION AND TIME 1. Annalistic 2. Prophetic II. ...
/z/zedekiah.htm - 49k

Ministry (44 Occurrences)
... Modern writers have called it the charismatic, but perhaps the better term is the
prophetic ministry; while to the other class belong all the names which are ...
/m/ministry.htm - 51k

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