In the biblical narrative, prophets hold a significant role as God's chosen messengers, tasked with conveying His will, guidance, and warnings to the people of Israel. The Jewish people were required to hear and believe the words of the prophets, as these messages were divinely inspired and carried the authority of God Himself.

Divine Appointment of Prophets

Prophets were divinely appointed individuals, chosen by God to deliver His messages. In Deuteronomy 18:18-19, God promises to raise up a prophet like Moses: "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name." This passage underscores the expectation that the Israelites must listen to and heed the words of the prophets.

The Role of Prophets

Prophets served as intermediaries between God and His people, often calling the Israelites to repentance and obedience. They were tasked with delivering messages of warning, hope, and future restoration. The prophet Isaiah, for example, was called to speak to a rebellious nation, as seen in Isaiah 6:9-10: "Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes."

The Necessity of Belief

Belief in the prophets' messages was crucial for the spiritual well-being of the Jewish people. In 2 Chronicles 20:20, King Jehoshaphat exhorts the people, saying, "Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed." This highlights the importance of faith in the prophetic word as a means of securing divine favor and success.

Consequences of Disbelief

The Scriptures also document the consequences of disregarding the prophets. In Jeremiah 25:4-5, God laments through the prophet Jeremiah, "And the LORD has sent all His servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear. They said, ‘Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and deeds, and you can dwell in the land the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.’" The failure to heed prophetic warnings often led to judgment and exile, as seen in the Babylonian captivity.

Prophetic Fulfillment and Messianic Expectation

The Jewish expectation of a coming Messiah is deeply rooted in the prophetic tradition. Prophets like Isaiah and Micah foretold the coming of a Savior who would establish God's kingdom. Isaiah 9:6-7 proclaims, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." The fulfillment of these prophecies in the person of Jesus Christ is a cornerstone of Christian belief, affirming the necessity of hearing and believing the prophets.

Conclusion

The role of prophets in the Jewish tradition is integral to understanding the relationship between God and His people. The requirement to hear and believe the prophets underscores the importance of obedience and faith in God's revealed word. Through the prophets, God communicated His will, called for repentance, and provided hope for redemption, ultimately pointing to the coming of the Messiah.Deuteronomy 18:15
The LORD your God will raise up to you a Prophet from the middle of you, of your brothers, like to me; to him you shall listen;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 20:20
And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall you be established; believe his prophets, so shall you prosper.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

He Illustrates the Apostle's Saying, "I Will Destroy the Wisdom of ...
... in the wisdom "which spake by the prophets," "Him," [1998 ... For the Jews require signs,"
in order to faith; "and the ... to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xviii he illustrates the apostles.htm

Faustus Asserts that Even if the Old Testament could be Shown to ...
... He would require first to persuade me to believe the ... is known to us only from the
Jews, who, in ... inquirer, who will not believe either the prophets or Faustus? ...
/.../faustus asserts that even if.htm

Faustus Denies that the Prophets Predicted Christ. Augustin Proves ...
... not me, believe the prophets." Accordingly we require no testimonies ... us of any oracles
of God committed to the Jews besides those of the Hebrew prophets? ...
/.../faustus denies that the prophets.htm

The Miracles
... a thing so evident that it does not require miracles to ... It had been told to the Jews,
as well as to ... that they should not always believe the prophets; but yet ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section xiii the miracles.htm

John Chapter viii. 13, 14
... I find the Lord speaking to the Jews: "I have ... breeding the worms of calumny, hear
the prophets: I read ... apostle shall be opened; we shall not require the witness ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate xxxv john chapter viii.htm

Jesus Rejected in Jerusalem.
... and the prophets are dead: whom makest Thou Thyself ... related which should have furnished
the Jews with all the evidence which reasonable minds would require? ...
/.../xix jesus rejected in jerusalem.htm

A vindication of the Prophecy in Isa. vii. 14 against the ...
... and when, after seventy years, the Jews had returned ... Spirit of God, who proclaimed
by the prophets what and ... being, nor any other which should [require to] be ...
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Introductory to Texts from the Gospels on the Incarnation. ...
... not; for it is proper to creatures to require and to ... Lord came' to this or that of
the Prophets [3014 ... taking a servant's form, therefore to the Jews the Cross ...
/.../chapter xxvi introductory to texts from.htm

Psalm XXXIV.
... Christ was crucified amid the Jews raging and seeing; the ... of the great Counsel;
[717] so the Prophets called Him ... lay waste this vineyard, yet I require of thee ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xxxiv.htm

Again in John v. 2, Etc. , on the Five Porches, Where Lay a Great ...
... 4. The Jews then were troubled. ... how thou dost hear, and He knoweth how to require,
Who ordereth ... this Christ, that this both the Law, and the Prophets, and the ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon lxxv again in john.htm

What is the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal? | GotQuestions.org

What was a prophet in the Old Testament? | GotQuestions.org

What is a prophet in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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