All About Prophets in the Bible—New and Old Testament

Prophets were individuals in the Bible who received messages from God and communicated those messages to the recipients—whether through speaking or writing. Their writings, known as prophetic books, comprise a huge part of the Bible.

So who were these people? And why did God choose them to be prophets?

Here, we’ll introduce these prophets and look at how God used them.

Learning about the prophets of the past can help us better understand the whole story of the Bible—and how God relates to humanity with love and encourages freedom of choice. We’ll cover:

• Who can be a prophet
• Who the prophets of the Bible are
• How God calls prophets
• Why the Bible’s prophets are relevant today

Let’s start at the basics, defining what a prophet is and who can serve in this role.

Who can be a prophet?

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A prophet is someone called to speak on God’s behalf to His people. The common denominator among the prophets was that each one had a willing heart to follow God. Other than that, there isn’t one type or model for the kind of person He calls to this role. The Bible is full of prophets, and each one is unique.

Some were young, like Samuel and Daniel.

Some were very old, like Anna and Simeon.

Some were also priests or judges, like Jeremiah and Deborah.

And both men and women were prophets.

Others were regular people with regular jobs. For example, Paul was a tentmaker, and Moses was a shepherd.

Most of the time, prophets weren’t exactly popular among their people because they had to deliver messages of change. The messages may have called the people to abandon certain cherished-but-harmful behaviors or exposed secret sins held by those in leadership.

But when it comes to what God needs in a person for them to be a prophet, He looked for willingness. They had to have an open heart and a desire to listen and follow the Word of God.

So, anyone—even the most ordinary individual—can be a prophet if called by God.

Who were these Bible prophets?

When we hear of Bible prophets, we often think of the ones who wrote the Old Testament prophetic books—the 16 major and minor prophets.

But many others in the Bible didn’t write books—or the books they wrote were not named after them.

The total number of prophets in the Bible is around 88, though this number will vary depending on who you talk to. People within certain Christian circles may consider some characters prophets, while others don’t.

Let’s look at who they were in different categories.

The major prophets of the Old Testament

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These four prophets are called “major” because they wrote longer books that applied to a broader audience. They are:

• Isaiah, who wrote the book of Isaiah, which contained many Messianic prophecies. He prophesied for at least 60 years during the reigns of four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.¹
• Jeremiah, who wrote both Jeremiah and Lamentations. Christian scholars believe he may have also compiled 1 and 2 Kings.² He prophesied in the years just before and during Judah’s Babylonian exile.
• Ezekiel, who wrote the book of Ezekiel and served among the Jews in the years right before and during the Babylonian captivity.
• Daniel, who wrote most of the book of Daniel. He was one of the Jews taken captive in Babylon. He served as a top official in the Babylonian government and later the Medo-Persian government. Through it all, he remained faithful to God.

The minor prophets of the Old Testament

The 12 minor prophets wrote shorter books—all of which carry their names. They are also known as “the twelve” in the Hebrew canon.

• Hosea prophesied in the darkest period of the history of the northern kingdom of Israel—just before the nation was taken captive by Assyria. God asked him to marry a prostitute named Gomer to demonstrate God’s commitment and love for His people.
• Joel was a prophet in Judah. Through him, God pronounced a drought and a terrible invasion of locusts as judgments. But Joel also prophesied Judah’s restoration to God’s favor.
• Amos was a herdsman from Judah. He was called to prophesy in Israel, where he rebuked the idol worship promoted by King Jeroboam.
• Obadiah was from Judah and prophesied the punishment of the Edomites, an enemy nation that had treated Judah cruelly in war.
• Jonah was sent to warn Nineveh, a city of Assyria and one of Israel’s bitter enemies. He is best known for being swallowed by a fish and surviving the ordeal.
• Micah was from Moresheth, Judah. He wrote to God’s people in a very poetic way, warning them of the judgment coming upon them because they’d turned from God’s covenant. At the same time, he also offered hope of God’s mercy.
• Nahum’s name means “comforted.” He foretold the fall of Nineveh, which was the capital of Assyria, one of Israel’s most cruel oppressors. By this prophecy, he comforted Israel that God would vindicate them.
• Habakkuk prophesied during the times of the most corrupt kings in Judah—Manasseh and Amon. He knew their evil would lead to Babylonian captivity and was greatly saddened and concerned for the destiny of his people. But God assured him that the end of the wicked would surely come and the righteous would be saved.
• Zephaniah was a prophet in the time of King Josiah. He warned of the coming judgment on Judah and other neighboring countries. But his main burden was to call the people to repent.
• Haggai supported the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity during the times of Zerubbabel and Joshua (Ezra 5:1–12).
• Zechariah worked together with Haggai. He especially encouraged Joshua, the high priest, in a vision that showed God forgiving the guilt of his people (Zechariah 3:1–10).
• Malachi was the last Old Testament prophet. His ministry came a long time after the Babylonian captivity and the return of the Jews to Jerusalem—after the time of Nehemiah. The people had forgotten God’s ways and their experience in captivity, so he rebuked them and urged them to return to God.

So, in total, we have 16 Old Testament prophets who wrote books named after them (except Lamentations). Their books form the last 17 books in the Old Testament.

They are also known as “the latter prophets” or “the literary prophets” because their words were each separate books or pieces of literature.

This is unlike the prophets in the earlier parts of the Bible, whose words and ministries are recorded within the historical books of the nation of Israel. They are often called the “earlier prophets” or “former prophets.”³

Let’s look at some of them next.

The earlier prophets of the Old Testament

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The former prophets date back to the earliest history of the Hebrew nation. Some wrote major parts of the Bible, though the books don’t carry their names.

They are:

• Moses, who wrote Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Job. He was the first leader of the Israelite nation (Deuteronomy 18:18).
• Samuel, who most likely wrote Judges and parts of 1 Samuel.⁴ He worked with Eli the priest, and then anointed and worked with the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. He also started the schools of the prophets.⁵
• Nathan wrote parts of the books of 1 and 2 Samuel.⁶ He worked with King David and is perhaps best remembered for rebuking David after his sin with Bathsheba.
• Gad co-authored the books of 1 and 2 Samuel with Nathan. He also communicated messages from God to King David (1 Samuel 22:5).

Other former prophets didn’t write any books, but they are talked about in the Old Testament—some at length and some very briefly. They include:

• Miriam, the sister of Aaron and Moses (Exodus 15:20–21).
• Deborah, who was also a judge in Israel and, together with Barak, led Israel to victory against an enemy nation (Judges 4–5).
  Ahijah the Shilonite, who announced the division of the Israelite nation after the reign of King Solomon and rebuked King Jeroboam’s idolatry (1 Kings 11:29–39; 14:1–13).
• Elijah, who worked to bring Israel back to God from idolatry during the time of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. He is the one who met the prophets of Baal in a showdown at Mount Carmel, where God proved He was the real God by sending fire from heaven.
• Jehu, the son of Hanani, who was a contemporary of Elijah. He rebuked King Jehoshaphat for forming alliances with ungodly kings (2 Chronicles 19:2).
• Micaiah, the son of Imlah, who prophesied the death of King Ahab in battle (1 Kings 22:8–28).
• Azariah, the son of Oded, who encouraged King Asa to abolish idolatry in Judah, resulting in prosperity and peace (2 Chronicles 15:1–19).
• Elisha, who was mentored by Elijah (1 Kings 19:19–21).
• Huldah, a prophetess who encouraged King Josiah’s reforms (2 Kings 22).

Now that we know some of the most well-known prophets in the Old Testament, let’s jump over to the New Testament.

New Testament prophets

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The greatest prophet in the New Testament is Jesus Christ. He taught the people, warned them, and gave prophecies that stretched from His time to the end of the world.

Prophets also existed among the followers of Jesus and those who formed the early Christian church. Paul writes about prophecy being one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit among the believers (1 Corinthians 12:8–10; Ephesians 4:7–13; Romans 12:3–8).

Here are some of the prophets mentioned:

• Anna, the daughter of Phanuel. She was an old widow who served God in the temple. She blessed Jesus when His parents presented Him at the temple as a baby (Luke 2:36–38).
• John the Baptist, who was Jesus’ cousin and prepared the way for the Messiah, even baptizing Jesus. He was martyred by Herod. Jesus Himself said that John was the greatest prophet (Luke 7:26–28).
• The apostle John, who was one of the 12 disciples and became a leader in the early Christian church. Near the end of his life, he wrote the book of Revelation.
• Barnabas, who was Paul’s companion in his first missionary journey. He had a special gift of mentoring new believers, including Paul (Acts 9:26–27; 12:25; 13:1; 15:37).
• Simeon Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, all prophets and teachers who prayed and fasted with Paul and Barnabas on the day they were called to go on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:1).
• Judas (not the one who betrayed Jesus), who was Silas’ companion before Silas joined Paul. Together, Judas and Silas “exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words” (Acts 15:32, NKJV).
• Silas, who was Paul’s companion in his second missionary journey (Acts 15:32).
• The four daughters of Philip the evangelist. Their father was one of the seven deacons who lived in Caesarea and hosted Paul and his companions while on their missionary journeys (Acts 21:8–9).
• Agabus, who lived in Jerusalem after Jesus’ ascension. He predicted a severe famine in the Roman Empire in the first century and Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10–11, 27–30).

So you may be wondering, How did these individuals become prophets in the first place? We’ll find out next.

How did God call the prophets in the Bible?

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God often called prophets through dreams or visions. At other times, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they prophesied (2 Chronicles 15:1). And in the case of Elisha, it began with a conviction to follow and serve Elijah (1 Kings 19:19–21).

But when the calling came through visions, God would give the prophet a message to deliver to the people.

Sometimes, the message was one of encouragement. Sometimes, it was a warning.

Each vision and message was unique to the prophet because these prophets served in specific times and situations.

Let’s dive deeper into the examples of Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and John to understand how and why God called them.

Moses

Moses was one of the earlier prophets of the Bible, preceded only by Noah and Abraham. He was used by God to liberate the Israelites from Egypt and give them the Ten Commandments—making him a remarkable Bible character.

He had quite the resumé: escaping death as a baby, becoming a member of the Egyptian royal family, leading the Israelites through the Red Sea, and acting as a mediator of God’s covenant—to name a few.

The prophetic call came to him when he was in the wilderness of Midian, living as a shepherd after becoming a fugitive from Pharaoh. God appeared to him in a burning bush:

“Come, I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3:10,‬ ‭ESV‬‬).

Moses seriously doubted himself and his ability to speak for God (Exodus 4:1, 10). But God assured him:

“Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak” (Exodus 4:11–12,‬ ‭ESV‬‬).

Not all the prophets felt worthy of prophesying for God, but He always provided what they needed to get the job done.

Moses is a good example to us that prophets are not perfect.

While they communicate on behalf of the divine, they are not divine themselves. They make mistakes just like everyone else. At times, Moses resorted to doing things his way, almost completely ignoring God’s direction.

For example, when the Israelites didn’t have any water in the desert, God gave Moses specific instructions to speak to a rock, and it would spew water. Instead of following God’s instructions, Moses struck the rock with his staff (Numbers 20:10–13).

That might seem like a minor difference, but the bottom line is that Moses did what he saw fit instead of what God explicitly asked him to do.

Whenever Moses tried to do things his way, things usually took a lot longer or were a lot more difficult.

However, what matters is that Moses always came back to God in humility. When God calls prophets, He uses them to accomplish His work and facilitates the growth they themselves need.

Isaiah

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Isaiah, a prophet to the kingdom of Judah, is known for writing the book of Isaiah, the Old Testament book most quoted in the New Testament because of all its prophecies about Jesus’ birth and role as the Messiah.

God called him through a spectacular vision of the heavenly throne room and asked,

“Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?” (Isaiah 6:8, ESV)

Isaiah responded with a willing heart:

“Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8, ESV)

Even though he felt like a “man of unclean lips” and like one who lived “among a people of unclean lips,” an angel touched a coal to Isaiah’s lips to symbolize God taking away Isaiah’s guilt and giving him a message to share (Isaiah 6:5, ESV).

Isaiah worked with four kings at the height of constant attacks from the Assyrians.

He also gave many prophecies to the people of Judah for that specific time—particularly prophecies of warning and rebuke (Isaiah 6:11–13).

It was a time of moral decline among the people of God. He labored to call them back to ways of peace, righteousness, and justice so that they could avoid the consequences of their actions—captivity to another nation.

But he also shared hope and encouragement about the future Messiah.

This is fitting since Isaiah’s name means “the Lord is salvation.”

Isaiah lived out the meaning of his name through his several prophecies of Jesus’ birth:

“Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, ESV).

 

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, ESV).

Beyond the failures of his people and threats from their enemies, his prophetic messages pointed to the coming deliverer and the kingdom of God that will last forever.⁷

Jeremiah

Jeremiah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah. He lived through the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, which resulted in the Jewish exile in Babylon.

The book of Jeremiah starts with his call:

“Then the word of the Lord came to me saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations’” (Jeremiah 1:4–5, NKJV).

Before Jeremiah was even born, God chose him to be a prophet.

This call highlights how God’s choices for a prophet are sometimes unexpected.

Jeremiah was probably just a teenager, and after God told Jeremiah He had chosen him, Jeremiah claimed that he was too young:

“Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth” (Jeremiah 1:6, NKJV).

However, God reassured Jeremiah that his youth didn’t disqualify him from filling the prophetic office. God promised to guide Jeremiah and give him the wisdom to speak before the people (Jeremiah 1:7–8).

And God did give Jeremiah the wisdom he needed.

Though many of Jeremiah’s messages were calls to repentance, Jeremiah also delivered messages of encouragement.

One such passage is Jeremiah 29:11–13:

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart” (ESV).

God used Jeremiah to give the Jewish exiles hope for the future. And just as God had plans for Jeremiah to be a prophet, He also has plans for each of us if we’re willing.

Daniel

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When we hear about Daniel, we often think about his experience of being thrown into the lion’s den. But Daniel was a prophet, too.

The book in the Bible with his name is particularly interesting because the first several chapters aren’t really prophetic. Instead, they give us insight into who Daniel was and what kind of situation he lived in.

Daniel was not much older than a teenager at the beginning of the Jewish exile in Babylon. And though he grew up in a culture that didn’t respect God, he remained faithful.

He chose to uphold the dietary guidelines of Israelite culture and received praise from Babylonian officials for his strength and wisdom (Daniel 1).

He also showed his commitment to God when he was given the power to explain King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, even when the king’s wise men and advisors couldn’t (Daniel 2, 4).

When he was in danger of persecution, Daniel remained loyal to his beliefs and open to God’s guidance. Ultimately, he gained the respect of the Babylonian and Persian kings and gave them God’s insights into the future.

Unlike the other prophetic books we have discussed, the book of Daniel doesn’t mention a specific moment when God called Daniel.

Many times, Daniel received visions he didn’t understand, so he had to seek God for an explanation (Daniel 8).

In all scenarios and situations—exile, persecution, exaltation, confusion, and clarity—Daniel went to God for guidance. His prophecies point to the triumph of God’s kingdom at the end of history.

John

John, or John the Revelator, was one of Jesus’ disciples. He wrote the Gospel of John as well as the book of Revelation, where we can read his prophetic writings.

John was in exile on the Greek island of Patmos when he received visions from God and wrote Revelation. They were messages for the church from John’s time all the way to the end of this earth’s history (Revelation 1:10–11).

John’s prophecies can be a bit confusing because they are symbolic. But in the end, they offer hope for the future as they show how God will do away with sin and evil for good, and then save and restore humanity (Revelation 20–22).

John’s messages are a great example of how prophetic messages in the Bible are both timely and timeless, leading us to our last point…

Why the Bible’s prophets are relevant today

So many of the prophetic messages might at first seem like they don’t apply to life in the 21st century.

We aren’t wandering in the desert.

We aren’t exiled in Babylon.

And we aren’t waiting for the Messiah to be born.

But that doesn’t mean that our stories are all that different from the people in the Bible. Here are just a few lessons we can learn:

• Moses’ role as a prophet shows us how God’s grace and mercy cover our imperfections. He can work through us even when we make mistakes.
• Jeremiah’s message teaches us that even when we are surrounded by destruction and faithlessness, God has a hopeful plan for our future.
• Daniel’s message exemplifies how we can impact the people around us through our loyalty to Him.
• And though we aren’t Babylonian exiles, we live in this world, waiting for deliverance (the Second Coming of Jesus). Throughout our “exile” time, we can patiently and faithfully live out God’s message of hope and salvation.
• Isaiah’s prophecies of Jesus’ birth, often heard quoted around Christmastime, are an incredible reminder of God’s plan of salvation and Jesus’ sacrifice.
• And finally, John’s Revelation shows us that there is a future joy for believers in Jesus.

Yes, the Bible prophets spoke to a specific time and specific people. But when we get to know them, we realize they are a lot like us. They were human too.

And truly, a servant of God can come from anywhere.

Now, whenever we read any prophetic books in Scripture, we can find ways to relate to the Bible writers, learn from their messages, and apply them to our lives today.

To keep learning about prophets, check out our other pages on the kinds of messages the Bible prophets share and how to tell a true prophet from a false prophet.

And to find out how the Bible prophets have shaped Adventist beliefs,

1. Nichol, Francis D., ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1977), p. 83. [↵]
2. Ibid., vol. 2, pp. 715–716. [↵]
3. “Situating the Prophets in Israel’s History,” Theology of Work Project. https://www.theologyofwork.org/old-testament/introduction-to-the-prophets/situating-the-prophets-in-israels-history. [↵]
4. Nichol, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p. 302. [↵]
5. White, Ellen G., Patriarchs and Prophets, (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1890), pp. 592–601. [↵]
6. Ibid., p. 448. [↵]
7. Nichol, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, pp. 88–89. [↵]

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