Prophet
A person who speaks on God's behalf, calling people back to faithfulness and often foretelling future events — a major category of figure and Old Testament book, from Isaiah and Jeremiah to John the Baptist.
More Than Fortune-Telling
While Old Testament prophets did foretell future events — including, Christians hold, the coming of the Messiah — their primary role was speaking God's message to their own contemporaries, frequently calling kings and the people of Israel back to covenant faithfulness and social justice rather than simply predicting distant events. The Old Testament groups these figures into "major" prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel — distinguished by the length of their books, not their importance) and twelve "minor" prophets.
Prophecy in the New Testament
John the Baptist is presented in the Gospels as the last and greatest of this prophetic line, directly preparing the way for Jesus. Christians read the Old Testament prophets as pointing forward to Christ in ways the prophets themselves may not have fully understood, while also holding that Jesus himself, and later the Church, continue a prophetic role — speaking uncomfortable truths and calling people back to God — beyond the specific Old Testament prophetic books.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a 'major' and 'minor' prophet?
The distinction refers to the length of their Old Testament books, not their theological importance — Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel are the four "major" prophets, while twelve shorter books make up the "minor" prophets.
Was John the Baptist a prophet?
Yes — the Gospels present him as the last and greatest of the Old Testament-style prophets, directly preparing the way for Jesus' public ministry.