Scriptural definitions of what constitutes a prophet start with Moses: “If there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known to him in a vision and speak to him in a dream.” With Moses, however, Jehovah speaks “mouth to mouth, in plain sight” (peh el peh. . . umar’eh; Numbers 12:6–8). By these descriptions, many persons today who are receiving visions and dreams about imminent world events, for example—including spiritual experiences that attest to the reality of God—could qualify as prophets though they may not assume the role of prophets.
Because prophecy is a gift, not an office, those who do assume the role of prophets qualify as such to the degree they experience these gifts. Hence, throughout history, prophets were known principally for predicting the future, especially in times of wickedness and life-threatening conditions. Our day—a day of flaunting wickedness, flagrant idolatry, woke insanity, Gadianton politics, media deceptions, wars and rumors of wars—indeed parallels scriptural times when prophets would prophesy and warn God’s people and the nations of his imminent judgments.
Conversely, for prophets to subscribe to human institutions, those that are gods unto themselves, is to subscribe to “other gods . . . to turn you away from Jehovah your God.” Yet, God permits such prophets to remain for a season in order to “prove you, whether you love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” During those times, God’s people are to “walk after Jehovah your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice”—to “serve him and cleave to him”—while such prophets are worthy of death (Deuteronomy 13:1–5).
As prophets of God predicted both future events in their day and also recorded them in a way typifying the end-time—that being integral to “the manner of the Jews” (2 Nephi 25:3)—we may expect a situation in which latter-day “prophets of Baal” outnumber prophets of God: “Then said Elijah to the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of Jehovah; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.” Elijah’s experience, however, shows that there comes a time when the Lord “proves” the prophets (1 Kings 18:22–40; Doctrine & Covenants 64:38–39).
