New Testament prophets served a somewhat different function than Old Testament ones. By the time God's New Testament prophets arrived on the scene, the ultimate prophet, Jesus Christ, had fulfilled His earthly mission and returned to the right hand of the Father. In the Old Testament, prophets were often God's only mouthpiece. But in the New Testament, prophets are seen as part of a five-fold ministry leadership team (see Ephesians 4:11 above).

Furthermore, twenty-first century "prophets" differ from both the Old Testament and the New Testament era prophets. Today, we benefit not only from the ministry of Christ, but also from the testimony of New Testament Scripture, a luxury that the early Church prophets did not have - for indeed, they wrote it! Unlike the prophets we read about in the book of Acts and the epistles, no one in our day could ever expect that their words, nor stories of their ministries, might become a part of the Holy Scriptures.

The Bible teaches (Eph. 4:11 above) that God has provided gifts to leaders to help them equip the Church for the work of the ministry. The Greek word used for prophet in the text noted above is prophetes which, in addition to the definition provided in Week 13, can also mean a public expounder. Sometimes the word prophet is used to describe a preacher, or one who speaks from the pulpit for God - a person who proclaims or expounds upon the word of God in a public forum.

This description would certainly fit many New Testament figures such as Peter and Paul who publicly expounded upon the Hebrew Scriptures and explained how Christ fulfilled the prophecies of a coming Messiah. Other "prophets" of this era were also considered public expounders but on occasion prophesied future events. Let's look at a few examples.

A "prophet" named Agabus foretold of a coming drought throughout the world. The disciples responded, sending relief, but only to Judea, where apparently, the most severe area of the drought did occur. (Acts 11:27-30)

Paul warned the elders of the Ephesian church to guard, after his departure, against wolves who would come and seek to destroy the flock. (Acts 20:28-31) One need only look in Revelation 2:2 to see how the Church was attacked and how they bore up under the test.

Agabus again appeared in Acts 21, in a town called Caesarea, in the home of a man named Philip, who incidentally had four "prophesying" daughters, and foretold of Paul's potential imprisonment should he go to Jerusalem. Paul went anyway and was imprisoned.

Barring references made to Old Testament prophets, New Testament use of the word is sparse. We are told however, that the household of God is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20). Some interpret this passage to mean the apostles of the New Testament and the prophets of the Old, with the "household of God" being both pre-Christian era Jews of faith as well as Christians. Others believe that modern day apostles and prophets are still actively constructing that foundation.

God closed the book of His written Word centuries ago. But has He ceased to provide intimate direction and instructions to His Church on a day-to-day basis? Can modern day "prophets" still see what God sees? Does He still reveal the future to those who will listen? And is God still actively building His Church upon the foundation of twenty-first century "prophets?"

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The balance of this series will continue to look at these questions and explore the role of the prophets of God throughout the last 2000 years of Christian history and into the present. Next week's article will look at Prophets as Visionaries.