Prophets and Prophetesses: The Lord's Messengers

Joseph Smith taught this important truth: “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”[1]

God’s prophets and prophetesses had significant and noteworthy responsibilities in the Old Testament setting. They were teachers of righteousness; denounced sin; warned of impending doom; blessed the lives of individuals, communities, and nations; prophesied, instructed, and preached; and revealed God’s covenants, laws, and ordinances. The prophets displayed literary genius in their presentation of the scriptural books and passages they authored and edited; they employed rhetorical questions, symbolic forms, figures of speech, laments, poetic parallelisms and other forms of poetry, and other literary types.

Prophets set forth various prophecies and often used prophetic speech forms such as “thus saith the Lord.” Prophets taught and prophesied by the power of the Holy Ghost. As Peter wrote, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:21). Prophecy is not limited to males; instances of females with the gift of prophecy include Deborah, Miriam, and Huldah. Both males and females were empowered to prophesy (Num. 11:29; 1 Cor. 14:1–5, 29, 31, 39).

Notwithstanding all of these significant and noteworthy responsibilities, the prophets’ central message was Jesus Christ (Rev. 19:10) and His atoning sacrifice. They prophesied of Jesus’s ministry, atoning sacrifice and Resurrection, Second Coming, and Millennial reign. In most or all of their prophecies, they used symbols and figures of speech.

Prophets did not speak to the covenant people only, but they also uttered God’s words to the known world. Isaiah, for example, warned and prophesied to Syria, Babylonia, Moab, Egypt, Philistia, Ethiopia, Sidon, Assyria, Elam, Edom, and Arabia. Similarly, Jeremiah warned or prophesied against many nations and peoples, including Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam, and Babylon (Jer. 47–51).

The dates in the chart are approximations and are presented only for the purposes of providing a sense of the time frame.