Prophets and Prophecy

Prophets and prophecy play a major role throughout the Old Testament. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob saw visions and spoke with heavenly messengers. Moses talked to God face to face and communicated His will to the children of Israel. The first and second books of Kings recount the memorable works and messages of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The Old Testament also speaks of prophetesses like Miriam and Deborah, along with other women blessed with the spirit of prophecy, such as Rebekah and Hannah. And even though the Psalms weren’t written by formal prophets, they too are filled with the spirit of prophecy, especially as they point toward the coming of the Messiah.

None of this comes as a surprise to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In fact, the restored gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us that prophets are not just interesting historical figures but an essential part of God’s plan. Although some might see prophets as unique to Old Testament times, we see them as something we have in common with Old Testament times.

But reading a chapter from Isaiah or Ezekiel might feel different from reading a general conference message from the current President of the Church. Sometimes it’s hard to see that ancient prophets had something to say to us. After all, the world we live in today is quite different from the world where they preached and prophesied. And the fact that we do have a living prophet could raise a question: Why is it worth the effort—and it does take effort—to read the words of ancient prophets?

For the most part, people today aren’t the primary audience of the Old Testament prophets. Those prophets had immediate concerns they were addressing in their time and place—just as our latter-day prophets address our immediate concerns today.

At the same time, prophets can also see beyond immediate concerns. They teach eternal truths, relevant to any time and place. Blessed with revelation, they see the wider perspective of God’s work. For example, Isaiah warned people in his time about their sins. He also wrote about the deliverance of Israelites who would live 200 years in the future. At the same time, he taught about the deliverance that all God’s people seek. And he wrote prophecies that, even today, are still waiting to be fulfilled—like promises of “a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17) that will be “full of the knowledge of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:9), where the lost tribes of Israel will be gathered and where “the nations” will not “learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4). Part of the joy and inspiration that comes from reading the words of Old Testament prophets like Isaiah is realizing that we play a role in the glorious day they envisioned.

So when you read ancient prophecies, it can help to learn about the context in which they were written—but you should also see yourself in them, or “liken them unto [yourself]” (1 Nephi 19:24; see also verse 23). Sometimes that means recognizing Babylon as a symbol of sin and pride, not just as an ancient city. It could mean understanding Israel as God’s people in any time and place. Or it might mean seeing Zion as the latter-day cause that God’s people embrace, instead of seeing it as just another word for Jerusalem.

We can compare the scriptures to our lives because we understand that a prophecy can be fulfilled in multiple ways. A good example is the prophecy in Isaiah 40:3: “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” To the captive Jews in Babylon, this statement might have referred to the Lord providing a way out of captivity and back into Jerusalem. To Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this prophecy referred to John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Savior’s mortal ministry. And Joseph Smith received revelation that this prophecy is still being fulfilled today in preparation for Christ’s millennial ministry. In ways that we’re still coming to understand, ancient prophets did speak to us. And they taught many precious, eternal truths that are just as relevant to us as they were to ancient Israel.

Perhaps even more important than seeing yourself in Old Testament prophecies is seeing Jesus Christ in them. If you look for Him, you will find Him, even if He’s not mentioned by name. It might help to keep in mind that the God of the Old Testament, the Lord Jehovah, is Jesus Christ. Anytime the prophets describe what the Lord is doing or what He will do, they are speaking of the Savior.

You will also find references to an Anointed One, a Redeemer, and a future King from David’s line. These are all prophecies about Jesus Christ. More generally, you will read about deliverance, forgiveness, redemption, and restoration. With the Savior in your mind and heart, these prophecies will naturally point you to the Son of God. After all, the best way to understand prophecy is to have “the spirit of prophecy,” which John tells us is “the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 19:10).