prophet
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prophet
The Prophetic Tradition in the Ancient Middle East
Prophets are clearly evident in Mesopotamia from the first centuries of the 2d millennium B.C. They are mentioned in texts from Emar, Egypt, and Aram, as well as from Assyria during the Old Testament period. In Assyria, prophets appear to have been closely associated with the court, delivering oracles regarding the prospects of foreign policies.
The phenomenon of prophetic speech is also present in Israel from the monarchical era to the post-exilic era. Court prophets (e.g., Nathan), as well as unofficial prophets (e.g., Amos) are attested. Not all the prophets of Israel left deposits of oracles. The most extensive of the collections are found in the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. The title of prophet is also accorded to others of varying importance, e.g., Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Nathan, and Jehu. Certain of their divine mission to purify Israel's religion, the prophets attacked many aspects of people's lives and came forward as the advocates of the poor and oppressed and as the leaders in social reform. According to them, Israel could be reconciled with God only by complete purification in religion and in the state. It is part of traditional Christian belief, found in the Nicene Creed and Second Peter, that the Holy Spirit “spoke through the prophets” concerning the intentions of God for his people.
In Christianity and Islam
Among Native Americans
Bibliography
See R. R. Wilson, Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel (1980); D. E. Aune, Prophecy in Society in Early Christianity and the Ancient Mediterranean World (1983); J. Blenkinsopp, A History of Prophecy in Israel (1983); J. Barton, Oracles of God (1986).
prophet
any ‘individual bearer of charisma (e.g. as demonstrated by ecstatic powers or MAGIC) who by virtue of his or her mission, ‘proclaims a religious doctrine or divine commandment’ (WEBER, 1922). For Weber, it is the ‘personal call’ and personal revelation of the prophet which distinguishes him or her from the priest, who has authority only as the 'servant of a sacred tradition’. Weber also notes that prophets have usually come from outside the priesthood.A further significant distinction in Weber's discussion is that between ethical prophecy, in which the prophet proclaims God's will (e.g. Mohammed), and exemplary prophecy, where the prophet demonstrates by personal example the way to personal salvation (e.g. Buddha). According to Weber, the latter is characteristic of the Far East and the former appears initially in the Near East, and is associated with the appearance of conceptions of a personal, transcendental, ethical God only in this region. See also MONOTHEISM.
Prophet; Prophecy
(religion, spiritualism, and occult)A prophet is one who speaks the will of a deity, quite often revealing future events. The ancient Hebrews called a prophet nabhi. In the early period (c. 1050–1015 BCE), a nabhi appeared to be little more than a fortune-teller. Rather than claiming to use any special techniques that would draw such information, the nabhi simply made him or herself receptive to whatever messages or prophecies might come from deity. David Christie-Murray said, “The prophets aimed not so much at foretelling the future as at describing what they saw as the will of God in the circumstances of their time. But in doing so, their prophesies were fulfilled, often in ways more profound and long lasting than they ever imagined.”
The Bible’s Old Testament used the term prophet very loosely, applying it to all those who were “friends” of God. For example, Abraham, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were all named as prophets though Moses was the only true prophet of the four, as “the appointed mouthpiece of divine laws,” according to Geoffrey Ashe. There were those who became known as the “Fanatical Prophets.” In I Samuel, 10, there are bands of prophets who existed c.1000 BCE, in Gibeah and Ramah. They were devotees of the national deity Jehovah (Yahweh). They were stimulated by rhythmic music, dancing and chanting, building up into ekstasis (ecstasy) when their frenzied behavior exercised a hypnotic effect on the onlookers.
In ancient Greece the prophets were generally attached to the oracles, and in Rome they were represented by the augurs. In ancient Egypt the priests of Ra at Memphis acted as prophets. The Druids were frequently prophets to the Celtic people.
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What does it mean when you dream about a prophet?
A prophet in a dream may indicate that the dreamer is seeking or needs guidance and spiritual advice. The dream itself may provide that assistance, if the dreamer internalizes the inspirational feeling they receive from the dream encounter.