Prophets are people to whom God explains more fully how He intends to keep His promises.

There are seventeen Prophetic Books of The Old Testament of The Bible, some of which were recorded before the Babylonian Captivity, during the exile and later when the captives returned to their homeland.

These books are subdivided into major and minor books, of which there are 5 major and 12 minor books. This is done because of the length of their messages and ministries not because of the importance of their contents.

God continually raised up men and women from different backgrounds, whom He empowered to deal with the nation's moral and religious living. These Old Testament prophets were always Israelites and God's spokespeople, they warned, encouraged, gave instructions, and comforted people across the centuries. When the nation was obedient to their covenant with God, the prophets were silent.

The prophets and prophetesses were fearless, bold and courageous in their divinely given duty, calling people back to God and warning them to worship God was their greatest concern. They communicated to others God's special words, boldly to kings and to common people. They were agents of God who acted in various capacities to carry out God's purposes. They advocated repentance. They were spiritual watchmen.

Prophets gave messages directly from God to the communities of their time as well as predicted future events. These messages are useful for all ages for they are eternal principles of right and wrong.

All prophets gave credit to the Spirit of God and not themselves.

They were leaders in the community, sometimes very popular and at other times very much hated, and faced and suffered hardships, imprisonment, persecution and death. The prophets spoke out against moral and social evils, personal sins and oppression, injustice and foretold of coming judgements.

Re-assurement was always given in spite of failure by people, as peerless revelations of God continued. God was concerned about the holiness and justice, of His people, to whom His commitment cannot be shaken. A person's attitude toward God does and will affect their whole moral life.

Prophecies stretched far beyond the prophet's own day to the future. Though the prophets did not fully understand the future that was pictured, they never doubted that their visions and words did not come from God and that they would certainly be fulfilled. They knew that God would act faithfully to fulfil every promise He had made, for they were divine, amplified, covenant promises.

The prophets spoke directly of the ministry of Christ in detail and these were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, some yet to be fulfilled at His Second Coming.

The prophecies concerning Christ were definite and give believers today great assurance that The Bible is The Word of God.

• All the prophets had similar messages and were never anything new.
• The messages were centred on blessings for obedience and judgement for disobedience.
• God's chosen people of The Old Testament would be scattered among the Four Corners of the earth.
• Salvation through God's chosen Messiah
• The Restoration under Kings David's Greater Son
• The Reign of The Messiah over the Earth

The Old Testament prophets of Israel before Christ, hold a unique place in the nation's history. They were a holy, specially called out people, not by inheritance or family occupation, but each were selected by God and called according to His purpose and plan He had for their individual lives.

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