Prophets and Prophecy

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As far as I can make out, in Islam Arabic Nabi, which is cognate with Hebrew Navi' (plural Nevi'im, the second of the three sections of the Tanak/Hebrew Scriptures) seems to be the generic word for a prophet, while rasul or "messenger" is specifically a prophet with a Book (Saint Peter and Muhammad both agreed in considering king David a prophet; the Psalms after Isaiah is probalbly the most-quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament, generally in the context of Messianic predictions) compare the Jewish distinction between Former and Latter Prophets.

Certainly the suffering of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Jesus is very real. Jeremiah seems to have shared his predecessor Moses' reluctance;, not to mention Jonah. I have sometimes been puzzled by the temptation in the Wilderness: what precisely was was Satan hoping to achieve?

Last edited by AlexandertheSolitary on 03 Dec 2008, 8:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

ValMikeSmith, I understand that Prophets and Messengers are chosen. They still have to have very strong Faith to carry out such a mission.
Usually they come with a purpose to change the scriptures or change the modern consensus in some way which alarms the masses.
To be able to do this, they need to have some inner knowing and I was wondering if that goes back to before their incarnation as humans.

Messengers and Prophets are often the most lowly ranked humans. I think they are chosen as an example for others to rise above their conditions.
For example, someone who is very down and out who has been called and answers it by proclaiming God's word would have to endure much hardship by giving up the known lifestyle, be ridiculed for being a liar, and lose family and friends. The chosen person would serve as a good example as to how much less the average person would have to suffer to fulfill God's will.

Many are called but few are chosen. God's chosen ones need to be like spiritual warriors in this world.

I think the wilderness is a metaphor like the forest. We are alone and must be self reliant there. Satan or demons can tempt us there by promising to take us out of our misery by offering grounding advice which could bring us back in the world. For example, the Prophet may be tempted to shrug off his calling and go on meds and then get a job and forget the whole thing and start listening to people around him rather than God. Imagine if God called on you. Would you tell people what he wants you to do? Sooner or later you'd have to because he wouldn't give you esoteric knowledge for your own enjoyment. Our suffering is but a speck in the scheme of it all. A Prophet does not live in the world of man. A Prophet or Messenger is never accepted in his home town.

It's always aliens with you, isn't?

I still don't understand how you can believe in alien visitors and yet find it hard to believe in God.

Actually that leads to an interesting thought. If a messenger needs to have a very strong will and ability to face the harsh criticism of the world without aid or the expectation of aid from a higher power wouldn't that mean God mostly speaks to atheists?

Perhaps that's why there are so few real prophets in modern times. No one listens to the guy who hears voices unless he's so frightened by the universe he needs an incredibly strong belief in god to make it bearable.

But then his frailty of spirit makes him ineligible and a therefore most certainly a fake.

Take me for example. I recognize truths in the world that I have no idea how I know I have knowledge of subjects I was never taught and I have no idea where it comes from. Does that make me a prophet or messenger? Who knows? Does it matter? Not really. I try to share these things with others but they rarely listen. Should I try to convince people they should listen or force them to? I've never even considered it.

I'm the same way in that I have this remembered knowledge that is hard to explain. I've recently come to believe that it comes from past lives.
It doesn't make you a prophet or messenger unless you feel impelled to speak about it.

I was an Atheist for most of my life. I don't think we should force anyone to believe anything, but if you know something that could help a person or save them from unnecessary pain, it is the duty of a prophet or messenger to speak. There are many excuses not to speak but prophets and messengers carry out their missions regardless for the same reason heroes perform incredible acts.

One excuse might be.. "they will not want to listen to you.."


"And he proceeded to say to me: "Son of man, what you find, eat.
Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."

So I opened my mouth, and he gradually made me eat this scroll.

And he went on to say to me: "Son of man, you should cause your
own belly to eat, that you may fill your very intestines with this scroll that I am giving you." And I began to eat it, and it came to be in my mouth like honey for sweetness.

And he continued saying to me: "Son of man, go, enter in among the house of Israel, and you must speak with my words to them.

For it is not to a people who are unintelligible in language or heavy of tongue that you are being sent--to the house of Israel, not to numerous peoples unintelligible in language or heavy in tongue, whose words you cannot hear understandingly. If it was to them that I had sent you, those very ones would listen to you.

But as for the house of Israel, they will not want to listen to you, for they are not wanting to listen to me; because all those of the house of Israel are hardheaded and hardhearted.

Look! I have made your face exactly as hard as their faces and your forehead exactly as hard as their foreheads.

Like a diamond, harder than flint, I have made your forehead. You must not be afraid of them, and you must not be struck with terror at their faces, for they are a rebellious house."


"And your very tongue I will make stick to the roof of your mouth, and you will certainly become mute, and you will not become to them a man administering reproof, because they are a rebellious house."

Ezekiel 3:1 + 3:26