The Portrait of a Prophet

As I’ve pondered the warning by John in the Book of the Revelation of a false prophet who will deceive the people with miracles, I’ve pondered the portrait or pattern of what a true prophet looks like. I want to make sure I’m recognizing true messengers from the Lord to help me as these days we live in continue through the tribulations and into the plagues and destruction prophesied of in scripture. 

Here’s a list of questions I think are helpful to consider:

How is the prophet called? 

Who calls him to be a prophet?

Is he called a prophet by his peers? 

Does he prophesy?

What is his message?

Why does he share the message?

Is his message well received or rejected?

Is his message from the Lord or from himself?

Does he testify he has seen the Lord, Jesus Christ or God, the Father?

Does he testify he has heard the voice of the Lord, Jesus Christ or of God, the Father?

Is he popular with the church of his day?

Is he killed for his witness or how does his life end?

Does he testify openly of angels ministering to him?

Here is a list of some of the prophets and holy men in scripture we can study:

Lehi

Many prophets in Jerusalem with Lehi

Nephi

Jacob

Enos

King Benjamin

Abinadi

Alma

Alma the younger

Nephi

Mormon

Moroni

Enoch

Noah

Melchizedek 

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob

Moses

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

John the Baptist

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and King but His call and the way the people receive Him is profitable to us as well. 

Peter

Paul

Joseph Smith

I started this exercise with Lehi:

How is the prophet called? 

I don’t see a formal call as a prophet. He is shown things and then shares them. 

He has a series of visions. He thinks he saw God sitting on His throne. He sees One descending out of the midst of heaven who is brighter than the sun. Jesus gives him a book and asks him to read it. 

Who calls him to be a prophet?

I don’t see a formal calling, more a series of events and then he shares what the Lord reveals to him. 

Is he called a prophet by his peers? 

The Jews mock him and seek to take away his life. 

Does he prophesy?

Yes, he saw many things in visions and dreams which he prophesied unto his children and the people. He told them of their wickedness, abominations, that Jerusalem would be destroyed, that many would perish by the sword or be carried away captive into Babylon. He prophesies of the coming of a Messiah. 

What is his message?

He goes forth among the people and prophesies and declares unto them concerning the things he had seen and heard concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. 

Why does he share the message?

Is his message well received or rejected?

Is his message from the Lord or from himself?

Does he testify he has seen the Lord, Jesus Christ or God, the Father?

Does he testify he has heard the voice of the Lord, Jesus Christ or of God, the Father?

Is he popular with the church of his day? The Jews try to kill him. They cast him out.

Is he killed for his witness or how does his life end? He leaves before they can kill him.