Note 1 at Acts 11:27: The ministry of the prophet has always been very important to God's people. There are over 300 references about prophets in the Old Testament and over 160 in the New Testament.. In the New Testament, the "prophet" is the second highest position in the church, surpassed only by the "apostle" (1 Cor. 12:28). Christ's church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20).

A prophet is God's mouthpiece (2 Ki. 17:13, 23; 21:10; 24:2; Hos. 12:10; Amos 3:7) whereby He gives specific instructions, warnings, or rebukes. Although not limited to future events, much of the prophetic ministry deals with the future. Prophets were also used to give God's perspective on past and current events (1 Ki. 20:13-14; 2 Chr. 12:5) to anoint men for service (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:1, 13; 1 Ki. 19:15-16; 2 Ki. 9:1-6) to preach the righteousness of God to those who practiced unrighteousness (Neh. 6:7; Acts 15:32; 1 Cor. 14:3); as spiritual advisors to kings (2 Sam. 7); and to be used for men to inquire of God (1 Sam. 28:6; 1 Ki. 14:1-18; 22:7; 2 Ki. 3:11; 2 Chr. 18:6; Eze. 14:7).

Abraham was called a prophet, although he never prophesied any future events, or spoke forth any messages of judgment. There are ten prophetesses and one false prophetess mentioned in scripture (see note 1 at Lk. 2:36, p. 58).

The test of a true prophet who is predicting future events is whether or not the prophecy comes true. "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Dt. 18:22)