Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D.
A prophet is more than a forecaster of future events. Technically
speaking , in the Hebrew Bible, a prophet ( “navi”), is a mouthpiece of
God. Prophets claimed they spoke in the name of God. And people around them
believed it. The prophet Jeremiah makes a distinction between true and false
prophets. According to him, false prophets “speak from their own minds, not
from the mouth of the Lord” (23: 16).
Prophecy is well known in the Ancient Near East (ANE). In
various Akkadian texts they are known, among others, as mahhu (“ecstatic”), apilu
(“answerer”), assinu (“cultic functionary”), or nabu (“ diviner”,
parallel to the Hebrew term for prophet, navi).
Both in the ANE and
specifically in ancient Israel, there were male and female prophets. The Hebrew
Bible recognizes these female prophets: Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron
(Ex.15:19), Deborah , also a judge, (Judg.4:4), Huldah (II K 22: 14), and an
unnamed woman simply known as “a prophetess” in the book of Isaiah (8:3), probably,
his wife. In Judaism , the prophet par excellence is Moses (Deut.18:18). Rabbis
add, Sarah, Hannah, Abigayil, and Esther (b. Megillah, 14a). The last prophet
in the Hebrew Bible is Malachi, (“my messenger”). We don’t know his real name. Some claim that was indeed his name; others
suggest it was Ezra or even Mordecai. He lived in the 5th cent. BCE
in the re-settled Judea when the second temple was rebuilt.
The New Testament knows of both
male (for example, Agabus, Acts 11: 29) and female prophets (for example, Anna, Luke 2:36-38). Some Christians attribute prophetic roles to many individuals,
including, Quintilla (3rd cent CE), Joan of Arc (15th
cent.), and George Smith (19th cent.). In Islam, only males are
considered prophets, and Muhammad is viewed as the last one, “the seal of the
prophets” (Sura 33:40). Judaism does not recognize Jesus or Mohammad as
prophets.
Today, it is difficult to call
anyone a prophet, for, not too many people believe a human being can be a
mouthpiece of God. We can invoke God in our prayers and our deeds but beware of
the person who claims he/she can speak in the name of God.
SONSINO’S BLOG, rsonsino.blogpost.con
