October 2026

Read Matthew 24:23, 24. What does Jesus warn us about here? Why should we take this warning so seriously?

Jesus Himself couldn’t have been clearer: “ ‘For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect’ ” (Matt. 24:24, NKJV).

Read Luke 2:36–38 and Acts 21:9. What do these passages tell us about female prophets?

In Old Testament times, God called both men and women to be His messengers. In New Testament times, there is clear evidence of female prophets. Anna was the first one called a “prophetess” in the New Testament. She is someone who, in her full-time ministry, “served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And . . . she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him” (Luke 2:37, 38, NKJV).

What do 1 Corinthians 14:3, Ephesians 4:11–13, and Revelation 22:6 tell us about the role of New Testament prophets?

These verses above, however helpful, do not present a comprehensive view of all that New Testament prophets did. Nevertheless, much of what they did reflects what prophets in the Old Testament also had done, thus providing continuity with the prophetic gift.

The New Testament mentions the work of prophets and apostles. The apostles were “messengers,” or “ones sent forth” from God, as defined by the Greek word apostolos. Throughout the Gospels, the word “apostle” refers to the 12 disciples. The rest of the New Testament supports this idea and includes other individuals who were not among Christ’s original disciples.

Moses predicted that “ ‘the Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear’ ” (Deut. 18:15, NKJV). Who was the prophet? Scripture itself makes it clear: it was pointing to Jesus Himself. “ ‘For Moses truly said to the fathers, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you” ’ ” (Acts 3:22, NKJV; see also John 6:14).

Read for This Week’s Study

Matt. 16:13–16, Eph. 2:20, Rev. 22:6, Luke 2:36–38, Acts 21:9, Eph. 6:10–18.

Memory Text:

As we have seen, the lives of Old Testament prophets make clear that it has never been easy to be God’s messenger. Ellen G. White experienced the same anxieties that biblical prophets felt. As we learned last Friday, she was young, shy, and in poor health when she received God’s call. While a second vision confirmed her call, Ellen Harmon (White) remained apprehensive about God’s call, writing:

No matter what God does, Satan has his counterfeits. It’s the same with prophets. Israel faced true and false prophets. The key was to know the difference.

Read Jeremiah 14:1–15. What was happening here, and how did the Lord regard those who spoke falsely as “prophets” in His name?

Read Exodus 15:20, Judges 4:4, 2 Kings 22:14, and Nehemiah 6:14. What do these texts also teach about the prophetic role?

Read 1 Samuel 8:4–22 and Leviticus 8:10–13. How did prophets function in relation to kings and priests?