The Old Testament teaches that God had a special and unique relationship with certain individuals who held the office of “prophet”. Men like Moses, Isaiah, and Daniel had uncommon access to God due to their positions. Amos 3:7 says,

“For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.”

Whenever God wanted to communicate something to His people, He spoke through these prophets.

So, an important question for us today is, “Do we still need prophets?”

The answer, from the Bible, is an emphatic NO.

Here are three reasons:

First: Jesus replaces the Prophets

Before Jesus’ time, God’s people needed mediators to stand between them and God. These priests and prophets provided a way for sinful people to communicate to and hear from God. But today, we no longer need these roles! Why? Because we have JESUS, the greater priest and prophet.

Hebrews 1:1 says,

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…

Jesus supersedes the Old Testament Prophet! In every way, He replaces our need for another man to stand between us and God.

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all…”(1 Timothy 2:5-6).

Today, God’s Spirit is given to all Christians!

Under the Old Covenant, God’s Spirit was specially given to His prophets to equip them for their unique role. But this special giving of His Spirit was extremely limited. At any given time in Israel’s history only a small handful of people were gifted in this way. The rest of the people then, were dependent upon these Spirit-filled men as intermediaries between them and God.

But now God’s Spirit is given freely to every Christian! Before Jesus’s crucifixion, He taught His disciples…

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth…The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).

This promise was fulfilled after Jesus’ ascension on the day of Pentecost. On that day God gave His Holy Spirit to the men and women waiting in Jerusalem. These 120 Christians immediately began preaching the Gospel in different languages and when the crowd asked what was happening, Peter explained that this had always been God’s plan. In Acts 2:17 Peter quotes the prophet Joel saying,

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…” (Acts 2:17).

There are no longer just a few who are Spirit-filled amongst God’s people, because now He gives the Holy Spirit to every believer.

Ephesians 1:13-14 says,

“When you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, [you] were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

We no longer need Prophets for God to speak to us because every Christian has immediate and unrestricted access to God by His Spirit who dwells within us!

Today, God’s message is proclaimed by all Christians

The primary purpose of Prophets was to receive a message from God, then deliver it to the people. God’s chosen messengers in the Old Testament were prophets, and His summary message was that people needed a Savior.

Jesus teaches us that God’s message for people today is the good news, and that the ones charged to deliver this message are all of His disciples.

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus says,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

This is why the Bible teaches that the last prophet in history was John the Baptist, who concluded his ministry before Jesus’ death.

“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached…” 

(Luke 16:16).

Today, God sends His disciples to proclaim His message rather than Prophets.

What’s the Point?

We no longer need a man to mediate between us and God because we have Jesus. God’s people no longer have restricted access to Him because the Holy Spirit dwells within us. And the ones tasked with delivering God’s message today, are Christians. Simply put, we no longer have a need for prophets.

Verse References
  • Amos 3:7
  • Hebrews 1:1
  • 1 Timothy 2:5-6
  • John 14:26
  • Acts 2:17
  • Ephesians 1:13-14
  • Matthew 28:18-20
  • Luke 16:16

“We no longer need a man to mediate between us and God because we have Jesus. God’s people no longer have restricted access to Him because the Holy Spirit dwells within us. And the ones tasked with delivering God’s message today, are Christians.