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Why have there not been any prophets since biblical times?

*According to major religious traditions, there are no longer universally recognized prophets like those in the Bible because divine revelation is considered complete and preserved in sacred scripture.

The Completion of Scripture

• Finished revelation: 

Mainstream Christian theology teaches that God's message was fully expressed and finalized through Jesus Christ and the writings of the New Testament.

• No further need:  Because believers now possess the completed Scripture as a standard for faith and practice, authoritative, foundational prophets who bring brand-new truths are no longer necessary.

• The Jewish perspective: In Judaism, traditional teaching holds that the era of formal prophecy (the spirit of prophecy) concluded with the final early prophets (such as Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) at the dawn of the Second Temple period.

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Therefore, for Judaism, formal prophecy ended 430 to 520 years before Jesus Christ.  

And for Christianity, aside from Latter-day Saints, formal prophets were no longer recognized after the early churches and Jesus Christ because revelation is considered complete and preserved in the Bible.  

Let us first define the meaning of the prophet.**  

In the Bible, a prophet is a person chosen by God to serve as His spokesperson and direct representative on earth.

Core Meaning and Words

• Spokesperson for God:  The Hebrew word for prophet is navii, which means one who is called to bubble forth or utter a message.  The Greek word prophetes means someone who speaks out or interprets the will of another.

• Other Titles: Prophets were also called "seers" (ro'eh or hozeh) because they received divine visions, or "men of God" (ish-ha'elohim).

Main Roles of a Prophet

• Forthtelling (Truth-Telling): Most of a prophet's work was speaking God's truth to the people of their own time. They called out sin, condemned idolatry and injustice, and urged people to obey God's laws and care for the poor.

• Foretelling (Predicting the Future): 

Sometimes God revealed future events to prophets. This included warnings of coming judgment or promises of a future Savior and peace.

• Acting as Ambassadors:  They carried divine authority, meaning they did not share personal opinions. Instead, they delivered the exact message God gave them, often starting with phrases like "This is what the Lord says."

True vs. False Prophets

• True Prophets: Were directly called by God, filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke messages that always aligned with God’s revealed truth.

• False Prophets: Claimed to speak for God for personal gain, power, or popularity, telling people what they wanted to hear rather than the truth.

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For there not to be a prophet since biblical times means that, since then, God has stopped choosing a person to serve as His spokesperson and direct representative on earth.  

How likely is it for the Lord to stop communicating with us, stop having a direct representative during each Age? 

And just because the churches do not formally recognize prophets, does this mean that they stopped coming to humanity?  

Finally, how would we know the Second Coming of Christ is near or even here, or, importantly, recognize the Antichrist falsely presenting himself as Christ?

Over two thousand years have passed; why have we not become more enlightened in the teaching of Jesus Christ and fulfilled the prophecy that the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5: 5, Psalm 37:11)? 

Because the prophetic voices of the Lord have been silenced and overlooked, and closed off to the next stage of spiritual evolution: preparing for the Second Coming of Christ.  

Much like John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ, we must also prepare the way for Christ and Jesus's Second Coming.  

Otherwise, we would be easily led astray by the Antichrist and hinder Christ.  

Churches have failed miserably to follow the natural progression of prophetic prophecy and to maintain continuous communication with the Lord and humanity, which is why some of the faithful believe that God is silent and does not communicate or intercede in human affairs. 

Moreover, churches have failed to emphasize the utmost importance of purity of heart for seeing the Lord ( Matthew 5:8 ) and communication with the Lord through the Holy Spirit and enforcing divine law, especially when it comes to the desecration of the temple of the Holy Spirit.  

For even if there are prophets in the world today, those who could have been prophets would be corrupted into impurities of heart, never to see or hear divine words or connect to the Holy Spirit, and therefore can never speak as representatives of the Lord.  

Furthermore, the practice of not recognizing unforgivable sin as unforgivable and the bypassing of redemption through the forgiveness of sin prior to full repentance and atonement is completely unacceptable, for it completely prevents salvation.

In addition, the grievous malfeasance of teaching that we are all sinners when we are not all sinners, as we are not all liars, is complicity in sin, and again fails to emphasize the importance of not sinning and repenting and atoning.  

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We must prepare the way for Christ and the Second Coming, and begin to hear once again the Word of the Lord on earth.  

The church must find and formalize prophets pure of heart who can see and hear the Lord and pave the way for Christ's Second Coming, discern and defend against the Antichrist, and teach new ways of understanding the Lord in spiritual enlightenment and purity of heart.  

You will never know if you do not ask, seek, or knock ( Matthew 7: 7-12 ).  

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

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*Referenced from Google AI search, “Why have there not been any prophets since biblical times?”

**Referenced from Google AI search, “Define the meaning of prophet.”

 

Doubt and disbelief go hand in hand.  

Doubters may ask, if God exists, why do bad things happen? How can God let it happen?

If God created us, why do some people commit horrible, heinous, depraved crimes against humanity?  

All good questions that can be easily answered when found.  

For instance, some may doubt the existence of karma or divine retribution. Yet retribution is a natural result of negative harm and destruction until ruination, where systems become unsustainable and inevitable collapse. 

The same is the progression of sin in sinners, where the negative harm to the soul destroys the humanity within and the fruit of the Spirit until the soul becomes unholy and unable to receive love and peace, grace, and the Holy Spirit, causing separation from humanity and God in spiritual death.

When the separation from humanity and the Lord occurs, each choice that follows becomes progressively negative, ignorant, and wrong.

For example, if given a choice of whom to follow, a teacher or a pirate, a sinner would most likely choose a pirate. Much as when Pontius Pilate gave the mob a choice of whom to set free, Jesus Christ or Barabbas, and it chose Barabbas.

Doubt would naturally occur when people make bad choices resulting in tragedies and horrific consequences.  

The why usually lies in fear or running away from and covering up fear and insecurities, which causes aggression and harm, especially when seeking to control the fear inside instead of facing the fear within.  

When all people can see fear and the consequences thereof, it blots out hope and disbelief in anything better, or higher grace sets in.  Then again, the fear takes over, and self-destruction in sin or harm feeds in.

Unfortunately, fear manifests itself in aggression and sin; horrible, heinous, and depraved harm and tragedies will occur, and repeatedly occur until stopped either through destruction or redemption.

Doubt and disbelief go hand in hand, and so do love and peace go together to overcome the fear which leads to doubt and disbelief.  

We need only to choose love and peace, and the natural state of grace will allow enlightenment and faith to follow.  

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How do you fulfill your stewardship duties without good deeds?

How many good deeds did Jesus perform in his lifetime?

*The Bible does not specify an exact total of good deeds or acts of kindness Jesus performed, but it specifically records 37 distinct miracles during his public ministry. [1, 2]

Recorded Miracles and General Acts

While 37 specific miracles are carefully detailed in the Gospels — such as healing the sick, calming storms, and feeding large crowds — the Bible notes these represent only a portion of his actions.

General Healings:

The Gospel accounts often summarize uncounted acts by stating that Jesus healed "multitudes" or "all who were ill" in various towns.

Theological View:

The final verse of the Gospel of John (John 21:25) states that if everything Jesus did were written down individually, the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.*

Note:

Despite all Christ's good deeds and miracles, it did not prevent the high priests of Jerusalem and Pontius Pilate from crucifying him.

Nor did it stop the Roman soldiers from mocking and humiliating Jesus by:

dressing him in a scarlet or purple robe, 

placing a crown of thorns on his head, 

holding a fake scepter in his hand, 

bowing to him while sarcastically calling him the "King of the Jews," 

physically abusing him by hitting him with their hands and flogging him over the head with a reed,

and humiliating him by publicly stripping him and crucifying him on the cross, which was designed to strip victims of all human dignity, leaving them exposed and publicly shamed.**

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Yet through the ages, people remember Christ’s teachings and his love and kindness, not his humiliation or shame as the Romans intended; instead, they disdain the infamous Roman soldiers, Pilate, hypocritical priests, and Judas who led Jesus to his death.

As in all humiliation, the victims suffering at the hands of abusers are the fault of the abusers, guilty of immense cruelty and sin; and the shame and dishonor rest solely with the abusers, not the victims.

Though the fate of those infamous soldiers is unknown, the high priests Caiaphas and his father-in-law Annas, and their dynasty, died in disgrace and infamy.

Whatever the fate of those involved in crucifying Christ, their ultimate destiny is probably not heaven, for theirs is a life marked by crimes against humanity and the Lord.

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Finally, some argue that salvation comes through divine grace and faith, not deeds; but how can you receive grace as a gift without a heart of service that prepares you to sow the seeds of grace through good deeds?

In other words, without the expectation of earning grace, but receiving it through humble service and good deeds, one may better understand and receive grace.

Conversely, one could argue that if you’re unwilling to perform good deeds or lack a heart of service, how will your heart be open enough to receive divine grace and faith?

Performing good deeds is an essential part of good stewardship and turning Christ's teachings into action.

It is also a key step in fulfilling your purpose in life with a humble heart capable of receiving divine guidance, grace, and faith.

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*Referenced from Google AI search: “How many good deeds did Jesus perform before death?”

**And how Roman soldiers crucifying Jesus also humiliated Christ.

 

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Ephesians 2:10 states, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." 

Key Meaning*

The Lord's Handiwork:

Believers are considered God's craftsmanship or masterpiece, created anew through Christ.

Created for Purpose:

Salvation leads to action; believers are designed to perform good deeds.

Preplanned Path:

God established these good works beforehand, providing a pathway for individuals to follow.

Context in Ephesians 2

Saved by Grace:

Verses 8 and 9 affirm that salvation is a divine gift, not earned through human effort.

Completing the Thought:

Verse 10 clarifies that although works do not bring salvation, performing good works naturally follows and is the intended outcome of salvation.*

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Let us clarify: 

Deeds alone do not secure salvation; rather, they serve as expressions of our love for Christ and humanity.  What we give in love restores us in Christ and aligns us with the Holy Spirit's guidance regarding our purpose in life.

For what is our purpose if we do nothing with our talents and treasures and waste time? 

Or worse, if our actions cause harm rather than good, then what is the true purpose of life?

Is it to serve only ourselves through selfish pursuits, accumulated wealth, and power? 

All of which cannot be taken with us at death.

Or is it to serve oppressive autocrats who show no regard for our lives?

Surrendering our dignity, living as less than free individuals, and denying our children the freedom to be true to themselves, safe from harm and oppression, to grow and realize their fullest potential?

Most definitively, should we dedicate our lives to serving the Lord and humanity?

Forging a sacred path for future generations to fulfill their purpose and become the individuals the Lord intended them to be.

Note:

Perpetrating unlawful acts constitutes a crime.

Violating divine law is a sin.

Breaking covenant contradicts the Lord's divine purpose for us, resulting in separation from the Lord, the Holy Spirit, humanity, and our spiritual selves. This leads to the loss of divine protection and invites divine correction or judgment.

**Breaking a covenant with the Lord results in spiritual separation, loss of divine protection, and divine discipline, as outlined in Scripture.

Spiritual and Material Consequences

Loss of Protection:

A broken covenant creates spiritual vulnerability by removing the protective boundary God places around His people.

Divine Discipline:

God often responds with corrective measures such as hardship, loss of peace, or material scarcity, intended to inspire repentance.

Relational Distance:

Unfaithfulness and sin hinder the close fellowship and intimacy with God.

Severe Judgment:

Historically, persistent and unrepentant violation of the Mosaic covenant led to significant consequences, including military defeat, captivity, and exile.

[Ultimate Judgment - forever damned to the deepest parts of hell with extreme agonies. ]

Path to Restoration:

Repentance:

Scripture emphasizes that turning away from wrongdoing and returning to God restores the relationship.

Grace and Renewal:

God, described as slow to anger, offers mercy and a pathway to reconciliation through confession and renewed commitment.**

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Each individual has a unique purpose assigned by the Lord.  We must not hinder, disrupt, distract, or impede another's divine purpose, as doing so undermines God's promises of salvation, love, peace, prosperity, and healing.

Therefore, we must respect the universal human rights of everyone, in order that everyone can fulfill their purpose in life. 

And if we can help people to fulfill their holy purposeful deeds in life, we should, because it will make it easier for us to fulfill our own purposes and the Lord's divine will when we work together, and then the Lord's promise will be sooner realized.  

*Referenced from Google AI search, Ephesians 2:10.

**Referenced from Google AI search, Breaking a covenant with the Lord.

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How many times does the Lord smite sinners in the Bible?

*The Bible does not provide a precise, definitive total for the number of times God "smote" or killed people for sin. However, theologians and researchers have catalogued dozens of major recorded events in which divine judgment resulted in deaths, either widespread or individual.

Major Recorded Instances of Divine Judgment

Although individual verses use the specific word "smite" or describe God carrying out direct judgment, these events include both large-scale catastrophes and punishments of specific individuals:

The Great Flood: God destroyed all of humanity except Noah and his family because of widespread wickedness (Genesis 6-9).

Sodom and Gomorrah: Fire and brimstone fell and destroyed the cities because of their depravity (Genesis 19:24-25).

The Egyptian Firstborn: God struck down the firstborn of Egypt during the final plague before the Exodus (Exodus 12:29-30).

Korah’s Rebellion: The earth swallowed Korah and his followers, and fire consumed 250 men. A subsequent plague killed 14,700 people who had complained (Numbers 16).

Nadab and Abihu: Aaron's sons were consumed by fire for offering unauthorized fire before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1).

Ananias and Sapphira: In the New Testament, both fell dead after lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11).

Skeptics and scholars who have attempted to calculate the figures estimate that the cumulative death tolls in major narratives reach into the thousands or millions, primarily because of the Flood. However, Scripture presents these events as distinct, monumental instances of judgment rather than as an itemized, cumulative count.*

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Do these major smites suggest that the Lord or the Holy Spirit actually forgave the sinners, particularly in cases involving depravity, turpitude, corruption, and repeated harmful offenses- conduct regarded as blasphemous and unforgivable?

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Once sacred trust is broken, the victim is subjected to desecration and harm. And the grave sin is recorded on the sinner’s soul: an unholy action, thought, or failure to uphold God's law and moral principles that harms the victim and renders the perpetrator’s soul unholy.

This is especially true in cases of depravity, in which the sinner's heart becomes impure and, as asserted here, unable to receive the Holy Spirit and love. Desecrating the victim and the temple of the Holy Spirit is unforgivable and unclean.

Contrary to what some have been led to believe, not all sins are forgivable.

All sins remain recorded on the sinners’ souls until they are fully confessed, repented of, and atoned for.

Any sin that renders the sinner's soul unholy and unforgivable through the desecration of a victim and the temple of the Holy Spirit will not only make the soul unholy, but will also render the heart unclean and, as asserted here, unable to receive the Holy Spirit and love.

In other words, how could sinners who are unholy and desecrating, and who have reduced themselves to the status of cockroaches and parasites, endear themselves to the Lord, their victims, their families, or humanity?

Why would those cockroaches and parasites expect forgiveness while in such a state, without first cleaning themselves up, making amends, and reforming themselves?

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Suppose you are hosting a reception for the world's dignitaries and leaders, and an incident occurs in which guests are harmed. Would the world blame the guests and victims, or would it hold you, the host, responsible?

Who would be left with egg on their face—the guests or the host?

If uninvited guests enter your home without permission, steal from you, desecrate your home without your consent, and violate your wife and children, who would be at fault: the perpetrators or you?

In these scenarios, who would need forgiveness and be forgiven by the Lord and the Holy Spirit?

And would those perpetrating unforgivable sin be forgiven by the Lord?

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*Referenced from Google AI search: How many times in the Bible did the Lord smite sinners?*

Do you know the shame of repeated unclean, unholy, desecrators of the victim and the temple of the Holy Spirit is beyond the depths of hell?

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