God chose to reveal His will to mankind by means of prophets. Hebrews 1:1 says, “God…at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets…” We know some of the prophets by name (like Moses, Isaiah, Peter, etc.), and some we do not. Prophets were God’s chosen messengers to proclaim His saving message (both in the Old Testament and New Testament) to mankind.
Jesus Himself was called a Prophet. Moses foretold, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me…” (Deut. 18:15). Peter declared this prophecy to be fulfilled in the sending of “Jesus Christ…For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me…’” (Acts 3:20-23). While God did speak in Old Testament times in various ways by the prophets, the Hebrews writer went on to affirm that God “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son” (Heb. 1:1-2).
One of the spiritual gifts that God gave to some in the early church (and the one for which Paul said the early Christians should “especially desire,” 1 Cor. 14:1, 39) was the miraculous ability to prophesy. Those with this divine gift received “a revelation” (1 Cor. 14:30) from God. Jesus had told His disciples, “Do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:11). The very words they were to speak were given to them by God.
In fact, having been sent as a Prophet, the same was said of Jesus. The Lord God said through Moses, “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him” (Deut. 18:18). Jesus confirmed, “I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak” (John 12:49).
Now, what’s the point? Every word recorded within and written in Scripture came by direct revelation from God. Read 2 Peter 1:20-21 carefully, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man…” The prophecy of God that came through Moses, Isaiah, Peter and even Jesus never came by their own will! So, from where did their prophecies always come? It “never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
When you pick up your Bible, remember that not a single word in it was chosen by a man! Every one is from God!