Prophets and Apostles

Prophets and Apostles
By Andries B. Louw
Good morning Brothers and Sister, my talk today will be about Prophets and Apostles.
What is a Prophet?
Chapter 13 of the Book of Deuteronomy opens with the following words:
“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams.” (Deuteronomy 13:1-4)
In the original Hebrew, the word for ‘prophet’ is ‘Navi.'(נביא) In the ancient Near East languages ‘Navi’ (‘prophet’) is derived from the verb ‘nabû’ which means ‘to declare’ or ‘to announce.’ This verb strongly relates to the concept of public speaking, as can be found in the following biblical example:
“And the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.” (Exodus 7:1)
There, the original Hebrew word for ‘your prophet’ is ‘Neviecha’ (נביאך) and actually means that Aaron will be the one to speak with Pharaoh. So Aaron was the mouth piece for Moses to Pharoah as Moses was the mouth piece for God to His people.
So here is a little more information about the Hebrew word for a Prophet:
The Hebrew word for prophet is נָבִיא Navi
The word ‘na•vi’ is one of two used in the Bible for a prophet.
The other is ‘cho•ze,’ which is translated as ‘seer.’
The word ‘na•vi’ is a derivative of the root verb ‘bo.’ The root ‘bo’ means ‘coming.’ ‘Na•vi’ then is the one who sees what is coming.
Here, Hebrew merely does not give a specific indication of how the ‘na•vi’ knows the future.
The narratives of the prophetic chapters do that explicitly. The other name is ‘cho•ze,’ ‘seer.’ This word originates from ‘cha•zon,’ ’vision’ or ‘seeing the future.’
In its classical form, prophecy is conveyed by a prophet or a seer. This prophet acts in the name of God. He is a messenger who delivers a specific message from God for an individual or an entire nation. He usually serves as a herald, town crier, announcer, or interpreter who mediates between God and men or between men to God.
When a prophet attempts to evade his mission (such as in the case with the prophets Jonah or Elijah), God forces him to return to prophecy.
God reveals himself to prophets in a dream at night or in a vision during the day. Of all Old Testament prophets, only Moses saw God in direct sight and, therefore, he is considered the greatest prophet:
“And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face…”
Deuteronomy 34:10
Bible scholars distinguished between two groups of prophets:
‘Prophets of acts’: Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha. These prophets are mentioned in the Bible’s historical books with a focus on their actions and not their words.
The others are the ‘Classical Prophets’, also called the ‘Writing Prophets’ or the ‘Book Prophets’. Their prophecies are told in books that carry their names. They prophesied between the 8th century BC and the 5th century BC, the Return-to-Zion era. Among the great prophets to whom many prophecies are attributed are Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. There are also the twelve minor prophets: Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.
So what is the importance of a prophet?
As stated earlier a Prophet is a seer, someone who can see the future but also the main job of a prophet is to preach repentance. We had general conference and the Prophet and Apostles gave us more instructions for the future, messages from God, we sustained them all as Prophets (navi) and Seers (Choze) in the General Conference. By listening to their counsel we will learn more of what our Father in Heaven wants us to know.
According to Biblical and Book of Mormon accounts only a few Prophets have ever seen God (Yehovah) face to face:
Moses on Mount Sinai when he received the two stone tablets containing the 10 Commandments also know and the 10 words or 10 statements or 10 facts.
The Brother of Jared when he saw the finger of God in the Book of Ether
Joseph Smith jr when he saw Jesus (Yeshua) and God the Father (Yehovah)
I would like to urge everyone to watch or listen to General Conference and the head the instructions of the prophets and seers and to also PRAY about it to know that what is said is true.
Remember what God (Yehovah) told the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 13:1-5:
1 If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams rises among you, and gives you a sign or a wonder,
2 and the sign or the wonder which he spoke to you occurs, saying, Let us go after other Elohim which you have not known, and let us serve them,
3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams. For Yehovah your Elohim is testing you, to know if you love Yehovah your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deu 18:22)
4 You shall walk after Yehovah your Elohim, and you shall fear Him. And you shall keep His commandments, and you shall hear His voice, and you shall serve Him, and you shall cleave to Him.
5 And that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall die, because he has spoken apostasy against Yehovah your Elohim, who is bringing you out of the land of Egypt, and has redeemed you out of the house of slaves, to drive you out of the way in which Yehovah your Elohim has commanded you to walk. And you shall put away evil from among your midst.Show more

So coming back to the Question: What is a Prophet?
A Prophet is the mouth piece for God whose main duty is to preach repentance.

What is an Apostle?

An apostle (/əˈpɒsəl/), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (apóstolos), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (apostéllein), "to send off". The purpose of such sending off is usually to convey a message, and thus "messenger" is a common alternative translation; other common translations include "ambassador" and "envoy".
In Christianity, the term was used in the New Testament for Jesus's Twelve Apostles (including Peter, James, and John), as well as a wider group of early Christian figures, including Paul, Barnabas, (Whose name in Hebrew is Ben Navi, Son of the Prophet) and Junia. The term is also used to designate an important missionary of Christianity to a region, e.g. the "apostle of Germany"
"Apostoloi" was the official name given to the men sent by the rulers of Jerusalem to collect the half-shekel tax for the Temple, the tax itself being called "apostolé. Before their sending away, the Twelve had been called disciples, or "students" (Latin discipulus; Greek μαθητής mathētḗs; Hebrew לִמּוּד limmûdh; all meaning "one who learns"). Jesus is stated in the Bible to have sent out the Twelve Apostles, "whom he also named apostles" (Luke 6:13), first before his death "to the lost sheep of Israel" (Matthew 10), and after his resurrection, to spread the message of the Gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:16–28:20). There is also a tradition in the Eastern Churches of "Seventy Apostles", derived from the seventy-two disciples mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. The 35 pairs of Apostles.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has always had, among its leadership, twelve individuals identified as apostles. Their primary role is to teach and testify of Jesus throughout the world.
In the Latter Day Saint movement, an apostle is a "special witness of the name of Jesus Christ who is sent to teach the principles of salvation to others." In many Latter Day Saint churches, an apostle is a priesthood office of high authority within the church hierarchy.

In many Latter Day Saint churches, apostles may be members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the church. In most Latter Day Saint churches, modern-day apostles are considered to have the same status and authority as the biblical apostles. In the Latter Day Saint tradition, apostles and prophets are believed to be the foundation of the church, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone.
The Articles of Faith, written by Joseph Smith, mentions apostles: "We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth."
To come back to the question: What is an Apostle?
An Apostle is a sent one, one that is sent to preach the Gospel or Torah depending on the time.
So now I would like to ask you all to follow the Commandment that God (Yehovah) gave us in Deuteronomy 13:1-5 that we must “test” what the Prophet says. I am not saying that President Nelson is a false Prophet, but we must not have blind faith in our leaders. In Hosea 4:6 we read
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of Scripture study so that we can know the will of God (Yehovah) for when a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams comes and tell us something that we can know that it is from God (Yehovah). We read in Matthew 24:24:
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
We are in the last days of this Earth and in the coming time there will be many false prophets and teachers, we already see them today on TV, they are the ones that perverse the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but there is one who will come the Anti-Christ, we read in Matthew 24:15:
“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)”
But what is the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel? In Daniel 12:11 we read”
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,”
This describing the pagan sacrifices with which the 2nd century BCE Greek King Antiochus IV replaced the twice-daily offering in the Jewish temple, or alternatively the altar on which such offerings were made. If you can remember how holy the altar in the temple and tabernacle was then you will know that no unclean animal may be sacrificed on the altar. But you may ask why did I bring up false prophets and the Anti-Christ.
We are now nearing the end time prophecies and most of them are happening right before us, brother against brother (Covid Vaccine mandates), wars (The Russian/Ukraine war), floods ect, all these must come to pass but as Jesus said the end is not yet, until we see the abomination that makes desolate, many biblical scholars believe that when the 3rd temple is build that the Arch of the Covenant will come out of hiding and then the Anti-Christ will sit upon it and not die and he will proclaim himself the Messiah (Anointed one) and proclaim himself God and do many miracles and will even fool the elect. This is why God (Yehovah) said we must know the scriptures to know when a prophet is false or true.
In Jeremiah 23:30-32 we read:
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.
This shows that God (Yehovah) is truly against prophets that prophecy for their own gain better known in our Church as priestcraft.
I can testify that our Prophet and Apostles are true Prophets of the Lord (Yeshua) and that like Joseph Smith jr said:
“A prophet was a prophet only when he was acting as such” (History of the Church, 5:265).
Elder John A. Widtsoe commented on the Prophet Joseph’s words: “That statement makes a clear distinction between official and unofficial actions and utterances of officers of the Church.
Jesus Christ (Yeshua) also said the following in Matthew 5:17-20:
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus came to Fulfil the Laws
I have heard that many Christian including members of the Church say that the Old Testament laws have been done away with and YET here Jesus (Yeshua) says that it is not so. Some will argue that to fulfil means it was completed, but we must remember that the meaning of words change over the years. Here is the 1828 Merriam-Webster definitions of the word Fulfill
1a: to put into effect : EXECUTE He fulfilled his pledge to cut taxes.
b: to meet the requirements of (a business order)Their order for more TVs was promptly fulfilled.
c: to measure up to : SATISFY She hasn't yet fulfilled the requirements needed to graduate.
d: to bring to an end she came to install herself and fulfill her time at the house— Willa Cather
2a: to develop the full potentialities of He has a lot of talent, but he hasn't really fulfilled his
potential.
b: to convert into reality a sense of the failure of life to fulfill its ultimate expectations— Leslie Rees
3 archaic : to make full : FILL her subtle, warm, and golden breath … fulfills him with beatitude—
Alfred Tennyson
The only laws that was taken away by Jesus (Yeshua) was the blood sacrifices after the Temple was destroyed, even in the Old Testament God (Yehovah) said he did not want the blood, we read in Psalms 51:17:
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Even though we have a Prophet today we must remember one thing and that is that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Prophet that we must shema (listen & obey) prophecied by Moses we read in both Deuteronomy 18:15 and Acts 3:32
Deut 18:15: The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Acts 3:32: For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
General Conference
In the last General Conference the general topic was to follow God and Jesus Christ, I loved all of the talks but one stood out for me in particular, President Russel M. Nelson’s talk in the Sunday Morning Session “Overcome the Wold and Find rest” where our Prophet made a future prophecy about blessings that are to come before Jesus’s second coming. I urge everyone to go and watch the General Conference if you have not yet watched it and if you have to go watch it again. You will learn things you might not have the first time.

Testimony
I would like to end by giving my testimony about Prophets and Apostles. Firstly the most important Prophet that there was and is, is Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah) but he still sends his messengers (Prophets) to us to give us guidance for the future, that is why I can testify that President Russell M. Nelson is a true prophet of the Lord and that he has all the keys to the kingdom. By listening to his teachings we will be able to be closer to Heavenly Father and His Son. By following the admonitions of Biblical and Latter-Day Prophets and by daily scripture study, Bible and Book of Mormon we can and will grow closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. If you follow the commandment that God (Yehovah) gave in Deuteronomy 13:1-5 you will know the truth and that President Russell M. Nelson is a true Prophet of the Lord.

I leave you with this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.