“A man of God” (1 Samuel 9:6)
Limited is the work of man in his world of terrain. His knowledge of earthly life only enables for the corporal but not for the spiritual one and the salvation of us. It is natural to seek what we do not have though, yet we can only wish for extraordinary. People have the tendency of leaning to what we know and strive for the most remarkable life.
Man shall be aware of his neutrality and much more work of miraculous of God, as he is the result of His creation. There is pure distinction between ordinary man and “A man of God,” as in scripted in Holy Scriptures representing all the Saints and the Righteous. But whom Saint Samuel spoke about is the prophets, who has the power of the Holy Spirt to foretell the future.
Prophets were able to foretell what the is to come in the future with the power of the Holy Spirit. They have prophesied all the Kings reign and falling, the rise and fall of Israel and other countries, God’s mercy and rage upon the righteous and gentiles, all the plagues Pestilence, Plague and Pandemics.
The Work of the Prophets are said to receive the word of God and speak/ teach to the gentiles; The man of God; The man of vision; The servant of God; To know the exact past and future. God communicates or reveals divinity, His words and miracles through Angels, dreams and vision. Prophets then tells prophecy, teaches, advices and even rebukes the people.
In the accordance to their work, time and place, prophets are classified into four, being the fifteen Prophet Fathers, the four Major Prophets, the twelve Minor prophets and Others Prophets.
Prophet Fathers: – The main ones here are Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Melalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel.Major Fathers:- Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
Minor Prophets:- Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The Minor Prophets are also called The Twelve.
Others Prophets: – Joshua, Samson, Jephthah, Gideon, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elsa.
They are also categorized in terms of the place in Judea, Samaria, Babylon:-
- From the time of Adam until the rise of Joseph is known to be Father Prophets
- From the rise of Mosses until the coming of Samuel is called Prophets of Era of Judges.
- From the reign of David until the rise of Zerubbabel is said Prophets of Era of Kings.
- From the time of Zerubbabel until the rise of Saint John the Baptist, is known to be Prophets of Priests Era.
Prophets are also grouped according to their wittings which are the prophets from Isaiah to Malachi. The Prophets of preachers in words are Gad, Elijah, Elsa and Nathan. The other classification is to be mentioned here is male prophets and female prophetess. We have mentioned some of the male ones but it is significant to acknowledge the female prophets as well as in scripted in the Holy Bible. The first one is the sister of Prophet Moses Mary (Exodus 15:20), second follows Sepidot’s wife, Deborah (Judges 4:4), then is Heldana who was in the reign of Josiah (2 kings 22:14), Prophetess Hanna (Luke 2:32), Philip’s four virgin daughters, etc., are female prophets.
Prophets have been bestowed the gift of specially telling prophecies, and thus have prophesied many work of God and even His work of wisdom to be born from pure lady virgin Saint Mary, our Holy Mother for the salvation of us. Prophet Isaiah words are true to this; “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) The prophets not only preached about the words of God and prophesied His redemption by His begotten son, they have fasted in the hope of the fulfillment of the vow to Adam, the first mankind. The words of the prophets have been fulfilled in the New Testament and our Lord and Jesus Christ has saved us by His crucifixion.
Subsequently, our Orthodox Church has made Liturgy of Fast known to be “The Fast of Prophets” which is amongst the seven chronical fast that starts Hidar 15 and ends at Tahesas 29, the birth day of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Christians fast it with the believe of the Lord coming down from heaven, be born from Holy Mother Saint Mary and saved the world with His crucifixion.
May God’s mercy be upon us, Amen!