Everything You Need to Know About Prophecies: Definition,...
“Do not quench the Holy Spirit; do not despise the gift of prophecy, but test everything; hold fast to what is good.”
The Bible tells us that for millennia, the Lord has used prophecies and prophets to communicate with people. Virtually all of the Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled by now, especially the hundreds of prophecies foretelling the coming of the Messiah. Some biblical prophecies are yet to be fulfilled, such as Daniel’s prophecies about the end times. Jesus’ prophecies have been confirmed by two thousand years of history. Numerous prophecies for the last days have been given in recent centuries to prophetic voices scattered throughout the Earth. This is so that, even today, people may be reminded of God and live in accordance with His Will. Discover the prophecies—both ancient and new, fulfilled and yet to come. Also explore the other supernatural means God uses to reach humanity: miracles and apparitions, Marian apparitions, the lives of mystics, all kinds of miracles, and more.
What is a prophecy?
Definition
A prophecy is a communication from God to humankind. “ Prophecy first and chiefly consists in knowledge, because, to wit, prophets know things that are far removed from man's knowledge.” explains St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologiae, IIa IIae, Qu. 171, art. 1). Certain prophecies appear indirectly as evidence of God’s existence when they cannot be invented, falsified, or obtained by chance. This is the case when they meet three criteria that make them entirely credible: clarity, improbability, and an indisputable time gap between the prophecy and its fulfillment.
What is a prophet?
In the Bible, a prophet is one who speaks on behalf of God, who conveys God’s word to humanity. The Hebrew word “nabi” means “the one who speaks” or “the one who is called,” because the prophet is sent by God on a mission.
Explanation
Prophecy should not be confused with clairvoyance or other forms of divination. It is not a matter of revealing the future through ritual or describing future events already predetermined by God. Prophecy is entrusted by God to the prophet, who does not seek to know the future on his own but receives, by divine grace, visions or messages intended to warn and call people back to God. The goal is not to satisfy curiosity but to convert people and lead them back to a holy life. While fortune-tellers are said to possess supernatural abilities, the prophet has no special power; he is a humble instrument in the hands of the Lord.
Here are the words of Saint Paul regarding the gift of prophecy: “Pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts, above all that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to human beings but to God, for no one listens; he utters mysteries in spirit. On the other hand, one who prophesies does speak to human beings, for their building up, encouragement, and solace. Whoever speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but whoever prophesies builds up the church. Now I should like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be built up.” (1 Cor 14:1–5).
Biblical Prophecies
In the Old Testament
- The eternal curse of Babylon foretold by the Jewish prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah(Isaiah 13:19) and Jeremiah 50:3). The desolation foretold by the Jewish prophets has come to pass and continues to this day, in accordance with these prophecies published more than 2,500 years ago.
- The exile of the Jews foretold as a result of Israel’s hardening of heart (Deut. 18:15–68). These prophecies have been fulfilled in every detail and continue to this day: “The Lord will send you back in ships to Egypt, by a route which I told you that you would never see again; and there you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.” (Deut. 28:68). “The Lord will bring you, and your king whom you have set over you, to a nation which you and your ancestors have not known, and there you will serve other gods, of wood and stone” (Deut. 28:36).
The Prophecies Made by Jesus
- Jesus specifically prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, already foretold by the prophet Daniel (Dan 9:26): “there will be desolation.” “There will not be left here a stone upon another stone” (Matt 24:2)
- Jesus prophesies that Jerusalem will be “trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24), and Paul elaborated on this when prophesying Israel’s return
- Jesus promises Peter that the Church will stand firm until the end of time: “The gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18).
- Jesus, a young carpenter from the small village of Nazareth, located on the outskirts of the Roman Empire, preached orally in the countryside and in Jerusalem. He wrote nothing nor had anything written, but shortly before his death he prophesied: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Mt 24:35). This prophecy had a near-zero probability of coming true, and yet, 2,000 years after Jesus’ death, the Gospel is the most widely published book in the world.
- Christ also foretold in many ways the persecution of the Church, which has raged throughout the ages ever since.
Catholic Prophecies
Discerning the Origin of Prophecies
Over the centuries, the Lord has given numerous prophecies to souls chosen by Him; we therefore have a wealth of material that it is important to examine with discernment. Many prophecies have already been fulfilled, which strongly supports their credibility. The Catholic Church, first at the diocesan level and then in Rome, is responsible for examining prophecies and authenticating their origin. This is done, in particular, by providing spiritual guidance to those receiving messages from Heaven and by conducting theological and doctrinal studies of the content of the writings.
Many saints of past centuries possessed the gift of prophecy. In recent decades, the number of prophets and messengers from Heaven has increased exponentially; each of them must be spiritually guided by a priest and by the bishop of their diocese, who receives the messages and confirms—or refutes—their divine origin. Subsequently, interpreting prophecies can be difficult and requires perspective.
Saints and Prophets Throughout the Centuries
Here is a list of saints or blessed individuals who have received prophecies from the Lord, some of which have already been fulfilled and others yet to come. These individuals have received the approval of the Catholic Church or are still under review: Saint Malachy, Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, Saint John Bosco, Saint Padre Pio, Blessed Anne-Catherine Emmerich, Saint Faustina, Marthe Robin, Maria Valtorta, Luisa Piccarreta, Blessed Anna-Maria Taigi, Blessed Elena Aiello, Claire Ferchaud, Marie-Julie Jahenny
Recent Prophets and Messengers
Here is a list of people who have received—or are still receiving today—messages from Heaven containing prophecies for our time. These individuals are supported by the Catholic Church, which, through its bishops, has spoken favorably of them and authorized the publication of their messages (Imprimatur): Don Gobbi, Sulema, Edson Glauber, Maria Esperanza de Betania, Elizabeth Kindelmann, Vassula Ryden, etc. There are also atypical cases, such as that of the German prophet Alois Irlmaier; while the Church has not taken a position on his supernatural gift, his abilities have been scientifically proven and extensively documented.
With Hozana, pray to be attuned to God within you
- Tune in to God’s plan for you! is designed to help you hear God’s personal call to you and discover your mission!
- Pray for 9 days to ask for the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- to learn to trust Saint Mary, Mother of God.
