prophecy

Prophecy is the communication of a message believed to reveal a divine will or the future, typically delivered by a person regarded as inspired or a seer. The term derives from the Greek prophētēs, meaning “one who speaks before,” formed from pro- “before” and phēmi “to speak.” Prophecy can be oral, written, or visionary, and its authority partly rests on the status of the speaker within a religious tradition.

In many ancient cultures, prophecy shaped political and religious life. In the ancient Near East, oracles interpreted the will of gods to guide rulers and communities. In classical Greece, the Oracle of Delphi mediated between the divine and human affairs. In the Hebrew Bible, prophets such as Isaiah and Jeremiah proclaimed messages about judgment, covenant fidelity, and future restoration. In Islam, prophethood refers to messengers through whom God conveys guidance to humankind.

Prophecies vary in content and method. They may foretell future events, exhort ethical reform, or offer apocalyptic visions. Channels include dreams, visions, voices, ecstasy, or interpretive readings of signs and scriptures. Some prophecies are considered predictive, others are exhortatory or symbolic, and distinctions between personal revelation and communal instruction are common across traditions.

Reception and evaluation of prophecies depend on interpretation, fulfillment, and context. Many prophecies are contested, ambiguous, or reinterpreted over time; in modern secular thought, prophecy is often treated as literature, historical belief, or sociocultural phenomenon rather than a verifiable forecast.

Notable examples include biblical figures such as Isaiah and Jeremiah, the Delphic Oracle, Nostradamus, and prophetic traditions within Islam. Prophecy continues to appear in religious practice, literature, and contemporary discussions about future trends.