What is a prophet, anyway? The Oxford English Dictionary says that a prophet is "one who speaks for God." Actually the definitions and their roots go on for most of a whole page, but the "one who speaks for God" sums it up as far as we are concerned. Now let me ask you if you have ever known anyone who speaks for God? It seems a pretty tall order, doesn't it? Indeed, we often will look at someone askance who merely speaks for other people, let alone God.

You've likely heard it before. "So and so said ..." and a person somehow puts themselves in the position of speaking for someone else. You can't help wondering if they asked permission. Were they present when this was said? Did they write it down? Is there exaggeration here? Is it really what that person would say? It's like the press sec…