Seers, or prophets, are mentioned throughout the Bible, and they played a significant role in communicating God’s message to His people. But what does the Bible really say about seers and their role today? Let’s explore the Scriptures to understand what it means to be a seer and how it fits into God’s plan.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Losing Salvation
What Does The Bible Say About Seers
1 Samuel 9:9
“(Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, ‘Come, let us go to the seer,’ because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)”
This verse explains the historical context of the term “seer” in Israel. Seers were regarded as prophets or individuals who had the ability to inquire of God and receive divine guidance.
The phrase “let us go to the seer” implies that seers held a prominent role in the spiritual matters of Israel and were sought after for their ability to provide insights and revelations from God.
1 Samuel 9:11-12
“As they went up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water and said to them, ‘Is the seer here?'”
In this passage, people are inquiring about the presence of a seer. This further emphasizes the sought-after nature of seers, implying that people would actively seek them out and travel to their location to receive spiritual guidance.
The reference to the seer being present indicates that the seer was recognized as a knowledgeable and significant figure who could provide answers to their questions.
1 Chronicles 29:29
“Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer.”
This verse mentions Samuel the seer as one of the chroniclers of King David’s acts. It affirms the role of the seer in recording historical events and emphasizes the credibility and authority associated with their records.
The mention of Samuel alongside other prophets like Nathan and Gad also underscores the significance of seers in the history of Israel and their involvement in documenting key moments.
Isaiah 29:10
“The LORD has brought over you a deep sleep: He has sealed your eyes (the prophets); he has covered your heads (the seers).”
This verse depicts seers as individuals who have been struck with a spiritual blindness, preventing them from perceiving and understanding the messages of God.
It suggests that seers, along with prophets, have lost their ability to accurately discern and interpret God’s revelations because of their disobedience or rejection of His guidance.
Isaiah 30:10
“They say to the seers, ‘See no more visions!’ and to the prophets, ‘Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions.'”
Here, seers are being discouraged from sharing visions and revelations from God, while the people demand pleasant and false prophecies. This highlights the rejection and disdain towards the authentic messages of God by the people.
It reflects a desire for falsehood and confirmation of their desires rather than the challenging truths that seers and prophets would bring forth.
Isaiah 30:11
“Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!”
This verse further reveals the opposition and resistance faced by seers and prophets, as people reject their messages and demand that they deviate from the path of righteousness outlined by God.
It portrays the rebellious nature of the people who refuse to heed the warnings and instructions provided by the seers, preferring a more comfortable and self-indulgent lifestyle.
Jeremiah 14:14
“Then the LORD said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries, and the delusions of their own minds.'”
This verse warns about false prophets who claim to be seers, but in reality, they are spreading lies and deceptive visions.
It serves as a cautionary reminder to discern and evaluate the credibility of those who claim to have the ability to see into the spiritual realm and receive messages from God.
Ezekiel 12:24
“For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations among the people of Israel.”
This verse prophesies a time when false visions and deceptive divinations will no longer influence the people of Israel.
It suggests that God will put an end to the false claims and deceptive practices of those who pose as seers and prophets, restoring truth and purity to His people.
Ezekiel 13:6
“They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘This is the LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled.”
Here, false seers and prophets are condemned for spreading deceitful visions and divinations, falsely attributing them to the Lord.
This verse emphasizes the importance of discernment, as it warns against those who use the guise of being seers to manipulate and mislead people for personal gain.
Joel 2:28
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
This verse speaks of a future time when the Holy Spirit will be poured out on all people, resulting in a widespread ability to prophesy and receive divine visions.
It indicates that the gift of prophecy and spiritual insight, traditionally associated with seers, would be accessible to believers across all generations, genders, and age groups.
Amos 3:7
“Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.”
This verse highlights the role of prophets as divine messengers who are entrusted with revealing God’s plans and purposes.
It suggests that seers and prophets have the privilege of receiving insight into God’s intentions before they come to pass, allowing them to warn and instruct God’s people accordingly.
Amos 7:12-13
“And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there, but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.'”
In this passage, Amos is referred to as a seer by Amaziah, a priest of Bethel who tries to banish him from prophesying in that region.
This highlights that seers were often met with opposition from those in positions of power who preferred to maintain the status quo and reject the messages of God.
Zechariah 13:2
“On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the LORD Almighty. ‘I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.'”
This verse speaks of a future day when idolatry will be eradicated from the land and false prophets, who claim to be seers, will also be removed.
It emphasizes that the purification of God’s people involves the removal of spiritual corruption and the elimination of deceptive influences.
Matthew 7:22-23
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
In this passage, Jesus warns against those who claim to be seers or prophets but are not truly known by Him.
It emphasizes the importance of genuine relationship and obedience to God, rather than relying solely on the external manifestations of spiritual gifts or powers.
Matthew 24:24
“For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
Here, Jesus predicts the rise of false messiahs and prophets who will deceive people with their signs and wonders.
This serves as a reminder to exercise discernment and not be swayed by supernatural displays alone, as seers and prophets can also fall prey to deception and manipulative tactics.
Acts 9:10-12
“In Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered. The Lord told him, ‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.'”
This passage recounts a vision received by Ananias, a disciple of Jesus, who was instructed to go to Saul and restore his sight.
It demonstrates how seers, through visions, can receive specific instructions from God to carry out His plans or assignments.
Acts 16:16-18
“Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.’ She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her.”
This narrative illustrates the encounter between Paul and a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, enabling her to predict the future.
It shows that seers or fortune-tellers, who operate under demonic influence, may gain prominence and generate profits, but they do not possess true spiritual authority or the ability to guide people towards salvation.
Romans 12:6
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith.”
This verse highlights that the ability to prophesy or see into the spiritual realm is a spiritual gift given by God’s grace.
It encourages those who have the gift of prophecy or seership to exercise it faithfully and in alignment with their faith, using it to build up and encourage the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:29-30
“Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?”
This rhetorical question asked by Paul emphasizes that not all believers possess the same spiritual gifts, including the gift of prophecy or seership.
It underscores the diversity of gifts within the body of Christ and refutes the notion that everyone should have the same spiritual abilities.
1 Corinthians 14:1
“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.”
Here, Paul encourages believers to pursue and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, particularly the gift of prophecy.
This verse implies that the gift of prophecy, which encompasses seership, is valuable within the Christian community and plays a significant role in edifying and encouraging believers.
1 Corinthians 14:3
“But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging, and comfort.”
This verse describes the purpose and effect of prophecy within the body of Christ, highlighting its ability to strengthen, encourage, and comfort believers.
It suggests that seers, through their prophetic insight, can bring hope, inspiration, and renewed faith to individuals and the church as a whole.
1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
“Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.”
Here, believers are urged not to despise or disregard prophecies, including those spoken by seers, but to test them against the truth of God’s Word.
This verse highlights the importance of discernment and the need to evaluate prophecies to distinguish genuine insights from false or deceptive ones.
1 John 4:1
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
In this passage, believers are warned against blindly accepting every spiritual claim or message, including those delivered by seers and prophets.
It reminds us that it is essential to exercise discernment and evaluate the spirits behind these messages to identify false prophets who seek to deceive.
These verses provide insight into the role of seers within the biblical context. They demonstrate the prominence of seers as spiritual guides, recorders of history, and messengers of God. However, they also highlight the potential for deception and distortion within the realm of seership. While some seers and prophets were genuine in their communication with God, others sought personal gain or were influenced by demonic forces. These passages emphasize the importance of discernment, testing prophecies against God’s Word, and maintaining a deep relationship with Jesus. Ultimately, believers are called to embrace the true prophetic gifts within the body of Christ and be wary of false seers and prophets who may lead others astray.