Hello good people of Nairaland, this question was thrown to me yesterday and I failed woefully. I'm ashamed of my self. I could have win better prize yesterday but ignorance has really dealt with me. I was asked the difference between a prophet and a Seer or VISIONEER but I couldn't answer that. Please if you have an idea, educate me please. Thanks

see this guy o
present day prophet is of old called seer ....so you should have told them that there is no difference between the two

1sam 9:9

New International Version

(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.)

They are almost the same. And they almost always manifested in the person called a prophet.

Prophets however, did not always have to see before they spoke. They were prompted to. Spiritual forces that motivated them to speak, gave backing to their words. Seers had to see first and only told you what they saw like reporters. He necessarily might not have any power to do extraordinary things like the prophet could do.

deebrain:
They are almost the same. And they almost always manifested in the person called a prophet.

Prophets however, did not always have to see before they spoke. They were prompted to. Spiritual forces that motivated them to speak, gave backing to their words. Seers had to see first and only told you what they saw like reporters. He necessarily might not have any power to do extraordinary things like the prophet could do.

... Extra ordinary things like what please?

deebrain:
They are almost the same. And they almost always manifested in the person called a prophet.

Prophets however, did not always have to see before they spoke. They were prompted to. Spiritual forces that motivated them to speak, gave backing to their words. Seers had to see first and only told you what they saw like reporters. He necessarily might not have any power to do extraordinary things like the prophet could do.

Very correct.

Let me add that, in addition to what you have said, as much as they are almost the same, but there are still ways to differentiates them, and their sources matters.

The prophetics doesnt, i mean godly prophetics does not deal with divinations ans enchantments, but Seers do. Seers are mostly Soothsayers or Fortune tellers.

There's the spirit of divinations and the spirit of Prophesy.

The spirit of divination deals with spiritualsm/spiritism, while the spirit of prophecy deals with spirituality.

How you know their sources is Gain. Spiritism/spiritualism is done for gain. As in, if they are consulted, you pay for their services. But the prophetic is freely you recieve, freely give

Cases in point

1. Divination/ enchantments/ Spiritsm = Soothsaying---Balaam Numbers chapters 22, 23,and.24.
Balak paid him handsomely to lay a curse on the Israelites.

Prophet Elisha and Naaman the Leprous General. In 2Kings 5. After being healed by the prophet, Naaman presented gifts, the prophet declined.

In the New Testament. In Acts 16:16, a slave girl with the Spirit if divination/Sorcery made good money for her owners by her Seeing/ Soothsaying until Paul cast the demon out of her.

Again, in Acts 8:9 a certian man called Simon was also a seer using divination, he made gain for his work.

But Apostle Paul did so much without collecting a dime from anyone.

Today in our society, be careful about Prophets (So called) who demands for gains from you. They are sorcerers.

Ikebesupa:
... Extra ordinary things like what please?

Like actual sustainable miracles that are benficial to the well being of men. Not just words. Asin, most seers see but have no solutions to your problems. But God sent prophet profer solutions to lasts.

Ikebesupa:
... Extra ordinary things like what please?

Like bringing about a change in the course of events with declaring words. Calling strange things to happen. Eg Elijah calling fire from heaven etc.. He did not really see vision before the event-he merely declared it to happen.

Every man has the ability to be the prophet of his life as well.