Terms prophets, seers, revelators

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Articles about Prophets and Church leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ

Characteristics of Church Leaders	Apostles as personal witnesses of Christ Terms prophets, seers, revelators Modern prophets and prophecy Obedience to Church leaders Fallibility of prophets Prophetic words as scripture
Succession of the President of the Church	Standards for prophetic succession 1844 Succession to Joseph Smith
Criticisms related to Church leaders	Russell M. Nelson Dallin H. Oaks Thomas S. Monson M. Russell Ballard Paul H. Dunn Brigham Morris Young Joseph Smith Paid and unpaid Church leaders
Doctrine and official statements	Official doctrine in the Church
Other	Fulfillment of prophecy Divine manifestations since the time of Joseph Smith Blessings given by Oliver Cowdery Joseph F. Smith at the Reed Smoot hearings

Terms prophets, seers, revelators

The President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sustained as prophet, seer, and revelator. The the counselors in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are also sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators.

What do these terms mean, and how long have they been used in the Church?

Meanings of the Terms

The Church has published definitions of each of these terms. A short summary is provided here, with links for further reading.

Prophet

A prophet is “a person who has been called by and speaks for God. As a messenger of God, a prophet receives commandments, prophecies, and revelations from God. . . . On occasion, prophets may be inspired to foretell the future for the benefit of mankind. His primary responsibility, however, is to bear witness of Christ.

Seer

A seer is “a person authorized of God to see with spiritual eyes things which God has hidden from the world . . . A seer knows the past, present, and future. Anciently, a prophet was often called a seer.

Revelator

[They] make known the will of the Lord for the Church and for mankind in general. They reveal His will in both spiritual and temporal affairs, though all things are spiritual to the Lord.

For further reading:

• "1.6 What Are Prophets, Seers, and Revelators?", in Teachings of the Living Prophets Student Manual (2016).
• Jeffrey R. Holland, "Prophets, Seers, and Revelators," October 2004 general conference.
• Craig James Ostler and Lloyd D. Newell, "'Here Is Wisdom; Yea, to Be a Seer, a Revelator, . . . and a Prophet,'" in Foundations of the Restoration: The 45th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, ed. Craig James Ostler, Michael Hubbard MacKay, and Barbara Morgan Gardner (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2017).

How have the terms been used for Church leaders?

The first recorded use of these terms (in part) was on April 6, 1830, when the Lord announced to Joseph Smith: "Thou shalt be called a seer & Translater & Prop[h]et an Apostle of Jesus Christ an Elder of the Church." This calling was reaffirmed (and included the term revelator) on November 11, 1831, when the Lord announced that "the president of the office of the High Priesthood is to preside over the whole church & to be like unto Moses behold here is wisdom yea to be a Seer a revelator a translator & a prophet having all the gifts of God which he bestoweth upon the head of the chuch."

These terms in part were extended to members of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles on March 27, 1836. Joseph Smith's journal records:

I then made a short address and called upon the several quorums, and all the congregation of saints to acknowledge the Presidency as Prophets and Seers, and uphold them by their prayers, they all covenanted to do so by rising; I then called upon the quorums and congregation of saints to acknowledge the 12 Apostles who were present as Prophets and Seers and special witnesses to all the nations of the earth, holding the keys of the kingdom, to unlock it or cause it to be done among all nations them; and uphold them by their prayers, which they assented to by rising.

The terms came into regular use in Nauvoo, though they were usually applied only to Joseph Smith. After the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young spoke of these terms specifically as pertaining to the President of the Church:

[Here are] the Twelve, an independent body, who have the keys of the priesthood, the keys of the kingdom of God to deliver to all the world: this is true, so help me God. They stand next to Joseph and are as the First Presidency of the Church. I do not know whether my enemies will take my life or not, and I do not care, for I want to be with the man I love. You cannot fill the office of a Prophet, Seer and Revelator: God must do this.