HOW DO PROPHETS RECEIVE REVELATION?
A Doctrinal Breakdown of 1 Nephi 22:2
SCRIPTURE
Of Focus
1 Nephi 22:2 "And I, Nephi, said unto them: Behold they were manifest unto the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh."
Nephi teaches that revelations were manifest to the prophet by the voice of the Spirit, and that by the Spirit all things are made known unto the prophets, according to the flesh.
This gives us a three-part pattern:
- Manifest — revelation is unveiled or made known
- Spirit — the voice of the Spirit is the means
- Prophets — those called to receive and declare God’s word
MANIFEST
How Revelation Is Unveiled
2 Peter 1:21 (19-21)
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
Why This Scripture?
Peter explains the same truth Nephi teaches: revelation is not self-generated. It is
manifest — made known — when God moves upon His servants.
Principle (Manifest):
Revelation is something God unveils, not something we invent.
How We Apply This
- Humility: We approach God knowing revelation is a gift, not a personal achievement.
- Trust: We trust that God can make things manifest to us in His timing.
- Receiving: We recognize that spiritual understanding is received, not forced.
SPIRIT
The Means of Revelation
From the “God, Spirit of” list, we see the Spirit as the active agent of revelation across all scripture.
Old Testament — Genesis 1:2
“And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
Why? The Spirit appears as God’s active, initiating, revealing presence.
New Testament — Matthew 3:16
“He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.”
Why? The Spirit reveals the true identity of Christ.
Book of Mormon — Alma 5:47
“…the spirit of prophecy … by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.”
Why? Alma directly ties prophecy to the Spirit of God, matching Nephi’s pattern.
Doctrine & Covenants — D&C 121:26
“God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit…”
Why? Revelation is knowledge given, not discovered by intellect alone.
Pearl of Great Price — Moses 6:26
“The Spirit of God descended out of heaven…”
Why? The Spirit initiates revelation by descending, not by being summoned.
Principle (Spirit):
The Spirit of God is the active agent of all revelation, enlightenment, and prophetic understanding.
How We Apply This
- Seek the Spirit: We seek revelation by seeking the Spirit, not by seeking control.
- Create space: We cultivate environments where the Spirit can “move upon” us — prayer, scripture, repentance, quietness.
- Line upon line: We trust that the Spirit can reveal truth to us gradually.
PROPHETS
Those Who Receive and Declare Revelation
Old Testament — Amos 3:7
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”
Why? God’s works are preceded by revelation to prophets.
New Testament — 2 Peter 1:19
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy…”
Why? Prophetic revelation is sure and trustworthy.
Book of Mormon — Jacob 4:6
“…we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy…”
Why? Revelation is ongoing and accessible through faith.
Doctrine & Covenants — D&C 1:38
“…whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”
Why? Prophets speak with divine authority; God owns their message.
Pearl of Great Price — Moses 1:27
“…discerning it by the Spirit of God…”
Why? Moses models prophetic revelation: seeing and discerning by the Spirit.
Principle (Prophets):
Prophets receive revelation by the Spirit and speak God’s will with His authority.
How We Apply This
- Sustain: We sustain prophets because their voice carries God’s voice.
- Study: We study prophetic words expecting revelation for our lives.
- Align: We align our lives with prophetic counsel to receive personal revelation.
WHY THESE SCRIPTURES?
Together, these passages show the same pattern Nephi teaches in 1 Nephi 22:2:
- Revelation is manifested — God unveils truth (manifest).
- By the Spirit of God — the Spirit is the means (Spirit).
- To prophets — who then speak for God (prophets).
THE PRINCIPLE OF THE WHOLE STUDY
Prophets receive revelation when God manifests truth to them through the Spirit, and we receive revelation the same way — by seeking, hearing, and following the Spirit of God.
HOW WE APPLY THE WHOLE PATTERN
- Same pattern: We seek revelation the way prophets do: by the Spirit.
- Manifest: We trust that God can make things manifest to us personally.
- Prophetic voice: We listen to prophets because they speak by the same Spirit.
- Sensitivity: We cultivate spiritual sensitivity so revelation can flow.
- Obedience: We align our lives with the Spirit’s voice so we can discern truth.
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