What is a seer and how is a seer distinguished from a prophet? The Bible shows us they are the same …but different.
What is a seer? What’s the difference between a seer and a prophet? Do prophets see visions? And if they do see visions, does that make them the same?
I came across the term “seer” as I was looking into the differences between dreams, visions, words and pictures.
I wasn’t too sure of the answer, so I did my own research, which revealed there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Experience As A Seer
I didn’t know until relatively recently, but I have some experience of being a seer.
I do hear God’s voice on a regular basis, but just as much, I “see” what he is doing.
In other words, I receive words, pictures and sometimes, visions and dreams from him.
Seer Of Jesus
On one such occasion, I had a vivid dream about Jesus.
I saw him on the cross, at the moment of his death. He let out a cry and died, and at that moment, I saw an explosion of power in the spirit realm. All the colours of the rainbow were released and moved outward from him.
The explosion issued from what I can only describe as a sudden split between Jesus and the rest of the Godhead. At that moment, his life was ripped away from his heavenly Father and from Holy Spirit.
I didn’t understand this at the time, but I now see that God is life and there is no death in him. So, when Jesus died, he was cut off somehow from the rest of the Trinity.
I wouldn’t want to begin to understand the theology behind this, and I don’t know if there are proper biblical grounds for such thinking (so don’t quote me on it!).
The important thing is what the Lord revealed to me through: From that explosion, there was a wave of power that reached out into the whole universe and also through the whole of time.
Seeing Is Believing
When I woke up, this dream had a profound impact on me. I thought about it for days and I ended up asking an artistic friend to paint it as a picture. You can see the results in the featured image for this article.
I ended up using the painting for a sermon in church, a few weeks later.
Although it came through a dream, I saw something in the spirit realm. Something that had a profound impact on the world.
For me, it explained and described how it could be that Jesus’ death on the cross hundreds of miles away and 2000 years ago, could reach across both distance and time to make a difference to people today.
What Is A Seer? – Definition
A quick Google turns up the following when I look for a definition of “seer”:
A person of supposed supernatural insight who sees visions of the future.
That makes sense, but surely that’s not much different to a prophet?
I think there is a bit more to it than that.
If I was to define seer, then it would be someone who knows what God is doing, and is about to do, in the heavenly realm and here on the earth.
They know this primarily through watching their Lord, through seeing him go about his work, from a place of intimacy.
What Is A Prophet? – Definition
Again, a quick look at a definition of “prophet” turns up the following:
A person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.
Or:
A person who predicts what will happen in the future.
But to me, a prophet is simply someone who shares messages from God with one person or many people.
Those messages reveal and convey God’s purposes, intentions and heart for the people involved.
The messages may be told in pictures and visions, but the prophets hear God’s voice, just as much as they see what he is doing.
Biblical Seers
Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel all saw visions of God’s throne, in which they looked upon God himself and learnt profound truths about his nature.
Daniel famously saw powerful visions of the end times and of the climactic events in the nations, that would one day lead up to Jesus’ birth.
These dramatic encounters between the prophets and their heavenly king remind us of his lordship. They remind us of his complete control over history and the ongoing story of the world in which we live.
Each of these men heard God’s voice, but what they saw in his presence forms the main body of how we remember them. They were seers.
Conclusion: What Is A Seer?
A seer is a prophet who sees visions.
They see what God is doing and revealing, rather than just hearing his words.
So a seer is a prophet, but a prophet isn’t necessarily a seer.
It’s not that a seer doesn’t hear God’s voice, or that a prophet doesn’t see him in the spirit. It’s more that each role has an emphasis, a tendency towards one or the other.
For some people, it may be obvious whether they are a prophet or a seer. For others, the line between the two may be more blurred or unclear.
As I said at the beginning, they’re the same, but different!
But this brings me to another important question:
- If a seer “sees” what God is doing and a prophet hears, what’s the difference between a prophetic word and a vision, beyond the obvious?
- And what’s the difference between a vision, a picture and a dream?
I’ll explore the answer to those questions in more detail, next time.
What Is A Seer? – Your Turn
If you’ve got something to say about prophets and seers, then:
- Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
- Share this post on social media to invite others to the conversation.
Yes. About that moment, Christ dying on the cross… death is swallowed up in victory!! …which I can only imagine would cause a great explosion of grace, truth and faith!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Sue.
Yes and amen!
I am a baby in Christ but my anointing is powerful. I too believe I am a seer / but he shows me Prophet as well. I’m so new and enthralled to learn everything, yet be patient enough to appreciate his glory. I am in a healing and deliverance church dying to self so he can increase in my life. I needed you to know I appreciate coming across your page. What a beautiful blessing.
Hi Ally,
Thank you for your kind words!
May you grow in your relationship with the Lord and in your prophetic anointing!
Thank you. Very helpful. I have a friend who is a seer. She speaks out little pictures she has of me while I pray out-loud- like me holding a scroll, or on rainbow steps- all very encouraging.
Thanks Olivia, you’re welcome.
Having a friend like that sounds great! 🙂
Blessings,
Tim
Tim, I believe I am a seer. I have visions and see things before they happen. I am intimate with God and receive instructions from God. I knew of the pandemic before it hit and I have dreamed the end of the world. Except it was real and terrifying and much more than just a dream. I think I am crazy and it is unsafe to share about it. God personally instructs me to do things – it is a long story. I can relate to this except I FELT Jesus’s emotions of pain. I also was gifted with healing powers… am I a seer?
Hi,
Thank you for your comment.
From what you’ve said, it sounds like you may well be a Seer, but it’s best to pray and ask God what he thinks.
If you’re worried about the visions and dreams you have then that’s also something to pray about and ask the Lord what he wants to teach you through them.
You may also find it helpful to share what you see and hear with another Christian believer, so you can pray about it together.
Just try to find someone you know you can trust, who will listen to you and preferably someone who also understands the prophetic.
I hope that helps!
Blessings,
Tim
Hi! I am curious to learn more about what you have send for the end times as I have had multiple of these dreams starting back around 2013 I believe if not earlier. There’s been a series, but the common thread is utter dread. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.
Thanks again for your question.
There are things the Lord has shown me about the end times but they’re not for sharing here.
Again, it’s best to ask God about your dreams and ask him to give you his peace about them: remember that even when things are scary, God is still in control!
Thanks for the article, very helpful. I have a different question about whether believers can become possessed? Jesus warned the woman go and sin no more lest a worse thing come upon you and also mentioned that when the demons leave if the house is empty they can come back in? Just wondering had a weird experience recently. Ty
Hi,
Thanks for your comment and your question.
It’s not really something I have space to answer properly here but I believe that it is not possible for a believer to be possessed.
When a believer chooses to follow Jesus and commit to him, they are filled with Holy Spirit – and darkness has nothing to do with light!
It’s also important to understand the context and what Jesus is really saying when we read the bible:
Where Jesus speaks about the “house swept clean” he may be relating things to the actions of demons but he is really issuing a warning to the scribes and Pharisees who have just asked him for “a sign”.
And to those who he said “sin no more” I think it’s more of a general instruction to change their overall lifestyle, so they won’t end up in the same predicament (rather than being specific to possession, per se).
At the same time, I do think it’s possible for a believer to be oppressed or attacked by the enemy but we are given authority to overcome those attacks, in Christ.
If you want to know more about that, then I would recommend Freedom in Christ ministries: https://www.ficm.org.uk/
Their course can help you to overcome strongholds in your life and experience true freedom in Christ (hence the name!)
Blessings,
Tim
Very interesting, I am a Seer, I always see things in a Vision or something God give me images of pictures. I’m also a Prophetic Writer. But, your article is interesting that a Seer is Prophet but a Prophet is not always a Seer. Thank you for Sharing
Hi Shirley,
Thank you also for sharing!
I’m glad you found it helpful.
Blessings,
Tim
Tim, thank you for your post! I believe I am a seer. Ever since I was a little boy, I have had my eyes opened to see demons (something visible to me, but invisible to everyone else), had dreams of the future, seen other events, had my spiritual senses activated in the vision realm, and had my thoughts influenced or had certain kinds of thoughts come to me (more like thought impressions). It was not until I got saved that I started to see angels and I heard the audible voice of the Lord call me by name too.
Hi Daron,
Thanks for your comment, it certainly sounds like you are a seer!
I’m so glad that the Lord has taken your gifting and updated it so you see angels.
May they always encourage you!
Blessings,
Tim
Hi, I was told by a prophet that my gift is to seer in the spirit and in visions and dreams, I do get a lot of visions and dreams, sometimes I don’t know how to interpret them. But I am drawn to prophets and I am hungry for spiritual food. I’m still learning.
So what exactly does this make me.
Hi Kay,
Thanks so much for commenting.
It does sound like you are a seer because they are characterised by visual revelations, like lots of visions and dreams.
Check out the rest of the site for more info! 🙂