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2-4. Does the 5th Epochal Revelation published in the Urantia Book talk about prophets, who is a prophet according to the revelation?

Yes, The Urantia Book (the 5th Epochal Revelation, published in 1955) discusses prophets extensively, particularly in the context of religious history, the evolution of the God concept among the Hebrews, and the role of spiritual teachers across time. It references prophets from the Hebrew scriptures (e.g., Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Malachi, and others), as well as figures like John the Baptist, and even describes certain individuals (such as Gautama Buddha in one context) as prophets. The book treats prophets as part of the progressive revelation of truth to humanity, often influenced by higher spiritual guidance (e.g., from Melchizedek or celestial beings).

Who Is a Prophet According to The 5th Epochal Revelation Papers in the Urantia Book?

The Urantia Book does not provide a single, formal definition in one paragraph, but it consistently portrays a true prophet as:

• Someone who knows God intimately and speaks words of truth on behalf of divine reality.
• A spiritual teacher or messenger who reveals truth relevant to their time period, advancing the understanding of God (e.g., evolving the concept of Yahweh from a tribal deity to a more universal, loving Father).
• An individual who serves God through unselfish ministry to people, helping them develop spiritually and morally.
• Often inspired or collaborated with by higher beings (e.g., Machiventa Melchizedek worked with many prophets and seers for centuries to keep Salem/Melchizedek truths alive until Michael's/Jesus' arrival).

Key characteristics and distinctions from the text and aligned discussions:

• True prophets are supportive of God's advancing truth; they are not perfect (they make mistakes like anyone else), but overall, the book is positive about great prophets who preached truth and ministered selflessly.
• Prophecy is not primarily fortune-telling or predicting specific future events (e.g., apocalyptic predictions like those attributed to John in Revelation are discredited). Visions granted to prophets (e.g., of the Mansion Worlds or Lucifer's downfall) are often of real-time or past spiritual events, not deterministic forecasts that violate free will.
• True prophecy benefits people in the present—urging righteous living, faith, and spiritual growth now—rather than speculative future predictions. Wise foresight comes from evaluating past experience and potential future impacts of current decisions, not fortune-telling.
• Many historical figures called "prophets" distorted truth or misinterpreted events, but the authentic ones (e.g., from Samuel to John the Baptist) admonished people to seek God and truth.

• 101:2.13 The realization of religion never has been, and never will be, dependent on great learning or clever logic. It is spiritual insight, and that is just the reason why some of the world's greatest religious teachers, even the prophets, have sometimes possessed so little of the wisdom of the world. Religious faith is available alike to the learned and the unlearned.
• 144:8.4 Said Jesus about the prophets. "Verily, verily, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is but small in the kingdom of heaven is greater because he has been born of the spirit and knows that he has become a son of God."
• ^132:7.6 The religions of men grow up over long periods of time, while the revelations of God flash upon earth in the lives of the men who reveal God to their fellows.

Examples from Specific Papers

• Paper 97 ("Evolution of the God Concept Among the Hebrews") discusses prophets like Samuel (first of the Hebrew prophets), Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and others who progressively elevated the concept of God.
• Paper 135 ("John the Baptist") portrays John as aspiring to the prophetic line (idealizing Elijah as the model prophet) and as more than a mere prophet—he prepared for the Messiah.
• Paper 169 has Jesus referencing prophets from Samuel to John, urging people to seek God.
• Paper 1 and others note how prophets helped dawn the truth of the Universal Father.
• Paper 93 and related sections describe Melchizedek collaborating with prophets to preserve monotheistic truths.

In summary, a prophet in The Urantia Book is fundamentally a truth-revealer and spiritual guide who speaks forth God's word for their era, emphasizing faith, righteousness, and personal relationship with the divine Father—rather than a predictor of exact future events or a fortune teller. The emphasis is on moral and spiritual ministry in the here and now, aligning with the book's broader theme of progressive revelation leading to Jesus' teachings about the kingdom of God as spiritual brotherhood under the Universal Father.

For direct reading, check Papers 97, 135, and sections on Hebrew religious evolution on urantia.org or spiritualfamily.net.