Amos 3:7

This verse teaches us about the essential role of prophets.

7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

The Lord God

“Because our Father loves his children, he will not leave us to guess about what matters most in this life concerning where our attention could bring happiness or our indifference could bring sadness. Sometimes he will tell a person such things directly, by inspiration. But he will, in addition, tell us these important matters through his servants. … He does this so that even those who cannot feel inspiration can know, if they will only listen, that they have been told the truth and been warned.”

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, “The Family,” Ensign, Feb. 1998, 10.

He Revealeth

How does the Lord communicate with His prophets? There are many ways, including:

Inspiration through the Holy Ghost (see 2 Peter 1:21).
Visions and dreams (see Numbers 12:6; 1 Nephi 8:2).
Visitations by heavenly beings (see Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17; D&C 110:8).

His Secret

The original Hebrew word used in the Bible for secret literally means “counsel,” so it has to do with the Lord’s plans or intentions.

His Servants the Prophets

“Repeatedly the scriptures declare that the Lord gives His commandments to the children of men through living prophets. No committee, assembly, or any other authority has the right to dictate to Him doctrine that is contrary to His law. God’s eternal blessings are contingent upon our obedience and adherence to the word of the Lord that is revealed to us through His holy prophets.”

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “We Believe All That God Has Revealed,” Ensign, Nov. 2003, 88.