The idea of a "prophet" is very closely tied to the idea of the Bible itself, since the Bible was largely written by prophets. At a lower level, prophets represent people who teach from the Bible. At a higher level, they represent the Lord as He reveals himself through the Bible. Viewed in a abstract way, prophets represent the holy parts of the Bible themselves, and also represent doctrine drawn from the Bible. The reason we say "largely written by prophets" and "the holy parts of the Bible" is that not all of the books currently included in the Bible have a complete and continuous internal sense. Some -- like Job, Ruth, and Song of Solomon -- are wonderful literary pieces that got included, but which lack the systematic meanings for words and phrases. Others -- the Acts and Epistles, primarily -- are really doctrinal works, the first attempt by others to extract meaning from Jesus' life and words.

192. Internal Meaning of Hosea, Chapter 9

1-3 They have falsified the truths of the church, therefore the church has been destroyed, and they will be natural, abiding only in reasonings from the natural man. (3, 3)

4-5 Consequently there is no Divine worship. (3)

6 All truth and good is turned into falsity and evil. (3)

7-9 They will perish on the day of judgment. (3)

12-13 The first of them were also such, they had no understanding of truth; so also their posterity, although instructed. (3)

14-17 The posterity of these cannot but become such. (3)