Divine speech enters the world in different ways. There was a time when it came through prophecy, later it was through a voice from heaven to the Sages, and now God’s word comes to people through dreams.

In ancient times, people would be inspired to prophesy, and they would know and experience the glory of the Highest. Once prophecy ceased, they would experience a voice from heaven. Now that both prophecy and the voice from heaven have ceased, people only [hear divine messages] through dreams. (Zohar 1:238:1)

There was a tradition that prophecy would be restored to the Jewish people in the year 4976 (1216 CE):

We have a great and wonderful tradition, which I received from my father, who received it from his father and grandfather, who received it at the beginning of the exile from Jerusalem… that the verse, stated by Bilam, “Now, what God has wrought is what shall be said of Jacob and of Israel” (Numbers 23:23), contains a hint [to when prophecy will be restored]. First, calculate how much time elapsed from the six days of Creation until the time of Bilam’s prophecy. Then, add an identical amount of time and you will arrive at the year when prophecy will return to Israel. Then, they will be told by prophets what God has wrought. This prophecy [of Bilam] was said in the fortieth year after the exodus from Egypt. You will find that from the beginning of the calendar [namely, the six days of Creation] until then, 2488 years elapsed. Based on this calculation and this interpretation of the verse, prophecy will return to Israel in the year 4976 after Creation (1216 CE). Undoubtedly, the return of prophecy will be a portent of the coming of the anointed one. (Rambam, Igeret Teman, chap. 3)

Since the destruction of the First Temple there have been no prophets in Israel. But during the age of the redemption, prophecy will return to those who are properly prepared to receive it.

Even though there have no longer been prophets since the First Temple was destroyed and the Ark of the Covenant was hidden by the prophet Jeremiah, and during the Second Temple period no one at all experienced prophecy, and all the more so, no one has received a prophetic vision during the exile, nevertheless, during the time of the redemption, prophecy will return to the Jewish nation. That is to say, to those people who are prepared for prophecy. This never applied to the other nations and never will. (Don Yitzĥak Abravanel, Commentary on Joel 3:1)

Prophecy, in the future, will involve divine revelation for all, not only for prophets who are prepared for it. The prophecy of the future will be natural; even boys and girls will prophesy.

In the future, there will be a revelation of the actual divine light of the infinite. It will be visible and revealed to all, as the verse states: “The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see...” (Isaiah 40:5). There will be a similar prophetic revelation to each and every individual, as the verse states: “Thereafter it will be that I will pour My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy…also upon the slaves and upon the maidservants in those days” (Joel 3:1–2). This [prophecy of the future] is different from the prophetic revelation the prophets experienced, where a number of conditions were required to prophesy…In contrast, in the future, prophetic revelation will be part of the natural order; even boys and girls will experience it. (Rabbi Shalom Dovber Schneersohn, Sefer HaMa’amarim, Continuation of 5672, part 2, p. 936)

The Hozeh (Seer) of Lublin was famous for his prophetic vision, and many would consult with him, even about day-to-day matters of their livelihood. Once, a butcher came to him and asked whether to slaughter his animals or sell them, because he was worried that they might be treifot. The saintly man instructed him to make a list of his animals and indicate each one’s identifying marks.