Jeremiah 23:16 reads: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord.’” As false prophecies increase, “Christians” become more and more worthless. We are impotent, unable to offer any hope to the dying world. With so many voices out there, calling themselves Christians and ministers, how can we know what to believe?
The Bible is very clear about how we can identify false prophets. Jesus taught us, in Matthew 7:15-16, to “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?” Micah 3:5 teaches that they make people stray, and that they prophesy in favor of whomever feeds them. In short, false prophets serve themselves. To their own destruction, they speak their own words, invoking the name of the Lord, to steal credibility.
Deuteronomy 13:4 teaches us to “walk after the Lord…and fear Him…and obey His voice…to hold fast to Him.” If we will seek the Lord, and know His Word for ourselves, we will know lies when we hear them. If we don’t, then we will be susceptible to false prophets, falling prey to their destructive teachings. And make no mistake, their teachings are dangerous, so dangerous that Deuteronomy 13:5 commanded that under the Old Testament covenant, false prophets were to be put to death. To the false prophets today, consider God’s jealous wrath and His judgment against those who lead His people astray. Food for thought.