What is a false prophet? A person who spreads false messages and teachings, claiming to speak God’s words. (Holman Bible Dictionary)
The term ‘false prophet’ did not arise in the Old Testament but they did exist even then. False prophets were spoken about many times in the New Testament. Jesus spoke the following words:
Matthew 7:15-23 (CSB)
“Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’
Discernment is very important, especially now in these last days as the world becomes more evil. Don’t just believe what a person says, look at how that person lives their life, are they saying one thing but doing the opposite! It is important to have a good understanding of Bible teaching to be able to discern false prophets when they arise.
Matthew 24:4-5 (CSB)
Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.”
Matthew 24:11 (CSB)
“Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”
This is why studying the Bible to find out what God has to say is crucial these last days. Learn the truth of the Bible, so that you are not deceived by the false prophets. Whatever someone teaches, first check it out in the Bible and see if what that person is saying actually lines up exactly with God’s word. There is a lot of teaching about many subjects just lately that does not line up with God’s word. We are being lied to if it does not line up exactly with God’s word in the Bible.
Matthew 24:24 (CSB)
“For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (CSB)
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.
The Apostle Paul knew that after his death, false teachers would rise up in Ephesus and believers in God would be fooled by their teaching and would turn instead to lies and myths. He knew people would follow teachers who would tell them what they wanted to hear.
False teachers have been around throughout history, but now in 2022 as our world is becoming even more evil we must be discerning when we listen to preachers and teachers, and research ourselves by reading God’s word to see if that person is telling us the truth or a pack of lies.
As time moves swiftly on we must pray and ask God to shine His brilliant, bright light on all the evil of this world and expose the false prophets, their lies and evil deeds for all to see.
Onward Christian Soldiers 