Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Prophecy and prophets » How to spot a true prophet and a false prophet
Now you may ask yourselves, "How will we be able to discern that the LORD has not spoken?' Whenever a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the oracle does not come about or the word is not fulfilled, then the LORD has not spoken it. The prophet will have spoken presumptuously, so you need not fear him."
The prophets who came before us from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and plague against many lands and great kingdoms. When a prophet prophesies peace, and what the prophet speaks comes about, he will be known as the prophet whom the LORD has truly sent."
"Tell them this: "This is what the Lord GOD says: "As certainly as I'm alive and living, those who live in the wastelands are certain to die violently, I'll give those who die in the open fields to the wild animals for food, and whoever takes refuge in caves and fortified places will die of diseases. Then I'll turn the land into a desolate ruin and her arrogant strength will come to an abrupt end. The mountains of Israel will become so desolate that no one will be able to travel over them." "Then they'll learn that I am the LORD, when I've turned their land into a desolate wasteland because of all of the loathsome deeds that they've committed.'" read more.
"Now as for you, Son of Man, your nation's children keep gathering together to talk about you beside the walls and at the doorway to their houses. Everyone tells one another, "Please come! Let's go hear what the LORD has to say!' Then they come to you as a group, sit down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words and then they don't do what you say because they're seeking only their own desires, they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests. As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful voice and play a musical instrument well. They'll listen to what you have to say, but they won't put it into practice! When all of this comes about and you can be sure that it will! they'll learn that a prophet has been in their midst."
"Now as for you, Son of Man, your nation's children keep gathering together to talk about you beside the walls and at the doorway to their houses. Everyone tells one another, "Please come! Let's go hear what the LORD has to say!' Then they come to you as a group, sit down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words and then they don't do what you say because they're seeking only their own desires, they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests. As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful voice and play a musical instrument well. They'll listen to what you have to say, but they won't put it into practice! When all of this comes about and you can be sure that it will! they'll learn that a prophet has been in their midst."
Sending and those sent » Who the lord did not send
For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: "Don't let the prophets and diviners who are among you deceive you, and don't listen to them when they tell you their dreams. Indeed, they're prophesying lies to you in my name. I didn't send them,' declares the LORD.
Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD, look! The prophets are saying to them, "You won't see the sword and you won't experience famine. Rather, I'll give you lasting peace in this place.'" Then the LORD told me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I didn't send them, I didn't command them, and I didn't speak to them. They're proclaiming to you false visions, worthless predictions, and the delusions of their own minds. Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the false prophets who prophesy in my name, "There will be no sword and famine in this land' (though I haven't sent them): "By the sword and by famine these prophets will be finished off!
Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones shake. I'm like a drunk man, like a person overcome with wine, because of the LORD, and because of his holy words. Indeed, the land is full of adulterers. Indeed, the land mourns because of the curse; the pastures of the wilderness have dried up. The adulterers' lifestyles are evil, and they use their strength for what is not right. Indeed, both priest and prophet are ungodly. Even in my house I find evil," declares the LORD. read more.
Therefore their way will be slippery. They'll be driven out into the darkness, where they'll fall. For I'll bring disaster on them, the year of their judgment," declares the LORD. "Among the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing, for they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. Among the prophets of Jerusalem I saw a horrible thing, for they commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of those who do evil, so that no one repents of his evil. All of them are like Sodom to me, and her residents like Gomorrah." Therefore, this is what the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies says about the prophets, "I'm about to make them eat wormwood and drink poisoned water, because godlessness has spread from the prophets of Jerusalem throughout the land." This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Don't listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you; they're giving you false hopes. They declare visions from their own minds they don't come from the LORD! They keep on saying to those who despise me, "The LORD has said, "You will have peace."' To all who stubbornly follow their own desires they say, "Disaster won't come upon you.' But who has stood in the LORD's council to see and hear his message? Who has paid attention to his message and obeyed it? Look, the storm of the LORD's wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest, and it will swirl down around the head of the wicked. The LORD's anger won't turn back until he has accomplished what he intended to do. In the future you will clearly understand it. I didn't send these prophets, but they ran anyway. I didn't speak to them, but they prophesied. If they had stood in my council and had delivered my words to my people, then they would have turned them back from their evil way, from their evil deeds." "Am I a God who is near," declares the LORD, "rather than a God who is far away? If a person hides himself in secret places, will I not see him?" declares the LORD. "I fill the heavens and the earth, do I not?" declares the LORD. "I've heard what the prophets who prophesy lies in my name have said: "I had a dream; I had a dream.' How long will this go on? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy from the deceit that is in their hearts? With their dreams that they relate to one another, they plan to make my people forget my name just as their ancestors forgot my name by embracing Baal. Let the prophet who has a dream relate the dream, but let whoever receives my message speak my message truthfully. What does straw have in common with wheat?" declares the LORD. "My message is like fire or like a hammer that shatters rock, is it not?" declares the LORD. "Therefore, look, I'm against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who steal my words from each other. Look, I'm against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who use their tongues to issue a declaration. Look, I'm against those who prophesy based on false dreams," declares the LORD, "and relate them and lead my people astray with their lies and their recklessness. I didn't send them; I didn't command them, and they provide no benefit at all to these people," declares the LORD.
Therefore their way will be slippery. They'll be driven out into the darkness, where they'll fall. For I'll bring disaster on them, the year of their judgment," declares the LORD. "Among the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing, for they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. Among the prophets of Jerusalem I saw a horrible thing, for they commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of those who do evil, so that no one repents of his evil. All of them are like Sodom to me, and her residents like Gomorrah." Therefore, this is what the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies says about the prophets, "I'm about to make them eat wormwood and drink poisoned water, because godlessness has spread from the prophets of Jerusalem throughout the land." This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Don't listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you; they're giving you false hopes. They declare visions from their own minds they don't come from the LORD! They keep on saying to those who despise me, "The LORD has said, "You will have peace."' To all who stubbornly follow their own desires they say, "Disaster won't come upon you.' But who has stood in the LORD's council to see and hear his message? Who has paid attention to his message and obeyed it? Look, the storm of the LORD's wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest, and it will swirl down around the head of the wicked. The LORD's anger won't turn back until he has accomplished what he intended to do. In the future you will clearly understand it. I didn't send these prophets, but they ran anyway. I didn't speak to them, but they prophesied. If they had stood in my council and had delivered my words to my people, then they would have turned them back from their evil way, from their evil deeds." "Am I a God who is near," declares the LORD, "rather than a God who is far away? If a person hides himself in secret places, will I not see him?" declares the LORD. "I fill the heavens and the earth, do I not?" declares the LORD. "I've heard what the prophets who prophesy lies in my name have said: "I had a dream; I had a dream.' How long will this go on? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy from the deceit that is in their hearts? With their dreams that they relate to one another, they plan to make my people forget my name just as their ancestors forgot my name by embracing Baal. Let the prophet who has a dream relate the dream, but let whoever receives my message speak my message truthfully. What does straw have in common with wheat?" declares the LORD. "My message is like fire or like a hammer that shatters rock, is it not?" declares the LORD. "Therefore, look, I'm against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who steal my words from each other. Look, I'm against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who use their tongues to issue a declaration. Look, I'm against those who prophesy based on false dreams," declares the LORD, "and relate them and lead my people astray with their lies and their recklessness. I didn't send them; I didn't command them, and they provide no benefit at all to these people," declares the LORD.
In that same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fourth year and the fifth month, Azzur's son Hananiah, the prophet from Gibeon, told me at the LORD's Temple in front of the priests and all the people, "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: "I've broken the yoke of the king of Babylon, and within two years I'll bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD's Temple that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took from this place and carried to Babylon. read more.
I'll bring back Jehoiakim's son Jeconiah, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon to this place,' declares the LORD, "for I'll break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'" The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in front of the priests and all the people who were standing in the LORD's Temple. The prophet Jeremiah said, "May the LORD truly do this thing! May the LORD fulfill the words that you prophesied to bring back the vessels of the LORD's Temple and all the exiles from Babylon to this place. But please listen to what I'm saying in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. The prophets who came before us from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and plague against many lands and great kingdoms. When a prophet prophesies peace, and what the prophet speaks comes about, he will be known as the prophet whom the LORD has truly sent." Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. Hananiah, in front of all the people, said, "This is what the LORD says: "In the same way, within two years, I'll break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.'" Then Jeremiah the prophet went on his way. This message from the LORD came to Jeremiah after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet: "Go and say to Hananiah, "This is what the LORD says: "You have broken wooden yokes, but you have made iron yokes in their place." For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: "I've put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. They'll serve him, and I've even given the wild animals to him."'" The prophet Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, "Listen, Hananiah! The LORD didn't send you, and you are causing these people to trust in a lie.
I'll bring back Jehoiakim's son Jeconiah, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon to this place,' declares the LORD, "for I'll break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'" The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in front of the priests and all the people who were standing in the LORD's Temple. The prophet Jeremiah said, "May the LORD truly do this thing! May the LORD fulfill the words that you prophesied to bring back the vessels of the LORD's Temple and all the exiles from Babylon to this place. But please listen to what I'm saying in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. The prophets who came before us from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and plague against many lands and great kingdoms. When a prophet prophesies peace, and what the prophet speaks comes about, he will be known as the prophet whom the LORD has truly sent." Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. Hananiah, in front of all the people, said, "This is what the LORD says: "In the same way, within two years, I'll break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.'" Then Jeremiah the prophet went on his way. This message from the LORD came to Jeremiah after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet: "Go and say to Hananiah, "This is what the LORD says: "You have broken wooden yokes, but you have made iron yokes in their place." For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: "I've put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. They'll serve him, and I've even given the wild animals to him."'" The prophet Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, "Listen, Hananiah! The LORD didn't send you, and you are causing these people to trust in a lie.
"This is what the Lord GOD says, "How terrible it will be for the false prophets who walk according to their own wrong inclinations and see nothing. Israel, your prophets have become like foxes among ruins. You didn't go up to repair the breaches in the walls and you didn't build the walls so Israel's house would be able to endure battle on the Day of the LORD. read more.
Instead, they crafted false prophecies and divination.
Instead, they crafted false prophecies and divination.