Problems with Today’s So-Called Prophets

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Today, more than ever it seems, society has been inundated with people who either claim to be prophets or have had that title bestowed on them by others. We’re all familiar with the fact that in the Bible, prophets – true prophets – were messengers from God. They were called and ordained by God to deliver His Words, His message normally to the people of Israel, but at times, to other cultures as well, as in the case of Jonah who was sent to the Ninevites.

The Old Testament is filled with book after book written by or highlighting words of prophets that God had called for His purposes. I’m reading through the book of Jeremiah now and it is interesting that when we arrive to Jeremiah 26, we see one of the times when Jeremiah’s life was threatened because he told the people what God had mandated to tell them, but they didn’t like it. In fact, the response of the people of Judah was very “religious.” Let’s take a look.

The first six verses of Jeremiah 26 tells us what God told Jeremiah to say to the people of Judah. He used Jeremiah to send them a dire warning that if not followed would result in disaster for “Shiloh,” a city that had been destroyed, with the same thing happening to Jerusalem. God was giving Israelites a chance to repent and make amends with Him. If they continued to refuse, the coming judgment would not be pretty. So Jeremiah did what the Lord commanded and the people responded. Did they repent? Did they agree with Jeremiah? Let’s see.

7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.” (Jeremiah 26:7-9 ESV)

Clearly, they did not. The people did not like what they heard so they decided Jeremiah should die because he had the audacity to speak against Jerusalem (cf also v 11). What was Jeremiah’s response to these death threats?

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.” (Jeremiah 26:12-15 ESV)

He was actually placing his life in the hands of God. He knew that his life was protected by God so if God allowed the people to kill him (Jeremiah), it was part of His plan. However, note that Jeremiah stated that if they did kill him, his innocent blood would be on their hands.

Notice though that in the next section, the officials and people came to the priests and spoke on behalf of Jeremiah stating that he did not deserve to die because they said he spoke to them in the Name of the Lord. So, at least some of these people did not believe that Jeremiah was a false prophet or a blasphemer. Ultimately, the Lord was in control.

As we continue reading through Jeremiah, we learn of other prophets who were absolutely false prophets. Starting in Jeremiah 27:16, Jeremiah warns the people that they should not listen to the false prophets who were promising peace and security to Judah. God was certainly going to bring judgment to Israel because they had not observed the Sabbath Land rests. This equated to 70 years of being put out of the land, but even there, God was not going to be overly harsh. He would ensure that the Land would receive its just rest while the people were out of it. While they were in the foreign land of Babylon, if they endeavored to live in peace and obey the laws of the Babylonian Empire, all would be well with them. Of course, they should abstain from the idolatry of the Babylonians and we know how that impacted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel, but generally, the Israelites were to live in a foreign land while the Land of Israel was given rest and things would be generally peaceful. That is, unless they tried to fight against the Babylonians. Then, they’d lose their lives.

It was during this time before being taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar that false prophets arose in Israel and began preaching to the people that peace and safety was coming; that they would not be taken by Nebuchadnezzar and that they had nothing to fear.

In effect, these false prophets were telling the people what they wanted to hear, not the truth of what God said was going to happen. Paul encountered these same type of false prophets who scratched the people’s “itching ears” and only wanted to hear wonderful things (2 Timothy 4:3). Paul noted that a time is coming “…when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions…”

Gee, do you think we are there, folks? Just go on Twitter or some other social network and there people will regale you with the “dreams” and “visions” they say are from the Lord. What is fascinating about all these alleged dreams and visions is that not one that I could find are harbingers of impending judgment. They are all wonderfully positive about how God is freeing the earth from it’s spiritual imprisonment and lies of the enemy that has held the earth in captivity for so long. Most of these same people believe that it is because of Donald J. Trump that the earth is being “renewed.”

I talked briefly with one woman on Twitter who, after I commented that there are no prophets today, she questioned me and essentially accused me of throwing out the book of Acts. She also stated that Satan doesn’t know the future; only God does. I corrected her that Satan absolutely knows the future because he knows the Bible better than anyone and he knows it well enough to twist it (Matthew 4), as seen in many of today’s “prophets” who continually twist God’s Word for selfish gain.

I have a huge problem with today’s so-called “prophets.” I don’t hear any of them warning of God’s impending judgment on the earth. All I hear is how God is doing a “new” thing, one that will pour over the entire earth and glorify His Name. You know what? Judgment does that as well and in fact, it is one of the ways God separates truth from lies.

But in today’s world, people are very much like the Israelites of old, only wanting to hear the “good” news. Don’t bother us with negativism, they say. God is good. He is love, therefore He is doing good things. Absolutely, but His good things also include judgment.

Jeremiah 28 refers to a false prophet by the name of Hananiah. Hananiah proclaimed the exact opposite of what God’s authentic prophet Jeremiah proclaimed. The two were at odds in their message. Who was right?

Clearly, people got behind Hananiah because he was telling them wonderful things that Babylon would not come and conquer Judah/Jerusalem and take captive the people there. The people breathed a sigh of relief because of it even though it was untrue. What did Jeremiah say to this prophet?

9 As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.” (Jeremiah 28:9 ESV)

Basically, Jeremiah is saying the proof of Hananiah’s words will be seen in the coming result. Whatever happens will reveal truth or falsehood. Quite simple.

In verses 10-11, Hananiah digs his hole deeper essentially stating with authority (his own) that the yoke of Babylon will be broken and not prevail over Israel. He even spoke in the Name of the Lord.

Thus says the Lord: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years. (v 11)

A while after this, the Lord comes to Jeremiah and tells him to go to Hananiah. Since Hananiah spoke in the Name of the Lord, the Lord would set the record straight and show Hananiah to be the liar he was and it wouldn’t be pretty.

In Jeremiah 28:15-16, Jeremiah confronts Hananiah with the word from the Lord.

15 And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the Lord.’”

You didn’t mess with the Lord. I’m still amazed at how many false prophets we know about in the Old and New Testaments. Why would anyone want to take up that mantle if they were not truly ordained of God then? They usually met with death.

17 In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.

Yet today, we not only have tons of false prophets (as I outlined in my book Deception in the Church), but we have multitudes following these people these “prophets,” these “dreamers” who defile everything they touch. Jude talks about this problem that occurred in his day (Jude 1:8) and it continues.

Jesus warned us in the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24 what the end times would be like and the many false prophets and false messiahs that would come on the scene.

Truth is that there is no substitution for God’s Word but too many within Christendom are following people who tout dreams and visions. There is absolutely no way to verify their claims, so people must resort to how they feel about those dreams and visions. Does it “resonate” within them? If so, it must be true.

The safest way to understand the future is to know what God’s Word says about it. Don’t get caught up in arguing the Rapture or things like that. Just become very familiar with the progression that society is going to take as this whole world moves toward God’s judgment. Thirty-three percent or more of the Bible deals with eschatology (future things). God has shined the light of His truth on the subject.

People truly believe that President Trump is God’s chosen man for this time to lead the world into an uncompromising period of peace and godliness. I believe God allowed Trump to be president much the same way He allowed Obama, Clinton and the Bushes before that. God has a plan and part of that plan allows Satan to gain full dominance of this world for a short period of time of seven years (the Tribulation). This is what is clearly outlined in Scripture throughout. It’s not simply one verse that can be up for debate. It’s a theme that runs throughout Scripture and will come to pass.

I wish these false prophets would stop talking. I wish people would use their intellect instead of their feelings. I wish they would focus on God’s Word instead of man’s.

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective