There tends to be a lot of false prophets in the world today.
Time and again, you hear these so-called “prophets” predicting dates for the end of the world, despite Jesus saying that no one will know the time or date of his return.
You could read this blog 5 or 10 years from now, and you could probably pull out a name or two from your head from the past year or two.
But although prophets often make predictions, their main role was to speak God’s word to the people.
There are many false prophets today, however, who claim to speak in God’s name, but do not.
How do we tell the false prophet from the true?
God told the people,
You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)
By this test, we can easily dismiss the claims of Charles Russell (founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses) and Joseph Smith (founder of the Mormons) as true prophets of God.
But as God pointed out before in chapter 13, even if a “prophet” performs signs and wonders, it’s not enough.
God said,
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. (Deuteronomy 13:1-3)
So anyone who preaches a false god is also a false prophet, as is anyone who tries to “turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow.” (Deuteronomy 13:5)
A lot of people who speak in God’s name (including Christians) are fortunate we don’t live in Old Testament times. They would have been stoned a long time ago.
And so we need to be very careful of not only who we listen to, but of what we say in God’s name.
That said, God sent many true prophets to Israel.
And then he sent the supreme prophet.
Moses said,
The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers.
You must listen to him…
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. (Deuteronomy 18:15,18-19)
That prophesy was fulfilled in Jesus.
He spoke the words of Father, and revealed who God was to us, not only through his words, but by who he was.
And God said, “If anyone does not listen to him, I will call him to account.”
As Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Which prophet are you listening to?
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 