Part 1: True Prophets
1. How does God speak to His children?
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” Amos 3:7-8 For further study see Hebrews 1:1 and 2 Peter 1:21.
2. What does a prophet do?
“But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:3-4 For further study see Deuteronomy 18:18.
Edification- a building up in a moral or religious sense (strengthen)
Exhortation- a calling for that which is good or commendable or warning of the bad (instruct)
Comfort- to soothe the sorrowful and relieve the distressed (soothe)
3. What does God promise to those who receive a true prophet?
“He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.” Matthew 10:41. For Further study see 2 Chronicles 20:20b.
4. What will eventually happen to those who reject a true prophet?
“And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” Acts 3:23 For further study see Ezekiel 14:10.
Part 2: False Prophets
5. What should we beware of?
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:15 For further study see Jeremiah 23:16.
6. What will happen to those who seek out or listen to a false prophet?
“And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;” Ezekiel 14:10 For further study see Acts 3:23.
7. What will eventually happen to a false prophet?
“But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.” Deuteronomy 18:20 For further study see Jeremiah 23:15.
8. What else does the devil have a counterfeit for?
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ….For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.…And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:4,13-15 For further study see 2 Peter 2:1 and Ezekiel 34:2.
Note: Everything good that God has the devil has a counterfeit for. he works in secret and stealth upon human minds making them think they are doing the Lord’s bidding when the devil is in control of them leading others astray.
Part 3: The Test of a Prophet
9. How can we know the true from the false?
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 For further study see 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21.
10. What are the Biblical tests of a true prophet?
a. A prophet never speaks contrary to the Bible.
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20 For further study see 1 Corinthians 14:32,37.
b. A prophet has the fruit of the Spirit.
“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:20
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 For further study see 2 John 9-10.
c. A prophet leads his flock to obey law of God
“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:4 For further study see John 15:10
Note: “We need to be anchored in Christ, rooted and grounded in the faith. Satan works through agents. He selects those who have not been drinking of the living waters, whose souls are athirst for something new and strange, and who are ever ready to drink at any fountain that may present itself. Voices will be heard, saying, “Lo, here is Christ,” or “Lo there;” but we must believe them not. We have unmistakable evidence of the voice of the True Shepherd, and he is calling upon us to follow him. He says, “I have kept my Father’s commandments.” He leads His sheep in the path of humble obedience to the law of God, but He never encourages them in the transgression of that law.
“The voice of a stranger” is the voice of one who neither respects nor obeys God’s holy, just, and good law. Many make great pretensions to holiness, and boast of the wonders they perform in healing the sick, when they do not regard this great standard of righteousness. But through whose power are these cures wrought? Are the eyes of either party opened to their transgressions of the law? and do they take their stand as humble, obedient children, ready to obey all of God’s requirements?” {Ellen G. White, RH November 17, 1885, par. 9-10}
d. Their prophecy is fulfilled.
“When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” Deuteronomy 18:22. For further study see Jeremiah 28:9.
Note: While God never makes mistakes He sometimes adds conditions to His prophecies. One example is found in the book of Jonah. God told Jonah to “cry against” the wicked city of Nineveh, saying “…Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” (see Jonah 1:1-2; 3:4). When the people of Nineveh heard the prophecy they repented and turned from their wickedness. As a result God did not destroy Nineveh at that time. (Jonah 3:10). Nineveh was however, destroyed about 150 years later by the Median army.
Part 4: Last Day Prophets
11. What will the true church of God have?
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:” Acts 2:17-18.
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17.
12. What is the “testimony of Jesus?”
” And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10.
13. What else are we predicted to have in the last days?
” For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:24. For further study see Mark 13:22.
Part 5: A Biblical Example
The year was around 608 BC. Israel had fallen into idolatry (idol worship) again. God had repeatedly sent His prophets to warn them about mingling with the idolatrous nations that had surrounded them. At first they repented and turned back to God only to fall into the same sin a generation or two later. They repeated this cycle of sinning and repenting for many years. Now they were refusing to listen to God’s messengers and were even belligerent toward the true prophets of God. Furthermore, the devil had taken this opportunity to plant counterfeit prophets. These counterfeit prophets spoke comforting words to the people and the people listened!
14. Why was Israel in trouble?
“I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.” Jeremiah 35:15 For further study see Nehemiah 9:26 and 2 Chronicles 36:15-16.
15. What did God say would happen if they continued in idolatry?
“And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” Jeremiah 25:11 For further study see Nehemiah 9:30.
16. Did God have prophets before this?
“Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:” Jeremiah 7:25. For further study see Nehemiah 9:30 and Jeremiah 35:15.
17. Why did God send prophets?
“And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:” 2 Chronicles 36:15 For further study see Jeremiah 29:11.
18. What did the people do to God’s prophets?
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Matthew 23:37
“But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” 2 Chronicles 36:16 For further study see 1 Thessalonians 2:15.
19. Did the devil have counterfeit prophets?
“Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:32 For further study see Jeremiah 23:21
20. What was the message of the counterfeits?
“To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord God.” Ezekiel 13:16 For further study see Jeremiah 27:9-10.
21. Did Israel choose to listen to God’s true prophets?
“Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord.” Zechariah 1:4 For further study see Jeremiah 25:4.
22. Why did they choose to listen to the counterfeits?
“Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 7:12 For further study see Ezekiel 2:5.
23. What admonishment does God give His people regarding prophets?
“That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:” 2 Peter 3:2 For further study see Zechariah 1:4 and Revelation 1:3.
Note: There is a lesson in all this for us. Today, the devil is extra vigilant because He knows His time is short. People are so afraid of false prophets that they refuse to accept even a true prophet. There are not only false prophets but false pastors, false teachers, and false brethren. These are people who seem like good Christian people yet they are spreading lies. They are saying peace and safety when there is no peace. The devil goeth about like a raring lion seeking whom he may devour. The devil is so crafty that not even his servants know who they are serving. Our only hope is in the word of God. Put everything to the test.
Part 6: Conclusion
My Dear Friends,
When you sin, you forfeit the protection of God. But God in His mercy does not immediately withdraw His protection but warns you of your danger first. He warns you through His servants the prophets. This is what God was doing with ancient Israel just before the Babylonian captivity. By idol worship Israel was rejecting the true God. They were choosing to serve the work of their own hands. God does not impose Himself on anyone but because He loves us He warns us of our danger. My friends, we are now experiencing the last of the last days. Billions of people are now in grave danger of loosing their souls. Never before has there been a more dangerous time for the soul. Are you right with God? Are you prepared to meet Him when He comes or will you be swept away with the multitudinous allurements of the world?