Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets Adrian Watts, Trumpet Call Christian Ministries, 31 October 2011. These are some insights about discerning true and false prophets in the Body of Christ. I do not pretend to have a complete understanding of this issue but feel that I need to bring some balance to what is a controversial topic. Some of the insights I am sharing have come from other people. I would also welcome receiving any additional insights that others might have. I am concerned that some people may have a very simplistic view of this issue and are rushing to label an individual as a ‘false prophet’ based on an appraisal of part of one prophetic revelation. I believe this matter of judging false prophets is more complex than most people tend to believe. I have come to the conclusion from my study of Scripture that our evaluation of any prophet’s ministry must seek to discern their inward motivation, their character, their attitudes to other believers, their behaviour in relation to money, power and influence, and whether key prophetic topics such as: repentance, righteousness, holiness, and intercession are part of their ministry focus. The key insight concerning false prophets comes from the Lord Jesus Christ: Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:15-20 The Lord is warning that people may not be what they seem. An outward appearance of being a Christian can be maintained as long as no one looks too closely. Superficially everything can seem fine. Inside though is something ferocious even when they seem smooth, and pleasant on the outside. Jesus is saying that we must discern the difference between a friendly sheep and a vicious predator. His warning is very practical. If you can’t tell by someone’s outward appearance, then examine the fruit in their life. Saying all the right words can be cheap and easy. Actually picking up your cross and following Jesus is both hard and costly. Religious talk, smooth messages, excitement and fascination may all be generated from a false ministry. However, Jesus wants us to recognise what is growing from the life of the prophet. If you see good fruit growing in their life and conduct, then it makes sense that they are not a thorn bush. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is grown by those who have learned to submit to the discipline of being instructed, guided and corrected by the Holy Spirit. But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) Can we perceive good grapes like love, joy peace and patience growing in a prophet’s life? Can we perceive the fruitfulness of kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control multiplying like tender figs in their interactions with others? Jesus did not just pluck word pictures randomly out of the air. His analogies contain powerful truths. He likens the false prophet to a thorn bush or a thistle. Get too close to a false prophet and you are likely to get stabbed by something sharp. This should be a warning to us that not everything is what it first seems. An outburst of anger, an unjustified rejection, a bitter accusation – these are the thorns that should warn us to approach a prophet with caution. False prophets may have unhealed wounds. Festering resentment may cause them to act like a wolf devouring others.
Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 1 of 18
False prophets may have failed to bring to the cross painful rejections they may have suffered merely for being prophetic. It is sadly common for prophets not to be well understood or appreciated by other ministry functions. They are often the opposite in both temperament and gifting from teachers. Evangelists may not appreciate the prophet’s zeal for the detail of righteousness and holiness. Prophets can be sent with a wake up call that seems offensive to shepherds trying to sing their sheep to sleep with a comforting message. Apostles can become so focused on ‘getting the job done’ like a ‘Martha’ with all her serving that the idea of a prophetic ‘Mary’ sitting for long periods at the feet of Jesus seems redundant and irritating. Prophets by the very nature of their call can seem other-worldly to ordinary believers. Their testimonies may seem super-spiritual and hard to swallow for believers who are seldom likely to have the normal activities of their day interrupted by an open vision, or a receiving a ‘word’ to go to someone with an important message of instruction or correction. “How come Mary hears all that stuff?” they might ask. “God does not speak to me that way!” they might think. Insecure believers can feel intimidated by the ease by which prophets might receive revelation. They can be envious because they do not understand the call. A prophet is merely a person with a highly effective radio receiver. They pick up what is being sent with relative ease. However, they are responsible for first discerning what ‘radio station’ transmitted the message. Not everything that comes supernaturally comes from God. Then they are responsible for what they do with what they have been given. To him to whom much has been given, much is expected. If other ministry functions and the rest of the Body of Christ really understood the call of a prophet, they would not be envious but rather thankful that the call did not come to them. So prophets often struggle with rejection. It is understandable that some wounds take longer to heal than others. But actually they are without excuse if they fail to deal appropriately with the wounds they suffer. Jesus was the Prophet of prophets. In deepest crisis, He said to His Heavenly Father, “not my will but yours be done.” He went through crucifixion in obedience to His Father. Part of what helped Him to go through it all was the intimacy of His relationship with His Father. Another part was the fact that He had been given a vision of the resurrection; death was not the end. Finally, He had confidence that an abundance of good fruit was going to come from His obedience. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) There was a joy set before Him that took Him through. A true prophet will have the same attitude. Consider the following passage that is meant to apply to all genuine disciples of Jesus Christ, not just prophets. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 (NKJV) A true prophet has that same attitude: humility without regard for personal reputation. A false prophet is one who is excessively concerned about how others view them. A true prophet takes their personal wounds resulting from the ministry to the cross of Christ and leaves them there as a sacrificial offering to the Lord. A false prophet sadly allows the rejection they have experienced to make them more self-centred instead of becoming more Christ-centred. Good trees continue to bear good fruit regardless of what storms they may have had to weather. Hardship may actually bring out the best in them. Bad trees will bear bad fruit even if they are placed in the most favourable circumstances. Rejection can easily lead to lust. ‘Lust never sleeps’ – it is never satisfied. Lust pursues greater gain at the expense of others. More money, more fame. Lust wants to receive attention for all the wrong reasons. Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 2 of 18
In Matthew 7:15-20, the Lord Jesus is not saying that a bad tree will merely lack good fruit; He is saying that it will bear obviously bad fruit. Inspected closely its badness will be observed. Opened up, its rottenness will be revealed. If it looks bad, smells bad and tastes bad we can safely assume it is bad. We must then avoid that tree and all its fruit. In Jesus’ teaching He is not suggesting that we can pick and chose the fruit that comes from a bad tree. When He said, “a bad tree cannot bear good fruit” He meant exactly that – a bad tree is not able to bear good fruit. Avoid everything about that tree. When Jesus said, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” I cannot see that He is instructing His disciples to cut down those trees. Nor is He telling them to pick up stones and hurl them violently at the tree, denouncing the false prophet as they do so. I believe He is indicating that this will happen at the appointed time, in the same way that the tares and the wheat are separated from each other at an appointed time. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matthew 13:30 (NKJV) I believe all of this is in the hands of the Heavenly Father. It is in keeping with what is revealed in these verses: I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. John 15:1-2 (AMP) The Father is the Vinedresser. We can trust Him to do His work at the right time and in the right way. If we see false prophets in our day, let us know to avoid them and their fruit. However, that does not mean we are to stop praying or interceding for them. Jesus also taught us. … Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44 Have we ever been persecuted by a false prophet? Perhaps we could find a way to love them and pray for them. Perhaps a false prophet can be restored to become a genuine disciple before the end. The same God who knocked the self-righteous chief persecutor of the Church off his horse and transformed the man into the chief apostle of grace still does such miracles in our day. If we ask Him to, He might bless some of our enemies so much that they become veritable champions of righteousness in the last days. My main point in this section is: fruit not perceived accuracy is the crucial test of any prophet’s ministry. We will later consider some Biblical examples of true and false prophets but first some general points on testing prophecy.
General Background on Testing a Prophecy God’s intention is for all believers to be brought to a place of maturity where they are able to judge wisely for themselves. Jesus Himself said, “My sheep hear My voice.” In terms of public prophecies, there is a call for all believers, not just certain leaders, to learn how to discern the source of those prophecies, and determine the validity of what is being shared. The following general instruction indicates that prophecies should not be despised but tested, prayerfully considered, and carefully evaluated. “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 In this process, some prophetically gifted ministries should be able to provide some guidelines for other believers on the right way to do this as specified below. “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.” 1 Corinthians 14:29
Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 3 of 18
However, providing guidelines is not the same as telling people what they must think. The New Testament procedure for testing prophecy is based on the fact that every genuine born-again follower of Jesus Christ has the indwelling presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth) to witness to them of the truth or otherwise of any prophecy. Leaders in the Body of Christ can provide guidance on the matter but that does not necessarily mean someone with a prophetic word is obliged to submit it to some form of spiritual "oversight" before sharing it with anyone else. On the other hand, this same principle also means that the person bringing the prophecy cannot insist on anyone automatically accepting what they might prophesy as being unquestionably ‘of the Lord.’ Anyone given a prophecy by another believer is free to ask other believers what they make of it. Sometimes wisdom about revelations is found in the midst of a multitude of counsellors (Proverbs 11:14). Prayerful input from others may be important. This is what respected Bible teacher Derek Prince wrote in his book “Rediscovering God’s Church.”
Over the years, I have come to realise what a tremendously powerful instrument prophecy is. It is like a powerful car: before you take off in it, you had better be sure that the brakes, the steering, and the other safety features are in good order. If they are not, it would be better not to go for a ride! I always point out that if you encourage people to seek to prophesy, you have a scriptural obligation to ensure that there is a scriptural process for judging that prophecy. It is completely unscriptural to have prophetic ministry without it being subject to judgement. I would rather not have prophesying or prophetic ministry if it were not judged. That is too dangerous to permit. I can recall numerous incidents where God’s people have been placed in situations where they were made to feel that they were challenging God Himself if they challenged or disagreed with a particular ministry. Putting pressure on other believers to accept a prophecy is not acceptable. Each believer has the right to take the time to weigh up a prophecy carefully. It is too important a thing to rush. If in some situation it proves too difficult to weigh up properly, put the revelation on hold until an opportunity arises. It is often helpful to record spoken prophecies so that they can be listened to repeatedly if necessary. The process of thoroughly testing a prophecy takes time. The key thing to determine when judging a prophecy is the origin – is it from the Holy Spirit, is it from some other counterfeiting spirit (a familiar spirit, the spirit of divination, witchcraft, etc), or did it merely come from the individual themselves. A prophecy can also be a mixture of two or even three of these sources. That is why all prophecy must be tested regardless of whom it came through. Someone who ‘got it right’ before might not necessarily get it right next time. The instruction to “hold onto what is good” means that we can justifiably dismiss any part of a prophecy that we believe came from some other source than the Holy Spirit. The above should apply to the judging of any prophecy. It applies whether the person bringing the prophecy is a mature believer or a new believer. It applies whether the person is perceived to be regularly functioning as a prophet to the Body of Christ or someone who only occasionally shares any sort of revelation. 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14 give apostolic instruction on the use of spiritual gifts in the New Testament church gathering. Some people want to apply these instructions to revelations that might be brought by those functioning at the higher level of a prophet to the Body of Christ. I do not believe it is certain that they can be used to limit what sort of message a prophet might bring. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 1 Corinthians 14:3 [Emphasis added] The above verse is sometimes taken to mean that a prophetic message must be entirely positive in nature, with nothing remotely negative mentioned. I believe that view is unbalanced. Even if this verse can be applied to the ministry of a prophet, we need to have an appropriate understanding of what prophetic exhortation might actually look like. John Bevere deals with this issue in one of his books – The Voice of One Crying published in 1993 by Messenger Press.
Teaching establishes what has already been proclaimed. We will always have teachers in the Body of Christ to strengthen line upon line what has already been preached. To prophesy, however, means to speak as the oracles of God … We have many people who teach the written Word of God. They speak to Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 4 of 18
men about God. However, the Lord is raising up men and women who will not lean unto their own understanding and speak by the letter only, but will open their mouths and speak by the Spirit of God. If they teach, it will be prophetically, by divine inspiration, and not through a planned-out message from which they cannot deviate. Much of what these prophets proclaim will call for change, for their primary mission will be to turn the hearts of the people back to God. Their messages may not seem “nice,” but will deliver strong conviction. Their preaching will hit some areas like a hammer smashing a rock. They’re going to command, rebuke, correct, and exhort with all authority, yet they will operate out of a heart filled with the love of God for His people. They will not be critical, suspicious, and judgemental as many selfappointed prophets are today. There are many today who think that in order for minister to be a prophet he must give prophecies, words of knowledge, and words of wisdom the way the people are accustomed to hearing them. A prophet may walk into a service and never say one “Thus saith the Lord …” However, his entire message can be prophecy, words of wisdom, and words of knowledge! The reason most people would not recognise the prophet is because they are looking for his messages to be ‘packaged’ in the ‘usual’ way, such as his messages prefaced with statements like “Thus saith the Lord …” Johns the Baptist never said, “Thus saith the Lord …” In fact, most people in the church today would have said that John the Baptist was an evangelist, not a prophet, because of the fact that many repented as a result of his messages and that he did not give personal prophecies. If we limit the prophetic office to what we think it is because of what people have taught us in the past, we may miss what God is bringing in these last days through His Elijah prophets! Some may say at this point, “But New Testament prophecy is for edification, exhortation, and comfort.” That is exactly what John the Baptist’s ministry was for. Let’s take a look at what he preached. Read carefully what he prophesied, and notice the last verse. Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptised by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire …. I indeed baptise you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. Luke 3:7-9,16-18 (NKJV) God called John the Baptist’s preaching exhortation! Yet he begins his message by calling them a brood of vipers and then warning them that if they do not repent they will be judged! Do you think we have a warped or limited view of what edification, exhortation, and comfort are? They are the truth that makes you free. If you need confirmation, look at Jesus’ messages to the seven churches in the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3! To one church He said that if they did not repent He would vomit them out of His mouth! How many today would consider that statement to be edification, exhortation, or comfort? __________
A Biblical View of Weighing a Prophetic Ministry In Ephesians chapter four, it is outlined how Jesus gave some specialised ministry functions to the church. Prophets are included in the list along with all the others. All these functions are intended to continue until the purpose for which they were given is fulfilled. These ministries are with us today. Unfortunately there is some confusion around some of these ministries and false assumptions have been made about the way they are meant to operate. We will look further into Biblical examples to confirm my view based on Jesus’ own teaching that fruit not perceived accuracy is the crucial test of any prophet’s ministry.
Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 5 of 18
We will: •
Contrast the ministries of Jonah and Balaam
•
Consider an unusual episode from the life of Isaiah
•
Explore whether New Testament prophets can be fallible
•
Examine Standing, Sending and Speaking
•
Give some thoughts on Prophetic Warnings and Delayed Fulfilment
Jonah the Prophet Sent to Nineveh Can a specific prophetic warning still be considered to be ‘of God’ if it does not occur on a specifically predicted day or within a specified time frame? Jonah’s testimony of giving a very specific warning that did not come to pass is well known. Using wrong thinking, some in the contemporary church would automatically categorise Jonah as a false prophet. Jonah’s warning is an example of delayed fulfilment. Over one hundred years later, the city Jonah prophesied to was overthrown. However, when we consider the actual words the prophet said to the city we have to acknowledge that what he said did not come to pass. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Jonah 3:4 It simply did not happen as he said it would. This is what is recorded about Jonah’s preaching: And the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach and cry out to it the preaching that I tell you. Jonah 3:1-2 We need to ask, ‘was Jonah sent to the city of Nineveh by God?’ It seems clear from the text that Jonah was sent by God. Did Jonah preach the right message to the city of Nineveh? Given the circumstances of how God dealt with Jonah’s previous reluctance to obey, it is hard to imagine he would then have disobeyed over the content of the message. It is reasonable to believe Jonah preached the message God told him. Did God change His mind? Does God relent? What does scripture reveal about the possibility of God changing His mind? God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, and as he was destroying, the Lord beheld, and He regretted and relented of the evil and said to the destroying angel, it is enough; now stay your hand. And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 1 Chronicles 21:15 [Emphasis added] God’s Word describes God regretting the destruction of a city that had begun. Furthermore, this regret caused Him to relent. We need to be aware that it is not just a matter of mercy triumphing over judgement (James 2:13) because the following Scripture reveals that God can change His mind both ways: relenting from bringing judgement, and also withholding intended blessing. At one time I will suddenly speak concerning a nation or kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it; And if [the people of] that nation concerning which I have spoken turn from their evil, I will relent and reverse My decision concerning the evil that I thought to do to them. At another time I will suddenly speak concerning a nation or kingdom, that I will build up and plant it; And if they do evil in My sight, obeying not My voice, then I will regret and reverse My decision concerning the good with which I said I would benefit them. Jeremiah 18:7-10 (AMP) [Emphasis added] This reveals a crucial aspect of prophecy that applies to both Old and New Testaments, what God speaks may be conditional. That is to say, even those things specifically predicted by one of His prophets sent to a city at His command, may not come to pass as it was spoken because the outcome is conditional on the response of those who have heard the warning. Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 6 of 18
Prophecy and prophetic ministry do not operate in a sealed vacuum unrelated to everything else going on around them. They are crucial components of God’s communication system with human beings. Communication is a two-way process. Sometimes the communication can follow this pattern: God speaks, people respond appropriately, God regrets, and God relents. However, we need to realise that the interaction does not end there. What is the human response when God relents? God is watching and listening. What might people be doing and saying? Are they giving thanks for delayed fulfilment or cursing God and His messenger for giving them an awful scare? We need to take this seriously because what we do after such a process may well determine what happens next.
Contrasting Jonah with Balaam As we consider further Biblical examples on the issue of whether perceived accuracy is the crucial test of a prophet, we need to realise two important things: 1. The Lord Jesus Christ acknowledged Jonah as a true prophet in Matthew 12:39 2. The case of the prophet Balaam clearly reveals the danger of holding stubbornly to the view that perceived accuracy is the crucial test. Balaam receives the following mention in the New Testament: Woe to them! For they have run riotously in the way of Cain, and have abandoned themselves for the sake of gain [it offers them, following] the error of Balaam, and have perished in rebellion [like that] of Korah! Jude 1:11 (AMP) [Emphasis added] So what was Balaam’s error? Was he inaccurate or was it something else that caused him to be used as an example of something for New Testament believers to avoid? The tragic story of the prophet Balaam is spread over quite a few chapters of the Old Testament (see Numbers chapters 22, 23, 24, 31). Balaam was hired by King Balak of Moab to curse Israel as they passed through his territory. We see that in Numbers 22:9-12 God told Balaam not to go and curse them. Balaam initially told Balak’s envoys the Lord would not let him go. However, a better pay offer tempted him. Balaam then claimed that he could only bring ‘the word of the Lord’ but accepted Balak’s money to come and curse Israel anyway. Much to Balak’s disgust, Balaam actually blessed Israel through the prophetic words he uttered from the hilltops overlooking the tents of Israel in the valley below. An examination of what Balaam prophesied reveals a certain amount of accuracy. Numbers 23:5 tells us the “Lord put the words in Balaam’s mouth.” In Numbers 23:9 Balaam prophesied the Jews’ separation as a nation from other peoples. What Balaam prophesied for the nations of Moab, Amalek and Edom in Numbers 24 has been generally fulfilled. Was he then a true prophet? No, scripture clearly reveals him to be a false prophet. Balaam’s motivation was wrong even when some of his words were definitely from the Lord and therefore proved to be accurate. Balaam later advised Balak how to trick Israel into coming under the judgement of God. Moses made this reference to Balaam: Behold, these caused the Israelites by the counsel of Balaam to trespass and act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and so a [smiting] plague came among the congregation of the Lord. Numbers 31:16 [Emphasis Added] To earn money, Balaam gave Balak advice that resulted in death coming to part of Israel. He recognised that the way to harm Israel was to tempt them to sin against the Lord and therefore cause them to receive judgement from the Lord’s hand. Balaam was mentioned as being killed with the sword along with five kings of Midian when Israel fought against them. Balaam sowed death and reaped it himself. Joshua 13:22 calls him a ‘soothsayer’ – that is someone who practised divination. The New Testament also clearly cites him as a false prophet, see 2 Peter 2:14-15, Jude 1:11 and Revelation 2:14.
Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 7 of 18
Can Isaiah be viewed as a False Prophet? Those who might still want to hold to this line of thinking that accuracy is the crucial test, should be aware that none other than the prophet Isaiah might be considered to have got something really important totally wrong in bringing a warning from God. Isaiah was sent to King Hezekiah to tell him to put his house in order because he was about to die (2 Kings 20, Isaiah 38). Hezekiah then wept before the Lord in response to this word from Isaiah. Hezekiah’s cry for more time was granted. Isaiah had to later go back to the king and reverse the declaration he had made. There can be a time when it is entirely appropriate for a prophet to reverse an earlier declaration that he has made. However, we have no Biblical evidence that Jonah ever did anything like that. In fact his anger and frustration at the possibility of God not fulfilling his prediction of destruction upon one of Israel’s most bitter enemies, meant that Jonah was not in a good place either spiritually or emotionally to deliver such a reversal. This is what God instructed Isaiah to speak the second time to Hezekiah: Turn back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of My people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your [forefather]: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. 2 Kings 20:5 (AMP) Isaiah first declaration given only a short time before, had not been ambiguous in any way. Spoken to a seriously ill man, it was like a certain death sentence. Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover. 2 Kings 20:1 Those who might have wanted to disqualify Isaiah from future prophetic ministry because of his apparent ‘mistake’ that concerned a matter of life and death, might have removed one of the most inspirational books of the Bible. Jonah’s declaration of 40 days until destruction was postponed a very long time before it was fulfilled. Isaiah’s declaration that Hezekiah would die was delayed 15 years. We need to think on these things. A right response in the face of a death sentence from God can bring extraordinary grace and mercy. God’s message of judgement always has the intent of bringing repentance and reconciliation even when it is not spelt out in so many words. Nineveh’s repentance released God’s mercy. It does not appear that Jonah told them what to do. However, without being instructed on what God was looking for, the whole city full of people, from the King on down humbling themselves in the sight of God caused a loving God to relent from bringing destruction. Regardless of what God may be saying, humbling ourselves before Him is always a good option. Has God warned us of judgement? Let us humble ourselves. Mercy might come to us even though we do not deserve it. Mercy by its definition cannot be earned, only granted by a gracious higher power. Has God spoken to us of blessing? Let us humble ourselves. In this way we obtain grace to walk in that blessing without becoming proud and presumptuous. We need to realise that we really don’t earn God’s blessings. God’s blessing flows out of His heart for fruitful relationship. This can work in the same way as a human father wanting to bless his own little children by giving them gifts. We don’t wait for a toddler to perform some really great or noble deed before giving him a pedal car or a new ball. A father does that because the toddler will be blessed in the receiving while the father is blessed in the giving. It is more blessed to give than receive. Having written about God sometimes reversing His declarations and relenting in sending judgement, I need to balance that with another passage. It points to the need to look to the Lord in time of crisis, to earnestly seek Him and consult Him before taking any action. The reason for this is that God is looking for meaningful relationship with His people. We must not treat Him like a vending machine where one puts the money in and pushes the right button to gain the selection. We must not think we can simply adopt the right outward action to make God respond as we would wish. He looks upon the hearts of men, not just outward actions. Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek and consult the Lord! And yet He is wise and brings calamity and does not retract His words ... Isaiah 31:1-2 (AMP) [Emphasis Added] Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 8 of 18
In a time of crisis that God may have permitted to come upon His people to give them a wake up call, taking presumptuous and independent action may mean that He is not going to retract His words concerning calamity. God is looking for right and sincere responses from the people He warns, not religious rituals that might have form but no substance. Furthermore, Israel’s reaction to an impending calamity by seeking support from the ungodly (Egypt) instead of Him is actually very offensive to Him.
Can We Believe that Prophets are Allowed to be Fallible? If it were somehow true that prophets could always function without ever being incorrect, then we would wonder why two other prophets, and the rest of God’s people present, should be asked to weigh up what they bring (see 1 Corinthians 14:29-32). It makes no sense for New Testament believers to be instructed: Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 if we get it 100% right all of the time. In fact, if we were capable of achieving this, it could easily lead to pride and self-reliance on our part. Some in the church have been taught that for anyone to speak, write or publish a revelation that is claimed to be ‘of God’ means that it must be entirely accurate in every aspect. As a result of this misguided emphasis, many critics of ‘failed prophecies’ want to remind the prophet of the standard set in Deuteronomy and the punishment of death that would apply for getting it wrong. This issue does have to be considered carefully in relation to predictive prophecy. However, we should not be hasty in reaching any conclusion. One of the Old Testament passages that mentions the death penalty is Deuteronomy 13:1-5. If a prophet arises among you, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder he foretells to you comes to pass, and if he says, Let us go after other gods – gods you have not known – and let us serve them, you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being. You shall walk after the Lord your God and [reverently] fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and cling to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has talked rebellion and turning away from the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage; that man has tried to draw you aside from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So shall you put the evil away from your midst. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 (AMP) [Emphasis added] This passage first reveals that a prophet’s prophecy or predicted sign may be accurate and come to pass, however their false teaching might require them to be put to death. Leading people in rebellion against God or bringing false worship of false gods to the people, led to death for that individual. This is because such a false prophet, able to somehow predict a sign that does come to pass, but who would lead God’s people away from the truth into deception and rebellion is like a life-threatening cancer that must be removed from the rest of a body. Another Old Testament passage that mentions the death penalty is Deuteronomy 18:20-22. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. And if you say in your [minds and] hearts, How shall we know which words the Lord has not spoken? When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or prove true, that is a word which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 (AMP) [Emphasis added] In Deuteronomy 18:20, to apply the death penalty it must be obvious that someone has spoken presumptuously. Some people hold the view that presumption may be automatically assumed when something that is predicted does not happen as expected. However, the insights concerning
Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 9 of 18
Jonah and Isaiah should reveal to us that something else is required to establish presumption. We can see from those two prophets that they were commanded by the Lord to speak in His name but the words did not come to pass in the expected timeframe. Again in verse 20, the death penalty is linked with the speaking in the name of other gods. Our God is a jealous God as around a dozen Old Testament verses state. He will not share His glory with any other. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you (for the LORD your God is a jealous God among you), lest the anger of the LORD your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 6:14-15 (NKJV) Concerning presumption, we need to understand that it is an attitude that is often linked with pride and a desire to be seen in the spotlight. It is normally associated with arrogance or a haughty attitude. These attitudes are offensive to the Lord and end in destruction. For You will save the humble people, but will bring down haughty looks. Psalm 18:27 (NKJV) Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV) And particularly those who walk after the flesh and indulge in the lust of polluting passion and scorn and despise authority. Presumptuous [and] daring [self-willed and self-loving creatures]! They scoff at and revile dignitaries (glorious ones) without trembling. 2 Peter 2:10 (AMP) [Emphasis added] 2 Peter 2 deals with false prophets and false teachers in uncompromising language. As well as their sensual lusting and covetousness, the self-will and selfish ambition described in that chapter are clear indicators of presumption and deadly pride. Can we be certain that a prophet who might have been known for his humility and a genuine desire to serve the Lord, would definitely be subjected to the death penalty in the context of Deuteronomy 18 if he appeared to have got it badly wrong? I’m not sure we can be absolutely certain about these things from our rather distant vantage point. In considering how to apply this to our day we need to consider its wider context. Israel was a covenant people with a recent history of astonishing supernatural deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Not only did they see continual signs and wonders performed through the ministry of Moses and Aaron, they were physically shepherded and protected in the wilderness by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God Himself had come down upon Mt Sinai in cloud and fire with trumpet sounds and shaking ground. What level of pride and presumption would it take to speak out a false ‘word of the Lord’ in that context? The Deuteronomy 18:20-22 verses also need to be considered in the light of verse 15. The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear. Deuteronomy 18:15 (NKJV) A prophet of the stature of Moses was later to be raised up in Israel. That prophet must be listened to. That prophet was the Lord Jesus Christ who kept on warning Israel, “let him who has ears to hear, hear!” Another deliverer was going to be sent to Israel and it was vital that that One was listened to. This makes the stakes in the context of Deuteronomy 18, very high. Throughout Israel’s history, false Messiahs appeared with astonishing frequency. Even after Jesus death, false Messiahs continued to arise and lead some of the people astray. Can we lift the instruction of Deuteronomy 18 out of its context and apply it to the New Testament ministry of the prophet? I am not so sure it can be so casually applied. Deuteronomy 18:22 gives a context where a prophet gets it wrong. When they do, they are not to be feared. Perhaps this principle might be more applicable to New Testament operation. Perhaps we are not to totally reject those who get it wrong, but rather withhold a measure of respect that might otherwise have been due to them. Whatever that prophet might share from that point on, might be viewed with a certain amount of caution. I do not believe we are meant to sweep mistakes under the carpet and pretend that they never happened. It is right to investigate exactly what happened in such cases and to make appropriate judgements. Some things might have to be
Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 10 of 18
done differently the next time such a person claims to have a significant revelation to share. Guidelines for distribution of predictions could be established. We need to consider this further.
New Testament Operation Is it possible that God doesn't view getting some aspects of a prediction wrong as harshly as some of us might be inclined to do? In the New Testament, we are given this insight: When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside. For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God]. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 (AMP) This suggests that what we share and how effectively we share it, might be limited by our maturity. No one should expect a toddler to behave like an adult. The same is true of spiritual maturity. It also indicates that we receive a partial, and therefore imperfect, revelation. As a general principle, I have found that one person’s revelation often needs to be put in the appropriate place next to other people’s revelations. This allows a clearer and more complete picture to emerge. This is in the manner of assembling a jigsaw puzzle. What we see is both limited by the position from which we are viewing things, and the clarity of our eyesight. Humility and inter-dependence can cause us to see well. The New Testament has a number of warnings about pride causing spiritual blindness, deceptions and disunity. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Colossians 2:18-19 (NKJV) Pride and presumption are linked as we have seen already. Pride about receiving revelation can creep into a ministry and bring about serious error and even division within the Body of Christ. In verses above, part of the problem is directly attributable to not being rightly connected to Jesus as the Head of the Church, and not properly connected to the rest of the Body either. Pride of prophetic calling can result in a superior attitude towards other parts of the Body. That brings about a very unhealthy situation. Being full of self-importance can shipwreck a ministry. The apostle Paul shared the following about that danger in his own life. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 2 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV) God permitted something to come into Paul’s life that would regularly remind him that he was a mere human vessel with some of God’s treasure within. This was to prevent him exalting himself above his brethren. And whatever the thorn in the flesh actually was, it worked. Apart from the Lord Jesus, you would be hard put to locate anyone in the New Testament more servant-minded than Paul. Errors can easily creep into the Body of Christ when Satan finds someone whom he can tempt with some ‘higher revelation’ and who is too proud to remain teachable. Such a person can become obsessed with themselves and their own ‘personal revelation’. They do not hold to sound doctrine. They are likely to cause many futile disputes over their viewpoints. Many false teachings have been birthed through lives of people convinced that they, and they alone, held the vital revelation for the hour and for the entire Body of Christ. The apostle Paul warned Timothy about this in the passage below. The tragic results included envy, division, strife and abuses over money. The only remedy Paul gives when things have gone this far wrong is for the true people of God to withdraw from the circle of influence of those so deceived in this way. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 11 of 18
but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NKJV) All of this means that we need both one another and also a good measure of humility in order to perceive well. God has put His treasure into earthen vessels. The vessel can have a flaw in it. God has no one else to use but us who may be flawed vessels. Flawed vessels have blind spots. We need other brethren alongside us to show us what we cannot see for ourselves.
On Standing, Sending and Speaking A key issue in testing any revelation is whether we can discern if the Lord has commanded the prophet to speak. What the source is of the revelation is a vital issue. But long before any speaking is done, for there to be genuine authority upon a prophet or his words, there must have been a standing and a sending. The following are some extracts from Derek Prince’s book Rediscovering God’s Church:
Essentially I believe that the scriptural portrayal of a prophet is of one who stands in the counsel of the Lord. Let us look at a very remarkable statement: Surely the Lord GOD does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7 (NKJV) The word “secret” may also be translated as “counsel” (NASB) or “plan” (NIV). This is the nature of the prophetic ministry – a person who understand the inner counsel of God … One of the greatest Old Testament prophets, Elijah, was catapulted onto the stage of the history of Israel. The Bible doesn’t tell us anything about his background, but he suddenly appeared in a very dramatic and powerful way: And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab [king of Israel who had been seduced into idolatry and wickedness by his wife Jezebel], “As the LORD god of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 1 Kings 17:1 The key phrase is “before whom I stand”. A prophet is one who stands before God. He stands before God attentive, waiting to hear and deliver God’s message. This is the essential requirement of the true Biblical prophet: he receives the message in the presence of God and delivers it with complete authority. It is not his message but God’s. And the responsibility for its consequences and impact rest with God, not with the prophet. The Scripture says that no rain fell on the land for three-and-a-half years (see 71 Kings 18:1, Luke 4:25, James 5:17). Elijah had proved his statement that he would control the fall of rain and dew! [Derek goes on to discuss false prophets.]
Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with [the bitterness of] wormwood and make them drink the [poisonous] water of gall, for from the [false] prophets of Jerusalem profaneness and ungodliness have gone forth into all the land. Jeremiah 23:15 (AMP) Here we see the influence of the prophetic ministry. If it is pure, it brings purity, cleansing and healing; but if it is impure and profane, it brings uncleanness and profaneness into the whole land … Surely there is much of that kind of prophesying today, compromising with evil and suggesting that God will condone and tolerate sin. That is false prophecy. Notice what God said: For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD, and has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury; a violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings. Jeremiah 23:18-22 (NKJV) Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 12 of 18
We find in this and other passages that far more responsibility is laid at the door of the prophets of a nation for the condition of that nation than most of us realise. The true prophet who stands in the counsel of the Lord and who delivers His word will bring people to God. Where there is not such a prophet, the nation is deceived and led astray by false prophets. ________________ I strongly recommend you buy a copy of Derek’s excellent book. It is comprehensive and authoritative. Reading it will help give you a clear vision of the Church the Lord is working to restore in our day. Derek Prince gives many more detailed insights into the functioning of various ministries and the need to revert to the Biblical pattern for church government.
Examining Judgements Upon False Prophets Reading Micah 3:5-7 we see that due to some prophets leading God’s people astray by their errors, God stopped giving them visions and speaking to them. If these people had always been false prophets, we might wonder why God would have ever talked to them in the first place. This reveals the importance of not only starting well but ensuring that we finish well also. This reinforces an earlier point that evaluating someone’s falseness is not limited to someone’s gifting or someone’s revelation, or their past experiences – it must also include discerning someone’s current attitude and focus. Elijah in his confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel, put the whole crowd of them to death. What was the distinction between the prophets of Baal and the ones who prophesied falsely to King Ahab? The prophets confronting Elijah on Mt Carmel were clearly teaching God’s covenant people to worship another false god – Baal. Elijah’s action in applying the death penalty matched the instruction given in Deuteronomy 13 that we looked at earlier. False prophets (400 of them) were found with King Ahab in 1 Kings 22 telling him to go up into battle and be victorious. However the decision to fight that battle cost the king his life. One man (Micaiah) emerged from relative obscurity to give the word of the Lord and paint the right picture of the future. The true warning that was given through Micaiah was rejected. The misguided encouragement of the vast majority of gathered prophetic people to go into a battle resulted in King Ahab’s death. It was another life and death situation that seemed to hang on prophetic revelation. Interestingly, we have no record that those 400 prophets (who were so seriously and obviously wrong) were ever put to death for their ‘mistake’. Korah and a whole crowd of people with him opposed Moses (and were therefore in rebellion against God’s established government). Korah and his followers were killed directly by the actions of God (Numbers 16). In Jeremiah 28:16, you will see one man who is clearly called a false prophet. The false prophet Hananiah opposed the prophet Jeremiah to his face and in the presence of the leaders of Judah. It is important to note what the true prophet said about Hananiah’s false assurances of peace. “From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the LORD only if his prediction comes true.” Jeremiah 28:8-9 Prophets promising blessings from God or some great deliverance from judgement should only be recognised as a true prophet if the prediction is in fact true. The implication of the above passage is that a true prophet is sent if there is some serious warning to be given. If blessing is going to come, then it often overtakes us or overflows with a life of its own. Hananiah brought a false assurance of blessing to a nation. Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.’” In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died. Jeremiah 28:15-17 [Emphasis added] Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 13 of 18
Hananiah died because he counselled rebellion against the Lord. The prophet Jeremiah did not kill him. Sometimes the Lord deals directly with His prophets Himself, and not necessarily through other men. Rebellion against God through opposing the true prophet, who was bringing a legitimate warning, cost Hananiah his life. Jeremiah did not lift a finger to kill him but Jeremiah’s word was fulfilled within a year. Hananiah’s tragedy should provide a warning to those people who might want to rush to oppose the bringing of what may well be legitimate warnings from God to a city or a nation.
On Warnings and Delayed Judgement I am personally aware of four occasions in the last 21 years when a specific prophetic warning of a major disaster with an indicated timeframe has been postponed by fervent intercession. It cost some individuals who put their reputation on the line rather dearly at the time. A painful and humiliating experience for the one who warns of such things may be part of the price for fresh mercies on a city, a nation and a people. I am aware of a number of prophetic warnings issued in New Zealand about earthquakes that had specified timeframes. It seems that in each case a day, a month, or some specified timeframe was given, but desperate prayer on the part of some postponed the fulfilment of the warning. This timing aspect can actually be the catalyst for the intense focused prayer and crying out that God is actually looking for. God does not delight in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23). He does delight in bringing mercy. However, some right response to His warnings on the part of people on earth is required. Simply waiting to see what will happen does not alter anything. Neither will condemning the messenger with the unwelcome message bring God’s grace into a desperate situation. Mothers need to cry out concerning their families. Men need to stand before the Lord on behalf of their communities. Intercession has a part to play from the time between the issuing of the warning of judgement and the time of its potential fulfilment. Never underestimate the significance of intercession. Jesus is the pre-eminent intercessor, taking on Himself the punishment due to all for our sin. Jesus Christ by His act of intercession changed history. We can do the same when we act in obedience to the call of our Heavenly Father and perhaps be the one man who stands in the gap And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. Ezekiel 22:30 Enough salt can cleanse and preserve a city. A remnant of God’s praying people can bring extended grace and preservation because the blessing of new wine is found within a cluster of grapes (Isaiah 65:8). … And the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. And He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor [no one to intervene on behalf of truth and right]; therefore His own arm brought Him victory, and His own righteousness [having the Spirit without measure] sustained Him. Isaiah 59:16 (AMP) Therefore He said He would destroy them. [And He would have done so] had not Moses, His chosen one, stepped into the breach before Him to turn away His threatening wrath. Psalm 106:23 (AMP) Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and look now, and take note. And seek in her open squares; if you can find a man, if there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her. Jeremiah 5:1 As we can see from the above Scripture, sometimes it is only one man who is required to stand in the gap and pray a prayer of intercession. King Hezekiah proved to be such a man when he prayed a prayer that saved Jerusalem from Sennacharib’s army. Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria … Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow here or come before it with shield or cast up a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 14 of 18
way he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, says the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it, for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David. Isaiah 37:21, 33-35 [Emphasis Added] There are many other scriptures that could be quoted in this regard from both Old and New Testaments. If you are genuinely concerned about this issue, search it out for yourself. For a truly balanced viewpoint, prayerfully study the scriptures for yourself of the full accounts of Abraham interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah, Moses interceding for Israel, etc. Get a vision of what you can do by interceding for your family, your community, your city and your country. As mentioned earlier, a right response in the face of a death sentence from God can bring extraordinary grace and mercy. God’s message of judgement always has the intent of bringing repentance and reconciliation even when it is not spelt out in so many words. I believe the possibility of intercession delaying predicted judgements needs to be considered before the label of false prophet is applied to someone whose warning was not fulfilled in the way it was predicted. We also need to consider the points raised by John Bevere in his book The Fear of the Lord. John Bevere begins a section of the book on the theme of delayed judgement by contrasting what happened to Nadab and Abihu; two of Aaron’s sons, with what happened with Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phineas. This is the account of Nadab and Abihu when Aaron was High Priest of Israel. Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the LORD spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honoured.’” So Aaron, therefore, kept silent. Leviticus 10:1-3 (NASB) The following in an extract from The Fear of the Lord by John Bevere, published in 1997 by Creation House. He is writing about delayed judgement in the time of Eli.
With each passing generation, the hearts of God’s chosen people grew colder and colder until they reached an all-time low. Such was their condition when Eli was High Priest and judge. After ruling Israel for 40 years, his heart was dull and his sight almost completely lost. Under Eli, acting as priests and leaders, were his two sons Hophni and Phineas. Their corruption exceeded their father’s. This family of leaders were so offensive to God that He declared: “The iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” 1 Samuel 3:14 Such offensive leadership was the reason that the nation hits its all-time low. In times past when the nation strayed, the leaders would guide the people back to God, but these leaders pushed the people away with their persistent abuse of position and perversion of power. Eli’s sons engaged in sexual relations with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle. Not only were they sexually immoral, but they also used their position of leadership to coerce into immorality the women who had come to seek the Lord (1 Samuel 2:22). They abused the power of the position God had given them in order to serve His people, and instead used it as a means of fulfilling their own desires. Their actions greatly upset the Lord. Eli knew of his sons’ immorality and greed, yet he did not restrain them from continual sin or remove them from their position of leadership. Their second violation was in the area of offerings. Again they used their God-given authority to satisfy their own greed by fattening themselves with offerings taken by manipulation and threats. Compare the sin of Eli’s sons with the sins of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu (the men who died when they brought profane fire before the Lord). It is hard to avoid questioning why Eli’s sons were not judged with death just as quickly. Their sin was blatant, total disrespect for God, His people, and His offerings. Why then were they not judged the same – with immediate death at the tabernacle? Our answer is found in the following verses: “… the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 15 of 18
that he could not see, and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was …” 1 Samuel 3:1-3 Note the following: •
The word of the Lord was rare – God was not speaking as He had with Moses. Where His Word is rare, so is His presence.
•
There was no widespread revelation – Revelation is found in the presence of the Lord (Matthew 16:17). There was limited knowledge of His ways due to the lack of His presence.
•
The eyes of the leadership were so darkened that they could not see – In Deuteronomy 34:7 we find, “Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigour diminished.” Moses never lost his sight, for he walked in the midst of God’s glory. His body was preserved in a greater measure.
•
The lamp of God was going out – It was going out due to a lack of oil. The glory was so far removed that His presence was only a flicker of light.
In the case of Aaron’s sons, the glory had just been revealed and was strong. Fire went out from the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. The presence and glory of God were very powerful. But Eli’s sons were shrouded in the darkness of almost-blind leadership and the darting shadows of a failing lamp. The lamp of God was almost out. There was only a trace of God’s presence remaining. His glory had already lifted. Instant judgement comes in the presence of His glory. Therefore, their judgement was not immediate but delayed. _____________ Thinking about John Bevere’s words brings tears to my eyes. When I consider Israel under Eli, it grieves me to think a complacent church in New Zealand may not be doing much better. Has the church in New Zealand powerfully preached the gospel of the Kingdom to the lost and unbelieving population around us? I am thinking right now, that no I don’t believe it has. There has not been a lamp of revelation burning brightly amidst the increasing darkness over our society in the last two decades. Is there still a window of opportunity for the church to repent, have its lampstand restored, and then share that light with those in darkness around us? I earnestly hope so. We need to realise that the Lord raised up Samuel in the midst of that corrupt administration of God’s house by Eli and his sons. It was there that Samuel heard the word of the Lord and was obedient to His instruction. Even as a little boy, he was willing to share the first vital revelation of the Lord even when he knew it was a painful word of judgement for Eli who was acting in the position of father to him. The ministry of Samuel ultimately resulted in an astonishing transformation and reformation from the almost total corruption of Eli’s heart to the purity of David’s heart. David was a man after God’s heart. David had a heart after God’s presence, after God revelation, and God’s Kingdom. Let us pray that a company of Samuels will arise in our day to help position a company of ‘Davids’ in the places that the Lord has prepared for them. We may be in a time of delayed judgement but it is surely coming. Eli and his two sons all died on the same day. Eli is passing but David is coming. Let us not give up hope or give up praying in the very highest purposes of God.
Today’s True Prophets – the Ministry and the Message for Our Time Ephesians chapter four gives us a clear idea of the purpose for which prophets are given to the Church. Prophets, along with the other ministries mentioned, are specifically given to equip the saints and to edify (build up) the Body of Christ, so that certain goals are achieved. One goal is unity of the faith. A true prophet will develop unity of the faith by denouncing false doctrines and reinforcing the centrality of Christ. A true prophet will bring revelation that leads God’s people into the true knowledge of the Son of God.
Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 16 of 18
As Revelation 19:10 tells us the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. A true prophet’s ministry brings God’s people to maturity in Christ. A false prophet’s ministry leaves God’s people in a childish state, not able to discern important matters for themselves, overly dependent on continuing ‘feeding’ from pulpit ministries, unstable and vulnerable to clever deceptions. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. Ephesians 4:11-14 (NKJV) The above ministries are not meant to be the ‘stars of the show’ in the manner of a sensational Hollywood production, but rather servants to the Body of Christ. Their emphasis should be on producing Christ-likeness in God’s people. They may be called to demonstrate that obedience and suffering are the way to glory. A true prophet may be sent to shock God’s slumbering people out of their complacency. A true prophet may confound popular but deceptive doctrines that may be leading God’s people astray. True prophets may appear suddenly out of wilderness obscurity to deliver a warning. They may appear very unusual to God’s people. This might be in the same way that John the Baptist appeared odd to those used to the smooth presentation of the Pharisees and Saducees. Concerning the true prophetic messages for this hour, some will be like those of John the Baptist: 1. Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand 2. Prepare the way of the Lord (righteousness and holiness) 3. Jesus is coming immediately after me Some will be like Elijah: 1. Bringing a message of fire as in Malachi 3:2-3 2. Restoring relationships between generations as in Malachi 4:5-6 Others will be like Jeremiah 1. Warning about the dangers of Babylon 2. Calling for a whole-hearted return to the Lord 3. Denouncing the enslaving and exploiting of others and neglecting the poor 4. Telling people plainly that judgement is coming What will false prophetic ministries be doing in our day? Probably just about anything and everything other than the above. In John’s and Jesus’ day there was a smooth running religious machine in Jerusalem that God basically chose to bypass. In Elijah’s day there were many false prophets promising prosperity and victory. In Jeremiah’s day, it was the true prophet whom the authorities tried to shut down. The false prophet Hananiah had full freedom to oppose Jeremiah until the Lord Himself shut Hananiah down permanently. True prophetic ministry is not generally popular. We need to note what Jesus said: Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets. Luke 6:26 (NKJV) True prophetic ministry: •
can be provocative, challenging, discomforting, alarming
•
will wake up the slumbering
Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 17 of 18
•
may shake whole cities with warnings
•
may threaten destruction
•
will promote intercession
•
will remind believers of the terms of the Covenant – the price and the demands as well as the blessings and promises
•
can see whole nations begin to turn back to God.
On the other hand, false prophetic ministry: •
will leave people lukewarm
•
may foster complacency to impending danger
•
may promise blessings to those living sinful lives
•
may predict exciting ‘moves of God’ to groups who are neither holy nor righteous
•
entertain those described in 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
In Conclusion I believe we need to think very soberly about this issue of true and false prophets. We also need to consider whether our Lord is so concerned about accuracy that He requires prophets to be put to death or cast onto the reject pile for making a perceived error. As we have discussed, it requires a range of evidence to be carefully examined in order to prove that an individual is in fact a false prophet. Some prophets may appear to be false but they may be merely immature. Inaccuracy may have been the result of immaturity, ignorance or some level of presumption. We need to avoid religious clichés that have become hurtful phrases like ‘false prophet’. These words have often been used without sufficient understanding. Jesus warned us to know prophets by their fruit – character, attitudes, righteousness, grace and truth. If we apply the test He gave us, then we will do well. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:15-20 This is an important topic and this is only an overview. Whole books could be written on this topic. However, I urge you to consider these points carefully and search out Biblical truth for yourself. May we learn not to apply the label of ‘false prophet’ thoughtlessly to ministries with whom we disagree, or whose message we may have failed to comprehend. Please share with us any insights you might have on this topic. Thank you. Adrian
Due to a situation where unauthorised distribution of some of our material caused unnecessary confusion and distress, we now ask that permission be sought to reproduce our information in other formats. Please contact
[email protected] Thank you.
Concerning the Matter of True and False Prophets, Adrian Watts, 31/10/11 www.trumpetcall.org.nz
Page 18 of 18
