Will the Real Prophets Please stand? Part II - Distinguishing the Genuine Article from the Counterfeit
PART II
DISTINGUISHING THE GENUINE ARTICLE FROM THE COUNTERFEIT
False prophets can be separated from true prophets by means of three tests:
1) Doctrinal (requires that the people of God have knowledge of the truth so they can recognize the false)
a. In Deuteronomy 13 the motive of the false prophet was to draw the people away from the God who had revealed himself in Exodus
1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst. [Deut 13:1-5]
2) Practical (Requires patience)
a. The word of the Lord always comes to pass.
21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. [Deut 18:21,22]
This requires patience because as Deuteronomy 13:1 indicates a false word may be supported by an apparent spiritual proof. If there is doubt, the people must wait for the turn of events.
3) Moral (calls for watchful discernment)
a. Jeremiah was most distressed in his spirit by false prophets. He gave the longest and most sustained consideration to the problem [Jeremiah 23:9-40] b. False prophet will be found to be a man/woman of unholy life [Jer 23:11-14] c. Message has no note of moral rebuke, but encourages men in their sin [Jer 23:16-22]
From Ilumina Bible Study Software Tyndale House Publishers
DISTINGUISHING THE GENUINE ARTICLE FROM THE COUNTERFEIT
False prophets can be separated from true prophets by means of three tests:
1) Doctrinal (requires that the people of God have knowledge of the truth so they can recognize the false)
a. In Deuteronomy 13 the motive of the false prophet was to draw the people away from the God who had revealed himself in Exodus
1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst. [Deut 13:1-5]
2) Practical (Requires patience)
a. The word of the Lord always comes to pass.
21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. [Deut 18:21,22]
This requires patience because as Deuteronomy 13:1 indicates a false word may be supported by an apparent spiritual proof. If there is doubt, the people must wait for the turn of events.
3) Moral (calls for watchful discernment)
a. Jeremiah was most distressed in his spirit by false prophets. He gave the longest and most sustained consideration to the problem [Jeremiah 23:9-40] b. False prophet will be found to be a man/woman of unholy life [Jer 23:11-14] c. Message has no note of moral rebuke, but encourages men in their sin [Jer 23:16-22]
From Ilumina Bible Study Software Tyndale House Publishers
posted by The Prophetic Scribe | 10:42 PM
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