Study Lesson 5
The Rising Flood Of False Prophets
Scripture To Consider:
“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive [mislead] many.” Matthew 24.11
A Few Words Of Warning:
Has The Rising Flood Of False Prophets Begun
The church has since the 1st century been plagued by false prophets. But the 20th century gave rise to a furious flood of false prophets as never before witnessed. The 20th century also widely paved the way for newly developed means, machines, and new methods for false prophets to propagate their many false messages. The invention and eventual implementation of the radio, T.V., and the internet, has vastly increased the ability for world-wide preaching, teaching, and communicating on a larger scale than ever, both the gospel message as well as the many false prophets’ misleading messages to every corner of the globe.
These 20th century achievements have increasingly crowded the air waves with messages that must be discerned as to whether good or evil. Therefore, how exactly can we discern who is and is not a false prophet proclaiming a false message? Are there warning signs in determining who is and who is not a false prophet? Is there a sure fire means of producing evidence to truly discern a false prophet? Jesus, Peter, and Paul, each predicted false prophets would rise and deceive many. But how will we know a false prophet? In lesson 6 we will discover the church at Ephesus in Revelation chapter 2, was commended by Jesus for their rightly discerning who the false apostles among them were.
Something To Consider:
As mentioned in an earlier lesson, Jesus, in Matthew chapter 7 warned; “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves [plundering predators]. You shall know them by their fruits.” False prophets, according to Jesus, look like, act like, sound like, and appear to be sheep or Christian in outward appearances. But inward, there is another hidden more insidious side to their hypocrisy. Inwardly, false prophets are ravenous or plundering wolf-like leaders, according to Jesus. These predator style religious ruling men are strategically situated throughout Christendom as evil birds of prey cunningly lodging in the branches of an enormous abnormal overgrown tree, according to Jesus in the parable of the mustard seed.
One way to determine a false prophet is to look for financial incentives to the false prophet’s personal advantage. In 2 Peter chapter 2, we are introduced by Peter to some enlightening information regarding false prophets and their hidden financial increasing agendas. Peter stated for the record, “Through covetousness they [false prophets] shall with feigned [fictitious] words make merchandise of you.” Yes, false prophets seek to take financial advantage of God’s people. Peter also warned all who have ears to hear, that many will follow these false prophet’s pernicious or highly destructive ways, of which the truth is evil spoken of.
Another scripturally accurate means of discerning a false prophet is to examine the fruit that is being produced, whether good or evil. The most outstanding and noticeable feature or evil fruit of a false prophet is self-interest. The false prophet is greatly concerned about his or her position of usurped authority, and in many cases, the uninterrupted continued increase of their personal financial gain. The false prophet is also concerned about prestige and the propagating of his own agenda, while misinterpreting God’s Word. And through their false misleading teachings they teach as commandments of God, the false and foolish fable-like traditions of men.
The true prophet of God on the other hand, is perfectly content to carry out the work of God in obscurity, if it means that God will receive all the glory due His name for what is done in His name. A true prophet in contrast to a false prophet bears good fruit. Jesus affirmed the truth about bearing fruit when He announced, “Even so, every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.”
Something Else To Consider:
Are We Contending Or Not Contending For The Faith
Jude, the step brother of Jesus, admonished believers in his one-chapter letter, by proclaiming in verse 3, “You should contend earnestly [strive against difficulties] for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men [corrupt so-called religious leaders] have crept in unnoticed [secretly entered].” Jude further wrote that those who were secretly entering into the ranks of church leadership were ungodly, and awaiting the condemnation of God. Though it appears that false prophets are escaping the punishment of God, their judgment is certain and soon coming.
Now, are false prophets always of a so-called religious standing? No! Some false prophets are evil and corrupt politicians, evil and corrupt global elite leaders, some are actually world health so-called experts proclaiming as truth extremely misleading information that has been preplanned in advance in order to move forward an evil, corrupt, and very destructive depopulation of the world end time agenda. And therefore, according to Jesus; “Take heed that no one deceives you.”
Jude continued by giving several biblical examples of one-time believers of God following such false prophet’s teaching and their outcome, by stating in verse 5, “But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people [Jewish nation] out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe [did not continue to believe].” These one-time believers and followers of God did not contend for their faith. They were guilty of listening to the false prophets crying out of their plight as they wandered in the desert. They listened to the false prophets as they reminded the people of the various comforts they experienced back in Egypt, though they had been in bondage in Egypt. They listened to the fear tactics of Satan and were destroyed!
Then Jude declared that the angels who did not keep their first estate [were not content] are now as false prophets, awaiting the everlasting judgment of God. These fallen angels listened to the false prophet of all times, Lucifer, Satan, the son of perdition, and father of lies. But what will we do with the biblical information concerning false prophets? Will we foolishly listen to their lies and distortion of Scripture and false information 21st century claims? Will we as many millions in every generation be deceived and misled by the many false prophets that have risen according to Jesus whether religious, political, medical, or even so-called world health medical experts? God forbid!
Something More To Consider:
Is There A Final Destination For False Prophets
Therefore, according to Jesus, “And many false prophets will rise and will deceive [mislead] many.” But what is it that will eventually happen to the many false prophets of every generation? What will prove to be their final destination and eternal demise? Jesus predicts very soberly in Matthew 7.21-23, by declaring, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he [or she] who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day [Day of judgment], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied [preached] in Your name, cast out demons in Your name [pretenders of the faith], and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness [iniquity].’”
Anyone practicing iniquity or lawlessness, will in the end of their life on earth or at Christ’s second coming, without repentance, sadly hear those dreaded words which will eternally seal one’s fate, spoken by Jesus; “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” But we must note the complete surprise and shock of the false prophets and those following false prophets. They considered what they had done as many mighty works. Jesus considered their work as practicing iniquity while spreading, aiding, and agreeing with the end time enlarging of the borders of lawlessness.
A Few Final Words:
Be Assured – Scripture Reveals God’s Righteous Will
Jesus revealed the secret to our being guaranteed entrance into the kingdom of heaven when He predicted, as mentioned earlier, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he [or she] who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” Anyone, including false prophets is able to repeat religious sounding words such as Lord, Lord. Evidently many were, as many are today, able to prophesy or to proclaim in Jesus’ name, cast out demons, and do many miraculous appearing wonders, all in the name of Jesus.
Therefore has the American church become a religious melting pot of misleading messages produced by the many false prophets, who in reality have their own best interests at heart? If so, Scripture reveals God’s righteous will!
Now the general public, those entering into the many false entry points created by the enemy of our souls working through false prophets, of which according to Jesus lead to eternal destruction, may appear to be impressed by the miracles and casting out of demons. Jesus was not, is not, and never shall be in the least impressed or fooled by their trickery and wonder working abilities or lawless iniquities. And if we are spiritually discerning, we too will not be impressed to the point of foolishly following them or approving of their wickedness, but rather we should be praying for their exposure due to the illuminating light of God’s Word and God’s divine gift of discernment.
What is it though that does impress Jesus to the point that a person gains access into the kingdom of heaven? According to Jesus, He explained clearly when He spoke these words, “But he [or she] who does the will of My Father in heaven.” What then is the will of God? A cursory reading of the gospels and the New Testament epistles will clearly reveal a list of the biblical will of God and true scriptural entrance into heaven requirements.
The first on our list of the biblical will of God must be the requirement and need of our repentance of sin as required by Scripture. The will of God is also that we bring forth spiritual fruit worthy of repentance. The will of God includes our being aware of false prophets, false teachers, and pretending religious, political, and other national and world leaders in sheep’s clothing.
The will of God also requires that we bear good spiritual fruit, and that our fruit remain. The will of God is that we enter into eternal life by way of the straight and narrow and or constricting at times difficult gate, thereby being among the few who find that scriptural entrance into heaven in and through Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
The will of God also includes, according to Jesus, that we as true born-again believers are not found practicing iniquity, lawlessness, or any biblically revealed known sin, without truly repenting of that sin. And finally, the will of God, according to Peter, is that none perish but that all come to repentance.
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, help us to divinely discern between true and false prophets in these last days. Help us to be found contending for true biblical faith as preserved in the written Word of God. Prepare us Father to never hear Jesus declare, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness [or iniquity].” In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 