The False Prophets' Assurance
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In the biblical narrative, false prophets are individuals who claim to speak on behalf of God but deliver messages that are contrary to His truth. The assurance given by false prophets often leads people away from the true teachings of God, offering a deceptive sense of peace and security. This entry explores the characteristics, warnings, and consequences associated with the assurance provided by false prophets, as depicted in the Scriptures.

Characteristics of False Prophets

False prophets are often characterized by their deceitful nature and their ability to lead people astray with comforting but false assurances. In the Old Testament, they are frequently depicted as those who speak visions from their own minds rather than from the mouth of the Lord. Jeremiah 23:16 warns, "This is what the LORD of Hosts says: 'Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.'"

These prophets often promise peace and prosperity, contradicting the true messages of impending judgment delivered by God's genuine prophets. Ezekiel 13:10 states, "Because they have led My people astray, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace, and because when a flimsy wall is built, they plaster it with whitewash."

Warnings Against False Prophets

The Bible provides numerous warnings against the influence of false prophets. Believers are urged to discern the spirits and test the messages they receive. In the New Testament, Jesus Himself warns of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). He emphasizes the importance of recognizing them by their fruits, indicating that their actions and the outcomes of their teachings will reveal their true nature.

The Apostle John also cautions believers in 1 John 4:1 , "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Consequences of Following False Prophets

The assurance provided by false prophets often leads to dire consequences for those who choose to follow them. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel frequently faced judgment and calamity as a result of heeding the false assurances of peace and security. Jeremiah 14:14-15 records God's response to the false prophets: "The prophets are prophesying lies in My name," declares the LORD. "I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit of their own minds. Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying in My name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, 'No sword or famine will touch this land.' By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!"

In the New Testament, the consequences of following false prophets are similarly severe. Jesus warns that many will be led astray, and the deception will be so great that, if possible, even the elect could be deceived (Matthew 24:24).

Conclusion

The assurance offered by false prophets is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, serving as a cautionary tale for believers to remain vigilant and discerning. By understanding the characteristics, warnings, and consequences associated with false prophets, believers are better equipped to uphold the truth of God's Word and avoid the pitfalls of deception.
Subtopics

False Prophets: Called Foolish Prophets

False Prophets: Compared to Foxes in the Desert

False Prophets: Compared to Wind

False Prophets: Covetous

False Prophets: Crafty

False Prophets: Drunken

False Prophets: Immoral and Profane

False Prophets: Influenced by Evil Spirits

False Prophets: Involved the People in Their own Ruin

False Prophets: Judgments Denounced Against

False Prophets: Light and Treacherous

False Prophets: Made Use of by God to Prove Israel

False Prophets: Mode of Trying and Detecting

False Prophets: Not Sent or Commissioned by God

False Prophets: Often Deceived by God As a Judgment

False Prophets: Often Practised Divination and Witchcraft

False Prophets: Often Pretended to Dreams

False Prophets: Predicted to Arise in the Latter Times

False Prophets: Predicted to Arise: Before Destruction of Jerusalem

False Prophets: Pretended to be Sent by God

False Prophets: Prophesied in the Name of False Gods

False Prophets: Prophesied: Falsely

False Prophets: Prophesied: Lies in the Name of the Lord

False Prophets: Prophesied: out of Their own Heart

False Prophets: Prophesied: Peace, when There Was No Peace

False Prophets: The People: Deprived of God's Word By

False Prophets: The People: Encouraged and Praised

False Prophets: The People: Led Into Error

False Prophets: The People: Made to Forget God's Name By

False Prophets: The People: Oppressed and Defrauded By

False Prophets: The People: Taught Profaneness and Sin By

False Prophets: The People: Warned not to Listen To

False Prophets: Women Sometimes Acted As

Modern Day Prophets

Prophets

Prophets Reward

Prophets were Called: Holy Men of God

Prophets were Called: Holy Prophets

Prophets were Called: Men of God

Prophets were Called: Prophets of God

Prophets were Called: Seers

Prophets were Consulted in all Difficulties

Prophets were Esteemed As Holy Men

Prophets were Mighty Through Faith

Prophets were Required: Not to Speak Anything But What They Received from God

Prophets were Required: To be Bold and Undaunted

Prophets were Required: To be Vigilant and Faithful

Prophets were Required: To Declare Everything That the Lord Commanded

Prophets were Required: To Receive With Attention all God's Communications

Prophets were Sent to Denounce the Wickedness of Kings

Prophets were Sent to Exhort to Faithfulness and Constancy in God's Service

Prophets were Sent to Predict the Coming of Christ

Prophets were Sent to Predict the Downfall of Nations

Prophets were Sent to Reprove the Wicked and Exhort to Repentance

Prophets were Under the Influence of the Holy Spirit While Prophesying

Prophets: Aaron

Prophets: Agabus

Prophets: Ahijah

Prophets: Amos

Prophets: Anna

Prophets: Assisted the Jews in Their Great National Undertakings

Prophets: Azariah the Son of Oded

Prophets: Benefits of Presents

Prophets: Benefits of Presents Refused By

Prophets: Called Seers

Prophets: Christ Exercised the office of

Prophets: Christ Predicted to Exercise the office of

Prophets: Counselors to Kings

Prophets: Daniel

Prophets: Daughters of Philip

Prophets: David

Prophets: Deborah

Prophets: Elijah

Prophets: Elisha

Prophets: Enoch

Prophets: Extraordinary: Often Endued With Miraculous Power

Prophets: Extraordinary: Specially Raised up on Occasions of Emergency

Prophets: Ezekiel

Prophets: False

Prophets: False: 400 in Samaria

Prophets: False: Denunciations Against

Prophets: False: Noadiah

Prophets: False: Punishment of

Prophets: False: Warnings To

Prophets: Felt Deeply on Account of the Calamities Which They Predicted

Prophets: Frequently in Their Actions Were Made Signs to the People

Prophets: Frequently Left Without Divine Communication on Account of

Prophets: Frequently Married Men

Prophets: Frequently Spoke in Parables and Riddles

Prophets: Gad

Prophets: God Avenged all Injuries Done To

Prophets: God Communicated to At Various Time and in Different Ways

Prophets: God Communicated To by an Audible Voice

Prophets: God Communicated To by Angels

Prophets: God Communicated To by Dreams and Visions

Prophets: God Communicated to His Secret Things

Prophets: God Spoke of Old By

Prophets: Great Patience of, Under Suffering

Prophets: Habakkuk

Prophets: Haggai

Prophets: Hanani

Prophets: Hosea

Prophets: Huldah

Prophets: Iddo

Prophets: Inspiration of

Prophets: Inspired by Angels

Prophets: Isaiah

Prophets: Jacob

Prophets: Jeduthun

Prophets: Jehu the Son of Hanani

Prophets: Jeremiah

Prophets: Joel

Prophets: John

Prophets: Jonah

Prophets: Kept the Chronicles

Prophets: Malachi

Prophets: Martyrs

Prophets: Micah

Prophets: Micaiah the Son of Imlah

Prophets: Miriam

Prophets: Moses

Prophets: Nahum

Prophets: Nathan

Prophets: Noah

Prophets: Not Honored in Their own Country

Prophets: Obadiah

Prophets: Oded

Prophets: Often Accompanied by Music While Predicting

Prophets: Often Committed Their Predictions to Writing

Prophets: Often Led a Wandering and Unsettled Life

Prophets: One Generally Attached to the King's Household

Prophets: Ordinary: Numerous in Israel

Prophets: Ordinary: The Sacred Bards of the Jews

Prophets: Ordinary: Trained up and Instructed in Schools

Prophets: Paul

Prophets: Persecutions of

Prophets: Peter

Prophets: Predictions of Frequently Proclaimed at the Gate of the Lord's House

Prophets: Predictions of Proclaimed in the Cities and Streets

Prophets: Predictions of Were all Fulfilled

Prophets: Predictions of Written on Rolls and Read to the People

Prophets: Predictions of Written on Tables and Fixed up in some Public Place

Prophets: Presented With Gifts by Those Who Consulted Them

Prophets: Prophet of Judah

Prophets: Prophet Sent to Eli

Prophets: Prophet Set to Israel

Prophets: Samuel

Prophets: Schools of

Prophets: Shemaiah

Prophets: Simple in Their Manner of Life

Prophets: Sometimes Received Divine Communications and Uttered

Prophets: Sometimes Thought It Right to Reject Presents

Prophets: Sometimes Uttered Their Predictions in Verse

Prophets: Spoke in the Name of the Lord

Prophets: The Historiographers of the Jewish Nation

Prophets: The Interpreters of Dreams

Prophets: The Jews: Often Imprisoned Them

Prophets: The Jews: Often Left Without, on Account of Sin

Prophets: The Jews: Often Put Them to Death

Prophets: The Jews: Often Tried to Make Them Speak Smooth Things

Prophets: The Jews: Persecuted Them

Prophets: The Jews: Require to Hear and Believe

Prophets: The Messengers of God

Prophets: The Servants of God

Prophets: The Watchmen of Israel

Prophets: Women Sometimes Endowed As

Prophets: Wore a Coarse Dress of Hair-Cloth

Prophets: Writings of, Read in the Synagogues Every Sabbath

Prophets: Zacharias the Father of John

Prophets: Zadok

Prophets: Zechariah Son of Iddo

Prophets: Zephaniah

Related Terms

Gehazi (14 Occurrences)

Malachi (2 Occurrences)

Zephaniah (11 Occurrences)

Jehovah (20094 Occurrences)

Yahweh (6653 Occurrences)

Agabus (2 Occurrences)

Servant (738 Occurrences)

Zedekiah (63 Occurrences)

Messiah (9 Occurrences)

Isaiah (64 Occurrences)

Sense (195 Occurrences)

Amos (12 Occurrences)

Haggai (14 Occurrences)

Elijah (104 Occurrences)

Canonicity

Lord (59401 Occurrences)

Samuel (129 Occurrences)

Joel (22 Occurrences)

Jeroboam (96 Occurrences)

Zechariah (55 Occurrences)

Upright (392 Occurrences)

Using (88 Occurrences)

Gatherer (5 Occurrences)

Grower (1 Occurrence)

Gives (542 Occurrences)

Wonders (111 Occurrences)

Immanuel (3 Occurrences)

Faint (76 Occurrences)

Farmer (17 Occurrences)

Forehead (23 Occurrences)

Testing (46 Occurrences)

Receiving (72 Occurrences)

Receiveth (48 Occurrences)

Receive (350 Occurrences)

Righteous (407 Occurrences)

Receives (43 Occurrences)

Reader (5 Occurrences)

Reward (213 Occurrences)

Ends (108 Occurrences)

Dresser (2 Occurrences)

Millet (1 Occurrence)

Micaiah (27 Occurrences)

Man's (347 Occurrences)

Paradise (6 Occurrences)

Propitiate (1 Occurrence)

Powers (43 Occurrences)

Prisoner (87 Occurrences)

Prophesyings (1 Occurrence)

Prediction (4 Occurrences)

Prompting (1 Occurrence)

Bench (1 Occurrence)

Baruch (24 Occurrences)

Brother-servant (2 Occurrences)

Band (150 Occurrences)

Candle (16 Occurrences)

Chiun (1 Occurrence)

Cherith (2 Occurrences)

Cultivator (1 Occurrence)

Candlestick (34 Occurrences)

Almondiblathaim (2 Occurrences)

Almon-diblathaim (2 Occurrences)

Addition (112 Occurrences)

Anyone (514 Occurrences)

Sycamores (7 Occurrences)

Sycamore-trees (6 Occurrences)

Shunem (3 Occurrences)

Sycomore-trees (6 Occurrences)

Sycamore-fig (6 Occurrences)

Sorts (65 Occurrences)

Sycomore (3 Occurrences)

Sycamore (9 Occurrences)

Seraiah (18 Occurrences)

Bowl (44 Occurrences)

Jezebel (20 Occurrences)

Tent-circle (45 Occurrences)

Honour (475 Occurrences)

Jehu (63 Occurrences)

Jonah (30 Occurrences)

Quotations

The False Prophets
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