The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 18:22,
"If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed."
After telling the Israelites they will need to listen to the prophet (Jesus Christ) the Lord will be sending them, the question is anticipated, "You may say to yourselves, 'How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?'" Verse 21. In essence, how are the people to know who speaks for the Lord and who doesn't?
This is the second test in Deuteronomy the Lord provides for the people to know who is sent by him to speak for him and who is a fake prophet. Here they are told that future events foretold in a prophetic message to validate that message must come to pass. If not, don't regard the message as being from him.
We saw an earlier test provided the people in Deuteronomy 13:1-2, "If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer." In this test, if a future event is foretold and indeed comes to pass, if that prophet tells the people to follow "other gods", then he is a fake prophet and not to be listened to. In this case the Lord makes the foretold event come to pass to see if the Israelites will refrain from turning from him... sort of a faith-building or faith-testing process.
Here is a test the apostle John provides, "Dear friends, 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. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." 1 John 4:1-3.
Obviously, God would never contradict himself, so another test of a prophet that many speak of is that whatever is contained in a prophecy must be consistent with what God has already given through Moses and the other legitimate prophets of God. Since the Scriptures are prophecy (see 1 Peter 1:20-21), no prophetic word from God will ever contradict what is found in our Bibles. No future prophet will ever contradict what has already been prophesied from a previous true prophet of God.
It is unfortunate that many over the years have not followed these guidelines and recognized false prophets. Muhammed, Ellen G. White, and Joseph Smith (as well as many others) come to mind here.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed."
After telling the Israelites they will need to listen to the prophet (Jesus Christ) the Lord will be sending them, the question is anticipated, "You may say to yourselves, 'How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?'" Verse 21. In essence, how are the people to know who speaks for the Lord and who doesn't?
This is the second test in Deuteronomy the Lord provides for the people to know who is sent by him to speak for him and who is a fake prophet. Here they are told that future events foretold in a prophetic message to validate that message must come to pass. If not, don't regard the message as being from him.
We saw an earlier test provided the people in Deuteronomy 13:1-2, "If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer." In this test, if a future event is foretold and indeed comes to pass, if that prophet tells the people to follow "other gods", then he is a fake prophet and not to be listened to. In this case the Lord makes the foretold event come to pass to see if the Israelites will refrain from turning from him... sort of a faith-building or faith-testing process.
Here is a test the apostle John provides, "Dear friends, 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. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." 1 John 4:1-3.
Obviously, God would never contradict himself, so another test of a prophet that many speak of is that whatever is contained in a prophecy must be consistent with what God has already given through Moses and the other legitimate prophets of God. Since the Scriptures are prophecy (see 1 Peter 1:20-21), no prophetic word from God will ever contradict what is found in our Bibles. No future prophet will ever contradict what has already been prophesied from a previous true prophet of God.
It is unfortunate that many over the years have not followed these guidelines and recognized false prophets. Muhammed, Ellen G. White, and Joseph Smith (as well as many others) come to mind here.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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