”But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.“
2 Peter 2:1-3 NIV
What is a prophet ?
According to the Oxford dictionary; a prophet is
a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.
Websters dictionary defines a prophet as:
1 : one who utters divinely inspired revelations: such as
a often capitalized : the writer of one of the prophetic books of the Bible
b capitalized : one regarded by a group of followers as the final authoritative revealer of God’s will
2 : one gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight
especially : an inspired poet
3: one who foretells future events : PREDICTOR
4: an effective or leading spokesman for a cause, doctrine, or group
5Christian Science
a: a spiritual seer
b: disappearance of material sense before the conscious facts of spiritual Truth
The Bible lists several men and women who were prophets:
A
• Agabus (Acts of the Apostles11:27–28)
• Asaph (2 Chronicles 29:30)
• Azariah (2 Chronicles 15:1–8)
B
• Barnabas acts 13:1
D
E
G
H
• Hanani (2 Chronicles 16:7)
I
• Iddo (2 Chronicles 13:22)
J
• John the Baptist (Luke 7:28)
• John of Patmos (Revelation 1:1–3)
• Judas Barsabbas (Acts 15:32)
L
• Lamech, father of Noah (Genesis5:28–29)
• Lucius of Cyrene (Acts 13:1)
M
• Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18–24)
• Miriam (Book of Exodus 15:20)
• Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10)
N
O
• Oded (2 Chronicles 15:8)
• Oded (2 Chronicles 28:9)
P
• Philip the Evangelist (Acts 8:26)
• Phillip’s daughters (Acts 21:8, 9)
• Paul the Apostle (Acts of the Apostles 9:20)
S
• Simeon Niger (Acts 13:1)
T
• Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:3)
U
Z
• Zechariah, son of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24:20)
Unnamed prophets
• An old prophet from Bethel (1 Kings 13:11)
• A prophet (1 Kings 20:13, 22)
• A prophet (2 Chronicles 25:15–16)
Minor prophets
A
• Amos
H
J
• Jonah (Jonah 1:1; 2 Kings 14:25)
M
N
O
Z
• Zechariah, son of Berechiah(Zechariah 1:1)
The Bible mentions Biblical people with claimed prophetic experiences
• Ananias of Damascus (Acts 9:10–18)
• Eliezer (2 Chronicles 20:37)
• Elisabeth, mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:41)
• Jahaziel (2 Chronicles 20:14)
• Joseph, fosterfather of Jesus(Matthew 1:20)
• Mary, mother of Jesus (Luke1:26–28)
• King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon(Daniel 2:1)
• Saul, the first king to unite Israel (1 Samuel 10:10)
• Simeon of Jerusalem (Luke 2:25, 26)
• Zechariah, father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:67)
The Bible also mentions false prophets:
False prophets and prophets of Baal
• Ahab, son of Kolaiah (Jeremiah29:21–23)
• Antichrist (1 John 2:18–19)
• Elymas (a.k.a. Bar-Jesus) (Acts 13:6–12)
• Jezebel (Revelation) (Revelation2:20) (not to be confused with the Jezebel of the Old Testament)
• The false prophet of the Book of Revelation (16:13, 19:20, 20:10)
• The false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:13–40)
• Shemaiah the Nehelamite(Jeremiah 29:24)
• Zedekiah, son of Maaseiah(Jeremiah 29:21)
• Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah (1 Kings 22:24)
The following persons are considered by some Christians to be prophets, or to have had prophetic experiences.
• Quadratus of Athens (2nd century, sometimes considered one of the seventy apostles)
• Montanus, Prisca, and Maximilla(2nd century, founders of Montanism)
• Quintilla (3rd century, founder of an offshoot movement from Montanism)
• Iarlaithe mac Loga (6th century, founder of the School of Tuam)
• Merlin (6th century, likely invented by Geoffrey of Monmouth from older legends, first appears in the Prophetiae Merlini)
• Palladius of Embrun (6th century, Bishop of Embrun)
• Columba (521–597, credited with spreading Christianity in Scotland)
• Saint Malachy (1094–1148, Archbishop of Armagh and author of Prophecy of the Popes)
• James Salomoni (1231-1314)
• Joan of Arc (1412–1431)
• Nostradamus (1503–1566)
• Justus Velsius (1510-1571, Dutch faith healer who debated against John Calvin)
• Eleanor Davies (poet) (1590–1652)
• Ann Bathurst (17th century, member of the Philadelphians)
• Martha Hatfield (17th century, Puritan)
• John Bull (prophet) and Richard Farnham (17th century, claimed to be the two witnesses of the Book of Revelation)
• Margareta i Kumla (17th century, claimed to have seen angels and demons fight over her soul)
• John Robins (prophet) (17th century, Ranter rescued from Roundhead recourse by recanting his revelations)
• Anne Wentworth (prophetess)(17th century, persecuted by Baptists)
• John Reeve (religious leader)(1608-1658, co-founder of Muggletonianism)
• Lodowicke Muggleton (1609-1698, co-founder of Muggletonianism)
• Mary Cary (prophetess) (1621-1653, supporter of the Fifth Monarchists)
• Eva Margareta Frölich (1650–1692) (Millennialist, pietist author and critic of the Church of Sweden)
• Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772, founder of Swedenborgianism)
• Joanna Southcott (1750-1814, author of prophecies kept in a box to be opened in times of national crisis, claimed judgement day would happen in 2004)
• Public Universal Friend (1752–1819, preacher who claims to have died and been reborn without gender)
• George Rapp (1757-1847, founder of the Harmony Society)
• John Ward (prophet) (1781–1837, claimed successor of Joanna Southcott)
• William Miller (preacher) (1782–1849, founder of Adventism)
• John Wroe (1782–1863, founder of the Christian Israelite Church)
• Bernhard Müller (1788-1834, founder of an offshoot from the Harmony Society, that would later start the Germantown Colony)
• Helena Ekblom (1790–1859, Swedish preacher who was put in an asylum for refusing to comply with the Church of Sweden’s doctrines)
• Joseph Smith (1805–1844, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement)
• Hong Xiuquan (1814-1864, founder of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom)
• John Bosco (1815–1888, founder of the Salesians of Don Bosco)
• Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910, founder of Christian Science)
• Ellen G. White (1827–1915, co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church)
• John Alexander Dowie (1847–1907, founder of the Christ Community Church)
• Nona L. Brooks (1861-1945, founder of the Church of Divine Science)
• Siener van Rensburg (1864-1926, advisor to Koos de la Rey, influenced the Suidlanders)
• E. W. Kenyon[1] (1867–1948, possible line of transmission between the New Thought and Word of Faith movements)
• Helena Konttinen (1871-1916, a “Sleeping preacher” who started a revivalist movement)
• Felix Manalo (1886-1963, founder of the Iglesia ni Cristo)
• Padre Pio (1887–1968, Catholic saint, purportedly predicted the papacy of John Paul II)
• William M. Branham (1909–1965, influence on televangelism)
• A. A. Allen[2] (1911–1970, Pentecostal evangelist and faith healer)
• Kenneth Hagin[3] (1917–2003, pioneer of the Word of Faith movement)
• Oral Roberts[4] (1918–2009, considered the godfather of the charismatic movement, founder of the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University)
• T. L. Osborn[5] (1923–2013, Pentecostal evangelist and musician)
• Pat Robertson (1930–2023, chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network, host of The 700 Club, noted for controversial statements)
• David Wilkerson (1931–2011, author of The Cross and the Switchblade and founder of the Teen Challenge)
• Reverend Ike[6] (1935-2009, noted for his slogan “You can’t lose with the stuff I use!”)
• Kenneth Copeland[7] (1936–present day, televangelist noted advocate of prosperity theology, and for claiming to have ended the COVID-19 pandemic)
• Robert Tilton[8] (1946–present day, televangelist noted for his prosperity theology infomercials and questionable fundraising practices).
• Roch Thériault (1947-2011, founder of a polygamous doomsday cult called the Ant Hill Kids)
• John Paul Jackson (1950-2015, author noted for dream interpretation)
• Benny Hinn (1952–present day, televangelist noted for faith healing and prosperity theology)
• David Koresh (1959–1993, leader of the Branch Davidians during the Waco siege)
• Creflo Dollar (1962–present day, televangelist noted for prosperity theology)
• T. B. Joshua (1963–2021, televangelist and founder of Synagogue, Church of All Nations)
• Joshua Iginla (1969–present day, televangelist, prosperity theology preacher, and megachurch pastor)
• Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin (1972–present day, founder of the Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, criticized for flamboyant ministry)
• Daniel Obinim (1977–present day, minister noted for controversial actions and statement
In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings from the supernatural source to other people.
In general usage, a “prophet” is someone who can foretell the future. The prophets of the Bible often made predictions, which confirmed their authority when the predictions came true, but changing the lives of their people was a more central part of their mission.
What is the reason that many prophets are self-proclaimed and not called by God?
Ego, greed, a need for attention, the list goes on.
False prophets have been around since the very beginning. You could say that the first false prophet appeared in the Garden of Eden with the serpent’s lie to Adam and Eve. The truth of the matter is, they were there at the beginning and they will be around until the end. In the New Testament we are forewarned of false prophets arising more near the end of times.
Because of this it makes sense to know what a false prophet is. These people could be invading your churches and pulpits, so it is imperative to know who they are. Their damage goes beyond just their “prophecies” and teachings, their influence can be damaging to the body of Christ.
False prophets are becoming more prominent as today’s culture is willing to accept an easy religion that sugar coats things to their liking. A religion or belief that requires little to no effort and allows or accept continued practices of sin as the statues-quo. One that requires no effort and offers no consequences. This generation more so than any other are so concerned about their followers, their likes, their views and even their “trolls”. Unfortunately, there are plenty of preachers eager to give the people what they want to hear—and usually, they profit off it. Click bait preachers I refer to them.
The Bible warns us not to be bitter about this but to be wise and discerning. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.”
We need to have discernment in all things.
Let us for the sake of teaching and assuming you do not know what discernment is define discernment;
discernmentnoun
dis· cern· ment di-ˈsərn-mənt -ˈzərn-
As per Webster dictionary is defined as:
1: the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure : skill in discerning
2: an act of perceiving or discerning something
What is a discerning person like?
If you describe someone as discerning, you mean that they are able to judge which things of a particular kind are good and which are bad.
The gift of discernment helps us to recognize good and evil, truth and error. We can develop it through the following:
Praying. When we pray, we focus our minds on our Heavenly Father. Prayer is not a chance for us to tell God what we want. It helps us to learn our Father’s will.- Searching the scriptures. Through diligent, prayerful scripture study, our understanding of the gospel increases and so does our ability to recognize truth and error
Keeping the commandments. When we’re obedient, we have the Spirit to be with us. When we’re disobedient, the Spirit withdraws.
How do you get spiritual discernment?
1 Pray regularly; seek for companionship of Holy Ghost. 2 Study the scriptures, apply them in your life; seek gospel understanding. 3 Act on promptings; exercise gift in all areas of your life. 4 Be obedient; live gospel on daily basis so you are familiar with “still, small voice.”
What God says about discernment?
Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
They key part about using discernment to weed out false teaching, false prophets and false words given to you is knowing the scriptures and having a relationship with God. I have had people come to me and say things and I know right away something is off. It’s a feeling, the holt spirit stirs up and it’s almost like it’s flagging this as legitimate or to stay clear. I have had people prophitise the birth of my children during a time when science said it was impossible and today here they are. I knew that the person who spoke their lives were people of The word of God and guided by the spirit. I have also had people tell me things that I know though they are of the word and of God that something was off. Anyone who wants To reveal something to me I will listen. The key is discernment. I am big on confirmations, I am big on waiting. I am big on trusting that God will not lead me astray. I continue to study and build my relationship with him so I can weed out the false teaching or words before me.
When we are being used by the spirit to give word to someone or to warn someone or to pray over someone, that doesn’t grant us the right to self proclaim as a prophet. The prophets in the Bible, were not self proclaimed. They had a calling. That came via divine intervention.
Father God i thank you for all that you do for me, all you have done for me and all you continue to do for me. I thank you for the good things and blessings I have yet to see. I thank you for your love, mercy, guidance and patience with this imperfect person I am. I pray that you continue to guide me with the discerning spirit so that I may not be led astray by false teachings or words. I pray the Holy Spirit continues to lead and guide me in all the things I do. I know false prophets are around and will always be around but I pray they become illuminated with truth and have an encounter with you. I pray that people humble themselves and know to pick their battles wisely. I pray that people understand we are all your children, many are called few are chosen for specific destinies in their walks. Lord I know I am a daughter of servitude like Martha. I have the spirit to serve, to tend to care to watch. We should all learn my lord and listen to you know to understand where we are called in your ministry and not force things, my lord bless everyone with the ability to be able to use discernment to understand what is of yours and what is not. Once again my lord thank you for all that you do. In the name of the father, the son and Holy Spirit amen.