BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS
Matthew 7:15
Thoughtful hearers who listened to
Christ giving this warning, “beware of false prophets” will
immediately recognize its importance. Israel, as a nation, knew the great evil
false prophets did to their kings and to the whole nation. The spiritual
blindness on the whole nation was the result and the consequence of the
blindness and hardness of heart of their prophets, teachers and leaders. The
disobedience, rebellion, judgment,
captivity and prolonged suffering of the nation was caused by the false prophets. While they were out of the right way, walking in the way of the heathen, the false prophets assured them that they were still in the right way. When faithful prophets rose up to call them back to the narrow way, to the way of righteousness and life, false prophets hardened their hearts to continue in the broad way of sin and iniquity, “saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace.” The false prophets strengthened them in doing evil, promising life to those who had chosen the way of death.
captivity and prolonged suffering of the nation was caused by the false prophets. While they were out of the right way, walking in the way of the heathen, the false prophets assured them that they were still in the right way. When faithful prophets rose up to call them back to the narrow way, to the way of righteousness and life, false prophets hardened their hearts to continue in the broad way of sin and iniquity, “saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace.” The false prophets strengthened them in doing evil, promising life to those who had chosen the way of death.
“Beware of false prophets” could have been written on the sky
above the nation of Israel for all to read and remember constantly. They had
lost the blessing of Abraham, the covenant benefits were no longer theirs, they
were under the brutal rule of a foreign nation, there was spiritual blindness
among their leadership. The past glory of Israel had departed with no hope of
restoration in view, the nation had been trodden down under the feet of
Gentiles, they were slaves and captives in their own land - all because of the
sustained influence of false prophets. Now Christ had come in fulfillment of
the long-awaited promise: “The LORD thy God will raise up
unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee; unto Him ye shall hearken. I will
put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall
command Him” (Deuteronomy 18:15,18; Acts 3:22,23). This was the last
chance for Israel of that generation. If they gave in to the false prophets
again, they would miss a great restoration and remain in spiritual blindness
and captivity for thousands of years. They needed the warning, “beware
of false prophets”. We need this warning too.
1. THE
HISTORY OF FALSE PROPHETS
Matthew 7:15; Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 1 Kings 22:6,10-14,
20-23; Isaiah 28:7; Jeremiah 2:8;
5:30,31; 6:13-17; Lamentations 2:14-17; Zephaniah 3:1-7.
The Lord, Jesus Christ, had described the way into the
Kingdom very clearly. From the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, He had
spoken as the Prophet who “the LORD your God [shall]
raise up unto you” (Deuteronomy 18:15,18; Acts 3:22-26;
7:37). History often repeats itself. There were true and faithful prophets in
the Old Testament but they were out-numbered by the false prophets. Christ, the
Saviour, Lord, Priest, Prophet and King, now spoke to everyone and to the whole
nation. He declared the whole truth concerning the only way to God. What would
their response and decision be? Would they enter through the strait gate and
persevere in the narrow way until the end or would they allow themselves to be
deceived by the false prophets and be lost forever? As it was in the Old
Testament, so it was at the time of Christ and so shall it be till the end of
time! The false prophets out-numbered the faithful prophets and their influence
was great and almost irresistible.
“Beware of false prophets.” The false prophets of the Old
Testament had easy access to the kings and they wielded national influence.
They spoke their lies with much confidence and deceived many people. They never suffered persecution and were even
granted resources from kings and princes to propagate their error. The widely
accepted ministry of the false prophets encouraged multitudes to continue on
the broad way that leads to destruction.
2. THE HYPOCRISY OF FALSE PROPHETS
Matthew 7:15; Isaiah 9:13-16; Jeremiah 14:13-15; 23:30-32;
Ezekiel 13:3-6;
Jeremiah 29:8,9; 28:1-16; Hosea 9:7-9; Micah 3:11,12.
Hypocrisy and deception were the common marks of the false
prophets in ancient times. The average man who saw the appearance of the false
prophet to be similar to that of the true prophet looked no farther and was
easily deceived. The false prophets wore “sheep’s clothing” as if
they were true prophets of God and their followers did not know that “inwardly
they [were] ravening wolves.” In the Old
Testament, the hypocritical prophets used to “wear a rough
garment to deceive” (Zechariah 13:4).
Deception is always dangerous but it is most dangerous and
damning when the way to hell is mistaken for the way to heaven. The messages of
the false prophets were fatally deceptive. “The prophets prophesy
falsely. From the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. The
prophets prophesy lies in My Name. The prophets walk in lies. Let not your
prophets deceive you, for they prophesy falsely unto you in My Name”
(Jeremiah 5:31; 6:13; 14:14; 23:14; 29:8,9). The effect of the deception
and hypocrisy of the false prophets was terrible and devastating on every
individual, and all the families in the whole nation for many centuries even
until this generation. The false prophets “walked after things that do
not profit” (Jeremiah 2:8), they “erred
and [were] out of the way” (Isaiah 28:7), they
were “light and treacherous” and did “violence
to the law” (Zephaniah 3:4), they “corrupted all
their doings” (Zephaniah 3:7). Because the false prophets
“[taught] lies” (Isaiah 9:15) and even “taught
rebellion against the Lord” (Jeremiah 28:16; 29:32), with
their lies they “strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not
return from his wicked way, by promising him life” (Ezekiel
13:22). False prophets were a major factor in the backsliding and apostasy of
God’s covenant people in the past. May the Hand that wrote on the wall of the
king’s palace write this warning on our hearts: “Beware of false prophets”.
3.
THE HEARTLESSNESS OF FALSE
PROPHETS
Matthew 7:15; Jeremiah 4:9,10;
23:9-11; Lamentations 4:12-15; Jeremiah 27:15,16; 32:32-34; Ezekiel 22:25-27;
Zechariah 13:2-5; 1 Kings 13:1-10,11-24.
Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the “Teacher
come from God ” referred to the false prophets as “ravening
wolves.” God, through His servants in the Old Testament had also
referred to those prophets, princes and leaders as wolves. “Her
prophets in the midst thereof, like a ROARING LION ravening the prey ... have DEVOURED SOULS”.
“Her priests have VIOLATED MY LAW.” “Her princes in the midst thereof
are like WOLVES RAVENING the prey ... to DESTROY SOULS, to get dishonest gain”
(Ezekiel 22:25-27). “Her princes within her are ROARING
LIONS; her judges are evening WOLVES. Her prophets are light and treacherous
persons; her priests have DONE VIOLENCE TO THE LAW” (Zephaniah 3:3,4).
Faithful prophets, like the good Shepherd are committed to feeding God’s people
with the truth (Jeremiah 3:15). False prophets, like ravening wolves, only come
to devour and destroy, “Beware of false prophets”.
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