Imitators of God - Devotional: Beware of False Prophets Part 1

IMITATORS OF GOD

CONFORMING TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST

Mountain High Men's Ministry

Prescott, AZ

DEVOTIONAL

Beware of False Prophets

Part 1

Matthew 7:15-20 (NASB)

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "So then, you will know them by their fruits."

Greetings!

After giving the invitation to "enter by the narrow gate" (Matt. 7:13), to come to God by the only way He has provided, Jesus warns that not everyone who claims to belong to God and to speak for Him actually does so. When we stand at the crossroads of decision, we should remember that the true way to God is narrow and that the false way is broad; the true way is difficult and demanding, and the false way is easy and permissive; the true way has relatively few following in it, and the false way has many.

Jesus now says, in effect, "As you strive to enter that narrow gate and walk that narrow way that leads to life, beware of those who would mislead you. Just as there is a misleading gate and a misleading way, there are also misleading preachers and teachers who point to that gate and promote that way." Just like the false gate and way, they will claim to show the way to heaven and life, but they actually show the way to hell and destruction. The false gate has false prophets standing in front of it who seek to lead people into the false way and hinder them from entering the true.

In the present passage Jesus first gives a warning and then calls us to be watchful. Just as He described the true and false ways (Matt. 7:13-14), He now describes the true and false teachers of those ways.

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS

MATTHEW 7:15-20

Part 1

WARNING

Matthew 7:15 (NASB)

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves."

"False prophets" were not new to Israel. As long as God has had true prophets, Satan has had false ones. They are seen from the earliest times of redemptive history. Moses warned,

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 (NASB)
"If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, ² and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,' ³ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴ "You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. ⁵ "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God... to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you." (emphasis added)

False prophets always find a hearing and often are encouraged by those who are displeased with God's ways. Isaiah said of Israel,

Isaiah 30:9-10 (NASB)
For this is a rebellious people, false sons, Sons who refuse to listen To the instruction of the LORD;¹⁰ Who say to the seers, "You must not see visions"; And to the prophets, "You must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions. (emphasis added)

From chapter 5 through chapter 23 of Jeremiah, we see that man of God repeatedly against the false prophets by whom his people were being so terribly misled.

Jeremiah 5:12-13 (NASB)
They have lied about the LORD And said, "Not He; Misfortune will not come on us, And we will not see sword or famine.¹³ "The prophets are as wind, And the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them!" (emphasis added)

Jeremiah 5:12-13 (NLT2)
"They have lied about the LORD and said, ‘He won’t bother us! No disasters will come upon us. There will be no war or famine. ¹³ God’s prophets are all windbags who don’t really speak for Him. Let their predictions of disaster fall on themselves!’” (emphasis added)

Jeremiah 5:30-31 (NASB)
"An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land:³¹ The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?" (emphasis added)

Jeremiah 6:13-15 (NASB)
"For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is greedy for gain, And from the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.¹⁴ "They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, 'Peace, peace,' But there is no peace. ¹⁵ "Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them, They shall be cast down," says the LORD. (emphasis added)

Jeremiah 6:13-15 (NLT2)
“From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. From prophets to priests, they are all frauds. ¹⁴ They offer superficial treatments for My people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace. ¹⁵ Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them,” says the LORD. (emphasis added)

Jeremiah 10:21 (NASB)
For the shepherds have become stupid And have not sought the LORD; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flock is scattered. (emphasis added)

Jeremiah 10:21 (NLT2)
The shepherds of my people have lost their senses. They no longer seek wisdom from the LORD. Therefore, they fail completely, and their flocks are scattered. (emphasis added)

As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives shortly before the last Passover week, His disciples asked,

Matthew 24:3-5 (NASB)
"Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" ⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. ⁵ "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. (emphasis added)

Matthew 24:24 (NASB)
"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. (emphasis added)

John warns against the same problem, pointing out that "many deceivers have gone out into the world" (2 John 7). (emphasis added)

Paul warned the Roman believers,

Romans 16:17-18 (NASB)
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. ¹⁸ For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. (emphasis added)

Romans 16:17-18 (AMP)
I appeal to you, brethren, to be on your guard concerning those who create dissensions and difficulties and cause divisions, in opposition to the doctrine (the teaching) which you have been taught. [I warn you to turn aside from them, to] avoid them. ¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites and base desires, and by ingratiating and flattering speech, they beguile the hearts of the unsuspecting and simpleminded [people]. (emphasis added)

Romans 16:17-18 (NLT2)
And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. ¹⁸ Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people. (emphasis added)

In other parts of the New Testament "false prophets" are spoken of as "deceitful spirits" who advocate "doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1) and as those "who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them" (2 Pet. 2:1). (emphasis added)

They are called false brothers (2 Cor. 11:26), false apostles (2 Cor. 11:13), false teachers (2 Pet. 2:1), false speakers, that is, liars (1 Tim. 4:2), false witnesses (Matt. 26:60), and false Christs (Matt. 24:24). The apostle John tells us, therefore,

1 John 4:1 (NASB)
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. (emphasis added)

Paul's last words to the Ephesian elders, when he met with them for a farewell on the beach near Miletus, included a somber warning about inevitable false teachers.

Acts 20:29-30 (NASB)
"I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰ and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. (emphasis added)

Acts 20:29-30 (AMP)
I know that after I am gone, ferocious wolves will get in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰ Even from among your own selves men will come to the front who, by saying perverse (distorted and corrupt) things, will endeavor to draw away the disciples after them [to their own party]. (emphasis added)

Acts 20:29-30 (NLT2)
I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. (emphasis added)

There has always been a large market for false prophets, because most people do not want to hear the truth. They prefer to hear what is pleasant and flattering, even if it is false and dangerous, over what is unpleasant and unflattering, even if it is true and helpful.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NASB)
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (emphasis added)

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (AMP)
For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, ⁴ And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions. (emphasis added)

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NLT2)
For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will reject the truth and chase after myths. (emphasis added)

Proverbs 22:19 (NASB)

So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you.

Amen.

Ephesians 1:16-18 (NLT2)

I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your heart will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called—His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance.

Richard Valenzuela

Prescott Men's Ministry

Imitators of God, Conforming to the Image of Christ

Richard@NationalAutoBodyResearch.com

Mobile: 520-971-6110

GROW UP IN ALL ASPECTS

INTO CHRIST

Ephesians 4:15 (NASB)

But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.

IMITATORS OF GOD-Conforming to the Image of Christ

Mountain High Men's Ministry - Prescott, AZ