When Jesus was talking with His disciples about the end times and the sign of His coming, Jesus said in Matthew 24:24, there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, insofern, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. What did Jesus mean? What will these false Christs and false prophets and their deceiving signs and wonders look like? What does the Bible say about false Christs and false prophets?
False prophets in the Old Testament
Not only in the New Testament do we read about false prophets. But also in the Old Testament, we read about false prophets, who were not sent by God.
Deine Propheten haben eitle und törichte Dinge für dich gesehen: und sie haben deine Missetat nicht erkannt, um deine Gefangenschaft abzuwenden; sondern habe für dich falsche Bürden und Gründe für die Verbannung gesehen (Klagelieder 2:14)
Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord; So spricht der Herr, Gott; Wehe den törichten Propheten, die ihrem eigenen Geist folgen, und habe nichts gesehen! Israel, Deine Propheten sind wie die Füchse in der Wüste. Ihr seid nicht in die Lücken hineingegangen, und bildeten auch nicht den Schutzwall für das Haus Israel, damit es am Tag des Herrn in der Schlacht standhalten konnte. Sie haben Eitelkeit und lügnerische Weissagung gesehen, Sprichwort, Der Herr spricht: und der Herr hat sie nicht gesandt: und sie haben anderen Hoffnung gemacht, dass sie das Wort bestätigen würden. Habt ihr nicht eine vergebliche Vision gesehen?, Und habt ihr nicht eine lügnerische Wahrsagerei gesprochen?, wohingegen ihr sagt, Der Herr sagt es; obwohl ich nicht gesprochen habe?
Darum also spricht der Herr, Gott; Weil ihr Eitelkeit geredet habt, und gesehene Lügen, daher, erblicken, Ich bin gegen dich, spricht der Herr, Gott. Und meine Hand wird auf den Propheten sein, die Eitelkeit sehen, und diese göttlichen Lügen: Sie sollen nicht in der Versammlung meines Volkes sein, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, und sie sollen auch nicht in das Land Israel hineingehen; und ihr werdet erkennen, dass ich der Herr, Gott, bin (Hesekiel 13:2-9)
Her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, Eitelkeit sehen, und sie erraten Lügen, Sprichwort, So spricht der Herr, Gott, wenn der Herr nicht gesprochen hat (Hesekiel 22:28)
False prophets in the New Testament
In the New Testament there are many warnings about false prophets and false teachers. Paul, John, Peter, Jude (and others) wrote about them. They warned the saints to be cautious
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, der heimlich verdammende Ketzereien einbringt, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1)
Geliebten, Glaube nicht jedem Geist, aber prüfe die Geister, ob sie von Gott sind: denn viele falsche Propheten sind in die Welt hinausgegangen (1 John 4:1)
Jesus warned us about false prophets
Denn es werden falsche Christusse entstehen, und falsche Propheten, und werden große Zeichen und Wunder tun; insofern, Wenn es möglich wäre, Sie werden die Auserwählten verführen. Erblicken, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Erblicken, he is in the desert; go not forth: erblicken, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together (Matthew 24:24-28)
Hüten Sie sich vor falschen Propheten, die im Schafspelz zu dir kommen, aber innerlich sind sie gefräßige Wölfe (Matthew 7:15)
And many false prophets shall rise, und wird viele verführen (Matthew 24:11)
Jesus warned us of false prophets, and told us, how we can recognize false prophets. We can recognize them by the fruit they bear.
False Christs and prophets do great signs and wonders. Therefore we cannot rely upon their teachings, Lehren, Wunder, Zeichen, und Wunder.
Jesus told us that we should look at their lives, and what fruit they bear in their lives. Do they walk according to the Word of God, and walk in His commandments? Do they bear die Frucht des Geistes or the fruit of the flesh?
Zum Beispiel, when a charismatic prophet or preacher, preaches wonderful encouraging sermons from the pulpit. And when (S)he does many signs and wonders, but in private, (S)he lives like the world.
When the person experiences depression, commits adultery, watches porn, goes to clubs/bars, leaves his/her spouse and gets a divorce, or is habitually living in sin, and do those things which go against the Word of God, you know that the person is not rooted and seated in Jesus Chris. The person is carnal and walks after the flesh, statt nach dem Geist.
When you look at the fruit, which a person produces, you will know if you’re dealing with a true shepherd or a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
How do you recognize false Christs and false prophets?
We have accepted too much garbage and false doctrines in the church. And because many Christians don’t examine the Bible by themselves and are led by the flesh instead of being led by the Holy Spirit, there is hardly any discernment anymore. Many Christians follow their pastors, (well-known) Prediger, Propheten, and evangelists, without studying the Bible for themselves. They accept and believe their words, even if they contradict the Word of God (Lesen Sie auch: How doctrines of devils are killing the church? Und False doctrines that are an insult to God.
Let us be serious and watchful and look at the fruit of the person; are the fruits they produce, fruits of the Spirit or fruits of the flesh.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, Unzucht, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, Hexerei, Hass, variance, Emulationen, Zorn, Streit, seditions, Häresien, Envyings, murders, Trunkenheit, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, Freude, Frieden, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, Glaube, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts(Galater 5:21-24)
Jesus sagt, that this is the only way, that we can recognize and discern true and false prophets and Christs.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:24, that these false Christs and prophets could even deceive the very elect, if Jesus didn’t warn us about them. Stell dir das vor! These prophets seem so real, and so devoted to God, aber die Wahrheit ist, that they aren’t sent from God. Therefore be and stay watchful!
How do you recognize real from counterfeit?
The more you study the Bible; das Wort Gottes, the more you will get to know the real Jesus Christ. If you renew your mind mit dem Wort Gottes, the easier you will discern, what is real (genuine) and what is false (a counterfeit). Aber wieder….Jesus sagte, the only way you will discern false Christs and prophets, is to look at their lives and the fruit they bear.
Jesus continued and said, that if these false Christs and prophets say, that the Son of man is in the desert, you should not go there, or in the secret chambers, you should not believe it. You do not have to search for Jesus in places. You shouldn’t be led by supernatural manifestations, which could also be a counterfeit of the devil.
When Jesus returns, everyone will see Jesus, not just one person, or a few persons. He shall return at an unexpected moment. Jesus gave us the example of lightening to compare to His return. Jesus will return like a thief in the night, therefore we should always stay watchful and be prepared to meet Him at His return.
„Sei das Salz der Erde.“’
