When Jesus talked 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, insomuch that, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. But 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?
What does the Bible say about false prophets in the Old Testament?
The Bible says a lot of things about false prophets in the Old Testament. Not only in the New Testament we read about false prophets, but also in the Old Testament. These false prophets pretended that God sent them and spoke His words, while God had not sent them. These false prophets followed their own spirit and saw vanity and lying divination and prophecied lies from their hearts.
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; Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.
They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The Lord saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God. And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord God (Ezekiel 13:2-9)
The false prophets saw vain and foolish things and spoke lies
Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment (Lamentations 2:14)
Her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken (Ezekiel 22:28)
What does the Bible say about false prophets in the New Testament?
In the New Testament of the Bible, Paul, John, Peter, Jude (and others) warned about false prophets and false teachers. They warned the saints to be cautious and to try the spirits whether they were of God. These false prophets were among the people and spoke lies and brought in damnable heresies.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1)
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world (1 John 4:1)
What did Jesus say about false Christs and false prophets?
Jesus said about false Christs and false prophets, For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, 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)
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Matthew 7:15)
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many (Matthew 24:11)
Jesus warned us of false prophets and told us, how we can recognize false prophets. We can recognize false prophets by the fruit they bear.
False Christs and prophets do great signs and wonders. Therefore we can’t rely upon their teachings, miracles, signs, and wonders.
Jesus said, that we should look at their lives and what kind of fruit they bear in their lives. Do they walk after the Spirit according to the Word of God and keep His commandments? Do they do works of righteousness and bear the fruit of the Spirit?
Or do they walk after the flesh according to the will, lusts, and desire of the flesh? Do they bear the fruit of the flesh (works of the flesh), just like the world and sin?
What is the difference between a true and false Shepherd?
The difference between a true and false shepherd is that a true shepherd loves God and cares for His flock. Therefore he teaches, guides, keeps, and corrects the sheep. A false shepherd may seem pious and that he cares for the sheep, but his heart is full of iniquity. He only cares for himself and destroys the sheep.
For example, a prophet or preacher may seem pious and appear charismatic and speak wonderful encouraging words and even do signs and wonders, while in private, the prophet or preacher lives like the world doing the same works of the flesh.
When someone experience depression, addiction(s), or watch porn, commit adultery, go to clubs/bars, or leave his/her spouse and get a divorce, and lives in sin and doing things that oppose the Bible, you know that the person is not rooted and seated in Jesus Christ. The person is carnal and walks after the lusts and desires of the flesh instead of the Spirit.
When you look at the fruit of a person, you know whether you’re dealing with a true or false shepherd.
How do you recognize false Christs and false prophets?
You will recognize false Christs and false prophets by looking at their fruits. What fruits do they bear in their lives? They can speak the words in the Bible (many times taken out of context and used for the carnal man) but do they live according to the words in the Bible?
We have accepted too much garbage and false doctrines in the church. And because many Christians don’t examine the Bible themselves and are led by the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit, there is hardly any discernment anymore.
Many Christians follow their pastors, (famous) preachers, prophets, and evangelists, without studying the Bible for themselves.
They accept and believe their words, even if their words contradict the Word of God.
Let us be serious and watchful. Look at the fruit of the person. Do they produce the fruit of the Spirit or the flesh?
Jesus said, that this is the only way, that we can recognize and discern true and false prophets and false Christs.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, 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, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5:21-24)
False Christs and false prophets shall shew great signs and wonders
Jesus said in Matthew 24:24 (also in Mark 13:22-23), that these false Christs and false prophets shall shew great signs and wonders. They could even deceive the very elect if it were possible.
Imagine that! These false Christs and false prophets seem like they are sent by God and seem devoted to Him and do many great signs and wonders. All these things looks like they are sent and appointed by God, but the truth is, that they aren’t and don’t speak His words. Therefore be and stay watchful!
How do you recognize real from counterfeit?
You recognize real from counterfeit by studying the Bible and being led by the Holy Spirit. The more you study the Bible the more you will get to know the real Jesus Christ and the Father and get to know His will. When you renew your mind with the Word of God, the easier you will discern, what is real (genuine) and what is false (a counterfeit). But again… Jesus said, the only way you will discern false Christs and false prophets is by looking at their lives and the fruit they bear.
Jesus continued and said, that if these false Christs and false 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 (super)natural manifestations, which can also be counterfeits 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 lightning to compare to His return. Jesus will return like a thief in the night. Therefore we should stay watchful and be ready to meet Him upon His return.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
