Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

FALSE PROPHETS

Prophets who speak in the name of Baal (e.g., 1 Kgs. 18:19-40) or, more frequently, who speak lies in the name of the Lord (Mic. 3:5-8; Jer. 4:9-10).

A number of tests defined a false prophet (Gk. pseudoprophḗtēs). If the word of the prophet does not come true, then the prophet is false (Deut. 18:22; cf. Jer. 28:9). Yet this test is helpful only after the fact, not before disaster strikes. Furthermore, even some words of true prophets did not come true (e.g., Amos 7:11a). False prophets were condemned for dreams (Deut. 13:1-3; Jer. 23:25-38; Ezek. 13:9), but dreams were also acceptable (Gen. 28:10-22). False prophets engaged in ecstatic activity (1 Kgs. 18:19-40; 22:5-23), but ecstatic prophets were also acceptable as true prophets (1 Sam. 10:9-13). False prophets claimed to have the spirit of the Lord (1 Kgs. 22:24), but so did true prophets (Mic. 3:8; Isa. 61:1). Because of these ambiguities, people had difficulty choosing between true and false prophets.

The deciding factors seemed to be that false prophets did not attend the council of the Lord (Jer. 23:18) and were not sent by God (v. 21). They had their own visions (Jer. 23:16), using lying visions and worthless divinations (Mic. 3:7; Ezek. 13:3, 6). They gave the people false confidence, saying that the sword would not come (Jer. 4:10; 6:14; Ezek. 13:10).

The early Church was keenly aware of the perils posed by false prophets who might distract believers from the responsibilities of Christian discipleship (cf. Did. 11:3-12). Jesus warned of such individuals “who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15). They claimed supernatural powers (1 John 4:1) and practiced exorcism, using Jesus’ name (Matt. 12:27; Acts 19:13-16). The Jewish magician Bar-Jesus (Elymas), who opposed Paul and Barnabas, was a false prophet (Acts 13:6). In times of social upheaval the number of false prophets seems to have increased (cf. 2 Pet. 2:1-3); consequently, they figured prominently in Christian perceptions of the end times (Mark 13:22 par.; cf. Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10).

Martin Buber argues that false prophets developed their message out of the wishes and desires common to them and their people, and this message of wish fulfillment led Israel astray. False prophets may not have intended to deceive the Israelites; they were simply caught up in a world of wanting and wishing.

Bibliography. M. Buber, The Prophetic Faith (New York, 1960), esp. 176-80.

Lawrence A. Sinclair

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

FALSE PROPHETS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)