Unmasking False Prophets: Deception in the Name of Faith

If you are a Bible reader, you must have come across certain Biblical characters known as prophets. They are a fascinating group of people who were chosen by God to deliver messages to His people.

Prophetic work

Prophets received visions, dreams, and direct communication from God. It was their responsibility to convey these messages accurately to the people. The messages often addressed moral and spiritual matters, provided guidance, and foretold future events. Prophets frequently issued warnings about the consequences of disobedience to God’s commands. They exposed the moral and spiritual shortcomings of the people, urging them to repent and turn back to God. The prophets also offered guidance and correction, called for societal reforms and emphasized the importance of righteousness and justice.

Most importantly, in the Old Testament, prophets played the role of preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah (Christ). They foretold the birth, life, ministry, and redemptive work of the future Saviour, providing hope and anticipation for the salvation of God’s people.

God’s channels of communication

Since the creation of the world, God has employed various ways of communicating with man and making His will known. These include:

Creation: The very act of creating the world and everything in it is considered a revelation of God’s power, wisdom, and creativity. The beauty and complexity of the natural world are seen as evidence of God’s existence and attributes.

Direct Communication: God is depicted as speaking directly to individuals or groups of people throughout the Bible. For example, God spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He spoke to Noah, instructing him to build the ark, and to Moses through the burning bush.

Dreams and Visions: God communicated with people through dreams and visions. In the Old Testament, Joseph, Daniel, and many other prophets received divine messages through dreams. The book of Revelation in the New Testament is also believed to be a vision given to the apostle John.

Prophets: God appointed prophets to speak on His behalf and convey His messages to the people. These prophets included figures like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel in the Old Testament. Their prophecies were considered divine revelations.

Miracles: God performed miracles as a means of revealing His power and presence. Examples include the plagues in Egypt during the time of Moses, the parting of the Red Sea, and the various miracles performed by Jesus in the New Testament, such as healing the sick and raising the dead.

The Law and Commandments: God revealed His moral and ethical standards through the Ten Commandments and other laws. These laws were seen as a revelation of God’s will and His expectations for His people.

The Bible

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” – Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV).

The Bible, the collection of books that explains the ministry of Jesus, is the ultimate revelation of God’s Word. This sacred text contains the inspired and authoritative teachings of God. The Bible contains everything necessary for understanding God’s will, His plan for salvation, and guidance for moral and spiritual living. It is divinely inspired, meaning that God guided the human authors to accurately convey His message. This revelation culminates in the person of Jesus Christ, Who is the Word of God made flesh.

Hebrews 1:1–2 tells us that we are no longer in the period of time when God would reveal His will and message to the prophets, who then conveyed it to us. The passage emphasizes that God’s ultimate and final message to humanity has come through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God’s Word and the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. And since the Old Testament points to Jesus and the New Testament reveals Jesus, then the Bible is the ultimate revelation of God’s message to mankind. There are no additional revelations required beyond what is already contained in the biblical texts.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be COMPLETE, equipped for EVERY good work.” The Bible alone is sufficient for guiding and equipping believers for every good work. The prophetic is now not necessary for this process.

True prophets vs false prophets

The Bible warns us that in these final days, false prophets will arise and deceive many: “And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” – Matthew 24:11 (ESV). So how do we tell whether a professing prophet is on the level? Luckily for us, the Bible gives us a foolproof way of determining this. The Scriptures teach that since a true prophet is someone who speaks on behalf of God, then his words must come true. “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him” – Deuteronomy 18:22 (ESV).

Modern-day prophets

Many Christians today erroneously believe that the prophetic function is still active. This false belief has opened the door to all manner of false prophets who have wreaked havoc in the lives of believers worldwide. Despite these self-styled prophets’ continually failing the Deuteronomy 18:22 test, Christians still subscribe to their ministries.

On November 3, 2020, after his first term in presidential office, Donald Trump faced off against Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, and various third-party candidates in the general election. Many self-declared Christian prophets predicted that Donald Trump would win a second term as US President in 2020. J. Gordon Melton, a Baylor University professor of religion and the author of the renowned Encyclopedia of American Religions, identified at least 40 significant Christian prophets who predicted a Trump victory. Some of these prophets are Kevin Zadai, Kat Kerr, Robert Henderson, Jerimiah Johnson, Hank, and Mark Taylor. Their prophecies did not come to fruition, as Joe Biden won the election. Instead of admitting their wrongs, some of these prophets joined the chorus that attributed Trump’s loss to voter fraud.

Modern-day prophets have made numerous errors, from false end-of-the-world predictions to incorrect prophecies about political events. One prominent example is Harold Camping, who predicted the world would end in 2011 and later revised the date to 2012. Other prophets have made false predictions about natural disasters, the stock market, and even the presidency. These gaffes have led to ridicule and criticism from skeptics, while also causing disappointment and disillusionment for followers who believed their prophecies.

Africa has not been spared this scourge of false prophets. The late church leader and self-styled prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, also known as TB Joshua, wrongly predicted in a tweet that Hillary Clinton would win the 2016 American election. The tweet read: “I want to tell you what I saw. I saw the new President of America with a narrow win. And the new president will be facing challenges over many issues, including attempted vote of no confidence. In order not to keep you in suspense, I frankly saw a woman.” In the 2016 United States presidential election, Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, emerged as the winner. He defeated the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, and became the 45th President of the United States.

TB Joshua made another erroneous prediction that the COVID-19 coronavirus would vanish by the 27th of March 2020, just a few months after its outbreak in China. He is quoted as saying: “This month, 27th, it will be over. By the end of this month, whether we like it or not it will go the way it came. If it is not medicine that brought it to the world, then medicine cannot take it out.”

While on the COVID-19 topic, it is noteworthy that none of these self-appointed prophets foresaw the outbreak of the pandemic. This is one event that took the world by surprise and caught us all off guard, including these so-called prophets.

In Ghana, Prophet Nigel Gaisie prophesied that former President John Mahama would win the 2020 presidential election with 52.1 percent of the votes. He also said that the incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo would suffer a stroke before the election. In contrast, Mahama lost the election with 47.4 percent of the votes, and Akufo-Addo remained healthy.

The work of the Holy Spirit:

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you” – John 16:13-14 (ESV).

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in interpreting and applying the Bible’s teachings to contemporary life. He enlightens believers, enabling them to discern the timeless truths within the Biblical texts. He guides individuals in their understanding of God’s will, making the need for ongoing prophetic revelations unnecessary.

“But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him” – 1 John 2:27 (ESV).

Conclusion:

While prophets held a central role in Old Testament history, the Bible makes it clear that God now primarily speaks through His Bible. This is highlighted by the completeness of scriptural revelation, the preservation and universality of the Bible, and the role of the Holy Spirit in interpreting its teachings. Recognizing the Bible as the primary means of divine communication closes the door to false, destructive messages from the Enemy.