When Jesus talked with His disciples about the end times and the sign of His coming, Jesus het in Matteus gesê 24:24, there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch dat, 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?
Not only in the New Testament do we read about false prophets. But also in the Old Testament, we read about false prophets, who God did not send.
U profete het ydele en dwase dinge vir u gesien: en hulle het u ongeregtigheid nie ontdek nie, om jou gevangenskap af te keer; maar het vir jou valse laste en oorsake van verbanning gesien (Klaagliedere 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 sê die Here God; Wee die dwase profete, wat hul eie gees volg, en niks gesien het nie!
O Israel, jou profete is soos die jakkalse in die woestyne. Julle het nie in die gapings opgegaan nie, ook nie die heining opgemaak vir die huis van Israel om in die dag van die Here in die stryd te staan nie.
Hulle het ydelheid en leuenagtige waarsêery gesien, sê, Die Here spreek: en die HERE het hulle nie gestuur nie: en hulle het ander laat hoop dat hulle die woord sou bevestig. Het julle nie 'n ydele visioen gesien nie, en het julle nie 'n leuenagtige waarsêery gespreek nie, terwyl julle sê, Die Here sê dit; al het ek nie gepraat nie?
Daarom, so spreek die Here HERE HERE; Omdat julle nietigheid gespreek het, en leuens gesien, Dus, kyk, Ek is teen jou, spreek die Here God. En my hand sal wees op die profete wat nietigheid sien, en dat goddelike leuens: hulle sal nie in die vergadering van my volk wees nie, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, hulle mag ook nie in die land Israel ingaan nie; en julle sal weet dat Ek die Here God is (Esegiël 13:2-9)
Her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, ydelheid sien, en waarsêery lê vir hulle, sê, So sê die Here God, wanneer die Here nie gespreek het nie (Esegiël 22:28)
What does the Bible say about prophets in the New Testament?
In the New Testament Paul, John, Petrus, Jude (and others) warned about false prophets and false teachers. They warned the saints to be cautious
Maar daar was ook valse profete onder die volk, net soos daar valse leraars onder julle sal wees, wat in die geheim verdoemende dwaalleer sal inbring, selfs die Here wat hulle gekoop het, verloën, en bring vinnige vernietiging oor hulleself (2 Petrus 2:1)
Geliefde, Glo nie elke gees nie, maar beproef die geeste of hulle uit God is: omdat baie valse profete in die wêreld uitgegaan het (1 John 4:1)
Jesus warned us about false prophets and false christs
Want daar sal valse christusse opstaan, en valse profete, en sal groot tekens en wonders toon; insomuch dat, as dit moontlik was, hulle sal die uitverkorenes mislei. Sien, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Sien, he is in the desert; go not forth: kyk, 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(Matteus 24:24-28)
Pasop vir valse profete, wat in skaapsklere na jou toe kom, maar innerlik is hulle roofsugtige wolwe (Matteus 7:15)
And many false prophets shall rise, en sal baie mislei (Matteus 24:11)
Jesus warned us of false prophets, and told us, how can 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, leerstellings, Wonderwerke, tekens, en wonders.
Jesus told us 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 bear the fruit of the Spirit?
Or do they walk after the flesh according to the will, begeertes, and desire of the flesh? And do they bear the fruit of the flesh (works of the flesh), net soos die wêreld?
A true Shepherd vs a Wolf in sheep’s Clothing
Byvoorbeeld, A charismatic prophet or preacher can speak wonderful encouraging words and maybe do signs and wonders. Egter, in private, the prophet or preacher lives like the world doing the same works.
When the person experiences depression, verslawing(s), watches porn, commits adultery, goes to clubs/bars, leaves his/her spouse and gets a egskeiding, or is habitually living in sin and doing things that oppose 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 lusts and desires of the flesh instead of the Spirit.
When you look at the fruit, that a person produces, you know whether 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 themselves and are led by the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit, there is hardly any discernment anymore.
Many Christians follow their pastors, (well-known) predikers, profete, and evangelists, without studying the Bible for themselves. They accept and believe their words, even if their words contradict the Word of God. (Lees ook: Valse leerstellings wat 'n belediging vir God is).
Let us be serious and watchful. Look at the fruit of the person. Do they produce the fruit of the Spirit or the flesh?
Nou is die werke van die vlees duidelik, wat is hierdie; Owerspel, hoerery, onreinheid, ongebondenheid, Afgodery, heksery, Haat, variansie, emulasies, toorn, twis, Sedisies, Dwaalleer, Envyings, Moorde, dronkenskap, Verlustigings, en so soos: van die wat ek jou voorheen vertel, soos ek jou ook in die verlede gesê het, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, vreugde, vrede, lankmoedigheid, gentleness, Goedheid, geloof, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Galasiërs 5:21-24)
Jesus het gesê, that this is the only way, that we can recognize and discern true and false prophets and Christs.
Jesus told us in Matthew 24:24 (also in Mark 13:22-23), that these false Christs and prophets could even deceive the very elect if Jesus didn’t warn us about them. Imagine that! These prophets seem like they are sent by God and seem devoted to God. Maar die waarheid is, that they aren’t sent by God. Therefore be and stay watchful!
How do you recognize real from counterfeit?
The more you study the Bible; die Woord van God, the more you will get to know the real Jesus Christ. If you renew your mind with the Word of God, the easier you will discern, what is real (genuine) and what is false (a counterfeit). Maar weereens… Jesus het gesê, 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 (super)natural manifestations, which can 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 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.
‘Wees die sout van die aarde’
