When Jesus talked with His disciples about the end times and the sign of His coming, Jesus sa i Matteus 24:24, there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, i den grad at, 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.
Dine profeter har sett tomme og tåpelige ting for deg: og de har ikke oppdaget din misgjerning, for å avvise ditt fangenskap; men har sett for deg falske byrder og årsaker til forvisning (Klagesangene 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; Thus saith the Lord God; Ve de uforstandige profeter, som følger sin egen ånd, og ikke har sett noe!
O Israel, Dine profeter er som revene i ørkenen. Dere har ikke gått opp i gapet, heller ikke laget hekken for Israels hus for å stå i kampen på Herrens dag.
De har sett tomhet og løgnaktig spådom, ordtak, Herren sier: og Herren har ikke sendt dem: og de har fått andre til å håpe at de ville bekrefte ordet. Har dere ikke sett et fåfengt syn, Og har dere ikke talt en løgnaktig spådom, mens dere sier, Herren sier det; selv om jeg ikke har snakket?
Derfor, så sier Herren Gud; Fordi dere har talt tomhet, og sett løgner, derfor, se, Jeg er imot deg, sier Herren Gud. Og min hånd skal hvile på profetene som ser tomhet, og at guddommelige løgner: de skal ikke være i mitt folks forsamling, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, heller ikke skal de komme inn i Israels land; og dere skal kjenne at jeg er Herren Gud (Esekiel 13:2-9)
Her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, ordtak, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken (Esekiel 22:28)
What does the Bible say about prophets in the New Testament?
In the New Testament Paul, John, Peter, Jude (and others) warned about false prophets and false teachers. 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, som i skjul skal bringe inn fordømte kjetterier, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1)
Kjær, Tro ikke alle ånder, men prøv åndene om de er av Gud: fordi mange falske profeter er gått ut i verden (1 John 4:1)
Jesus warned us about false prophets and false christs
For falske Kristuser skal oppstå, og falske profeter, og skal gjøre store tegn og under; i den grad at, hvis det var mulig, de skal forføre selve de utvalgte. Se, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Se, he is in the desert; go not forth: se, he is in the secret chambers; tro det ikke. 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)
Vokt dere for falske profeter, som kommer til deg i fåreklær, men innvendig er de glupske ulver (Matthew 7:15)
And many false prophets shall rise, og skal bedra mange (Matthew 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, doktriner, miracles, tegn, og underverker.
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, lyster, and desire of the flesh? And do they bear the fruit of the flesh (kjødets gjerninger), akkurat som verden?
A true Shepherd vs a Wolf in sheep’s Clothing
For eksempel, A charismatic prophet or preacher can speak wonderful encouraging words and maybe do signs and wonders. derimot, in private, the prophet or preacher lives like the world doing the same works.
When the person experiences depression, avhengighet(s), watches porn, commits adultery, goes to clubs/bars, leaves his/her spouse and gets a skilsmisse, 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) Predikanter, profeter, and evangelists, without studying the Bible for themselves. They accept and believe their words, even if their words contradict the Word of God. (Les også: Falske læresetninger som er en fornærmelse mot Gud).
Let us be serious and watchful. Look at the fruit of the person. Do they produce the fruit of the Spirit or the flesh?
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, utukt, urenhet, lasciviousness, Idolatry, hekseri, hat, variance, emuleringer, vrede, strid, seditions, Partier, Envyings, murders, Drukkenskap, 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, glede, fred, longsuffering, gentleness, godhet, tro, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Galaterbrevet 5:21-24)
sa Jesus, 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. Men sannheten er, 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; Guds ord, 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). Men igjen… sa Jesus, 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.
«Vær jordens salt’
