A) INTRODUCTION.

B) THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHET MUST AGREE WITH THE BIBLE.
C) THE PROPHETS PREDICTIONS MUST COME TRUE.

D) CHRIST’S INCARNATION MUST BE RECOGNIZED.

E) THE PROPHET MUST BEAR GOOD FRUIT.

F)  PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS MUST OCCUR WHILE THE PROPHET IS IN VISION.

 

 

A) INTRODUCTION

 

 

An old saying states:  “Prophets were sent by the Lord to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comforted.”

 

So why this study?  Are we supposed to test everyone who claims to be a prophet of the Lord?  The Bible states, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”  First John 4:1.

 

Second Peter 1:20-21:  “(20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. (21) For the prophets came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”  See also Acts 1:16; First Peter 1:10-11.

 

There is a certain stigma that is attached to ANYONE who claims to be/have a message from the Lord.  In fact, all who have claimed this status have been derided by their contemporaries.  The Bible even points this out in Acts 7:52:  “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?”  Therefore, before any true judgement can be made, let’s follow the Bibles advice:  “Doth our Law judge any man, before it hear him?”  John 7:51.

 

SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS:  Why are so many false prophets so successful?  Because false prophets know their audience.  They know what sort of guarantees to make to them in order to make them believe they will get what they want (and he/she -- the false prophet -- gets what they want).  Also, beware of crowd mentality.

 

 

B) THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHET MUST AGREE WITH THE BIBLE
 

 

Isaiah 8:20:  “To the Law and to the Testimony:  if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.”

 

Deuteronomy 13:1-5:  “(1) If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, (2) And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; (3) Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams:  for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (4) Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear Him, and keep His Commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him. (5) And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God Commanded thee to walk in.  So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.”

 

The Holy Spirit never contradicts His previously given testimony, for/from God:  “with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”  James 1:17.  See also:  Numbers 23:19; Psalm 89:34 & 102:27; Ecclesiastes 3:14-15; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 1:11-12 & 13:8; First Peter 1:23; for these show that our Lord is NEVER changing.

 

The teachings of a true prophet will always harmonize with all that the former true prophets have spoken (Acts 3:22-24; 24:14; 26:22 (27); 28:23; 1Co. 14:32; 1Pe. 1:11; Rev. 19:10).

 

For false messages to be aware of, see Proverbs 14:15; Jeremiah 5:31 & 29:8-9; Matthew 7:15-16; Romans 16:18; Second Peter 2:1.

C) THE PROPHETS’ PREDICTIONS MUST COME TRUE

 

 

Deuteronomy 18:20-22:  “(20) But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in My Name, which I have not Commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. (21) And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? (22) When a prophet speaketh in the Name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:  thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

 

See also Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Isaiah 41:22; Jeremiah 14:14-15; 23:13-15 & 31; 27:15; 28:1-17; Ezekiel 13:6; Zechariah 1:5-6; Matthew 7:15; John 10:35; Acts 1:16; Second Peter 2:12.

 

 

D) CHRIST’S INCARNATION MUST BE RECOGNIZED

 

 

First John 4:2-3:  “(2) Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:  Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:  and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

 

See also John 16:13-15; First Corinthians 12:3; First Timothy 3:16.

 

 

E) THE PROPHET MUST BEAR GOOD FRUIT

 

 

Matthew 7:15-20:  “(15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (16) Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (17) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. (18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. (19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (20) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

 

See also Matthew 3:8-12 & 12:33; Luke 3:9 & 6:43-44; John 15:4-7; James 3:12.

 

 

F)  PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS MUST OCCUR WHILE THE PROPHET IS IN VISION

 

 

A.  His eyes are open (Numbers 24:2-4).

B.  He does not breath (Daniel 10:9 & 15-17).

C.  He retains no strength (Daniel 10:8-9 & 16-17; Revelation 1:17).

D.  He prepares to speak the words of the Lord in the vision (Numbers 12:6 & 24:2-4; Daniel 10:16-19).

E.  He shall be given strength (Psalm 138:3; Ezekiel 2:2 & 3:24; Daniel 10:10 & 18-19).