What does the Bible say about false prophets?
Scripture treats false prophets as a permanent hazard rather than an occasional scandal: they appear in Israel, in the words of Jesus, in the letters of Peter and John, and again at the end of the age. The commentators press two questions on every reader — how do you spot them, and why does God allow such convincing counterfeits at all?
Deuteronomy 13 — Miracles prove nothing
The law faced the hardest case first: a prophet whose sign actually comes true, but who steers people to other gods. One writer notes that this settles forever whether a supernatural display can outrank what God has already said.
The Bible TreasuryIn Deuteronomy 13 the possibility of "a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams," giving "a sign or a wonder," and the same coming true, his object being to turn them to other gods which they had not known, is put before the people with the striking prohibition, "You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you." Does this not clearly show that no claimed message from God could ever set aside that memorable word with which the Lord Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness — "It is written."
That principle carries straight into the end times, where signs will be at their most impressive.
VariousStrong delusions and satanic miracles to deceive are permitted by God as a judgment on those who do not receive the love of the truth so that they might be saved (see 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). Working miracles is no evidence of the Holy Spirit's power. Satan has always worked miracles to deceive, and one of the marks of the end time is that Satan will work many miracles to deceive, if possible, the very elect.
Jeremiah and Ezekiel — The message is comfort
The trademark of Israel's false prophets was reassurance. Jeremiah heard them promise safety while judgment was already on the way, and Kelly draws out the ending.
William KellyThe false prophets must be the first to fall by the very evil from which they promised the people exemption, and the people must learn the folly of listening to man's promises by their own righteous ruin.
Gaebelein notices when such men typically surface, and against whom.
Arno Clemens GaebeleinThe false prophets appeared mostly, if not entirely, when judgment was hanging over the nation, as we learn from the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. These false prophets opposed the true prophets of God, who preached the God-given message, while the false prophets rejected the Word of the Lord and belittled it. They spoke out of their own hearts and spoke empty words and lies (Ezekiel 13:2, 8). Their message was "peace" when there was no peace.
Matthew 7 — Known by their fruits
Jesus gives the test of fruit. Commentators differ slightly on what "fruit" means here. Several read it as the whole life; F. W. Grant argues the fruit is chiefly what they teach, tasted by the person who tries it.
Numerical Bible NotesThe fruit would show them for what they are, but we must remember that this is not necessarily immoral conduct, in which case the sheep's clothing would no longer stay on, but rather their doctrines tested by experience, as when men looking for grapes find nothing but a mockery of them. Satan, when he comes in as an angel of light, does not send out open evildoers to recommend his doctrines, while on the other hand a bad life may dishonour a preacher of solid truth.
Hole puts the same test in one line: fruit exposes the root.
F. B. HoleThey are to be known not by their fine words but by their fruits. Fruit is the result and crowning expression of life, and it reveals the character of the life it completes. The false prophet has a false life, which must show itself in false fruit.
2 Peter 2 — Smuggled in, not announced
Peter says what was true in Israel will be true among Christians. Hole highlights the method hidden in Peter's verb.
F. B. HolePeter therefore warned these early Christians that they must be on their guard against false teachers who would secretly bring in "damnable" or "destructive" heresies. Satan is never more dangerous than when he works secretly, by stealth; when instead of a frontal attack, boldly denying truth, he creeps in on the flank, making merchandise of the people of God with plausible words, as verse 3 puts it. Indeed the very word translated "secretly bring in" means literally "shall lead in sideways."
Hamilton Smith names the motive that drives the smuggling.
Hamilton SmithMoved by covetousness, these false teachers by "well-turned words" make merchandise of the Christian profession. As the Jews of old turned the temple of God into a house of trade, so these false teachers use their profession of Christianity, and their natural eloquence, to make a living.
1 John 4 — Test the spirits
John's command assumes something real is speaking behind the speaker. Kelly reduces the testing to two fixed points.
William KellyThe first test against error is Jesus Christ come in flesh, whom the Holy Spirit always glorifies; whereas the spirit that does not confess Him is not of God. The second is not the law and the prophets, inspired as they were, but the new testimony of Christ by apostles and prophets. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us.
Summary
- Disguise. The false prophet's cover is not evil but likeness — sheep's clothing, plausible words, entry sideways rather than by frontal attack.
- Comfort. His characteristic message is peace when there is no peace; he appears exactly when warning is most needed.
- Credentials. A sign that comes true proves nothing; miracles are no evidence of the Spirit, and God may allow them as a test.
- Motive. Covetousness turns the Christian profession into a trade, making merchandise of God's people.
- Test. Fruit, the Person of Christ come in flesh, and the apostles' written testimony — three checks that no counterfeit survives.