False Prophecy

True and False Prophecy

How do you and I tell the difference between a true prophet and a false prophet? Through out the bible we are warned to watch out for false prophets. There are many traits in which a true prophet has that distinguish them from false prophets. Moses says in Deut 18:15-22, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. For this is what you yourselves requested of the Lord your God when you were assembled at Mount Sinai. You said, ‘don’t let us hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore or see this blazing fire, for we will die. “Then the Lord said to me, what they have said is right. I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites.
There is cohesion between the two chapters reveals parallelism. The structure of these two chapters is built around a common theme of prophetic conflict. (Yates) It consists of six oracles. Part 1 opens with Jeremiah reporting on a specific date, “in that year,” that Hananiah spoke to him before the temple audience of priests and people. Oracle I, Hananiah: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years time I will bring back to this place all the temple vessels brought to Babylon. (vs 2-3) Oracle II, Hananiah: Jeconiah and exiles of Judah who come to Babylon, I will bring back to this place…for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. (vs 4). Part 2, the narrator reports Jeremiah’s reply; also Hananiah oracle response. (Vs 5-11) Oracle III, Hananiah: Even so I will break the yoke of the Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon within two year time from upon the neck of all nations. Part 3, the narrator concludes, And Jeremiah the prophet went on his way. (vs 11) Part 4, the narrator reports that the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah at a later time; directive given to go and speak to Hananiah. (Vs 12-13) Oracle IV, Jeremiah: Yoke bars of wood you have broken, but you have made in their place yoke bars of iron. (vs 13) Oracle V, Jeremiah: A yoke of iron I have put upon the neck of all nations; they and the beasts will serve Nebuchadnezzar. (vs 14) Part 5, Narrator reports Jeremiah’s discreditation of Hananiah: Yahweh
(Dreams, visions and music) And there are many types of prophets. (Royal, individual seers, and cultic) But the single factor that characterizes a genuine prophet, according to H.J. Kraus, is said to be an immediacy with God; the difference in this immediate contract with the divine council makes is illustrated by 1 Kings 22, where the opponents of Micaiah are said to have been dependent upon the Spirit sent by Yahweh for their message. Kraus continues with genuine revelation comes directly from Yahweh to Micaiah, while false prophesy is mediated to the four hundred by the Spirit. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a