“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” (Deuteronomy 13:3).
TEXT — Deuteronomy 13:1-11
Message
In August 2013, a public zoo in the third largest province in China was temporarily shut down due to an unusual problem. Visitors discovered that the zoo’s lion was a dog posing as a lion. According to a report in Euronews, the fraud came to light when a mother and her young son visited the zoo, and the animal, labelled an “African lion,” started barking. Zoo keepers admitted that the so-called lion was a Tibetan mastiff, a large dog with a furry brown coat. They also acknowledged that other zoo animals had been mislabelled. This is how it is with false prophets. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
The Lord warned the Israelites of the danger of listening to people who rise from among them, claiming God had sent them. Such false prophets and dreamers of dreams are to be “put to death”, with support from all Israelites in the camp, including the family members of the culpable persons.
Identifying false prophets can be challenging as they come as wolves in sheep’s clothing. Generally, the Bible’s six marks of identification of false prophets can help: they lead astray (Deuteronomy 13:1-4); their prophecies do not come to pass (Deuteronomy 18:20-22); they contradict God’s word (Isaiah 8:20), bear bad fruit (Mark 7:18-20) and they deny that Jesus came in the flesh (John 4:3).
So-called prophets are everywhere today, “prophesying into people’s lives”. They employ various gimmicks to defraud the gullible. They collect fees for prayers, separate families and snatch spouses of their followers. The word of God is there to guide and lead us. We should watch and pray and avoid being deceived.
Thought for the day
False prophets often make the loudest noise and the biggest splash.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
3 comments
I love this daily manna application so much. Please connect me directly as we enter the new year. I hope my request will be granted.
On today’s topic
Bible’s six marks of identification of false prophets can help: only five were mention. Bible reference Mark 7: 18 – 20 should be Matthew 7: 18-20
John 4: 3 is also a wrong reference should be 1 John 4:3
I love this daily manna application so much. Please connect me directly as we enter the new year. I hope my request will be granted.
What a world and a little begining, it’s now I know that my Barista is of Deeper life ministry. Weldon sir.
On today’s topic
Bible’s six marks of identification of false prophets can help: only five were mention. Bible reference Mark 7: 18 – 20 should be Matthew 7: 18-20
John 4: 3 is also a wrong reference should be 1 John 4:3