False Prophets<style> .bibleverse{ color:#aa0000; font-weight:bold; } a.cat { text-decoration:none; font-family:verdana,ariel,helvetica; color: #777; } a.cat:hover { text-decoration: underline; } </style> <style type="text/css"> body { font-family: verdana,helvetica; font-size: 14px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; margin-bottom:0px; } div.tell { /*position: absolute; right: 2%;*/ display: block; border: solid 1px #aae; background: #eef; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; font-size:small; text-align: left; } div.tell a { text-decoration: none; } div.tell a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } li a { text-decoration: none; color: #333; } ul{ list-style: none; } ul li ul { list-style: square; } ul li ul li { font-size:small; font-weight:normal; color:#efefef; } ul li ul li a { color:#efefef; } li { margin: 2px; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" link="blue" vlink="blue" style="font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <table align="center" width="100%"> <tr> <td align="left"><a href="/"><img src="/images/lalogo.png" alt="LovesArk.net" border="0"></a></td> <td align="right"> <script type="text/javascript" src="/side_banner.php"></script> </td> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" align="center" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2px"> <tr> <td style="background:url(/images/titleborder.gif) top left repeat-x;" colspan="2"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background:url(/images/titleborder.gif) top left repeat; 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He also told that their coming will be a sign of the end times. Their purpose, He said, is to try and deceive the people by performing great signs and miracles (Matthew 24:24,25). You would be wise to listen to Jesus' warning. </p> <p> You would be surprised to know that God gave detailed warning to the Israelite people about false prophets even 600 years before the birth of Christ through prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Even during the time of Moses (1500 years before Christ), God had warned about prophets who would try to lead people to follow other gods and worship them. God warned that these prophets should not be listened to even if a miraculous sign or wonder they had announced came to pass. Instead they were to know that God was testing His people to find out whether they loved Him will all their heart and soul (Deuteronomy 13:1--5). You would be wise to listen to these warnings too. </p> <p> The amazing thing about these warnings that God has provided in the Bible is that the modern false prophets also show the same characteristics shown by false prophets of Old Testament times. Therefore you should have a good knowledge about what the Bible says about false prophets. This is important because God clearly said that His people, including you, are destroyed from lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). This article is intended to help you easily locate the various characteristics of false prophets mentioned in the Bible. </p> <p> Another shocking truth that you are going to learn is the role of people in the success of these false prophets. Therefore it is most important to be on your guard to make sure that knowingly or unknowingly you don't encourage or sponsor false prophets. Note that Jesus has asked you to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves because you have been sent out like sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16). </p> <p> Look at the following characteristics of false prophets the Bible mentions (All references are from NIV): </p> <h2>False Prophets Are Greedy for Gain</h2> <p> The world is greedy about money. False prophets are more so. Even though Jesus taught to store up treasures in heaven and not on earth (Matthew 6:19,20), these false prophets try to grab money from people through deceitful means (Jeremiah 6:13, 8:10b). Peter noted that these \emph{false teachers, in their greed, will exploit you with stories they have made up} (2 Peter 2:3). </p> <p> He further warned that they are ``experts in greed'' and they follow the practices of Balaam, ``who loved the wages of wickedness'' (2 Peter 2:14,15). Jude says the same thing: ``they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error'' (Jude 11). When you think about the greed of false prophets, you also need to remember that Jesus had warned that the thief comes to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10). </p> <p> <blockquote> Contrast with God's Word: Jesus came to Give to you; while false prophets try to Take away from you! </blockquote> <p> Paul also wrote about people who think godliness is a means to financial gain. He added: ``But godliness with contentment is great gain'' (1 Timothy 6:5,6). Clearly, love of money, which is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10) is characteristic of false prophets. </p> <p> And isn't it amazing to note the modern and current relevance of these words about how those in religious authority treat God's flock: ``Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, `Praise the Lord, I am rich!' Their own shepherds do not spare them'' (Zechariah 11:5). Yes, modern false prophets also praise God for their riches; made out of squeezing money out of their flock! </p> <p> Manipulation in the Name of Blessings: <a href="http://www.lovesark.net/everlastinglove/index.php/manipulation">http://www.lovesark.net/everlastinglove/index.php/manipulation</a> </div> <div style="margin-top:24pt;"> Previous | <a href="/biblenyou/falseprophets/index.php/1">Next</a> </div> <br/> <br/> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table>  <div style="display:block;background:#000;height:15px;color:#ccc;font-size:10px;text-align:right;font-weight:bold;"> <em>helping people find strength in God </em> </div> </body> </html>