When Good Prophets Go Bad

One of the things that drives me crazy is when I hear false teaching coming from the mouths of those who profess to know God.  I’m not talking about minor things or things that are really open to interpretation, but rather fundamental, foundational truths that God presents in His word which are perverted, twisted or ignored.

It pains me deeply to see so many people who are led astray, people who never read the Bible for themselves but who blindly follow what they hear.  Those who teach falsehood often have a title or a designation which indicates authority or knowledge.  Others look to them without really checking into what they say.  Then when people are exposed to the truth, they are in conflict between the two different things they have heard.  The prophet Micah has some words for the prophets in his day who were like this and I think these words can apply to the false teachers of today.  Here is what he says in Micah 3:5-7:

Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant “Peace” While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths: ⁶ “Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination;
The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them. ⁷ So the seers shall be ashamed, And the diviners abashed; Indeed they shall all cover their lips; For there is no answer from God.”

I have to remind myself that their judgment is not up to me.  Their correction is not ultimately up to me.  God has His own reputation to defend and He will do it just the way He desires.  However, my job, and yours also, is to know the word of God ourselves.  This way we will not fall prey to the false prophet no matter what he/she says.  If we know it ourselves, we will be able to test what we hear against what we know to be the truth.  We need not be led astray by stray teachers.   We can always know what is right, even when good prophets go bad.

Have a great day…and don’t look to the guy in the picture for fashion advice either!