No matter what God does, Satan has his counterfeits. It’s the same with prophets. Israel faced true and false prophets. The key was to know the difference.
Read Jeremiah 14:1–15. What was happening here, and how did the Lord regard those who spoke falsely as “prophets” in His name?
In Jeremiah 14, God gave Jeremiah a message of judgment for Judah, a judgment that would come in the form of a sword (war), famine, and pestilence. False prophets at the time contradicted Jeremiah’s message. Jeremiah describes them in very clear terms: “And the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart’ ” (Jer. 14:14, NKJV).
False prophets are corrupt because their source of prophetic claims is often the false “gods” whom they worship (Jer. 23:13, 14). God warns, “ ‘I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them’ ” (Jer. 14:14, NKJV). They are “ ‘prophets of the deceit of their own heart’ ” (Jer. 23:26, NKJV). Ezekiel was instructed to prophesy against “ ‘the prophets . . . who prophesy out of their own heart’ ” (Ezek. 13:2, NKJV).
False prophets often follow popular views. This was the case in 1 Kings 22, when a group of 400 “prophets” gathered at the command of King Ahab (1 Kings 22:6). With one voice they advised the king to fight against Ramoth-Gilead. Ahab counseled with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, after they heard the prophetic counsel from the prophets of Asherah. Jehoshaphat urged Ahab to consult the prophet Micaiah as to whether they should go to battle or not. “Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, ‘Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement’ ” (1 Kings 22:13, NKJV).
The pressure Micaiah experienced to lie was likely the same pressure felt by the false prophets of Asherah, but Micaiah did not follow this popular view; instead, he waited for God to tell him what to say (1 Kings 22:14).
Whether or not you are a prophet, it’s always easy to follow the popular thing. Considering how corrupt culture can be, why is this never a good idea?
Supplemental EGW Notes
How shall we distinguish God’s true servants from the false prophets who Christ said should arise to deceive many? There is only one test of character—the law of Jehovah.
The Israelites placed over their doors a signature of blood to show that they were God’s property. So the children of God in this age will bear the signature God has appointed. They will place themselves in harmony with God’s holy law. A mark is placed upon every one of God’s people just as verily as a mark was placed over the doors of the Hebrew dwellings, to preserve the people from the general ruin. God declares, “I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them” (Ezekiel 20:12). . . . There is no need for us to be deceived. . . .
Satanic agencies have made the earth a stage for horrors which no language can describe. War and bloodshed are carried on by nations claiming to be Christian. A disregard for the law of God has brought its sure result. The great conflict now being waged is not merely a strife of man against man. On one side stands the Prince of life, acting as man’s substitute and surety; on the other, the prince of darkness, with the fallen angels under his command. . . .
There will be a sharp conflict between those who are loyal to God and those who cast scorn upon His law. The church has joined hands with the world. Reverence to God’s law has been subverted. The religious leaders are teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. As it was in the days of Noah, so it is in this age of the world. But shall the prevalence of disloyalty and transgression cause those who have reverenced the law of God to have less respect for it, to unite with the powers of earth to make it void? The truly loyal will not be carried away by the current of evil. They will not throw scorn and contempt on that which God has set apart as holy. The test comes to every one. There are only two sides. On which side are you?—That I May Know Him, p. 211.
The voice of God is speaking to us through His Word, and there are many voices that we will hear; but Christ has said we should beware of them who will say, Here is Christ or there is Christ. Then how shall we know that they have not the truth, unless we bring everything to the Scriptures? Christ has warned us to beware of false prophets who will come to us in His name, saying that they are Christ. . . .
The time is coming when Satan will work miracles right in your sight, claiming that he is Christ; and if your feet are not firmly established upon the truth of God, then you will be led away from your foundation. The only safety for you is to search for the truth as for hid treasures. Dig for the truth as you would for treasures in the earth, and present the Word of God, the Bible, before your heavenly Father, and say, Enlighten me; teach me what is truth. And when His Holy Spirit shall come into your hearts, to impress the truth into your souls, you will not let it go easily.—To Be Like Jesus, p. 117.\
The above quotations are taken from Ellen G. White Notes for the Sabbath School Lessons, published by Pacific Press Publishing Association. Used by permission.