May 23, 2022

Jeremiah 23: 25; 28: 9 (NIV)

“I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’” . . . “But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.”

Mohammedanism cannot point to any prophecies of the coming of Mohammed uttered hundreds of years before his birth. Neither can the founders of any cult . . . rightly identify any ancient text specifically foretelling their appearance.*

Remember the old joke about the guy who came upon his friend looking for a lost object far from where it might possibly be found because the light was better where he was? Jeremiah had to deal with people who believed false prophets because their predictions were in a better light: they prophesied peace. Wouldn’t we prefer to believe prophecies of peace and prosperity, too?

How can we tell real prophets from false ones? Should we believe only those whose message is depressing and ominous? In Jeremiah’s day, the test was: did their predictions come true? In our day, prophesying is more closely associated with preaching than with predictions of the future but we still need to discern between true and false. We have an advantage over Jeremiah; we have the complete written works of God at our disposal and it is our tool for determining the truth of the message. Don’t take my word for anything – see what God’s word has to say about it first. How do my words measure up to the Words of Life?

Reliance on the word of God is not fatalistic or superstitious. It is not trust in something impersonal like the stars or a good-luck charm.*