Connect Jeremiah 23:25 with Deuteronomy 18:20-22 on identifying false prophecy. A Warning Echoing Through Centuries “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ ” “But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet shall die. And you may say in your heart, ‘How can we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’ When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.” Why These Two Passages Belong Together - Both texts expose people who claim, “The Lord told me,” when He did not. - Jeremiah shows the problem in action; Deuteronomy supplies God’s test for sorting truth from lies. - Taken together, they form a timeless checklist for discernment. Three Non-Negotiable Tests for Authentic Prophecy 1. Alignment with God’s Revealed Word - God never contradicts Himself (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 40:8). - Any “new word” must harmonize with Scripture already given. - In Jeremiah, the false prophets’ dreams undermined God’s earlier warnings of judgment, so they failed the content test. 2. Accurate Fulfillment in Real Time - Deuteronomy 18:22: if the prediction does not happen, God did not say it. - True prophecy lands with 100 percent accuracy (1 Samuel 3:19). - Jeremiah’s generation saw Babylon conquer Jerusalem, validating Jeremiah and exposing the dreamers. 3. Godly Character and Fruit - Jesus: “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-20). - Jeremiah’s opponents catered to popular opinion and lived in unrepentant sin (Jeremiah 23:14). - Genuine messengers display humility, holiness, and submission to God’s authority. Practical Discernment Steps Today - Compare every claimed revelation to the whole counsel of Scripture. If it clashes, discard it. - Wait for measurable fulfillment. God’s timing may vary, but a failed prediction marks a false prophet. - Observe the messenger’s life. Consistent obedience and Christlike character confirm credibility. - Remember that ordinary preaching, teaching, or personal impressions are not equal to inspired prophecy; treat the Bible as the final standard (2 Timothy 3:16-17). - Test the spirits (1 John 4:1) and hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). Encouragement for Today God still speaks through His written Word, and He equips believers to recognize counterfeit voices. By holding fast to Scripture’s accuracy and literal truth, we can walk in confidence, just as Jeremiah did, trusting that every genuine word from the Lord will stand forever (Isaiah 55:10-11). |
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