False Prophets

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The False Prophets Who Cry “Wolf!”

 

God never has anything good to say about false prophets. He calls them liars and says His hand is set against them.
Ezekiel 13:3-9

 

We are told that there will always be false prophets among us. We are warned to beware of them.

Matthew 7: 15 - 16

II Peter 2: 1 - 3

 

We are also told to put them to the test of Scripture. 

I John 4: 1 - 3

 

There have been many false claims about Judgement Day from these false prophets. We’re going to look at some of those today. 

It was 6pm on May 21 and thousands learned that they were duped into believing that Judgment Day had come.So many were saying before that date arrived that they were certain it was going to happen, but even if it didn’t, they were going to be prepared just in case. Others were saying that they didn’t believe the prediction, but they were going to act like it might, just to be safe. 

Notice the fudging by both the believer and the unbeliever of this prediction.  Like the little boy who cried “wolf” these false prophecies undermine true faith even when they are shown to be false.  Some people see all of Christianity as being false when these false prophecies are exposed as lies. This is especially the case when Christians give credence to the thing, even if its only  to the level of thinking or saying that it could be right.

Others see it as Christians being gullible.
II Peter 3:1-4

It’s like the joke: “Economists have predicted 10 out of the last 4 recessions.” The point is that some have predicted more recessions than actually occurred. Sadly, the same has taken place with the return of Christ. There have been many more predictions than reality. False prophets have predicted something like 250 of the last 0 returns.

Here are some more samples of recent false claims.

Edgar Whisenant gave us “88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988". When that didn’t work, he went back to the drawing board and claimed it would be September 1, 1989.

 

In December, 1991, Fatima International, gave the dire prediction that the apocalypse would start in 1992.

Lee Jang Rim, predicted the end of the world would happen on October 28, 1992. It is interesting to note that he took 4.4 million dollars that he got from his followers and invested it in bonds which matured after his predicted end of the world. He was convicted of embezzling and served two years in jail.

Harold Camping wrote a book, “1994?” predicting the end would be in 1994. When that didn’t happen, he fixed is models and declared Judgment would be May 21, 2011. This is the one we looked at to begin the lesson.
 

Shelby Corbett published a book in 2004 called “November 2007 Rapture.” Despite her advertising campaign, it didn’t happen.

Ronald Weinland, published a book called “2008 – God’s Final Witness.” Finding himself wrong, he revised his time line to say tribulation started on September 20, 2009 and the end will be May 27, 2012. Ironically, in his book he stated, “If it doesn’t come to pass ... starting in April, 2008, then I’m nothing but a false prophet.” At least he got one thing right.

 

 And we have at least two other predictions that the world would end in 2012, one by Jack Van Impe and the other based on an ancient Mayan calendar finally reaching its end point in December. We’re still here in 2020.

What we need to do when we hear these false prophets is to  remember God’s words to Israel.

Deuteronomy 18:20-22

Christians should be looking forward to the end.
I Corinthians 16:22

 

We should have an eager desire and hope for the speed of its coming.
II Peter 3:10-12

 

We should have either a desire for quick vengeance on those who are persecuting the church, or a desire for the quick return of the Lord, or both.
Revelation 22:20-21
 

But the time is unknown.

Matthew 24:36
 

 

Only the Father knows the date and time. There will be no signs to warn us of the coming of Judgement Day.
Mark 13:33-37

We don’t know when it is coming, so we need to keep watching. The coming of Judgment Day will be like the coming of The Flood.

Matthew 24:37-39

Well, some will say, Noah knew the Flood was coming. True, but that isn’t the application that is being drawn. The point is that the people didn’t pay attention and didn’t know until it happened. It is like the people, not like Noah, which the second coming will be like.

The coming of Judgment day is like the day of our death. We won’t see it coming. It will take us completely by surprise. Matthew 24:40-42

Just like we don’t know when we will die, we don’t know when the Lord will return, either. Just like we don’t know when the thief is coming, we won’t know when Judgment Day is coming. Matthew 24:43-44

 

 

It will come when we least expect it. Since that is the case, we should not be like the Lazy Servant.

Matthew 24:45-51

The wicked servant is caught unaware. The good servants are not, but it isn’t because they had inside knowledge that the wicked did not. They simply remained ready at any moment.

We also should not be like the Ten Virgins.

Matthew 25:1-13

The point being made here is that the wise virgins were prepared to wait however long was necessary. The foolish tried to get ready at the last second and could not. And the point remains the same, we must remain on watch because we don’t know when it will be.

Does the Lord have to tell us or let us know? Some quote Amos 3:7 and say yes. However, the prophecy in Amos is in regards to the destruction of Judah, but let’s grant that it remains true.

God did tell us what to expect – He told us to expect the unexpected, to be always ready, to not think we can scramble at the last moment and make up for lost time.

 

Are you ready? Or, are you putting off being prepared, because you foolishly think there will be time later?