How to tell true prophets from false ones? (Jer 23:9-22)

At one point as an Old Testament lecturer, I taught in a charismatic Bible college where chapel services included open times of sharing words from God. Strikingly, neither there nor in other contexts have I heard a prophecy that was not about God’s love, faithfulness and so on. I am told that warning or admonishing prophecies are sometimes spoken, but they seem to be few and far between. Perhaps it feels safer to stick to encouragement rather than risk a mistaken warning or judgment. However, affirming God’s love to people who live in sin is as dangerous as speaking condemnation over those who have done nothing wrong. In Jeremiah’s time, there were plenty of prophets who said that God’s love would protect His people from any threat, while Jeremiah spoke of coming judgment. How were people to know who really spoke for God? Discerning this is never easy because there will always be conflicting voices and the temptation is to hear what we want to hear.

Speaking uncomfortable words, caring for the flock

There are no easy answers, but our reading gives us some clues though the chapter does not provide a neat progression. First, Jeremiah was deeply affected (broken, trembling, overcome) by the holy words of God, presumably the prophecies of judgment he had to declare, because he was dismayed by the fate of the people (Jer 23:9). It was also costly for him to speak because sinful human beings are apt to shoot the messenger when they dislike the message. In comparison, the false prophets used their power and influence to affirm people in their sin by giving them nice, soothing messages so that their might was not right (Jer 23:10, 17). In other words, their concern was for polishing their own image rather than caring for the flock. It is tempting for preachers or prophets to speak affirmation and hope, but true servants of God honour the holiness of His Word and are willing to say what the Lord entrusts them with even when that is uncomfortable.[1] We may wonder how genuine a prophet is if they never speak anything but positive words.

The prophet’s moral integrity

Further, the false prophets (as well as the priests) were contaminated by wickedness, unashamed of sinning even within the sacred space of the temple (Jer 23:11). They had no moral integrity but were adulterous (likely sexually immoral or, possibly meant metaphorically as idolatrous; Jer 23:14) and as bad as the prophets of Samaria (i.e. of the northern kingdom with its capital of Samaria) whose acknowledged source was Baal (Jer 23:13). Shockingly, their evil is compared to Sodom and Gomorrah’s, the ultimate examples of wickedness (v.14). How could such prophets stand in God’s council, in other words, stand in His presence and hear messages from Him (Jer 23:18)? The answer is they could not. Rather, they spoke words of their own imagination deceiving even themselves (Jer 23:16, 26). Ministry does not require sinless perfection, of course, but if someone openly flouts God’s will or if their moral integrity is questionable, it should at least raise doubt whether such a person is qualified to speak for God.[2]

Serving the Lord with the right heart

These two characteristics of a true spokesperson for God (i.e. caring enough for the flock to confront with an uncomfortable message if needed and the requirement for personal moral integrity) are not always easy to judge. Nevertheless, they are good to bear in mind for those who minister with God’s Word, or indeed for anyone who wants to serve God in any capacity. Our motivation should not be personal glory or gratification but genuine care to build God’s people up. And it is good to remember that a faithful life lived for God will show fruit and impact what we do. Although gifting may cover up a corrupt heart and the Lord may use even such people for His purposes, they can also cause enormous damage as stumbling blocks to the faiths of others. May we serve the Lord with the right heart seeking to be faithful to Him.

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[1] Throughout this post, I am blurring the boundary between prophecy and preaching even though the two are not entirely the same. Both may be seen as a form of preaching, interpreting God’s Word (for OT prophets this was especially the Law, for Christian preachers it is the whole of Scripture) and drawing out its meaning for the present. Biblical prophets, however, also spoke of the future, immediate or more distant and in more specific and targeted ways than preachers might do today. E.g. Jeremiah advised the people to surrender to the Babylonians (Jer 21:8-10); Agabus predicted widespread famine (Acts 11:27-29) and later foretold Paul’s arrest (Acts 21:9-11). I wanted to extend the scope of the question about guidance, hearing from God and speaking for Him because it is relevant even for those who do not believe that the gift of prophecy exists today.

[2] This is not a fool proof criterion, however. There are sadly preachers or prophets who are extraordinarily gifted and have a deep spiritual effect on others but come to be exposed as sexually immoral or dishonest in financial dealings or the like. Christians may feel that they must remove all material they possess by such speakers as contaminated. However, God can sometimes use the gifting of these people – at least for a while – so that material by such people should be judged on its own merit: did it help us be better equipped in God’s service, draw us closer to God and so on? If so, it need not be discarded.

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