| Jeremiah prophesied the death of King Zedekiah.
(V1) The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of
his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against
all the cities thereof, saying,
(V2) Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; go and speak to Zedekiah king
of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city
into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire;
(V3) And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken,
and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the
king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou
shalt go to Babylon.
(V4) Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah; thus saith
the LORD of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword:
(V5) But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers,
the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for
thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced
the word, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 34:1-5)
Jeremiah's prophecy of the death of Zedekiah predicted the following events:
1. Jerusalem would be captured by the Babylonians and it would be burned
with fire.
2. Zedekiah would be captured and taken to Babylon, and he would meet
personally with Nebuchadnezzar.
3. Zedekiah would not "die by the sword", that is through violence or
due to war.
4. Zedekiah would die in peace and odours would be burned for him as
they had been burned for former kings.
In verse 21 of Chapter 34, Jeremiah gave a second prophecy of Zedekiah.
(V21) And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand
of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into
the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which are gone up from you.
(Jeremiah 34:21)
This prophecy reinforced the earlier prophecy that Zedekiah would be given to
Nebuchadnezzar. It is important to notice that that prophecy said nothing
about the conditions of Zedekiah's death, not even that Zedekiah would die.
In Jeremiah 52:8-11 we read of the death of Zedekiah.
(V8) But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook
Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from
him.
(V9) Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon
to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him.
(V10) And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes:
he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.
(V11) Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound
him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the
day of his death.
Thus, we see that Jeremiah's prophecy was only partially fulfilled. Zedekiah
died "by the sword" due to war and through violence. He did not die in peace,
and odours were not burned for him.
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Beware of False Prophets
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Biblical scriptures warn us of false prophets.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart
from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23)
That is, merely because a person uses the name of Christ,
prophesies in the name of Christ, casts out devils, and does
"many wonderful works" that person may not necessarily be
authorized and accepted by Him.
Proposed Test of Prophets
-------------------------
How can we tell, then, if a particular person is indeed sent by
Christ?
Some people advocate that four particular scriptures be used as a
test to determine if persons are true prophets. The four
scriptures are Deuteronomy 13:1-5, Deuteronomy 18:20-22, Isaiah
8:20, and Isaiah 9:15. These people say that the conditions
stipulated by these verses are to be taken literally and without
exception.
Let us examine those verses.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
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(V1) If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of
dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
(V2) And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he
spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which
thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
(V3) Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet,
or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth
you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your
heart and with all your soul.
(V4) Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and
keep his commandments, and obey him, and cleave unto him.
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(V5) And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be
put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from
the LORD your god, which brought you out of the land of
Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to
thrust thee out of the say which the LORD thy God commanded
thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the
midst of thee. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5)
In verse 1, the Lord warns the people of false prophets.
In verse 2, the Lord indicates that false prophets may give true
prophecies that come to pass. That is, the people are to be
aware that fulfillment of prophecy does not imply that one is a
true prophet. The Lord tells them how they can recognize a false
prophet: he will lead the people away from the true God, that
is, he will teach false doctrine.
In verse 3, the people are warned to not follow false prophets,
because God wants to test or "prove" them to see if they love God
The Lord, in verse 4, counsels the people to follow the true God
and keep His commandments [thus showing they love God].
In verse 5, the Lord states that under the Law of Moses, the
false prophet should be put to death.
In summary, Deuteronomy 13:1-5 tells us that we can distinguish
between true and false prophets by studying the teachings of the
prophets. False prophets will lead us away from God, even though
they may give prophecies that are fulfilled.
Deuteronomy 18:20-22
--------------------
(V20) But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in
my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that
shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet
shall die.
(V21) And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the
word which the LORD hath not spoken?
(V22) When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the
thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which
the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it
presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
(Deuteronomy 18:20-22)
From these verses, we learn that prophecies from God will be
fulfilled. If a person claims to speak for God but the
prophecies do not happen, that person is speaking
'presumptuously', that is with his own wisdom. Notice that this
does not imply that that person is a false prophet, only that
that particular person acted with his own wisdom.
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Isaiah 8:20
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To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according
to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
That is, true prophets will speak and teach true concepts.
Isaiah 9:15
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The ancient and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet
that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
Again, true prophets will speak and teach true concepts.
Review of the Test of A Prophet
-------------------------------
To summarize, from the four scriptures discussed above, we can
list the conditions of the proposed test of a true prophet.
1. False prophets will lead people away from God by teaching
false concepts. True prophets will teach true concepts, thus
leading people to God.
2. False prophets can correctly prophecy, that is, fulfillment
of prophecy is not a sufficient condition for one to be a
true prophet.
3. Prophecies from God will be fulfilled. Prophecies which are
not fulfilled were made by the wisdom of the man giving the
prophecy.
The people who advocate this test say that the test is literal
and without exception, that is a person either passes it or fails
it, and one unfulfilled prophecy is sufficient for one to fail
the test.
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In the previous discussion we discussed a method which is
proposed by certain people to tell if a person who claims to be a
prophet is in fact a true prophet. We applied the proposed test
to the Biblical prophet Jeremiah and concluded that he was a
false prophet. Now, I do not believe that Jeremiah was a false
prophet; hence I believe that the test contains a flaw.
To help us understand this flaw, let us take a closer look at
Biblical prophets. We usually think of a prophet as a person who
acts as a spokesman for God and because of this is able to give
prophecies about the future. I would like to generalize the term
"prophet" and use it to refer to people who (a) prophecy of the
future, (b) people who are Apostles in the way that Peter was an
Apostle, and (c) people who are the authors of scripture. This
generalization is valid, because we also want to determine if
persons who claim to be Apostles are true and if persons who
claim to write scripture are true.
Biblical Prophets Were Inspired
-------------------------------
The Bible makes it clear that the Biblical prophets were inspired
of God.
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of
any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16)
It is because of this inspiration that we accept the Bible as the
word of God and try to live by its teachings.
Did God Dictate The Bible Word For Word
---------------------------------------
We all agree that the Bible was written through inspiration, but
we need to ask the following questions:
1. Did God dictate the Bible word for word with the prophets
merely acting as scribes?
2. Or, did God give thoughts and ideas to the prophets and allow
them to express the ideas in their own words?
Unfortunately, we do know know the answers to those questions.
The Bible tells us the prophets were inspired, but it does not
say how the inspiration was given.
In his Commentary, the Rev. J. R. Dummelow states his belief
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that the prophets were inspired with ideas and used their own
skills and knowledge to express the ideas.
We must not regard the Bible as an absolutely perfect book in
which God is Himself the author using human hands and brains
only as a man might use a typewriter. God used men, not
machines--men with like weakness and prejudice and passion as
ourselves, though purified and ennobled by the influence of
His Holy Spirit; men each with his own peculiarities of
manner and disposition--each with his own education or want
of education--each with his own way of looking at
things--each influenced differently from another by the
different experiences and discipline of his life. Their
inspiration did not involve a suspension of their natural
faculties; it did not destroy their personality, nor abolish
the differences of training and character; it did not even
make them perfectly free from earthly passion; it did not
make them into machines--it left them men.
Therefore we find their knowledge sometimes no higher than
that of their contemporaries, and their indignation against
oppression and wrong-doing sometimes breaking out into desire
of revenge. This would not surprise us in the least in other
good men who were, we knew, striving after God and
righteousness. It surprises us in the Bible, because of our
false preconceptions; because it is in the Bible we do not
expect the actors to be real and natural; because of our
false theory of Verbal Inspiration we are puzzled when the
divine is mingled with the human. We must learn that the
divine is mingled with the human. (The One Volume Bible
Commentary, Edited by The Rev. J. R. Dummelow, 1970, pp.
cxxxiv-cxxxv)
Let us look at some examples of imperfections in Biblical men.
Discrepancy in Luke's Accounts of Paul's Conversion
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In writing his Acts of the Apostles, Luke gave three descriptions
of Paul's vision on the road to Damascus.
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly
there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he
fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul,
Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who are thou,
Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:
it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he
trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the
city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the
men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a
voice, but seeing no man. (Acts 9:3-7)
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come
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nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shown from
heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the
ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord?
And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou
persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the
light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him
that spake to me. (Acts 22:6-9)
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven,
above the brightness of the sun,shining round about me and
them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to
the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in
the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it
is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said who
art thou, Lord? And he said I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest. (Acts 26:13-15)
Notice that in Acts 9:7 Luke recorded that the persons with Paul
heard a voice while in Acts 22:9 Luke recorded that the persons
did not hear the voice.
Dummelow acknowledges that this discrepancy does exist.
Hearing a voice] RV 'hearing the voice.' Yet in 22.9 Paul
says, 'they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.' The
latter account, being Paul's own, is preferred. (The One
Volume Bible Commentary, Edited by The Rev. J. R.
Dummelow, 1970, p. 830)
Paul and Barnabas Disagreed
---------------------------
Both Paul and Barnabas are referred to as being Apostles (Acts
14:14), but they had a disagreement that was so strong that it
interfered with their ministry and caused them to no longer work
together as missionaries.
And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again
and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached
the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname
was Mark.
But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed
from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
And the contention was so sharp between them, that they
departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took
Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the
brethren unto the grace of God.
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Peter Needed A "Push" By The Lord
---------------------------------
Jesus instructed the Apostles to take the Gospel to all nations.
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a
mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw
him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came
and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore,and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you
always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew
28:16-20)
However, Peter, even though he was an Apostle, did not understand
the implication of that commission because his thinking was still
being influenced by the Law of Moses. In order to get Peter to
understand that "all nations" literally meant "ALL nations",
Jesus had to give Peter a special vision that told Peter that the
Law of Moses had been fulfilled in Christ's atonement.
And [Peter] saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel
descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the
four corners, and let down to the earth. Wherein were all
manner of four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts,
and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a
voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said,
Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common
or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second
time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
(Acts 10:11-15)
Peter finally understood that "all nations" meant "ALL nations".
Apostles Argued About Who Would Be The Greatest
-----------------------------------------------
Some of the Apostles argued among themselves about which of them
would be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus had to
teach them that they had to develop the humility and meekness of
a small child if they were to enter the kingdom of Heaven.
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked
them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the
way? But they held their piece: for by the way they had
disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And
he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If
any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all,
and a servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in
the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he
said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children
in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me,
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receiveth not me, but him that sent me. (Mark 9:33-37)
Imperfections in Prophets
-------------------------
We have seen examples that even though the Biblical prophets were
inspired, they were still human and made mistakes, mistakes that
affected the accuracy of our Biblical scriptures, mistakes that
affected the quality of their ministry, and mistakes that
affected the relationships between themselves.
Do these imperfections in the Biblical prophets mean that we
should reject those men as being false prophets? Does Jeremiah's
mistake in prophesying Zedekiah's death mean that he was a false
prophet? No, of course not, that is silly! These imperfections
only mean that those men were human. They were not infallible!
Even though they made mistakes, they were still inspired and were
used by God in furthering His work.
Are Prophets Inspired 100% Of The Time?
---------------------------------------
An important question that we must ask is, "Are prophets inspired
100% of the time, that is, is everything that the prophets do of
God?"
There are two possible answers to that question. Based on
Jeremiah's problem, the first answer is "No, prophets may do
things of their own wisdom, without inspiration from God". Also
based on Jeremiah's problem, the second answer is "Possibly so,
but the prophets through their human weaknesses may not fully
respond to the inspiration and thus do things of their own
wisdom." In either case, the effect is the same: We must
consider the prophets as men of God and overlook imperfections in
their ministry.
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