Have you ever been at a house that says “beware of the dog”? You immediately are reluctant to enter. The wolves were more feared by the shepherd because of their boldness. False prophets are like wolves and Jesus says we are to be aware. The wolves are deceptive. They come in sheep’s’ clothing. This generation does not listen to warnings. At Pearl Harbour people did not listen to warnings. With David Koresh people did not listen to warnings. Satan comes against the church in two main ways:-

• Persecution – Sometimes God cuts off the head of Goliath with his own sword.
• Infiltration – See Acts 20:28ff. This is Satan’s most successful method. See 2 Corinthians 11:13ff. Satan is the captain of camouflage. The false prophets authenticate the Bible because the Bible says that they will come in increasing numbers.

1 – The fleece they wear

They are wearing Sheep’s’ clothing. This is the disguise that they wear. There are three types of false prophets (Jude 11):-

• The way of Cain – Those who pervert the Gospel. With Cain and Abel you have two offerings and two religions – one true and one false. See Hebrews 11. Abel had faith in the blood. See 1 John 1:7. Cain offered the fruit of the ground. It was the fruit of his own effort and God was not impressed because there is no blood in a turnip! There are only two kinds of religion. Most of them are the way of Cain not the way of Abel.
• The way of Balaam – Those who prostitute the Gospel. He was an apostate prophet. He tells the king of Moab how to get the people of Israel to fall into sin. The purity and righteous of Israel was corrupted. 24,000 Israelites were killed. Balaam was greedy. He did it for financial gain. It did it for power. They are false “profits”! They peddle the Word of God.
• The way of Koreth – Those who protest the Gospel. See Number 16. He was a Levite and a cousin of Moses. He did not like the leadership of Moses and Aaron. He organises a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. The earth swallows him and his followers. These false prophets hate the Gospel. They hate the blood and the Word of God.

2 – The fruit they bear (vs. 16)

Jesus talks of the false prophets as trees.

• It is the root that determines the fruit. You can try pruning the bad tree, moving it somewhere else or cultivate it. You could try giving the tree another name. You can try decorating the tree. No matter what you do the root determines the fruit.
• It is the fruit that determines the root. It is often difficult to tell a tree from the root. You need to look at what fruit is produced. You need to wait for the fruit to come out. See 1 Peter 1:8 & Galatians 5.
• It is the seed that determines the root and the fruit. The seed is the root of God. See Matthew 13.

3 – The fate that they share

Spiritual activity without scriptural authority is satanic iniquity! In spite of their words, preaching, power and performance they never really knew the Lord Jesus Christ. Their power is through Satan. You need to stand on what the Word of God tells you.

• Study the faith.
• Show the Faith.
• Stand for the Faith.
• Support the Faith – Staying in an apostate church because Grandma is buried in the graveyard? Grandma would leave if she could!

Categories: Matthew