In Deuteronomy chapter 18, Moses gave the promise of the Lord raising up a Prophet like him. The people of God were to listen to and obey this Prophet (vs. 15-19). We know this Prophet was Jesus (Acts 3:22-26).
Moses then gave a simple way for the people of God to know if a prophet was really speaking the words of the Lord. “And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ - when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him” (Deut. 18:21-22).
Unfortunately, some people are not content with the message of the Bible. They want something more, something extra, something new. If someone places their finger on the book, chapter, and verse and declares what God has revealed in His word – they will not listen. However, if someone makes an astonishing claim to have received a message directly from the Lord – they will listen to what is said.
God is not speaking directly to anyone today. We have everything we need in the Bible. God’s revelation to man is complete (2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3). The Bible does not claim to answer every question we may have (Deut. 29:29), but it does reveal the mind and will of God in a sufficient measure (1 Cor. 2:10-13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Bible also cautions us to be content with its message (Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18-19).
Despite these warnings, there have been many people through the centuries who have claimed to be spokesmen for God. Some have gone on to establish popular religions with many sincere followers. However, the simple test given by Moses exposes these religions as being founded upon false prophets.
The Jehovah’s Witness religion was founded by Charles Taze Russell. When these people knock on your door to distribute their literature, they are following the teachings of a man who claimed Jesus would return in the year 1874. Jesus did not return that year. Witnesses went on to claim Jesus would return in 1914. When this prediction failed to materialize, they began to teach that Jesus did return, but it was invisible.
Jehovah’s Witnesses hold many strange doctrines that are contrary to the Bible. Trying to figure them out is difficult and convincing a devout Witness of these errors is nearly impossible. One thing we need to remember is they are following a man who failed the test of Deuteronomy 18. We are not to heed what they have to say because it is not from God.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded upon the teaching of the prophet Joseph Smith. As Smith was beginning to gain a following, he made several statements about future events that he claimed were revelations given to him by God. On February 14, 1835, Smith claimed he had received a vision and revelation from the Holy Spirit that the coming of the Lord and the end of the world would take place within 56 years. According to this prophecy, the Lord should have returned by 1891. Smith made various other predictions regarding the Lord’s return and the end of the world. According to the Mormon church, all of them were given to him by God. These dates have come and gone. Mormonism is founded by a man who has clearly failed the test of Deuteronomy 18.
While this test needs to be applied to those who claim to speak for the Lord, it can also be applied to those who would make predictions regarding world events. Many of us remember Y2K. The changing of the calendar year from 1999 to 2000 was supposed to reset all the computers, destroy the power grids, and plunge the world into chaos. New Year’s Day came and went. Nothing happened, but those who sold survival supplies had made small fortunes.
Faithful Christians are strangers and pilgrims in this world (Heb. 11:13; 1 Pet. 2:11). Our citizenship is in Heaven (Phil. 3:20), which is where our loyalty should be placed. Although we live in an uncertain world, and our lives are impacted by the things that happen around us, we need to live as though we are a part of a kingdom that “cannot be shaken” (Heb. 12:28).
Regarding religious teachings, we must follow John’s instructions. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). The spirits (teachers) are to be tested by the truth set forth in the Scriptures. We need to be like the noble-minded Bereans and make sure the things we believe are truly from God’s word (Acts 17:11).
Deuteronomy 18 gives us a simple test. When someone is proven to be a false prophet (or that they don’t know what they are talking about), stop listening to them.