Tag Archives: true prophecy

Tests of a True Prophet

In Ezekiel’s day, false prophecy was such a problem that the Lord made another rule: The prophet should be proven in his own generation:

“And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, ‘Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, “the Days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?” Tell them therefore, ‘Thus saith the Lord God; “I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel:” but say unto them, ‘The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God.'”

“Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, “The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.” Therefore say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord God; “There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God,'” (Ezekiel 12:21-28).

Christ Submitted To These Tests

Jesus prophesied of the destruction of Jerusalem and the wrath of God upon the Jewish nation, Matthew chapters 23 and 24; Mark 13. Christ was willing to submit to this test of a true prophet for He declared that all these prophecies should be fulfilled “in this generation,” (Matthew 24:34; Mark 13:30). If “these things” had not happened in that generation, Christ would have been proven a false prophet. But they did happen. Jerusalem fell in 70 AD; Christ was proven to be a true Prophet, and therefore the Son of God, and the promised Messiah.