March 19, 2023

Deuteronomy 18: 21, 22 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him. (NIV)

A trustworthy God is more than a match for untrustworthy men.*

In this passage, we have Moses delivering the Lord’s promise to raise up a prophet from among the people, who would “tell them everything I command him.” Experts agree that Jesus, the Messiah, was the prophet who fulfilled the prophecy.

When it comes to prophets and prophecy, skepticism can be healthy. God anticipated the questions about Jesus’ authenticity by providing a method by which the people could gauge it. If what he proclaims in the name of the Lord comes true, he’s a prophet. Listen to him. If his prophecies aren’t fulfilled, you have nothing to fear. He’s a phony.

Similarly, when we hear preachers and teachers who claim to come in the name of the Lord, we shouldn’t hesitate to listen with a dose of skepticism and be prepared to test their authenticity. What do you know about their personal lives? Do they practice what they preach? Read the scripture text along with them. If they don’t use scripture, they are motivational speakers, not prophets. The Holy Spirit speaks through the word; ask him to show you the truth. Search the gospels and see what Jesus said.

Dear readers, don’t take my word for it. Be skeptical of what I say. Make sure I am not speaking presumptuously. Even Jesus used scripture to prove that he was speaking the truth about himself (Luke 24: 27). Look it up for yourself.

We will always fall short when we seek to be scriptural without scriptures.*