We Believe In Jesus: The ProphetSample

Loyal to God: Deuteronomy 13:1-4

Although prophets did not simply take dictation from God, the Holy Spirit did not give them complete freedom to say whatever they pleased. Not only did they have to convey what God commanded them to speak, but they also had to ensure that their prophecies agreed with God’s existing revelation, especially as it was recorded in Scripture. Consider Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 13:1-4:

If a prophet … announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods ... and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer... It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him (Deuteronomy 13:1-4).

Moses taught something very important here: Even if a prophet could work miracles and foretell the future, he was to be rejected if his instructions violated God’s commandments.

We see this same emphasis in Lamentations 2:13-14, where Jeremiah grieved over the fact that false prophets in Israel had led the nation astray. Jeremiah said that these prophets had “failed to expose … sin,” that is, they had approved of the people's violation of God's law. Rather than holding the people accountable to God’s covenant, they had encouraged disobedience. And in this way, they had demonstrated that they were false prophets.