20160126 Tuesday, January 26 2016
Micah 03: Where Did True and False Prophets Originate?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing"

Humans have known true and false prophets for a very long time - in fact, right from the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden (see also How Did Eden Become Babylon?).

The first true prophet was the LORD, Who warned the humans "for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

"2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:15-17 KJV)

The first false prophet that humans knew also was in the Garden of Eden. Satan took the Truth and perverted it into a prophetic lie: "the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die." Coincidentally or not, the famous "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing" was also an event that had a connection to the Garden of Eden. Satan, the first false prophet, was also the spirit that caused Cain, the "shepherd" (i.e. his sarcastic "Am I my brother's shepherd?"; see Cain and Abel) into the first murderer - a double application of the lie "Ye shall not surely die."

"3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." (Genesis 3:1-7 KJV)

The humans then experienced the contrast between true and false prophets. True prophets lead the way to life, while false prophets mislead the ways to doom (see also Which Way Is Right And Left?). And so it has been ever since.

"3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." (Genesis 3"17-24 KJV)

The Messiah's teachings and warnings about false prophets (keeping in mind that the Messiah, as the LORD God, was Himself the first true prophet: see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) were a direct reference to the way that it has always been in the world that went from Eden to "Babylon."

"7:13 Enter ye in at The Strait Gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing [see also Hireling Shepherds], but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them [see Flowers And Fruit].

7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven [see Friends Of Jesus]. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [see Is Your Religion Your Religion?] 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:13-23 KJV)

As we've read, Israel's experience with true and false prophets began long before "Israel" existed, but nothing changed in regard to Who is the Spirit of all true prophets, and who is the degenerate spirit of all false prophets. Israel (see The Politics And Religion Of The Lost Ten Tribes) and Judah (see Why Did Judah Fall To Babylon?) too were put out of their home because, like Adam and Eve, they followed the word of a liar rather than the Word of the LORD.

"3:1 And I said,

Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment? 3:2 Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; 3:3 Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.

3:4 Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

3:5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him. 3:6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. 3:7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

3:8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. 3:9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. 3:10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. 3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. 3:12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest." (Micah 3:1-12 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why aren't true prophets popular in the present world?
See Why Were The Prophets Of Truth Hated?