Truth or Fluff? Testing Modern Prophets

“You will know them by their fruits.” That’s what Jesus said in Matthew 7:16. He didn’t say you’d know them by their gifts, their charisma, their speaking skills, or how big their programs are. He didn’t say to trust someone just because they claim to have dreams or because they say, “God told me.” Jesus said you’ll know them by their fruit. That’s the real test. Do they feed the flock the Word of God, or do they feed them fluff?

False prophets were a serious problem in Ezekiel’s day, and nothing’s changed. In Ezekiel 13:10, God says they misled His people by saying, “Peace!” when there was no peace. They built a wall and covered it with whitewash—meaning it looked strong on the outside, but it couldn’t hold. In Ezekiel 13:3, He says, “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.” They weren’t sent by God. They weren’t speaking His Word. They were just making things up, and the people were believing it.

It wasn’t only the men doing this. In Ezekiel 13:17–23, God calls out the women who claimed to speak in His name while doing harm. He says they hunted souls like birds and used magic charms. In verse 19, God says they were doing it for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread. They gave false hope the wicked and discouraged the righteous. God said they were profaning His name among the people.

Then in Ezekiel 14:3–4, God addresses something even deeper. He talks about the people who come to a prophet to hear from God, but their hearts are full of idols. He says that when they do that, He’ll answer them—not with truth, but “in view of the multitude of their idols.” In verse 5, He explains that He’s doing it to reach their hearts—but it’s also a form of judgment. If someone is determined to follow a lie, God may just let them go that way.

That ties right into Jeremiah 23:21, where God says, “I did not send these prophets, but they ran; I did not speak to them, but they prophesied.” That sounds a lot like what we see today. They run their platforms, their ministries, and their mouths. But they don’t run to God. They’ve made themselves messengers—but they were never sent.

And we can’t forget what Peter said. In 2 Peter 2:1–3, he warns that false teachers will come, just like false prophets did before. He says they’ll secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them. And in verse 3, he says, “In their greed they will exploit you with false words.” They’re not in it for truth—they’re in it for gain.

John tells us plainly in 1 John 4:1 to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” And back in Deuteronomy 13:1–3, God says even if someone performs signs and wonders, if they try to lead you away from Him, you are not to listen. Miracles aren’t proof. Truth is.

This isn’t just happening in a corner somewhere. It’s happening all across the world. Churches, platforms, live streams, and social media are flooded with voices claiming to speak for God, but many of them are leading people down the wrong path. They mix truth with error, Scripture with self-promotion, and people soak it up because it sounds spiritual. But just because a message is popular doesn’t mean it’s from God.

Some people today are fooled. Others know better, but they still follow these voices because they like the message. It makes them feel good. It gives them permission to stay where they are. But whether they’re deceived or willfully blind—it’s their choice. And they’ll answer for it.

That’s why we speak up. We’re not here to argue with false prophets—we’re here to reach the ones who are being led astray. If just one person turns back to the truth, then the warning was worth it.

The spotlight might be on the false prophets for now, but the judgment seat still belongs to the Lord.

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“What I write is not for everyone, but what I write is meant for someone.” – Dean Butler

I am the author of two books: Embracing God's Wisdom: A Journey of Faith and Reflection and Embracing God’s Wisdom: Paul’s Commands for Victorious Living. Both are available on Amazon.

This work may be shared for ministry or personal use, but please credit the author when doing so. © Dean Butler – Dean’s Bible Blog. All rights reserved.

Please reach out at: hopeinchrist2024@yahoo.com

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service.” (1 Timothy 1:12)