Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognise them.

False prophets make an appearance in both the Old and New Testaments. Jeremiah had a particular problem with them. He believed that he was called by God to inform the people that, unless they turned back to Him, a foreign nation would sweep over them. This was not the message that people wanted to hear. They much preferred the soothing words of the false prophets who told them that they had nothing to worry about. But the truth was that they had everything to worry about because Jeremiah’s words were true and, in due course, the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem and took the Lord’s people off into exile.

False prophets were a continual challenge in the early Church and Jesus sought to prepare His followers to meet them. What they needed to know was how to spot a false prophet. Jesus told His followers to look carefully at their lives, because the way in which they acted would be bound to reveal the people that they truly were.

False prophets still exist today. When we see religious leaders who are only out to make money, or to gain a reputation and a following, we need to be suspicious. When we see anger, rudeness, selfishness and divisiveness we are bound to ask where those actions come from. As Jesus said: “every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:17).

Question – How would you spot a false prophet?

Prayer – Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for warning us about the dangers that we might face and for giving us Your Spirit to give us wisdom and strength as we confront them. Amen

Released on 12 Nov 2026