by Leonard V Johnson
I had typed this article up the other day, but I decided that I wasn't going to post it. However, the Spirit of God has moved me to do so──it's important.
For me, it’s sad that many false prophets, including one that is headquartered in Grover Beach, California, continue stretching the LORD God’s prophecies into a narrative that isn't there ── in this case, trying to connect the ancient Medes with modern Ukraine. And they continue to perpetuate certain Scriptures, trying to prove that they are a prophet of God. Such as ──
“The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. …
17) ‘Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it. 18) Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces, And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; Their eye will not spare children. 19) And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.’” – Isaiah 13:1, 17-19.
So here, historically ── and it’s important that if a person is going to call themselves a ‘prophet of God’ in this twenty-first century, they should know a little about world history; especially biblical history ── Isaiah, chapter 13, opens with a “burden against Babylon,” which was inspired by the LORD God and spoken c. 730 BC while the Prophet Isaiah was serving under Uzziah, Ahaz and Hezekiah. At that time Babylon was still a vassal of Assyria, so this prophecy of its ultimate fall was indeed shocking. This whole chapter foresaw a historical fulfillment: a judgment carried out by the Medes and the Persians, naming the Medes long before they ever rose, and the city’s collapse did occur in 539 BC when Cyrus the Great entered ancient Babylon without a battle.
In verses 17-19, the LORD God announced that He would use the Medes and Persians as instruments of His judgment. In its later, fuller fulfillment, it will be “the Day of the LORD” when the daughter of Babylon’s pride will be crushed, and the land will be laid waste. The Medes were an Indo-European group (specifically within the Iranian branch, closely related to the ancient Persians) 1 that was living in what’s now northwest Iran, not Ukraine ── or even ‘northwest of Ukraine.’ They were the archers that the Prophet Isaiah was speaking about, and the modern nation of Ukraine isn’t linked to that ancient tribe.
Again, many false prophets continue to use and stretch the LORD God’s dual prophecy regarding Jeremiah 51, here again trying as best they can to connect the ancient Medes with modern Ukraine ──
“’ Make the arrows bright! Gather the shields! The LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it, Because it is the vengeance of the LORD, The vengeance for His temple. …’” – Jeremiah 51:11-28.
Historically ── the Medes were ruled by a few known kings ── Phraortes (c. 675-653 BC), his son Cyaxares (c. 625-585), who unified the tribes, and his grandson Astyages (c. 585-550 BC). Those Median kings all ruled in what is now northwest Iran, not Ukraine or Russia. Their empire stretched across the Zagros highlands, and the capital was Ecbatana, today Hamadan, and the later Persian state grew from the region. It foretold Babylon’s destruction with vivid images and names the ‘kings of the Medes’ as the LORD God’s chosen force. Historically, God’s prophecy here pointed to the Medo-Persian coalition that, under King Cyrus the Great, captured Babylon in 539 BC.
Regarding “Darius the Mede” spoken of in Daniel 5:31, he is described as a Median by birth and the son of Ahasuerus, ruling over the kingdom of the Chaldeans under the authority of Cyrus the Great (Daniel 9:1). Historically ── “Darius the Mede” conquered old Babylon; the modern “Medes” (peoples descended from the ancient Medes and Persians) will help do the same to the end-time daughter of Babylon.
Again, many false prophets like to stretch God’s living words in prophecy, claiming that the “modern Medes such as Russia” and Ukraine will do the same. And they use the following passage to try and prove their prognostication ──
“’ Move from the midst of Babylon, Go out of the land of the Chaldeans; And be like the rams before the flocks. 9) For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon An Assembly of great nations from the north country, And they shall array themselves against her; From there she shall be captured. Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior; None shall return in vain.’” – Jeremiah 50:8-9.
Here again, historically, Jeremiah 50 is the “oracles against Babylon” that the Prophet Jeremiah delivered after Jerusalem fell, c. 594 BC. It shows us Babylon’s destruction and names the ‘kings of the Medes’ as the LORD God’s instrument that He used, pointing ahead to the Medo-Persian conquest that actually toppled ancient Babylon in 539 BC.
Truly, the ‘assembly of great nations from the north country’ coming against ancient Babylon was, historically, the Medo-Persian coalition under King Cyrus the Great in 539 BC. The Medes and Persians were ancient IRANIAN peoples centered in what is today IRAN, and their modern descendants would be the Iranian people of today──not the Russian people, nor the Ukrainians. It would include such groups today as the Kurds and the Tajiks in Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
This is indeed speaking of another final (this time Islamic) “Medo-Persian coalition.” Historically, and again, from the perspective of Jerusalem, the ‘people from the north’ here refers to the Medo-Persian coalition. That great nation, which will again be stirred up from the end of the earth by the LORD God, to shatter, here, the ‘daughter of Babylon.’
So, speaking about how the LORD God is going to exact judgment against Babylon. And we believe that in this final end-time BABYLON – the final installment of the “Holy” Roman Empire will be utterly destroyed, and BABYLON – a great civic leader and a great false church will be destroyed! Historically ── and let us never forget the inspired words of King Solomon, “That which has been what will be, That which is done is what will be done, …” – Ecclesiastes 1:9 ── the Medes and Persians formed a powerful coalition that conquered ancient Babylon around 539 BC.
We should always keep our history in perspective; in ancient times, this referred to the Medo-Persian coalition that conquered ancient Babylon. That alliance, coming from the north, was prophesied to defeat ancient Babylon and enable the Jewish exiles to return to the Promised Land. “Go out of the land of the Chaldeans” truly means that God’s chosen people should leave (if not left yet) today’s “Babylon” before her final destruction! – cf. Revelation 18:4. This is both a literal command and a spiritual call to separate ourselves from this world, its churches, and its religiosity.
BEWARE OF FALSE MINISTERS
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, calls them ‘Wolves in sheep’s clothing.’ They often dress in suits and ties, sometimes with an abbreviation of Dr. before their name──claiming to have a Ph.D. Are you being misled by an innocent-looking archetype “wolf”?
One of our LORD God’s strongest judgments is for those claiming to be true Christians and claiming to be a “Prophet of God” ── when in reality, they are but speaking more about themselves and their “accurate” prognostications.
When one truly looks through the magnifying glass of God’s living word ── a wool-covered wolf cannot pass himself off as a sheep. We should expect that a false prophet will attempt, with all their heart, to look like a real one ── or what he might think is a real one. Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote, under divine inspiration ──
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14) And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” – 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.
We should expect ── right out of the gate ── a welcoming greeting. Often, we see a pleasant-looking man who looks and dresses like Mister Rogers, or one who looks the same as a typical politician. At least at first. Until the façade falls away.
And this masked façade works ── at least for the first 6 minutes. Then, the façade falls away and is replaced with a self-bloated; well… a person who has some rather obscure claims as to his expertise without the evidence to back it up. One of the worst types of people to bring into your home is a liar – cf. Proverbs 6:16-19. The pedestal they placed themselves upon begins to teeter. Their rightful “fruits” are exposed for the world to see.
Surely, if this person is preaching in the name of Jesus Christ, that is good fruit. Right?
No. Not necessarily – according to our Lord Jesus. Notice immediately after telling us to beware of false prophets and to look at their fruits, He continued by saying, “’ Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.’” – Matthew 7:21.
Preaching our Lord Jesus Christ is not conclusive proof of good fruit. But doing the will of God the Father is.
“’ Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ [even preaching the Kingdom to come, and Anglo-Israelism - and even “Armstrongism”!] 23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” – vss. 22-23.
EVEN INSIDE CHRIST’S CHURCH
Not all false prophets come from outside of our Lord Jesus Christ’s Church! Some were formerly faithful servants of the Church ── but over time their hearts became bitter and callused. Allowing a spirit of lust to enter into them ── and now, they have completely “slid off” the spiritual rail – the ‘straight and narrow’ path.
The Apostle Paul warned the flock of Ephesus. He knew that false prophets would soon descend upon them. So, he alerted the leaders to the grave dangers that both pastors and the flock would face.
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29) I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” – Acts 20:28-29, NASB.
And EVEN WORSE – “and FROM AMONG YOUR OWN SELVES men will arise, speaking perverse things [even in secret], to draw away the disciples after them.” – vs. 30.
A faithful minister would always “remember those who rule over them [past or present], who have [rightly] spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.” – Hebrews 13:7.
The Apostle Paul said some would turn from serving the needs of Jesus Christ and His little flock to serving their own self-gratification and interests instead.
Even the Apostle Peter warned the Church of the same danger!
“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies...” ── such as historical negationism and reinterpretation and outright fabrication of Church history to position his “Philadelphia Church” as the only true Church.
“... even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2) And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3) By covetousness [a desire for something or someone so much that you lose your contentment in God] they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” – 2 Peter 2:1-3.
Why Do They Have Followers?
Again, the Apostle Peter said that many would follow the wrong way. Why do false prophets have a following?
Oftentimes it’s a simpatico relationship. In other words, they were “wronged” by certain leaders of the Church; therefore, their followers can relate to them. And followers who are craving that old-time Armstrongism... the “I don't want to learn any more than I did in 1972, or 1986!” concept. Also, like what I said to AI the other day, “A clock is even ‘right’ twice a day!” So, whatever this false prophet claims to have gotten “right” ── he will try to use it to legitimize himself.
False prophets have followers because the people can often relate to the false prophet having been rejected. The leader of the group provides meaning, purpose, and belonging. Offering a vision they desire to see. And he is quick to teach apostolic authority and a ‘government from-the-top-down’ structure, as taught by Herbert Armstrong. And, as to the leader, he will often be self-centered in personality, in traits, or in behavior ── characterized by an excessive focus on oneself and one’s needs, desires, and INTERESTS, often to the exclusion or neglect of the needs and feelings of others. And true to form ── if you have been hurt by them, it’s somehow your fault, because you must have done something to deserve their wrath, or even being ignored. And it’s your iniquity that has caused this mistreatment. They, however, are ultimately emotionally protected.
One can choose from thousands of different types of “Christianity.” Some are very somber. Others wild. Some are strict, others lenient. You can be bored to death, or entertained, or shouted at ── but all promise that you won’t be “lost” as long as you listen or attend regularly. And certainly, “Don’t forget to send your tithe to us!”
Even converted members of Christ’s Church can be led away and fall into this trap. The Apostle Paul wrote Timothy ──
“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4) and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” – 2 Timothy 4:2-4.
False prophets respond to the itching ears of wayward sheep. The wolves entice them away with words that appeal to “their way” of thinking.
“If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4) he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions …”
As in saying, “No one else is teaching this!” It’s a big red flag! When someone claims exclusivity, it often leans more towards manipulation or a morbid interest in causing controversy.
“ … and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5) and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.” – 1 Timothy 6:3-5, NASB.
Why Is There Permitted False Prophets?
Why does the LORD God allow wolves to have access to certain people, or to His flock? Why doesn’t He expose them before they do any harm? Well, our Lord Jesus has His reasons.
Our Lord Jesus is confident that His true sheep will not be led astray (even for very long) by false prophets. And, referring to Himself as the Shepherd of the sheep: “’ And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5) Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’” – John 10:4-5.
His sheep acknowledge the fact that they are servants of Him – not any ministry. They acknowledge His doctrine – “’ My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17) If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.’” – John 7:16-17.
The little flock is certain to encounter many trials and tests, tribulations, and false prophets, and even blasphemous pastors among them.
Our Lord Jesus has warned us, “’ For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23) But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.’” – Mark 13:22-23.
Thank Almighty God, the true sheep of His pasture, who seek His leadership and His will, will not be led astray. Our Lord Jesus’ sheep will see the fake wool and run!
Let us always remember: A true prophet’s words will be fulfilled ── Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Jeremiah 28:8-9.
A true prophet’s teachings are always consistent with God’s living word ── 2 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 22:18-19.
A true prophet’s teachings will encourage righteous behavior and provide spiritual benefits (Deuteronomy 13:1-4; Jeremiah 23:13-14, 32; Ezekiel 13:17-23; 14:4-8; Lamentations 2:14.
A true prophet’s LIFE will show the fruits of God’s Spirit ── Isaiah 28:7; Jeremiah 23:10-11, 14; 29:9; Zephaniah 3:4; Matthew 7:15-20.
And a true prophet will always acknowledge that our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed divine ── 1 John 4:1-6. □