False Prophets and the End of the World
The Bible has a lot to say about false prophets, false teachers, false Christs, and false doctrine. Both Testaments speak much to this. Yet for all the warnings, it seems that gullible people – even gullible, undiscerning and unbiblical Christians – are falling for these fakes all the time.
There seems to be a never ending selection of such false prophets around. Indeed, they are a dime a dozen. Jesus warned constantly about this issue. Consider just a few passages:
Matt 7:15: Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Matt 24:4-5: Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ, and will deceive many.
Matt 24:10-11: At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Mark 13:21-23: At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect – if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
Luke 21:8: He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.”
Yet for two thousand years false Christs and false prophets have appeared on a regular basis. Consider one of the most recent examples of this. Up in Queensland there is a youngish couple claiming to be Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene! For those eager to see what Jesus and Mary look like, a photo is provided in the link below.
This is how one news report covers the story: “A couple who claim they are Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene have set up base in Queensland’s Bible Belt and are drawing in disciples from across the country. The pair, real names Alan John Miller and Mary Suzanne Luck, operate from rural Wilkesdale, near Kingaroy, where they claim to have been joined by 30-40 followers.
“‘My name is Jesus and I’m serious,’ Mr Miller says in a video recording from a workshop. Cult watchers and the Anglican and Catholic churches are concerned the pair, who ask followers to donate to sustain them, could draw in the vulnerable. Mr Miller bought a 16ha property at Wilkesdale in 2007 and his Divine Truth followers have since been buying nearby blocks to be close to the charismatic leader, 47, and Ms Luck, 32.
“Locals and real estate agents confirmed the group had sparked an unlikely property boom, with estimates they have bought up to 30 blocks and with new properties in high demand. Followers joined forces in 2009 to buy a $400,000, 240ha property where they hold weekly meetings and plan to build a centre for international visitors.”
The article continues, “Mr Miller was born in Loxton, South Australia, and has two children from a previous marriage, which he says ended after he ‘began to remember details’ of his past life. Tailoring his appearance to look like Jesus, he yesterday held a workshop in Albury, NSW, where he stood by his claims.
“In one recording he says: ‘There’s probably a million people who say they’re Jesus and most of them are in asylums. But one of us has to be. ‘How do I know I am? Because I remember everything about my life’.”
Just in case some believers are wondering if this guy might be the real deal, can I suggest that we have all the info we need to know he is a nutter and a false prophet. Firstly, the passages mentioned above should forever settle the question. When Jesus does return again, there will be no doubt whatsoever that it is him.
And in the above quote it is clear that this guy is not only into reincarnation (a fully unbiblical belief) but he is having a bit of trouble keeping his marriages intact. I would have thought that the Son of God could at least keep a marriage together. But given that Jesus never was married to begin with, I think we can quickly give this couple the flick.
Another obvious example of a false prophet is Harold Camping. He has been setting dates for Christ’s return for decades now. He has been found to be a false prophet time and time again, yet he keeps at it, and he manages to keep attracting deluded and mindless followers.
Most recently he has been telling us with the utmost insistence that May 21, 2011 is the end of the world – judgment day. He said, “Judgment Day on May 21, 2011 will occur because the bible declares it. Anyone whom God has not saved will arrive at that day with no hope for salvation. God warns simply the ‘door will be shut’.”
Well, unless I have missed something, May 21 has come and gone, and we have had no judgment, no return of Jesus, no nothing. Things are business as usual. Even allowing for differing global time zones, the day is basically gone and Camping is once again shown to be a liar and a seducer.
I have written all about this deceptive character before: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2011/04/07/on-date-setting-and-the-return-of-christ-part-one/
So what do we read on his website now? Strange – or maybe not so strange – but I can’t seem to get it to open. I take it these guys have hightailed it out of town, laughing all the way to the bank. No admission of guilt, no confession of deceit, fraud and falsehood. No recantations. No apologies.
Or maybe just those who maintain his website have been raptured, and the other 99.999999 per cent of Christians have been left behind. Seriously however, this guy is a repeat offender, and deserves all the criticism he can get. This nut case and false prophet has unfortunately derailed a legitimate and important biblical doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ.
We expect uninformed unbelievers to follow this sort of foolishness. But when people who call themselves Christians fall for this nonsense, then obviously biblical discernment and literacy is at an all-time low. Paul clearly warned the Ephesians about this:
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:28-31).
The savage wolves are certainly still out there – in abundance. And obviously so too are ignorant, uninformed and easily deceived Christians.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/jesus-and-mary-cult-followers-buy-up-land-around-kingaroy/story-e6freoof-1226055912664
http://www.familyradio.com/index2.html
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The most concerning part in Matt 24 is the passage where Jesus says that because of these things the love of many will grow cold, we need to remind ourselves of that and be on our guard, which are our knees.
Many blessings and glad to be here to read your article on the 22 May )::)
Ursula Bennett
Good comments, Bill. I’ve written on my blog about why I still believe in the second coming even on May 22. The NT says repeatedly that we cannot know when Jesus will come again, but come again he will!
Jon Newton
There is no shortage of gullible people with fat wallets.
Gregory James Byrne
Thanks Gregory
Of course the more gullible they are, the less fat their wallets will become.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
“…and I’m serious” ?
Isn’t that a send-up of the line from the comedy film “Flying High”:
“I must ask you, can you fly this airplane?”
“Surely, you’re not serious?”
“I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley”
This couple is surely having us on!
A cruciform clearing of the land, with an aerial photo? Aren’t they sending up those “crop circle” types?
They must be laughing at all the gullible ones who take them seriously.
If the issue wasn’t so serious, I could be laughing at their chutzpah.
John Angelico
“My name is Jesus and I’m serious, There’s probably a million people who say they’re Jesus and most of them are in asylums. But one of us has to be. ‘How do I know I am? Because I remember everything about my life’.”
Hahahahahahah hahahaha hahahaha
I’m with you John, I cant stop laughing.
Daniel Kempton
I like the Old Testament approach as to what to do with false prophets…
Scott Kroeger
Thanks Scott
Yes, if we had applied Deut. 18:21-22 to this nutter back in 1994 when he then promised us the end of the world, we would not still be dealing with his idiocy!
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
They will always be there as long as dummies with fat wallets are around. People need to check things properly before subscribing. We cannot protect people from themselves. The worst thing that we have had is “Waco” which led to many deaths. “Waco” was badly handled by the US govt. There was also that business with Jim Jones. Some of these things are basically cults. They are not susceptible to any logical refutation because the cult leader has a lot charisma in the eyes of his followers. I think it’s up to psychologists to thin out the ranks of the followers.
Gregory Byrne
A few scenes from “The Life of Brian” also come to mind.
David Williams
If only people would start properly reading their Bibles, they would not fall for the trickery you highlighted in your article, Bill.
Barb Hoc
I wonder if someone were to greet Mr Miller in Aramaic, whether this would be a part of his past life that he remembers??!!
Kerry Letheby
Yes very good point Kerry!
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Bill
Zechariah 14 has the Lord coming to Earth at the Mount of Olives and significant earth movements, including splitting the Mount of Olives east-west, part moving north and part moving south. This is a hard act to follow!
Best regards
Richard Bruce
This guy who can remember everything about his life is remarkable. There are parts of my life I struggle to remember, and other parts I would rather not remember, but then at least it is my life and not someone else’s!
Richard Jardine
well if this guy thinks he is jesus and his partner is mary well i am the pope what is this world coming to with these cults there is only one jesus and you go to church to see him you dont have to learn out him you read the bible and then you know what you need to know i have been going to church since i was a baby and i know who my jesus is it isnt some cult that sucks people in saying his is jesus when people are so gullable about this pray to the lord amen go get a life and stop recking other peoples lifes.
Belinda Graham