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Poison Fruit of False Prophets

Must we eat lies to know the truth?

by Phil Maxwell, September 1998 

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.

Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

(Matt 7:15-20)

Although this exhortation implies that Yahshua’s disciples should generally judge the fruits of anyone presenting themselves as a messenger of Yahweh, the specific warning is about false prophets. Yahshua wants His people to be able to identify false prophets, as they pose a particular hazard to them. This is demonstrated by the illustration given, as what could be more dangerous than an enemy sneaking in undetected amongst a flock of helpless sheep?

Even though largely disregarded by many, the point here is that false prophets cannot be identified by appearances. Although many come touting all their righteous works as evidence that they are messengers of God, it is evident that the fruits Yahshua is referring to are specifically NOT discernible through natural observation. How many have followed after supposed men of God, joining themselves to apparent works of God, only to later find themselves spiritually shipwrecked?

2 Cor 11:13-15  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

It should also be noted that the exhortation is not even directed at judging good fruits. It is a warning to beware of false prophets, and false prophets will bear evil fruit. When a presumed prophet comes to you (notice that these are depicted as coming to you, not vice-versa), you are to inspect their fruits for corruption. If corruption is found, you can know by faith, not necessarily sight, that their fruit is poison and the tree is evil; though they may bear every appearance of sheep, they are inwardly wolves, and you should beware of them.

1 Jn. 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

A prophet is anyone who claims to speak of and for God Almighty, and a false prophet is one who makes such a claim falsely. The only real difference between a true and false prophet is the source of their message, and the fruits will reveal that source. What fruits? Their message, the words of their own mouths:

Luke 6:43-49

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

I have observed many manifestations of prophecy in recent years, and they are not always presented by people who openly claim to be prophets or to speak by way of prophetical utterance. These precepts apply to anyone presenting a message under the auspices of having been directly revealed to them by the Spirit of God, whether they call it a word from God, a gift of discernment, a revelation, a prophecy, or whatever. The point of distinction is that the source of the message and inspiration to deliver it is presented as being directly from God Almighty. We should take any such message seriously, for it is at least nearly as bad to reject a true message from Yahweh as to receive one that is pretentiously presented as such. Thus, we are to judge the fruits, and the fruits are the words that are delivered under such auspices, with particular caution so as not to partake of the poisonous fruit offered to us by Satan’s ministers for the cause of hurting us.

1Thes 5:20-21 Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Knowing that we must judge the words (fruits) of those who come to us as messengers God isn’t enough, though, we must also have some standard of judgment. Again, we must consider what the point is here: The only concern is whether or not the message is actually from Yahweh? If it is, we should receive it accordingly, but if not, we should reject and reprove it as a false prophecy. Until and unless certain, we should continue to test and prove the matter objectively. The only objective standard we have to judge what is presented as the Word of Yahweh is His Word, and since our investigation is aimed at uncovering any evil fruits, the focus should be to find any inconsistencies or contradictions with the Word of Yahweh. In order to do this, we must lean upon what we know to be His Word, and that would be the Scriptures.

2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Don’t be deceived into judging by appearances. The fruits of a supposed prophet are their words presented as being from and of Yahweh’s Spirit, and false prophets are going to naturally try to divert your attention away from judging their words accordingly. As we know, Satan’s ministers can and do bear righteous appearances; false prophets appear to be sheep. Even the Apostle John marveled at the appearance of the harlot called Babylon in his vision. Yahshua commended the Pharisees and scribes for their outward righteousness, but still condemned them as children of the devil. Though there is nothing wrong with outward righteousness, it can have a seductive draw to cause us to judge by appearances rather than to discern spiritual things spiritually.

1 Cor 2:13-14

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Paul was concerned about the Corinthians being beguiled, warning them to judge according to the truth that he had delivered to them, comparing his concerns for them to the encounter Eve had with the serpent:

2 Cor 11:3-4

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Consider how Eve was drawn by the serpent to judge the tree rather than the fruit:

Gen 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.

Why didn't she judge the fruit rather than the tree? Well, actually she did, but only after she had allowed her basis of judgment to be corrupted. Instead of judging it by faith in the word of Yahweh, who had warned them that it was poison, she judged it by observation and ingesting it. It was poison fruit, no matter how goodly the appearance of the tree or the fruit was, and so it is with false prophets: They bear the appearance of sheep, and if we judge on appearances, we will be inclined to partake of their fruit, which is poison.

Not only is it foolish to attempt to judge poison fruit by the appearance of the tree, it is also impossible to judge poison fruit by its own appearance. Thus, when faced with false prophets and prophecies, we are faced with a choice of two options, as Eve was: We can measure their words against the counsel of Yahweh found in His already established word, or we can rely on our own observations and judgment. The former requires spiritual judgment and operates by faith, while the latter option is carnal.

2 Cor 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight:

Those who falsely claim to be prophets, that is, to speak on direct behalf of Yahweh, will most likely bear a convincing appearance of righteousness. Not only that, but they will often attempt to bolster the appeal of their message on the visible manifestation of "fruit of the Spirit," presumptuously suggesting that the true fruits of the Spirit, "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance," (Gal. 5 :22-23) are established by works of the flesh. Like the Pharisees before them, these servants of Satan are well able to manifest the appearance of these things, but ultimately their boasts will fail in the judgment:

Matt 7:21-23

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.

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?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matt 12:34-37

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

2 Pet 2:1-3

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

So, it is clear that there will be false prophets, and that they can be identified by measuring their messages against the Scriptures. It is also true that they may bear very righteous appearances, and could manifest considerable “evidence” that they are genuine. Such evidence can include not only righteous works, but casting out devils and prophesying in Yahshua’s name. Additionally, the Scriptures plainly point to notable miracles being performed by false prophets in the last days:

Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

Rev 13:11-15

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

Rev 16:13-14 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Think about all this for a moment. No wonder Paul described the last days as "perilous times," describing a lengthy list of atrocious sins and concluding that such would, nonetheless, have "a form of godliness". This will be a day where false prophets and false christs bear every appearance of being ministers of righteousness, not only prophesying and casting out devils in the name in the name of Yahshua, but even performing miracles, and deceiving many in the process.

There’s another point worth mentioning here. Some think that the mark of a true prophet is found in whether or not their predictions come true. While there is some measure to be applied in such things, this by no means gives as comprehensive a picture as many think.

Deut 18:20-22

But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

All this really states is that a prophet whose predictions don’t come to pass is a false prophet. Other considerations are that not all prophetical utterances even deal with future events, so this measure simply doesn’t work in all cases. Also, even when prophecy we are called to judge does deal with future events, often a judgment is required before it can be known whether or not it is true. This was the case with Jeremiah, who prophesied the devastation Nebuchadnezzar handed the Israelites while surrounded by false prophets who refuted him. Had the Israelites heeded Jeremiah’s message, they would have repented of their sin, surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar, and been allowed to stay in their land. Furthermore, Yahweh has the right to retract judgment pronounced by those He sends, as He did when the Ninevites repented upon hearing Jonah. More importantly, though, the occurrence of a prediction does not necessarily validate a prophet as being from Yahweh:

Deut 13:1-5

If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

This leads to another important point, which is that false prophets, though only counterfeits of true servants of God Almighty, still serve His purposes. They prove out who truly loves Yahweh with their whole heart and soul, those who fear Him enough to trust and obey Him no matter what. This again leads us right back to where Eve was in the garden, faced with the choice to trust in Yahweh’s word or other influences, and it is a message that is as relevant to our generation as it ever was.

II Thes 2:8-12

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Yahshua has told us before. We have been warned. We are to test the calls of those who claim to be servants of God against the Scriptures, and we are to trust His word over everything else.

Matt 24:23-26

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Behold, I have told you before.

Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

The world is full of people who honor Yahweh with their lips, but their hearts are far removed from Him. The day of testing is near, and false prophets are a key factor in how we well be tested. The simplicity which is in Christ is to accept His word and obey Him, and the devil is very determined to snare as many as possible in the vanity of their own minds, as he did Eve. Many will be found lacking, unable to answer Yahshua’s question, "why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46)

The point here isn’t to address everything that the Scriptures instruct us in, nor even in Yahshua’s words, though they have particularly direct bearing on us. The issue is whether or not we take His words seriously enough to accept them at face value, and this is truly a life and death issue:

Matt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matt 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

John 6:63, 68 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. ...Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

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