If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let’s follow other gods (whom you have not known) and let’s serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken falsely against the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to drive you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall eliminate the evil from among you. (Deuteronomy 13:1-10)

False prophets and false teachers/leaders have one thing in common. They reject God who brought us out of Egypt and redeemed us from the house of slavery. In my dream, I saw an enormous white cruise ship. I was told that they were going to Egypt, the land of the dead. Many Christians are going back to slavery. It travels with pomp and pride, but it is just a white-washed wall.

False prophets speak lies about God. In the OT, many false prophets spoke of peace and prosperity when God’s wrath was imminent. People have sold themselves to the devil. So, they speak what the devil speaks.

Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him pain, but you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way to keep him alive. (v.22)

I consider that 1 Kings 22 (and also Jeremiah 28) is a very interesting chapter that shows the difference between the false prophet and the true one.

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, I shall speak it.”

When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” And he said, “Go up and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king!” Then the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear that you will tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” So he said,

“I saw all Israel
Scattered on the mountains,
Like sheep that have no shepherd.
And the Lord said,
‘These people have no master.
Each of them is to return to his house in peace.’”

Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy anything good regarding me, but only bad?”

And Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the angels of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one spirit said this, while another said that. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You shall entice him, and you will also prevail. Go and do so.’ Now then, behold, the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours; and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah approached and struck Micaiah on the cheek; and he said, “How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?” And Micaiah said, “Behold, you are going to see how on that day when you go from one inner room to another trying to hide yourself.” Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; and say, ‘This is what the king says: “Put this man in prison, and feed him enough bread and water to survive until I return safely.”’” But Micaiah said, “If you actually return safely, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Listen, all you people!” (1 Kings 22:13-28)

The false prophet(s) is loved by the king and people. He speaks what people want to hear. Yet, he prevents people from turning away from their sins by persuading them with sweet talks. The false prophets remind me of Arius, who was loved by the Roman emperor and Christians. Arius appeared to be very pious. Yet, he spoke lies about God.

The chapter 1 Kings 22 may appear that God accepts and encourages lying. But if we read it carefully, God lets the false prophets speak lies and tells Ahab that they are lying by the words of the  prophet, Micaiah. Yet, Ahab’s hardened heart did not accept the words of the true prophet, and he went as he was destined to go.

By two reasons God is not responsible for the death of the reprobate. One is that God is the Law, and He can do whatever He wants to do as the only Creator as we read in Romans 9. The other is that Adam and his descendants trust in their own wisdom, ignore warnings from God, and cause their own demise. All reprobate people have no excuse on the Judgement Day.