Anyone who loves to study Bible prophecy should get acquainted with the men and women that the Bible calls prophets and prophetesses. Who are they and how were they identified? Are prophets those strange people, wearing strange clothes, eating strange things, preaching strange sermons, and doing strange things that no one understands?
It was a great and distinct honor to be a prophet of the living God. That’s why there were so many false prophets in Israel. The prophets anointed kings, performed miracles, and predicted the future.
At the same time, a prophet’s assignment could also bring great danger, difficulty, and even death. As God’s mouthpiece and spokesman for predicting and previewing the future, the prophet was called to speak God’s uncompromising message to an often rebellious people, which frequently brought reproach, opposition, criticism, and even execution.
Throughout history, many people have claimed to be a prophet and made several predictions about the future. How do we distinguish between true prophets and false prophets? In this post, we will look at the 7 distinguishing marks of a true prophet
The Test of a Prophet
The true word and way of God have always been plagued by imitation and counterfeiters. For this reason, the Lord established a clear set of test questions a person had to pass to be received as a true spokesman for God.
Four main passages in the Old Testament deal with false prophets.
Deuteronomy 13:1-14
In this passage, Moses warns the people that there may arise from among them prophets or dreamers who could also accurately predict the future or produce a sign or a wonder. So, they must be careful and not believe them right away. Instead, they should allow God to bring confirmation as it would be unusual for God to speak alone through a dream without confirmation.
Deuteronomy 18:15-22
In this passage, Moses makes a distinction between a true and false prophet.
First, Moses tells the nation of Israel that the Lord God will raise up for them a (true) Prophet like him from their midst, from their brethren, and they should listen to Him for God will put His words in His mouth and will speak to them everything that God will command Him (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).
A false prophet on the other hand, who presumes to speak a word in God’s name, but speaks in the name of other gods shall die (Deuteronomy 18:20). How shall the people know he is a false prophet? If the thing that he speaks does not happen or come to pass, it means the Lord has not spoken through him (Deuteronomy 18:20-22).
Jeremiah 23:9-40
This passage describes the pain inflicted on Jeremiah by the false prophets.
True prophets know how serious it is to be called by God to declare His word, and they accept the responsibility with fear and trembling. So, when they see self-styled prophets living like sinners, they grieve.
No wonder Jeremiah had a broken heart and trembled like a drunken man. He realized what the false prophets were doing to the people and the land, and it made him sick. The false prophets were committing adultery and walking in lies.
Ezekiel 12:21-14:11
In Ezekiel 12:21-28, Ezekiel’s messages rang with the certainty and the nearness of God’s judgment on Jerusalem and the land of Judah. But the people were quoting a proverb that may have been devised by the false prophets to humiliate Ezekiel.
Because Ezekiel’s prophecies had not been fulfilled immediately the people started paying more attention to the false prophets than to the Word of God. The visions of the false prophets were false and misleading (Ezekiel 12:23).
In Chapter 13 of Ezekiel, God declared that the false prophets had spoken only lies and explained how He would judge them.
7 Distinguishing Marks of a True Prophet
In the above passages and many others, Scripture presents at least seven key distinguishing marks of a true prophet. These marks were not always present in every case, but certainly, in some cases they were.
However, for any follower of God who really wanted to know, there would have been no question about who was a true prophet and who was false.
1. The true prophet never used divination, sorcery, or astrology.
See Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Ezekiel 12:24; Micah 3:7. The source of the prophet’s message was God Himself.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21).
2. The true prophet never tailored the message to cater to the desires of the people.
See Jeremiah 8:11; 28:8; Ezekiel 13:10.
The false prophets, or “pillow prophets” as some have described them, spoke the message that would bring them popularity and money. They were the “Fortune 500” prophets, the religious opportunists (see Micah 3:5-6, 11).
The true prophet spoke God’s unadulterated message regardless of personal loss, shame, and even physical harm.
3. The true prophet maintained personal integrity and character.
See Isaiah 28:7; Jeremiah 23:11; Hosea 9:7-9; Micah 3:5, 11; Zephaniah 3:4.
Jesus said that true and false prophets will be known by their fruits, that is, by what they do and say (see Matthew 7:15-20).
4. The true prophet was willing to suffer for the sake of the message.
When the prophet Micaiah, son of Imlah, prophesied the defeat of Ahab and Jehoshaphat, he was put in prison and was given nothing but bread and water (1 Kings 22:27-28).
Jeremiah was cast into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son when he declared the Word of the Lord saying, “Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but those who surrender to the Babylonians will live” (Jeremiah 38:4-13).
5. The true prophet announced a message that was consistent with the Law and the messages of other true prophets.
See Jeremiah 26:17-19.
The true prophet’s message must neither contradict nor disagree with the previous revelation of truth, but rather should confirm and build upon that body of truth (see Deuteronomy 13:1-3).
6. The true prophet, when predicting future events, had a 100 percent success rate.
See Deuteronomy 18:21-22.
Unlike modern psychics, 25 percent (or even 99 percent) was not good enough! If alleged prophets were not 100 percent accurate, the people were to take them outside the city to stone them to death (see Deuteronomy 18:20).
7. The true prophet sometimes had the message authenticated by a miracle.
See Exodus chapter 5 to 12.
This test was not conclusive evidence, however, because false prophets also produced miracles on occasion (see Exodus 7:10-12; 8:5-7; Mark 13:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:9). Therefore, Moses added further aspects to this test in Deuteronomy 13:1-5.
The true test is the content of the message, not miracles. The true prophet spoke only in the name of the Lord and called people closer to God, not away from God.
Conclusion
As the saying goes, prophets were both foretellers and forth-tellers. Although they are usually thought of as being announcers of the future, they spent most of their time proclaiming God’s words about the age in which they themselves lived.
But as the prophets delivered God’s message about the present, it naturally spilled over into the future as they threatened punishment or promised blessing.
Do prophets exist today?
There may not appear prophets today as in the Old and New Testament periods. However, it must be noted that God can still speak through people in whatever way He chooses to reveal certain information at certain times. And this information will not contradict what God has already revealed about Himself in His written word, the Bible.
Reference: The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days by Mark Hitchcock
The end times have seen a great amount of interest in the last two decades, but there hasn’t been a comprehensive overview of biblical prophecy and eschatology for more than five decades.
Mark Hitchcock’s book is a comprehensive resource for the twenty-first century. The End will do for eschatology what Randy Alcorn’s Heaven did for people’s understanding of heaven. It provides a solid biblical foundation for Christians to explore the essential truths around the topic of the end of the world.
The End lays out Biblical prophecy in a clear and understandable way explaining how to interpret Bible prophecy, pointing out key passages, events, and characters. It also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the different views on the Rapture, the Millennium, and the chronology of end-times events.
My earlier comment was in reply to the Abraham article and it’s discussion on testing.
Noted, thanks, Richard.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to The Father.” Said our Lord Jesus.
Being born-again means being given the keys to The Kingdom. It means being co-heirs with Christ, in joining Him in his suffering and humiliation. God’s will on earth can only bring upon us suffering.
Therefore, for your peace, let it be known that God does not test his children. Tests and trials fall upon His lovers because the world belongs to Satan. God guides – not tests. In the Old He did test, no-one back then could understand the ways of God. But, all mysteries have been unshrouded by the blood of Christ – The One Thing Needful to all individual’s.
Even angels look into these things – our salvation. Did God test Jesus? Of course not, for He was well-pleased in him. Same goes for all born-again believers. “Be perfect, like how your Father in Heaven is perfect.”
Of course I still Sin, but praise the lord! He has delivered me from my dead flesh by the power that rose up Christ. It can only ever be Love-Truth-Grace with God – this is the opening up of freedom before us, and there’s no reason why I should Sin, no reason for not walking on the water!
Examine yourselves. Faith, along with prayer and all other blessings, is received after having died completely to the ways of the world. My home is not in this world.
Hi Richard,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your reflections—it’s clear your heart is deeply stirred by the grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. I appreciate your passion for the gospel and your desire to see believers walk in the full freedom Christ offers.
Your comment about being co-heirs with Christ and the victory we have through Him is truly uplifting. I fully agree that our salvation reveals mysteries even angels long to look into, and that being born again means stepping into a powerful, Spirit-filled identity.
Regarding the issue of testing, especially in light of Abraham’s story, I understand your perspective that God, in His perfect love, does not test us in the way we often think of from the Old Testament. However, Scripture does show that even in the New Testament, God allows trials—not to harm or condemn us, but to strengthen and refine our faith.
James 1:2–4 encourages believers to “count it all joy” when we face various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. And in 1 Peter 1:6–7, trials are described as refining fire that proves the genuineness of our faith—more precious than gold. These aren’t punishments, but divine opportunities for growth and deeper trust.
Even Jesus, though sinless and fully pleasing to the Father, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested (Matthew 4:1). His victory in that season became a model for us—not as a sign of God’s displeasure, but as proof of His preparation and purpose.
In the post, the author reflected on Abraham’s test in Genesis 22 not as a cruel trial, but as a profound moment of faith that revealed Abraham’s trust in God’s promises—foreshadowing Christ’s own sacrificial obedience.
I truly welcome your thoughts and would love to hear how you interpret that passage in Genesis 22. It’s such a deep and powerful chapter, and different perspectives can really help us all grow. Feel free to share more!
Grace and peace to you, brother.
Hello Alice,
Thank you for your words. I appreciate your passion also, in wanting to share what you understand, from the Holy Bible. God Bless.
We serve a Mighty Powerful God who loves all people, and does not Force anyone to learn the truth, if they refuse to learn. But God encourages all people, through his words to learn the Truth, so they can Mentally and Spiritually grow in his Grace.
We should only be lead by God’s words, and not by our Generation ancestors who followed the Teachings of The Roman Leaders or Governors, that did not follow ALL God’s Command, and this is still happening today. Ephesians 4:14-16.
When we Fail to obey God’s Ten Commandments, that will make us guilty of it all, regardless if we obey Eight or even Nine of God’s Commandments. That is why we ask God to help us through, in obedience to him.
God is the Ultimate one we should obey. Off course! we respect people in certain roles or Positions, but God is our creator, that we should obey, not people, especially if they are telling us or others to do the opposite from what God Commanded in his words. Acts 5:29.
You mentioned Christians gathered on the first day of the week in celebration of Christ resurrection, that is completely fine, Yes we celebrate Christ resurrection too.
But that does not change the fact, that God commanded, that we keep the seventh day (Sabbath day Saturday Holy). Keeping the Sabbath is a respect to God’s Command Law. God never told us to keep the First day of the week, he told us to keep the Seventh day of the week. Exodus 20:-8-10 & Matthew 19:16-22.
I clearly understand there are loving Christians who truly love serving the Lord and want to learn more. God knows their heart. But the Sabbath is the Seventh day, said the Lord. If you count the first day of the week (Sunday) to Saturday, you will see it is the seventh day (which is the Sabbath Day).
However, Keeping the Sabbath (Saturday) does not mean, we should not spend time with God daily. As we should spend quality time with God daily, whether in prayer, singing Praises to him or studying his words in the Bible etc. Praising God, should includes following all his command-Law. Proverbs 3:5-6.
The Apostle Paul, was touched by the Holy Spirit, when he became converted in following Christ. Paul was a Strong believer and follower of Christ, and obeyed God’s words-Law. Paul even use to obey the Roman leaders in practicing wicked ways, until God’s Holy Spirit touch him.
You mentioned Paul said, don’t let anyone judge you regarding Sabbath Day. As we know, Paul was a total strong follower of God’s law, that would also includes him keeping the Seventh day Sabbath, that God commanded in his Law.
Paul’s message in the Bible verse you sent, was referring to those who do not keep God’s Law, and would compel others to do the same, when he said, don’t let anyone judge you regarding Sabbath day.
As Paul himself, knew many were not keeping the Seventh Day- Sabbath Day, that God commanded, and these included the Roman Governors-Leaders.
However, the meaning of judging is when people condemn someone, and show no compassion. when we Christians teach God’s words, we are only repeating what God said, in his words, and that does not mean we are judging. As God said we (his followers) are the salt of the world, to share his True words, to others.
As many do not know the Truth, and it is our duty as God’s followers to let people know, with love and kindness, remembering God does not Force, but encourages. As the Truth will set others free from the bondage of this world, that leads people astray from God.
May God Bless you Alice and us all too, as we all continue to grow together in God’s Grace.
God’s Blessings Always,
Caroline N
Hi Caroline,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your heart so thoughtfully. I truly appreciate your kind words, your love for the Lord, and your desire to honor Him through obedience to His Word.
You are right—our God is mighty, loving, and patient, and He indeed calls us all to grow in grace and truth.
I respect your commitment to the seventh-day Sabbath and the way you’ve thoughtfully explained your understanding. It’s clear you are passionate about honoring God’s commandments, and I genuinely admire that.
Please read my post, “Sabbath vs. the Lord’s Day: What’s the Difference According to the Bible,” if you haven’t yet. Here’s the link:
https://biblical-christianity.com/what-is-the-difference-between-the-sabbath-and-the-lords-day
I do believe that the early church’s gathering on the first day of the week (commonly referred to as the Lord’s Day) was not to replace the Sabbath, but rather to celebrate Christ’s resurrection and the new covenant fulfilled in Him.
I understand that faithful Christians interpret this differently, and I respect your conviction.
My goal in writing that post was not to dismiss the Sabbath but to clarify why many Christians—myself included—worship on Sunday while still embracing the importance of resting in Christ and living in obedience to Him daily.
Jesus is our ultimate rest (Hebrews 4), and through Him, we find our Sabbath in a deeper, spiritual way.
I believe our unity as believers comes not from the day we gather, but from our shared faith in Jesus Christ and our desire to walk in love, obedience, and truth.
Thank you again, Caroline, for engaging so graciously and lovingly.
May the Lord continue to guide us both as we seek to know Him more and walk in His will.
God bless you always,
Alice
A true Prophet will follow God’s Law, which includes the Ten Commandments.
The Sabbath Keeping is included in the Ten Commandments, therefore, those Prophets who do not believe the Sabbath is Saturday, or claim it does not matter, they cannot be True Prophets of God. We should not be following the wrong ways of the generation of our ancestors- if they did not keep God’s law.
True Prophets of God follow all scriptures, with Obedience to God. They also do not play Lord over God’s people, but should guide or encourage people to follow God words only. Studying the Bible, gives you so much, Knowledge, wisdom and understanding . (The Holy Bible- James version)
However, If you do not know how to study The Bible by yourself, ask God to help you find a Dedicated Sabbath Keeping Bible Group, in the Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA), to have Bible studies with. You will enjoy it, and learn so much. God Bless. Proverbs 3:5-6.
The devil will keep on deceiving people, by using false Prophets, and it is already happening.
Hi Caroline,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment and for sharing your conviction about the importance of Sabbath-keeping and the role of true prophets. I appreciate your heart for obedience to God and your desire to uphold His Word.
You’re absolutely right that a true prophet must live in obedience to God and lead others according to the Scriptures. As I mentioned in the post, true prophets do not contradict God’s Word, and their lives should bear the fruit of the Spirit.
However, I respectfully differ on the interpretation that Sabbath-keeping (specifically Saturday observance) is a requirement for Christians today.
While the Sabbath is indeed part of the Ten Commandments, the New Testament shows a shift from strict Sabbath observance to finding rest in Christ (see Hebrews 4:9-10). Jesus is our ultimate rest, and early Christians gathered on the first day of the week (the Lord’s Day) in celebration of His resurrection (see Acts 20:7 and Revelation 1:10).
The Apostle Paul also addressed this in Colossians 2:16-17, where he encouraged believers not to let anyone judge them regarding Sabbath days, as these were a shadow of what was to come — and that substance is Christ.
While I understand that many sincere believers, such as those in the SDA community, continue to observe the Sabbath on Saturday, I personally believe that our salvation and standing with God are based on faith in Jesus Christ alone, not on the day we worship.
Still, I do appreciate your passion and your reminder to seek God’s guidance through Bible study and prayer. May we all continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.
Blessings to you,
Alice
It appears that Prophet Muhammad has all 7 of these marks. Allow me to elaborate:
1. It is reiterated repeatedly that he spoke not on his terms, but that God put His words and commands in his mouth to be spoken to the people.
“Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed.” (Quran 53:3-4)
2. He endured persecution, threats, and hardship from his own tribe and others.
Only true prophets have ever been driven out of their own hometown because of what they preached, just as Jesus mentioned in Luke 4:24, “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
Despite that, he remained steadfast in conveying the message he was tasked with delivering and eventually returned to Mecca with 10,000 saintly warriors to bloodlessly conquer it back in the name of God, and deliver justice, just as described in Biblical scripture:
Jude 1:14, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
3. He is renowned for maintaining personal integrity and character throughout his life.
Even before his prophethood, he was known as “the Trustworthy” by his community. It is this consistency in character that got many to believe in his message. He upheld the principles of honesty, kindness, and justice, even when faced with extreme adversity.
4. Few, if any in history suffered more to spread the message of God than him. He faced relentless persecution, threats, and immense physical harm, including being stoned, boycotted, and even having assassination attempts against him.
Despite all that, he remained completely steadfast. Never once did his faith waver even a little bit.
5. The message delivered by the Prophet Muhammad is consistent with all other prophets of the Old Testament. Key elements include:
Monotheism: That there is none worthy of worship except God alone, the God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
Righteous living: Preaching moral and ethical behavior in line with the teachings of all true prophets.
Justice and compassion: Enjoining good and forbidding evil, helping the needy, and being merciful.
Accountability: Highlighting the coming of the Day of Judgement, where every soul will be recompensed for what it did in the world.
6. Records and writings still hold that he has a perfect track record in his prophesies.
This is despite making hundreds of predictions. He foresaw both major things like the defeat of the Persian Empire and the conquest of Constantinople and smaller things like the order of the deaths of his companions and family members.
There is not a single prophecy proven false to this day, even as they are fulfilled in front of our very eyes, such as: “And fornication never becomes prevalent among a people, to the degree that they practice it openly, except that epidemics become rampant among them which had never before existed in their ancestors.”
The link between sexual permissiveness and sexually transmitted diseases is not something any sensible person in our times can deny.
Perhaps the unhinged pursuit of sexual gratification without liability is behind this next prophecy as well; “A woman will one day be taken and have her abdomen cut open, then what is inside her womb will be taken and discarded, out of fear of having children.”
According to an extensive survey published in the Guttmacher Institute Journal, the “fear of dramatic life changes” is by far the most common reason for abortions today, with more than half of those surveyed citing single motherhood as the reason for that fear.
Another remarkable presumption in this narration is that one day, removing a fetus from the womb will be without much risk to the mother.
This has only been possible recently in human history and would have been extremely dangerous in the recent past. For this reason, a Cesarean section was usually not performed in history except on a dead or dying mother.
7. His message was authenticated by several major miracles.
The message in this case also happens to be his biggest miracle. The scripture he came with, the Quran, is considered a living miracle due to its unmatched eloquence, depth, and consistency. You should give it a listen on YouTube, and witness as your heart trembles.
Other reported miracles include the splitting of the moon, the Night Journey (Isra and Mi’raj), and various instances of healing and protection. These miracles are seen as divine validation of his prophethood.
Thanks for taking the time to go through the post; I appreciate your comment.
However, I’m gonna have to disagree with you. First of all, the Jews did not accept Muhammad as a prophet.
Secondly, Jude 1:14 does not allude to Muhammad but to God when He comes back to earth to judge the wicked world.
Thirdly, you said that Muhammad maintained integrity and character throughout his life. Yet, he had several wives and is said to have committed atrocities.
I could mention many other reasons that Muhammad was not a true prophet but these three should be more than enough.
I’m gonna have fun with this.
Job 38:31 KJV “Canst thou bind the ‘sweet influences’ of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?”
That sounds like astrology to me!
Hmmm… you think so?
Have you tried reading this verse in another translation? Maybe you should ☺️.
Here’s the thing, when reading the Bible, we consider the context, the kind of literature, the author, the purpose for writing, and the intended audience.
Shalom!
Rain,
When God was asking this question of Job, He was speaking rhetorically.
The entire chapter is about God asking these questions of Job rhetorically because Job demanded to know where God was in the midst of his suffering.
The answer to them all was: “Of course you can’t; you’re not Me.”
I think when we read about the prophets and prophecies of the Old Testament times, we sometimes get our wires crossed, so to speak!
I am certain that many prophets were men and women who followed and obeyed God in times when the general population from top to bottom were following their own sinful desires and inclinations.
That stands out for me.
America, and to a lesser extent the British Isles, the Anglophone world and Western Europe are nominally Christian. America particularly sees itself as a Christian country particularly protected by God.
I may add that nations are not Christian, only individuals. Christian intent, values, our Judeo Christian heritage count for nothing or very little if we as nations, communities, families and individuals do not follow and obey Christ!
Prophets then, as well as being guided by God, we’re already aware of the hypocrisy and greed and other sins of the general population. We need to be too.
That does not start with judgemental self righteousness but humbly following and obeying God.
Then we will speak the truth in our days to the evil in our times.
I agree, Timbo. What makes one a Christian is receiving Christ as Savior and Lord and humbly submitting to His authority.
I am not sure though, if there are prophets like what they had in the Old Testament times. ☺️
I appreciate your comment, God bless,
I have not heard or know of any prophet now who prophecies in-line with scripture. Not one.
All I see are money hungry people claiming to hear from God on issues that do not encourage or feed the flock spirituality.
If we’re talking about prophets who are just like the ones we read in the Scriptures-then there’s none.
Thanks for your comment, Glenn. Gods bless,
I wonder what the language is of a true prophet.
I have heard prophets (???) speak very vulgar about a vision God gave them in terms of same sex relationships. I couldn’t shake the descriptive language used. I kept asking myself, would our Lord and Savior, who is righteous and holy speak like this?
The person said that God told them, “If I have to see it, so do you.”
Interesting question. ☺️
I believe a true prophet of God speaks in a manner that represents God’s character.
Although God uses each of His people according to their personality and character, one who speaks in a vulgar way to get across God’s message cannot be a true prophet.
Thank you for this well-balanced article!
So many are being deceived in these last days, and many of my friends, who I count as strong, solid Christians, quote and follow TV or other social media “prophets.”
It’s good counsel to measure everything by Scriptures and to pray for discernment as we navigate so much false prophecy.
Hi Patricia,
Unfortunately, many Christians are blinded by the pastors of megachurches that we see on TV. Thi s is why it’s important to read and meditate on the Word of God.
If we know what the Word says, we will not be deceived.
Thanks for your comment, God bless!
Thank you! God Bless!
You are welcome.
God bless you more.
I believe I am a true prophet and seer.
It brings extreme sadness to me to see so many friends following these false tv prophets. I rarely tell anyone that I am a prophet. It has been a hard life. I have suffered much pain and persecution. I certainly never made money for it. This role was something my life was before I had any knowledge of what a prophet was.
Thank you for this article.
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for your comment.
As mentioned in the article, prophets may not exist today like in the New and Old Testaments. Thus, I don’t consider any preacher on TV as a prophet.
Sadly, many people are being deceived into following these big TV personalities.
God bless!