And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. (Ezek. 34:2-3)

Recently, I began a study on signs of the end time. One of the signs that were accurately spoken 2000 years ago by Jesus is the rise of false prophets. I was stuck by how accurately the verses portrayed the characteristics of the apostate shepherds, teachers, and prophets we are seeing in the church today. It drove me to pull out other scriptures to see if I could get an overall picture of what GOD considers to be a bad (or false) shepherd.

The disciples of Jesus came to Him, wanting to know the signs of the end of the age and His second coming. Jesus sitting on mount Olives began to speak. The first signs Jesus mentioned is the appearance of false “Christs” with their deceptions. Christ Himself is a Shepherd. He is Saviour. He is Messiah. He is a Prophet. In other words, Christ was telling His disciples there will be rise of false Christ (Shepherds, messiah, Saviour and prophets). Listen to the words of the master.

Matthew 23:3-5, 23-26 (NIV)

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately.”Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? 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.


V23-26. At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Mat. 7:15)

The word "ravening", comes from the Greek word “harpax”, which can also mean an extortioner or a robber. These false prophets have literally come to extract a price from the sheep. They appear one way but are really another, in other words they are duplicitous. They have a vociferous appetite; inwardly they would tear the flesh from our bones and devour us, but outwardly they pretend to be harmless, docile and righteous.

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. (II Peter 2:1-2)

The world pernicious means having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way. In other words false teachers, will have a slow destructive effect in a subtle way. They will cause people to despise and speak ill of the truth because of their negative example

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. (II Peter 2:30)

To feign means to pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury): Plastos means to mould or form. The word for “make merchandise of”, is the Greek word “emporeuomai” which means to deal in, or to use for personal gain. In other words, these wolves will mold or form their words carefully, even using false emotion and pretending to be affected by them, in order to deceive. Their ultimate goal is money; they want to use the sheep for their own personal gain.

You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ's authority, knowing that God is watching us.
2 Corinthians 2:17 (NLT)

Today in the church of God, we see shepherd who charge exorbitant fee to preach the gospel of Christ. The Church structure and organization has been patterned to a family inheritance in such a way that the Spouse or Children of a founder takes over should a founder pass away. Hence, the worldly pattern and methods are being adopted for the work of the ministry. The church members are used to achieve a personal profit and gains. This is what the bible meant when it says; they will make merchandise of you for personal gains. Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” Matt. 16:18. The church of Jesus does not belong to man. Man is a vessel in the hand of our Lord to be used for God’s glory. Jesus said, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." John 12:32.

Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not uncovered your iniquity,
To bring back your captives, But have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions. They are not able to loose those held captive but have filled their listeners with false hope and delusions. (Lam. 2:14)

Their visions are false and deceptive; they claim to hear and speak for God but fail to uncover the iniquity of those to whom they prophesy! Time, God and in-depth knowledge in the word of God is the only factor that exposes the deceptions and falsehood of such false shepherds. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Heb 4:12,NLT

Yes, they are greedy dogs
Which never have enough.
And they are shepherds
Who cannot understand;
They all look to their own way,
Every one for his own gain,
From his own territory. (Isaiah 56:11)

They are greedy and no matter what they have it is never enough. They are supposed to be shepherds but they can not teach when they themselves do not understand. They are looking to their own way instead of THE Way. They are out for their own gain, and belly.

“My people have been lost sheep.
Their shepherds have led them astray;
They have turned them away on the mountains.
They have gone from mountain to hill;
They have forgotten their resting place. (Jer. 50:6)

The people that they are supposed to be shepherding are lost because THEY have led them astray. They have led them by way of a difficult path instead of leading them to a place of rest.

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. (Ezek. 34:2-3)

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

They are supposed to be feeding the sheep but instead feed themselves. They are clothed with wool provided by the sheep themselves and are actually feasting on the very ones they are supposed to be leading! The sheep are being sacrificed so the wicked shepherd can have the very best. In contrast, the Good Shepherd feeds his sheep, and is willing lay down His life for them.

The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. (Ezek. 34:4)

They have not strengthened the weak, or healed the sick and broken, nor have they bound their wounds. They do not care about the ones they have driven away, nor do they care about the ones who have wandered off. They rule the flock by force, domination, lording over them and by cruelty.

‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: “As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock” therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.” (Ezek 34:7-10)

The apathy of the shepherd causes the flock to be at the mercy of every meat eating beast. The false shepherd is a hireling and is only in it for his own gain.

Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; by sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. (Jer. 14:14-15)

The false prophets prophesy lies, false visions, and empty deceitful words that are their own and not God’s. God has not sent them, nor has he spoken to them. They prophesy witchcraft and divination and are speaking peace when there is none.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, [and] not out of the mouth of the LORD. 17They say still unto them that despise me, the LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. (Jer. 23:16)

Clearly it is never the Lord’s heart to placate people in their sin, but rather to implore them to turn from their wickedness to avoid coming judgment. It is obvious that these prophesies originate within the wicked hearts of the false prophets and do not come from the mouth of the Lord.

I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. (Jer. 23:21)

God has not sent them (although they claim he has) and he has not spoken to them (yet they claim He did). If they were truly speaking for the Lord then they would have turned the people from their wicked ways but they did not.

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed my people: “You have scattered my flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord. (Jer. 23:1-3)

These wicked shepherds destroy and scatter the sheep, drive them away and refuse to tend their needs.

Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem:
They commit adultery and walk in lies;
They also strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So that no one turns back from his wickedness.
All of them are like Sodom to Me,
And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
They commit adultery, they lie, instead of calling out and dealing with the sin in the lives of the sheep they reinforce the sin by telling the sheep what they want to hear (Jer. 23:14)

They lie and commit adultery and instead of dealing with people’s sin they actually reinforce it by telling them what they want to hear.

“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, who try to make my people forget my name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name for Baal. (Jer. 23:25)

They claim their dreams are from the Lord, yet they lie and are prophesying out of deceitfulness of flesh. They cause the people to prefer being lead by their dreams and visions instead of by the Lord and His Word. They deceive people in exchanging true worship for pagan worship.

Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord. (Jer.23:32)

They lie and prophesy false dreams and because of their recklessness people are led into sin. They do not profit the people whatsoever because the Lord did not send them. God never intended for his sheep to be hungry, lied to, abused, led with force, domination or coercion or mistreated in any way. Below are summary of their falsehood:

They appear harmless but are not

They are extortionist and robbers, charging fees for preaching the gospel

They come to extract a price from the sheep quoting 1 Corinthians 9:11 out of context and without balancing it with other verses of scriptures such as 2 Corinthians 2:17, 1 Corinthians 9:18.

They are capable of showing lying signs and wonders

They are able to deceive even the elects by lying wonders

They bring a slow and gradual introduction of heresies

They cause people to despise and speak ill of the truth

They use false emotion and pretend to be affected by their own words

They cleverly craft their words to have an effect in order to deceive

They traffic in sheep and use them for the personal gain

They use false and deceptive visions

They claim to hear and speak for God but fail to uncover sin in the flock.

They do not truly loose the captives but fill them with false hope and delusions

They are greedy and never have enough

They teach things that they do not understand

They are territorial

They remind people who challenge or question them with verse that says “touch not the anointed of God”

They lead people along a difficult path instead of leading them to a place of rest

They feed themselves but do not feed the sheep

They feast on the very ones they are supposed to be feeding

They do not strengthen the weak

They do not truly heal the sick

They often use various gimmicks, selling of anointed materials, mantles and trinkets from holy land.

They often request to pray over letters, e-mails, prayer request and photographs instead of teaching God’s people to pray by themselves.

They do not bind up the broken

They do not seek after those they have driven away

They do not seek the lost

They lead the flock with force, domination and cruelty

They do not care about sheep who have wandered off

They leave the sheep open to attack from beasts of the field

They prophesy lies and false visions

Their words are empty, worthless and deceitful

They speak that all is well to people who are clearly in sin and at enmity with God

They say they speak for the Lord but they don't

They say the Lord has sent them but He hasn't

Their visions come from their own heart and not from the Lord's

They prophesy witchcraft and divination

They are hirelings and only in if for themselves

They make people vain

They falsely tell people that no harm will befall them instead of warning them when the people are living in sin.

They destroy and scatter the sheep

They commit adultery

They walk in lies

They reinforce sin by telling people what they want to hear

They claim their dreams are from the Lord

They cause people to prefer to be led by dreams and visions rather than the word of God.

They cause people to exchange true worship for pagan worship

The pattern of God in His word is that His people should be fed with the word of God. If you are sitting under a ministry who is feeding ON you instead of feeding you, allow the Good Shepherd to lead you out.

@OP: Check your mail,

thank you for sharing your insights with us.
just a few things to point out here:

what do you mean by "the church of God"?
are these characteristics inclusive of all  christian churches?

what i know is that there are thousands of God fearing men and women in the mission field,who sold all their belongings for the ministry.
i used to be very critical of wealthy ministers until i searched the history behind most of them.not to get too deep here,but there is such a thing in the bible as "harvest".
you may criticize  them for their current wealth,but you dont know how much they gave away in the past.i was shocked when i found out that a couple of pastors i was critical of had actually given away millions of dollars to sk many orphans,homeless,third world countries etc,

its so easy to criticize ministers from an outsiders stand point of view. do you know how many lives they have impacted positively with the gospel?

people who have nothing to offer and no fruit to show in their lives always criticize those who are  bearing fruit for the kingdom

@eddy1977
But they broke away. you can even give your prized possession for a cause, but at certain point in life, you may just give in to the other side which is far more stronger. what people then remember of you is your humble beginning.

Very thorough and incisive thread backed with clear cut scripture that cannot be denied by anyone claiming to be a christian.

@eddy
What's your point? The bible severally warned us against false teachers and signs they would exhibit. Is it wrong to remind brethren of this especially now that false teachers are so rampant in our society?

thanks diluminati and pastor kuhn.

biblically speaking there is nothing wrong with being wealthy.in fact wealth is God s promise to us the believers.
it is hypocritical to criticize people that you dont know personally. i wonder if the poster knows any of the so called false prophets personally.did the lord speak to him in a vision about some specific ministers or is he just putting everyone in the same boat.
in my case,i used to criticize a certain televangelist because of his opulence.i called him all sorts of adjectives.until i met his staff members and saw with my eyes how he had refused a salary from the ministry for many years.he built schools and helped many people with his small income.the lord rewarded him with a mansion,a rolls ryce,a private jet and other assets.

simply because a man of God is wealthy,doesnt mean he is greedy and materialistic.have considered that it may be the lord giving his harvest as promised in the bible?

have you noticed that jesus spoke more about money than faith and prayer? unless you are dishonest,but it takes money to send the gospel around the world.it takes millions of dollars for reinhard bonnke to hold a crusade in your village.it takes money to print bibles and christian litteratures.

if i went to church were they didnt teach me about money and participating financially in the kingdom,i would leave that church in a heart beat.

so i say again.instead of criticizing a minister who talks about money and lives large,you should check yourself up and see if you have ever used your money to futher the kingdom of God.

just name one "false prophet" that you personally know.you have investigated him/her.you have prayed about them and the lord has specifically revealed to you that the said minister is "false". just name one.tells us what you know about him/her.their humble beginnings and journey with the lord.

eddy1977:

thanks diluminati and pastor kuhn.

biblically speaking there is nothing wrong with being wealthy.in fact wealth is God s promise to us the believers.
it is hypocritical to criticize people that you dont know personally. i wonder if the poster knows any of the so called false prophets personally.did the lord speak to him in a vision about some specific ministers or is he just putting everyone in the same boat.
in my case,i used to criticize a certain televangelist because of his opulence.i called him all sorts of adjectives.until i met his staff members and saw with my eyes how he had refused a salary from the ministry for many years.he built schools and helped many people with his small income.the lord rewarded him with a mansion,a rolls ryce,a private jet and other assets.

simply because a man of God is wealthy,doesnt mean he is greedy and materialistic.have considered that it may be the lord giving his harvest as promised in the bible?

have you noticed that jesus spoke more about money than faith and prayer? unless you are dishonest,but it takes money to send the gospel around the world.it takes millions of dollars for reinhard bonnke to hold a crusade in your village.it takes money to print bibles and christian litteratures.

if i went to church were they didnt teach me about money and participating financially in the kingdom,i would leave that church in a heart beat.

so i say again.instead of criticizing a minister who talks about money and lives large,you should check yourself up and see if you have ever used your money to futher the kingdom of God.

just name one "false prophet" that you personally know.you have investigated him/her.you have prayed about them and the lord has specifically revealed to you that the said minister is "false". just name one.tells us what you know about him/her.their humble beginnings and journey with the lord.

Why the guilty conscience? Nowhere did the Op state that wealth is synonymous with being a false prophet,

@eddy1977,
The word of God is a two edged sword. You don't need to know any man of God from Adam for the word of God to expose them. If I am to expose list of false prophets in the USA and Nigeria alone, you will be shocked. They don't go about with the inscription of false prophets on their fore heads, just stay in the word and be open minded, you will see them in the mirror of God's. Believe not every spirits my brother,even your pastor can be a false shepherd until you see it, you won't know. You said, if a church doesn't teach about money,you will leave. I can't believe a true Christian can say that. I am typing from ny phone, permit me to show you some truth when I wake up on what you just said,ok.

@ moskeeto

no guilty conscious.
simply making a point that one can be very wealthy and still be a true prophet.
also,being an abusive minister doesnt make one a "false". by definition,a false prophet is simply an imposter.a self proclaimed minister of God. true prophets of God can be very abusive of their authority and position in the body.an ignorant prophet can create more problems than solutions.
there is difference because "false prophet" and "bad prophet".
a bad prophet is a genuine man of God who is ministering poorly.it may be that he just hasnt matured yet in his office or simply he was not mentored properly.

the poster misinterpreted the verses he quoted.he put everybody in the same boat. even his topic in itself "apostasy" he just twisted it and misrepresented it

musKeeto,
I replied your email. Thanks

@ goshen.

i understand what you say.
there are many reasons why i said what i said about leaving a church that is silent on the subject of money. i pray that the lord wl give you a rhema for that word. it is solid food and baby christians will,choke on it.the early church was very big on teaching about money.thats why no one lacked amlng them. let me tell my brother,if you go to a church were they dont teach you how to use your money for the advancing of the kingdom,get lut of there.they are either flattering you or they simply dont care about you.where your money is,there also is your heart.if they care about your heart,they should teach you ln finances.it takes money to send the word of God around the world.

food for your thoughts.
deuteronomy 8:18.

God establishes his covenant on earth by giving us power to make wealth.

therefore,satan will try his best to blind us on the subject of wealth,that way he fights God s purpose of establishing his covenant here.

Ok. You and I are in the USA. We will talk about money biblically. Ok. I will expose some things to you. I believe the bible more than any man of God even when such man is my mentor. I rather take God's word. Send me email and leave me your contact. I will call you when I wake up. Mine is goshen360@Yahoo.co.uk. thanks bro.

All my points are not to generalize every pastors or prophets but they are marks of the false prophets that cannot be faked. It will surely manifest with time and Christians are to watch out for them. This is the motive behind the thread. There are so many false prophets today and the people of God/body of Christ should bother true Christians.

still peeping!

Thanks for your sound post on the need for believers to watch out for false teachers. We have a lot of false teaching going round today and we need to be aware.
@eddy
I do not see the poster mention any name rather he was using the poster scriptures to point out how we can recognise false teacher. Pls refute the scriptures if they are wrong rather than attack him.