Israel and Judah's Plague of False Prophets

The Old Testament prophets often rebuked the kings of Israel and Judah for imitating their pagan neighbors, especially in Near Eastern practices and court structures. Backsliding kings, who ultimately opposed Yahweh, sought the world and its ways by installing their own court of false prophets. These so-called arrangements would allow the royals to control the prophetic office. In the Ancient Near East, false prophets often held high standing and generally supported kings’ policies through oracles and dreams. Obviously, the evil kings of Israel and Judah would greatly desire this arrangement. These prophets were sometimes linked to pagan gods; an excellent example is Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal and Asherah in the northern kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 18:19).

Moreover, false prophets in Israel and Judah would often claim to prophesy in the name of Yahweh, but they had not been anointed or ordained by Him. These prophets were basically political pawns who served at the wishes of the kings. The Lord often sent His specially anointed prophets to confront the false prophets and kings, and His true prophets reminded the nation that His people must obey Him and His covenant. As a result, Yahweh used His prophets to pronounce judgments. One example occurred when the false prophet Hananiah contradicted Jeremiah (Jer. 28). Jeremiah ultimately prophesied Hananiah's death, and he did indeed pass within two months.

Ultimately, the true prophets’ prophecies were never wrong and always came to fruition. This major attribute distinguished Yahweh’s prophets from imitators! Yahweh's prophets served Him and not the desires of men.

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Deuteronomy 18:21-22 

 Now you may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken? When a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

Jeremiah 23:16 

Thus says Yahweh of hosts,

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.

They are leading you into vanity;

They speak a vision of their own heart,

Not from the mouth of Yahweh."

Jeremiah 28:12-17 

Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the bar of the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “Go and speak to Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “You have broken the bars of a yoke made of wood, but you have made in their place the bars of a yoke made of iron.” For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. And I have even given him the beasts of the field.”’” Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah, Yahweh has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This year you are going to die because you have spoken rebellion against Yahweh.’”

 So Hananiah the prophet died in the same year in the seventh month.