"Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”

- Matthew 7:15

     The question is not so much about how we will know or recognise a false prophet, because on that score, the mind of Christ counsels us: "You will know them by their fruits." When it comes to their fruits, this in itself poses its own set of questions. However, we will reserve those for maybe another time. The real question pertains specifically to "the motive" of false prophets. Why understanding this is so important is because the Word says three distinctive things about false prophets, but doesn't appear to finish its pointed caution. Its narrative appears to stop mid stride, almost using incompleteness to invite us to inquire further. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” - Matthew 7:15. And then it just stops. And offers nothing further on the subject, besides the great wisdom of reverse engineering the process of identification based upon association by their fruits.

     Firstly, we are all specifically cautioned on being imperatively wary of them. In warning us, the Word also thankfully draws our attention to the fact that such an evil even exists. At the same time, when it comes to Jesus specifically warning us of anything, Jesus never cautions lightly. Having said that, it's really the two ensuing phrases that are of chief concern. In combination, together they suggest a deliberate and a wilful "dual intent" - to both initially DECEIVE, and to then grievously HARM. False prophets deliberately and purposefully mask their inward heart condition. Which begs the question, "Why? What is their true motive?"

      The second thing that begs our attention is that they present "a peaceful veneer", namely THE IMAGE of sheep's clothing. Clothing tells us they have "donned a garment", and that the garment will con our trust. The garment's primary purpose is simply "to deceive" us into extending this trust. In other words, under any other circumstances, such trust would not ordinarily be gained. But this is only the first of their twin intentions. The first sets the scene, and merely lays the foundation for their true intent which follows next. Whilst their IMAGE is "one of peace", their true LIKENESS is that of "ravenous wolves". This is the last noteworthy observation made about false prophets. It's almost like Jesus builds Matthew 7:15 up to a mini climax, all in the span of a single verse. The former conceals, but primes, the latter, which is the true motive and climax - which is to satiate their own malicious hunger. And when anything is steeped in malice, we all know it comes at both our great expense and our grave peril.

     Behind the initial question "on motive" begs the even deeper question. Are these people coming "in the name of Jesus" (sheep's clothing), but actually serve the one who seeks to steal, kill and destroy (ravenous wolves)? Are we describing an actual phenomenon of people knowingly standing up at the pulpit, and on the one hand, praising Jesus simply to win our trust, whilst secretly seeking to wilfully, deliberately and maliciously deceive us? Who do they serve? And recognising that wolves hunt in packs, is this a systematic evil of "teamwork collusion"? In that case, Matthew 7:15 describes, then, a genuinely frightening scenario. That we have servants of the enemy successfully infiltrating the leadership of the church. And being birthed in malice, it insists the final question: "what ultimately happens to those who fall prey to the marauding of these ravenous wolves?

     The answer begins and ends with "the motive". False prophets are those who use God's name and God's gifts not to serve the Father, but to serve themselves. To satiate their ravenous appetites. They use God to exalt themselves, their own name, not the name of God. AS RAVENOUS WOLVES, THEY WILL DO FOR MONEY AND SELF GLORY WHAT JESUS DID FOR LOVE. In other words, they do it entirely for self (motive), thereby disobeying both of the two greatest commandments. They don't "love their neighbour" because the motive is not for the gain of their neighbour, but for their own selfish gain (typically for "gold, glory or girls", or "fame, fortune, females"). So they con what they seek after by winning the buy in of those who fall prey for their sheep's clothing. And because it's all for themselves, this tells us they love themselves first, and not God. And it is by THESE fruits that they will ultimately become known to us.

     As for what happens to the false prophets, it is surely to these who God speaks directly when He solemnly declares, "I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." Ouch. These words instil such grave dread.““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who DOES THE WILL of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”- Matthew 7:21-23.

     False prophets serve their own will. At no time did the greatest prophet who ever lived do anything according to His own will. It was always a case of not My will, but the will of My Father who sent Me. He was, and is, the immaculate and quintessential "vessel of honour" because in all things, He did it to the express and exclusive glory of His Father. Jesus is He who genuinely honoured His Father in all His ways. May we all be sons and daughters who honour our Father.

     "Honour your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." - Ephesians 6:1–2.

- To God alone be the glory and honour, forever and ever, amen and amen.

- Blessings, Wayne Biehn