Marks of a False Prophet
And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God (Revelation 4:5).
I want to focus on what he saw proceeding out of the Throne—lightning, thundering, and voices!
These are three of the key prophetic attributes that genuine prophets and believers must have if they desire to minister in honor and accuracy before the Lord. It is pure, willing vessels who allow God to speak words through us like thunder and display his power like lightning, who preserve His words and voice in the earth.
The lightning, thundering, and voices from the Throne caught John’s attention. These are the elements found in the authentic prophetic, but they also represent what false prophets pervert. This is because rather than truly flowing in what these three attributes prophetically represent, false prophets use them to draw attention to themselves. False prophets want to steal the thunder from the Lord by sounding and appearing authoritative and powerful themselves. They desire to bring attention to themselves and draw others away from the Lord through lightning-like displays of self, pride, deceit, and manipulative gimmicks. Rather than seeking to be pure, anointed vessels from the Throne Room, they want to be the voice you follow rather than the voice of the Lord.
We are always to honor His thunderous voice and properly manifest the lightnings of His power! This is not the desire or an attribute of a false prophet.
This is what separates genuine prophetic ministers from the false counterfeits. How is that? Again, it goes back to the intentions of our hearts. A genuine prophet wants to protect the thunder of God’s voice because it is the sound of His heart, but the false prophet does not hold the heart of God in honor. In addition, the true prophet will handle God’s words and power correctly, but the false prophet perverts them through deceit while still acting as though they are greatly anointed. The true prophet wants to manifest the lightnings of God’s power humbly and honorably. And just like thunder is the sound that follows the manifestation of lightning, the “thunder” of a genuine prophetic minister is a glorious display of God’s voice in honor and power—from a place of humility, not in flashy ways that draw attention to themselves.
The false prophet is all about their own “lightning show” or showboating, constantly letting everyone know how great they are, how powerful they are, and how they can benefit you. This is completely opposite of a genuine prophet who recognizes their power comes from the Lord and they are nothing without Him. Though you are benefited by following the ministry of a genuine prophet, they will ensure that their ministry points you to the Lord. Remember, false prophets want to be the center of attention or on center stage. They desire that their audience be “wowed” and amazed by their gifting and displays of supernatural power, much like lightning, followed by the sounds of thunderous words. This is exactly what false prophets did in the Old Testament—they looked for ways to powerfully draw people to themselves, away from God and into error and counterfeits.
Today’s false prophets are identified by what is lacking in their character, morals, methods, message, money handling, and words and behaviors when they minister. They may sound powerful like thunder and even appear genuine and striking like lightning in their voices. Yet over time they are proven to be counterfeits because they deviate from what the Lord intends for them to emulate from the Throne.
When we continue in the revelation given to the apostle John in further chapters, we see something added to what he witnessed in the thunder, lightning, and voices—there was also an earthquake.
And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake (Revelation 8:5).
False prophets will capitalize on methods to get people shaken or moved, to respond to their deceit. They look for creative ways to manipulate and draw people to respond. Now obviously, the genuine prophet wants people to respond and be moved upon, even shaken as well. The difference is the genuine prophet wants this to be a result of the Holy Spirit working through and among them, confirming the word with signs following. But the false prophet’s trust is not in the Lord. They don’t look to the Lord as their source of inspiration or power to move people. Instead, they resort to falsifying things to make it appear like it is the Lord. We’ve sometimes seen this happen when those proclaiming to have a prophetic gift research to find information about those they prophesy to. They make it look as if they are getting prophetic words, words of knowledge and wisdom from the Lord, when it’s actually prior knowledge that they obtained through their own research. The genuine prophet would rather know nothing from natural observation or research and speak by the Spirit. He or she would rather not prophesy at all if they didn’t divinely receive their information from the Lord.
In addition, false prophets will twist the Scriptures to support the acceptance of practices and manifestations that may be unbiblical, false, or in some cases downright immoral. Then they will attempt to call it a “fresh” revelation or move of God. This is often why they will spend most of their time drawing attention to “supernatural” manifestations, but less attention to the importance of Scripture. Also consider that many of their manifestations are much different from those of the early apostles. I believe that is a key sign to look for. They emphasize the “new” and “different” and add emphasis that is beyond the Word of God.
Another way that a false prophet is easily recognized is by how they handle money or how they handle other people’s money! Now, we know that Scripture shows us that there is a need for offerings, partnership, and raising of funds to further the Gospel. This should be done, as the Bible says, unto the Lord and not out of compulsion (see 2 Cor. 9:7). However, the false prophet violates these genuine spiritual and financial laws that govern and bring blessings to God’s people. Rather than handle God’s people with respect and dignity, false prophets, especially in money matters, resort to gimmicks, manipulation, and out-and-out false means to get people to give to them financially.
The thunder, lightning, voices, and earthquakes—the manifestations in ministry—are to cause a human response that results in honor to the Lord and changed lives of those who experience them. They should also cause us to have a greater fear and respect of the Lord. These “lightnings and thunders” are also how the Lord speaks and don’t need to be counterfeited, manipulated, or falsified.
This is important because not only does God want to speak, He wants to show His power and cause men to be moved by His Spirit. There are several references in Scripture to the Lord’s voice being like thunder and His display of power like lightning, with the result being the shaking of the earth itself.
The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook (Psalm 77:18).
Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard (Job 37:2-4).
All of these are to remind us that what proceeds from the Throne is to reveal God’s heart that wants to be heard, His love that He desires to demonstrate, and for His people to be drawn closer to Him so they will be blessed abundantly. We find this when God came down upon Mount Sinai to visit the people of Israel under Moses’ leadership. It was His voice like thunder and His power displayed like lightning that caused both the earth and the people to tremble.
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly (Exodus 19:16-18).
This is exactly what we saw with the apostle John as he witnessed the thunder, the lightning, and earthquakes causing the earth to fear and honor God! This visitation of God upon this mountain is a beautiful picture of what should happen today when true Throne Room prophecy is being uttered. We should be drawn to the Lord because of His words and His beautiful signs and wonders that cause us to desire and honor Him more.
As we see, in this account in the book of Exodus, there is the sound of thunder, which speaks of His voice; lightning, which speaks of His power; and the sound of trumpets, which represents Throne Room prophecy being uttered through our lips. It is interesting to note the shaking that took place when God came down upon Mount Sinai is paralleled in other accounts in the Book of Revelation with the same manifestations.
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail (Revelation 11:19).
And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great (Revelation 16:18).
These examples not only remind us of God visiting Moses and the people upon the mountain but reveal to us exactly what happens when God’s voice thunders through true prophecy and His genuine prophetic vessels. The result should be a moving of the Lord upon the people that brings them to a proper response so that they will know that the Lord, who sits on the Throne, is the source of the words you speak! They will sense it, feel it, and know it, just like with the three elements of nature proceeding from the Throne.
Remember, you can discern a false prophet because they are busy trying to steal the thunder from God and be the flashy lightning that draws attention to themselves. You will know the genuine prophet because they carry the authentic words, signs, and wonders that draw the attention to the Lord.
When we think of how powerful and brilliant the manifestations of God are, it makes us hungry to represent Him correctly. This means as genuine ministers, we must not be given to what marks a false prophet or immature prophetic minister by trying to portray ourselves as powerful thunder. In addition, we must not seek to be flashy or overly sensational in our actions or presentation. We must not try to create our own “earthquakes” and “shake” people falsely through manipulation. Instead, it must be by the genuine anointing of the Holy Spirit. God’s voice as it proceeds from the Throne is powerful and thundering without our help, especially when it is released from pure vessels with pure motives. This will always move people with a deep impact and purpose like the shaking of an earthquake. It is to remind us what our prophetic voices, giftings, and callings are meant to do it in their purity and purpose. It is not trying to be powerful, appear powerful, steal the show, and shake people up for our own glory and benefit. Yet when God speaks from His heart and from the Throne Room, it will yield words that will cause men’s bones to rattle!
I was once invited into the office of a nation’s president to pray and minister to him. I didn’t feel any earthshaking words and certainly wasn’t going to act flashy like lightning or just be another in a number of voices that may have spoken to him already. I simply waited on the Lord to see what He would say and what He would want me to do. I began to minister a word to him. His response was surprising to me. He replied, “You have told me six things that I have not shared with anyone. I have sought psychics, priests, and others, but your words shook me.” It was the first time I ever saw prophecy as something that shakes people. It is how I began to see the prophetic in conjunction with earthquakes. As Throne Room prophets and those who prophesy, we need to have a level of authority that people recognize as us speaking from the Lord and not just throwing out empty words. It is always a good reminder that we don’t try to manufacture a powerful or thunderous delivery. Just allow God to manifest as He desires and it will bring honor to Him with earth-shaking results!
