Basic ways to test prophecies

Summary:

We are commanded to be testing prophecies, as Paul wrote: "do not be-treating PROPHECIES with-contempt, but BE-TESTING all (things)" (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). 

Prophecies can be TRUE or FALSE. 

One understanding of what "testing prophecies" can mean is: 

Examining if a prophecy is TRUE or FALSE. 

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What can "testing prophecies" mean?
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There are basic ways to determine if a prophecy can be FALSE (which can be combined). For example:

1) The prophecy does not align with known true facts.

2) The prophecy does not align with what Jesus and His apostles taught.

3) The prophecy does not come to pass with all the conditions for it maintained and fulfilled.

You can find more details below:

Before testing prophecies: the language of prophecies needs to be understood:

Before someone can test if a prophecy is TRUE or FALSE, the prophecy needs to be understood.

Prophecies are not necessarily understood automatically. 

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Prophecies are not necessarily understood automatically:
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Now it is NOT impossible to understand prophecies.

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Is it impossible to understand prophecies?:
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The language used in prophecies can be understood in certain ways. 

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How can the language used in prophecies be understood?:
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When the meaning of what the prophecy intended to say is understood, we can examine if the prophecy is TRUE or FALSE.

The source of prophecies can make prophecies true or false

Prophecies can have different sources. They can from God, or not from God. They can be carried by the Holy Spirit of God, or by another spirit. 

The source of prophecies can make prophecies true or false:

If FROM GOD and carried by the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, it can make the prophecy TRUE. 

If NOT FROM GOD and carried by ANOTHER SPIRIT, it can make the prophecy FALSE. 

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The source of prophecies can make prophecies true or false:
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Basic ways to test if a prophecy is true or false: 

Does it align with known true facts? 

Something can be "FALSE" if it does not align with known true facts.

For example, during the trial of Jesus, "some, having-stood-up, were-giving-FALSE-testimony against Him, saying that “We heard Him saying that ‘I will-tear-down THIS TEMPLE MADE-BY-(HUMAN)-HANDS" (Mark 14:57-58). Yet Jesus did not talk about a temple specifically "MADE-BY-(HUMAN)-HANDS" (Mark 14:57-58). 

Jesus just mentioned "THIS TEMPLE" without any mention of a temple "MADE-BY-(HUMAN)-HANDS" (Mark 14:57-58), as Jesus was actually referring to the temple of His body, as it is written: "Jesus responded and said (to) them, “Destroy THIS TEMPLE, and in three days I-will-raise it” [...]. But that (One) was-speaking about the temple (of) His body." (John 2:19-21). 

The Jews hearing those words thought that "THIS TEMPLE" (John 2:19) would have been referring to the temple made of stones in Jerusalem that was standing there in the 1st century, as in this context Jesus said those words in "JERUSALEM. And in THE TEMPLE" (John 2:13-14) in Jerusalem made of stones. And so they answered: "Then the Jews said, “THIS TEMPLE was-built (for) forty and six years, and You will-raise it in three days?”" (John 2:20). This is why later people "were-giving-FALSE-testimony against Him, saying that “We heard Him saying that ‘I will-tear-down THIS TEMPLE MADE-BY-(HUMAN)-HANDS" (Mark 14:57-58). 

What was said that was FALSE did not align with known true facts.

Does it align with the commandments that God gave?

Paul wrote: "do not be-treating PROPHECIES with-contempt, but BE-TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek] all (things)" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). 

The same Greek word for "BE-TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek]" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) is used in 1 John 4:1. 

It is written in 1 John 4: "BE-TESTING [dokimazo 1381 in Greek] THE SPIRITS" (1 John 4:1). It then continues to describe the two spirits that can be found out, writing: "From this, we-know THE SPIRIT (OF) TRUTH and THE SPIRIT (OF) ERROR" (1 John 4:6). 

A method is given to test if there is TRUTH or ERROR here, as it is written in that passage that the author, being an apostle, included himself with other apostles when he wrote: "WE ARE FROM GOD. The (one) KNOWING GOD IS LISTENING-TO US. (The-one)-who is NOT FROM GOD IS NOT LISTENING-TO US. FROM THIS, WE-KNOW the Spirit (of) TRUTH and the spirit (of) ERROR" (1 John 4:6). If something does not align with what the apostles were saying, then it can be known to be in "ERROR". 

In a similar way, Jesus said that the Spirit of "TRUTH" was reminding people OF WHAT HE SAID, as the Father will give the "Helper to-be with you to the age, the Spirit (of) TRUTH" (John 14:16-17), "the Helper — the Holy Spirit, Which the Father will-send in My name — that (One) will-teach you all (things), and REMIND YOU OF EVERYTHING WHICH I SAID (to) you" (John 14:26). If something does not align with what Jesus was saying, then it can be known to not be the "TRUTH". 

In the garden, the serpent did not align with what God commanded. It is written that "the LORD God commanded" (Genesis 2:16) that "from the tree to be knowing good and evil you will not eat from it, but in which day you shall eat from it, YOU WILL DIE" (Genesis 2:17), but in contrast to that regarding eating from this tree "the serpent said to the woman, “YOU WILL NOT DIE" (Genesis 3:4).

In the wilderness, the devil did not align with what God commanded. It is written that Jesus said to the devil "it-has-been-written: ‘YOU-SHALL-WORSHIP (THE) LORD YOUR GOD, and serve Him ONLY’” [Deuteronomy 6:13]", but in contrast the devil was saying to Jesus "having-fallen(-down), GIVE-WORSHIP (TO) ME" (Matthew 4:9).

Does it NOT come to pass with all the conditions for it maintained and fulfilled? 

Something can be a FALSE prophecy if it does NOT come to pass with all the conditions for it maintained and fulfilled. 

For example, it is written as a general principle: "if you should say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ As many (things) as the prophet shall speak in the name of the LORD, AND THE THING SHALL NOT HAPPEN, and not come to pass, this (is) the word which the LORD has not spoken" (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).

This is assuming that ALL THE CONDITIONS (even if unstated) FOR THE PROPHECY WOULD HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED AND FULFILLED, and yet it did not come to pass. Indeed, if conditions for a prophecy are not maintained, it is possible for that prophecy to not come to pass, as for example it is written that the LORD said: "(If) I will pronounce an end upon a nation, or upon a kingdom, to drive them out, and to be destroying (them), AND THAT NATION SHALL BE TURNED FROM ALL THEIR EVIL (WAYS), THEN I WILL RELENT concerning the evil (things) which I considered to do to them" (Jeremiah 18:7-8). 

Here if a nation is TURNING from their initial ways (which made the prophecy to be pronounced against them), then the prophecy will not come to pass against them as the LORD WILL RELENT of the thing He initially spoke. 

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Prophecies can have conditions:
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Further help for testing prophecies:

Reasoning with sound mindedness can help with testing prophecies.

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Reasoning with sound mindedness can help with testing prophecies:
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